Yahoo News GE2020: WP to push for more shops in Sengkang GRC, PAP to prioritise creating new Town Council in area
SINGAPORE — The Workers’ Party (WP) candidates running in Sengkang GRC at the upcoming General Election (GE) said on Tuesday (7 July) that they will push for more neighbourhood shops and food & beverage establishments in the constituency, and more good jobs for Singaporeans.
Speaking during a constituency political broadcast, WP candidate Jamus Lim noted that there are a limited number of neighbourhood shops across Sengkang.
“These are central to our identity. So when we fail to provide places near our homes where we can gather for kopi or bubble tea, we lose more than just convenience, we lose a sense of community and belonging,” Dr Lim said.
The economist also said the WP wants to push for Singaporeans to get good jobs. “I wish to express how important it is that our government doesn’t just promise us jobs, but good jobs, jobs that Singaporeans actually want to take on...Too many of the promised jobs fail to meet up to our expectations.”
Speaking in Malay, fellow WP Sengkang GRC candidate Raeesah Khan said the WP wants to expand the bike lane network, the number of coffeeshops, and infant care facilities.
The other two candidates in the WP Sengkang GRC team are He Ting Ru and Louis Chua Kheng Wee.
The People’s Action Party team contesting in the GRC highlighted several key goals for residents including improving their job security and creating a town identity for Sengkang.
The anchor minister in the GRC, Ng Chee Meng, said the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many people, and Sengkang residents have shared their anxieties about losing their jobs and taking care of their children and parents.
“We hear your anxieties – my team and I will do our very best to support you in these challenging times,” said the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
If elected, Ng said his team’s first priority is to form a Sengkang Together Movement to co-develop Sengkang into a town and set up a new Sengkang Town Council, to better serve the municipal needs of residents.
Fellow PAP Sengkang GRC candidate Raymond Lye also spoke about the new Town Council.
“Right now, Sengkang is served by two different town councils, Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol. With your support, we will set up our own Sengkang Town Council dedicated solely to Anchorvale, Compassvale and Rivervale. The town councillors and staff will be dedicated to Sengkang only,” Lye said.
In addition, the PAP Sengkang team will improve on connectivity and integration within Sengkang, and build more communal facilities like playgrounds, fitness corners, and covered linkways, Lye added.
The other two candidates in the PAP Sengkang GRC team are Lam Pin Min and Amrin Amin.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reached out to the residents of Sengkang GRC, urging them not to settle for the ‘PAP-lite’ WP.
PM Lee was referring to the televised debate last Wednesday involving representatives from four parties including Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan from the PAP and WP’s Lim.
Dr Balakrishnan told Dr Lim that the PAP could have written the WP manifesto and said that was why the opposition party has been labelled by people as “PAP-lite or PAP-like”.
Lee said, “Why do you want to settle for PAP-lite? The real thing is much better. And here in Sengkang, you have the real thing with the four members of our PAP team.”
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