WP's slogan too abstract, says DPM Teo
By Elgin Toh
DEPUTY Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean took a swipe at the Workers' Party's (WP's) 'First World Parliament' slogan, dismissing it as too abstract a concept for ordinary Singaporeans to grasp.
'It's not something that connects with the man in the street,' he said, after a morning of campaigning at the Punggol MRT station, in his own Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
'It's very distant from what their immediate interests are. They want to make sure there's a good MP who will run their estate properly.'
His view is based on what residents have told him, he said.
Given this insight, he said the priority for voters in Aljunied GRC, this election's most closely watched battle, is to vote for the team that can best look after their interests at the local level.
What it boils down to, he added, 'is a good MP who will run their estate properly, maintain it, and if they have a problem, there's somebody whom they can approach who can help them solve their problem'.
On the intense national interest in the contest, Mr Teo said 'it's not for the rest of Singapore to vote in Aljunied, it's for the voters in Aljunied to vote'.
He also said the opposition was putting a 'very heavy burden' on Aljunied residents by asking them to vote in the best interest of the rest of Singapore, rather than in their own best interest.
'It's not their responsibility. Voters of Aljunied should vote for themselves. And voters everywhere else in Singapore should also vote for the candidates and the teams whom they think can serve them best.'
He acknowledged people's desire for more opposition representation, but noted that the expanded Non-Constituency MP scheme ensured 'at least three times as many opposition voices in Parliament' after the general election.
'Vigorous debate will be there,' he said.
On the ongoing dispute between some Hougang residents and the Hougang town council over an HUDC privatisation project, Mr Teo expressed puzzlement over the reaction of WP chief Low Thia Khiang, who is chairman of the town council.
'I'm not sure why he makes it an attack on his character. It's a factual issue. So far as I understand, the estate that is being privatised asked for some information, which has usually been very forthcoming from other town councils.
'I think the question is simply: Why is that information not forthcoming? I don't see that as a personal attack. It's something which is the responsibility of every town council to fulfil.'
Mr Low has been heading the town council for the past 20 years and is now leading the WP team in Aljunied GRC.
On Monday, the People's Action Party's Aljunied candidate Lim Hwee Hua accused him of keeping 'messy accounts' and not revealing to residents details of how the sinking fund will be split in view of the privatisation of the HUDC estate.
Mr Low said the account-splitting process took time and was moving in accordance with the rules. He called Ms Lim's attack 'an accusation on my character'.
By Elgin Toh
DEPUTY Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean took a swipe at the Workers' Party's (WP's) 'First World Parliament' slogan, dismissing it as too abstract a concept for ordinary Singaporeans to grasp.
'It's not something that connects with the man in the street,' he said, after a morning of campaigning at the Punggol MRT station, in his own Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
'It's very distant from what their immediate interests are. They want to make sure there's a good MP who will run their estate properly.'
His view is based on what residents have told him, he said.
Given this insight, he said the priority for voters in Aljunied GRC, this election's most closely watched battle, is to vote for the team that can best look after their interests at the local level.
What it boils down to, he added, 'is a good MP who will run their estate properly, maintain it, and if they have a problem, there's somebody whom they can approach who can help them solve their problem'.
On the intense national interest in the contest, Mr Teo said 'it's not for the rest of Singapore to vote in Aljunied, it's for the voters in Aljunied to vote'.
He also said the opposition was putting a 'very heavy burden' on Aljunied residents by asking them to vote in the best interest of the rest of Singapore, rather than in their own best interest.
'It's not their responsibility. Voters of Aljunied should vote for themselves. And voters everywhere else in Singapore should also vote for the candidates and the teams whom they think can serve them best.'
He acknowledged people's desire for more opposition representation, but noted that the expanded Non-Constituency MP scheme ensured 'at least three times as many opposition voices in Parliament' after the general election.
'Vigorous debate will be there,' he said.
On the ongoing dispute between some Hougang residents and the Hougang town council over an HUDC privatisation project, Mr Teo expressed puzzlement over the reaction of WP chief Low Thia Khiang, who is chairman of the town council.
'I'm not sure why he makes it an attack on his character. It's a factual issue. So far as I understand, the estate that is being privatised asked for some information, which has usually been very forthcoming from other town councils.
'I think the question is simply: Why is that information not forthcoming? I don't see that as a personal attack. It's something which is the responsibility of every town council to fulfil.'
Mr Low has been heading the town council for the past 20 years and is now leading the WP team in Aljunied GRC.
On Monday, the People's Action Party's Aljunied candidate Lim Hwee Hua accused him of keeping 'messy accounts' and not revealing to residents details of how the sinking fund will be split in view of the privatisation of the HUDC estate.
Mr Low said the account-splitting process took time and was moving in accordance with the rules. He called Ms Lim's attack 'an accusation on my character'.
