Bukit Batok by-election to be held on May 7

[enterprise2]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sdp-pitches-social/2722432.html

SDP pitches social programmes for Bukit Batok

“I will do the work full-time and I will be able to give my undivided attention to the residents," says Dr Chee Soon Juan.

Updated 22 Apr 2016 23:45


SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Friday (Apr 21) laid out four social programmes that it says it will roll out if its secretary-general Chee Soon Juan is elected as Member of Parliament for Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency (SMC) come Polling Day on May 7.

It also announced coordinators for the programmes, all of whom are not members of the opposition party.

One programme called "Hearts for Bukit Batok" is aimed at helping the elderly and low-income residents in the constituency. Under the programme, households in the constituency are encouraged to "adopt" a needy family to get financial and emotional support. If elected, Dr Chee will use his MP allowance to assist 10 low-income families, the SDP said.

A trust fund will also be set up to ensure the assistance for the elderly and poor is sustainable in the long run, SDP vice-chairman John Tan said. The programme will be coordinated by Ms Wong Hwee Lin, a 42-year-old private tutor.

"Dollars and cents" is to provide advice for residents who are facing financial difficulties. The programme will be staffed by experts and financial planners. It will be coordinated by Tan Kin Lian, the former Chief Executive Officer of NTUC Income.

A third programme, "Pathfinder", is meant to help build confidence in students and have them come together to explore their interests. It will see students from low-income families receiving subsidised private tuition. Ms Rajakumari Ashkumar, a 23-year-old allied educator has been identified as coordinator for the programme.

Lastly, "Legal Lifeline" is to provide legal assistance to low-income families. SDP said there are currently seven lawyers who have agreed to volunteer for the programme.

"As soon as there is the handover, we will put the staff in place and that they will be able to get on the job right away. It depends on how much cooperation we get from our predecessors, and make sure that once everything is in place, we will push on with the programmes," said Dr Chee. “I will do the work full-time, and I will be able to give my undivided attention to the residents."

He added that the proposed programmes will help foster integration and a sense of community within the constituency.

"At the end of the day we want to create that successful town and the successful town is not just keeping the lift landings clean and the corridors swept. It really means that when residents come together they take ownership of their town and they become very much involved in the programmes, the initiatives, the activities that they want to take care of," he said.

When asked how much he would contribute from his MP allowance if he is elected, Dr Chee said it would depend on the needs of the residents.

"I don't want to put a quantum to it. I'm not looking at a minimum nor am I looking at a maximum. I just want to be at least look at the scale of the problem and then figure out from there what we can do. I would imagine it would be no less than in the thousands, rather than hundreds."

Where's Prof Paul Thamyah?

 

[Cosmos10]

Where's Prof Paul Thamyah?

Prof Paul Thamyah is here:

Dr Paul Tambyah and Jufrie Mahmood at Bukit Batok East Avenue 3

Team SDP visiting the residents at Bukit Batok Street 21

Team SDP visiting the residents at Bukit Batok West Avenue 6

 

[Patriot]

 

[jw5]

Oh no, Zorro Lim saboes the whole platoon again............................

 

[JohnTan]

Old auntie stringing along Chee and Murali. She might not even be a Bukit Batok voter.

 

[jw5]

Old auntie stringing along Chee and Murali. She might not even be a Bukit Batok voter.

Old auntie is a friendly woman who likes to shake hands.

 

[jw5]

Old auntie stringing along Chee and Murali. She might not even be a Bukit Batok voter.

The main difference between these 2 photos is that she is holding Chee's hand in the SDP photo, whereas she is holding an orange plastic bag with unknown contents in the PAP photo.

 

[jw5]

“I will do the work full-time and I will be able to give my undivided attention to the residents," says Dr Chee Soon Juan.

Party chief Chee to contribute part of MP allowance to kick-start the programmes

Looks like Murali has yet to match either of these. So far, he can only promise to use the people's money to upgrade the people's facilities.

 

[yahoo55]

More dirty politics from PAP !

Murali threatening BB voters to take away public funded upgrading that were already meant for them in the URA plans in 2013, if BB voters don't elect him.

PAP is so despicable.

http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/201...t-get-improvement-plans-if-he-is-not-elected/

Is Murali giving a false impression that residents will not get improvement plans if he is not elected?

By onlinecitizen on April 25, 2016

Misleading statement by Mr Murali?

The thing is, even if Murali is not elected, plans for Bukit Batok's improvement plans would still proceed as according to plans set by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) (see plan). This would be the case, should another candiate, like Dr Chee Soon Juan from Singapore Democratic Party is elected.

URA writes in its brochure published in 2013, "Bukit Batok will see more new housing developments in the next five years to give young families the opportunity to stay in familiar surroundings and near their parents. Existing and new residents will continue to enjoy a good quality living environment with better facilities, more recreational opportunities and enhanced transportation network."

The brochure documents the proposed plans of new parks and other facilities. Only thing different between Murali and URA's plans is the covered linkways.

