Letter to Yee Jenn Jong, Workers’ Party Candidate for Joo Chiat Constituency (GE 2011)
16 May 2011
Dear Jenn Jong
Congratulations on being appointed an NCMP!
Like me, my elderly parents are Joo Chiat voters. I want to tell you how proud I am of my father. My dad is 75 years old. He is bedridden and suffering from advanced stage of cancer. Thank God, he is not in pain, but he is very frail and weak. For this GE, he insisted on casting his vote. My brother and mother could not dissuade him. As a result, they had to plan and devise a way of bringing him to the Polling Station, which was Katong Convent Primary School. With much effort and trouble, they made it to the Polling Station, and my father did cast his vote!
I know that you lost out on being a Member of Parliament by a narrow margin of votes. My father says to tell you that he did his part to keep margin to 388 votes, else the vote margin would have been 389!
I had to leave it to my brother and mother to bring my father to his Polling Station. Being a Candidate myself, I was visiting each of the Polling Stations in Mountbatten SMC throughout Polling Day. I saw, with humble admiration, many elderly and non-ambulatory folk making their way to the Polling Stations to do their part as Citizens of Singapore. I know that for some of the elderly and for those who are not mobile, it is a physical challenge for them and their care-givers to make it to their Polling Stations. I am awed by their desire to participate in this national process. They have spirit. I salute these sons and daughters of Singapore!
I’ll catch up with you for breakfast in Siglap soon!
Yours Sincerely
Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss
POSTCRIPT:
After he read this posting, Jenn Jong contacted me to ask if he could visit my father. I gladly made the arrangement. So on 19 May 2011, Jenn Jong came over to my parents' place. It was the first time that my father met Jenn Jong.
Here is a photo of Jenn Jong with my father, my mother, me and my brother. My brother had plied Jenn Jong with hard questions when Jenn Jong came by during the hustings. Jenn Jong did not know at that time that he was my brother, nor did my brother know much about Jenn Jong, hence the hard questions.
It was really nice of Jenn Jong to come over that Thursday evening!
Hi Jeannette
ReplyDeleteWow. I must thank your dad in person. It's really humbling and amazing for a first time candidate like myself to receive such support from everyone. Thank you all!
Hey Jeannette
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny now that you told me where your dad lives that I had actually visited the house when I started my pre-election campaign. Your brother gave me a really hard time asking me why he should vote for me and what we like to see changed in the government. That's why I had such a strong impression of that house.
Must thank him too. It was still early days in my campaigning and all these tough questions helped polish up my delivery :)
Hi Jeanette, I am reading this lovely post from the comfort of my home in Melbourne. Your dad is a lucky man to have two wise children in you and your brother. I can see his peaceful smile from the photo. All the best! I will have your family in my prayers this weekend!
ReplyDelete