ANTHONY: In reference to your story PAP “Terror Tactics” Continue: Town Councils are Toothless if Gahmen Doesn’t Approve Upgrading Plans.
Murali is definitely not right in saying that only if you vote for him then you get upgrading. The SDP can choose to push for exactly the same plan that is now in place for Bukit Batok if it wins the by-election and takes over town council operations.
The SDP’s Paul Tambyah said last night at the rally that the SDP will implement proposals put forward by the PAP if this is what the residents want.
In that case, why should residents choose the SDP to implement the upgrading plans when they can vote into power the people that came up with the plan in the first place? It’s the PAP-run town council that came up with the plan, so they should know how to make it work.
Dr Chee said that he will ensure maximum efficiency and minimum wastage in Bukit Batok. But if he comes to power, he will need time to study the upgrading plans and appoint people to handle the projects. How long will it take then for works to get done?
If the SDP decides to tweak the plans, the government might not approve of the additions and if approval isn’t obtained then there will be no funding. Despite what the SDP says, it’s still a lose-lose situation for Bukit Batok residents.
One job of an MP is to make sure things are running well in the estate. Murali has the experience of working the grassroots for over 10 years and he’s known amongst the volunteers in Bukit Batok. Going from doing the ground work to eventually taking over the running of the estate looks like a natural step up. It’s like someone working their way from apprentice to manager.
In comparison, an SDP win would make Dr Chee Soon Juan look like a scholar who got parachuted in. He has no experience in running a town council, and his time in the past was dedicated to discussing big theoretical issues instead of doing ground work. Besides, Holland-Bukit Timah is his “home ground”, not Bukit Batok.
Dr Chee can spend this one week proving that he can do the job, but I would take an apprentice who’s climbed the ladder over a scholar who was flown in any day.
Thank you Anthony for this letter.
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