The man who makes Singapore laugh

Sharanjit Leyl is taking Outlook on a tour of her city – Singapore – through the extraordinary stories of people who live there.

Comedian and performer Hossan Leong was one of the first to use Singlish, the English-based patois spoken in Singapore, on stage. He also tells Sharanjit how he kept making the country smile, even while he was recovering from a life threatening illness.

When the HIV/Aids epidemic hit Singapore in the 1980s, Iris Verghese was one of the few health care workers on the frontline. She has recently been celebrated for her bravery and empathy in helping patients at the time. Avin Tan is the second Singaporean to go public with his HIV status and a prominent advocate.

Amanda Chong is a lawyer, poet and social activist. She has always been passionate about reading and she says writing is her way to understand the country she lives in. That’s why she co-founded a charity, ReadAble, to help children living in Jalan Kukoh - Singapore’s poorest neighbourhood – with literacy.

Photo: Comedian and performer Hossan Leong. Credit: Alice Gioia/ BBC)