Ong Beng Seng battles bone marrow cancer amid corruption charges

Ong Beng Seng, a prominent Malaysian property tycoon and hotelier, has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare type of bone marrow cancer, at the age of 79. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy and has sought court permission to travel abroad for medical treatment, which has been granted. Ong is facing legal charges related to corruption linked to former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran, including abetting Iswaran in accepting an all-expenses-paid trip to Doha and obstructing justice during an investigation. His pre-trial conference regarding these charges is set for February 28, 2025, and he has not yet indicated whether he will plead guilty or contest the charges. Iswaran has already pleaded guilty to related charges and is currently serving a home detention sentence. Ong's health condition remains undisclosed by his spokesperson amidst ongoing legal proceedings.