Get-well wishes pour in for Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat as he remains in ICU

A table was set up in TTSH's Heritage Museum on Friday morning for well-wishers to place their gifts for Mr Heng. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
More flowers were seen at TTSH Heritage Centre on Friday afternoon. ST PHOTO: THAM YUEN-C
Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat at the Future Of Us exhibition at the Gardens By The Bay on Dec 3, 2015. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

SINGAPORE - Ministers, Members of Parliament and Singaporeans from all walks of life continue to send wishes to Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat on Friday (May 13), a day after he collapsed after suffering a stroke during a weekly Cabinet meeting.

His sudden stroke was due to an aneurysm, which is a localised weakening of a blood vessel.

Mr Heng, 54, underwent initial neurosurgery at Tan Tock Seng Hospital to relieve pressure in his brain due to the bleeding.

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Religious leaders of various faiths got together to pray for Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat's recovery, as get-well wishes pour in for Mr Heng at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
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The aneurysm was successfully closed and Mr Heng is currently under care in the intensive care unit, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday night.

It added that Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is covering Mr Heng's duties as Finance Minister.

A table was set up in TTSH's Heritage Museum on Friday morning for well-wishers to place their gifts for Mr Heng.

Gardens by the Bay's chief operating officer Felix Loh Chee Wai brought some tulips. He told The Straits Times that he showed Mr Heng around the Gardens earlier this year, when the cherry blossoms were on display.

The tulips from Gardens by the Bay at the Heritage Centre in TTSH. ST PHOTO: AW CHENG WEI

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr Heng and his family. We brought tulips from our flower field, which I know the family loves very much. Hope that he will get well soon."

On Friday morning, Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim posted a photo of a bouquet of flowers, asking his Facebook followers to pray for Mr Heng.

Central Singapore District Mayor, Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng, called Mr Heng a leader during her OSC (Our Singapore Conversation) and Education Government Parliamentary Committees (GPC) days.

"You are not a mere chess piece in his plan. I can't tell you how appreciative I am of his style of leadership," she added in the post.

Former MP for Tampines GRC Irene Ng called Mr Heng a great leader and human being.

"He has been working at a punishing pace for Singapore and Singaporeans," she said. "Our warm thoughts are with his family."

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence & Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, said Mr Heng is a great friend and always very inspirational.

MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam said Mr Heng "had no airs" and "you could immediately feel his warmth and earnestness", describing him as the "consummate gentleman and mentor, leading and inspiring in his own quiet way, and often away from the limelight".

Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leon Perera from the Workers' Party wished Mr Heng a "speedy return to good health".

Social media users have also shared their messages with hashtags #prayforsweekeat and #getwellsoonhsk.

Facebook user Liu INan says Mr Heng is someone who "takes his duties seriously and works very hard".

"He's the kind every team would want on board, quiet, hardworking capable and no showmanship."

Mr Heng's "contribution to the residents at his GRC, his ministry and Singapore as a whole have been invaluable", says user Staphnie Tang. "And above all, his family needs him."

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