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Png Eng Huat: Hougang is Not for Sale!

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12 years ago

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~ By Benjamin Cheah ~

“Hougang is not for sale!” Mr Png Eng Huat declared. In his maiden rally of the Hougang by-election, this is the battle cry of the Workers’ Party (WP) as it kicks off its campaign for Hougang in earnest.

The rally focused on a central narrative: the residents of Hougang voting for the Workers’ Party, in spite of threats and promises from the People’s Action Party. “For the past 20 years, Hougang voters have been zapped by lightning,” Party Chairman Ms Sylvia Lim said. After consistently returning a WP candidate to Parliament in past elections, the government has reduced public transport routes in Hougang and gave opposition-held wards the least priority for flat upgrading schemes. The People’s Action Party (PAP) has also promised Hougang a hundred million-dollar flat upgrading program should voters send a PAP candidate to Parliament. In spite of this, she said, the voters of Hougang stood firm and continued to vote in the Workers’ Party. She thanked the voters for continuing to vote for the opposition,saying “we’ve only just begun” and “the best is yet to come”.

Supporting this narrative was a hailstorm of criticism aimed at the PAP’s policies. “Many problems faced by Hougang residents are national issues,” Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Chen Show Mao said, mentioning the income gap, job prospects and cost of living. Speaker after speaker followed this theme, pointing their fingers at the PAP.
 
Party veteran Mr Lim Ee Ping argued that achieving better work-life balance is a better solution to the falling birth rate than increasing the number of immigrants. Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Yee Jenn Jong criticised the number of scholarships awarded to foreign students, arguing that many of them do not achieve high academic standards and do not contribute to Singapore, and questioning the policy’s effectiveness. MP Mr Pritam Singh launched a scathing review of corrupt PAP politicians, such as Choo Wee Khiang and Teh Cheang Wan, saying that the people “cannot rely on the PAP to set the standards of politics.” “We will put things right, no matter what the cost!” Mr Singh added.
 
NCMP Mr Gerald Giam criticised the recent MRT breakdowns, stating that the government imported a large number of foreigners without upgrading the infrastructure to match the increased capacity. Mr Giam said that the WP has voiced the people’s concerns, and the WP needs more MPs in Parliament to better represent the people’s wishes.
 
Mr Png continued the narrative, saying the PAP “does not know anything about building an inclusive society” and “one thing you should never do is threaten voters”. Mr Png pointed out that Anson constituency, once held by the opposition, had disappeared, and Potong Pasir might suffer the same fate. He said Hougang must never forget this fact, and the children of Hougang must never forget that their parents had sacrificed much for their country. He argued that the PAP “threatened” democracy, and urged the crowd to “keep our fragile democracy alive”. Adding that Singapore has “a long way to go towards a First World Parliament”, he asked voters to vote WP for a First World Parliament.
 
Inevitably, the speakers drew comparisons between Mr Png and his PAP rival, Mr Desmond Choo. Speakers were initially content to highlight Mr Png’s positive traits. They spoke about his dedication to his family and community, his technical know-how, and his familiarity with the workings of Parliament thanks to his background as Mr Low’s Legislative Assistant. Mr Giam emphasised that he is a “good man” who has the ability to “analyze policies that affect the lives of the people”.
 
During his closing speech, Mr Low drew comparisons between Mr Png and his PAP counterpart, Mr Desmond Choo. Focusing on Mr Png’s affiliations, Mr Low questioned Mr Choo’s previous assertions that he can be an independent voice, saying that Mr Choo could not be truly independent unless he ran as an independent candidate. Mr Low also implied that Mr Choo’s candidacy was irrelevant. Mr Choo is a grassroots advisor and a unionist, Mr Low said, so Mr Choo would need to fulfil his election promises anyway.
 
The shadow of the Yaw Shin Leong scandal briefly emerged during the rally. Mr Singh’s remark on making things right might have been a veiled reference to the party expelling Mr Yaw, which triggered the by-election. Mr Low said that the WP had to show “political courage” by sacking Mr Yaw. Just as briefly, all mentions of Mr Yaw disappeared. It appeared to be an attempt to address the still-ongoing concerns about the incident, but the
rally was clearly focused on promoting the party and Mr Png.
 
