Mr Ong Pang Boon cutting his birthday cake with (from left) Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Fengshan MP Cheryl Chan, who is the niece of Mr Ong's late wife, Mr Ong's eldest daughter Ong Juey Ming, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Mr Ong's 90th birthday celebrations on 23 March 2019 at Parliament House. (Photo credit: People’s Action Party/Facebook)
Singapore
Prime Minister
Hosts
Birthday Bash
For
Hong Leong
Foundation
Governor
Ong Pang Boon
Singapore celebrated Mr Ong Pang Boon’s 90th birthday at the Parliament House on 23 March 2019. About a hundred guests including members of the People's Action Party (PAP), former Members of Parliament (MP), and friends of Mr Ong were present at the happy occasion.
This year marks the 65th year of the PAP since its founding in 1954. It is also the 60th year of the first PAP Government in 1959, and the Singapore Bicentennial since the founding of Singapore in 1819 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. This is a very special anniversary year for Singapore, and one that is fitting of Mr Ong’s birthday celebrations.
Here is our tribute to Mr Ong Pang Boon.
Mr Ong has been serving as a Governor of Hong Leong Foundation since his appointment in 1985. He is known to the staff and peers of Hong Leong Group Singapore as a soft-spoken, humble and considerate man with a ready smile and golden words of wisdom.
Under his guidance, Hong Leong Foundation, the charity arm of Hong Leong Group Singapore, has been a long-time supporter of various causes including institutes of learning and educational initiatives, the arts and heritage, as well as the elderly and the needy.
Mr Ong gleefully trying his hand at the pineapple tart baking workshop organised by Hong Leong Foundation as part of its annual charity event last year. He was among the volunteers from Hong Leong Group staff and management who participated in the event.
Mr Ong displaying his flexibility during a chair yoga session with beneficiaries at the Foundation’s annual charity event this year. He is pictured here with fellow governor Mr Kwek Eik Sheng.
In addition to his work with the Foundation, Mr Ong has also contributed as a Board Member on City Developments Limited (CDL) and Hong Leong Holdings Limited (HLHL) until his retirement in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Among other directorships, Mr Ong also sat on the board of Hong Leong Finance until 2001.
Executive Chairman of Hong Leong Group Mr Kwek Leng Beng says, “Mr Ong is a source of inspiration and motivation to us all. He has made his stamp by shaping our business values and more importantly, the Group’s philosophy that corporations should give back by paying it forward.”
In 2011, the Ong Pang Boon Bursary was set up at the National University of Singapore as an extension of his values and beliefs in service to the nation via education. Hong Leong Foundation, CDL and HLHL contributed S$200,000 to the bursary. The late President of Singapore Mr S.R. Nathan presented Mr Ong with a token of appreciation at the launch ceremony. 
Celebrating Chinese New Year with Hong Leong Foundation: Mr Ong with fellow governors Mr Kwek, Ms Michelle Kwek and Mr Kingston Kwek (1st, 2nd and 4th from left respectively); CDL Group General Manager Mr Chia Ngiang Hong (3rd from left); and staff volunteers from Hong Leong Group.
Political career
Mr Ong was one of Singapore’s team of political pioneers. He was a Cabinet Minister with the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, who was the nation’s first Prime Minister. Mr. Ong held several key portfolios including Home Affairs (1959-1963), Education (1963-1970), Labour (1971-1980), and the Environment (1981-1984).
During his time as Singapore’s Minister of Education during 1963 to 1970, Mr. Ong was instrumental in laying the foundation of bilingual policy in the school system. He is also a firm advocate of using education to break the poverty cycle.
Speaking during Mr Ong’s 90th birthday celebrations at the Parliament House, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid tribute to the “many illustrious contributions” to Singapore made by Mr Ong, one of the founding leaders of the country. Mr Lee called the former PAP minister ‘one of the Old Guards who laid the basis for Singapore’s survival, sovereignty and eventual success’, and went on to highlight several key contributions. (Please click here for Mr Lee’s full speech.)
Thanking PM Lee for his remarks, Mr Ong said, "It is the environment that shapes the man. It has been my good fortune to be at the right place at the right time." He also recounted how the PAP’s first generation of members came from diverse backgrounds but were united with the common objective of breaking free from British colonialism and creating an independent Malaya including Singapore.” (Please click here for Mr Ong’s full speech.)
Mr Ong (far right) is the last standing Old Guard from the first Cabinet formed by the late Lee Kuan Yew. He is pictured here with some of the members (L-R) Goh Keng Swee, Toh Chin Chye, Yong Nyuk Lin, Lee Kuan Yew, and Ong Eng Guan. This photo was taken in 1959 when the People’s Action Party won the country’s first general election. (Photo credit: National Archives of Singapore)
Then Minister for Education Mr Ong Pang Boon warning teachers to be on the alert against communist infiltration in schools, during a Teachers' Day rally in June 1964. (Photo credit: National Archives of Singapore)
