Defending the convicted cheats, Singapore’s megachurch City Harvest wrote on its website saying:
“While we are deeply saddened by this decision, we thank god for the shorter sentences.”
Written by the megachurch’s current executive pastor and president of the board, Aries Zulkarnain, the pastor then started quoting verses from the bible saying it has been a “hard journey”. City Harvest Church devotees were seen weeping outside the courtroom when they heard the judgment.
According to Kong Hee, City Harvest Church members went on fasting to “pray” for him. Kong Hee told his defence lawyer, PAP MP Edwin Tong, that he is disappointed that he is not acquitted. Kong Hee then post on his Twitter saying he is “grateful”:
“I know that many of you have been praying and fasting for the team and I. I am very thankful for the support and prayers that have been shown to our families. While the conviction being upheld is not what I have hoped for, I am grateful that the sentence has been reduced. Once again, thank you so much for all the love you have given to me and my family.”
The wife of the corrupted pastor, Sun Ho Yeow Sun, who is the beneficiary of the S$50 million fund and squandered it because of her singing talent told state media Straits Times:
“Keep my family in prayer. It’s a difficult time for us.”