SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has decided not to revoke billionaire Ong Beng Seng’s permanent resident (PR) status, opting instead to issue a formal warning following his conviction earlier this year, The Straits Times reported.

“Instead, he has been issued a Letter of Warning to put him on notice that any future adverse conduct will render him liable for revocation of his PR status,” the ICA said today in response to the paper’s queries.

The move follows the 78-year-old property tycoon’s S$30,000 (RM96,000) fine in August after pleading guilty to a charge of abetting the obstruction of justice in a corruption case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran. 

Ong, who holds Malaysian citizenship, had admitted to arranging belated payment of S$5,700 for a business class flight that Iswaran took from Doha to Singapore, after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) uncovered the trip while probing a separate matter involving Ong’s associates.

Another charge, taken into consideration for sentencing, involved abetting Iswaran in obtaining gifts. 

The court exercised leniency given Ong’s health; he was diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma in 2020.

In August, the ICA said that all Singapore PRs convicted of an offence would have their status reviewed.