Ong Beng Seng’s plea hearing postponed to 8 July, reclassified as pre-trial conference

Singapore-based property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, originally scheduled to plead guilty on 3 July 2025, has had his court hearing adjourned.

According to The Straits Times, the hearing is now set for 8 July at 9.30am and will proceed as a pre-trial conference rather than a plea mention.

The adjournment was approved by the State Courts on 2 July following a request to reschedule the proceedings.

Court records confirm that the session has been reclassified from a plea to a pre-trial meeting.

Two charges tied to Iswaran case

Ong, aged 79, faces two charges linked to former transport minister S Iswaran’s corruption case. The charges were filed in October 2024.

These mirror the charges to which Iswaran pleaded guilty in September 2024.

The first charge alleges Ong abetted Iswaran in securing an all-expenses-paid trip to Doha in December 2022, valued at approximately S$20,850.

This included a flight on Ong’s private jet, a hotel stay at the Four Seasons Doha, and a return business class flight.

The second charge involves abetting the obstruction of justice in May 2023, during the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s probe.

Ong is accused of aiding Iswaran by paying S$5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class ticket from Doha to Singapore.

Ong previously announced plea plan

Ong was managing director of Hotel Properties Limited (HPL). The company stated via a Singapore Exchange filing that Ong intended to plead guilty to the obstruction charge.

He was expected to have the other charge taken into consideration during sentencing.

Ong resigned from his role on 29 April 2025, citing a need to focus on his medical condition.

He is undergoing chemotherapy for bone marrow cancer and has previously been granted permission to travel overseas for medical reasons.

Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months’ jail in October 2024. He was placed on home detention from 7 February and has been out of custody since 6 June 2025.