Howard Lee & Benjamin Cheah /
“Hi, are you a resident of Potong Pasir?”
“No no no…”
You would be surprised at the number of people who are not Potong Pasir residents, but happen to be in Potong Pasir, when we dropped in for this article on a rainy Sunday morning.
Or perhaps we looked like a couple of sneaky insurance salesmen. But giving away that we were from TOC did get us a few smiles and some answers to two questions that we had: “What changes do residents of Potong Pasir wish to see in their town?” and “What do they hope that their new Member of Parliament can do for them?”
The questions were the result of a nagging suspicion that, for all that the candidates have promised Potong Pasir residents during the recent general elections, they might not really have got to the root of their interests and wishes. And judging from the responses we received from our quick ground poll, in some ways, we may be right.
Fix it where it is worth
If there was one common theme that ran through the responses of all the people who responded to our questions, it was a strong desire for the town council to get the basics right. The key area of contention: installing lifts on every floor of the public housing blocks.
“(We want) lifts on every floor,” said Mr Tai, 19. “If you look around this area, most of the residents are quite old.”
His brother, 17, also agreed, and was disappointed that the Singapore People’s Party, which held the town council seat for the past 27 years, could not accomplish this; a “five-year promise” that was not fulfilled.
It was apparent that the Tai brothers, while not of voting age, have strong views on what needs to be done for the less fortunate in this town, which might be a reflection of a growing desire for physical change among the residents.
But we may be wrong to think that residents want an overhaul of Potong Pasir. “I hope that things will not change that much,” opined Fazli, 30. “This place is peaceful, happy. We don’t want places that attract attention.”
He was referring to plans by the People’s Action Party’s Sitoh Yih Pin to build shopping centres and a waterfront recreational area at the nearby Kallang River. “I just hope (Sitoh) can maintain the area, make it better for the elderly.”
Promises made, promises kept?
If anything, it might seem that the PAP was voted in as a test to see if it can really fulfill what the SPP had promised but, according to some residents, had fallen short.
Ms Chua, 53, replied tersely to our questions: “If Sitoh Yih Pin delivers, then it is okay.”
Others were less optimistic. Albeit being in a position of bias, Mr Ramesh, 48 and an SPP grassroots member, had difficulties trusting Sitoh to do the job right. “All the town council staff were fired,” he said, referring to the recent incident where Sitoh allegedly went back on his word to the Chiams. “I have no confidence in him. Mr Chiam, what he has promised, he (has done his best to) deliver.”
Somewhere among the sentiments, we sensed a certain tiredness among the residents; it has been a long 27 years being this model of holding out against the temptations of upgrading for the vague honour of being the cornerstone of Singapore democracy.
One resident, perhaps in his late forties, who did not want to be named, offered a glimpse into this psyche: “The rest is up to Aljunied – we have done our part.”
Was there a spirit of resilience among the residents to defend the fierce democratic reputation of Potong Pasir? Is it still there? Wilfred Leung, in our earlier interview leading up to the general elections, said that Potong Pasir residents were voters who were beyond their time.
Our sense is that there is still a certain spark, but pragmatism could have taken over many, and the decision to turn their neighbourhood for the better was not an easy one to make.
We can’t blame them for taking a calculated risk. Neither should we see it as a failure of SPP, nor the confident success of PAP in recapturing the seat. The truth is, there is still some misinterpretation of what Potong Pasir residents really want to make it their kind of town, and a forward-looking one at that. By all counts, both parties still have a long way to go.
—
Read Part 1 HERE.
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
What does one expect when the ruling party made it so difficult for the ex MP Chiam to upgrade the town. This is what the PAP has achieved in the end. They broke the will of most voters. How pathetic it was to conduct meet the people session in a cardboard box! This is discrimination, pure and simple!
Once promises delivered, Potong Pasir vanishes and splits in two; one for mould mane car lung and the other bihun tua pek ho. Gone and forever.
Jerry Mandarin Crooks
Wrote this some time ago.
http://speakspokewritewrote.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/please-stop-scolding-potong-pasir-residents-can/
don’t like jerry mandarins much, but indeed it may well be the staple food.
btw photo shows a sunbird on a tree by the kallang river. fortunately for pp residents, depriving us of tax payers money cannot take away what nature gives.
