A past candidate for the People’s Action Party (PAP) in Aljunied GRC has been heavily criticized by netizens for his snide remark concerning a public spat between Workers’ Party Chief Pritam Singh and a People’s Association (PA) Grassroots Adviser Chua Eng Leong.
Sharing a heated exchange between Pritam and Chua, Lye commented, “It’s easy to stir sentiment by highlighting a pimple to get others to avoid seeing the human face”.
While he did not explicitly state who he was referring to, netizens took his words to be directed at WP Chief Pritam Singh.
The issue between Chua and Pritam started when the WP Chief 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”.
“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.
In response, PA grassroots adviser Chua hit back, calling Pritam’s comments “unsubstantiated”.
Calling the WP MP’s comments “politically divisive and factually inaccurate”, Chua added, “I have chosen to respond only so as to maintain a level of accountability to our residents and my fellow Singaporeans”.
Clarifying the points made by Pritam, he described the latter’s remarks as a “red herring”, a distraction from the issue of the opposition party’s accountability in the light of a recent High Court verdict, which found Mr Pritam and fellow Aljunied GRC MPs Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim liable for damages suffered by Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) and Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council.
Last year, Victor Lye apologised for covering up a Workers’ Party (WP) banner with his own.
A netizen posted photos showing Lye’s Hari Raya banner, which showcased activities by the People’s Association Bedok Reservoir-Punggol grassroots division, placed over a WP banner.
Mr Lye was a member of the PAP’ Aljunied GRC team in the last General Election in 2015. It lost to the WP team led by Mr Low Thia Khiang.
Both banners also covered a third banner, which could not be identified. /TISG