SINGAPORE, Nov 29 — A Singaporean man was sentenced to 15 months in jail yesterday for making false bomb threats involving the DBS headquarters in the Marina Bay district of Singapore earlier this year.

Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that Ang Cheng Shin, also known as Hong Zhenxun, pleaded guilty to a charge of communicating false information about a harmful thing.

According to the media outlet, the threats stemmed from the 34-year-old’s frustration over an unpaid credit card debt of S$11,500 (RM38,000), which had grown from an initial S$650 in 2011 due to accrued interest.

Despite agreeing to a repayment plan with DBS in December 2023, Ang failed to make any repayments from January to May 2024.

On May 27, Ang made nine bomb threats during calls with DBS customer service operators.

The threats prompted the mobilisation of 67 personnel, including 19 police officers, to address the hoax.

Bomb sweeps were conducted at Marina Bay Financial Centre and other locations, and Ang was arrested later that day at SingPost Centre.

CNA said prosecutors described the case as rare but emphasised the harm caused by bomb hoaxes in a time of heightened terrorism awareness. They noted the significant strain such threats place on emergency services.

Ang, who was unrepresented in court, requested a lighter sentence, citing his role as a caregiver to his elderly father.

The maximum penalty for his offence includes up to 14 years in jail, a fine of S$100,000, or both.