Singaporean student’s selfless act honored by MP for sheltering bus passengers in rain

SINGAPORE: Several months ago, precisely on 13 September, a heartwarming video depicting a school student’s remarkable act of kindness captured the attention of social media users.

The video quickly went viral, showcasing a schoolboy adorned in his uniform who became a symbol of compassion.

In the midst of a relentless downpour, the young student stood at the edge of a Punggol bus stop, undeterred by the cascading raindrops.

What set him apart was his gallant gesture of holding aloft an umbrella to shield departing bus passengers from the inclement weather.

His determination to extend a protective haven to unfamiliar faces amid the challenging weather conditions resonated with those who witnessed the scene.

Passengers who benefited from his assistance expressed their heartfelt thanks, creating a ripple effect of admiration on various social media platforms.

The Instagram pages “sgfollowsall” played a pivotal role in amplifying the impact of the incident by sharing a brief yet captivating five-second video that encapsulated the essence of the heartwarming moment.

Baey Yam Keng commends a Springfield student for selflessly holding an umbrella to shelter alighting bus passengers

The bespectacled boy featured in a widely circulated video, shielding alighting passengers from heavy rain at a bus stop with an umbrella, has been identified as Soon Hwee Tze, a student of Springfield Secondary.

The revelation came through a Facebook post by Mr Baey Yam Keng, an MP for Tampines GRC, on Wednesday (15 Nov).

Mr Baey detailed that his team had invited Hwee Tze to a networking session at the Caring Carnival, marking the commencement of the annual Caring Commuter Week.

This initiative aims to foster a more compassionate commuter culture. During the event, Mr Baey presented a commendation letter to Hwee Tze, acknowledging his exceptional act of staying on to shelter alighting passengers from six buses.

In his Facebook post, Mr Baey emphasized that Hwee Tze’s actions serve as a powerful example, illustrating that individuals of any age or gender can contribute to creating more pleasant commutes.

The commendation letter was a token of recognition for the student’s selfless efforts.

Mr Baey explained to The Straits Times that he became aware of the video when someone brought it to his attention.

Impressed by Hwee Tze’s kindness, he felt compelled to commend the boy for his actions.

The video, set at a bus stop along Punggol Road near the Tampines Expressway, showcased Hwee Tze standing by the curb, drenched in the rain, while providing shelter to passengers disembarking from a bus.

Following the identification of Hwee Tze, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Public Transport Council collaborated with the school to verify the student’s identity.

Although it was too late to present him with the annual Caring Commuter Award, Mr Baey opted to acknowledge Hwee Tze’s compassionate deed with a commendation letter.

Additionally, Hwee Tze’s father and teacher were invited to the recognition session.

Community applause the schoolboy’s kindness

The online community showered Hwee Tze with compliments, not forgetting to extend credit to his parents for raising a commendable individual.

The widespread recognition of Hwee Tze’s actions highlights the positive impact of a single act of kindness and underscores the importance of fostering a caring community.