Photography by Alvin Ng.

For those who don’t remember who Shirwin Eu is, he’s the Uber driver who shot to notoriety* for attempting to contest in 2016’s Bukit Batok by-election. More recently, he was spotted again at the Elections Department, collecting forms for what was supposedly a presidential run.

But let’s take a minute to forget all that. Forget the appalling ignorance exhibited in his brief media appearances, forget his awkward disposition, forget the unconvincing rationale behind why he thinks we should vote for him.

Instead, let me set the stage for you.

On a Sunday afternoon, he drives my photographer and I to a mall near his in-laws (they visit every week). There are dents in two corners of the Toyota that serves as both family and work car, but inside, it’s clean and odourless. We chat for a bit, and I find out that he’s vegan, was raised by a single mum, and once wanted to be a professional gamer.

Midway through our conversation, his mum calls to warn him not to say anything self-incriminating. We both chuckle. After that, he drives us to his place.

His one-room condominium in Katong is so small that he rents a room in a house nearby so his domestic helper can sleep comfortably every night. Otherwise, the apartment is cosy, and in every corner there are signs of family life.

That day, we watch him and his wife put up new curtains for their helper’s room. All this time, his daughter and stepson scurry about, energetic but well-mannered.

Does this now sound like someone you might vote for?