UPDATE: Dr Ong Seh Hong, in a letter to Channel NewsAsia, explained the circumstances under which he received the $60,000 loan from Ren Ci:
“I was an employee of GIC in 1999. I was offered by Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre to be Director, Medical & Paramedical Services in January 2000.
“However to leave GIC, I had to pay S$560,000 to settle my outstanding staff housing loan. I agreed to join Ren Ci on condition that I received a loan of S$60,000, to pay off in part the amount of S$560,000 and I paid the remaining S$500,000 from bank loan.
“When I borrowed the sum of S$60,000 from Ren Ci, I was not an MP. It was lent to me as staff, and was part of the terms on which I agreed to join Ren Ci. I have since repaid the sum fully.”
The court on Thursday heard that Ming Yi had approved several loans to various staff. Among them, was Dr Ong Seh Hong who is currently the community hospital’s chief operating officer and clinical director of Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre.
Dr Ong is also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC.
When contacted by Channel NewsAsia, the MP said he is unable to comment as the trial is still ongoing.
Testifying in court, Ren Ci’s former human resource manager, Joyce Teng Lee Foong, said the staff loan was made to Dr Ong when he first joined the hospital in 2000. The S$60,000 loan is understood to be the largest sum approved by Ming Yi. It is not known whether the loan has been repaid.
See full story at CNA
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
My goodness! I thought those selected by PAP are whiter than white, and there is the flawed logic of attracting high calibre people to join their ranks, paying them high to prevent corruption, etc.
* I am damm amazed *
On hindsight, it is better than having corrupted MPs, right? We shd pay them more, so that they do not have to take interest free loans from funds that were contributed by donations from poor people. MPs and some monks need money, lets give them more for them to do a good job.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/422954/1/.html
Read from the above CNA report, he brorrowed the money before he was MP and he had repaid the loan (see below):
“When I borrowed the sum of S$60,000 from Ren Ci, I was not an MP. It was lent to me as staff, and was part of the terms on which I agreed to join Ren Ci. I have since repaid the sum fully.”
Elites want to see the money first before they will serve. Goes to show what kind of characters our elite party is attracting into their ranks.
44) Different rules for the elite chiefs? on April 17th, 2009 9.27 am Civil servants here have to declare their indebtedness in some kind of form. If I’m not wrong its done twice yearly and they can lose their job if they make a false declaration.
DAMN RIGHT ? They need to declare, false decleration !!!!!!! GIC before joining need to reply staff and never took from the bank ….what a joke.. white lie !!!!
No wonder GIC have such poor historical returns.
His shirt is whiter than white. nice picture.
It is perfectly ok to borrow from your new company to repay loan from previous company as condition for joining.
But here is the difference.
Your new company is a charitable organisation. Even though the CEO agrees to your terms, you must not even harbour the thought of borrowing (I think interest free loan) from the charitable organisation.
The fact that you did shows a flaw in character (dan pien yi).
I am an ordinary Singaporean who is trying to make ends meet day-to-day. Reading news about GIC, Temasek loses…. the arrogrance of our PAP leaders. Going out on weekend and having to queue for parking, queue just to get a seat in a foodcourt in a Singapore overcrowded with foreigners who steal our jobs…. now corruption.
I am sick and tired of this place. It’s time to immigrate. I vote for opposite all my life, but nothing ever change because the other 66.6% of hum-chee Singaporeans still continue to vote pappy because they are selfish and worried about their upgrading and other forms of vote-bribery engaged by the pappy. If not, they are scared vote opposition will get into trouble.
Singaporeans are a useless lot. Complain so much but come polling time, all cowards and vote for pappy! See lah, now even got this Dr Ong corrupted and anyhow take loan from a monk! Vote for these people some more lor.
Google “Ong Seh Hong” and “candy”. You will also see something.
58) mars on April 17th, 2009 10.43 am
Your new company is a charitable organisation. Even though the CEO agrees to your terms, you must not even harbour the thought of borrowing (I think interest free loan) from the charitable organisation.
You may want to consider that he was likely paying higher interest with the $500k bank loan compared to the loan from GIC. If that is the case, I won’t be rushing to judge his characters just because he asked for the $60 loan from Ren Ci.
I keep rubbing my eyes, how come this morning’s Straits Times has no mention about loan to Dr Ong …..