The most striking observation throughout the rally was the reaction of the crowd. About 8,000 people turned out during the rally, but they were significantly quieter than rally-goers during the 2012 general elections. Despite multiple attempts to rally the crowd, most notably by Mr Giam during his speech, much of the audience failed to respond to the speakers. Much of the cheering seemed to have come from WP supporters and volunteers near the front; the back ranks of the crowd were noticeably quiet. The crowd only came to life when Ms Lim and Mr Low took the stage — and during certain pointed remarks aimed at the PAP. Even Mr Low had to encourage the crowd to cheer for Mr Png when it was his turn to speak, and even that
did not result in much greater enthusiasm.
 
The crowd reaction, coupled with the WP’s focus on national issues, suggests that the WP is banking on its brand name for this by-election. Mr Choo arguably has greater ground experience and visibility than Mr Png, first by being the PAP’s Hougang candidate during the general election and later by serving as the grassroots advisor. Mr Png’s reception indicates that he has won the support of relatively few people who are not already WP supporters.
 
While the speakers did take time to paint Mr Png in a positive light, the primary purpose of the rally was to criticise the PAP and further promote the WP concept of a First World Parliament and the general notion of democracy in Singapore.
 
This may be the only logical approach for the WP. Mr Png cannot hope to close the gap in exposure and experience with Mr Choo during the hustings. The party has to use its brand to counter Mr Choo’s personality, and to play the underdog opposition card as much as it can. If the crowd reaction is any gauge, the contest for Hougang is too close to call at this stage. One thing seems to be sure, though: the WP needs to fight hard to come anywhere close to the heights of popularity it achieved during GE2011.
 
This article is published by The Online Citizen, 20 Maxwell Road, #09-17 Maxwell House, Singapore 069113.
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Current Affairs

Ng Eng Hen: Dust clouds likely caused armoured vehicle collision during Exercise Wallaby

Dust clouds limiting visibility likely contributed to the collision between two Hunter vehicles during Exercise Wallaby, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen explained in his parliamentary reply. 12 servicemen sustained mild injuries, but safety measures prevented more serious outcomes. A formal investigation is ongoing to ensure further safety improvements.

Published

2 days ago

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16 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: Low visibility caused by dust clouds was identified as the likely cause of the collision between two Hunter armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) during Exercise Wallaby last month, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a written parliamentary response on Tuesday (15 October).

The incident, which occurred in Queensland, Australia, on 24 September 2024, resulted in mild injuries to 12 servicemen.

Dr Ng’s statement was in response to a parliamentary question from Mr Dennis Tan, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Hougang SMC.

Mr Tan asked for details on the accident, specifically its cause and whether any lessons could be applied to enhance training and operational safety within the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The collision took place during a night-time movement of Hunter AFVs at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

The vehicles were returning to base when one rear-ended another. Dr Ng explained that the dust clouds generated by the AFVs’ movement significantly impaired visibility, might likely contributing to the accident.

The 12 affected servicemen sustained mild injuries and were promptly taken to the nearest medical facility.

None of the injuries required hospitalisation, and all 12 servicemen were able to rejoin their units for training the next day.

According to the minister, adherence to safety protocols—such as wearing seat belts and protective gear—played a crucial role in limiting the injuries to mild ones.

Following the incident, a safety pause was immediately implemented, with all drivers being reminded to maintain proper safety distances, especially when visibility was compromised.

Troops were also reminded to adhere strictly to safety protocols, including the proper use of safety equipment, Dr Ng added.

The safety lessons from the incident were shared not only with the affected units but also with other participating groups in the exercise, as well as units back in Singapore, through dedicated safety briefings.

Mr Tan also asked about the broader implications of the incident. In his response, Dr Ng said that a formal investigation had been launched in accordance with SAF’s safety incident protocol.

The investigation aims to assess the circumstances more thoroughly and identify any further measures that could be taken to enhance safety.

Dr Ng shared that recommendations arising from the investigation will be implemented where necessary.

Exercise Wallaby is SAF’s largest unilateral overseas exercise, and the 2024 edition began on 8 September, running until 3 November.

The exercise involves approximately 6,200 personnel, including 500 operationally ready national servicemen.

