Khaw's Sembawang plan does not address priorities of residents

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Thursday, 28 April 2011

James Gomez

When asked to account from the $500 million Sembawang renewal plan, Khaw in typical PAP fashion is evading the question.

One day into the campaign, the PAP team in Sembawang is already trying to wriggle out of a corner. PAP candidate Khaw Boon Wan said: "If they (SDP) don't even know how public projects are financed, then better not entrust them with the responsibility of running the Government."

Mr Khaw and his PAP team needs to account for his $500 million plan and how well his plan is going to help the residents of Sembawang's pressing issues related to the rising cost of living, influx of large amounts of foreign labour and depressed wages.

Instead of answering the question, Mr Khaw is telling us that the Sembawang GRC will team up with Nee Soon GRC to form one town council even before election results are known! Mr Khaw and his team needs to tell Singaporeans how his plan is financially prioritised to help the residents of Sembawang GRC.

The SDP Sembawang team comprising of John Tan, Jarrod Luo, Sadasivam, Mohd Isa and I want to know how many households are in arrears of service & conservancy fees. Further we want to know, how many residents have been taken court over their inability to pay these fees. This way we can determine where the priority of Town Council spending should be and how the PAP team has managed Town Council services in the last 5 years.

But instead of answering these questions, Mr Khaw evades them.

Singaporean voters need to to take note of this PAP tactic of dodging important questions.

In the remaining 8 days of the campaign the people of Singapore will see that Khaw and his team at Sembawang are not going to answer these questions of public accountability. They will be trying to wriggle out of addressing the issues that residents truly care about.

That is why residents of Sembawang need to vote the SDP Team into Parliament. There, we will ask the hard questions that the PAP is afraid to answer, but in Parliament they cannot wriggle out of it.

Note: SDP's Sembawang Team gathers daily at 8am at Block 302 coffeeshop at Marsiling (immediately opposite Marsiling MRT). Once candidates and volunteers meet at this location, the group then proceeds together by van and car to various predetermined locations within the Sembawang GRC to meet voters. All are welcome. Please wear a red top and beige/khaki bottoms. Call 84036876 for details.

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Comments (8)

Thu 28 Apr 2011 7:33 PM | No hope

Tell KBW that it is precisely because we don't know how the PAP finances public projects that we are asking these questions. Any financing project has accounts. Why is PAP afraid to talk about the accounts? This is taxpayers' money, OUR money. Why can we not know how it is spent? At least give us a simple breakdown of what the $500M will be spent on and when. Can't he even do that?

Tell him also that the SDP is not talking about how it will run the govt, but about how Sembawang TC is run by the PAP. (Sembawang my old hometown, btw. Brings back memories.)

And tell him that if we were to ask either of the 2 Oppo town councils for the expenditure breakdown, they will gladly give it, but, in glaring contrast, NONE of the PAP town councils is willing to do so.

I also want to say this to him and to the PAP. You want our votes? Then do all the upgrading and complete them BEFORE any elections. We know very well that these are vague and empty promises for the future, easily forgotten and broken the minute elections are over. As such, $5M or $500M is totally meaningless to us.

