PAP has more than a fighting chance in Potong Pasir: SM Goh

Govt will approve $80m upgrading plan if PAP wins: candidate Sitoh

By Daniel Buenas And Oh Boon Ping
May 05, 2006
The Business Times

THE People's Action Party is going all-out to win back the Opposition-held wards of Potong Pasir and Hougang, with the ruling party's leaders offering goodies and promises to voters at rallies last night.

At Potong Pasir, PAP challenger Sitoh Yih Pin said that the ward would get an $80 million HDB upgrading package if he is elected.

Mr Sitoh said that he had spoken to National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who had agreed to 'give the go-ahead' for the $80 million plan if the PAP wins.

Mr Sitoh said this upgrading would include lift landings on every floor, covered linkways for the entire estate, and the planned Kallang River 'promenade'.

During the rally, both Mr Sitoh and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong - who has been tasked by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to help win back the ward - attacked the claim by Opposition incumbent Chiam See Tong that he had, or could generate, enough funds to upgrade the Potong Pasir HDB blocks.

Producing the Town Council financial statements - which are public documents and which were later released to the media - Mr Goh noted that the Residential Property sinking fund for Potong Pasir was $7.9 million as at March 31, 2004.

As only 10 per cent of this can be used for lift upgrading, this meant that Mr Chiam would only have around $790,000 to upgrade lifts, Mr Goh pointed out. 'Chiam's point is that he can build up the sinking fund by $2 million every year,' Mr Goh said. 'But do you know that between last year and this year, the sinking fund has gone down by $1.7 million?'

Mr Goh said he was raising the issue because his reputation was at stake, and to demonstrate that Mr Chiam could not back up his claim.

'Both of us cannot be right. One of us has to be wrong, and it is important to prove that I am right and he is wrong not just for this election, but also because I'm the chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore,' Mr Goh said. 'If I cannot read accounts, I think it is very troublesome for me and for Singapore. So I have to prove that I can read accounts, and that Chiam cannot read accounts.'

He said that the PAP stood 'more than a fighting chance' of winning back Potong Pasir from the Opposition.

At a separate rally in Hougang - which SM Goh has also been tasked to help win - Mr Goh declared that the ward would remain a single-member constituency if PAP candidate Eric Low is elected.

Mr Goh appealed to the residents to give Mr Low a term in office and 'if he doesn't improve the quality of your life . . . at the next election, (Workers' Party incumbent) Low Thia Khiang can come back and kick him out'.

He also said the government will look after the older residents there regardless of the election outcome.

At a PAP rally in Serangoon stadium, the theme was peace and prosperity for Singapore.

'We ensure peace by growing our economy, attracting investments, creating jobs, making sure that those caught in the turbulence of competition get a fresh start in life,' said PAP chairman Lim Boon Heng.

Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo stressed: 'We must be united and show complete solidarity so that we can position Singapore for a very exciting future.'

Meanwhile, incumbent MP for MacPherson SMC Matthias Yao, speaking at a separate rally, said that he is 'very confident' of defending his ward for the fifth time, predicting that he will score a 'good margin' over his opponent, the SDA's Sin Kek Tong.

Mr Yao said that his 'top priority' is to offer lift upgrading to all the flats that have not had new lifts installed. He also said that immediately after the elections, he will convene a working committee to start work on this project.