Isnt it plain rubbish to ask for loan from charitable organisation… you think what , I donate and let you take interest-free loan ahhh….
It is common for companies in attracting talents to offer some monetary compensation to cover the extraordinary financial loss while leaving the old company. Although tempted, I wouldn’t be too fast to past judgement.
In Ren Ci case as in the NKF’s case the problem is with poor corporate governance coupled with a corrupted CEO. I wonder in Singapore’s case, do we have good corporate governance (2opp/82pap seats)? Do we have an upright leader with his heart in the right place?
Google “Ong Seh Hong” and “candy”. There is something also.
Personally i find his explanations reasonable and well thought out.
But in order to clear the air further, i think he shud at least tell us when he repaid those loans….. was it the just other day or WHEN??
Becos there’s a whole of difference in intentions, between doing it asap and doing it just when the matter blows up.
Guys i want all of you to be rational. Ong sought a loan of 60k to repay 560,000 – a mere 10.7%. Its not a case of him asking for a loan of 500k. Second, he fully paid the loan. Thirdly he sought the loan before entering politics in Nov 2001. Did he err?
I doubt so. Its easy to lose rationality when you read such reports. Of course the opportunists lurking here are always waiting to pounce on such reports and whack the pap leaders.
Please, give them a break.
If you genuinely feel so sore, why not join the political fight and make this an issue at the next pollls?
Yours,
Laura
To 63) Candy
Thanks
He is really disgusting …
To 65) Laura Chew
It is not 1% or 100% of the loan. He should know very well that Ren Ci is a charitable organisation, if the CEO monk anyhow lent out money and headhunt people over, doesn’t it smell fishy. He is not whiter than white afterall.
Please don’t drag in politics yet at this juncture. We are talking about a MP’s character.
Is not how much you take, even a single cent without justification is an corruption .
All earning should be under the condition of free and fair competitions.
He should not had join Ren Ci cause of loan $60K but based on his abilities, that is totally morally wrong.
You go ask any umemployed during interview,” I will accept this job if you lent me $XXX”. The employer will ask you go fly kite and he can employed many many Foreign Talents at $1800 to replace your jobs and they are more all “YES” man.
GIC lend half a million loan to its staff?! Gosh!!! scary, that is our money too. Could that be the reason why our CPF was held up due to tight cash in the govt coffer? Why all these govt related organisations give loan so generously and peasants have to borrow from bank at hefty interest and forced into bankruptcy if can’t repay.
To Laura Chew,
10.7% is alot. Dr Chee claimed taxi fare extra $2 , he was sacked by NUS. $2 only imagine is corruption, not to mention $60k.
Why is there a need for him to borrow $60,000 from Ren Ci to settle his debt, never mind what kind of debt it was, be it a debt owed to loansharks or to HDB or to his grandmother or the market aunty.
Why did he saw it necessary to ask Ren Ci for the loan? He was going to be employed by Ren Ci. Did he know what Ren Ci stands for? Is it a bank? Is it in the money-lending business? Why did he need to borrow from Ren Ci?
Why was he selected to be an MP when this is a clear-cut flaw of character?
67)
“We are talking about a MP’s character.”
Which part of, he was not an MP yet when he borrowed the money, do you not understand?
68)
“You go ask any umemployed during interview,” I will accept this job if you lent me $XXX”. The employer will ask you go fly kite and he can employed many many Foreign Talents at $1800 to replace your jobs and they are more all “YES” man.”
… you are comparing a unemployed, versus one who is headhunted. If you are headhunted, you definitely have some bargaining power.
————————
I think I am as anti-PAP as most.. but when people do not read, and start asking if he had repaid the loan, no wonder PAP can also say opposition no credibility. You can’t even read!
———————–
Personally, I think the loan to the now MP is not so impt. What I am interested to know is what personal benefits, if any, Ming Yi received for giving these loans. Corruptions is all about personal benefits, right?
So far, he helped a friend, used it to headhunt someone for his hospital… it may be wrong, but is it ‘evil’?
#60 Sarek_home
I am sure that he is paying higher bank interest compared to the staff loan from GIC.
He chose to leave GIC and join Ren Ci. I assume on better terms and conditions.
So, why borrow $60K from a charitable organisation? If you cannot repay the $560K from your own resources, do not take up the job. It is a question of judgement and character.
#33,
what! he is going to heaven? you quite sure???
