{"id":80364,"date":"2026-08-29T03:01:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T19:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=80364"},"modified":"2026-08-29T03:01:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T19:01:52","slug":"who-is-jovan-tang-and-why-is-a-16-year-old-this-committed-to-grassroots-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=80364","title":{"rendered":"Who Is Jovan Tang, and Why Is a 16-Year-Old This Committed to Grassroots Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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All images by\u00a0<\/strong>Zachary Tang<\/strong><\/a> for RICE Media unless otherwise stated. Equipment support by\u00a0<\/strong>Leica Store Singapore<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As I try to step onto a community fitness corner\u2019s elliptical machine, Jovan Tang stops me. \u201cYou\u2019re wearing a dress\u2014let me do it,\u201d he says decidedly. Just a few hours ago, a senior Whampoa resident had told him this particular exercise equipment at the foot of this MacNair HDB block had a rickety hinge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I step aside, and Jovan enthusiastically hops on the machine and pedals. His movements are rigid. It\u2019s clear that being on this machine is out of his comfort zone, but he\u2019s doing it anyway.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also clear that the mechanism is indeed janky\u2014the left pedal produces a loud clang every time Jovan pushes it down. He steps off and records a voice memo on his phone before taking photos of the elliptical machine and its surrounding area. He needs those pictures if he wants to summon repairs from the Whampoa Town Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Jovan is not a People\u2019s Association (PA) employee, nor is he a grassroots leader. He is simply a 16-year-old Singaporean who genuinely loves serving the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

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It\u2019s surreal to watch Jovan patrolling his neighbourhood, checking on infrastructure and amenities people have personally complained to him about. It\u2019s like watching a teenager satirising what a Member of Parliament (MP) would do\u2014except that there isn\u2019t a single iota of irony.<\/p>\n

To put it plainly, Jovan has dubbed himself the \u2018middleman\u2019 between residents and MPs, focusing on surfacing residential concerns to Town Councils or in Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS). He says he\u2019s been appointed to jaga<\/em> the small zone around his neighbourhood, but insists that he strives to help anyone, regardless of where they stay.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His enthusiasm is exactly what pushed him to local social media fame in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite his public social media presence, his personal WhatsApp broadcast channel<\/a>, and his devotion to serving his community, Singaporeans still don\u2019t know much about who Jovan really is. Or rather, we can\u2019t really fathom his true personality behind all the national unity bluster.<\/p>\n

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Image: @jovantang_sg<\/a> \/ Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What I can<\/em> fathom in front of me is an awkwardly tall (maybe 177cm?) teenager who\u2019s not just an active member in the PA Youth Network<\/a>, but also a thoughtful kid who just wants to solve his residents\u2019 problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t help but think: if this is really who he is, why are Singaporeans so uncomfortable with his unfiltered genuineness? Why do we try to dismiss his efforts by calling him autistic or a larper<\/a>?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why can\u2019t we accept his passion at face value?\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Whampoa Wonderkid<\/h2>\n

I catch a glimpse of his iPhone screen: the font size is massive<\/em>. He grips his phone tightly with his left hand and uses his right index finger to type\u2014all while holding his phone about 5cm from his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019d asked me prior to meeting what he should wear. It didn\u2019t seem to matter much, so I told him to dress in what makes him comfortable. As it turns out, that meant rocking a PA volunteer polo tee, waxy black dress shoes, and khaki trousers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to believe he\u2019s turning 17 in a couple of months.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

We head towards Boon Keng MRT station; he oversaw some amenity improvements there, and was excited to point them out to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As we walk, he points out other places that used to cause grievances for the residents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, the running trail was \u51f9\u51f8\u4e0d\u5e73<\/em> (uneven and bumpy),\u201d he notes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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I ask if he ever ran on the track to confirm its bumpiness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He slaps his tummy hard; his polo shirt ripples. \u201cObviously not,\u201d he quips. <\/p>\n

For some residential feedback he receives, he doesn\u2019t need to personally empathise before raising it to the Town Council. It\u2019s practical\u2014he verifies a complaint, floats it up to the authorities, they send down inspectors and workers to fix it. Rinse and repeat.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Along our walk, people sporadically wave to Jovan or strike up conversation, flashing him warm smiles. He\u2019s a familiar face here\u2014well-established as an active Whampoa resident. This neighbourhood is his main turf.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cHi Jovan!\u201d exclaims a mother walking by with her son. The boy scampers over to Jovan in his matching pyjama set, and the teen bends down to the boy\u2019s eyeline. They seem to be familiar. I feel like I\u2019m intruding, so I step aside as they catch up.<\/p>\n

Concerned members of the community engage Jovan in one of two ways. His inbox is open to the public, which is where he gets much of his residential concerns. Then there\u2019s face-to-face engagement, which just comes with constantly making rounds in his neighbourhood, being personable, and hosting his own meet-and-greets.<\/p>\n

