Ong Yew Teng (Seh Ong)

Ong Yew Teng (1946 -1966) passed away at the age of 20 in 1966. Etched on his tombstone was a snapshot of a time when Singapore politics was in a state of turmoil and disagreement within the People's Action Party (PAP) lead to the ex-members to form the Barisan Socialis (Socialist Front) on 29 July and Barisan Sosialis was officially registered on 13 August 1961 with Lee Siew Choh as Chairman and Lim Chin Siong as the Secretary-General. 

Thanks to Raymond Goh, he pointed me to the keywords that revealed some of the tomb secrets. This included the fact that tomb of Ong Yew Teng was erected by the Barisan Socialis  had the following information;

祖国优秀儿女- Outstanding Children of the Mother Land
热愛革命战士 - Passionate revolutionary hero 
Erected by 社会主义阵线 - Barisan Socialis

Ong Yew Teng (1946-1966)

Ong Yew Teng, Revolutionary hero 
(Erected by Barisan Socialis) 

Ang Yik Han provided the insight to Ong Yew Teng by sharing an important article from the Barisan Socialis newsletter which shared who he was and how he died at such as young age. 

At 8 pm on 4 June, Comrade Ong Yew Teng life was taken away in a vehicle accident that occured on Changi Road. It went on to describe that Ong Yew Teng was born to a poor family and the situation was difficult with the father being unemployed and mother frail and sick. At the age of 14, he sought employment to support his parents and siblings. Hard labour, poor treatment and unfair wages led to his early "awakening" in 1960 where he worked hard to support the movement and was a model cadre. 

Barisan Socialis Newsletter No.183 (18/6/1966)
contributed by Yik Han 

The case of the subversive tombstone

While researching, i came across this case.  In 1983, the Internal Security Department (ISD) arrested Tan Chu Boon (then 40 years of age and a tropical fish breeder) for inscribing subversive statements on his brother's (Tan Chay Wa) tomb that suggest people to overthrow the established government by armed struggle. Sentenced to 1 year jail, it was subsequently reduced to 1 month on appeal. His brother, Tan Chay Wa was a bus driver and district committee member of the Malayan National Liberation Front (labeled as a Communist Party) was arrested at a vegetable farm in Kulai, Johor for having a .32 Llama semi-automatic pistol and 7 rounds of bullets. Sentenced to death, he was 35 years of age when he was hanged in Kuala Lumpur's Pudu Prison on 18 January 1983. 

The English Translation of the Chinese inscription on the headstone and front face of Tan Chay Wa's tombstone was shared on Straits Times, 

The translation of the Chinese characters engraved on the headstone reads;

"Tomb of martyr Tan Chay Wa, a District Committee Member of the Malayan National Liberation Front. Born on 7 Feb 1949, sacrificed on 18 Jan 1983."

The translation of the Chinese characters on the front face of the tombstone erected at Grave Plot No 3222, Block 8, Chua Chu Kang Buddhist Cemetery reads:

Martyr Tan Chay Wa came from a poor peasant family. Having completed  his secondary education, he worked as a factory hand.

In the Seventies, he joined the Malayan National Liberation Front (MNLF), as an organisation led by the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM). He was subsequently promoted District Committee Member (DCM).

Under difficult circumstances, he used to appease his hunger by feeding on wild edible vegetables. He contributed all the money that he managed to save to the organisation, thus manifesting amply the noble quality of a revolutionary warrior.

Under pursuit by the enemy, he fled to Johor State where he carried on with his work in total disregard of his own personal safety.

Unfortunately on 2 June 1979, he was arrested. While in prison, he was cruelly beaten up and subjected to coercive threats and inducement but he remained resolute and unflinchingly dauntless.

For the sake of the motherland’s liberation cause, he was hanged in Pudu Prison in Kuala Lumpur on 18 Jan 1983 and died a heroic death.

At the time of his death he was only 35. 

A few moments before his death, he  wrote a heroic poem which read: ‘With heart filled with righteous indignation,

I stood at the gallows and forcefully pen this poem with my blood, I want to air my grievances for a hundred years, unable to tell all the wrongs with blood. When will this gallows be destroyed to bring about a new heaven?’

This militant poem depicts his deep hatred against the old society and his boundless confidence as the victory over the motherland’s revolution. His glorious image will forever lie in the minds of the people. 

Martyr Tan Chay Wa’s spirit will live forever!

Below is the picture of the tombstone of Tan Chay Wa (The Straits Times, 1983)

"Subversive tomb" of Tan Chay Wa 

After "subversive words" being blanked out by family member (The Straits Times, 1985)

Tan Chay Wa's tombstone no longer "subversive"

Location of tomb

Ong Yew Teng tomb is located in Seh Ong Cemetery. 

8RM9+6Q4 Singapore

Ong Yew Teng, Revolutionary hero 
(Erected by Barisan Socialis) 

References

Translation of the inscription. (1983, May 31). The Straits Times, page 1 

Ex-founder member of MNLF is called to interpret the significance of tombstone poem. (1983, November 23). Singapore Monitor, Afternoon Edition, page 3

Words on tombstone land man in court. (1983, November 25). The Straits Times, page 23

Family blanks out "subversive" tombstone of son. (1985, July 11). Ee Boon Lee, Sinhapore Monitor, page 1

The Tan Chay Wa story. (1987, May 29). The Straits Times, page 16
Barisan Sosialis. (Singapore Infopedia). National Library Board.