Jun 9, 2010
Things have changed in Potong Pasir - for the worse
MY FRIEND and I moved to Potong Pasir estate a year after the 2006 General Election. We were attracted to the constituency because of its cleanliness, low service and conservancy charges and the friendly Member of Parliament, Mr Chiam See Tong.
We were impressed by his concern for the residents' welfare when he replaced the demolished linkway connecting Block 148 to the Potong Pasir MRT station with an improved one that came with a roof.
This gesture spoke well of him and he deserves our utmost respect. But today, things have changed, not for the better but for the worse.
The standard of general maintenance in the constituency, after his mild stroke in 2008, has spiralled south. It is no longer the way it was - clean and well-maintained.
There is neither daily sweeping nor monthly washing of corridors. Fumigation is also no longer a regular feature in the constituency.
We are aghast to see that even the playgrounds are not properly maintained.
Defects such as missing or worn off screws are common in playgrounds.
In one of them we found an aluminium bench seat missing and in another, the floor mat ripped off. These have not been rectified for months.
One of our grandchildren was nearly injured by a monkey bar recently when he tried to slide down.
We wonder whether Mr Chiam knows about all these and whether the town council engages qualified contractors to maintain the playgrounds.
We are also wondering whether the authorities, such as the Housing Board, conduct periodic inspections on playgrounds, not only in Potong Pasir but also all over Singapore.
Tan Kam Weng
