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☆ In forgotten parts of Singapore's iconic Orchard Road shopping street, a new era is taking shape
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Kevin Lim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Far East Shopping Center on Orchard Road in Singapore, on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe Far East Shopping Center along Singapore's Orchard Road has seen better days. Orchard Road, Singapore's main shopping street, is 2.2 km (1.3 miles) long but much of the activity takes place in the middle of the stretch as well as at selected malls linked via underground walkways to subway stations. Far East Shopping Center isn't connected to Orchard MRT unlike several of its neighbors. Two of the properties, the voco Orchard hotel and Forum The Shopping Mall, share some 180 meters of frontage along Orchard Road.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, hasn't, CDL, Singapore's URA, URA, Richard Goh, Rasa Singapura, Sukanto Tanoto, Du Shuanghua, Jeremy Lake Organizations: Shopping, Bloomberg, Getty, Shopping Center, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Urban Redevelopment, Properties, Singapore, Developments, CDL Hospitality, Arts, CNBC, Singapore Botanic, Pacific Eagle, Food, Savills Singapore, Concorde Locations: Orchard, Singapore, Delfi Orchard, Istana Park, Canning, HPL

☆ Former Singapore minister is jailed for a year for receiving gifts in landmark case
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE — A Singapore court on Thursday sentenced a former minister to 12 months in prison for obstructing justice and receiving more than $300,000 worth of gifts, in the first jailing of a former cabinet member in a city-state famous for its clean governance. In a statement posted on the prime minister’s office website, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he was disappointed and saddened by the case. The case has shocked Singapore, which prides itself on its well-paid and efficient bureaucracy as well as strong and squeaky-clean governance. According to the prosecution, the value of the gifts Iswaran received totaled more than 400,000 Singapore dollars ($308,500). The former minister faced a total of 35 charges, two of which were corruption-related but were later amended to charges of receiving gifts while a public servant.

Persons: Iswaran, Lawrence Wong, ”, Wong, Ong Beng Seng, Ong, Vincent Hoong Organizations: English Premier League soccer, Singapore Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore

☆ Singapore court charges property billionaire Ong Beng Seng over scandal involving former minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Matt Clinch | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE — Singapore on Friday charged property billionaire Ong Beng Seng on two counts relating to the obstruction of justice and abetment, according to local media, in a case involving a former government minister. Ong, a Singapore-based Malaysian businessman, is the managing director of Singapore-listed hotel owner and operator Hotel Properties Limited . In July, Singapore's anti-graft agency issued an arrest notice for Ong as part of its investigation involving former Transport Minister S Iswaran. HPL's portfolio includes 38 hotels and resorts in 15 countries, operating under brands including Four Seasons, Intercontinental Hotels and Marriott International. Shares of HPL were halted ahead of the court hearing on Friday.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Ong, Singapore's, Iswaran, HPL, Mr Ong Organizations: Hotel Properties, Transport, Intercontinental Hotels, Marriott International Locations: SINGAPORE — Singapore, Singapore, Malaysian

☆ Billionaire who brought F1 to Singapore charged as part of landmark corruption probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore Reuters —A Singapore court charged a property billionaire on Friday with obstructing justice and abetting offenses by a disgraced ex-transport minister jailed a day earlier in the city-state’s high-profile government graft case. Iswaran was imprisoned for 12 months for obstructing justice and improperly receiving gifts as a public servant, with Ong a central part of the prosecution’s case. Ong’s firm, Singapore-listed Hotel Properties, requested a trading halt early on Friday following Thursday’s announcement that he would be charged. Ong was charged with one count of abetting Iswaran’s receiving of valuables and one count of obstruction of justice, according to the charge sheet. Channel NewsAsia said Ong’s court hearing was adjourned until pre-trial proceedings on November 15.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Iswaran, Ong, NewsAsia, Ong’s, Iswaran’s, Justice Vincent Hoong Organizations: Singapore Reuters —, Hotel Properties Ltd, Singapore, English Premier League soccer, Doha Locations: Singapore, Doha

☆ Ex-minister Iswaran pleads guilty in graft case that has gripped Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore's former transport minister S. Iswaran arrives at the Supreme Court in Singapore September 24, 2024. The case has gripped the wealthy city-state which prides itself on having a well-paid and efficient bureaucracy as well as strong governance. Iswaran, who joined the cabinet in 2006, is the first Singaporean minister to be tried in court. Singapore's former Transport Minister S. Iswaran has pleaded guilty to receiving gifts while in office, local media reported, as proceedings began on Tuesday in a rare graft trial involving a state official in this Asian financial hub. The last corruption case involving a Singaporean minister was in 1986, when the national development minister was investigated for allegedly accepting bribes.

