Heng Swee Keat continues tradition of eating home cooked porridge the night before the Budget announcement

Singapore – The night before the Budget 2020 hearing, Minister of Finance Heng Swee Keat took some time to continue the tradition of eating some special home-cooked porridge.

On February 17, Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and the Ministry of Finance Team had their “reunion dinner” before the big day of the Budget hearing. The DPM shared their tradition on his Facebook profile.

“Every year, on the eve of Budget Day, Auntie Mei Jok never fails to prepare her special home-cooked porridge for the Ministry of Finance team,” said Mr Heng. He added how the special treat had become a yearly occurrence. “The team will be working late into the night, checking through details of the Budget Statement, taking in edits, and printing out briefs for Parliament the next day,” said the minister. “Auntie Mei Jok’s tasty and nutritious pre-Budget porridge, lovingly prepared with help from many colleagues, is a treat and comfort food for staffers who have been poring over every detail of the speech for weeks,” he added.

“It’s the equivalent of MOF’s annual ‘reunion dinner,’ said Mr Heng. He mentioned that the practice had been passed down for years, even before they moved to the Treasury.

“Auntie Mei Jok (or affectionately known as MOF’s ‘Porridge Auntie’) is too shy to be photographed, but she has been with MOF for 46 years and helps with our estate management matters,” shared Mr Heng.

He expressed his gratitude for Auntie Mei Jok and her “labour of love” in preparing her speciality and “nourishing the spirits and stomachs of countless MOF colleagues.”

The post gave a glimpse of MOF’s simple customs, and many from the online community shared their appreciation for the team and Auntie Mei Jok.

“Such a nice way to thank those who support us in their quiet way,” said Ms Patricia Wong.

Jackie Lim Mui Hoon commented how amazing the porridge looked in the photo that DPM Heng shared. “The porridge looked so shiok shiok leh,” said the netizen.

Others thanked the team for their hard work, recognizing that “it is never easy to prepare any budget, moreover our nation’s budget.”