The withholding of taxpayers’ money to improve public housing in Potong Pasir is proof of PAP’s hypocrisy and corruption. This is Dirty Harry’s (LKY’s) style of “gangster” politics.
27 long years, and the SPP couldn’t even accomplish something as simple as providing lifts on every floor. How do you expect people to trust the SPP? Sitoh was right to fire the town council people because they accomplished nothing. Although Chiam was a good guy, his inability to provide for the residents needs means his competence is also questionable.
vote in PAP so that the people’s money can be released to ____________________ (insert any public works project).
if you don’t vote in PAP, the people’s money will not be released to ___________________ (insert any public works project) because an excuse will be found to prevent release of the money.
without the money, non-PAP MPs cannot have the people’s money to do ANYTHING.
this is the country we have?
solution: vote in Sitoh for 1 term, release the money, then kick him out.
tell him straight in the face, Your Ideas Insult Our Intelligence.
Just reposting this impressive short film by Potong Pasir resident Togusa Chan about the estate, for those who might have missed it reading Part 1 of this series: http://t.co/ap5fwH7
@rivergate:
Chiam couldn’t achieve it because the PAP government intended to punish the PP residents. A terrible abuse of power.
Voters in Potong Pasir are in need of much estate renewal upgrading programs. Mr Sitoh have to hurry up and provide the promises to materialize fast and be able to hold on to his seat in 2016. He cannot be complacent for today’s demanding voters. The world is changing. PAP grassroots intelligence and brainpower must upgrade or he will be weak link. Maybe Potong Pasir will be reapportioned.
voters? wait till 2016 b4 GE, then you have the upgrading…remember he came wo any backup from PAP. He is indepentant unlike others GRC, esp TPL.
I suspect the “upgrading” would take part in stages that will transcend more than one more GE.. Oh there will be some action to appease the general public, just not everything at one go. They’re not stupid.
Just pray that you’re not kicked out of your homes while they rebuild the aging buildings with fancier, albeit smaller flats – Oh we’re just keeping our promise to upgrade the area, thats what the residents wanted right?
(Punishment for those who have gone against them for so long maybe?)
Btw, no blame should come to Mr Chiam for failing to secure upgrades. Anyone with half a brain knows its not his fault!
Are people really looking forward to getting back PP in 2016? We all know it’ll be absorbed into some GRC somewhere.
The chairman of my company once brought up the case of Potong Pasir during our monthly board meeting. He made it very clear that he didn’t want his management staff across his companies to possess the same kind of mentality as PAP. He quoted example of how Potong Pasir residents were being ill-treated and the lack of humanity inside PAP. Everyone applauded. No wonder there is strong sense of loyalty from the staff and majority stayed with the company almost throughout their life. This is the kind of boss with great compassion we should look up to.
“Fix it where it is worth”
This is something that I strongly agree. At my mother’s place, even good functional Japanese lifts, which stops at every floor, was upgraded…. again.
“Fix it where it is worth”. We like this comment, practical and pragmatic.
Other than that, lay off all the shopping centres and river upgrading. Don’t want the small town and peaceful style of living to be spoilt by noise and grosteque buildings.
But then, it is up to the Potong Pasirnites to take charge, we are outsiders, have no say.
Did Potong Pasir’s resident exempted from paying taxes that deprived them from upgrading?
We should encourage and support the Potong Pasir’s residents. Without them, there is gotten any foothold for the opposition party in Singapore, not to mention Hougang and Aljunia GRC.
Guessed that Singaporean already has one mindset that PAP is the only party and that when your estate is not a PAP ward, it is dammed foolish not to vote for them. This mindset has to be changed for more opposition parties in Singapore. It will be a NORM.
It is ridicule to comment that Potong Pasir is a slump estate afterall they are our fellow Singaporean, and they pay taxes too. They should enjoy the privileges and benefits regardless the estate is a ruling or opposition ward without being compromised.
Bet you that EP candidate, Tony Tan has a top priority to unite the people. This only quoted by PM Lee and no doubt about it.
Unfair treatment to the oppositon ward will be the past. Vote for Tony Tan, and not TCB or TKL.
