Fast-changing complexion of Fengshan gives residents pause

SINGAPORE — Newly carved out from the East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the Fengshan single-seat ward, which comprises Bedok North and parts of Upper Changi, has undergone significant changes in recent years. Among the big changes is the transformation of the area near Tanah Merah Kechil Road into a condominium row of sorts, where shiny new blocks offer a contrast to older Housing and Development Board flats, some of which are more than 30 years old, along Bedok North Road.

The rapid development of the nearby Changi Business Park and Tampines Town Hub has also resulted in more employment opportunities for residents, and has also attracted more newcomers to the estate, including foreign PMEs (professionals, managers and executives) who work in the banks and other companies in the vicinity.

The area’s population is served by a small town centre where Fengshan Market and Food Centre — which briefly made headlines when Workers’ Party (WP) chair Sylvia Lim posted a picture on Instagram of her having a meal there — as well as a supermarket and other shops are located. With about 23,400 registered voters, the Fengshan Single-Member Constituency (SMC) is the third smallest, after Yuhua SMC and Potong Pasir SMC.

In the 2011 General Election, East Coast GRC saw one of the closest contests, with the People’s Action Party (PAP) winning 54.8 per cent of the vote against the WP, which garnered 45.2 per cent of the vote. The two parties will go head-to-head again in East Coast as well as in Fengshan, where a tough fight is expected.

The PAP and the WP are both fielding new faces. Long-serving grassroots volunteer Cheryl Chan represents the former, while shipping lawyer Dennis Tan will take up the Opposition’s cause in the single-seat ward. Political observers have touted it as an electoral battle to watch.

TODAY visited the ward over several weeks, and while residents were generally happy, they cited the new condominiums as one of the few sources of concern in the estate. Some felt that the road network has not expanded sufficiently to accommodate the higher volume of traffic. Others also noted the changed character of the estate because of the number of foreigners who have settled there.

Homemaker Clarissa Low, 42, said: “I do see a bit of a traffic jam in the mornings. They should widen the roads now that there are so many condominiums.”

Ms Tung Lay Hoong, a 45-year-old resident and an analyst who works at Changi Business Park, added: “There have been a lot of foreigners living here, suddenly ... One reason, I think, is because the Changi Business Park is near here and a lot of IT companies are there. It is logical for the foreigners working there to live here.”

The Fengshan ward is located in between Tampines Town Hub and the Changi Business Park. The business park is about a 10-minute drive away from Bedok North Avenue 4.

At Tanah Merah MRT Station, a shuttle bus service plies between the station and Changi Business Park. During the morning peak period on a typical weekday, short queues of residents would form to board the shuttle buses each time they arrive, at intervals of between 15 and 20 minutes.

Mr Shajahan Sheik Allauddin has been running a grocery store at the void deck of Block 79 Bedok North Road for the last two decades.

He estimated that the number of foreigners among his customers has increased by about “15 per cent” in the past few years. “Some of them are my regular customers, and they either work in Changi Business Park or the Tampines town centre,” he said.

RESIDENTS HAVE FEW QUIBBLES

Speaking to TODAY, the WP’s Mr Tan said he had been walking the ground in Fengshan and East Coast GRC for the past two years. During this period, he noted that more than half of the residents in the newer condominiums are non-Singaporeans. Many rooms in the public flats in the area are rented out to foreigners, he said.

On concerns about the traffic situation, Mr Tan said: “Some residents are concerned that with so many condominiums in one spot, there might be traffic congestion during peak period. There are more developments being built now, and once everything is completed, the situation might be bad.”

Apart from those concerns, residents interviewed were generally satisfied with the management of their estate, apart from a few quibbles about the frequency of feeder buses, cleanliness, and the need for upgrading at some blocks.

Mr Kelvin Luah, 48, who is in between jobs, said: “I’ve been living here for around 10 years, and so far I’m quite happy. The only issue is that, sometimes, the feeder buses could be higher in frequency.”

Another resident, 27-year-old Malek Razak, said: “Everything is good ... Perhaps it would be good to have another train station. There are enough facilities.”

The Fengshan area lies within the mature Bedok estate. Apart from Tanah Merah MRT station, residents are also served by the Bedok MRT station and bus interchange, which are a feeder bus service away, in East Coast GRC. Recreational facilities include fitness corners in various parts of the estate, and Bedok Sports Complex.

The PAP’s Ms Chan had pledged to work on several improvements if she is elected, including upgrading public flats, sprucing up the estate, and rolling out programmes for the families, elderly residents and less-privileged children in the community.

Mr Tan said that if he is elected, “maintaining estate cleanliness and (the) efficiency of essential services are high on the agenda”.

Most of the residents who spoke to TODAY are keeping an open mind about who to vote for.

A 57-year-old resident, who only gave her name as Carol, said: “I’m happy with what the PAP has done in my estate, but I still think an Opposition presence in Parliament is needed. I’m not happy with some national policies, especially the influx of foreigners and how scholarships have gone to foreigners. The cost of living is also high, especially medical bills.”

Fengshan resident Ms Tung said: “I’m still quite uncertain, as both candidates are new. But if the WP takes over, I don’t know how they will perform. I’ll decide closer to Friday.”