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Finally, reprieve for a father’s grief

Published

10 years ago

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M Ravi breaking the news to Mr Cheong

M Ravi breaking the news to Mr Cheong

“I am very happy,” Mr Cheong Kah Pin said, as he wipes away tears from his eyes.
These are words you would never hear from Mr Cheong, who is now 60-years old.
He has been campaigning through any means he knew to save his 30-year old son, Chun Yin, from Singapore’s death row since 2008.
Chun Yin had been sentenced to death by hanging for trafficking heroin into Singapore.
“I would like to thank everyone who has helped save my son,” Mr Cheong said on Thursday, when he was informed that the Attorney General (AG) had sent a letter to the Registrar of Singapore’s High Court indicating that Chun Yin has “substantively assisted” the police in disrupting drug syndicates’ activities outside of Singapore.
This is one of two conditions which drug traffickers have to fulfil in order to be granted a Certificate of Cooperation.
The first condition was that the inmate has to admit to being a drug courier.
The certificate would then enable the inmate to apply to the courts for resentencing, in effect commuting his death sentenced to life imprisonment and mandatory caning.
Since Chun Yin’s arrest, Mr Cheong has been tireless in his effort to save his son, and has often cried whenever he spoke of Chun Yin being on death row.
“How can I not be heartbroken?” he says. “This is the only son I have by my side.”
Chun Yin was helping him run his market – or pasar malam – stall in Johor Baru where Mr Cheong sells fruits and vegetables he grows on his own, on a plot of land which a friend has given him to manage.
But since Chun Yin’s arrest and incarceration, life has been even tougher for Mr Cheong.
He had to live alone, since his other children live elsewhere in Malaysia.
In order to take his mind off the pain of always being reminded of the plight of his son, Mr Cheong would take on extra jobs to keep himself occupied.
“I don’t want to stay at home, staring at the ceiling and crying,” he said in 2011.
“What meaning would there be left for me, if I were left alone?” he asked. “A good, healthy child, used by others because he was too gullible,” he said of Chun Yin, his eldest child. “Life will have no meaning for me if I were left alone.”
Yet, every Monday, without fail, he would make the journey to Singapore’s Changi Prison to visit his son. And often, he would advise Chun Yin to stay away from trouble in prison, so that he will be able to get early release.
That’s the hope Mr Cheong has always kept in his heart.
“I have prayed to deities,” he said on Thursday, with eyes which tell of relief. “And my friends have also helped me pray to deities to help my son.”
This hope has seen Mr Cheong go the lengths to do just about anything a father would do for a son in trouble.
He has approached the media in both Singapore and Malaysia, held press conference, appealed to politicians on both sides of the Causeway for help, worked with activists who did what they could, supported petition drives by well-meaning groups and individuals.
He has petitioned the president of Singapore, gone to the Istana, and knelt at its doors, pleading with tears running down his eyes for a second chance for his son.
He has also gone to the meet-the-people session of Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also the Home Affairs minister, to beg for help.
Mr Teo had helped Mr Cheong write a letter and helped him send it to the authorities.
Mr Cheong lives for his son and would, on a moment’s notice, drop everything if there were news of Chun Yin, just as he did on Thursday evening, when he was told that there were new developments regarding his son’s case.
He got on his motorcycle immediately and drove down to Singapore – along with a bag of lemons and lime from his small farm.
Mr Cheong may not have a lot of money, in fact he doesn’t, but he more than makes up for this through the fruits of his labour which he carries with him each time he comes to Singapore, to give to those who help keep the flame of hope alive for his son and him.
And grasping to that last sliver of hope is now, perhaps, vindicated.
“[Chun Yin] has a chance to live now,” says his lawyer, M Ravi, who worked on the case pro-bono.
Chun Yin’s case will now go before the sentencing judge on a date to be fixed.
The AG is expected not to object to Chun Yin’s application to be re-sentenced.
“We are so happy and appreciate [sic],” Chun Yin’s younger sister, Jesleen, said when she first heard the news on Thursday evening.
“I keep calling my dad, want to inform him but couldn’t get him. I will try again and again. Thank you, all of you, thank you everyone. Thank you very much.”
Even though that message was related online through a friend, you could almost see the relief on her face.
“My sister told my mom already, she feel happy and thank you all of you to help us and my brother,” she said in another message a few minutes later.
“We really appreciate you all, thank you all of you again. It is the best present to my brother who birthday on 7 sept and to us.”
It is an unimaginable pain to bear for a father whose son is sentenced to death, especially when the fight to save him drags on for years.
But that too shows the extraordinary strength and love of Mr Cheong for his son.
“What meaning would there be for me if Chun Yin should die?” he said. “I have already decided that I would leave this earth if that happened.”
Now, however, Mr Cheong finally has reprieve from the burden he has carried since 2008.
Below is a short video interview with Mr Cheong which TOC held with him on Thursday evening.
[vimeo id=”106556150″ align=”center” mode=”normal”]
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Hotel Properties Limited suspends trading ahead of Ong Beng Seng’s court hearing

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has halted trading ahead of his court appearance today (4 October). The announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at about 7.45am, citing a pending release of an announcement. Mr Ong faces one charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and another charge of obstruction of justice. He is due in court at 2.30pm.

Published

12 hours ago

on

4 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the property and hotel developer co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has requested a trading halt ahead of the Singapore tycoon’s scheduled court appearance today (4 October) afternoon.

This announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at approximately 7.45am, stating that the halt was due to a pending release of an announcement.

Mr Ong, who serves as HPL’s managing director and controlling shareholder, faces one charge under Section 165, accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, as well as one charge of obstruction of justice.

He is set to appear in court at 2.30pm on 4 October.

Ong’s charges stem from his involvement in a high-profile corruption case linked to former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran.

The 80-year-old businessman was named in Iswaran’s initial graft charges earlier this year.

These charges alleged that Iswaran had corruptly received valuable gifts from Ong, including tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, flights, and a hotel stay in Doha.

These gifts were allegedly provided to advance Ong’s business interests, particularly in securing contracts with the Singapore Tourism Board for the Singapore GP and the ABBA Voyage virtual concert.

Although Iswaran no longer faces the original corruption charges, the prosecution amended them to lesser charges under Section 165.

Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 September, 2024, to four counts under this section, which covered over S$400,000 worth of gifts, including flight tickets, sports event access, and luxury items like whisky and wines.

Additionally, he faced one count of obstructing justice for repaying Ong for a Doha-Singapore flight shortly before the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) became involved.

On 3 October, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail by presiding judge Justice Vincent Hoong.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of six to seven months for all charges, while the defence had asked for a significantly reduced sentence of no more than eight weeks.

Ong, a Malaysian national based in Singapore, was arrested by CPIB in July 2023 and released on bail shortly thereafter. Although no charges were initially filed against him, Ong’s involvement in the case intensified following Iswaran’s guilty plea.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had earlier indicated that it would soon make a decision regarding Ong’s legal standing, which has now led to the current charges.

According to the statement of facts read during Iswaran’s conviction, Ong’s case came to light as part of a broader investigation into his associates, which revealed Iswaran’s use of Ong’s private jet for a flight from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.

CPIB investigators uncovered the flight manifest and seized the document.

Upon learning that the flight records had been obtained, Ong contacted Iswaran, advising him to arrange for Singapore GP to bill him for the flight.

Iswaran subsequently paid Singapore GP S$5,700 for the Doha-Singapore business class flight in May 2023, forming the basis of his obstruction of justice charge.

Mr Ong is recognised as the figure who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport’s history.

He holds the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and acted as the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters concerning the race.

 

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Current Affairs

Chee Soon Juan questions Shanmugam’s $88 million property sale amid silence from Mainstream Media

Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP raised concerns about the S$88 million sale of Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill, questioning transparency and the lack of mainstream media coverage. He called for clarity on the buyer, valuation, and potential conflicts of interest.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

23 September 2024

By

On Sunday (22 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), issued a public statement on Facebook, expressing concerns regarding the sale of Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at Astrid Hill.

Dr Chee questioned the transparency of the S$88 million transaction and the absence of mainstream media coverage despite widespread discussion online.

According to multiple reports cited by Dr Chee, Mr Shanmugam’s property was transferred in August 2023 to UBS Trustees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which holds the property in trust under the Jasmine Villa Settlement.

Dr Chee’s statement focused on two primary concerns: the lack of response from Mr Shanmugam regarding the transaction and the silence of major media outlets, including Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp.

He argued that, given the ongoing public discourse and the relevance of property prices in Singapore, the sale of a high-value asset by a public official warranted further scrutiny.

In his Facebook post, Dr Chee posed several questions directed at Mr Shanmugam and the government:

  1. Who purchased the property, and is the buyer a Singaporean citizen?
  2. Who owns Jasmine Villa Settlement?
  3. Were former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong informed of the transaction, and what were their responses?
  4. How was it ensured that the funds were not linked to money laundering?
  5. How was the property’s valuation determined, and by whom?

The Astrid Hill property, originally purchased by Mr Shanmugam in 2003 for S$7.95 million, saw a significant increase in value, aligning with the high-end status of District 10, where it is located. The 3,170.7 square-meter property was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.

Dr Chee highlighted that, despite Mr Shanmugam’s detailed responses regarding the Ridout Road property, no such transparency had been offered in relation to the Astrid Hill sale.

He argued that the lack of mainstream media coverage was particularly concerning, as public interest in the sale is high. Dr Chee emphasized that property prices and housing affordability are critical issues in Singapore, and transparency from public officials is essential to maintain trust.

Dr Chee emphasized that the Ministerial Code of Conduct unambiguously states: “A Minister must scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests.”

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for Mr Shanmugam to address the questions raised, as the matter involves not only the Minister himself but also the integrity of the government and its responsibility to the public.

The supposed sale of Mr Shamugam’s Astrid Hill property took place just a month after Mr Shanmugam spoke in Parliament over his rental of a state-owned bungalow at Ridout Road via a ministerial statement addressing potential conflicts of interest.

At that time, Mr Shanmugam explained that his decision to sell his home was due to concerns about over-investment in a single asset, noting that his financial planning prompted him to sell the property and move into rental accommodation.

The Ridout Road saga last year centred on concerns about Mr Shanmugam’s rental of a sprawling black-and-white colonial bungalow, occupying a massive plot of land, managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which he oversees in his capacity as Minister for Law. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, also rented a similarly expansive property nearby.

Mr Shanmugam is said to have recused himself from the decision-making process, and a subsequent investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found no wrongdoing while Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean confirmed in Parliament that Mr Shanmugam had removed himself from any decisions involving the property.

As of now, Mr Shanmugam has not commented publicly on the sale of his Astrid Hill property.

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