Howard Ong, the elder brother of Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, will contest in Australia’s upcoming federal election on May 3 as a candidate for the Liberal Party in Tangney, Western Australia.
Speaking to The Straits Times, Ong confirmed his family ties and said: “Our family has always had a strong commitment to serving the community, and I have carried that commitment with me.”
The Ong family has a history in public service. Their father, Ong Lian Teng, was a politician with Barisan Sosialis and served as an MP in the 1960s.
Howard Ong grew up in Singapore and completed his National Service as an army lieutenant. He relocated to Western Australia more than 28 years ago to pursue studies at Curtin University, where he later settled with his wife. Together, they built a career in the IT sector while also volunteering actively in their local community.
If elected, Ong aims to focus on making housing more affordable for young Australians and addressing the rising cost of living. He emphasized his desire to contribute positively to the future of the country he now calls home.
In Tangney, Ong will go up against incumbent Labor MP Sam Lim, who has gained attention for his diverse background as a former dolphin trainer, Buddhist monk, and award-winning police officer.
According to analysts cited by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Tangney is a top priority for the Liberal Party to reclaim. It is currently the most marginal federal seat in Western Australia and the seventh-most marginal seat held by Labor nationally.
A recent poll cited by Reuters suggests that the Labor Party could narrowly retain power, with projected support at 52 per cent to the Liberals’ 48.
