Mr Lee’s legacy a source of pride for residents
As Singapore gears up for the General Election (GE), TODAY takes an in-depth look at the constituencies where key electoral battles could be fought. Kicking off the series is Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), where founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had served for six decades before his death in March. Residents there could be heading to the ballot box for the first time since the GRC’s formation in 1991.
SINGAPORE — Two words sum up the significance of the 2015 General Election for residents of Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency: Legacy and novelty.
It is the first GE since Singapore’s independence that will not feature founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who died in March. His legacy will, nonetheless, loom large in the area that he had served since 1955, going by what residents from various parts of the GRC told TODAY. This newspaper made several visits to the constituency, beginning earlier this year.
And for the first time since its formation as a GRC in 1991, Tanjong Pagar could see a contest for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) by way of the Singaporeans First (SingFirst) party led by Mr Tan Jee Say. For long-time residents, this will mean the novel experience of voting in a GE for the first time in 24 years.
In Spottiswoode Park estate — a rustic enclave in Mr Lee’s ward a stone’s throw from the business district, swanky condominiums and hipster cafes — residents were distinctly more effusive in acknowledging his contributions than other areas in Tanjong Pagar GRC that TODAY visited. They spoke of how the founding fathers transformed Singapore from a fledgling state with no natural resources to a modern metropolis.
“It was a very difficult journey to get here, and the (Government) has always delivered on its promises, and took good care of us,” said 85-year-old Pun Yet Kin, who noted how Singapore was dependent on Malaysia for water in the 1960s, but is able to produce a significant amount of its own water now.
Proudly fishing out the Pioneer Generation card from her bag,Mdm Pun said the package, introduced last year, has helped to defray medical costs significantly.
Residents’ Committee member Hadijah Mohd Shariff, 71, recalls shaking hands and taking a photo with the late Mr Lee at a party more than 10 years ago. He laughed when she told him she had only seen him on television until then, she said.
“I’ve stayed here for so long and only had one MP (Member of Parliament),” said Mdm Hadijah, a grandmother of six who lives with her husband and a domestic helper. She spoke in glowing terms of Spottiswoode Park’s living environment and community spirit.
Once, a stranger saw her standing near the foot of her block and offered her a ride in his car to her destination. She declined the kind offer, replying that she was waiting for her husband.
Asked about an opposition party interested to contest in Tanjong Pagar, the residents said they would be keen to see the level of support it garners after votes have been cast.
Over at Cambridge Road near Pek Kio Market and Food Centre, the prevailing sentiment echoed was the desire for national stability. The area, a part of Moulmein-Kallang GRC overseen by outgoing Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, has been newly redrawn into Tanjong Pagar GRC.
Some residents noted that the PAP’s new faces, former Assistant Police Commissioner Melvin Yong and Temasek Cares assistant general manager Joan Pereira have been going door-to-door to say hello and drum up support. The other faces likely to be fielded by the PAP in Tanjong Pagar are labour chief and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing, Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Indranee Rajah and surgeon Chia Shi-lu.
SingFirst will only confirm its line-up for Tanjong Pagar today at the nomination centre, but over the weekend, the five-member team seen in the GRC comprised of party chairman and psychiatrist Ang Yong Guan, party secretary-general Tan Jee Say, sales executive Melvyn Chiu, risk manager Chirag Desai and media consultant Fahmi Rais. In 2011, Dr Ang and Mr Tan contested in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC with the Singapore Democratic Party, but later set up SingFirst.
None of the Pek Kio residents approached harboured strong views about electoral boundary changes. “It doesn’t make a difference … as long as the country is peaceful and doing well, I’m happy,” said a sales executive who only wanted to be known as Mr Lim.
Another resident and shopowner said: “I just hope the new MP will help if approached.”
The 46-year-old, who only wanted to be known as Ms Ang, has run a shop there for over 30 years and lived in the estate for almost 18 years. She voiced the hope that shop rentals would not go up when her lease is up for renewal at the end of the year. Asked about factors she would consider when voting this time, she said: “I want stability, I don’t want chaos and I don’t like the messiness seen in other countries.”
While a hallmark of Tanjong Pagar is its mature housing estates, some of them now host new residential developments, leading to an infusion of new and younger families.
New flats coveted for their location include the SkyTerrace@Dawson and SkyVille@Dawson, which feature flexible layouts and a “housing in a park” concept. Construction of new housing continues in Dawson.
WHAT YOUNGER RESIDENTS THINK
Younger residents generally displayed more openness to the presence of an opposition party and curiosity of what it stands for.
Architect Alvin Liau, 35, acknowledged that Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy might secure some votes, but said the Opposition could win others over if it shows it is there for the long term. “We’ve got to see how SingFirst differentiates itself from the incumbent,” said the Strathmore resident of seven years, who said he would like the party to campaign on national issues.
While he believes it is the PAP that has the capability to run the country, fresh graduate Lin Yanxiang, 26, said he welcomed the idea of an Opposition, and will listen to their rallies and read their manifestos before judging for himself. “As a young adult, I’m concerned about how these people will be running the country for the next five to 10 years … as well as issues like cost of living and how I can sustain myself in the future,” he said.
Mei Ling Street resident Alex Chen, 35, said he would also see what the Opposition has to offer. After living in Tanjong Pagar for 12 years, Mr Chen, who is between jobs, said he was “definitely excited” about voting. “I’ve heard many of the older folks are loyal to the PAP. Maybe the younger voters will be more open to what opposition parties have to say,” he said.
Mr Chen said he and his peers “may just vote for change”, although they are mindful that it could come at a price, for instance, if the opposition team is not prepared to run a town council. He said he wants MPs who are in tune with sentiments on the ground. Issues that concern him are the affordability of public housing and Certificate of Entitlement premiums for vehicles, as he may need a car if he secures a sales job.
Residents had few quibbles with municipal issues, but some cited noise from the construction of new flats and the lack of open space in the newer parts of Dawson and Queenstown to hold traditional activities such as temple celebrations and prayers. On the latter issue, development “could have been better planned”, said 73-year-old retiree Tan Ah Nee.
For Tanjong Pagar rental flat residents Nurul Anis, 28, and her sister Firozie, 33, cost of living and raising children were the important issues. Ms Nurul, who lives in Henderson, said her rent went up from S$150 to S$350 after her warehouse assistant husband received a pay raise. But after paying for transport to get to work and school-related expenses of their two children aged four and five, there is precious little left of his S$1,700 monthly salary. “We have no money to go to shopping malls, so we only go to the playground and my sister’s place,” she said.
She visits her sister about once a week at Mei Ling Street to get away from her Henderson estate, which she said was heavily littered with cup noodles, melted ice-cream and remnants of fires set by children. “It’s not the cleaners’ fault … but we should send the National Environment Agency here to fine litterbugs,” she said.
Formerly in insurance sales and engineering, she aspires to buy a three-room Build-To-Order flat with her husband in a few years, when she returns to the workforce after her children enter Primary One. “My husband has to do a lot of overtime (to earn more) and it feels like I am ‘married’ to my children,” she said. On voting in this GE, she said: “I just go because it’s compulsory … I already have (my hands full) with my kids.”