Thu 28 Apr 2011 10:55 PM | katrineyang - Focus on the Main Issue

Most of us, are just a statistic although we are Singaporeans, born and bred here. Would people earning TOP DOLLAR actually know, how stressful it is to open the mail box to find bills and more bills when the money a family earns is just enough to see the month through? Why would I bother about how much reserves Singapore has, when I am more troubled with the here and now? How does billions of dollars in reserves tell me that I'm doing better as a Singaporean?
I heard that the recent handouts, were not given to some who had outstanding payments with the tax department. I thought the handouts were supposed to help families. Why can't the tax department help structure the repayment, instead of being high handed in their collection? IF WE HAD THE MONEY, WE WILL NOT OWE. Who likes to owe money? These days, to eat in an upgraded coffee shop, also costs more than $3...how to blame the coffeeshop owners? Their rental is high.
AND whilst all this is going on, TOP DOLLAR earners are zipping around in private large cars, living in Good Class Bungalows and won't know how it feels like to not have money to eat for a day.
Let's get real here.
We need a balanced parliament so that policies and decisions are voted fairly. Think about your children. What kind of life do you think they will have, 10 years from now? HDB flats are not even affordable these days....either resale or direct purchase from the HDB.
My income and living standard HAS NOT RISEN. I am not the MOST who have seen my income and living standard risen. I voted for you, the SDP at the last election. AND you will have my vote - because it's time Singaporeans have more down to earth people, who can appreciate this hardship....when you have, you can never understand what the do not haves, are struggling about. We need ordinary people, like us, to voice our issues.
I do not need a bright future. I need to understand, that if CPF belongs to Singaporeans, why is it so difficult to access it? If this is our country, why is it, we never get the correct treatment if we go for help, but given the run around? We need to reclaim our ownership of our pink IC.
Thank you for reading.

Fri 29 Apr 2011 12:15 AM | April Fool - Upload videos of SDP Rallies

SDP please update videos of your rallies at the earliest opportunity. Many of us are overseas.

If possible, provide live streaming.

Fri 29 Apr 2011 12:43 AM | King Cobra

Dear SDP,
I've attended your rally this evening for Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC, and found your speakers are generally good, as well as, with huge crowds.

However, would wish to add some points, which I think may be of interest, as well as, useful for your speakers, during the next rally speech, and hence, are as follows.

a) MM mentioned fundamental foundations will be shaken if oppositions are elected into parliament.

Well, believe foundations had already been shaken, and hence, it's time to vote for oppositions to make the foundations strong back.

b) PAP has badly criticised and joked on Mr.Tan Jee Say proposed 60 billion dollars revamb economical package.

Well, ask the PAP what about the heavy loss of investments made, worth about USD $150 billion dollars???

Fri 29 Apr 2011 9:11 AM | Singaporeanspeaks

To Health Minister Khaw,
You are wrong to say that rising cost of living is not only a local issue, but a global one.

Rising cost of living is neither local or global issue. It is a COVETOUS ISSUE!

It is a covetous issue because almost every ruling Politician in the world has vested interests in their country's businesses such as health companies like hospitals, transport companies, power companies, housing & etc.

As these Politicians employ CEOs to run these companies and expect them to make good profit every year, they dangle golden carrots of high salaries and big bonuses.
Hence it resulted in the raising of the cost of living as these CEOs begin increasing the pricing of their products every year to project good yearly financial report AT THE EXPENSE OF ITS CITIZENS thus depriving them of their welfare when their salaries are not increased accordingly!

Fri 29 Apr 2011 7:37 AM | Prime Citizen

MOney Politic in Singapore?

PAP = Pay and Pay (Profits and Profits)
WP = Why Pay?
SDP = Singaporeans Don't Pay !
NSP = Non-Singaporeans Pay !

Fri 29 Apr 2011 10:15 AM | Prime Citizen

WE all know and politits in medicine worldwide is increasing by leap and bound, but many ignorant people suffer under the wrong paradigm of drugs and hijacked agendas from BIG Pharmaceutical players which has cost more patients died than curing. I ask Mr Khaw to rectify and justify his promise to build more hospitals in this island which are not solving the real underlying cause of public health in this island.

Fri 29 Apr 2011 12:06 PM | NT-Farcist - Many Foreign Workers Dormitory in Sembawang

I stay in Sembawang. Why did PAP MPs allowed so many dorms to be congregated in Sembawang/Woodlands area?

See for yourselves how these foreign workers swamp the streets on their bicycles every morning and evening along Canberra Rd. The bicycles occupy the entire left lane. Also, many do not stop when they encounter red light. Residents got to be extra careful. I had a near miss of being knocked down at traffic light crossing because a 20-ft orry ferrying foreign workers sped and ignored the red traffic light. The lorry was probably driven by a foreign worker as well.

When not working, many of these workers will gather at void decks and consume alcoholic drinks. Some get drunk... My daughters do not feel safe walking home at night.

Can SDP please bring this up in your rally?

Many thanks.