Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng allowed to leave S'pore for 10-day trip to Europe & US with additional S$800,000 bail

A court has granted permission to billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng to leave Singapore for the U.S. and Europe for work and medical-related purposes.

On Oct. 30, Ong appeared in court with his lawyer, Aaron Lee from Allen & Gledhill, to provide an additional cash bail of S$800,000 for his trip to London, Boston in the U.S., Gibraltar and Spain, according to The Straits Times and CNA.

Ong is now out on a total bail of S$1.6 million, as his existing bail is also S$800,000.

CNA quoted Ong's lawyer, Lee, as saying that the application for the trip had been made on Oct. 25 with no objections from the prosecution, so long as additional bail conditions are imposed.

Will leave Singapore on Oct. 31, return on Nov. 9

Ong will leave Singapore on Oct. 31, 2024 and return on Nov. 9.

Once he returns to Singapore, he must surrender his passport within 24 hours.

Apart from the additional cash bail, other bail conditions Ong is subjected to include the need to travel with his bailor, and providing his travel itinerary along with the address of his overseas residence to his investigating officer.

He must also remain contactable at all times.

Background

Ong Beng Seng was charged on Oct. 4 in relation to former transport minister S Iswaran's case.

According to charge sheets, Ong faces one charge of abetting Iswaran in obtaining gifts and another charge of aiding Iswaran to obstruct justice.

He did not indicate how he would plead.

On Oct. 3, a day earlier, Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail.

Ong’s first charge of abetment involves allegedly instigating Iswaran to obtain a trip to Doha with him sometime in December 2022, according to charge sheets seen by Mothership.

Ong is accused of making arrangements:

• For an outbound flight on his private plane from Singapore to Doha, worth about S$10,410.40,
• Through Singapore GP Pte Ltd, a one-night stay in Four Seasons Hotel Doha, worth S$4,737.63, and
• Through Singapore GP Pte Ltd, a business class flight from Doha to Singapore, worth S$5,700.

The charge sheet stated that Iswaran knew the trip was done in the business of the facilitation agreement for the Singapore Grand Prix 2022 to 2028, between Singapore GP Pte Lid and the Singapore Tourism Board.

This had a connection with Iswaran’s official functions as minister and chairman of the F1 Steering Committee.

The second charge Ong faces is for obstruction of justice by intentionally aiding Iswaran to make payment of S$5,700 to Singapore GP Pte Ltd for the business class ticket from Doha to Singapore.

Ong allegedly instructed a Mok Chee Liang to bill the cost of the flight to Iswaran.

In light of Iswaran making the payment, the act was "likely to obstruct the course of justice”, the charge sheet stated.

Ong is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 15.

Top photo by Daniel Seow/ Mothership