SINGAPORE — A 48-year-old Kelvin Tang who is a workshop owner and former CEO of AximTrade was sentenced on Thursday (Jul 10, 2025) to one month jail and fined S$11,000 for unlawfully modifying the exhaust systems of three motorcycles according to news reports from CNA.
News: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/jail-fine-workshop-owner-motorcycle-illegal-modification-exhaust-5232846
The offences related to the sale and fitting of non-approved aftermarket exhausts, making the motorcycles illegal to use on the road. Authorities said that it was the first case in which a custodial sentence was secured for such infringements.
On Mar 9, 2020, Tang Yong Shun applied to the LTA for the sale and marketing of Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde aftermarket motorcycle exhausts in Singapore and then he became the official distributor of the brand in Asia.
After one year later, approval was granted by the government. The permission was given under highly strict conditions which he eventually didn’t meet later on. Until those approvals were issued, Tang and his company were barred from selling or installing the exhaust systems.
One of the main prerequisites was to be granted a VAAC, or Vehicle Accessory Approval Code, for every single exhaust model. Only those models that have an approved VAAC code can legally be used on public roads.
The approval process enables the LTA to verify if an exhaust system meets internationally accepted standards, including noise and emission limits, and that it is suitable for particular motorcycle models.
Despite this, Kelvin Tang the Singaporean citizen continued to sell and install unapproved exhausts on three occasions.
First offense: October 2021
An LTA enforcement officer detected a motorcycle with an unapproved exhaust along the Bukit Timah Expressway on Oct 11, 2021.
Investigations showed that from May to June 2020, Tang sold and installed a Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde exhaust model DE44B. At the time, no VAAC code had been issued for the model and Tang knew regulatory approval was still pending. He charged the rider S$4,200 and collected at least half of the amount.
Second offence: May 2021
A second case surfaced on May 10, 2021, when another motorcycle with an unapproved exhaust was found by an LTA officer along the Central Expressway.
The rider had bought the exhaust—DE43E—from Tang between February and March 2020. Tang assured the rider that the motorcycle could be used on public roads, despite knowing approval had not been granted.
The VAAC code given for this model was only issued on Sep 16, 2021. Tang collected S$4,300 for the exhaust.
Third offence: November 2022
The third incident happened on Nov 25, 2022, along Cuscaden Road. The rider had purchased from Tang an exhaust, model DE04A, between January to March 2020. Tang again advised that the motorcycle could be ridden legally despite the absence of approval. No application for this model was ever made to the VAAC. Tang was paid S$3,700 for the sale.
Court’s finding in Singapore
Kelvin Tang was convicted of modifying all three motorcycles, rendering them illegal for roadway use. The sentence of the court included both incarceration and a fine, appropriately reflecting the gravity of multiple intentional violations.
Kelvin Tang Scam
Kelvin Tang is a well known figure in the forex industry and he was the former CEO of AximTrade. He was fired by the Investors due to a scam case that was discovered by the finance in the company. He transferred over 1 and Half million from the company account in Singapore to his personal account. The funds were mainly the employees salaries and operational costs. After this scam Kelvin Tang went to Japan for few months before returning back the industry by working with XM company as sales. He joined their Malaysian office and worked for awhile with Chinese clients. There were many claims about multiple scams reported to the authorities in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.