http://www.todayonline.com/singapor...ok-should-have-done-its-homework-says-tharman
SDP unprepared for Bk Batok, should have done its homework, says Tharman
SDP unprepared for Bk Batok, should have done its homework, says Tharman
From left: DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam, PAP candidate Murali Pillai and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu sharing their plans for Bukit Batok yesterday. Photo: Wee Teck Hian/TODAY
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By
Laura Elizabeth Philomin
[email protected]
Published: 12:09 AM, April 27, 2016
Updated: 12:58 AM, April 27, 2016
SINGAPORE — With a day to go before Nomination Day, the gloves have come off in the Bukit Batok by-election: People’s Action Party (PAP) second assistant secretary-general Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Tuesday (April 26) fired the first salvo by suggesting that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) was unprepared for the election and it should not begrudge the PAP for having done its homework.
Shortly after, the SDP issued a press statement stating it was “unethical” to say that major improvements will be implemented in the Single-Member Constituency only if the PAP candidate, Mr Murali Pillai, is elected. This could even contravene the Parliamentary Elections Act, which prohibits undue influence on voters, the SDP said.
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The verbal jousting was triggered by S$1.9 million worth of infrastructural plans for Bukit Batok, which was unveiled by Mr Murali on Sunday. Among other things, walkways, ramps and a jogging track will be built under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP). The plan by the PAP Jurong-Clementi Town Council — which Bukit Batok is currently under — will be carried out “only if we are returned at the by-election”, Mr Murali had said.
At a press conference on Tuesday where Mr Murail announced his manifesto, Mr Tharman reiterated that the NRP is a government-funded scheme. If Mr Murali was elected, residents would benefit from the “decent” track record of the Jurong-Clementi Town Council as well as a strong base of community volunteers, said Mr Tharman, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister.
Whether existing social programmes in the constituency will continue after the by-election depends on whether the volunteers are able to work together with the town council to get resources and keep these programmes going, he added.
The SDP’s response on the same day, which objected to what it described as making these infrastructural plans into “an election issue”, was puzzling since the opposition party should have had enough time to listen to constituents and come up with its own plans, given that it has been nine months since the General Election, said Mr Tharman, who noted that the PAP town council started consultations on the NRP several months ago and then made refinements in response to feedback.
“If you need more time, then say so. Be quite plain about it. I don’t think there is anything wrong. But there is no need for all this bluster. There’s no need to begrudge the PAP for having done its consultations already, having developed plans, and having now announced them for further consultations,” he added.
Mr Tharman also said residents will have to judge who will be able to implement the plans most effectively — the Jurong-Clementi Town Council which oversees seven wards and has prioritised Bukit Batok for five out of 15 NRP, as compared to the SDP which will set up a town council for the ward itself. “We serve the whole set of neighbourhoods, but we do it fairly, we give additional resources where the needs are greatest, and it happens that Bukit Batok is the largest beneficiary,” he said.
The SDP followed up with a statement on Tuesday reassuring residents that, if elected, it would work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to ensure plans that are slated for the estate in the URA’s 2013 draft master plan are completed.
Noting that government agencies are non-partisan and will work with whoever is elected in a constituency, the SDP said all the Home Improvement Projects will “proceed without disruption as these works are either already under way or the contracts have been signed and funds allocated”.
The party added that it would consult residents about any additional plans, instead of taking the PAP’s “high-handed top-down approach”.
“To say that major improvements will come only if the PAP candidate is elected is unethical and could even be a contravention of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Section 59), which prohibits parties or persons from bringing undue influence on voters,” the statement signed off by SDP central executive committee member Paul Tambyah said.
Over the years, opposition parties and their supporters have cried foul over the PAP’s upgrading “carrot-and-stick” tactic.
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SDP unprepared for Bk Batok, should have done its homework, says Tharman
SDP unprepared for Bk Batok, should have done its homework, says Tharman
From left: DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam, PAP candidate Murali Pillai and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu sharing their plans for Bukit Batok yesterday. Photo: Wee Teck Hian/TODAY
View all comments
Tweet
By
Laura Elizabeth Philomin
[email protected]
Published: 12:09 AM, April 27, 2016
Updated: 12:58 AM, April 27, 2016
SINGAPORE — With a day to go before Nomination Day, the gloves have come off in the Bukit Batok by-election: People’s Action Party (PAP) second assistant secretary-general Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Tuesday (April 26) fired the first salvo by suggesting that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) was unprepared for the election and it should not begrudge the PAP for having done its homework.
Shortly after, the SDP issued a press statement stating it was “unethical” to say that major improvements will be implemented in the Single-Member Constituency only if the PAP candidate, Mr Murali Pillai, is elected. This could even contravene the Parliamentary Elections Act, which prohibits undue influence on voters, the SDP said.
RelatedNews
Singapore
Murali’s Bukit Batok manifesto focuses on jobs, elderly, social mobility
April 26
The verbal jousting was triggered by S$1.9 million worth of infrastructural plans for Bukit Batok, which was unveiled by Mr Murali on Sunday. Among other things, walkways, ramps and a jogging track will be built under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP). The plan by the PAP Jurong-Clementi Town Council — which Bukit Batok is currently under — will be carried out “only if we are returned at the by-election”, Mr Murali had said.
At a press conference on Tuesday where Mr Murail announced his manifesto, Mr Tharman reiterated that the NRP is a government-funded scheme. If Mr Murali was elected, residents would benefit from the “decent” track record of the Jurong-Clementi Town Council as well as a strong base of community volunteers, said Mr Tharman, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister.
Whether existing social programmes in the constituency will continue after the by-election depends on whether the volunteers are able to work together with the town council to get resources and keep these programmes going, he added.
The SDP’s response on the same day, which objected to what it described as making these infrastructural plans into “an election issue”, was puzzling since the opposition party should have had enough time to listen to constituents and come up with its own plans, given that it has been nine months since the General Election, said Mr Tharman, who noted that the PAP town council started consultations on the NRP several months ago and then made refinements in response to feedback.
“If you need more time, then say so. Be quite plain about it. I don’t think there is anything wrong. But there is no need for all this bluster. There’s no need to begrudge the PAP for having done its consultations already, having developed plans, and having now announced them for further consultations,” he added.
Mr Tharman also said residents will have to judge who will be able to implement the plans most effectively — the Jurong-Clementi Town Council which oversees seven wards and has prioritised Bukit Batok for five out of 15 NRP, as compared to the SDP which will set up a town council for the ward itself. “We serve the whole set of neighbourhoods, but we do it fairly, we give additional resources where the needs are greatest, and it happens that Bukit Batok is the largest beneficiary,” he said.
The SDP followed up with a statement on Tuesday reassuring residents that, if elected, it would work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to ensure plans that are slated for the estate in the URA’s 2013 draft master plan are completed.
Noting that government agencies are non-partisan and will work with whoever is elected in a constituency, the SDP said all the Home Improvement Projects will “proceed without disruption as these works are either already under way or the contracts have been signed and funds allocated”.
The party added that it would consult residents about any additional plans, instead of taking the PAP’s “high-handed top-down approach”.
“To say that major improvements will come only if the PAP candidate is elected is unethical and could even be a contravention of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Section 59), which prohibits parties or persons from bringing undue influence on voters,” the statement signed off by SDP central executive committee member Paul Tambyah said.
Over the years, opposition parties and their supporters have cried foul over the PAP’s upgrading “carrot-and-stick” tactic.
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