Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng charged with abetting public servant to obtain valuable things, obstructing justice

SINGAPORE: Singapore GP head Ong Beng Seng was charged on Friday (Oct 4) in the State Courts, a day after ex-transport minister S Iswaran was sentenced to a year’s jail. 
Ong, a 78-year-old property tycoon and hotelier, was handed one charge each under Section 165 and Section 204A of the Penal Code. 
Section 165 relates to a public servant obtaining valuables from a person involved in a proceeding or business with the public servant, while Section 204A pertains to obstructing justice.
For the 204A charge, Ong is accused of abetting the obstruction of justice by intentionally aiding Iswaran to make payment of S$5,700 (S$4397) to Singapore GP between May 18, 2023 and May 25, 2023. 
This was the cost of Iswaran’s business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore on Dec 11, 2022, which had been paid for by Singapore GP. 
Ong allegedly instructed a Mok Chee Liang to bill the cost of the flight to Iswaran, who then made payment. Ong is said to have known that his act was likely to obstruct the course of justice.
For the charge under Section 165, Ong is said to have abetted by instigating Iswaran, a public servant, to obtain a “valuable thing” for no consideration by offering Iswaran a trip to Doha with Ong, and making arrangements for it in December 2022. 
The arrangements are:
Iswaran allegedly knew that Ong was concerned in a business transacted, namely the performance of a facilitation agreement for the Singapore Grand Prix 2022 to 2028 between Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), 
This agreement was connected to Iswaran’s official functions as minister and chairman of the F1 Steering Committee, the charge sheet added.
A Singapore-based Malaysian, Ong was arrested alongside Iswaran in July 2023 and released on bail. He is known as the man who brought Formula 1 to Singapore. 
No charges were previously filed against him, with the Attorney-General’s Chambers telling the media that it will decide on the investigations against him after Iswaran’s case is completed. 
Ong had been named in Iswaran’s charges from the start, when the latter had been first handed 27 charges on Jan 18.
These charges include two of graft under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The other 25 comprised charges under the Penal Code – one under Section 204A, and 24 under Section 165.
The two corruption charges had accused Iswaran of corruptly obtaining gratification from Ong in exchange for advancing the latter’s business interests in the agreement between Singapore GP and the STB, and in a proposal for a contract with STB. 
Iswaran supposedly corruptly obtained from Ong Singapore Grand Prix tickets, an outbound flight on his private plane from Singapore to Doha, one night’s stay in Four Seasons Doha and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore. These were collectively worth about S$166,282 (US$128,251). 
Iswaran’s 24 charges under Section 165 had also been related to Ong. Charge sheets stated that Iswaran obtained about S$218,000 worth of valuable items, including tickets to shows and football matches, from Ong. 
Iswaran was charged a second time on Mar 25, this time with eight counts of Section 165 for obtaining valuable items from Mr Lum Kok Seng, the managing director of Singapore-listed Lum Chang Holdings. Mr Lum has not been charged.
On what was supposed to be the first day of Iswaran’s trial, the former minister pleaded guilty instead after the two corruption charges were amended to lesser charges under Section 165, which carries a lower maximum jail term.
Iswaran pleaded guilty on Sep 24 to four charges under Section 165 and one under Section 204A, with the remaining charges taken into consideration for sentencing. 
He was sentenced to a year’s jail on Thursday and is due to surrender at the State Courts to start his prison term on Oct 7, 4pm.
Ong arrived at the State Courts at about 2.19pm and was swarmed by reporters outside the building. He was accompanied by lawyers, and is represented by Allen & Gledhill’s Aaron Lee. 
Ong, dressed in a short blue-sleeved collared shirt, did not respond to questions from the media.
His case was the first to be heard in court when it resumed after the lunch break at 2.30pm. Ong entered the dock and crossed his arms during the hearing.
A court interpreter then informed District Judge James Elisha Lee that two charges had been read to Ong in English. 
The prosecution was represented by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Christopher Ong, and Deputy Public Prosecutors Kelvin Chong and Sarah Siaw, who were also part of the prosecution team against Iswaran. 
Addressing the court, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor said the prosecution was tendering the two charges against Ong. 
Allen & Gledhill’s Lee then sought a six-week adjournment to take further instructions from Ong and to make representations before moving the matter to a pre-trial conference.
The prosecution did not object to this and Judge Lee granted the adjournment. 
No plea or indication of plea was taken by Ong during the hearing, which lasted about five minutes. 
Ong’s bail of S$800,000 (US$617,000) was extended and he was seen leaving the State Courts shortly after his hearing, again without responding to questions from the media.
His entourage made a swift exit towards their vehicle, and Ong was seen holding the arm of one of the men as he made his way down the steps, which was wet from the rain earlier. 
Ong’s case will return to court for a pre-trial conference on Nov 15. 
If convicted of the charge under Section 165, Ong could face a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both. 
If convicted of obstructing justice, the charge under Section 204A, Ong could face a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.