#33,
what! he is going to heaven?? are you very sure??
i am sure the job title @ Ren Chi was better sounding mah !!! COO leh, whereas @ GIC, its just H-Arh-ler manager ….
Is a Demand and Supply Problem!
If the Bank can loan him $500,000 why can’t they loan him another $60,000?
No one accused that he is corrupt but his employment should be based on his abilities and compensation according to the prevailings market rate.
73) mars on April 17th, 2009 12.02 pm
So, why borrow $60K from a charitable organisation? If you cannot repay the $560K from your own resources, do not take up the job. It is a question of judgement and character.
Why? Can you explain the logic of “cannot repay the $560K from your own resources” then one should not “take up the job”?
What kind of question of judgment and character is involved? Can you spell them out?
Thanks.
lol, so pple only need to become ‘good’ when they become ‘armpit’? In any case, his past opportunism will hurt his current credibility
WKS, Tharman and Yacob all somewhat avoided responsibilities for things under their charge.
You expect this guy to do better ?
More skeletons in the non-corruptable government closet.
59) jadedsingaporean
sorry some error on previous one…
hi, i am too as dire straits as you. i agreed with partially.
1. i voted twice (i m 50 now) the rest walkover. both i voted for pap cos during the late boomers like us (nation builders), singapore is striving and developing so well that i see then government’s policies was heading in right direction for good future. but since GCT took over, it headed downward till now or ever worst in future with current shit leaderships. i am very f***king disappointed(sorry about that). so now you should see who should i vote for if ever there is a chance.
2. singaporeans generally are not coward and useless. it is the system (paps)that moulded us into such shameless, unscrupulous and selfcentre characters manner.
3. i was once have your toughts of migrating. but later i realised this in my inborned country that i should stay and fight for our rights. be it less mortal or high mortal, rich or poor out there, this is your own rightfully country that others cannot be compared with if you have a important task to fight for – truth, fairness, rights and democracy. by then, you are fullfulling your obligation being a human mankind with truth virtues on your own motherland. dont ever allow such ‘greed’ in this system to prevail.
4. if most ppl think that they cant stay and fight for its own rights and simply migrate while a desparate situation is requried you to make the different in this scenaio, then i am sad to see that happened.
5. we definitely need changes not only that, we may have overhauled this system of running this country. it is too outragous lope-sided.
God Bless!
Sorry $60k is to buy… peanuts. “What is $60k? It is peanuts!” As aptly coined by Mrs GCT.
Kaffein
72) lobo76 on April 17th, 2009 11.59 am
67)
“We are talking about a MP’s character.”
Which part of, he was not an MP yet when he borrowed the money, do you not understand?
=======================
lobo76, I fully understand he took loan from renci’s boss when he was not a MP yet.
Do you not understand this man of this character becoming our MP? Do you not understand where does renci’s fund come from? Do you not understand why people donate $ for suffering patients in renci? Do you not understand what is moral? I rest my case.
As a chief financial officer, he should ensure proper control in terms of finance, operations and HR rules should be put in placed but he failed to do so. He allows the Hongkee to work without EP status and continue to allow them to draw $5000/mth. He allows the financial records to be flawed thus all these worms start crawling out. How much peanut is this COO Dr Ong earning per month in Ren Ci? I am sure he can bargain for extravagant salary package since he has openly requested for loan from the charity organisation as part of his employment negotiation deal.
Correction, not CFO but COO in my message above.
73) lobo76 on April 17th, 2009 11.59 am
QUOTE
“….. definitely have some bargaining power.”
“…..I think I am as anti-PAP as most..
“….no wonder PAP can also say opposition no credibility..”
“….You can’t even read!..”
“….it may be wrong, but is it ‘evil’?”
UNQUOTE
lobo76, hope you will not fall into the dark side of the elitism.
hi,
this is what singapore less mortal like me (similarly to #59) having going through such a scenario situation….
1. when their (high mortal) career being paid ‘peanut’ (f**king high salary), they escaped almost all punishments and get away with it unless to those extreme case with lenient punishments just to show how ‘justification’ they are. you guy should know by now what are they.
