He wants to restore courtesy, compassion to the community
Mr Sunny Wong Way Weng. Photo: Wee Teck Hian
SINGAPORE — As a resident in the Pasir Ris-Punggol constituency for the last 20 years, Mr Sunny Wong has seen how “drastically” life has changed — public spaces are overcrowded, people are always in a hurry, and the notion of courtesy seems to have disappeared.
“Why are people always in a rush, everything always having to be fast and quick?” asked the 53-year-old father of two.
Increasing costs of living and competition for a comfortable life have caused Singaporeans to be under immense pressure, he said. “The caring society that ordinary Singaporeans long for got lost in the process.”
In his previous job in the shipping and logistics industry, Mr Wong travelled widely and realised that Singaporean tourists were not always well-regarded in many European and Asian countries.
“They say Singaporeans are hard to serve, unforgiving. They want everything fast and they want it now,” he said.
Stepping into the political arena will give him a platform to raise the concerns in Singaporeans’ daily living and, if these are acted upon, “restore the courtesy and compassion” to the community.
“People on the ground have so much discontent about being in a pressure-cooker environment, but they don’t know how to voice it,” he added.
On why he joined the Singapore Democratic Alliance, Mr Wong said his first impression of SDA chairman Desmond Lim was not a positive one.
“People have made fun of the way he speaks, and even said he is bound for failure. It was quite hurtful for me to see them doing this to a Singaporean, actually,” he added.
However, Mr Wong wanted to “find out for himself” what the SDA could offer and first joined its members on a walkabout in his own backyard three weeks ago.
“I realised then that a lot of what they stood for were in line with my personal convictions,” he said.
About the candidate
Sunny Wong Way Weng, 53
Quality assurance manager in an early childhood education centre
FACT FILE:
• Master of Science in Quality Management from University of Leicester, United Kingdom
• Bachelor of Business Administration from Thames Valley University, UK
• Married with two daughters
• Avid runner who clocks 5km daily
He said: “Why are people always in a rush? Why is everything about fast and quick? Some people don’t even know what weekends are anymore.”
Ward: Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
