Ong Beng Seng retains PR status, gets ICA warning letter after conviction for abetting in obstruction of justice

Mr Ong, a Malaysian billionaire, was fined S$30,000 (US$23,000) in August. He pleaded guilty to intentionally aiding former Transport Minister S Iswaran to pay S$5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore.

This payment was made in 2023, months after the flight, and only after the anti-corruption agency discovered Mr Iswaran’s name on the manifest for an outbound flight to Doha when investigating a separate case.

Mr Ong is the man behind Singapore GP, which brought the Formula 1 Grand Prix to Singapore in 2008.

A second charge for instigating Mr Iswaran to obtain flights and a hotel stay from him, when Mr Ong had business dealings linked with Mr Iswaran’s official functions, was considered in sentencing.

On account of Mr Ong’s poor health, the judge agreed with the prosecution and defence that judicial mercy was justified and imposed the maximum fine a district court can give, instead of three months’ jail.

ICA had said, following Mr Ong’s conviction, that his PR status was under review.