Singapore—After a full week in Parliament for the Committee of Supply Debates, Members of Parliament from the Workers’ Party (WP) returned to their wards over the weekend to check on the residents and hear from them.
Dr Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) made a round of house visits in Anchorvale last weekend, covering “half of 338A,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
In the post he touched on childcare, an issue that the WP talked often about during the campaign for last year’s General Election, especially since all four WP MPs—Dr Lim, Ms He Ting Ru, Ms Raeesah Khan, and Mr Louis Chua—are young parents.
Dr Lim wrote about the Low family, who only stay at the flat in Anchorvale on weekends, as the need for childcare has meant they stay at their parents’ home during weeknights.
“We have had some success in our appeals for places for kids in area childcare facilities before, and offered to do so for them. But perhaps the more pertinent (albeit longer-run) need is to ensure that anticipated childcare needs are catered for. We will continue to work with the relevant agencies and ministries to ensure that such planning is in place,” wrote the MP.
As for Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC), he wrote that part of the feedback he heard from residents were “a few appeals for the natural habitats behind Hougang Capeview to be preserved.”
This is because residents had seen “‘bald eagles’ (more likely, brahminy kites)” in the area and catching fish in the river.
“It’s most refreshing to see this love for nature among residents!” he wrote.
Mr Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC) caught up with residents in his “weekend coffeeshop and estate walk at Blk 327”.
Among the issues they discussed were the Covid-19 vaccinations, as well as employment issues.
He also went to Jalan Naung, and was happy to report that the residents he “spoke to are by and large happy living in the estate as well as this part of Hougang SMC.”
As for the WP’s Ms Nicole Seah, who is not an MP but has been very active in East Coast GRC, she was back at Blk 216 Bedok Hawker Centre over the weekend.
She wrote, “Top on the list today were issues such as CPF, assisted living, and the taxpayer burden on the younger generation of Singaporeans.”
Ms Seah also wrote that while they were told that if she and the other WP volunteers came later in the day, they would receive more feedback from younger residents, since the WP team is usually there by 8 am.
“But personally I also feel that it is important for us to hear all voices and the concerns of older Singaporeans as well, and the on-ground outreach is one of the main avenues to do that,” wrote Ms Seah. 
/TISG
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