I was awoken early this morning by Chris' sudden closing of the wardrobe door. He was going to accompany our Member of Parliament Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Marine Parade GRC), on a Chinese New Year Visit to the stallholders of Jalan Batu Market & Food Centre and the temporary Old Airport Road hawker Centre. I decided to follow and woke up Jaymes too.
We arrived at Mountbatten Community Centre where there was a jog and walk event. MP Lim arrived at 8.30 am and after wishing the residents Happy Chinese New Year, he started to distribute a pair of tangerines held in a red paper bag. There was a long queue for his blessings.
We drove to Jalan Batu Market & Food Centre. It's the first time I set foot at this place. There weren't many stalls and customers. MP Lim & his entourage shook hands and gave out tangerines to all the stallholders and customers. He stopped to chat with almost all customers. Some stallholders and residents gave feedback which MP Lim took down in a notebook. He immediately took a look at the structure of the market when a stallholder mentioned it to him.
We had a drink and a light snack before proceeding to the next destination. MP Lim jokingly offered to buy me breakfast of a prata and a cup of soya bean milk. The prata shouldn't cost more than 80 cents. But Jaymes bought a Prata with Egg which already cost S$1.30, so I had to skip my breakfast. hahaha....
When MP Lim asked why wasn't I eating? I told him if I had bought two pratas, I would have bust the budget! MP Lim remarked," I asked you to buy prata kosong! Who ask you to buy prata telor!" To much amusement from the rest of the group.
We returned to Old Airport Road Hawker Centre where MP Lim again distributed the tangerines and wished everyone present, a Happy Lunar New Year. There are lots of good food at this hawker centre, so you can see many people from all over Singapore come here to eat. There was a group of our friendly neighbours from Johor Bahru too! It was 11.30 am when we finished the rounds.
MP Lim Biow Chuan
& the grassroots of Mountbatten Constituency
wish everyone a
Happy Chinese New Year!!
That is such a cool graphic--I sat mesomorized for about 5 minutes before starting to read--lol:)
ReplyDelete~Becky
Oh, thanks Becky!
ReplyDelete:)
Wah, didn't know you were also actively involved in grassroots activity. I always found it amazing how people found the time and energy to do it, amidst all the vagaries of life which comes our way. I am certainly keen to be involved in some ECA or other, and to help a cause in the way in which I know best (writing, publicity and advertising). However, my family commitments make it rather difficult to do so at this point of time.
ReplyDeleteI'd been to Jalan Batu hawker centre when I was in social service, would say that it's rather run-down. I tot it's nice getting to know people, not so much in a political setting though :)
ReplyDeleteHi cool insider,
ReplyDeleteI'm not involved in grassroot activities, my hubby is. And because my son wants to follow in his father's footsteps, so I would bring him along to let him have a taste of the field work.
I hate politics. People who know me will tell you I always have nothing good to say about our government.
MP Lim is a very nice man. He truly cares for the people. I understand he has a job to do, and being a Christian, he doesn't do things that blemish our good Lord's name. I help out for the good of our people, not for the party.
I love Singapore. This is my home. If everyone can contribute a little something to improve our lives, it doesn't matter whether you are a PAP supporter or not.
Hi pinkie,
ReplyDeleteJalan Batu Hawker Centre has been upgraded, it looks great now. There's lots of elderly folks in this estate though.
MP Lim is one man who does what he preaches. He listens and he makes improvement to the lives of his residents. I would help him if I have the time.
GONG XI FA CHAI
ReplyDeleteWah...I stay near Jln Batu! :O
ReplyDeleteThe food in Jln Batu almost all $2!, and quite yummy too. Where to find such price now ? Old Airport lotsa yummy food too, but now under reno. so many stalls not opened.
izali,
ReplyDeleteThanks. :)
tigerfish,
ReplyDeleteoh.... I've yet to try the food at Jalan Batu but there were some people from some other parts of Singapore having their breakfast there!
ya, the new Old Airport Road Hawker Centre will be opened this September, if there is no delay. Looking forward to it.
Hi SA,
ReplyDeleteBecause hubby is busy with such activities in the weekends, this is how we spend our family time.