Ng Boon Gay sheds tears when talking about late father

SINGAPORE - It has been a year since Ng Boon Gay, 47, was acquitted of corruption charges, but the former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chief is still saddened by the fact that his father never got to know the outcome of his case.

The elder Ng had passed away from a heart attack before he was cleared of the charges.

In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao, Ng Boon Gay said that he experienced a terrible Chinese New Year in 2012, when he was accused of corruption in a sex-for-contracts case.

Just one month later, his father suffered a heart attack and passed away. His mother died from cancer in 2009.

He told the Chinese daily that he was very close to his parents and that his mother was very loving. When he went overseas for National Service training, she was so worried that she could not sleep for three weeks.

Stricken by the sudden loss of his mother, Ng said the loss of his dad less than three years later was a big blow to him.

Although his father did not say much about the case, Ng felt that his father was worried for him and believed that he was innocent.

"It is a pity he does not know I am now okay," Ng was quoted saying in the papers.

When asked about children, Ng told Lianhe Zaobao that he loved children but had long decided not to have any.

He said that he and his wife, Yap Yen Yen, had decided that he had to focus on his career, as well as looking after his parents, instead.

Ng said that he had wanted to spend his time and efforts on ensuring his parents lived comfortably in their golden years, adding that he did not mind moving into a retirement home in the future.

Ng could not hold his tears back as he recalled memories of his parents.

Growing up in a poor family, Ng Boon Gay said he depended on study grants and bursaries from various institutions to fund his education.

Ng is the fourth child out of five in the family, and the only one who has graduated from university.

Growing up, he lived in a rented home from which his parents ran two food stalls.

As he had to help them out, he could only start studying at midnight every night.

Ng told Lianhe Zaobao that they were so poor that their electricity supply was cut off, and he had to light a candle so he could study.

ljessica@sph.com.sg