CPIB was established in 1952 as an independent body responsible for the investigation and prevention of corruption in Singapore.
CPIB investigates and aims to prevent corruption in the public and private sectors. It derives its powers of investigation from the Prevention of Corruption Act and is helmed by a Director who reports to the Prime Minister.
The Bureau is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the public service and maintaining corruption-free transactions in the private sector.
Besides bringing corruption offenders to task, the Bureau performs corruption prevention by reviewing the work methods and procedures of corruption-prone departments and public bodies, to identify administrative weaknesses in existing systems which are vulnerable to corruption and malpractices, and recommends remedial and prevention measures to the heads of the departments concerned. Also in this regard, officers of the Bureau regularly give corruption prevention talks to educate public officers, especially those who come into contact with the public, on the pitfalls of corruption.