Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat have issued lawyers’ letters to Sng Chia Huat, who uses the name “Rich Sng” on Facebook, alleging defamation.
According to a joint statement released by their press secretaries to the media, Sng allegedly made two posts claiming that both ministers knew that convicted money launderer Su Haijin had broken the law but chose to condone it.
Additionally, Sng allegedly accused the ministers of pretending not to know Su and implied they were involved in or susceptible to corruption or bribery.
The statement clarified that these allegations are unfounded and categorically false.
It emphasised that both ministers did not know Su personally and had no prior or subsequent contact with him, despite appearing in photographs alongside Su at public dinners.
The ministers have demanded that Sng apologise, withdraw the false allegations, and pay damages, which they intend to donate to charity.
If Sng does not comply by 16 May 2025, the ministers have stated they will proceed with legal action to defend their reputations and maintain the integrity of the government.
Su Haijin, identified as a member of the Fujian gang, was among ten individuals arrested in August 2023 and convicted in a billion-dollar money laundering case last year.
Su, a Chinese-origin Cypriot national, was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment in April 2024 and was deported a month later to Cambodia.
Last week, the ministers’ press secretaries acknowledged the circulation of photographs showing both ministers at social gatherings where Su was also present. They clarified that the ministers attended these events at the invitation of a friend and did not know Su personally.
Minister Ong specifically mentioned that on a separate occasion, Su appeared at another dinner months later, but there was no personal acquaintance or interaction.
Labour chief Ng Chee Meng, recently elected as Member of Parliament for Jalan Kayu SMC, was also photographed with Su at a separate event.
Ng stated that the encounter occurred during a dinner as part of his professional engagement with private sector leaders. He asserted that he had no further interactions with Su after that event.
Similarly, former manpower minister Lim Swee Say, who was photographed with Su and Minister Ong, described the gathering as a casual social event among old friends in May 2022. He stated that Su was the only attendee he did not recognise, and there were no subsequent interactions.
Local businessman and billionaire Sam Goi, known as Singapore’s “Popiah King”, hosted the dinners and confirmed that he organised and funded the meals.
Goi, the executive chairman of Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing, also clarified that the group sizes at the private dinners were in compliance with COVID-19 safe management measures in place at that time.
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