Ice Cream Uncle Ah Boon: TikTok exploitation & call to support Singapore’s oldest hawker

The Facebook post of one man who appealed to TikTokers to stop taking advantage of Ice Cream Uncle Ah Boon at Sim Lim Tower has gone viral.

Instead of making a “video with him as a prop and pretending to sell ice cream for him while videoing yourself,” wrote Mr Larry Lai, the admin of the popular Can Eat! Hawker Food Facebook page, he encouraged TikTokers to “Minimally buy $20-$30 from him mah.”

“And stop sticking your label on his cart,” he added.

In his Nov 2 post, he wrote about the ice cream seller, Ah Boon, also known as the Ice Cream Uncle,  who is one of only eight itinerant hawkers in Singapore.

Mr Boon has a type of license that is no longer issued in the country, allowing him to sell ice cream anywhere, Mr Lai explained, adding, “If Boon die then there will only be 7 of them left in Singapore.”

But his venue of choice is Sim Lim Tower.

“Many ask me why don’t he sell elsewhere. He wanted to sell in Orchard Road. Any of you guys gonna cycle for him from his house in Geylang Bahru for him? And back.

Last time he cycled to Sim Lim Tower he already kena langa and got knocked down by lorry already. To Orchard Road even worse. And manoeuvring a ice cream cart is not as easy as it looks . Those who have pushed wheelchair before will know what I mean.”

And while Ice Cream Uncle Ah Boon could have sold ice cream at Waterloo Street, there is already a Magnolia ice cream vendor there.

“He feels it is unethical to go compete for customers. How many of you can be so noble? In a cutthroat world, such gentlemanly behavior is rare,” Mr Lai added.

Several TikToks are featuring Ice Cream Uncle Ah Boon that have reached thousands of views, based on a search of #simlimtower and #icecreamuncle hashtags.

But Mr Lai’s point is that it would be better to help the elderly  vendor by buying ice cream from him.

Several people assist Ice Cream Uncle Ah Boon, including Mr. Lai, and he appeals to those who see him and ask if he needs something to drink, adding, “he seldom accepts (s) food as he doesn’t eat a lot.”

At the end of his post, Mr Lai wrote, “I don’t think I can live till so old. But here is a 90 year old man (he is older than his ic age), who is so independent, robust for his age (though he is getting weaker after he was C+) and really manifests the spirit and strength of the Silver Generation.

That’s why his life journey is so compelling,” adding, “Please buy an ice cream. Sim Lim Tower near the OCBC ATM from Ng Teak Boon.”

/TISG

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