Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in Iswaran Corruption Case

Both sides have urged the court to impose a fine rather than prison due to Ong’s multiple myeloma ahead of his August 15 sentencing.

Image
Malaysian property tycoon Ong Beng Seng arrives at the state court, in Singapore October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
Image

Overview

  • On August 4, Ong admitted one count of abetting obstruction of justice by arranging a delayed S$5,700 payment for a DohaSingapore business class ticket linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran.
  • He acknowledged instructing Singapore GP to bill Iswaran in May 2023 after the CPIB seized a private jet flight manifest during a graft probe.
  • A second charge for abetting Iswaran in obtaining flights and a hotel stay has been taken into consideration for sentencing.
  • The prosecution and defence jointly requested judicial mercy, citing Ong’s chronic multiple myeloma and proposing a fine in lieu of imprisonment.
  • Sentencing is scheduled for August 15 in the State Courts, marking the latest development in a probe that led to Iswaran’s 2024 conviction and underscored Singapore’s strict gift-declaration rules.