Singapore ministers Ong Ye Kung, Chee Hong Tat deny dealings with criminal Su Haijin

Photos circulated online showed the ministers at dinners with Su Haijin, who was later convicted in a massive money laundering case

Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat do not know convicted money launderer Su Haijin personally and have no dealings with him, their press secretaries have said.

Pictures of the ministers with Fujian gang member Su were posted online by former Reform Party chairman Charles Yeo. Su is one of the 10 people convicted in last year’s multibillion-dollar money laundering case.

“There are some photos circulating, in which Ministers Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat were pictured at dinners where Fujian gang member Su Haijin, was also present,” the ministers’ press secretaries said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

“As ministers, they meet a diverse range of people at various events and gatherings. They attended the dinners at the invitation of a friend, and Su happened to be there. Minister Ong recalls that months later, at another dinner, Su happened to be there too.”

They said the ministers did not know Su personally and had had no contact or dealings with him, before or since these occasions.

Su was later arrested for his illegal activities and his assets were confiscated.

“The PAP government upholds a high standard of integrity and the ministers are determined to uphold this, even though in the course of their work, they may inadvertently come into contact with people who are later established to be unsavoury,” said the press secretaries, referring to the city state’s ruling People’s Action Party.

“Maintaining this standard is non-negotiable.”

This article was first published by CNA