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[h=2]MP Sitoh: Setting up of wellness centre unnecessarily politicised[/h]
October 7th, 2012 |
Author: Editorial
MP Sitoh Yih Pin of Potong Pasir
The news of setting up of a wellness centre at Block 108 Potong Pasir Avenue 1 has been unnecessarily politicised, according to MP Sitoh Yih Pin of Potong Pasir.
He gave a full account of the decision during a dialogue session at the end of a ministerial visit to the Potong Pasir constituency today (7 Oct).
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong visited Potong Pasir today to get a sense of the demographic profile of the constituency. A series of activities were lined up for his visit.
The elderly make up nearly half of the residents of Potong Pasir.
It is believed that voluntary welfare organisation Wan Ming, which has been in the area since 2002, is setting up the wellness centre at Block 108, the place where former MP Chiam See Tong held his meet-the-people sessions.
Mr Sitoh explained, “This whole process took months, it’s not within a day or week that we decided on Block 108. If you want to build anything at the void deck, there are many considerations. One of the most important considerations is that after that there must be sufficient space for the residents to use for birthday parties, weddings, wakes, block parties… we have to ensure that.”
Mr Sitoh said the VWO has been popular with residents. The lease on the VWO’s current premises has run out.
He added that it was the VWO which originally picked Block 108. He said that it was not his decision to convert Mr Chiam’s meet-the-people place to a wellness centre for senior citizens. This was later approved by the Housing Board and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports earlier this year, said Mr Sitoh, implying that the matter has got nothing to do with him.
He also said that he would be happy to assist Mr Chiam and his wife – non-constituency MP Lina Chiam – find another location should they need his help.
“I’m sure they (Mr and Mrs Chiam) would not object to Block 108 being used as a wellness centre for residents because it is for the benefit of the residents. If you go to (Block) 108, there are many tables and chairs, and out of respect for Mr Chiam, I made a deliberate and conscious effort not to touch the things there.”
“But now there’s a VWO coming in for the sake of the residents…we want to develop Potong Pasir. I’m sure Mr Chiam See Tong and Mrs Lina Chiam will not oppose that.”
Mr Sitoh said other unused void decks in Potong Pasir have also been earmarked for other things.
When the news broke that Mr Chiam’s meet-the-people place is going to be replaced by the wellness centre, netizens wrote many angry comments online. Some saw the move as a deliberate attempt to make life difficult for the opposition party:
She said, “We emphasise that the main point here is that the residents of Blk 108 Potong Pasir have still not been informed about the wellness centre to be built in their void deck, let alone were they consulted on the decision.”
Movers clearing out Mr Chiam's old wooden desk from the void deck of Block 108 Potong Pasir Avenue 1 to the headquaters (inset) of the Singapore People's Party. (Photo / Singapore People’s Party Facebook page)
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MP Sitoh Yih Pin of Potong PasirThe news of setting up of a wellness centre at Block 108 Potong Pasir Avenue 1 has been unnecessarily politicised, according to MP Sitoh Yih Pin of Potong Pasir.
He gave a full account of the decision during a dialogue session at the end of a ministerial visit to the Potong Pasir constituency today (7 Oct).
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong visited Potong Pasir today to get a sense of the demographic profile of the constituency. A series of activities were lined up for his visit.
The elderly make up nearly half of the residents of Potong Pasir.
It is believed that voluntary welfare organisation Wan Ming, which has been in the area since 2002, is setting up the wellness centre at Block 108, the place where former MP Chiam See Tong held his meet-the-people sessions.
Mr Sitoh explained, “This whole process took months, it’s not within a day or week that we decided on Block 108. If you want to build anything at the void deck, there are many considerations. One of the most important considerations is that after that there must be sufficient space for the residents to use for birthday parties, weddings, wakes, block parties… we have to ensure that.”
Mr Sitoh said the VWO has been popular with residents. The lease on the VWO’s current premises has run out.
He added that it was the VWO which originally picked Block 108. He said that it was not his decision to convert Mr Chiam’s meet-the-people place to a wellness centre for senior citizens. This was later approved by the Housing Board and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports earlier this year, said Mr Sitoh, implying that the matter has got nothing to do with him.
He also said that he would be happy to assist Mr Chiam and his wife – non-constituency MP Lina Chiam – find another location should they need his help.
“I’m sure they (Mr and Mrs Chiam) would not object to Block 108 being used as a wellness centre for residents because it is for the benefit of the residents. If you go to (Block) 108, there are many tables and chairs, and out of respect for Mr Chiam, I made a deliberate and conscious effort not to touch the things there.”
“But now there’s a VWO coming in for the sake of the residents…we want to develop Potong Pasir. I’m sure Mr Chiam See Tong and Mrs Lina Chiam will not oppose that.”
Mr Sitoh said other unused void decks in Potong Pasir have also been earmarked for other things.
When the news broke that Mr Chiam’s meet-the-people place is going to be replaced by the wellness centre, netizens wrote many angry comments online. Some saw the move as a deliberate attempt to make life difficult for the opposition party:
Angeline Koh: obviously, they just want to reduce contact between the Chiams and the residents…
Teo Kai Loon: So many blocks to choose from, why that particular block ?? Why be small minded?
Andrei Ccm: Good luck Mr Chiam! Never give in to oppression!
Candy Yum Yum Lynn: LOL…darn the PAP gvt.. on the pretense of building a wellness centre for elderly, they are using it as an excuse to suppress the opposition. I really hate the darn PAP govt
Spectre Kle: Barbarians. Treat people so shabbily and expect people to treat them like royalty. Where got such thing as there is no office or space even for an elected opposition Member of Parliament to conduct a Meet-The-People session in his own Constituency? What a total disgrace and let down as a ruling garment of the Singapure people, for the Singapure people and by the Singapure people! Is this the kind of garment you 60%ters Singapureans voted for? Is this how they should treat fellow opposition MP like shit? Kick from hawker centre to another hawker centre like a vagabond out to beg for alms like that. See this happened also gets fed up man. Read this my balls also gets lagi hot man!
Meanwhile, Mrs Chiam said that she had been told by town council staff that they would have to leave Block 108, but no further details were given despite her requests.Teo Kai Loon: So many blocks to choose from, why that particular block ?? Why be small minded?
Andrei Ccm: Good luck Mr Chiam! Never give in to oppression!
Candy Yum Yum Lynn: LOL…darn the PAP gvt.. on the pretense of building a wellness centre for elderly, they are using it as an excuse to suppress the opposition. I really hate the darn PAP govt
Spectre Kle: Barbarians. Treat people so shabbily and expect people to treat them like royalty. Where got such thing as there is no office or space even for an elected opposition Member of Parliament to conduct a Meet-The-People session in his own Constituency? What a total disgrace and let down as a ruling garment of the Singapure people, for the Singapure people and by the Singapure people! Is this the kind of garment you 60%ters Singapureans voted for? Is this how they should treat fellow opposition MP like shit? Kick from hawker centre to another hawker centre like a vagabond out to beg for alms like that. See this happened also gets fed up man. Read this my balls also gets lagi hot man!
She said, “We emphasise that the main point here is that the residents of Blk 108 Potong Pasir have still not been informed about the wellness centre to be built in their void deck, let alone were they consulted on the decision.”
Movers clearing out Mr Chiam's old wooden desk from the void deck of Block 108 Potong Pasir Avenue 1 to the headquaters (inset) of the Singapore People's Party. (Photo / Singapore People’s Party Facebook page) .
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