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AsiaOne
3 days ago
- AsiaOne
Cancer-stricken Ong Beng Seng arrives for sentencing, Singapore News
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has arrived at the State Courts on Friday (Aug 15) to await the sentencing of his case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran The 79-year-old Malaysian pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to one charge of abetting Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice. A second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts will be taken into consideration for sentencing. Before his hearing scheduled for 2.30pm, Ong arrived wearing a white shirt and a mask. He remained silent as he walked into court alongside his lawyers and staff. Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, and other health issues. If convicted of abetting the obstruction of justice, he may face a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both. [[nid:720857]] At the Aug 4 hearing, the defence asked the court to exercise judicial mercy, on grounds that sending Ong to prison would significantly endanger his life. Judicial mercy is when the courts give leniency in the sentencing of offenders with exceptional personal circumstances, on the basis of humanitarian concern. It has been exercised in cases where an offender has terminal illness, or dire medical conditions that endanger their life if they were to be imprisoned. Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull from Drew & Napier had told District Judge Lee Lit Cheng that his client is severely immunocompromised and at risk of infection, and is also a high fall risk patient. "Mr Ong is currently living on a very narrow margin, with no room for error," Bull said, adding that the billionaire is cared for by a team of doctors including specialists. Bull also argued that a jail term should not be imposed on Ong, even if judicial mercy is not granted, citing his ill health as a mitigating factor. The senior counsel said Ong had simply received a request from Iswaran to be billed for the Doha-Singapore flight worth $5,700 and complied with it, and that his client regrets his actions. The prosecution had said it acknowledges that judicial mercy is warranted in Ong's case and would be appropriate instead of a custodial sentence. It asked for Ong to be given the maximum fine, which would be $30,000 in this case. [[nid:703937]]
AsiaOne
04-08-2025
- AsiaOne
Ex-minister Iswaran's case: Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice, seeks judicial mercy, Singapore News
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has pleaded guilty on August 4 to abetment of obstruction of justice in a case related to ex transport minister S. Iswaran. The 79-year-old admitted to one charge of abetting Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice by helping the latter pay $5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore. Another second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts was taken into consideration for sentencing. The prosecution had, in court, noted that the defence had asked that the court impose a fine on Ong on the grounds of judicial mercy. Judicial mercy is when the courts give leniency in the sentencing of offenders with exceptional personal circumstances. It has been exercised in cases where an offender has terminal illness, or dire medical conditions that endanger their life if they were to be imprisoned. Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, a rare type of bone marrow cancer. He had earlier arrived at the State Courts amid the gloom of a rainy Monday morning (August 4), to plead guilty to a charge related to Iswaran's case. The Malaysian, widely known for bringing the Formula 1 night race to Singapore in 2008, arrived just before 9am, and walked into the State Courts building with the help of his staff and lawyers. Ong, wearing a white shirt and black mask, remained silent when approached by the media. His hearing was scheduled for 9.30am. Members of the media were seen braving the rain outside the State Courts earlier this morning, awaiting Ong's arrival. Ong is represented by Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull and Adam Maniam from Drew & Napier, and Senior Counsel Jason Chan, Lee Bik Wei and Cheryl Chong from Allen & Gledhill. The prosecution is represented by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Christopher Ong and Deputy Public Prosecutors Sarah Siaw, Kelvin Chong and Goh Qi Shuen. Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng is overseeing the proceedings. The hearing, however, was delayed for about 45 minutes after two false fire alarms disrupted the court proceeding. Charged with abetting a public servant Ong was charged in October 2024 with abetting a public servant — then-minister Iswaran — in obtaining gifts, and abetting the obstruction of justice. He was expected to plead guilty on August 4 to one count of abetting the obstruction of justice, with the charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts to be taken into consideration. The billionaire has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer which is incurable. Ong had earlier indicated he will plead guilty on April 2, but the hearing was later rescheduled to July 3. It was pushed back again after prosecutors and Ong's lawyers asked for more time to file sentencing submissions, with pre-trial conferences held in July. The former managing director of Hotel Properties Ltd has reportedly been out on $800,000 bail. [[nid:720417]] Ong is accused of instigating Iswaran to obtain a valuable item in December 2022 by offering to fly him to Doha on his private plane — a trip valued at $10,400. He had gifted Iswaran a one-night stay in Four Seasons Hotel Doha, with a value of $4,737.63, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore paid for by Singapore GP, valued at $5,700. The entire trip was worth about $20,850. According to previous media reports, Ong allegedly alerted Iswaran that the Doha flight manifest had been seized by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. Ong allegedly abetted the obstruction of justice by aiding Iswaran to make a payment of $5,700, the cost of the business class flight ticket, to Singapore GP in May 2023. Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October 2024 after pleading guilty to receiving items as a public servant from Ong and David Lum, managing director of construction company Lum Chang Holdings, and the obstruction of justice. He was placed on home detention on Feb 7, and finished his term on June 6, according to the Straits Times. If convicted of abetting the obstruction of justice, Ong may face a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both. [[nid:703937]]
AsiaOne
04-08-2025
- AsiaOne
Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice in ex-minister Iswaran's case, Singapore News
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has pleaded guilty on August 4 to abetment of obstruction of justice in a case related to ex transport minister S. Iswaran. The 79-year-old admitted to one charge of abetting Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice by helping the latter pay $5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore. Another second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts was taken into consideration for sentencing. Ong had arrived at the State Courts amid the gloom of a rainy Monday morning (August 4), to plead guilty to a charge related to Iswaran's case. The Malaysian, widely known for bringing the Formula 1 night race to Singapore in 2008, arrived just before 9am, and walked into the State Courts building with the help of his staff and lawyers. Ong, wearing a white shirt and black mask, remained silent when approached by the media. His hearing was scheduled for 9.30am. Members of the media were seen braving the rain outside the State Courts earlier this morning, awaiting Ong's arrival. Ong is represented by Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull and Adam Maniam from Drew & Napier, and Senior Counsel Jason Chan, Lee Bik Wei and Cheryl Chong from Allen & Gledhill. The prosecution is represented by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Christopher Ong and Deputy Public Prosecutors Sarah Siaw, Kelvin Chong and Goh Qi Shuen. Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng is overseeing the proceedings. The hearing, however, was delayed for about 45 minutes after two false fire alarms disrupted the court proceeding. Charged with abetting a public servant Ong was charged in October 2024 with abetting a public servant — then-minister Iswaran — in obtaining gifts, and abetting the obstruction of justice. He was expected to plead guilty on August 4 to one count of abetting the obstruction of justice, with the charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts to be taken into consideration. The billionaire has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer which is incurable. Ong had earlier indicated he will plead guilty on April 2, but the hearing was later rescheduled to July 3. It was pushed back again after prosecutors and Ong's lawyers asked for more time to file sentencing submissions, with pre-trial conferences held in July. The former managing director of Hotel Properties Ltd has reportedly been out on $800,000 bail. [[nid:720417]] Ong is accused of instigating Iswaran to obtain a valuable item in December 2022 by offering to fly him to Doha on his private plane — a trip valued at $10,400. He had gifted Iswaran a one-night stay in Four Seasons Hotel Doha, with a value of $4,737.63, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore paid for by Singapore GP, valued at $5,700. The entire trip was worth about $20,850. According to previous media reports, Ong allegedly alerted Iswaran that the Doha flight manifest had been seized by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. Ong allegedly abetted the obstruction of justice by aiding Iswaran to make a payment of $5,700, the cost of the business class flight ticket, to Singapore GP in May 2023. Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October 2024 after pleading guilty to receiving items as a public servant from Ong and David Lum, managing director of construction company Lum Chang Holdings, and the obstruction of justice. He was placed on home detention on Feb 7, and finished his term on June 6, according to the Straits Times. If convicted of abetting the obstruction of justice, Ong may face a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both. [[nid:703937]]
Straits Times
28-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
GE2025: WP's Andre Low says he offers ‘something different', cites private sector experience