Persons: Iswaran, Ong Beng Seng, Ong, NewsAsia Organizations: Prosecutors, CNA, English Premier League soccer, Singapore Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore transport minister resigns after being charged with corruption in a first for the city state
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Singapore’s Transport Minister S. Iswaran has resigned after being charged with corruption on Thursday, the prime minister’s office said, confirming a historic development for a city state that prides itself on having a squeaky-clean government. The charges against Iswaran are part of the biggest corruption probe to engulf Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in decades. Singapore’s anti-graft agency, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), which reports directly to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has been leading investigations into Iswaran’s case. Lee is the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister and founding father. The corruption probe into Ong and Iswaran comes at a sensitive time for Lee as he plans to step aside after nearly 20 years leading the country.

Persons: Iswaran, Tan Kiat Pheng, Ong Beng Seng, Ong, Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, ” Lee, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s, ” Eugene Tan, ” Organizations: CNN, Singapore’s, Iswaran, Action Party, Singapore, Prix, Practices, Party, Government, Ong, Singapore Management University Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore's prime minister pledges 'zero tolerance' after recent wave of political scandals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong vowed Wednesday to uphold "zero tolerance" toward any wrongdoing by government officials. His comments came after a wave of political scandals rocked the Southeast Asian nation in recent weeks, tarnishing the pristine image that underpins its standing as a global financial center. "The founding generation built up Singapore and entrusted it to our generation in good shape," Lee said in a parliamentary address Wednesday. Lee said actions taken after these scandals showed two aspects of how his PAP government works. "One, when there is a suspicion or allegation of wrongdoing in the discharge of official duties, especially possible corruption, there is zero tolerance," he said in the first parliamentary session after these events,.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, Iswaran, Ong Beng Seng, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Shanmugam, Vivian Balakrishnan Organizations: Central Business District, Party, Home Affairs Minister, Foreign Locations: Bay, Singapore

☆ Why are political scandals and corruption in Singapore so rare?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Nessa Anwar | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A series of political scandals has rocked Singapore in recent weeks, from corruption probes to inappropriate relationships among politicians. These challenges have affected the ruling party as well as the largest opposition party. Shortly after the Ridout saga, Singapore Transport Minister S Iswaran and hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng — known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state — were arrested as part of a corruption probe. Felix Tan, a political analyst in Singapore, explained the brouhaha over the recent scandals: "[Singapore is] almost a perfect exemplar for all countries to be. Watch the video to find out why corruption and political scandal are rare in Singapore, and what it means for the country.

Persons: Singapore's, S, Ong Beng, —, Felix Tan Organizations: Singapore Transport, Formula, Action Party, Workers ' Party Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore's 'squeaky clean' image takes a beating as scandals rock the government
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

watch nowOn Monday, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he decided the incumbent speaker of the Singapore's Parliament Tan Chuan Jin "had to go." Lee Hsien Loong Singapore prime ministerSingaporeans, who are not used to political scandals, have taken to memes to express themselves. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) shaking hands with a PAP supporter during a May election rally. SIMIN WANG | AFP | Getty ImagesThe prime minister sought to quickly control the damage, emphasizing the government's zero-tolerance on corruption to allay public concerns. The prime minister is seeking to hand over power to the next generation of leaders in the near future.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Ang Mo, Suhaimi Abdullah, Eugene Tan, Tan Ern Ser, Tan Chuan Jin, Tan, Cheng Li Hui, SMU's Tan, CNBC's, Ong Beng Seng, Felix Tan, NTU's Tan, SIMIN WANG, Lee Organizations: Action Party, Getty, Singapore Management University, CNBC, Party, National University of Singapore, Singapore's, Public Service, Nanyang Technological University, NUS, Singapore, AFP Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Asia, Lee Hsien Loong Singapore

☆ Singapore’s clean reputation gets a timely test
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, July 18 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Singapore could turn a governance crisis into an opportunity. Its transport minister S. Iswaran and Ong Beng Seng, the property billionaire credited with bringing Formula One to the city, were arrested and released on bail last week. The rare high-profile probe involving a public official by the hub’s anti-graft agency is a timely test of the Asian centre’s willingness to act tough on corruption. It's been six days since Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed the investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and the exact details remain unclear. S. Iswaran and businessman Ong Beng Seng were arrested on July 11 and subsequently released on bail, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, It's, Lee Hsien Loong, Iswaran, Ong, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Formula, Practices, Beijing, DBS, Hotel Properties, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Asia, Hong Kong, COMO

