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[h=2]WP’s Low: More RC centres than facilities in Punggol East[/h]
January 21st, 2013 |
Author: Editorial
During the WP rally on 19 Jan, WP Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang made an astute observation, telling the crowd that there appears to be more RC (residents’ committee) centres in Punggol East than facilities such as convenience stores which residents need most.
He told the crowd at the rally, “I was assigned to visit some blocks (in Punggol East) by the party to help our candidate Lee Li Lian. I saw a lot of facilities for residents’ committees to organize activities; and every cluster of blocks has a RC centre. It seems to me the RC has become so important that it is even built into the design of the HDB town. Very convenient for the PAP to ’serve’ you through the RC.”
“How about facilities that you need most? Coffeeshops? Convenience stores, etc? Your need and convenience in daily life is not on the mind of the government in the design of the estate. Your needs have obviously been neglected!”
RCs (residents’ committees), CCCs (citizens’ consultative committees), and CCs (community clubs) are all grassroots organizations that come under the purview of the People’s Association (PA). PA is a statutory board, tasked to take care of all the grassroots activities in Singapore.
The relationship between PA and PAP is very close. PA’s chairman is none other than the PM himself, who is also the Secretary-General of PAP.
Former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew once said in a dialogue that the Chinese have been sending teams of officials to study Singapore for years. To illustrate a lesson the Chinese learnt, Lee Kuan Yew said:
Mr Low also asked if the Punggol East estate has improved in the last two years.
He said, “I am sure the residents of Punggol East must have feedback to their RC or to their MP about the inconvenience but what is the result? The Punggol East estate has been part of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC for a long time until GE 2011 when it was crafted out to become a SMC in GE 2011 and the voters decided to return a PAP candidate. Think again, since two years ago, has any real effort been made to improve the Punggol East estate?”
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He told the crowd at the rally, “I was assigned to visit some blocks (in Punggol East) by the party to help our candidate Lee Li Lian. I saw a lot of facilities for residents’ committees to organize activities; and every cluster of blocks has a RC centre. It seems to me the RC has become so important that it is even built into the design of the HDB town. Very convenient for the PAP to ’serve’ you through the RC.”
“How about facilities that you need most? Coffeeshops? Convenience stores, etc? Your need and convenience in daily life is not on the mind of the government in the design of the estate. Your needs have obviously been neglected!”
RCs (residents’ committees), CCCs (citizens’ consultative committees), and CCs (community clubs) are all grassroots organizations that come under the purview of the People’s Association (PA). PA is a statutory board, tasked to take care of all the grassroots activities in Singapore.
The relationship between PA and PAP is very close. PA’s chairman is none other than the PM himself, who is also the Secretary-General of PAP.
Former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew once said in a dialogue that the Chinese have been sending teams of officials to study Singapore for years. To illustrate a lesson the Chinese learnt, Lee Kuan Yew said:
“They discover that the People’s Action Party (PAP) has only a small office in Bedok. But everywhere they go, they see the PAP – in the RCs (residents’ committees), CCCs (citizens’ consultative committees), and the CCs (community clubs).”
Typically, important positions in the various grassroots organizations are held by PAP members themselves.
Mr Low also asked if the Punggol East estate has improved in the last two years.
He said, “I am sure the residents of Punggol East must have feedback to their RC or to their MP about the inconvenience but what is the result? The Punggol East estate has been part of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC for a long time until GE 2011 when it was crafted out to become a SMC in GE 2011 and the voters decided to return a PAP candidate. Think again, since two years ago, has any real effort been made to improve the Punggol East estate?”
.
Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus
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