While Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong likes to go jalan jalan at nature spots like the zoo, he can also be found in the heartlands of Singapore.
Recent videos posted on social media showed him and his wife Ho Ching eating at Bukit Merah View Hawker Centre.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
Unsurprisingly, their appearance attracted a large crowd, which surrounded and took photos of them.
In a TikTok video posted on Friday (18 Aug), PM Lee and Madam Ho were seen dining at one of the tables of the crowded hawker centre.
There were seated directly in front of a drinks stall named Sing Hwa.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
The video has since gained more than 2,700 likes and 3,700 shares.
PM Lee and his wife were joined by five other people at the table, including two small children.
One of them, a lady in a pink blouse sitting opposite him, was Tanjong Pagar MP Joan Pereira, who’s in charge of the Henderson-Dawson ward in which the hawker centre is located.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
She could be seen occasionally standing up and speaking to a male staff member, seemingly ordering food.
Several men in all-black outfits, believed to be bodyguards, were also seen standing near the group.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
As it’s a rare sight for Singaporeans to see their PM casually eating in their neighbourhood, the group was surrounded by curious residents just gawking at them, as could be seen from another video posted by Singapore Incidents on Instagram.
Source: @singapore_incidents on Instagram
That post said the video was taken on Tuesday (15 Aug).
Of course, many people were also seen using their phones to snap precious photos and videos of the PM.
Source: @singapore_incidents on Instagram
At one point, PM Lee was seen chatting with a male resident and shaking his hand.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
Netizens who commented on the TikTok video were generally positive, with some saying it’s quite nice to see PM Lee and his wife taking part in a typical Singaporean pastime of eating at a hawker centre.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
Another netizen praised the PM for being humble.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
However, as we saw in the video, one commenter said he might not be able to eat in peace as many people may want to chat with him.
Source: @benjiace8 on TikTok
In July 2020, PM Lee received a similar reception when he went jalan jalan in Ang Mo Kio GRC.
PM Lee, who’s an MP there, wanted to thank residents for their support during the recent General Election.
Of course, his visit took in a hawker centre, where he was seen signing autographs and taking pictures with residents.
Judging from the warm welcome he gets, we hope we can catch sight of him the next time he walks around the heartlands.
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Featured image adapted from @benjiace8 on TikTok and @singapore_incidents on Instagram.
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