Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng retains PR status, issued ICA warning letter

10/11/2025 2 Views

SINGAPORE – Billionaire Ong Beng Seng’s permanent resident (PR) status in Singapore has been reviewed and will not be revoked, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Nov 10.

“Instead, he has been issued a letter of warning to put him on notice that any future adverse conduct will render him liable for revocation of his PR status,” the ICA said in response to queries from The Straits Times.

The authority’s update followed an August statement, when ICA said all Singapore permanent residents who have been convicted of an offence

will have their PR status reviewed

Mr Ong, who is a Malaysian citizen,

was fined $30,000 on Aug 15

after he pleaded guilty to one charge of abetting the obstruction of justice in a case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran.

The property tycoon had admitted to arranging to bill Mr Iswaran belatedly for $5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore. This was after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) came across the flight manifest while it was investigating a separate matter relating to Mr Ong’s associates.

Mr Ong’s other charge, which was taken into consideration for sentencing, was for abetting Mr Iswaran, who was then a public servant, in obtaining gifts.

The judge had agreed with both the prosecution and defence that judicial mercy should be exercised in Mr Ong’s case due to his ill health. Mr Ong was diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma in 2020.

In September, Hougang MP Dennis Tan had filed a parliamentary question asking under what circumstances would permanent residents and work pass holders have their PR status or work pass revoked when they commit a criminal offence in Singapore.

Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam replied that foreigners who break Singapore’s laws or engage in undesirable conduct may have their passes or permits cancelled and be prohibited from re-entry into the country. This also applies to PRs and work pass holders.

“There is a framework to assess such cases based on the facts, the nature and severity of the incident, the person’s family roots here, and the contributions of the person to Singapore,” he added.

Mr Ong was born in Malaysia in 1946 and came to Singapore at the age of four. He worked in international insurance underwriting and broking in Europe, London and South-east Asia before joining Motor and General Underwriters Investment Holdings in the late 1960s.

Mr Ong married Ms Christina Fu, herself a prominent businesswoman, in 1972. In 1975, he joined Kuo International, an oil trading company owned by his father-in-law, Mr Peter Fu.

There, he made millions, accurately predicting the ups and downs of oil prices. The capital earned during this time is said to have helped finance his later investments and property developments.

In 1980, Mr Ong set up Hotel Properties Limited and acquired hotels around the world, and properties in prime locations such as Orchard Road. He was also credited with bringing Formula 1 racing to Singapore.