Vietnamese man in S'pore lauded by state TV and compatriots for cleaning Ho Chi Minh monument at Clarke Quay weekly

SINGAPORE — When Vietnamese national Duong Doan first saw a bronze statue of his nation's best-known political leader, the late Ho Chi Minh, while jogging along Clarke Quay early in 2021, he was both captivated and shocked. 

Captivated, because the hero of Vietnam's military campaign against the United States was so openly celebrated in Singapore, but also shocked because the monument and the area surrounding it was, to him, not kept clean enough, with leaves and fallen twigs strewn all over. 

The 33-year-old, who has been working here since January 2021 as a waiter in a Korean restaurant, said that this gave him the idea to buy some equipment such as a broom and wet wipes, and clean Ho Chi Minh's monument and the area surrounding it. 

He does this at least once to three times a week, depending on whether there is rain, which would cause more twigs and leaves to fall. 

When TODAY spoke to him as he was cleaning the monument in December, he said in Vietnamese: "Uncle Ho is the love of Vietnam... he's the father of the people of Vietnam... but I see so many leaves and twigs that no one is cleaning up, so I feel like I must help." 

Ho Chi Minh, whose embalmed body is on public display at a mausoleum in the nation's capital Hanoi, is known affectionately to Vietnamese people as "Uncle Ho". He died in 1969 before North Vietnam defeated US-backed South Vietnam and reunited the country.

Ho's statue was unveiled by Government representatives from both Singapore and Vietnam at the Asian Civilisations Museum Green along the Singapore River in 2011, in addition to a commemorative marker detailing his life that was erected earlier in 2008. 

The National Heritage Board (NHB) said at that time in a statement that the statue signifies "a reaffirmation of both cultural and bilateral ties between Singapore and Vietnam". 

Other than Ho, statues and commemorative markers  of notable figures such as Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and Filipino national hero and political activist Jose Rizal are also featured along the same stretch at Empress Place.

These figures are featured on Singapore shores as they are widely respected and celebrated back in their home countries, and have also visited or had diplomatic relation with Singapore, said NHB in 2011.   

‘NEVER MISSED A WEEK’

Though the 11am sun was blazing when TODAY visited, Mr Doan was a picture of concentration as he pulled out several wet wipes to thoroughly wipe down Ho's statue and the commemorative marker.

He then picked up his broom and did a thorough sweep of not just the area around the monument, but also about 30 meters on both sides of the walking path leading to it. 

Before long, a sizeable pile of leaves and twigs had formed in one corner, and the entire area was spick and span. 

He then took a vase filled with lotus flowers, which is Vietnam's national flower, and placed it in front of the monument. 

With him during the clean-up was his wife Mai Anh, 31. While she does not normally tag along for the weekly cleaning sessions, she did on this occasion to help translate the interview with TODAY.

"He has never missed a single week," she told TODAY, adding that even when he had visited his hometown of Hanoi to see his their two small children, it had never been for longer than a week, and so he would be back cleaning the monument in Singapore.

LABOUR OF LOVE NOTICED BACK HOME

It did not take long for his efforts to be noticed by the Vietnamese back home. 

In May, a Vietnamese news site VTV4 posted a video on Facebook of Mr Doan's act of service to his country, which garnered about 1.5 million views. 

Other Vietnamese living in Singapore — there are about 15,000 of them — have also lauded Mr Doan's act on community Facebook pages here. 

But this is not done for the fame, said Ms Anh, who has been working in Singapore for five years in the healthcare industry. 

"It is because of love that he does this, if there is no love, he will not do it," she said. 

She added that it is not just the monument that he cleans up, but that he is diligent in his housework as well. 

"He usually cleans our room when he has time," she said. 

Mr Doan said that although the entire process is backbreaking work, he does not feel tired, or grumble when going about this routine. 

"I feel really happy and elated while doing this as it is a meaningful act," he said. "I don’t feel any tiredness doing this at all, I even feel energised to kickstart my working day effectively."

He added that he would normally clean the monument either on his off days or do so in the morning before work begins in the afternoon at the restaurant nearby in Tanjong Pagar. 

The avid runner also sometimes runs 6km to clean the monument from where he lives with his wife in Whampoa.

His routine has been noticed by many curious passers-by, some who ask him what his motives are. 

“People asked me why I do this and I simply replied that I am Vietnamese,” he said.

“I am also extremely proud of my act and this helps me connect with my country while I am in Singapore.”