16 - The First Test

Summary

The first major political crisis in government which tested Raja's mettle came not from the pro-communist figures who had given the leadership so much strain earlier, but from an unexpected quarter — his non-communist cabinet colleague Ong Eng Guan.

This was the accountant whom Raja had introduced to the PAP as a promising leader, and later supported as the rabble-rousing PAP mayor of the city council, even when the other top leaders in the PAP disapproved of Ong's melodramatic antics. Raja also put up patiently with Ong's faults when, as minister for national development, he paid more attention to building a personal empire for himself than public housing for the people.

Raja's benevolence towards Ong was in sharp contrast to Goh's reaction to the man. The finance minister had taken such an intense dislike to Ong that they were not even on speaking terms. But, as Ong would find out, there was a limit to Raja's tolerance.

The major breakpoint in Raja's attitude to his friend came when he discovered Ong's conspiracy to take over as prime minister in 1960. He had a robust contempt for Ong's attempts to split the cabinet and play one minister against another in his power grab. Ong regarded Lee and Goh as his chief nemeses, but believed that Raja, being his long-time friend, would be open to his overtures. Ong was mistaken.

In a fragment found among his private papers, Raja observed acidly that Ong “came into conflict with his Ministerial colleagues and the party because of his belief that he had been cheated out of the Prime Ministership. This suspicion was totally unfounded because those of us who knew him intimately never even entertained the idea of him as Prime Minister”. They were only too aware of his weaknesses, Raja added contemptuously. In trying to manipulate the culture minister, Ong had underestimated Raja's political acumen as well as his loyalty to the party and to Lee. Beneath Raja's mild and friendly demeanour lurked a tough and shrewd character — much-needed traits in any party leader.

Finding himself isolated in the cabinet, Ong then turned his attention to the parliamentary secretaries and assemblymen.