Thoughts From A Concerned Singaporean

A fellow Singaporean sent me a message and I thought of sharing it with you.

The writer's message (as it is) is as follows:

"We have a large and brain tank in public service. Sometimes I wonder

(1) Why we react to public needs of reducing migrant workers before increasing workforce in service industry. Strategies to overcome shortages should be in place first. For example, increase the culture and empathy for people in the service sector. Initiatives can take many forms, such as requiring Students to do ECA or internship in service sector, and increasing minimum wage of service staff. 

(2) Pilots are paid well. Taxi drivers can earn >$3k a month. Bus drivers, also shuttle many lives around. Many of them are not locals. Can you imagine bus drivers cannot convey information on bus routes during mrt breakdowns? 

(3) We link ministers' salary to link the median income of the top 1,000 earners who are Singaporean citizens, with a 40 per cent discount to reflect the ethos of political service. Couldn't the public service, under this group of leaders also re-look at the half baked solution of implementing tray return policy at hawker centers. After years of implementation, is it really working or shall we discontinue this good objective but a major implementation breakdown with ill creativity?

(4) LTA hopes to create a people centered land. Does LTA knows that aunties and uncles do not use wifi. Shouldn't visual aids on bus arrival time be indicated at every bus stops? As we age, shouldn't all bus stops have seats instead and take priority over narrow sliding benches that aims to prevent people be sleeping over it?

(5) Surely LTA has done numerous study trips overseas before implementing MRT in Singapore. LED signs in trains are often faculty or blocked in crowded trains. Announcements are muffled by rattling sounds of the train. As Riders may lose track of the approaching station after a tired day, has LTA observed that the London Underground has images of the approaching station's name along the tunnel much before the train arrival ? After all, gadgets like LED and announcements failed to delivery."

What are your thoughts?

Outreach In Potong Pasir SMC

We knocked at every door. From floor to floor and block to block, we walked. From Toa Payoh Lorong 8 to Potong Pasir and back and forth, we walked. I can't remember how many times we did this and we met and spoke with so many people.

From stall to stall, coffeeshop to coffeeshop, table to table, shop to shop, street to street, we walked.  There were people who recognised me, called out my name, waved to me, embraced me, wiped my sweat and asked to take pictures with me.

The people in Potong Pasir SMC make me feel so much at home and I feel more and more connected to this ward with each visit. They invited me into their homes, talked to me about their experiences and encouraged me to come visit them more often. This ward has so much character and the residents are so approachable and direct that you can't help liking them. 

I enjoy doing my walkabouts in this ward and meeting the residents. It's such a joy each time I walk here. And my team feels it too.

Why I cannot join SPP to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC

Some netizens have expressed their wish that I avoid a 3-corner fight with SPP and reconsider the suggestion by a cadre member of SPP to join them instead to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

I am glad that there is an intense interest in the contest in Potong Pasir SMC which would otherwise have been just another one of those constituencies with only 2 choices for voters in the coming general elections.

Please allow me to explain why the suggestion is not workable. 

1. I have no wish to be a party-hopper and made this commitment to myself when I joined the National Solidarity Party ("NSP"). I repeated this commitment to myself when I left NSP. 

2. There are many former members from NSP who have joined SPP. If I join SPP, I will be seen as part of the NSP faction in SPP and this will not be in the best interests of SPP.

3. Every political party has its internal politics and I am totally unfamiliar with SPP's culture and internal workings. And I have no wish to be embroiled in any internal party politics at this time.

4. It would not be fair for me to displace anyone in the team that has already been formed to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh for all the efforts that he/she may have put in.

5. It takes time for the members in SPP's team for the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC to know each other and they would have formed their synergy by now. It would not be right for me to disrupt their team spirit at this crucial time.

I thank all those netizens who support my decision to contest in Potong Pasir SMC and those who encourage me to remain firm in my decision. May the best candidate in Potong Pasir SMC win on his or her own merits.