Dr. Wee spent much of his presidency and later years engaging with community groups and charities, reinforcing his role as the People’s President. His volunteerism, which included his work for statutory boards and numerous local nonprofit organisations, touched a diverse range of generations, ethnoreligious groups, and social issues. One of his longest-standing charity engagements was with the Community Chest. He helped to launch their Care & Share campaign, which collects monthly donations to support disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in Singapore. Dr. Wee spoke with pride when reflecting on the Singaporean public’s commitment to charity, saying: “I believe our people are second to none when it comes to helping fellow human beings, especially our own compatriots, who are in distress.”
Dr. Wee’s extensive community outreach was deliberate, and reflected his philosophy that “the President of Singapore should be close to the people.” He told his Presidential staff that he wanted to meet as many people as possible at every official function, and that he never wanted his guests to feel stranded. As he came from humble beginnings, he placed a special emphasis on connecting with citizens of all walks of life, often inviting ordinary folk to the Istana for tea. He once pondered, “As President, if I don’t make an effort to go down to the people, how will they come up?”