A mountain named after Ong Teng Cheong?
Yes, there is. It is in
the middle of a remote Tien Shan range between the borders of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and China.
It's 4,743m tall.
It was the first mountain
peak named after a Singaporean because a group of Singaporeans conquered it on
July 29, 2005. But why OTC?
The reason given is
because "Mr Ong Teng Cheong has done a lot for Singapore and should be
recognised."
But it was not without
some struggles that the peak got that name. Recall it was conquered in 2005?
It took 11 years to
formalise the name because the mountaineering federation appeared to have
overlooked the application. The GPS coordinates were just off and even Google was
stumped by the obscure location.
However, OTC's son didn't
give up.
Ong Tze Boon scaled the
peak last August again and this time the precise data were collected. And the
data were sent to the federation for processing.
And that's how we
Singaporeans now have Ong Teng Cheong peak - 11 years and two arduous climbs
later.
Ong junior said:
"Ong Teng Cheong was not known to the people of Kazakhstan. I explained to
the federation who he was in the context of Singapore history...(Given that he
was the first elected president...mm), "they (the federation) were
gracious to acknowledge and name it after him."
But that's not the end.
OTC peak is going to have a companion, his wife, Ong Siew May.
FYI, their two sons and a
few mountaineers had scaled a virgin peak of 4,451m and sent the data over for
processing, hoping to name that mountain, Ong Siew May peak.
The application is
currently being processed.
Their sons said that
their parents "had met at a Christmas party when she was 15 and he,
16." Ong Tze Boon added: "I am thrilled to complete their love
story."
Well, OTC may not be our
first elected President (at least not in the way Parliament sees it), nor was
he given an official state funeral (the one President SR Nathan had received),
but at least there is a peak somewhere at the borders of Eastern Europe with
his name on it.
And soon, his beloved
wife will be joining him overlooking Singapore from a vantage point.
Lesson? Just one.
Coincidentally, also in
the papers today is another son of Singapore who had almost made it to be
President.
His name is familiar to
us all - Tan Cheng Bock. Yesterday, his appeal was not unexpectedly dismissed
and AGC's arguments won the day.
The Apex Court ruled
unanimously that Parliament is ultimately sovereign and has the unfettered
right to start the count with President Wee Kim Wee as the first elected
President (because the latter - though elected by Parliament - had spent a few
years exercising the powers of the elected Presidency before OTC was formally
elected by the people).
Alas, this is the one
local peak that TCB is unable to scale successfully.
Now, the Elected
President race will go full throttle and as planned.
As it stands, we have
three candidates - one was the former Speaker of the House of Parliament and
the other two are from the private sector.
Unfortunately, save for
one, the other two do not qualify outright. As such, it may just be a
Presidential walkover this September and a shoo-in for Parliament.
TCB said that he had
accepted the verdict, but with a heavy heart as he had wanted to contest the EP
this September. I guess his heart has always been in the right place - that is,
for the people.
As a matter of
consolation, I have no doubt that TCB will be a good President as the people's
choice since he had nearly won it six years ago.
He has also done his part
to show his sincerity and dedication. He fought to be qualified not with the
Presidential Elections Committee, but with the highest Court in the land.
He has also shown his
mettle and servitude to the people at large by daring to do what is normally
not encouraged in our rules-conscious, OB-marker Singapore.
Being a core member of
PAP for decades, and serving in various ministries and committees tirelessly,
TCB has demonstrated that when it's time to stand up to be counted, he is not
afraid to stand by, for and with the people.
Let me end with extracts
from TCB's FB post:-
"...I am very
comforted to know that many of you were strongly supporting me in this case. I
never felt alone. For that, I sincerely thank every one of you...
My team and I will now
rest, regroup and re-energise ourselves. I promise you, I will always speak up
for Singaporeans and do my very best for our country.
Meanwhile, let me be
first to wish the participants of the coming reserved PE 2017 all the best, and
to do your very best for our country!"
Alas, he may not be our
President this September, but he has surely demonstrated everything that is
expected of a President, which goes beyond the monetary benchmark - that is,
grace in defeat, gratitude in the support, hope in conviction, faith in honor,
and most of all, wishing the other presidential candidates well.
That's magnanimity of
character!
In my book, that's a mountain-conquering spirit anytime, anywhere. TCB
will always stand tall for the people. Cheerz.
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