SINGAPORE: Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, who is facing charges in a corruption case allegedly involving former transport minister S Iswaran, has been granted permission to travel overseas between 28 April and 16 May.
According to state media The Straits Times, the State Courts portal indicated that Ong, 79, intends to visit the United States, Britain and Italy for work, including stops in London, Boston, Miami, New York, and Florence.
During a court session on 24 April, it was also disclosed that Ong would travel to the US for undisclosed medical reasons.
To secure his temporary departure, the court has raised Ong’s bail from S$800,000 to $1.6 million.
He is required to provide full details of his travel itinerary and contact numbers to the investigating officer handling his case.
Ong must also remain contactable throughout his trip and surrender his passport within 24 hours upon his return to Singapore.
In 2024, Ong was charged with abetment under Section 165 of the Penal Code.
The charge alleges that he provided valuable considerations to a public servant — in this case, Iswaran — without appropriate payment.
Ong, widely recognised for bringing Formula One’s first night race to Singapore in 2008, worked closely with Iswaran in the mid-2000s to secure the event.
Court documents revealed that in December 2022, Ong allegedly arranged for Iswaran to fly on his private jet to Doha, a trip valued at US$7,700.
Ong also purportedly covered a luxury hotel stay worth over S$4,700 and a business class flight back to Singapore valued at S$5,700.
Ong later informed Iswaran that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had seized the flight manifest, allegedly prompting Iswaran to request that Ong retroactively bill him to avert an investigation.
For this, Ong faces a second charge — abetment of obstruction of justice.
Iswaran, 62, was sentenced in October 2024 to 12 months’ jail, having faced a total of 35 charges, most of which involved Ong.
Ong has expressed his intention to plead guilty. A hearing initially set for 2 April 2025 was adjourned to 25 April to allow him time to obtain further medical reports.
If convicted, he faces up to two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine for the first charge, and up to seven years and/or a fine for the second.
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