By Patwant Singh | Posted:
05 February 2011 2033 hrs
SINGAPORE: An anonymous donor has donated an
undisclosed sum of money to Singapore's first Olympic medallist Tan
Howe Liang.
In a MediaCorp exclusive last December, it was reported that Mr
Tan's wife had undergone surgery for breast cancer and the
subsequent treatment had set the family back by almost
S$100,000.
Now an anonymous donor has come forward to present the former
weightlifter with an undisclosed sum of money.
The contribution was facilitated by the Singapore National Olympic
Council, which said the amount given was sufficient to meet Mr
Tan's needs.
Other parties had earlier expressed interest in wanting to help the
Olympic hero.
NTUC FairPrice is looking into an ambassador role for the
77-year-old to promote healthy living and active ageing. An
announcement on this could be made soon, said the company's
chairman Ng Ser Miang.
Mr Tan became Singapore's first Olympic medallist when he won a
silver in weightlifting at the 1960 Rome Games. He currently works
for the Singapore Sports Council as a gym supervisor.
The Olympians Singapore, an exclusive group of former and current
athletes, also recently said they are planning to raise funds for
the former athlete.
- CNA/ir