RETIREE Leong Yin, 78, had difficulty sleeping on Tuesday night, so excited was he about the next morning's visitor to his four-room Toa Payoh HDB flat.
It was no ordinary guest who called on Mr Leong and his wife yesterday, but Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
In between a packed schedule of meetings related to the ongoing East Asia Summit, Mr Wen had a taste of heartland living here as he was shown around Toa Payoh Town by Singapore's National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.
The visit was arranged so that Mr Wen could get a first-hand look at Singapore's public housing system and its policy of multiracial integration.
The Chinese leader wrapped up his official visit to Singapore yesterday afternoon. Earlier in his visit, he had held talks with Singapore leaders.
During the meetings, both sides signed a pact to build an eco-city in the Chinese port of Tianjin. Mr Wen also launched Business China and the Singapore-China Foundation, two organisations which will deepen bilateral exchanges.
It was ordinary Singaporeans that the ever-smiling Chinese leader, dubbed 'the people's Premier' back home, endeared himself to on the last day of his four-day visit.
Toa Payoh residents who felt his warmth included the Leongs - who live in Block 147, Lorong 2 - as well as a crowd of about 150 people who had gathered to welcome him at the foot of the block and at the nearby community club.
He took at least 15 residents by surprise when he greeted them and shook their hands.
For the full story grab your copy of The Straits Times today.
