50 years of marriage for couple living in 1-roon flat & fined for 3rd Child...

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http://mypaper.sg/top-stories/sg50-m...ouple-20150807

DOUBLE HAPPINESS: Mr Kwan married Madam Wong 50 years ago, holding their wedding banquet two months before Singapore was separated from Malaysia.


Their secret to staying together is putting their children first. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO






Published on Aug 07, 2015SG50 means 50 years of marriage for couple


MELODY ZACCHEUS


As Singapore was finding its feet after being thrust into independence in 1965, two people set eyes on each other and have stayed in love till today. With the country celebrating its 50th birthday this year, we find out how their love endured the times.

HE SAW her as a beauty unlike any other. She was attracted by thoughts of a stable life and future.

Retired teacher Kwan Kai Foo, 83, and housewife Wong Ngit Mui, 72, have stayed married for the past 50 years.

They celebrated their golden jubilee on May 30 with a trip to Bali.

Mr Kwan first laid eyes on Madam Wong in her kampung at Old Airport Road.

"I always saw this girl around. She was very attractive. I wondered how I could get to know her," said Mr Kwan, who was in a pair of light blue pyjamas as he recounted his love story from his one-room flat in Buangkok Drive.

He said he had asked his aunt to introduce him to her and they soon started going on dates. Their favourite haunt was Kallang and both loved eating hor fun.

Although they had dated for a year, they rarely held hands.

Madam Wong said: "He was a teacher. He had a good education so I chose him. There were very few teachers in those days, and even fewer knew English."

Mr Kwan also used to teach her the English language.

But the roles are somewhat reversed today. He is now hard of hearing and she has to yell instructions into his ear.

But she is patient with him, even as he recounts his experience with the invading Japanese forces during World War II.

She gently reminds him to stay on topic.

After several attempts to recall where they held their wedding banquet, they name Lai Wah Restaurant in Bendemeer, where suckling pig was served, two months before Singapore was separated from Malaysia.

Today, they have three grown children in their 40s. But parenthood was not easy.

Tight purse strings and the Government's stop-at-two policy persuaded them to abort their fourth child. They were fined $50 for their third offspring.

"In retrospect, it wasn't a good policy," said Mr Kwan.

They said the secret to staying together is putting their children first.

"We didn't flare up often," he added. "We didn't want to fight in front of our children. We worked hard at protecting our marriage."

Madam Wong is pleased that her life partner has never drunk alcohol or smoked.

"He has been a good husband. He took care of the household well. We don't have to tell each other we love each other to know that we care for each other."

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