So why is Murali giving an impression to votes in Bukit Batok SMC that if he is not elected, they can forget about all the upgrading plans that he has proposed?


Mainstream Media reinforces Murali's advisory message

Chinese Newspaper, Lianhe Zaobao

Lianhe Zaobao writes

Murali states, if receive the mandate of the voters, will be able to carry out the plans.

Straits Times writes

But the PAP-run Jurong-Clementi Town Council - which currently looks after Bukit Batok - will only be able to carry out these plans should he be elected, he added.

"Let me just say that this plan we are presenting is a plan by the PAP Jurong-Clementi Town Council. So it's really up to our residents.

TodayOnline writes,

“We would only have the mandate to carry on if we are returned in the next by-election. If we don’t have the mandate, then we don’t have the ability to carry on because we can’t form the town council,” Mr Murali told reporters during a visit to the ward on Sunday.

All these reports carried Murali's "advisory" message without mentioning that URA has already planned for improvement works to be done at the old estate.

Would residents and voters be aware of this if the media do not explicitly make this known to them or would they be misled that if indeed Murali is not elected, they will have to say good bye to their long deserved and anticipated upgrading work?

 

[yahoo55]

http://theindependent.sg/no-vote-no...murali-pillais-carrot-for-bukit-batok-voters/

‘No vote no upgrading’? WP’s Leon Perera slams PAP’s Murali Pillai’s ‘carrot’ for Bukit Batok voters

By The Independent - April 25, 2016


WP member and Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leon Perera has weighed-in on Mr Pillai’s dangling of the ‘upgrading carrot’. Mr Perera writing in his facebook said:

“The People’s Action Party candidate for the Bukit Batok by-election has said that S$1.9 million worth of infrastructure upgrading plans for the ward cannot be carried out by the Town Council if his party is not elected. To me, that recalls the painful memory of the votes for HDB upgrading message in the 1997 General Elections. It’s good that we build necessary infrastructure to upgrade our towns. But is a campaign message like this any way to build a nation?”

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=604103679747812&id=515366291954885

 

[jw5]

http://theindependent.sg/no-vote-no...murali-pillais-carrot-for-bukit-batok-voters/

‘No vote no upgrading’? WP’s Leon Perera slams PAP’s Murali Pillai’s ‘carrot’ for Bukit Batok voters

By The Independent - April 25, 2016


WP member and Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leon Perera has weighed-in on Mr Pillai’s dangling of the ‘upgrading carrot’. Mr Perera writing in his facebook said:


https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=604103679747812&id=515366291954885

Yeah, this "no vote no upgrading" mantra was started by Woody, this tactic is damn old and stale.

 

[eatshitndie]

chee needs to whiten his teeth.....like this.

 

[Brightkid]

No need to slam Murali la.

Just ask him to tell BB voters where the $1.9M is coming from. Thus will be the deciding factor.

If Murali say is from his pocket, PAP funds and not a cent from government/taxpayers' money, than he likely get more than 80% of vote and CSJ political career is finish. The 20% is die-hard opposition who will vote a snake if they can.

Otherwise Murali is a black-hearted (no relationship to his skin color hor!) Robin Hood who rob and then ransom the victim of their money.

 

[GoldenDragon]

where is WP? other than Leon the rest on hols or in hospital?

time to speak up in this, low thia khiang.

 

[jw5]

No need to slam Murali la.

Just ask him to tell BB voters where the $1.9M is coming from. Thus will be the deciding factor.

If Murali say is from his pocket, PAP funds and not a cent from government/taxpayers' money, than he likely get more than 80% of vote and CSJ political career is finish. The 20% is die-hard opposition who will vote a snake if they can.

Otherwise Murali is a black-hearted (no relationship to his skin color hor!) Robin Hood who rob and then ransom the victim of their money.

If he says it's from his own pocket, later you will see pigs flying and tonight the moon will turn blue.

It's from the country's coffers, he knows it and so did Woody when he started off this "No votes no upgrading" mantra years ago.

 

[scroobal]

It does not matter if URA has it planned. The PAP is in government and has the power to delay or cancel any plans that it set forth. These are now bribes. They have done it repeatedly to Potong Pasir and this is nothing new and they will do it without batting an eyelid.

Chee needs to hammer home the point that it is funded by our taxes and residents of Bukit Batok have also contributed. These are abuses of the government.

 

[scroobal]

Yes, Chee has to pose the question on behalf of voters on where the money is coming from. He should call a press conference and challenge Murali to a debate on just this. Telling residents that it a URA plan is worthless as residents know they have done it before to opposition wards.

It pointless putting these on their websites and in the Facebook.

No need to slam Murali la.

Just ask him to tell BB voters where the $1.9M is coming from. Thus will be the deciding factor.

If Murali say is from his pocket, PAP funds and not a cent from government/taxpayers' money, than he likely get more than 80% of vote and CSJ political career is finish. The 20% is die-hard opposition who will vote a snake if they can.