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Image: @jovantang_sg<\/a> \/ Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I suspect he might even have an edge over some grassroots volunteers\u2014many of whom are typically working adults and retirees. His interactions are generous\u2014he gives his undivided attention to anyone who\u2019s got feedback. We see him sit next to people more than thrice his age and hear them out without interrupting.<\/p>\n

Far removed from the responsibilities of adulthood like work or family, Jovan has more time for intentional exchanges. He has more time to take action and see things through.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Importance of Being Earnest<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I finally feel like I\u2019m talking to a teenager when Jovan interacts with his mum.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He pleads \u201cEh, stop!\u201d and fidgets in his seat when Mrs Tang tries to share certain memories of her son with me. It\u2019s endearing to see that under that no-nonsense, serving-the-people-always character he embodies, he\u2019s still just a boy who\u2019s embarrassed by his mother\u2019s tales.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And if there\u2019s anyone who can trace the seeds of Jovan\u2019s current bearing, it\u2019d be his mum.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring his Primary 1 orientation, I told him, \u2018Eh, that is your principal.\u2019 Then he went forward, shook his hand, and introduced himself!\u201d Mrs Tang recalls.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt a bit paiseh.\u201d<\/p>\n

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While that explains his extrovert nature\u2014and his deference to authority\u2014how did the relentless passion to help people come about? Mrs Tang recalls her son\u2019s early exposure to community service when she and her husband brought him along on their volunteering trips.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he was Primary 2 or 3, we brought him to the old folks\u2019 home. He went up to the person in charge and said, \u2018Can you give me 15 minutes? Let me share some words with the elderly, and also perform two songs!\u2019 I thought, \u2018Ah, why is he so daring?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

She recounts another time in Malaysia, when the family volunteered to help out Rohingya refugees escaping persecution in Myanmar. Jovan stepped up and helped conduct English lessons for the displaced children there.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, she doesn\u2019t want to take any credit for Jovan\u2019s deep involvement in community service today. Jovan is turning beet red at this point, but his mother goes on to narrate how he used to pass out pieces of paper to family members and relatives during National Day and make them write down some wishes for Singapore. He\u2019d then string them up and hang them around the house as decoration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, I don\u2019t know, lah. It\u2019s like natural [for him],\u201d she remarks.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI can feel the love he has for the country. I also feel proud of him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

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Memes, Mockery, Maturity<\/h2>\n

In 2026, being a teenage boy in Singapore means there\u2019s a pretty good chance you\u2019re fiending for some Prime and Takis<\/a> or achieving peak physical form<\/a>. My own brother is around Jovan\u2019s age, and he spends his free time noodling on his guitar or hitting the gym.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A normal day for young Jovan, however, involves People\u2019s Association Youth Network meetings or volunteering for MPS.<\/p>\n

An easy yet lazy inference about Jovan would be that he has no friends. I\u2019d think that too if he didn\u2019t constantly post about everything\u2014including the meet-ups with his buddies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image: @jovantang_sg<\/a> \/ Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I ask if he doesn\u2019t hang out with his friends because he doesn\u2019t see value in it. He takes a beat before responding.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI see the value in hanging out with friends, but because I have other responsibilities on my shoulders, I can\u2019t. It feels irresponsible to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

At this point, I\u2019m in disbelief.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about hobbies? Skateboarding? Scooter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t do sports. I did football and basketball last time, but no\u2026\u201d he trails off.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t prod further. Perhaps he\u2019s finding it hard to trust people and make friends, given the negativity he\u2019s had to face online.<\/p>\n

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Jovan\u2019s social media posts started gaining traction in late 2025. Instagram Reels and posts where he bears the idiosyncrasies of a politician go especially viral\u2014think major gesticulating and using neighbourhood structures as backdrops.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A lot of it looks like a teenager cosplaying as an MP.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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At this point, Jovan has received the premium trolling package: several r\/SingaporeRaw threads, AI pictures, TikTok edits. He\u2019s seen all of it. Mrs Tang hasn\u2019t, but her friends and colleagues have brought it up to her before.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you ever felt the need to shield your son from it all?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve told Jovan if it feels like it\u2019s too much for him, he can let me know,\u201d says Mrs Tang. \u201cMaybe we need some legal action. But if he\u2019s still able to handle it, then okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jovan is entirely cognisant of what people say about him online. He just chooses not to engage.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of bad comments, like \u2018Aiyo, autistic\u2019. People even took my picture and drew on my face. Confirm will feel very hurt one lah.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

For a brief moment, his eyes glaze over, and I see a pained adolescent boy who has borne the brunt of cheap shots from people who can\u2019t make sense of his commitment.<\/p>\n

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His forlorn expression only lasts for a moment before he snaps back into his polished, neutral self.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026 I\u2019d like to thank those people who encouraged and supported me through all these times. Even when people troll me. They give me a chance to show them that I can and I will [serve].\u201d<\/p>\n

