Punggol Grassroots leader Joseph Tan passed away unexpectedly at the age of 44 on Sunday (18 August) in Johor Bahru.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Tan was participating in a badminton event in Malaysia over the weekend when he suddenly collapsed and died in a toilet.
The exact circumstances of his death are still under investigation.
Tan, founder of Play Sports! The school’s swimming facility, established in 2007, is also widely recognized for its active involvement in local grassroots organizations.
Mrs. Chua, a widow, shared in the interview that her husband has been involved with Toastmasters International since 2022 and joined various branches to improve his public speaking skills.
Recently, Joseph Tan joined the Johor Bahru branch, and last Saturday, during “Family Day”, all members were invited to play badminton.
Ms Chua said, “He was very excited and said it had been a long time since he last played badminton. We left at 6am and after playing a couple of games he went to take a shower.”
After much waiting without Tan, Mrs Chua went to check on him and found him unconscious on the bathroom floor.
His friends helped him move and immediately performed CPR. Unfortunately, he suffered a heart attack in the hospital and died.
Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Shuling was among those who paid tribute to Tan, remembering him as a loving husband and a good man.
“It was a shock to everyone who knew him. He was young, loved his wife deeply and was a good man,” MOS Sun wrote.
Ms. Sun pointed out that Mr. Tan volunteered at the People-to-People (MPS) and worked closely with community members.
Often discussed in Singapore’s political scene, the PAP IB is a group of online activists who subtly influence public discourse without clearly identifying themselves as PAP members, combining online discussions supporting the ruling party’s agenda with general netizens.