[LEAKED] GRASSROOTS LETTER TO PM LEE: HAVE YOU GIVEN UP ON ALJUNIED?

Dear PM,

I am a PA grassroots leader in Aljunied GRC. I am sorry to be sending this anonymous open letter to you. But I really have no choice because I don't know how else I can be heard.

I want to tell you how disappointed I am about the PAP team you are fielding in Aljunied GRC for this coming GE. And it is not just me, but many of my fellow volunteers too. The messages we are getting from you is: "PAP leadership has already given up on Aljunied GRC."

If you have already given up, how do you expect us to fight on? I mean, we are all volunteers you know. Some of us take leave from work, many of us sacrifice our personal time. Your unveiling of the PAP team was like pouring cold water to our face.

My biggest disappointment is that you did not field any ministerial calibre people in the team. Ng Eng Hen said that other GRCs are more worthy to have such candidates fielded. Youc an say all you want but you know what we really think - You are scared to lose.

What kind of fighting spirit is this then? When it is sure win, then you saw you got so-and-so ministerial material to anchor the GRC. When it is not sure win, then you say we don't deserve ministerial material. So is the ministerial material candidate a leader? Or is he just someone to be ushered in?

Chan Chun Sing said in the PAP annual conference that we will fight, fight, fight. Say only right? How come no generals ever got fielded into SMCs? How come no ministers or ministerial material ever got fielded into any SMCs?

How come neither George Yeo nor Lim Hwee Hwa continued to work the ground in Aljunied, even after they are defeated, to help win it back? Is this how "ministerial material" is to behave - when "PAP pow chiak", they are "leading", when not "pow chiak", they are nowhere to be seen?

Some of us have worked in grassroots for many years, even going back to your father's days. He knows how to fight. I don't see this in you. Een Tan Cheng Bock said: today's PAP has forgotten how to fight.

The next disappointment is with the sudden removal of Chan Hui Yah and Kahar fro the team line-up. They have been working the ground for ore than a year now. The excuse given is that Chan is a mother of two young children and "the PAP will not put family relations at risk. It's not win at all cost. We value the family."

Aiyoh... sounds so la,e... then how come you field Tin Pei Ling in MacPherson SMC? She just gave birth... And the sudden removal of Kahar and replacement with newbie Shamsui is perplexing. Especially since Kahar actually attended a function organized by WP's Malay MP couple of weeks ago. What's going on?? Are you taking the Malay votes for granted?

I guess the biggest issue is this: You only sent in Lim Boon Heng to walk the ground in Aljunied recently. You only deployed retiring MP Yeo Guat Kwang at the last minute. You removed those who've been walking the ground for a long time. Do you even have a strategy to win back the hearts and minds of Aljunied GRC residents?

Not a strategy that pops up during GE time, but a long term strategy? You accuse the opposition of only showing up during election time. Some of these candidates that you've appointed seem to be doing the same.

Although I and my fellow volunteers are demoralized, we will still do our best. It is hard especially when you have already given up hope, how can you ask us not to give up hope?

We will keep repeating, "LKY, LKY, LKY",
We will keep repeating "AHPETC accounts, AHPETC accounts, AHPETC accounts",
We will keep repeating "Upgrading, Upgrading, Upgrading",
We will keep repeating "SG50, SG50, SG50".

But if that is the only strategy to win back Aljunied GRC, I think it will fall short. I hope I am proven wrong.

Tan Ah Kow (pseudonym)
A.S.S. Contributor