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Why were Singapore ministers dining with a convicted money launderer? SDP demands answers

Why were Singapore ministers dining with a convicted money launderer? SDP demands answers

Malay Mail15-05-2025
SINGAPORE, May 15 — The Singapore Democratic Party has raised alarm over a photograph showing top government figures dining with two individuals under investigation for money laundering, saying it surfaced at a sensitive time just after the general election.
In a statement, the party said public trust in Singapore's political leadership was at stake.
'We call for a full and transparent investigation through a public and independent Commission of Inquiry,' SDP said in a statement.
'Important questions need to be addressed to preserve Singapore's reputation for integrity and incorruptibility.'
The SDP said it was crucial to determine whether the dinners were personal or official, and whether proper protocols were followed.
The party also questioned if Covid-19 regulations had been breached during the gatherings.
It expressed concern that the presence of the ministers and the NTUC chief gave the events an air of official significance.
The SDP said guests at such events should have been carefully vetted to avoid reputational harm.
'The SDP calls on PM Lawrence Wong to address the matter. Remaining silent on such an alarming development, especially one coming in the immediate aftermath of the elections, is not an option.'
Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Ng Chee Meng, Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat were photographed at a dinner with Su Haijin, a China-born national later jailed in the country's largest money laundering case.
All three ministers said they had no personal ties to Su and had attended the dinners by invitation. They have also sued over claims linking them to him.
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