Ong Beng Seng, one of our island’s most noted businessmen, faces two charges in court, but—casually dressed—he appeared unfazed

Named in several charges linked to the S Iswaran case that has entranced the nation, it was perhaps inevitable that Ong Beng Seng was eventually charged in court today. Mr Ong, who has been central to Mr Iswaran’s prosecution, appeared in the State Courts slightly past two in the afternoon looking unfazed, even with a mask on. After he alighted from his car, it was clear to see that the man who brought the F1 Night Race to Singapore did not have the gait he once had when he introduced Hard Rock Cafe to our island. Flanked by his legal team and a security staffer, Mr Ong said, when the crowd of cameramen seemed to have come too close to him, “Don’t make me fall ah, aiyoh.” As he was climbing the steps, right hand seemingly on his security guy, one of the waiting journalists started asking him questions, unconcerned that her subject might be overwhelmed by their presence, he said pointedly to them, “Don’t start a media circus.”

Rather than a dark suit that most men of certain status typically wear to a hearing or to be read charges to (such as those Ms Iswaran donned throughout his appearances in court), Mr Ong wore a baby-blue, buttoned-down, short-sleeved Oxford shirt by Thom Browne, with contrast pocket of diagonal stripes. It was a shirt he wore to one of the recent F1 races and, as before, he had two buttons undone from the collar stand, and teamed the shirt with a pair of black trousers. The casualness of his turnout was a little unexpected even if he typically wears short-sleeved shirts in public, such as at the recent F1 races. It would not be immoderate to assume that Mr Ong would want to look the part of a leading businessman with ties to politicians. Yet, he was dressed as if to afternoon tea at voco Orchard, which could say something of the business maverick about him. It is not known if his wife Christina Ong, once known as the “Queen of Bond Street”, picked out his outfit for the court appearance.

Mr Ong, was eventually charged with two offences: abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and with abetting the obstruction of justice, as The Straits Times reported. Both charges are similar to those that Mr Iswaran had admitted guilt to. It is not clear how the latest defendant in the saga, who is 16 years older than the former minister, will plead. Mr Ong’s Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) had, this morning, requested a trading halt, pending the release of an announcement. The halt was lifted around 7.30pm, and the company declared that the Malaysian billionaire is able to continue with his duties and responsibilities as the managing director of HPL. According to Forbes, Ong Beng Seng and his wife Christina are jointly worth US$1.7 billion. And they rank 27th on the list of Singapore’s 50 richest, published just last month. The couple’s fortune include a controlling stake in the UK’s 53-year-old bag brand Mulberry, which recently resisted a takeover attempt by the Frasers Group, owner of the Glasgow-born department store, House of Fraser.

Update (15 August 2025, 16:00). Ong Beng Seng has pleaded guilty to abetting the obstruction of justice by aiding the then transport minister S Iswaran conceal evidence while the latter was under investigation for corruption. At his sentencing earlier, he was fined S$30,000. He escaped the maximum penalty of seven years in jail after the judge granted him “judicial mercy” due to his poor health. Mr Ong is reported to suffer from multiple myeloma, a rare bone marrow cancer

Screen shot: CNA