City Harvest's founder Kong Hee & 4 others arrested/charged
-
The New Paper
Mon, Jun 21, 2010
Ho Yeow Sun's $28,000-a-month Hollywood home
by Shree Ann Mathavan and Lediati Tan
source of info
http://www.divaasia.com/article/9622
FOR a personality who posts online videos of her new hairdo, singer Ho Yeow Sun, popularly known as Sun Ho, has been quiet of late.
Calls to her and her manager have not been returned.
Ms Ho, 40, is married to Reverend Kong Hee, 45, of City Harvest Church.
The pair, with at least 16 others connected to the church, have been assisting the Commercial Affairs Department in an investigation into alleged misuse of church funds. Until her return on Monday, Ms Ho had been spending much of her time in Los Angeles, for her music career.
The pop star has been shuttling back and forth between Singapore and the US since 2003.
The week before she returned to Singapore, The New Paper on Sunday went to the estate she is renting at Hollywood Hills. Even there, she avoided the media.
Her manager did not return any calls. And despite spending three days waiting outside the estate, Ms Ho couldn’t be contacted. But there were people living inside the rental estate which is listed for sale at US$5.6 million ($7.7m).
Over the three days, The New Paper on Sunday spotted a black SUV and a black Mercedes Benz CLK550 driving in and out of the estate which has four buildings in all. Ms Ho is understood to be living there with her son, an assistant, a nanny and Ms Ho’s relatives.
Housing agents who specialise in the area describe Hollywood Hills as a high-end suburb. Universal Studios is a 10-minute drive away.
Celebrities who have set up home there include Paris Hilton’s sister Nicky, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera and British singer Leona Lewis.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are also said to own a property in the vicinity.
Other than big names in the movie industry, millionaires and high-profile businessmen have bought homes in the quiet and peaceful neighbourhood with a low crime rate.
The neighbourhood is packed with continental cars including Mercedes Benzs, Audis, BMWs and Volkswagons. Police cars also patrol the area about once every four hours.
Most of the houses have their house number marked prominently on their gates and police patrols here are so extensive, some of the homes do not even have front walls or gates fencing them off from the main street.
Among the many neat houses, stands a cluster of dark green Spanish Mediterranean style buildings which Ms Ho has been renting for the past year.
The estate stands out from other properties in the area as it is bigger than its immediate
neighbours.
A narrow driveway about 8m long from the road leads up to the gate of the property.
Most of the neighbours have driveways which are about two car lengths. Much of the view of the property is blocked from public view by foliage, the dark green gate and the two-metre high walls – topped with glass shards to prevent intruders from climbing in.
It also has enhanced security features, including a warning sign that the place is under “armed response”. Signs also direct visitors to ring the doorbell for deliveries and for parcels to be left at the right corner of the gate.
To gain entry, visitors have to punch in a password. The property is not marked by a number
on the gate but the address is marked on the kerb.
The estate, standing on 29,000 sq ft of land or about a third of a soccer field, is being rented out for about US$20,000 ($27,700) a month, said the agent in charge, who declined to be named.
Live-in staff quarters
The property comprises a main house and three self-contained structures, quarters for a
butler,nanny and maid.
The total built-up area of the estate is 6,766 sq ft or about the size of five five-room HDB flats.
The 4,135 sq ft main house has four bedrooms. The property also boasts a swimming pool, a sundeck and a two-car garage but its driveway has space for another nine cars.
The housing agent in charge of the property said the tenant’s staff such as her butler, nanny and other live-in staff live in some of the houses and the current tenant pays the entire monthly rent.
Due to its sheer size and price, the two owners of the house have had difficulties selling the place, which has been on the market since 2007.
Ms Ho’s current lease ends in November and she had asked for an extension, said the agent.
The agent described Ms Ho as “Singapore’s top singer and entertainer”.
Ms Ho has also posted videos of herself in the home online.
In one such video, she is seen dancing with a top US dancer who has choreographed moves for singer Justin Timberlake.
Neighbours we spoke to said most residents of the suburb are private people.
