Actress Zoe Tay – local television’s “Big Sister” – wished her stepmother a happy birthday on Instagram on Tuesday.
The 52-year-old posted a photo of herself sharing a laugh with her stepmother, Madam Wong Pong Chin, whose face is obscured in the picture.
Tay, who has long referred to Madam Wong as her mother, wrote in Chinese: “Mummy, happy birthday. I hope you stay healthy and happy every day. Thank you for ensuring that I eat well, dress well and sleep well.”
She added in English: “You’re (an) amazing woman, thanks for raising me.”
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💖🧓🏻🧓🏻🧓🏻🧓🏻💖 妈咪，生日快乐。 祝： 身体健康，天天开心。 谢谢你从小就确保我吃得好，穿得好，睡得饱，好吃懒惰别到处跑！😅🤪 You‘re an amazing woman, thanks for raising me. Happy birthday mummy. 💖 👵🏻 #知足常乐是幸福 #我眼中最美的女人 #谢谢妳无私的付出 #发自内心的美丽最迷人 #宅婆婆🏡👵🏻 #心地善良的人一定會很有福氣 #轮到我们孝敬你 #80几岁了还是精神奕奕👵🏻👍🏻 #孩子尊敬妳孙子爱妳🥰 #厨艺一流 #失传了遇上我这懒女儿🤪 #只会好吃懒做😬 #处事待人以诚相待 #要学的还有很多 #妈妈要身体健康哦♥️ #期待可以快点带妳去旅游 #咱家三代同堂趴趴走🐂🐒🐑🐤🐽🐯 #幸福就是这么简单♥️ 👵🏻👵🏻👵🏻 #ZoeTay #鄭惠玉 #佐伊の語 #惠声玉影
Tay’s biological mother died in an accident when she was three. She was the youngest of six children. Her father later remarried and had a daughter with Madam Wong.
In a 2017 interview with The Straits Times, Tay said of Madam Wong: “She gave a lot of love to our family, so we all respect her a lot. So it’s no difference to me that she’s not my blood mum.”
She did not disclose the exact age of her stepmother, whom she calls the “most beautiful woman”, but said in the Instagram post that she is in her 80s.
Tay also jokingly chastised herself as a “lazy daughter” who has not inherited Madam Wong’s “first-class cooking skills”.
The star looks forward to the day she can travel again with her family, when border closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are lifted.
Tay’s fellow colleagues – including veteran actresses Aileen Tan and Hong Huifang, as well as younger stars like Bonnie Loo and Zhang Zhenhuan – have left comments wishing Madam Wong well on her birthday.
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times.
(Photo: Zoe Tay/Instagram)
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