(Part 1)
Chief of the Workers’ Party (WP) Pritam Singh highlighted some double standards he thought the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) had when it came to upgrading projects.
He shared an example of a Barrier-Free-Access (BFA) ramp at Blk 108 Bedok Reservoir Road that “was finally handed over to the Town Council by the People’s Association this afternoon, seven years after it was first proposed”.
Pritam explained that each year, the government makes available about S$40 million to all Town Councils for community improvement upgrading projects. He said that all MPs must go through their Grassroots Advisers to raise projects for consideration, and in opposition wards like Aljunied and Hougang, the losing PAP candidates are the Grassroots Advisers.
“Through such upgrading projects, losing PAP candidates are made relevant for residents and can be said to campaign for votes well before the General Elections because they are embedded as leaders in various grassroots organisations that approve the dispensation of large sums of taxpayer dollars. I spoke about why the PAP has adopted such political double standards at a rally during the 2015 elections”, he added.
Pritam also posed the following question: “But would the 4G leaders dare consider that the PAP’s divisive approach to politics may be the elephant in the room that will make Singapore a politically polarised society?”
He added that the ramp that could have been built in months, took years to complete. Many could have benefitted from the ramp “but for how the PAP determines the People’s Association operates in opposition wards? Other proposals by opposition MPs for the community are commonly ignored by the People’s Association”.
“This will not do, no matter who is in Government and who is the opposition. Singapore and Singaporeans deserve better”, he concluded. /TISG