SINGAPORE: 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 said on Tuesday (May 6).
Pictures of the ministers with Su were posted online by former Reform Party chairman Charles Yeo. Su was one of the 10 people convicted in the billion-dollar money laundering case last year.
“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.
“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 do not know Su personally and have had no contact or dealings with him, before or since these occasions.
Labour chief Ng Chee Meng, who was recently elected as Member of Parliament for Jalan Kayu SMC, has also been photographed with Su.
The photo has not been verified. CNA has contacted Mr Ng for comment.
