SINGAPORE: A pre-trial conference for Singapore-based Malaysian property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has been postponed to 28 July 2025, after a request to delay the session was granted by the court.
Ong, aged 79, is widely credited for bringing Formula 1 racing to Singapore in 2008. He was initially scheduled to appear for the pre-trial hearing on 23 July.
According to court documents, the request to reschedule was made and subsequently approved, though no details were given regarding who made the application.
This marks the latest development in a case which has already seen multiple adjournments.
The earlier pre-trial conference, held on 8 July 2025, ended with both parties seeking more time to submit revised court papers, based on a statement from the judiciary.
A pre-trial conference in Singapore is a closed-door session between both sides and a judge to settle administrative and procedural matters.
Such conferences do not always result in a trial and often serve to clarify issues before an open court hearing or guilty plea is entered.
Ong faces two charges that correspond to offences admitted to by former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran, who was sentenced to 12 months’ jail in October 2024 and placed on home detention earlier this year.
The first charge accuses Ong of abetting Iswaran in obstructing justice by helping him make a delayed payment of S$5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight from Doha to Singapore.
The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau uncovered the flight details during a separate investigation, leading to this charge.
The second charge alleges Ong instigated Iswaran to accept flights and hotel accommodation while knowing Ong’s business dealings were linked to Iswaran’s ministerial duties.
Ong, who was the managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, had previously indicated he would plead guilty to obstructing justice.
An announcement by HPL to the Singapore Exchange confirmed Ong’s intention to admit to the first charge and have the second taken into consideration during sentencing.
Ong stepped down from his role at HPL on 29 April 2025 for medical reasons.
He is currently undergoing chemotherapy for bone marrow cancer and has been permitted to travel abroad for treatment.
If convicted of obstructing justice under Section 204A of Singapore’s Penal Code, Ong faces a possible jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
If found guilty of abetting the obtaining of valuables under Section 165, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months’ jail in October 2024. He was placed on home detention from 7 February and has been out of custody since 6 June 2025.
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