Murali’s first Meet-the-People session sees larger than usual turnout
Bukit Batok SMC MP Murali Pillai greeting residents and well-wishers at his Meet-the-People Session yesterday. He was sworn into Parliament earlier in the day, after beating SDP chief Chee Soon Juan in the Bukit Batok by-election on Saturday. Photo: Jason Quah
SINGAPORE — An hour before the first Meet-the-People session kicked off for freshly elected Member of Parliament (MP) Murali Pillai yesterday, a longer-than-usual queue had already started snaking under Block 148, Bukit Batok West.
Mr Murali, a 48-year-old lawyer, was sworn into Parliament earlier in the day, after beating Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan in the Bukit Batok by-election on Saturday.
Arriving at around 8pm at the PAP Community Foundation office, where the session was being held, Mr Murali greeted the waiting residents warmly in various languages and shook their hands. Spotting an elderly resident in the queue, he told a volunteer to find her a seat.
Another resident, 57-year-old Koh Lee Moi, hung a garland around his neck to congratulate him on his win.
Speaking to reporters outside the office, Mr Murali said he was looking forward to meeting the residents.
“Activists told me we have a good number. I hope to meet up with them and process their cases as quickly as I can. I don’t want their waiting time to be too long,” he said.
Before the session, Mr Murali attended his first Parliament seating and had a meeting to discuss the organising of community events for residents.
Mr Leow Boon Swee, People’s Action Party’s Bukit Batok branch secretary, told reporters that it was common for the crowd to swell before and after a new MP enters office, but the number of residents would later “taper down”.
The number of volunteers was not bumped up for last night’s session, with about 20 helping out as usual. Volunteers estimated the crowd size to be around 80 by 8pm. Previous turnouts, they said, hovered between 50 and 70 residents for the entire session.
Mr Mohd Noor Abdullah, 64, who is wheelchair-bound and unemployed, arrived at 5.30pm to be first in line. The divorcee lives with his daughter, and wanted to see his new MP for financial help. “I’ve confidence in him. I’ve seen him two to three times (during the campaign) and I hope he’ll do his best for the people in Bukit Batok, like what he promised,” he said.
Mr Chong Chee Koon, a part-time worker, arrived just before 7pm to ask for supermarket vouchers. “I thought if I came early today, I don’t have to wait so long. I didn’t expect such a long queue,” he said in Mandarin.
Asked if he thought there would be any language barrier speaking to Mr Murali, Mr Chong, 52, was unfazed. “He has translators. Besides, I don’t mind speaking to his volunteers.”
After former Bukit Batok MP David Ong resigned in March, allegedly due to an affair with a grassroots activist, Jurong GRC MP Desmond Lee stood in to helm the Meet-the-People sessions every Monday.
