THE court hearing for property tycoon Ong Beng Seng to plead guilty has been rescheduled following a pre-trial conference on Wednesday (Mar 26) when he asked for time to obtain more detailed medical reports from his doctor.
Ong, who was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, was originally set to plead guilty on Apr 2. He faces charges linked to former transport minister S Iswaran, who was convicted of obtaining valuables as a public servant and obstruction of justice.
"Ong has requested more time to obtain more detailed reports from his doctors on his medical condition, and the ongoing monitoring and treatment required," CNA reported his spokesperson saying. "This will ensure that all relevant information can be presented to, and appropriately considered by, the prosecution and the court."
His next court hearing is a pre-trial conference set for Apr 25.
Ong is known as the man who brought Formula 1 to Singapore in 2008.
The Singapore-based Malaysian businessman was handed two charges in October 2024, which correspond to those that Iswaran pleaded guilty to in September last year.
Ong is accused of abetting Iswaran in obtaining an all-expenses-paid trip to Doha worth about S$20,850 (US$15,500) in December 2022. These include an outbound flight on Ong's private plane from Singapore to Doha, one night's stay in the Four Seasons Hotel Doha, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore.
The second charge alleges that Ong abetted the obstruction of justice by intentionally aiding Iswaran in May 2023, when the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had begun its probe, by paying S$5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore.
Ong is the managing director of Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), which previously stated in a Singapore Exchange (SGX) announcement that Ong will plead guilty to the charge of obstructing justice, while admitting to have the other charge taken into consideration for sentencing.
HPL said then that Ong "continues to be suitable to carry out his duties and responsibilities as managing director".
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October last year and has since been moved to home detention. – March 26, 2025
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