Going beyond the call of duty for elderly man, kids

His wife died two years ago and his stepdaughter is in jail.

For Ng Kuang Bong, bringing up two young grandsons on a meagre income is difficult, but his pains have been partially eased by the charitable actions of a policewoman who has been delivering food to his house every month for two years.

Mr Ng is a fisherman and earns $600 to $700 every month. He lives with his grandsons, aged four and five, in a three-room flat in Jurong West.

The friendly policewoman who has visited the widower for two years is Michelle Kok, a corporal at the Jurong West Neighbourhood Police Centre.

Mr Ng, 74, told Shin Min Daily News that his wife died two years ago, leaving behind her daughter from a previous marriage. The single mother is in jail for drug use, leaving her two sons from two different fathers in his care.

According to Ms Kok, Mr Ng's wife had a heart attack and died at home in July 2013. She was on the scene, investigating the case, when she realised that the house was bare-walled, without a single piece of good furniture, Shin Min reported on Sunday.

"The house was dark, with no sofa, no bedframe. His whole family slept on tattered mattresses and the old cupboard looked like it could disintegrate any time," the 27-year-old said.

Ms Kok had tried to switch on the ceiling fan, and it began working only when she used her hand to propel it gently.

"When I walked to the kitchen, I found that there was no food on the table and was shocked. Later, I discovered that the only toy belonging to both the grandsons was an old plastic ball," said Ms Kok, who has been in the police force for close to three years.

Afraid that Mr Ng and his grandsons would go hungry, she decided to deliver food to their home, bearing the costs out of her own pocket.

She told Shin Min that she delivers food to Mr Ng about twice a month while on her way to work, spending between $15 and $20 each time on items such as biscuits, drinks and fruit.

Ms Kok also took the effort to clean her own childhood toys and gave them to Mr Ng's grandsons, hoping that the items would put a smile on their faces.

Her efforts are very much appreciated by Mr Ng, who had this to say: "She works long hours, but still takes time out to come to my house. Both my grandsons and I are very moved and thankful to her for her continued kindness to us."

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