When showed a picture of Ms Ho, one neighbour confirmed she is the tenant and described her as an “entertainer”.
The neighbour, who declined to be named, said: “Yes, it’s her. She’s got long hair and nice straight teeth. I’ve seen her many times.”
She added that Ms Ho was “very sophisticated and seems traditional” as she often holds gatherings for traditional festivities such as Chinese New Year.
Until recently, Ms Ho had also been posting videos of her life in the US on her official website.
The videos posted included those of her spending time with her five-year-old son Dayan at Manhattan Beach, her relief work in Haiti after the earthquake and picking up US$217 worth of groceries from Whole Foods Market, a natural and organic food store.
Other videos showed her shopping in New York at luxury department store Barneys New York. She is later seen carrying three big Barneys’ bags toan unidentified location.
The same video later showed her getting ready for the red carpet event at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. -
concern2:
Thou shalt not utter d name of Mother in vain! :spank:[/quote]Holy Cheese !!!
omm!verykiasu2010:
[quote=\"fightingmom\"]
I thought you would say 我的妈呀！
(DS2 & friends always exclaim that in school)... :scratchhead: -
verykiasu2010:
:rotflmao: :rotflmao:concern2:
oh my sky ! oms ! -
phtthp:
So does that mean that the \"tithes\" in City Harvest is calculated according to your pay.... so must submit pay slip?? What if you get an increment? How does the church know how much ones earn? Submit IR8A? Just curious.my friend quit City Harvest church because last time there was a period of time when he was retrenched / jobless, but he still had to continue contributing 10% tithing even though he hasn't found a job yet.
His wife felt something doesn't seem right, so urge her husband quit this \"funny\" church. -
Lynn2010:
Submit IR8A?
:yikes: -
If Kong is really guilty and his supporters still blindly support and think he should be freed and not be punished because of the good deeds he had done…
Wonder what were their thoughts during the time when TT Durai and the Ming Yi were found to be guilty? Same standard applied? -
phtthp:
phtthp, do they really rally \"We want prosperity, prosperity, prosperity?\" Just very curious about thisDreamaurora:
All the Pharisees were so blinded by their so called 'devotion' to God that they failed to see the real God walking among them.
be careful with those mega churches that keep preaching & placing heavy strong emphasis on \"Prosperity\" sermons all the time ! Besides City Harvest, there are a few other churches of such similar nature. Perhaps time for CDA to also start investigate these other churches.
These blind sheep / followers are worshipping their hero of charisma. They are being brain washed ... by those constant, consistent week after week lop sided bombarding sermons preached non stop on \"We want more Prosperity, Prosperity, Prosperity !\" . Their eyes are blinded, their ears have turned deaf ... they failed to see cunning, sly, sneaky \"wolves in sheep skin\" amongst them, at the helm of leadership in church. -
kwcllf:
Wonder whom these people are worshipping? :?[/quote]
Yeah, I read that. Well can't blame them, the herd mentality in CHC is very strong.Dreamaurora:
[quote=\"tankee\"]go read today's straits times.
It is reported that some members interviewed are aware of their donation being used to fund Sun's music career, and they do not mind, still stand by their \"leader\"
My church pastor always remind us to worship God, not him. Focus on God, not him. -
MrsSeah:
I suppose it is human weakness. Hope they can come clean and have a good reason. Anyway, they have God to answer toMy view is I believe they joined the \"GROUP\" in good intention to help the NEEDY and to spread the word of god. But when big money aka evil keep coming in... they lose their focus.
Sigz... -
Lynn2010:
They are definitely planning to contest this case as evidenced by the official press release of the church today. This case may get ugly over the coming months. If this is the case I just hope the collateral damage to the Christian community in Singapore is minimized.
I suppose it is human weakness. Hope they can come clean and have a good reason. Anyway, they have God to answer toMrsSeah:
My view is I believe they joined the \"GROUP\" in good intention to help the NEEDY and to spread the word of god. But when big money aka evil keep coming in... they lose their focus.
Sigz...
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