SINGAPORE (AFP) – Singapore’s powerful anti-graft body issued an arrest notice for one of the city-state’s richest people, his company said yesterday, widening a probe into rare high-level corruption.
Hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng was given “a notice of arrest and has posted bail”, Hotel Properties Limited said in a filing with the Singapore Exchange.
The billionaire was asked by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) “to provide information in relation to his interactions” with Transport Minister S Iswaran, the company said.
Iswaran was ordered to go on leave earlier in the week by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong after the CBIB said the minister was “currently assisting” an ongoing investigation.
Lee said the anti-graft body had sought his approval for a formal investigation that would involve interviewing Iswaran, among other people. The CPIB said it could not disclose details as the investigation was still underway.
Hotel Properties Limited, of which Ong is the managing director, said in its filing that the tycoon had posted bail of SGD100,000(USD76,000).
