Octogenarian Phey preaches Gospel of Papaya to Singaporeans

Phey Yew Kok

By Ivan Lim
Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN

SINGAPORE: “Trade-unionist-at-heart’’ Phey Yew Kok, 89, is embarking on a green project with missionary zeal.

A renowned labour organiser at oner time, he is preaching the gospel of papaya, a.k.a. pawpaw, foraging gracefully.

“All The Goodness of nature is wrapped up in this soft and succulent fruit,” says the papaya gourmet.

“Papaya has been picked by the World Health Organisation As The Fruit With The Highest Nutritional Values, Compared To Other Fruits.” he notes.

Medical research shows this native of Mexico is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E and K; contains anti-oxidant lycopene and beta-carotene as well as folate, lutien, zeaxanrhin, calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium, and pantothenic acid.

All these elements in the papaya are said to give it an edge over other fruits in reducing the risks of prostate cancer, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes.

By way of testimony, the sprightly octogenarian attributes his own recovery from shortness of breath to eating papaya, as recommended by his heart doctor.

“Eating papayas regularly has improved my digestion and relieved my constipation,”

Eager to share the good news fellow Singaporeans, he has set out to publicise the wonder fruit and encourage them to plant papayas.

The two-term former Member of Parliament for the Boon Teck ward has formed an ad-hoc Papaya Club with a group of nature enthusiasts to turn papaya growing into a national pastime.

“Papaya grows well in tropical places like Singapore and Thailand, where he lives as an amateur planter and harvest his own papaya in his farmstead – all year round.”

While papayas from Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand are readily available at a hefty price of$3-$4 apiece in grocery stores, Mr Phey says eating a tree-ripened papaya is special treat indeed.

To kickstart his campaign of growing papayas, the ‘papaya man’, as he is nicknamed, has donated Thai papaya seeds in packets for distribution to those keen to try their hand in planting papayas

If papaya growing takes root, then Singaporeans can have an abundant supply of the fruit all year round in keeping with the national goal of self-sufficiency. And if Singaporeans get down to planting papaya trees, they will help boost the Singapore Green Plan target of planting one million trees by 2030.

In a test of popular response to the eat-and-grow papaya drive, the Papaya Club members took part in a charity bazaar where packets of papaya seeds were offered to residents of public housing who showed up.

The Member of Parliament for Macpherson constituency, Ms Tin Pei Ling, who officiated at the Green & Health Fair took eight packets of the seed, in a show of support.

However, few fair visitors took the seeds, giving the excuse “we have no place to plant them”. Indeed, most Singaporeans are flat dwellers who are allowed to grow potted plants in corridors. Other than private condominiums, tree-planting is allowed only at designated community gardens as common areas are state property.

in the light of such restrictions, the former lawmaker hopes to persuade the authorities to set aside more green zones where residents can take up “gotong-royong” (self-help) papaya-planting.

He also plans to reach out to schools and provide papaya seeds for student gardening clubs.