While internet trolls are loud and unforgiving, he\u2019s slowly growing a pool of consistent supporters. A scroll through his Instagram account suggests that among his followers, many are just as sincere as he is.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I realised that his current reputation has evolved beyond attracting trolls and haters the first time I spoke to him over Google Meet. My 17-year-old brother, who I usually find hard to impress, messaged me after eavesdropping on our call.<\/p>\n

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It might be because in reality, there\u2019s nothing self-aggrandising about him. His public persona both online and offline is humble and earnest, which may throw people off in a world where nonchalance and irony make you look cool.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI continued serving, and when people saw action, they eventually trusted me. So I thought, \u2018Why must I get affected by these [hate] comments?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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At one point, he stops at a lift lobby. \u201cResidents shared that there\u2019s an animal faeces smell in the lift. I need to go check,\u201d he says as the doors open.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He steps inside and sniffs around. No such smell. Entirely unglamorous and absolutely trivial\u2014but he doesn\u2019t mind the tediousness.<\/p>\n

\u2018You Say Sorry, You Will Not Die\u2019<\/h2>\n

In his Instagram bio, he lists \u2018public feedback, residential concerns\u2019. Residents often approach him or go to the MPS thinking that they can bypass procedures, and it acts as a shortcut. Jovan is quick to caution that he is no miracle worker. <\/p>\n

\u201cAll the procedures, all the processes, we still must follow. It\u2019s not possible for me to shoot a concern all the way to the ministry and see immediate changes,\u201d he laments.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It raises questions about whether someone as young as he is should be directly exposed to the inner workings of municipal bureaucracy and the frustrations of older adults\u2014especially when he\u2019s positioned as the middleman between residents and politicians. It\u2019s a lot to put on a teenager\u2019s shoulders. <\/p>\n

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It\u2019s not as if the older grassroots volunteers haven\u2019t tried. Jovan says they keep telling him to focus on school, but I get the impression nothing can stop him from grassroots work. Not even the harsh realities of the job.<\/p>\n

\u201cA resident from Bukit Batok scolded me on the phone for 15 minutes once. I couldn\u2019t say anything; I can only say sorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

His golden rule for dealing with angry residents is this: \u201cYou say sorry, you will not die\u2026 When you say sorry, people tend to calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a volunteer and grassroots member with the People\u2019s Action Party (PAP), he\u2019s under a microscope for all his actions, especially because of his political association. Still, he commits himself to serving Singaporeans indiscriminately.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cEven if they\u2019re from a Workers\u2019 Party constituency, I will listen and help to address their issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

When I ask about his admiration for the ruling party, he doesn\u2019t skirt the topic. He will always stay loyal to the PAP: \u201cI\u2019ve lived in this constituency since I was young, and I know a lot of PAP MPs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Admittedly, he feels held to an unfair standard where small, normal mistakes draw magnified criticisms. It\u2019s the only time I\u2019ve seen him express the toll the job has taken on him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all humans; we all make mistakes\u2026 cannot be just because I\u2019m operating as a PAP grassroots member, I am perfect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I cannot do things that everyone will support, or everyone will benefit from. There will definitely be people who are unhappy. I need to learn to bear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Little Things<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

His mum\u2019s hope for Jovan sums it up best. She doesn\u2019t care about ambitious titles; she just wants him to keep doing meaningful work, make a small difference wherever he can, and stay happy.<\/p>\n

I ask Jovan if becoming an MP is in the cards for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently, no.\u201d He puts it simply that between his studies and his community efforts, becoming an MP would take up too much of his time. <\/p>\n

I ask him what exactly he\u2019s studying. Jovan lets out a long \u2018uhhh\u2019 and seems physically strained as he says he\u2019s open to pursuing a job in hospitality or insurance, or even learning Traditional Chinese Medicine. He doesn\u2019t seem interested in thinking about school. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a complete juxtaposition from when he talks about community work. Jovan lights up when we reach one of the exits of Boon Keng MRT station, stopping at a curb that residents would typically cross towards the cluster of HDB flats.<\/p>\n

He pulls out his phone and shows me an old photo of the sharp curb we\u2019re standing on. In the image is a yellow caution strip on the ground that had faded over time. For a mature estate with elderly folk aplenty, that\u2019s big-time trouble, Jovan says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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I compare the before-and-after. Without the recently repainted yellow strip I see now, I could see myself tripping off the edge. It\u2019s a relatively minor issue I wouldn\u2019t have considered, but Jovan does. He\u2019s the one who got it done.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be honest, I was a Jovan Tang sceptic too. But when he wears his heart so proudly on his whiter-than-white sleeve, proudly showing me what the little things he\u2019s doing to help his community, there\u2019s really very little to remain doubtful about.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For young Jovan, the accrued impact of his community engagements and his advocacy is worth more than the judgement of faceless cynics and critics.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough this is a very small thing, it actually means a lot,\u201d he shares gleefully about the bright yellow strip he\u2019s responsible for.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take every feedback seriously, and we\u2019ll do our best to look into it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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