Mother & son from Yishun receive education awards from K Shanmugam 27 years apart

The woman received an Edusave Scholarship award in 1996, while her son received an Education Merit Award in 2023.

Andrew Koay | June 25, 2023, 05:44 PM

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Having served as a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1988, K Shanmugam has enjoyed countless interactions with residents in his constituency.

However, the law and home affairs minister took to Facebook on Jun. 23 to share one exchange that was tinged with a bit more nostalgia than most.

The Nee Soon GRC MP was at an Education Merit Award Ceremony on Apr. 29, 2023, in his longtime ward of Chong Pang and handed out an award to a 9-year-old student from Yishun Primary School named Eben Yong.

The Nee Soon MP presented an award to 9-year-old Eben Yong Image from K. Shanmugam's Facebook

After taking a group shot with the student and his family, Yong's mother — Sharon — approached Shanmugam with an old photo from 1996.

It depicted her as a student receiving an Edusave Scholarship award from none other than Shanmugam.

Shanmugam had presented an award to Yong's mother 27 years earlier Image from K. Shanmugam's Facebook

"I was the MP for Chong Pang (which was under Sembawang GRC then), and Sharon was a Secondary One student at Naval Base Secondary School. 27 years later, it was now her son receiving an education award from me," surmised Shanmugam.

"Sharon has been a Nee Soon resident for over 35 years, since she was a little girl," he added.

"I am happy she has also chosen to build her family here too. I wish her and the family the very best."

Top image from K Shanmugam's Facebook