15 years of voluntary work for the community all on his own
For the past 15 years, residents in Jalan Rajah, in Toa Payoh, have often seen their elderly neighbour picking up litter at the walkway along a canal.
Retiree Khoo Kay Huat, 85, who used to own a costume jewellery shop in Chinatown, does that voluntarily almost daily.
"It used to be less dirty, but now the walkway is always covered with fallen leaves and litter. I started picking them up to help the environment," he told The New Paper in Mandarin.
"It became my hobby, and I would feel unaccomplished if I didn't go for just a day."
The father of four, who lives at Block 103, would go there at 6.30am with a plastic bag and a mop stick attached with a dining fork at one end to pick up litter for the next two hours.
But he stopped about a month ago "because I can't see clearly any more".
Mr Joseph Sze, 56, a marketing consultant who lives in the estate, said he started noticing Mr Khoo last year.
"He should be commended because he shows an exemplary community spirit that should be encouraged," he said.
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