Ong Beng Seng keeps Singapore PR status, receives warning from ICA

SINGAPORE: The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced on 10 November 2025 that it will not revoke billionaire Ong Beng Seng’s permanent resident (PR) status.

According to the state media The StraitsTimes, the Malaysian-born businessman has been issued a Letter of Warning, signalling that any future misconduct could lead to loss of his residency rights.

According to ICA’s statement, Ong’s case was reviewed following his conviction earlier this year. The authority reiterated its stance that all Singapore permanent residents convicted of offences undergo a review of their PR status.

In August 2025, Ong, 79, was fined S$30,000 after pleading guilty to one count of abetting the obstruction of justice. The case was connected to investigations into former transport minister S Iswaran.

Details of the offence

Court documents revealed that Ong had arranged for a belated billing of S$5,700 to the Singapore Grand Prix for a business-class ticket taken by Iswaran from Doha to Singapore.

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) discovered the arrangement while probing an unrelated matter involving Ong’s associates.

Another charge — abetting Iswaran, then a public servant, in obtaining gifts — was taken into consideration for sentencing.

The judge agreed with both prosecution and defence that judicial mercy was appropriate given Ong’s advanced multiple myeloma diagnosis, first identified in 2020.

Parliamentary clarification on PR and work pass reviews

The issue of PR and work pass revocations was subsequently raised in Parliament in September.

Member of Parliament from the Workers' Party Dennis Tan asked for clarification on the circumstances under which foreigners might lose their PR status or work passes after committing offences in Singapore.

Responding, Minister for Home Affairs and Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam explained that foreigners who break Singapore’s laws or engage in undesirable conduct may have their immigration status cancelled.

He said such decisions are guided by a structured framework considering “the facts, the nature and severity of the incident, the person’s family roots here, and the contributions of the person to Singapore.”

Ong’s background and business career

Born in Malaysia in 1946, Ong moved to Singapore at the age of four. He began his career in international insurance underwriting and broking, working across Europe, London, and Southeast Asia.

In the late 1960s, he joined Motor & General Underwriters Investment Holdings. In 1972, Ong married Christina Fu, daughter of businessman Peter Fu, and later joined her father’s oil trading firm, Kuo International, in 1975.

During the oil price fluctuations of the 1970s, Ong successfully capitalised on market trends, amassing capital that later funded his ventures into property and hospitality.

In 1980, he founded Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), through which he developed and acquired numerous hotels globally, including properties along Singapore’s Orchard Road. Ong is also widely credited with playing a key role in bringing Formula 1 racing to Singapore, helping establish the city-state’s position as a major international events destination.