Speaking at a rally recently Dr Chee Soon Juan said:
“An MP must be able to raise your concerns and hardships in Parliament and bring them to the government’s attention and press it to act on your concerns. Hand on heart, how many of you think that Mr Murali will be able to do this better than I can in Parliament. Do you think that Mr Murali would be different from his other 81 fellow MPs and ask the hard questions that must be asked in parliament and debate the ministers from his own party?”
In responding to Dr Chee, Murali told reporters today (4 May) that talking in Parliament to push for an issue is not a panacea for everything. He also referred to the Pioneer Generation package to highlight how the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government has done much for citizens.
Mr Murali Pillai is the PAP candidate for Bukit Batok by-election. He is contesting against Dr Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Bukit Batok voters go to the polls on 7 May (Sat).
In referring to the the infrastructural development like day care and therapy centres which he promised in his manifesto, Murali said that he will enhance the level of services available to the constituency’s residents.
Murali had earlier talked about community job placement programme that he would put in place if he is elected.
In pointing out how he had already helped two residents through such a programme Murali said, “we hope to match affected residents with appropriate jobs. So thankfully through these examples, it seems that we have the workings of the system that will enable us to address the concerns of the affected residents.”
Chee at the rally yesterday questioned how Murali will do job placements for his residents when in all of last year, the government only created 100 jobs for citizens and permanent residents.
“That means one job per constituency,” he said and asked, “how many of you here in Bukit Batok think you’re going to fight for that one job if and when you’re retrenched?”
