“Singapore’s greatness today belongs not only to great men, but also to every nameless hero who left their youth here.”
The message was part of an emotional tribute by Malaysian rapper Namewee to his late uncle, Ong Kwang Boon, who reportedly died alone in a Singapore HDB flat a few months ago.
In a video posted on Aug 5, Namewee said his uncle “devoted his entire life to Singapore”.
The 43-year-old singer-rapper, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, shared that his maternal uncle died in Singapore a few months ago.
According to Wee, his uncle’s body remained undiscovered for more than a week until a neighbour alerted the police after noticing a foul smell coming from the unit.
Wee did not reveal when or where his uncle died. However, checks by AsiaOne indicate that Ong likely lived in a Housing Board flat along Kang Ching Road.
In his video tribute, Wee said that his 66-year-old uncle was not married and had come to Singapore in 1979 to work right after graduating from high school.
“He knew his family needed money. So he chose to leave home alone, as if signing his life away, and gave his life to a machinery factory in Singapore,” he said.
Every month, Ong would send money home to support his parents and siblings.
“Like countless Malaysians striving for a living in Singapore, he worked quietly, and quietly grew older,” Wee said.
Wee shared that he would only see his uncle a few times a year during special occasions, and that he always looked forward to their reunion.
Wee’s video also featured clips from his 2025 concert in Singapore, which Ong attended.
During the concert, he shone the spotlight on his uncle, telling the audience about his 45 years working in Singapore.
“He has devoted his entire life to Singapore,” Wee said, garnering resounding cheers from the audience.
“At that moment, the whole audience finally saw him. I was proud of him.”
In closing, Wee wished Singapore a happy National Day, hoping that others would remember the contributions of everyone who played a part in Singapore’s progress, including his uncle.
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dana.leong@asiaone.com
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