☆ Two Singapore lawmakers resign after admitting to 'inappropriate relationship'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's prime minister and leader of the People's Action Party (PAP), walks and talks with people in Singapore on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. Singapore's government was dealt a further blow on Monday, following the resignations of two lawmakers from the ruling party who admitted to an "inappropriate relationship" with each other. "Besides Mr Tan's recent unparliamentary language used, there is also the issue of his inappropriate relationship with fellow PAP MP Ms Cheng Li Hui. This is, in comparison, the more serious matter because he was the Speaker and she an MP, and there should not have not been a relationship," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a press conference on Monday. Sudden resignations of senior PAP party members are rare in Singapore, where the ruling party has been in power since 1959, before the city-state's independence in 1965.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Tan's, Ong Beng Seng, Iswaran, Lee, CPIB Organizations: People's Action Party, Party Locations: Singapore

SINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Two senior lawmakers from Singapore's ruling party have resigned over their "inappropriate relationship", Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday, the latest high-profile scandal in a city-state otherwise known for its political stability. Resignations of senior PAP members are rare in Singapore, where the party has been in power since 1959, before the country's independence in 1965. Separately, the opposition Workers' Party (WP) said on Monday it was looking into an "inappropriate exchange" between two of its senior members after a video surfaced online that appeared to show them holding hands in a restaurant. Events like these are unusual in Singapore, which prides itself on being corruption-free and holding politicians to high moral standards. Political scientist Chong Ja Ian at the National University of Singapore said Monday's developments were "relatively controllable issues" that would not affect Singapore's political stability.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Cheng, Ong Beng Seng, Chong Ja Ian, Chong, Chen Lin, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Action Party, Workers ' Party, WP, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore

Hong Kong CNN —A corruption investigation in Singapore has expanded to include Ong Beng Seng, a hotel tycoon best known for bringing the Formula 1 Grand Prix to the wealthy city state. The agency had earlier launched an investigation into a case involving the transport minister, in a rare corruption probe involving a cabinet-level official. Ong’s company said he had posted bail of 100,000 Singapore dollars ($76,000) after being given a notice of arrest. Ong is also the sole shareholder of the Singapore Grand Prix, organizer of the marquee sporting event, his spokesperson confirmed to CNN. Rare caseThe news about Ong emerged just days after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong asked the transport minister to take a leave of absence.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Ong, “, Lee Hsien Loong, Iswaran, CPIB, Lee, Eugene Tan, Bernie Ecclestone, Hoch, Lawrence Wong, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hotel Properties, Practices, Transport, Singapore, Prix, CNN, Singapore Management University, Party Locations: Hong Kong, Singapore, Properties, Maldives, Malaysia, London, Bangkok, Abu

☆ Singaporean billionaire given arrest notice in anti-graft probe involving country's transport minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Singapore's anti-graft agency issued an arrest notice for billionaire Ong Beng Seng as part of its investigation involving transport minister S Iswaran. Ong, who is managing director of Singapore-listed hotel owner and operator Hotel Properties Limited , has been asked to provide information on his interactions with Iswaran. In a filing, HPL said no charges have been filed against Ong and that he is fully cooperating with the agency. The company added that Ong has provided requested information, but is unable to provide further details at this point. HPL's portfolio includes 38 hotels and resorts in 15 countries, operating under brands including Four Seasons, Intercontinental Hotels and Marriott International.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Ong, HPL, Mr Ong Organizations: supremo, Marina, Circuit, Hotel Properties, Practices, Intercontinental Hotels, Marriott Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore property tycoon cooperating with anti-graft agency - company
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng walks out of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau headquarters in Singapore July 12, 2023. SINGAPORE, July 14 (Reuters) - A Singapore-based property tycoon known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state is cooperating with the anti-graft agency in a case launched earlier this week involving the transport minister, his company said on Friday. The CPIB earlier this week said it had launched an investigation into Iswaran, but did not provide further details. The case is a rare high-level probe in Singapore, a top Asian financial hub that prides itself on a corruption-free government. Ong, who was travelling on Friday, will surrender his passport to the CPIB upon his return to Singapore, his company said.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Ho Peng Yew, Iswaran, Lee Hsien Loong, Ong, Christina Ong, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Practices, Singapore Press Holding Media, Formula, Properties, Reuters, Concorde, London Stock, Forbes, Thomson Locations: Singapore, SINGAPORE, COMO, Malaysia

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