Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng fined S$30,000 for abetting obstruction of justice in Iswaran case

SINGAPORE: Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has been sentenced to a S$30,000 fine on 15 Aug 2025 for abetting the obstruction of justice in a case linked to former transport minister S Iswaran. This is the maximum fine the State Courts can impose.

During sentencing, Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng said the central question was whether judicial mercy should be exercised in Ong’s case due to his ill health.

She noted, “The clear and undisputed medical evidence before this court establishes that the accused suffers from advanced multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the plasma cells, and a sentence of imprisonment would carry a high and increased risk of endangering his life.”

Agreeing with both prosecution and defence, she ruled that judicial mercy was justified and imposed the maximum fine in place of a custodial sentence, which the offence would normally attract.

Ong, 79, is one of Singapore’s richest men, known for his leadership in the property and hospitality sectors.

On 4 Aug 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of abetting Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice. He admitted to belatedly billing Iswaran S$5,700 for a business class ticket from Doha to Singapore, months after the flight.

The payment was made only after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found Iswaran’s name on a flight manifest during an unrelated probe.

A second charge, alleging Ong instigated Iswaran to obtain flights and hotel accommodation despite knowing his official duties related to Ong’s business, was taken into consideration for sentencing.

Defence sought fine in place of jail

Court proceedings centred on Ong’s deteriorating health. His defence detailed his advanced multiple myeloma diagnosis, which has caused severe skeletal damage and compromised his immune system.

Complications include a high risk of gangrene, severe immunosuppression, functional paralysis in both hands and legs from spinal surgery, and chronic diarrhoea due to medication.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Christopher Ong stated that a typical sentence would have been about eight weeks’ imprisonment. However, given the “severity and complexity” of the condition, the prosecution supported a non-custodial sentence with the maximum fine.

Medical experts, including a Harvard Medical School professor, described Ong’s case as one of the most complicated multiple myeloma cases they had seen.

The case timeline showed multiple adjournments. Ong was first scheduled to plead guilty on 2 Apr 2025, but hearings were postponed in July to obtain further medical reports. The matter was eventually heard on 4 Aug 2025, over two years after the first evidence emerged.

Details of the offence

Ong was formally charged on 4 Oct 2024 with abetment of a public servant in obtaining gifts, and with abetment of obstruction of justice under Section 204A of the Penal Code.

Court documents revealed that in Dec 2022, Ong arranged for Iswaran to fly on his private jet from Singapore to Doha, valued at about US$7,700 (S$10,400), and provided a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha worth S$4,737.63. He also provided the S$5,700 return ticket to Singapore.

In May 2023, CPIB discovered the manifest showing Iswaran’s travel on Ong’s jet. Ong was informed that CPIB had seized the manifest, and between 18 and 23 May, he contacted Iswaran about it.

Iswaran later requested an invoice for the trip expenses to be issued by Singapore GP, which Ong arranged through a company director.

On 24 May 2023, the invoice was sent to Iswaran’s assistant, and a cheque for S$5,700 was issued to Singapore GP. Prosecutors said the delayed payment reduced the likelihood of an investigation into the trip.

Ong’s business legacy

Born in Sabah in 1946, Ong moved to Singapore at age four. He studied at Anglo-Chinese School and later in Britain before working in Europe and Southeast Asia.

In 1972, he married Christina Fu and joined Kuo International, owned by his father-in-law Peter Fu. He later founded Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) in 1980, building it into a major property developer.

HPL, listed in 1982, managed 41 hotels in 17 countries as of Dec 2024. Ong stepped down as managing director in April 2025.

He is also credited with bringing Formula One to Singapore in 2008, securing rights for the Singapore Grand Prix and negotiating with then-Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone for the sport’s first night race.

Iswaran, who chaired the F1 steering committee, worked closely with Ong during the mid-2000s to secure the event, which became a highlight on the international racing calendar.

Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment on 3 Oct 2024 for accepting multiple gifts from Ong, and served part of his term on home detention before his release on 6 Jun 2025.