PM Lawrence Wong joins Hougang sports event, plays pickleball with 11-year-old

As the youngest member of the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang Community Sport Network (CSN)'s Pickleball Interest Group, 11-year-old Nolen Ang is comfortable playing the sport with other adults. 

But what if he has to pit himself against our prime minister? 

Ang was given the opportunity to face off against Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who visited the Sports and Wellness Carnival at Block 685A Hougang St 61 N6 Marquee on Saturday (Oct 5).

Inside the court, Ang taught PM Wong how to serve the ball and explained the rules of the game, as the latter gamely followed along, earning cheers from the residents watching. 

The young boy then asked PM Wong to autograph his pickleball after their short match against each other ended. 

"I was quite excited to be able to play with PM Wong, and the game was quite fun," Ang told AsiaOne after the event. 

At the event were also Members of Parliament from Ang Mo Kio GRC as well as Kebun Baru and Yio Chu Kang SMC — Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Darryl David, Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Gan Thiam Poh, Ng Ling Ling, Kwek Hian Chuan Henry and Yip Hon Weng. 

The prime minister attended the event as part of his plans to visit the various districts in Singapore to meet as many Singaporeans as he can.

The group of MPs arrived at about 9.30am, and were warmly greeted by enthusiastic residents as they toured the event ground. 

Several eager residents approached PM Wong, either to shake his hand or take a selfie with him. 

Addressing the 1,000 residents at the event, PM Wong shared that there is a "distinctive charm" about every district in Singapore. 

"It's about the people, the pride and sense of ownership that you have in your estate and in your home, and you can feel the same spirit in Ang Mo Kio, residents bonding together, the spirit of fellowship, the spirit of responsibility.

"It's because of the strong team that you have here, your grassroots leaders as well as residents working together." 

"We are now entering a new phase for Singapore, and I am honoured to have the chance to serve all of you. There will be challenges ahead in our new phase, but I'm sure there are also many opportunities to reach even greater heights." 

He then thanked the residents for their support, adding that he was looking forward to working alongside them. 

Rowing for rice 

At the festival, PM Wong also participated in Rowing for a Cause: Team Trident's Charity Challenge, organised by the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang Dragon Boat Interest Group. 

The event aims to collect 700kg of rice for local beneficiaries through a 'row-to-donate' initiative, where every 100m accumulated by an individual on a rowing machine will result in 1kg of rice being donated.

Strapping himself onto one of the four rowing machines, PM Wong accumulated about 100m on the machine as residents clapped and cheered. 

At about 10.15am, he then left to visit the nearby coffee shops. 

Many elderly residents also their best to accumulate as much distance as they could — all in the name of charity. 

Among them was a 66-year-old woman who completed more than 600m on the machine. "She puts me to shame," said the event's emcee. 

Png Yiow Beng BBM(L), a grassroots leader in the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang division and the Patron of the Citizens' Consultative Community, sponsored the rice for the event. 

Png, 69, told AsiaOne that the rice will be donated to needy residents in the district. 

"I think it's good having the elderly participate in this event, and I think we're headed in the right direction. Seeing them in such high spirits today, I hope that they will continue to be happy and healthy." 

READ ALSO: PM Wong engages with 300 families at West Coast community event

claudiatan@asiaone.com