Chee Soon Juan opens cafe on day off to treat cardboard collectors, elderly poor to meal

The poor you will always have with you.

Belmont Lay | August 24, 2021, 11:54 AM

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Opposition politician and F&B owner Chee Soon Juan opened his cafe on its off day on Monday to give a lunch treat to the less well-off.

In a Facebook post on Aug. 23, Chee wrote that his Orange & Teal cafe restarted service on Aug. 23 specially for his guests as part of National Day celebrations.

"Just got done serving lunch to our VIPs this afternoon," he wrote.

"I hope that it was a welcome change for our guests as they dined in comfort, away from the sun on their backs and rain on the heads.'

Served cafe food

Those in attendance were served poulet roti, pizza, ice lemon tea, and chiffon cake for dessert.

He did not mention how many guests he had but a group photo showed about 20 of them in total.

One photo showed fellow Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah serving food.

Other photos showed party members helping out at the event as well.

Honour the less well-off

In his post, Chee also wrote that treating the less well-off to a meal was to honour them and have their backs:

This National Day – and hopefully many more to come – we elevate the vulnerable among us and provide them what many of us enjoy as a matter-of-course. This is what being a people is all about – having each other’s back and looking out for one another.

The post also said the cafe provided red packets of money, as well as basmati rice, chicken and prawns in takeaway packets as a parting gift.

Chee wrote: "In return, they left me a lifetime of memories and an experience I will not soon forget."

"Thank you, aunties and uncles, it was an honour having you over."

Invitation sent out more than a week ago

Chee put out an invitation on Aug. 13 for the less well-off to join him at his cafe for a free meal as part of National Day celebrations.

He wrote that it was one way to "commemorate our independence by lifting up the poorest among us".

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All photos via Chee Soon Juan