[h=1]2013-02-17: CNY Orange Distribution[/h]Updated <abbr title="Monday, February 18, 2013 at 1:44am" data-utime="1361123049" class="timestamp">21 hours ago</abbr> · Taken at Punggol East SMC
To wish Punggol East residents a prosperous Year of the Snake on the auspicious 8th day of Chinese New Year, MP Lee Li Lian visited Rivervale Plaza Market and Shopping Centre to bai nian (拜年) to residents and shopkeepers along with a special guest.
The visit started on the most pleasant note. It was a cool morning with a light drizzle when Li Lian met with volunteers at the void deck of Block 115 Rivervale Walk. A group of senior citizens who were in the void deck greeted us warmly and provided us with an old mahjong table to sort out the oranges into cloth bags for easier carrying. While we waited for the special guest to arrive, Li Lian greeted and spoke to residents walking to and from the market.
The special guest finally arrived, dressed in a traditional red Chinese attire complete with a golden wusha (乌纱) hat and a bag of gold chocolate coins. Along with Cai Shen Ye (财神爷), Li Lian and volunteers proceeded to the market to bai nian.
It was quite an experience to snake through the narrow aisles of the market with Li Lian and Cai Shen Ye. The two shook hands with cheery residents who forgot for a moment their competition for the greenest bouquet of broccoli or the freshest catch of fish. Li Lian greeted the stall-owners and workers with oranges and well wishes for their business. Though the greetings were for the Chinese New Year, Malay, Indian and Eurasian residents very happily accepted and returned the well wishes to both Li Lian and Cai Shen Ye. The festive mood knew no racial boundaries.
We continued the visit upstairs in the shops and food courts, going from table to table to greet residents having their breakfast and early lunch. It was most gratifying to see many residents walking up to Li Lian to greet and welcome her. Many also took the opportunity to speak to Li Lian about various problems and issues, from lift maintenance and renovations works at Rivervale Plaza, to the lack of childcare centres. When we walked past the fast food restaurants, families dining there waved to us with beaming smiles, while Li Lian gave out hearty shouts of “Happy New Year!”. Many also asked for photographs with Li Lian using their phones. Cai Shen Ye was only more popular, and only slightly more so, at the Singapore Pools outlet! Many shopkeepers asked Li Lian and Cai Shen Ye to come into their shops to walk one round to usher in luck for them in new year.
After two hours at Rivervale Plaza, we moved over to the new coffeeshop at Block 182A Rivervale Crescent where Li Lian was again busy greeting and wishing residents prosperity and good health for the new year, and spent her time after that talking to residents about their problems and issues. She wrapped up the visit by having lunch and drinks with the group of volunteers that joined her for the day and expressed her thanks to the volunteers, including the new ones helping out with their time and effort.
Report by: Daniel Goh
Photos credit: Jacky Koh Chee Koon
To wish Punggol East residents a prosperous Year of the Snake on the auspicious 8th day of Chinese New Year, MP Lee Li Lian visited Rivervale Plaza Market and Shopping Centre to bai nian (拜年) to residents and shopkeepers along with a special guest.
The visit started on the most pleasant note. It was a cool morning with a light drizzle when Li Lian met with volunteers at the void deck of Block 115 Rivervale Walk. A group of senior citizens who were in the void deck greeted us warmly and provided us with an old mahjong table to sort out the oranges into cloth bags for easier carrying. While we waited for the special guest to arrive, Li Lian greeted and spoke to residents walking to and from the market.
The special guest finally arrived, dressed in a traditional red Chinese attire complete with a golden wusha (乌纱) hat and a bag of gold chocolate coins. Along with Cai Shen Ye (财神爷), Li Lian and volunteers proceeded to the market to bai nian.
It was quite an experience to snake through the narrow aisles of the market with Li Lian and Cai Shen Ye. The two shook hands with cheery residents who forgot for a moment their competition for the greenest bouquet of broccoli or the freshest catch of fish. Li Lian greeted the stall-owners and workers with oranges and well wishes for their business. Though the greetings were for the Chinese New Year, Malay, Indian and Eurasian residents very happily accepted and returned the well wishes to both Li Lian and Cai Shen Ye. The festive mood knew no racial boundaries.
We continued the visit upstairs in the shops and food courts, going from table to table to greet residents having their breakfast and early lunch. It was most gratifying to see many residents walking up to Li Lian to greet and welcome her. Many also took the opportunity to speak to Li Lian about various problems and issues, from lift maintenance and renovations works at Rivervale Plaza, to the lack of childcare centres. When we walked past the fast food restaurants, families dining there waved to us with beaming smiles, while Li Lian gave out hearty shouts of “Happy New Year!”. Many also asked for photographs with Li Lian using their phones. Cai Shen Ye was only more popular, and only slightly more so, at the Singapore Pools outlet! Many shopkeepers asked Li Lian and Cai Shen Ye to come into their shops to walk one round to usher in luck for them in new year.
After two hours at Rivervale Plaza, we moved over to the new coffeeshop at Block 182A Rivervale Crescent where Li Lian was again busy greeting and wishing residents prosperity and good health for the new year, and spent her time after that talking to residents about their problems and issues. She wrapped up the visit by having lunch and drinks with the group of volunteers that joined her for the day and expressed her thanks to the volunteers, including the new ones helping out with their time and effort.
Report by: Daniel Goh
Photos credit: Jacky Koh Chee Koon
