SINGAPORE: Convicted billionaire Ong Beng Seng will avoid jail in Singapore despite his involvement in a scandal that stunned a city-state known for being one of the world’s least corrupt nations.
The Malaysian tycoon, who gained international fame for bringing Formula One racing to Singapore, was granted the reprieve by a district judge at a sentencing hearing this afternoon.
Ong will be fined S$30,000, the judge said, citing his dire medical condition.
The 79-year-old last week pleaded guilty to one charge of abetting former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran to obstruct the course of justice.
Prosecutors said Ong in 2023 helped to bill Iswaran for a S$5,700 business class ticket while authorities were investigating the matter.
The ex-politician was jailed last year after obtaining gifts that included tickets to Singapore’s Grand Prix, a luxury hotel stay and other valuable items while in public office.
Ong’s charge related to a 2022 trip to the Fifa World Cup quarterfinals in Doha, which he had invited Iswaran to.
Under Singapore’s Penal Code, Ong could have been imprisoned for up to seven years in addition to being fined.
Prosecutors had earlier sought eight weeks’ jail for him, but his defence had asked for a fine instead based on his medical conditions, which include advanced multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer that has compromised his immune system.