The exercise has been conducted at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland since 1990, and it is a key part of SAF’s overseas training program.

The Hunter AFV, one of the vehicles involved in the collision, is a state-of-the-art platform jointly developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency, the Singapore Army, and ST Engineering.

It replaced the SAF’s aging fleet of Ultra M113 AFVs in 2019, which had been in service since the 1970s. The Hunter is equipped with advanced features, including a 30mm cannon, a 76mm smoke grenade launcher, and an automatic target detection and

tracking system designed to enhance operational effectiveness. It is also capable of traveling at increased speeds and covering longer distances, making it a versatile asset for the SAF.

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Current Affairs

Government to “carefully consider” Lee Hsien Yang’s demolition application for 38 Oxley Road

The Singapore Government will “carefully consider” Mr Lee Hsien Yang (LHY)’s application to demolish the house at 38 Oxley Road. LHY announced his intent on Tuesday morning following the recent death of his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, reaffirming his commitment to honour his parents’ wish for the house’s demolition.

Published

3 days ago

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15 October 2024

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The Singapore Government has indicated that it will “carefully consider” Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s (LHY) application to demolish the family home at 38 Oxley Road.

LHY, the youngest son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, the late Lee Kuan Yew (LKY), announced his intention to apply for the demolition in a Facebook post on 15 October 2024, following the death of his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, on 9 October.

The announcement marks a significant development in the ongoing saga over the fate of the historically significant property, which has been at the heart of a family dispute since LKY’s passing in 2015.

In his will, executed in December 2013, LKY expressed his desire for the house to be demolished “immediately after” Dr Lee moved out of the property. Dr Lee, a prominent neurologist, had been the last remaining resident of the house.

LHY reaffirmed his commitment to carrying out his father’s wishes, stating, “After my sister’s passing, I am the only living executor of my father’s estate. It is my duty to carry out his wishes to the fullest extent of the law.”

He added that he would seek to build a small private dwelling on the site, which would be “held within the family in perpetuity”.

LHY also referenced his brother, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (LHL) remarks in Parliament in 2015, when he was Prime Minister, stating that upon Dr Lee’s passing, the decision to demolish the house would rest with the “Government of the day.”

In response to media queries regarding LHY’s announcement, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Development (MND) acknowledged the intended application and emphasised that the Government would “carefully consider issues related to the property in due course”.

The spokesperson also highlighted that any decision would need to balance LKY’s wishes, public interest, and the historical value of the house.

The house at 38 Oxley Road, where key decisions about Singapore’s path to independence were made, has been a focal point of public and political discussion.

The future of the house became contentious in 2017 when LHY and Dr Lee publicly accused their elder brother, LHL, of trying to preserve the house against their father’s wishes for political reasons.

LHL denied the accusations, issuing a Ministerial Statement in Parliament, where he also raised concerns over the preparation of their father’s final will. He clarified that he had recused himself from all decisions regarding the property and affirmed that any government action would be impartial.

In 2018, a “secret” ministerial committee, which was formed in 2016 to study the future of 38 Oxley Road, proposed three options: preserving the property and designating it as a national monument, partially demolishing the house while retaining the historically significant basement dining room, or allowing complete demolition for redevelopment. LHL accepted the committee’s conclusions but stated that no immediate decision was necessary, as Dr Lee was still living in the house.

In a statement conveyed by LHY on behalf of Dr Lee after her passing, she reiterated her strong support for her father’s wish to demolish the house. “My father, Lee Kuan Yew, and my mother, Kwa Geok Choo, had an unwavering and deeply felt wish for their house at 38 Oxley Road to be demolished upon the last parent’s death,” the statement read.

She added, “He had also appealed directly to the people of Singapore. Please honour my father by honouring his wish for his home to be demolished.”

Despite selling the house to LHY at market value in 2015, LHL’s stance regarding the house’s preservation became a public issue, especially after the family disclosed that the Government had raised concerns about reinstating the demolition clause in the 2013 will. The ministerial committee had reviewed the matter, but a final decision was deferred until now.

The fate of 38 Oxley Road remains to be seen, but the Government’s decision will likely have lasting implications for the legacy of the Lee family and the conservation of Singapore’s historical landmarks.

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