Prominent property billionaire Ong Beng Seng pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of obstructing justice in connection with a major corruption case that last year saw former transport minister S. Iswaran jailed, a first in Singapore’s political history.
The 78-year-old tycoon, who owns the rights to the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix and was long regarded as a key figure in the country’s business elite, admitted to tipping off Iswaran during a corruption probe. Ong had revealed that his associates were questioned and that a private flight manifest bearing Iswaran’s name had been seized by investigators.
Prosecutors said the disclosure prompted Iswaran to request an invoice from Singapore GP, the race promoter, to make the private flight appear as a legitimate, reimbursed expense. This maneuver was allegedly aimed at reducing suspicion and hindering investigation efforts.
Despite the gravity of the charge, both the prosecution and defense recommended judicial mercy, citing Ong’s battle with multiple myeloma, a terminal cancer of the blood plasma that leaves him severely immuno-compromised. They requested that he be fined rather than imprisoned. Sentencing is scheduled for August 15.
Judicial mercy allows Singapore’s courts to issue a more lenient sentence under exceptional mitigating circumstances, such as serious illness or a high risk to life from incarceration.
The case has gripped the nation and challenged the clean image of Singapore’s political system, which is known for paying government ministers salaries of over S$1 million (US$775,000) to deter corruption.
Iswaran was sentenced in October 2024 to 12 months in prison for accepting over S$400,000 in benefits from Ong, including Premier League tickets, Formula 1 access, London musical outings, and private jet travel. He is currently serving the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
Ong stepped down as managing director of Hotel Properties Limited in April, as scrutiny around the case intensified. His fall from grace marks a rare breach in Singapore’s tightly guarded standards of integrity in public and private leadership.
Written By Rodney Mbua