Otherwise Murali is a black-hearted (no relationship to his skin color hor!) Robin Hood who rob and then ransom the victim of their money.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

It does not matter if URA has it planned. The PAP is in government and has the power to delay or cancel any plans that it set forth. These are now bribes. They have done it repeatedly to Potong Pasir and this is nothing new and they will do it without batting an eyelid.

Chee needs to hammer home the point that it is funded by our taxes and residents of Bukit Batok have also contributed. These are abuses of the government.

Don't think many people will see it as a bribe. They will see it as PAP giving a sheltered walkway to them and comparing this to a candidate cannot give the same walkway. They won't think about the source of funds, how the government is ultimately responsible for upgrading everyone's living environment and not the local MP, etc. So the message has to be nuanced. Overspoken or spoken in too harsh a tone, CSJ will come across as sour grapes and the point will be drowned out.

 

[yahoo55]

In his FB post today, WP MP Pritam Singh said that PAP did the same thing to his ward in GE2011 as what Murali is doing. But after GE2011, HDB said the new WP TC could still proceed with the NRP upgrading plans of the previous PAP TC, and WP went ahead with the upgrading project.

In other words, Bukit Batok voters will still get the NRP upgrading even if PAP loses, the new SDP TC will handle the NRP upgrading. So Murali has been misleading the BB voters into thinking that they will not get the upgrading if PAP loses.

How can BB voters vote for a conman like Murali ??? Sadly the gullible BB voters don't realize that they are being misled by Murali and the MSM.

From Pritam Singh FB post today: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1125808327441479&substory_index=0&id=211352328887088


In 2011, about 3-4 weeks before the General Elections, the then PAP-managed Aljunied Town Council carried out an exhibition for a Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) at a precinct in my ward of Eunos. The timing and message of the exhibition was political by any stretch of the imagination, i.e. vote for PAP, you get upgrading.

After the 2011 elections, the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council checked with HDB if the NRP project at Eunos Spring (the precinct in question) could go ahead because of a change of Town Councils, and an opposition Town Council at that. The answer was YES. In addition, we were free to determine if we wanted to change the proposal of the previous PAP-run Aljunied Town Council with regard to the NRP upgrading plans – that’s the nature of the NRP and how it works. A Town Council then seeks resident’s feedback and proposes a plan for residents to approve (requires 75% approval).

I have no doubt HDB will not withdraw NRP funds committed for the NRP at Blk 140-149 Bukit Batok West Ave 4, regardless who wins, based on the post-2011 precedent of Eunos Spring. It would be opening itself up to a judicial review of administrative action in Court if it did.

What is disconcerting is how the issue is left hanging in the air days after the “carrot” is publicly “announced”. For political reasons to favor the PAP? One cannot help but to draw that conclusion.

 

[yahoo55]

To all Bukit Batok voters, rest assured you will still get your public funded Neighborhood Renewal upgrading even if PAP loses, the SDP town council will take over and do the upgrading as per the URA plans.

As stated by Dr Paul Tambyah: "to say that major improvements will come only if the PAP candidate is elected is unethical and could even be a contravention of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Section 59) which prohibits parties or persons from bringing undue influence on voters."

How can BB voters vote for someone like Murali who plays dirty, threaten and mislead voters on the public funded upgrading???

http://yoursdp.org/news/bukit_batok..._to_make_it_an_election_issue/2016-04-26-6119


Bukit Batok upgrading covered by URA, wrong for Murali to make it an election issue


Singapore Democrats - 2016 » April » 26

The SDP would like to reassure voters of Bukit Batok that all government agencies are non-partisan and will work with whoever is elected as MP for Bukit Batok SMC. The URA has a draft master plan which covers all the planning areas in Singapore.

In their brochure of the draft master plan for Bukit Batok published in late 2013, they highlighted several key developments some of which have already been successfully completed – there include:

•an extension of Bukit Batok Hillside Park,

•new parks in west Bukit Batok,

•a new park connector along Bukit Batok West Avenue 2,

•a new cycling network as well as the construction of new roads in Bukit Batok west area,


If and when elected, Dr Chee Soon Juan and the new Bukit Batok Town Council will work closely with the URA to ensure the implementation of these plans.

All the Home Improvement Projects will also proceed without disruption as these works are either already underway or the contracts have been signed and funds allocated. The SDP-run Town Council will ensure that these projects are completed.

Any additional plans that the SDP Town Council proposes to the relevant government agencies will only come after in-depth consultation with the residents. We will do this by holding forums and meetings with residents. In other words, the SDP will work from the ground-up instead of the using the PAP's high-handed top-down approach.

To say that major improvements will come only if the PAP candidate is elected is unethical and could even be a contravention of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Section 59) which prohibits parties or persons from bringing undue influence on voters.

The SDP feels that it is more important to address the pressing needs of the residents instead of rushing into projects which place a significant burden on tax payers who are already stretched by cost-of-living issues.

The funds could be put to better use such as looking after the healthcare, senior care and educational needs of Bukit Batok residents.

Dr Paul Tambyah
Member
Central Executive Committee
Singapore Democratic Party