A 67-year-old Singaporean man, Ng Teong Min, has been sentenced to one year and five months in jail for secretly marrying a second woman in Malaysia while remaining married to his first wife in Singapore, a court heard yesterday.
Ng, who married his first wife in 1980 and had two children with her, began a relationship with another woman in Sarawak between 1985 and 1995. The second marriage was formalised in 1995 through a tea ceremony at the woman’s parents’ home, and Ng fathered two more children. He did not register the second marriage in Malaysia, fearing it would reveal his existing marital status.
The secret came to light after a whistleblower alerted the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Following investigations, Ng’s first wife filed for divorce upon learning of his double life.
In court, Ng expressed deep remorse, taking responsibility for the “pain, confusion and harm” caused. He pledged to uphold the law and set a better example for his children and grandchildren.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jini Pillai highlighted the “prolonged and premeditated deception” and recommended a jail term of 18 to 24 months. The judge noted Ng’s only mitigating factor was that he did not deceive his second wife in the same manner.
