Billionaire Ong pleads guilty in Singapore gifting scandal

Country's worst graft scandal in decades

- LOW DE WEI YOOJUNG LEE

A billionaire best known for bringing Formula One night racing to Singapore has pleaded guilty in relation to a scandal to supply one of the city-state’s most senior politicians with luxury gifts.

Yesterday, 79-year-old Ong Beng Seng conceded that he abetted the ex-lawmaker in obstructing the course of justice, while another charge was taken into consideration. Both charges related to offering S. Iswaran in 2022 a trip on his private jet to Doha, a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel there, and a return business class ticket worth S$5,700 ($4,422). The former transport minister was then the chairman of a steering committee for the F1 night race.

The judge extended Mr Ong’s bail and said that the sentence would be handed down on the afternoon of Aug 15.

The defence said Mr Ong is battling several medical conditions, including multiple myeloma cancer diagnosed in 2020 which has made him immunocompromised, a non-healing wound on his foot and relentless diarrhoea episodes.