'Consider Singapore-like laws': Zoho founder's pitch to Tamil Nadu CM Vijay on corruption

Zoho founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu has suggested that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay consider Singapore-style laws for drug dealing and high-level corruption, including the death penalty for future corruption.

Vembu made the suggestion in a post on X on Sunday, saying it could be among the measures considered by the chief minister.

"One of the suggestions I have for our Honourable Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is to consider Singapore-like laws on drug dealing and high-level corruption," Vembu wrote on X.

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He said that in the Indian context, salaries at the ministerial and All India Services levels, including IAS and IPS officers, should be "drastically" increased. "Any future corruption should attract the death penalty," he said.

‘Raising Pay Is Equally Important’

Vembu said higher pay was an important part of his proposal and suggested an amnesty for past corruption. "Raising the pay is equally important, and we should declare an amnesty for past sins so we do not endlessly debate the past," he wrote.

The tech veteran said courts should enforce such laws only after proper review and due process. But, he added, due process should not mean a 30-year delay. "Singapore courts are very efficient, and we can learn from them."

The chief scientist also cited Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as an influence. "I have been an ardent fan of Lee Kuan Yew my entire adult life, and I have read every one of his speeches! We must study his approach," he wrote.

‘Issue Is Not Simply Level Of Pay’

The suggestion drew criticism from a financial advisor, Senthilkumar, who argued that higher salaries alone would not eliminate corruption.

"I strongly oppose the argument that increasing the salaries of IAS, IPS will eliminate corruption," he said.

He pointed to cases in which wealthy politicians continued to face corruption allegations and said even lower-level government employees had allegedly accumulated assets worth ₹20 crore or more.

“The issue is not simply the level of pay, it is the lack of accountability, transparency, and effective enforcement,” Senthilkumar said.

Vijay's Corruption Claims

Since coming to power in Tamil Nadu, Vijay has said that the TVK aims to provide a "corruption-free government."

Earlier this week, Vijay said he had files containing evidence of corruption during the previous DMK regime and would make them public at an appropriate time.

During a debate in the Assembly, DMK MLAs had raised slogans demanding evidence for the corruption allegations.

Vijay said he had initially decided not to speak about the issue. "But they keep asking for evidence. A week ago, Finance Minister (Marie Wilson) said that the files relating to the review of three departments were on my table. It was not a casual remark. All the evidence is there in those files. Please do not force me to open them," he said.

The chief minister added that he knew "what to speak, how to speak and when to speak". "We are remaining silent because we want some good to happen to some people, at least in this by-election," Vijay said.