WP's candidate for Jalan Kayu Andre Low says he has a breadth of experience from his career in the private sector. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - WP candidate Andre Low hopes to rely on the breadth of experience he has gathered across different industries to serve Jalan Kayu residents and Singaporeans. Referring to labour chief Ng Chee Meng, a former lieutenant-general who is the PAP candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC, he said: 'I think I have, in many ways, much more to offer than he does. He comes with his military background. He's been in the labour movement. I offer something different. I worked in the private sector my entire career.' In each of his career paths in law, technology and consulting, he has worked at the largest companies, he said. He started as a disputes lawyer with Drew & Napier, then moved on to the technology sector with Amazon Web Services, before he joined the Boston Consulting Group. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from University College London and a Master of Business Administration from Insead. The only child of two teachers, he joined WP in 2020 and was appointed secretarial assistant to Sengkang GRC MP Louis Chua immediately after the election. Speaking to The Straits Times under a block of flats at Fernvale Link on April 28, the 33-year-old tech professional with a global fintech company said he is a unique proposition that differs from many current parliamentarians. Mr Low, who had previously referred to himself as the underdog in this contest, added: 'I may be young, but that means I have a long runway ahead of me. If I have the privilege of being their MP, I hope to serve them for many, many years to come.' For the residents, he will be continuing the good work that has been done in terms of the estate's cleanliness and maintenance, he said. 'I want to reassure residents that there will be continuity. If there's any kind of ongoing projects that have been funded already, we'll keep those going. And I think residents can be assured that the WP now has a very solid, long track record of running, managing town councils.' Besides addressing their needs, he hopes to focus on four main thrusts in Parliament if elected: cost of living, housing affordability and access, education reforms to encourage creative thinking, diverse skill sets and exploratory mindsets, as well as future-ready jobs and skills. Mr Low, who is married with a baby on the way, was initially walking the ground in Tampines. However, the party leadership had made it clear that as electoral boundaries and strategic considerations change, the team might change too. After the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report was released, WP chief Pritam Singh broached the idea of him running in Jalan Kayu SMC. 'I told him, I would want to take up the challenge,' he said, adding that there were already 'rumours' then about who his opponent would be. While WP had been engaging Jalan Kayu residents after the EBRC report was issued in March, Mr Low started doing so daily over two weeks ago. He noted that this was due to the party's strategic considerations to keep its cards close to its chest. 'I seek the residents' forgiveness for not being able to engage on the ground at an earlier stage,' he said. On WP's foray into the newly minted ward, he said that it is an extension slightly west of Sengkang, which would bring the single-member constituency into the Sengkang family. The WP wrested Sengkang GRC from the PAP team led by Mr Ng in the last election. He said: 'I think it will be close. It'll be a tough fight. It will swing either side on very fine margins.' Even if he loses, he said he would still fully commit himself to Jalan Kayu residents, but would defer to the WP leadership's decision. Noting that the former Joo Chiat SMC was absorbed into a GRC after fellow WP member Yee Jenn Jong narrowly lost the contest in 2011, he added: 'I think it will also depend on whether we still have the Jalan Kayu SMC.' Chin Soo Fang is senior correspondent at The Straits Times covering topics such as community, politics, social issues, consumer, culture and heritage. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
South China Morning Post
08-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Singapore's insolvency reforms take aim at shareholder dissent
Singapore 's policymakers are wrapping up the public feedback process on proposed changes to its insolvency law, part of a broader effort to enhance the city state's appeal as a hub for restructuring in Asia. Advertisement A key change would broaden a provision in restructuring plans, known as cross-class cramdowns, to prevent shareholders from dissenting, according to a Ministry of Law report. The proposals would also streamline the process of disposing a debtor's property or issuing new shares, and recommend building incentives into restructuring managers' compensation. The public consultation period will close on April 8, after which the Ministry of Law will draft a bill to be read in parliament before the proposals are enacted. Singapore's policymakers are proposing changes to allow creditors to force a restructuring plan on shareholders. Photo: AFP The recommendations are the latest in the ministry's ongoing efforts to refresh insolvency rules under the Companies Act, which the state began years ago to make Singapore's bankruptcy courts more appealing to investors. 'In the Asian context, where many companies are closely held by families, this could be a significant move if it results in these families losing control in these companies' said Mohan Gopalan, director for corporate restructuring & workouts at law firm Drew & Napier, commenting on the proposed changes on the cross-class cramdown. In 2016, Singapore went through a similar exercise to update its insolvency law, adopting a set of committee recommendations. They included practices similar to tools laid out in the US bankruptcy code's Chapter 11, such as offering automatic stay of legal and enforcement actions for debtors. 01:58 These are the safest and riskiest cities in Asia to visit, new study finds These are the safest and riskiest cities in Asia to visit, new study finds A key recommendation in the policymakers' latest report is to broaden a so-called 'cross-class cramdown' provision to allow creditors to force a restructuring plan on dissenting shareholders.
