GMS gets a strong response from BYK.
1h ·
Tampines Encounters II
I have never expected such a strong response from Mr Baey YK to my previous post on our walkabout in Tampines North on Saturday.
Actually, the post wasn't just about him but more about some of the interactions we had with residents.
Picking Rubbish - Wayang? Wrong Priorities? Or just Pure Incompetency?
Well for the records, I guess his "spies" must have heard wrongly or totally misinformed. I could only remember we only talked about Baey, as the MP walking pass to pick rubbish to one of the many tables after I met Baey. Someone whispered "Wayang!" and I just exclamined "Wayang?" And we smile. I have no interest to go around telling residents about their MP going around to wayang because I believe Singaporeans have a brain to decide.
But since Baey has brought this issue up, I will put this in proper perspective:
1) Singaporeans have seen PAP MPs going around to wipe tables, sweep floors, pushing cart etc and most of us just laugh it off.... Wayang? It's a matter of perceptions.
2) If MPs like Baey going around to pick up rubbish is just a complement to Town Council's work, then we would like to know how often do PAP MPs do such things? Or only when GE is near then we start to see PAP MPs doing such things? Is this a SOP or what?
3) If this is just one of the one off GE-coming activities, then it's up to residents to decide whether this is just the wiping tables and sweeping floor wayang.
4) If this is really a routine SOP, then there are TWO ISSUES here:
A) Tax payers paying over $500K annual salary to a Minister of State to go around picking up rubbish as part of the routine? This is really a misappropriation of priorities!
B) Does it mean the Town Council is so incompetent in maintaining the cleanliness of the town so much so that we need to mobilize their MPs or Ministers to go around picking up rubbish?
5) As for the Town Hall GE debate idea, it wasn't brought up by me but the residents whom Baey is the MP representing them! I have challenged Mah Bow Tan to debate on HDB policies before but he just Siam. A total of THREE TIMES. I know pretty well most PAP MPs and even Ministers aren't good at debates, they will have no interest to do it. They are just pure technocrats, not politicians. Thus I told the group of residents PPP is definitely ready to have Town Hall GE Policy debate with all other contestants, but I doubt PAP would dare to accept the challenge.
6) Baey claims that there is no need for such debate because he has been giving policy talks regularly at Happy Hawkers coffeeshop. Yes, I know but that's not what your residents want! 唱獨角戲? Who is interested in that? There is no contrast and compare.
Well I have only one thing to say to the residents of Tampines, see? What did I tell you? PAP MPs like Baey will not want a Town Hall GE debate! So they are the ones who will disappoint you, not us! You should know who to vote now.
My final words to Mr Baey, don't feel so uneasy and insecure just because I am doing my rounds in your "territory", so much so that you have to spy on us on what we are talking to the residents? (Else how would you have such idea we are going around telling people you are wayang?)
Well some residents are saying you are "hard working" going round the constituency but I guess that picking up rubbish activity is just a bit overdoing it.
Most importantly, despite all your good PR work, your residents are still complaining your Town Council is not solving problems for them but kicking them around like football but nothing solved.
Wayang or not, I will leave it to the residents to judge but Wrong Priorities and Pure Incompetency of your Town Council or not, that's pretty worrying.
Goh Meng Seng
