SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) recently shared on social media about how he’s been inspired by former party chief Low Thia Khiang in a very particular way. It’s one that requires many steps, to be more specific.
Mr Low, who represented Hougang SMC from 1991 and 2011 and then Aljunied GRC (Bedok Reservoir–Punggol) from 2011 and 2020, started the tradition of walking the ward he served in its entirety in one go. Assoc Prof Lim, who began representing Sengkang in Parliament in 2020, has adopted this practice as well.
This year, he walked the length of Anchorvale as well as the part of Compassvale under his care on Feb 9, writing that it had been “an exhausting 43,000 steps or so, but it’s usually worthwhile.”
He added that it is “the way that I touch base with the estate team directly about municipal concerns, updates, and upgrades (our weekly estate walk is usually performed with #TeamSengkang volunteers, rather than town council staff).”
Assoc Prof Lim also noted that nearly every Anchorvale precinct, in line with improvements slated at Sengkang in general, has upcoming repair and redecoration (R&R) works scheduled for 2024 and 2025, or has just finished with them.
Posting a photo of himself standing before a signboard announcing one such R&R project, the MP noted: “This is something that many residents are looking forward to, and I’m glad that we’ve not only been able to move the process along, but also take on board significant resident feedback during the process.”
Assoc Prof Lim added that the team on the ground is continuing to receive and adapt as many suggestions for the improvement works as possible, and encouraged residents to contact them with ideas they wish to share.
He first posted about the all-estate walk in February 2021, saying that part of its purpose is “pointing out issues that could be rectified in an estate-level ‘spring cleaning.’” That year, his first as MP, he focused on waste disposal and management issues and got to know the town council better.
In 2022, he was joined by Mr Low himself, from whom he learned “more trips of the trade” during their lengthy walk.
Ex-WP chief Low Thia Khiang joins Jamus Lim on Sengkang walk
“My only qualm about walking with Mr Low is that—given his celebrity status—we get stopped all the time to chat with residents!” wrote Assoc Prof Lim.
This year, as he went on his walk on the eve of the Chinese New Year, he also shared a photo of his contribution to his family’s reunion dinner, salmon curry, and added that he’s “looking forward to the other Peranakan delights other family members will be bringing along!” /TISG