2. when we (less mortal) earning miserable pay face recession, we are first to go and left with bundles of problems (with cut-off salary which just enough for end meets) to be settled by yourself. conservancy didnt pay, town council will charged almost 8% interest for non monthly overdue bill and still not pay followed up with lawsuit against you even own only one month or 2 months bill. utilities didnt pay and cant pay at all, they cut off water and electricity services.
the real truth all there now is not about who is who in shit but we less mortal are. it is the damn economy issue that costs us in this dire straits. but again, who is the cause of this problems. the garhmen or outer factors i.e USA
sometime, i wonder things like this scandals always come up in such time – coincidentals or myths??
anyone?
To post #83 & #59,
We are from the older generation and it was then “duty, honour and country.”
Agree that we should not migrate despite the rotten things we are seeing everyweek.
Also should not go to JB or Batam.
Guys like Dr ong benefitted from our sacrifices – why should we not stay put to try to enjoy a bit for ourselves; why let Dr ong be the ones to enjoy healthcare.
We do not need his level of salary earned by dubious means.
80)Ark,
“lol, so pple only need to become ‘good’ when they become ‘armpit’? In any case, his past opportunism will hurt his current credibility”
I tell myself not to judge convicts just because they are convicts… that means, I have to apply this at the other end also.
85)
“Do you not understand this man of this character becoming our MP? Do you not understand where does renci’s fund come from? Do you not understand why people donate $ for suffering patients in renci? Do you not understand what is moral? I rest my case.”
Refer to my reply above. I try not to infer anything from past actions. That’s like justifying current PAP cohort using PAP’s past success.. which I absolutely hate.
As for the funds and morals, unfortunately, the debate about using donated funds for investment is not settled. If there is interest involved, then this is a form of investment, and the issue is still undecided.
From the perspective of the hospital, it is a form of investment regardless of whether there is interest to be repaid. Ren Ci may feel that they are paying for help for the hospital which in turn helps the patient. The ‘help’ may be management skill (if any) and relationship (guang xi) building if Ren Ci is aware he was shortlisted for MP. It’s anyone’s guess why he was headhunted, but Ren Ci maybe did feel he would be of value to the hospital, and thus to the patients.
Helping the patients doesn’t only mean give patient money or pay his bills.
88)
In my dreams, maybe I become elite. hahaha.
I’m nowhere near motivated enough to seek riches (work hard – include social networking, for it). Only waiting for riches to drop in (CNY TOTO draw)
91) Old Faithfuls,
yes! keep up the faith. going for our rights and make this garhment wake up before things are getting off hand like the way it is now. what is next??
Not only did he borrowed $$$ from a monk in a charity organisation…he is also a litter-bug.
Ask our Forefathers Great Great Great Grandfather from China, Indian, Malaysia!
Why they migrate to Singapore during 19th Century! Are they disloyal to China by
migrating to Singapore. Are they quitter from China or Stayers from China?
No it is because of Big Economic, to earn a living!
So who ever can migrate will do so when they can’t find a living.
The push and pull factors! That is LIFE before death!
can ren ci, NKF, NCC or City harvest provide me with an interest-free loan? don’t worry, i will pay back one…
the coverage on ST on Dr Ong was overwhelmingly —–
quiet.
Goh Chok Tong should answer for Mr Ong’s misdeed regarding the loan and the litter bug case. why choose a flaw character candidate for Marine Parade GRC ? After he any how throw sweet wrapper in Marine Parade. Don’t tell me GCT will say it is peanut for the $60k. DR Chee was sacked for a $2 corruption, it shows that if you side with Pap, if you do something wrong, you will not be prosecuted. If you are oppositions, they will strip until your pants down, they will spy on you, using tax payers money to see whether you go to bar drinking, or womenising, or check on your income tax. So you see, this government is not a fair govt., and they are worried those talented are smarter than LHL and company.
Ren Ci, NKF… Wait till you dig PAP Community Foundation (PCF). PCF is supposed to be a charity and I am sure it has a lot of accounting irregularities worth investigating.
Not sure like this a liability or not?
some more maybe june or some say may.
why i ask? bcos i no no.
Another CROOK that has gone way beyond doing good! A monk who enjoy luxury car, First Class Air Travel, loves the lime light, good expensive Veg dishes and “cant say NO to friends and staffs” person and supported MEDIACORPSE.
Can he be any worse? I ranked him EQUAL to the GOLDEN TAP Durai!
What have our Singapore Garment done to eradicate all these crooks lurking and manipulating charities. Even an MP is involved in this fiasco. Can PAP spring anymore surprises?