Getting to Know ACRES By Tess, age 7
Louis Ng is better known among Singaporeans (especially those in the Nee Soon East ward of Nee Soon GRC) for his advocacy for the man on the street. A lesser population perhaps, knows or remembers that Member of Parliament Louis Ng is the founder of ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society), an animal protection charity. This interview is done by Tess, a 7-year-old Singaporean-American. Tess: How did ACRES come about? MP: It goes back to 1999, when I was a volunteer zookeeper and also helping out at chimpanzee photography sessions. That is where I met Ramba, a chimpanzee. She was a fun-loving little ape who was about a year old then. She loved being tickled and
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sometimes would grab my finger to tickle herself and then chuckle. One day, during one of these photography sessions, Ramba misbehaved and the keeper punched her in the face. Ramba came over to hug me and pulled her lip down to have me check whether it was bleeding. That was when it struck me: I needed to speak up for her and other such animals. The media ran the story of this unfortunate incident and what had happened to Ramba. Before long, she was reunited with her mother. The zoo invited me to witness the reunion of her and her mum. They had been kept apart in the zoo for about two years. It was a joy to watch them together, affectionately grooming each other and picking dirt out from each other’s fur.
