Have u guys ever thought of, whether you will have have a chance to appear on the headlines like ever? let’s say just once in ur entire life? (exclude committing crimes of cos!)
I guessed its quite hard, sometimes even winning competition or achieveing someting great may not even give u such exposure.
Just like Reuben and Elisha, both of them won competitions before…
bt i guessed their achievements were not even reported..
Only when they’re gone, they were on the headlines.
Haiz.
Below is the article, extracted from The New Paper on the 1st of June 2009
” TROUBLED INSIDE…
HE SEEMED to have everything going for him – intelligence, personality, good looks and fame from winning a male pageant and being featured in calendar pin-ups.
But his modelling agent, Mr Sunny Ooi, said that behind that happy-go-lucky facade was a troubled soul.
Yesterday morning, Mr Elisha Chng, 24, a National University of Singapore arts undergrad, was found dead at the foot of Block 107 in Gangsa Road in Bukit Panjang. He was wearing an orange T-shirt and grey shorts. Police are investigating the incident as an unnatural death.
Mr Chng, who won the New Urban Male pageant in 2004, lived with his parents in a five-room flat on the 10th floor in the same block.
Besides appearing in catwalk shows, Mr Chng also flaunted his well-chiselled body as Mr June in Calendar Guys 2008, which was said to be Singapore’s first all-male calendar.
Speaking to The New Paper over the phone, Mr Ooi claimed Mr Chng was troubled over his desire to study in France.
Mr Ooi claimed: ‘His family feared he wouldn’t return to Singapore if they let him leave.’
While modelling provided a source of income, it wasn’t enough to pay for his studies.
‘He wasn’t the kind who would (show his friends he had problems). That’s why he always appeared happy and down-to-earth.’
Mr Ooi learnt about Mr Chng’s death only after seeing the latter’s photo in Shin Min Daily News yesterday.
He said: ‘Initially, I thought Elisha had agreed to a photo spread without telling me. I don’t like it when my boys give interviews without my knowledge, because the photos may not come out well. But when I read the report, I realised he was dead.’
Stunned
He last spoke to Mr Chng on Friday, when the latter said he was still keen on modelling.
Mr Ooi said: ‘I hadn’t been able to contact him for a few months but when he answered his phone, he said he had been overseas and that I should continue to market him.’
He claimed Mr Chng once had a close brush with death. He claimed: ‘It was last year or the year before. He had swallowed some pills and was sent to National University Hospital.’
After he was discharged, Mr Chng stayed with his girlfriend for a while but returned to his parents eventually.
Mr Ooi claimed Mr Chng had lived in France as a child and spoke fluent French. Indeed, his desire to go to France was such that he stated on his Facebook profile that he was already in France.
The New Paper’s attempts to interview Mr Chng’s parents were unsuccessful as they had left their flat soon after Mr Chng’s body was discovered around 5am yesterday.
News of his death shocked his friends as he did not seem troubled.
Mrs Colleen Francisca-Maison, 27, Miss Singapore World 2006 and runner-up in The New Paper’s New Face contest in 2001, was stunned when told about Mr Chng’s death.
Mrs Francisca-Maison was one of the judges at the New Urban Male pageant that Mr Chng won.
She recounted: ‘There were other contestants who were more good-looking than Elisha but he won as he had the X-factor. He was natural and sincere, not like other models who turn on their charm only for the camera.’
Winning the pageant brought Mr Chng more modelling jobs. Mrs Francisca-Maison said she felt there was still a long career path ahead of him.
Besides appearing in Calendar Guys this year, Mr Chng did photo spreads in Teenage magazine and wedding shows for Jazreel Low’s Collections, a bridal shop owned by former television actress Jazreel Low.
Mrs Francisca-Maison described Mr Chng as a gentleman who was polite to everyone.
She said: ‘He was the kind who would open doors for girls and let them enter lifts first. He always seemed so happy, always in control of his emotions. He always seemed to know what he was doing. I never saw him lose his temper.
‘He was very charming and everybody gravitated towards him. He spoke intelligently.’
Mr Ooi had no doubts about Mr Chng’s talent. He claimed it was he who first spotted the latter’s modelling potential. That was in August 2004, when Mr Ooi saw Mr Chng clubbing in Zouk.
Mr Ooi recounted: ‘Elisha was doing his National Service and had already secured a place in NUS. He had a Korean look that I liked, with unique-looking almond-shaped eyes.’
Standing at 1.82m, Elisha was perfect for modelling, said Mr Ooi. At Zouk, Mr Ooi approached Mr Chng and asked if he wanted to be a model. They exchanged phone numbers and Mr Chng called days later, saying he was keen.
Mr Ooi took Mr Chng under his wing, grooming him for the New Urban Male pageant that the latter won in November that year.
Despite the exposure and attractive offers that came Mr Chng’s way, the latter remained loyal to his mentor.
Mr Ooi said: ‘Elisha stuck to me even when other modelling agencies tried to poach him by offering him the chance to work with major clients.
‘We had a dispute when he did freelance work for another agent, but we patched things up.’
Besides being handsome and academically able, Mr Chng was an athlete who excelled at rugby, representing NUS.
An online condolence message from a Singapore Management University student who was Mr Chng’s rugby opponent stated: ‘To an amazing, athletic and wonderful lad. Elisha Chng was a great person on and off the rugby field.’ “
I was kinda glad when i first saw Elisha on the front page of the newspaper…
At least i can get to noe more, wat exactly happened.
But when i read the article, i was kinda pissed.
If you noticed, the article was mainly emphasizing on e very reowned sunny ooi, ( ATTENTION: THOUGH WE GT THE SAME SURNAME, I AM NOT AT ALL RELATED TO HIM.)
how he spotted Elisha la,
how he groomed him to achieve balbalbalablaa..
I mean it is pretty obvious that he is making use of this matter to advertise for himself. ( notice the way Colleen talked abt it and how he talked abt it?)
Yes, He is really good to his own male models….
he always push them alot of jobs…
bt he got this SUPER INFAMOUS BAD HABIT that no one can tolerate.
*ROARRRRRRRRRRRRS*
argh.