Trust me,Singapore citizens are held hostage to almost everything by the PAP government.They can delay your withdrawal of your CPF money if they want to. In an almost monoplistic economy, they do not want to improve the transport system if they do not want to,they can increase prices of almost anything from public housing,utilities,taxes etc if they want to,they will not you speak your mind in the state media if they do not like to see what you write or what you say
Trust Tony Tan. He will prove that he will unite Singaporean. A man with dignity, and discharge his duties with judgment and integrity.
Vote for independent candidate, Tony Tan, NOT PAP.
Justice and Equality. Lest and not last, SINGAPOREAN FIRST (NO COMPROMISE).
Tony Tan can delievred, Not TCB or TKL.
Your last quest , VOTE FOR TONY TAN.
Don’t trust Tony Tan. Can’t unite Singaporeans, already polarized like Thailand. Discharge his duties under instrictions from PAP.
Vote for the real independent candidate, definitely not Tony. Vote for Tony is voting for the PAP again.
Singaporeans last, PAP first, if you vote Tony.
Tony could deliver only if PAP says so, if no, can’t deliver.
Last request, don’t vote Tony Tan.
Youve to avogue tonytanky hairdo to garnervotes on his b1/2.
“Fix it where it is worth”.
Vote for Tony Tan, his trademark hairstyle worth priceless, his trademark spectacles is priceless. His face is priceless, his reputation is priceless.
Vote for TONY TAN, fix it where is worth.
Tony is part of the Leegime that deprive Potong Pasir residents of lift upgrading. It takes at least 10 years for Tony to clear his name from PAP. Todate, he is still PAP people, backed and endorsed by PAP. I will not vote for someone like him.
Latest trusted upbeat brand internationally acclaimed:
TONYTANKY ®
outdoing DNKY® KATPLSPADE® GILA ROGUE® and the whole range of international brands.
nathan speaks, pap says ‘be good’,
tcb, tkl speak, pap ‘ignore’,
tonytan speaks, pap compromise for face saving situation example, upgrading, foreigner, grc, etc, etc…
vote for Tony Tan to undo what had being done.
VOTE FOR TONY TAN..
some of the freaking mps have the audicity to call pp a slum,who is the hand that feeds it to be a slum,you miw is the cause of it don put the blame on mr chiam his hands are tied,at the mercy of the devils,if he is treated as fairly as the others under the devils,he could very well do pp proud,so devils don ever think you are only one,i have been a staunch supporter of the devils until a few years back when i gave up,you devils only care for yourselves,enough said you do your freaking job and stop commenting on the oppies,they are much cleaner and whiter than you devils in disguise are,one of this day the opps will rise and white becomes black,nowadays my blood boil whenever i hear MIW.
No Sorry Mindset, No TT & TCB, Yes TKL as Our Singapore EP
Tonytanky®
the sole branding of
THE WHITE DEVILS
GROUP OF CRONIES
(auditax-xempt)
ROS aka Reddot
With the advent of the duocasinosa
TonTinTan presides legally bonafide
Tony Tan will set you free from the pharaoh.
True Democracy, human rights, humanity, freedom of speech, responsibilty, compassionate and love will prevail.
Vote for Tony Tan.
Chiam See Tong was the one to ask for lifts on every floor for Potong Pasir in his political broadcast during the 2006 GE.During his tenure as MP for PP he was persistent in asking the government and HBD what year will PP be accorded the upgrading when the government announced that even opposition wards will be included in the upgrading they never replied the affirmative.Residents in PP were clamouring for new lifts so in order not to waste any time Mr Chiam replaced some lifts costing a considerable sum of money.after when we started the HDB announced that lift upgrading will start in August this year.Our Town Council was involved throughout the initial planning of the lift upgrading including finance. We were very much involved and were confident that we have the ability to see it through the whole exercise of the lift upgrading for the whole estate.Even until as late as May just before the GE our team in the TC were involved with the project.
It was wrong to comment that Chiam See Tong was not instrumental or have not play any part in securing lift upgrading for PP.
Please check CST political broadcast on the 2006 GE
Mrs Lina Chiam
Vote for Tan Jee Say. DO NOT VOTE FOR DR TONY TAN!! Vote for Tan Jee Say as President!