Ling Wei Hong: Sports-in-Precinct project by SportSG, not solely by Sengkang Town Council

People’s Action Party Sengkang East branch chair, Ling Wei Hong recently posted on social media to express his dismay at the Workers’ Party for allegedly claiming to take sole credit for a project in the constituency.

Ling was referring to a ‘Sports-in-Precinct’ near Block 157A Rivervale Crescent that comes under the purview of Sport Singapore. In Sengkang, this project was first initiated before the opposition party won the GRC in the 2020 Singapore General Election. “Disappointed to see that the signboard put up appeared to suggest this was a project solely by @sengkangtc,” he said.

“I stopped by our Sports-in-Precinct project in between some events today. After more than 3.5 years (from initial planning), the SIP is finally complete. It consists of a 300m running track, a covered basketball court, badminton, sepak takraw courts, a fitness corner and a playground,” posted Ling on both his Instagram and Facebook accounts.

In 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth announced that together with Sport Singapore, they will continue to develop new public sports facilities and upgrade existing ActiveSG facilities under the Sports Facilities Master Plan.

The Sport-in-Precinct project is part of the Sports Facilities Master Plan which is a key recommendation under the Vision 2030 sports master plan, to provide greater access to quality, affordable sports facilities and enable wider participation in sports.

Ling, who became the PAP Sengkang East branch chair in March this year, revealed that Sports Singapore had been in touch with the grassroots there a year before the elections and they began the groundwork soon after.

“The SIP is a community upgrading project by Sport Singapore. In 2019, they approached the Sengkang East grassroots organisations to collaborate,” added Ling.

“Amongst other things, our grassroots leaders helped to solicit feedback from residents, sit with planners, and ultimately saw through the project by representing residents’ interests all the way.”

In September 2020, PAP’s Raymond Lye posted on FB regarding this project. He said that the $2 million Sport-in-Precinct project was managed and co-funded by Pasir Ris – Punggol Town Council, and this will be part of the projects for the former Punggol East SMC and Sengkang Central ward of Pasir Ris – Punggol GRC to be handed over to Sengkang Town Council.