Ong Ye Kung finds his NS buddy nearly 40 years after they leant on each other to survive BMT
Paired because they shared the same birthday, the two “chill” recruits lost touch after three months together. Their reunion in On The Red Dot brings back memories of hardship, friendship and opportunities they wished they had seized.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung was a teenage recruit in 1987 when he was paired with a buddy for National Service (NS) training. The two were assigned together based on their shared birthday, Nov 15, 1969. Ong, who enjoyed his rifle assembly and cleaning, struggled with the swearing and showering arrangements during Basic Military Training (BMT).
Despite the hardships, he appreciated the camaraderie and learned essential soldiering skills. Ong's buddy, Eric Sim, did not consider himself particularly athletic or academically gifted. Sim, on the other hand, was initially worried about his physical capabilities and even saw his father tearfully concerned about his son's survival during confinement.
After three months of BMT, the two lost touch and never reunited again for nearly 40 years. During the reunion in On The Red Dot, Ong felt nervous about Sim's current life and career, while Sim was initially caught off guard by the visit from his old NS buddy.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
