Engineer living his dream

NEVER in his wildest imagination did Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Ong Boon Piow think that he would be given a seat to contest in the general election, let alone becoming a wakil rakyat.

“I joined the DAP in 2005, hoping to fulfil my ambition to be a politician.

“But I never imagined that I would be given a seat to contest as I was content with contributing to the party just by working on the sidelines.

“Now, I’ve not only been elected but the DAP has also become part of the ruling coalition in Perak. I am living my dream,” said the young happy-go-lucky chap.

The road to politics for him was anything but easy. It had, in fact, been riddled with heartache and sacrifices.

“I quit my job as a senior design engineer at a manufacturing plant and opted for a freelance position two years ago to focus on my political career,” he said.

Ong won the seat by a 2,555 majority against his opponent, three-time incumbent assemblyman Datuk Chew Wai Khoon, who is more senior than him in both age and ex-perience.

Ong Boon Piow

“I was feeling the heat of the responsibility more than the excitement of winning when I first got to know the results but the people can be rest assured that their votes for me will be justified through my performance,” he said.

Topping his list as Tebing Tinggi assemblyman is to bring back the spark of Ipoh as a favourite destination for tourists.

He said flooding was still a problem in areas such as Jalan Leong Boon Swee and Kampung Tebing Tinggi.

How much time do you spend on the computer? Two hours a day.

Do you blog? Yes, my blog is http://ongboonpiow.blogspot.com.

What kind of music do you listen to and your favourite song? Oldies, pop, rock & roll and jazz. My favourite song is Heal The World by Michael Jackson.

Are you into movies? Yes, my favourite is Shawshank Redemption.

What do you read? Newspaper and books on history.

Are you into the EPL football? Which team do you support and who is your favourite player? My favourite team is Newcastle United and my favourite player is Alan Shearer.

Any other favourite sport? Basketball.

What do you play? Table tennis.

Who is your favourite sports star? Michael Jordan.

Coffee or tea? Green tea.

Got a nickname? How did it come about? Ah Piew, by my classmates.

What languages can you speak? Mandarin, Malay and English as well as Cantonese and Hokkien.

What are the gadgets you can’t do without? My laptop and handphone.

What’s your favourite food? French fries.

What car do you drive and how long have you had it? I drive a Proton Wira which belongs to my brother.

What is your contribution to environmental conservation? Recycling, conserving energy and supporting conservation programmes.

Name an idol (dead or alive) that you look up to and why. George Washington who was courageous enough to admit his mistake when he cut down his father’s cherry tree.

Any phobia? Worms.

Favourite actor and why. Hong Kong actor Steven Chow because he’s funny.

What do you like about Malaysia? Its climate.

What do you dislike most about Malaysians? They are selfish.

Which sector in Malaysia would you like to see improvement? All sectors.

If there is one thing you wish you can change in the country, what would that be? To raise the political awareness of Malaysians.