Chiam See Tong turns 80
PUBLISHED ONMarch 12, 2015 7:00 AM
Veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong turns 80 today and will mark the occasion with a small family dinner.
On the menu will be Italian food, which is one of Mr Chiam's favourite cuisines, said his wife, Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam. Mr Chiam is the secretary-general of the Singapore People's Party (SPP), and Mrs Chiam its chairman.
Mr Chiam already had two early birthday celebrations at the weekend, one with relatives and friends, and the other with SPP members, Mrs Chiam told The Straits Times yesterday.
The former, complete with a large cake, was held at Hotel Royal in Newton.
"It is a very significant year for us because Singapore is celebrating its 50th birthday, and he is celebrating his 80th birthday. It is very auspicious, and it means a lot to us," Mrs Chiam said.
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, in a Facebook post yesterday, congratulated Mr Chiam and wished him "many, many more good and healthy years".
Mr Goh said Mrs Chiam had told him about Mr Chiam's birthday when they met in Parliament. "She said that Chiam is in good health," he added.
Mr Chiam, who suffered a stroke in 2008, was most recently spotted in public at a SPP walkabout on March 1 in Bishan.
He helmed the Potong Pasir ward from 1984 to 2011, when he left to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC during the General Election. Mrs Chiam took his place to contest in Potong Pasir in 2011, but lost to Mr Sitoh Yih Pin of the People's Action Party.
This article was first published on March 12, 2015.
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