MARINE PARADE RESIDENT: I AM UNIMPRESSED WITH THE WORKERS PARTY

Dear A.S.S,

I refer to your posting http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/…/wp-introduces-final-batc… that concludes all the WP's candidate introduction for this GE. I have been particularly curious, focusing on all the WP's slate as I am a resident of Marine Parade in Marine Terrace. I remain proud that we boost the highest resale pricing for HDB flats in the whole of Singapore.

Back to the topic on the WP team, I cannot help but deeply ponder over whether its better for our Marine Parade and Macpherson family to have the PAP or WP representing our interest after my brief encounter with Mr Bernard Chen of the WP. I accompanied a distant relative at Bedok North St 3 to see her Kaki Bukit MP 2 years back over some housing issues and did not get a good impression of either Mr Chen or Faisal Manap.

Seated at table 2, I saw and overheard Mr Chen arguing unhappily with a Malay middle aged man at the next table over his job and welfare problems that I'm not sure if Mr Manap is unable or unwilling to help as the session ended with the resident expressing his disappointment at the WP for not being his "voice of conscience" so to say. Mr Chen then retorted by challenging the resident to see some Kahar Hassan instead if he could. Needless to say, my relative's housing issue remains unresolved and calls/messages to a number Mr Manap provided on his call card went unanswered. I feel this is very unbecoming of an MP to be conducting himself in such an irresponsible manner.

Now, I see a different picture when I head to Blk 80 Circuit Road Hawker Center to eat my favourite Nasi Lemak at Nurhajar Muslim Food who happens to be a grassroots leader. I see the poor of all races, warmly hugging and receiving the same from Ms Tin Pei Ling who is their fierce advocate. This sharply contrast what Mr Chen said by merely paying lip service exclaiming that residents' small issues mattered to the WP but do a turtle when elected. Technically, can I trust that I will be able to approach the WP should I (touch wood) encounter any unforeseen problems in the future?

Questions also remain for the entire WP strategy on candidate placement. I fail to see why Islamic religious teacher Mohamed Fairoz is favored over the strongest Malay candidate, Mr Firuz Khan for the "sure win" East Coast GRC. Wouldn't it be more logical to place all your "big guns" in 1 place if you really want to win that area? What can Ustaz Fairoz bring to the table if elected, compared to Mr Khan who has a wider exposure and diversity, even bringing in the complex Royce Chocolate to our shores! And why is Ms He Ting Ru sent to battle ESM Goh? Wouldn't it make more sense to field her in Macpherson than the coffin boy if WP is serious about gunning this area down?

The Marine Parade candidates also do not seem to be united on the whole and I sense some internal cracks in their team. Mr Yee Jenn Jong and Khan is walking together in 1 group while Mr Terrance Tan and Ms He walks in another. Mr Dylan Loh is a constant MIA. Compare this with the PAP's Marine Parade team who orderly takes turns to conduct ESM Goh's MPS every Wednesday without fail in his absence.

The above described situation of the WP should not be happening at all unless there is an intention and ulterior motive to deliberately allow only 1 team to win and not the others'. I see the same in the AHPETC issue that Ms Sylvia Lim has failed to answer. The questions boil down to: "Why does AHPETC seek to make Ms How rich and if this "alliance" has since broken down due to Ms Lim's inability to continue with the contract. And is the Town Council "technically insolvent" as insinuated by the DPP. If so, then we should start asking ourselves if this is what we seek in a WP which is doing what it is accusing the PAP of.

Sheh Begum
A.S.S. Contributor