[h=2]A Note to Voters of Punggol East before Polling Day
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by
Lee Li Lian （李丽连） on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 11:22pm ·
Dearest voters of Punggol East and fellow Singaporeans,
The 9-day campaign period for this by-election ends tonight. What an amazing few days it has been! I have had the pleasure and honour of walking the ground in this time, meeting you and hearing your concerns. Punggol East is not new to me – it seems like just yesterday that I was campaigning for the General Election in 2011, and it’s heart-warming to see so many familiar smiling faces as well as new ones.
I have met with many young families with many valid concerns. They worry about the competition their children face in our rigorous education system, and about the costs of raising children right from when they are born, all the way till university. They feel the stress of having to wait in long queues to get their children into a good childcare centre that is near their homes. They wonder if they will be able to pay off their housing loans, cover their parents’ medical bills and give their children the best, all at the same time.
Many elderly Singaporeans have also shared with me their fears of not having enough savings to pay for their growing medical bills and day-to-day expenses, and of becoming burdens to their children. They are tired after many years of sacrifice and hard work, but have to keep on working because they need to make ends meet.
Many of you have also shared your frustrations of battling the morning overcrowding at the LRT stations, and not having enough affordable transport options to get you to work on time and in peace. Finding a kopitiam or coffee shop nearby where the family can eat at affordable prices is another problem that has been raised to me as well.
I am an ordinary citizen who faces many of the same challenges you do every day. As a daughter, a wife, and a future mother, I share your concerns. That is why I am running in this by-election, because I want a better Singapore for all of us, and for our children.
I have raised several issues in the course of the campaign that I hope to raise with the relevant authorities as your elected member of Parliament. I will call for:
Young Families
- More affordable, conveniently-located and quality infant care and childcare facilities;
- Stay-at-home parents to receive the same infant care and childcare subsidies as working parents;
- Stronger incentives for employers to implement flexi-work arrangements to facilitate better work-life balance;
- Single parents to receive the same parenthood benefits as married parents;
- A study of the feasibility of a primary-secondary school integrated programme and other ways to reduce the stress to perform at PSLE.
The Elderly
- Allowing unrestricted use of Medisave for senior citizens above 75 years of age;
- Allowing elderly patients to receive subsidised rates at specialist clinics at public hospitals with or without referrals from the polyclinics;
- Public transport for senior citizens above 80 years old to be free to encourage active ageing.
Transport
- Earlier development of a 2-car system for LRTs in Punggol East;
- Increasing feeder bus services and raise the frequency of buses and trains during both peak and off-peak hours so as to reduce overcrowding;
- Focusing public transport on the needs of commuters, over the shareholders of profit-oriented Public Transport Operators;
- Removing unnecessary or additional taxes (for example, ERP) on public buses or taxis to contain transport costs.
Facilities & Public Amenities in Punggol East
- Greater availability of affordable eating places;
- More halal-certified eating places for Muslim residents;
- Building of a wet market;
- The completion of stalled renovations at Rivervale Plaza.
If I am elected to be your representative in Punggol East on Polling day, my first priority would be to set up the Town Council and consolidate a strong grassroots movement led by committed and dedicated volunteers. I will set up regular Meet-the-People sessions to keep in constant touch with you. Parliament will also resume shortly, and I will work hard to make your voices heard. I look forward to building a strong and engaged community in Punggol East together with you!
To sum up my campaign, I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart. To the residents of Punggol East, for welcoming me back with so much warmth. I look forward to serving you. To the members and volunteers of the Workers’ Party, who have worked tirelessly on this campaign with me, this would not have happened without you. To my family, thank you for being my pillar of strength and understanding why I am doing this.
With your support, I will make your interests be heard in Parliament. With your support, I will address your concerns on the ground. Come 26th January 2013, vote for me, Lee Li Lian, and send me to Parliament to work for you.
