103-Year-Old Ah Gong Wanted To Vote, Never Missed A Single Election
Polling day is often an exhilarating experience as Singaporeans of all walks of life turn up to exercise their voting rights and shape the future of their nation.
In the morning of polling day (10 Jul) around 9 am, 103-year-old Tan Chow Joon went to Siglap South Community Centre to cast his ballot.
With the help of his 2 sons and a 2-minute drive, Mr Tan managed to maintain his streak of voting for the past elections.
You can watch their interview here in full.
Sons surprised father wanted to vote
In an interview done with Lianhe Zaobao, Mr Tan’s youngest son, Christopher, shared how his father suddenly declared the desire to vote just a day before.
The reason being? Our ah gong was wondering if he would be fined if he didn’t.
The centenarian’s sons were quite surprised he wanted to vote, especially since Mr Tan was just discharged from the hospital recently and had little inclinations to leave the house.
Saw specific queues for elderly
Residing in a 2-storey shophouse, helping the wheelchair-bound centenarian reach the polling booth had required the effort of 3 people.
Christopher expressed how the voting procedures were clear and that the elderly had a specific queue.
The polling agents had also offered to push Mr Tan in, but as Mr Tan could only speak Hainanese, they allowed Christopher to accompany him in.
Voted at Siglap South CC in last 4 elections
Mr Tan has been a resident of East Coast Road since the 1960s, which is now a part of the Marine Parade GRC.
While his GRC has changed for the past 4 elections, Christopher shared how father and son had always voted at the very same Siglap South Community Centre.
The centenarian’s desire to chart the future of his nation in spite of his age and hindered mobility is a testament of how ‘if there’s a will, there’s a way’.
Featured image from Twitter and Facebook.
