The Big Read: On a familiar battleground — Bukit Batok — a decades-long fight resumes

SINGAPORE — In seven days, Bukit Batok residents will head to the ballot box and choose, once again, between the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) — marking a fresh chapter in a battle that stretches back more than two decades, when the SDP came close to winning the ward twice in 1988 and 1991, before it was subsumed into Bukit Timah GRC and later, Jurong GRC.

In that time, the sleepy hamlet in the West — home to almost 26,000 voters — has swung its support firmly behind the PAP, so much so that the ruling party’s candidate David Ong won 73 per cent of the vote at last September’s General Election, where Bukit Batok was carved out as a Single-Member Constituency (SMC) for the first time in 18 years.

Political analysts and others around the island will be watching the outcome of next Saturday’s (May 7) vote keenly in a bid to get answers to several questions, not least whether there is enough lingering sentiment from the GE to sweep the PAP to another lopsided win.

Ask Bukit Batok residents, however, and the typical response is an eyebrow cocked askew in silent question: Why all the fuss?

That was the overwhelming sentiment among more than 80 residents interviewed by TODAY over two weeks on the ground in a bid to gauge the pulse of the neighbourhood.

To them, the by-election is an 
unwelcome distraction at a time when other matters — a slowing economy chief among them — require more urgent attention.

For the political pundits, however, the town is an interesting one that has seen its fair share of knock-down, drag-out fights between the PAP and the opposition. For those with more than a passing interest in Singapore’s political history, it was inevitable that the battle for control of Bukit Batok would come down to a straight fight between foes who have locked horns in this very arena several times before.

If PAP candidate Murali Pillai — a long-time party activist — were to prevail in the by-election, it would serve to support the ruling party’s grassroots strategy, which it had employed successfully in the 2015 GE, said Assistant Professor Woo Jun Jie from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. An SDP win, meanwhile, would validate the party’s focus on policies and its efforts to assure voters of its plans to run the town council in a transparent manner, he added.

Singapore Management University law lecturer Eugene Tan said the by-election — which was triggered by Mr Ong’s shock resignation over an alleged extramarital affair — would show whether the afterglow of the PAP’s stellar showing in the 2015 polls “continues to yield dividends” for the party.

For SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, the contest could be a defining one for his political career, Assoc Prof Tan said. A good showing at the polls would indicate his career is “back on track after being in the political wilderness for almost a decade”, he added.

“If he polls less than 35 to 40 per cent of the vote, it raises serious questions as to his electability. This by-election is as good as it would get for Dr Chee — a by-election on the back of a significant General Election victory for the PAP, the seat vacated in not so positive circumstances for the ruling party, an SMC contest that is a straight fight,” Assoc Prof Tan said.

Assoc Prof Tan noted that both parties are taking the by-election seriously “even if they do not want to overstate its importance”.

“The desire to win, for different reasons, is strong and we will see that driving the campaigns,” he said.

‘NOT A SAFE SEAT FOR THE PAP’

Bukit Batok was first created as a single-seat ward in 1972. The constituency’s first MP was the PAP’s Mr Chai Chong Yii, who won four straight elections, including a walkover in the 1980 GE. Mr Chai was succeeded by Dr Ong Chit Chung, who won the seat in 1988 and 1991 after close fights with SDP candidate Kwan Yue Keng, who garnered about 44.1 per cent and 48.2 per cent of the vote respectively.

In 1997, Bukit Batok was merged into Bukit Timah GRC, which was helmed by then-Cabinet Minister Lim Boon Heng. Four years later, the constituency became part of Jurong GRC, where Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the anchor minister. Last year, Bukit Batok was hived off as an SMC.

Earlier this week, Mr Lim, a former PAP chairman who retired from politics in 2011, said it would be unrealistic for the party to expect to match the 2015 GE result. Nevertheless, Mr Murali “should win”, he said.

The analysts whom TODAY spoke to said the election result is not a foregone conclusion, with Assoc Prof Tan noting the “patchy” electoral record of the PAP in Bukit Batok.

Noting the narrow margins by which the PAP won the Bukit Batok seat in the 1988 and 1991 GEs, Assoc Prof Tan said: “I would be wary to describe it as a ‘stronghold’. Neither would I describe Bukit Batok as a PAP safe seat. The comfortable victory margin in the 2015 GE ... is not sufficient to merit Bukit Batok being described as safe.”

Nevertheless, Assoc Prof Tan said that the PAP has consolidated its support in Bukit Batok over the decades, after the ward was absorbed into GRCs. “This helped the PAP win Bukit Batok comfortably in the 2015 GE and raised the expectation that it is a safe seat for the ruling party,” he said.

Asst Prof Woo pointed out that the PAP’s large winning margin came amid a nationwide vote swing towards the ruling party at the 2015 GE, which some have attributed to the SG50 celebrations and the death of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, among other factors. Also, Mr David Ong had faced a “relatively less-experienced and less-known opponent (from the SDP) at that time”, he added.

In the 2015 GE, SDP candidate Sadasivam Veriyah received 26.4 per cent of the vote while independent candidate Samir Salim Neji lost his election deposit after garnering a mere 0.6 per cent of the vote.

Asst Prof Woo also cited the “Tharman effect”, noting the Deputy Prime Minister’s popularity, which could have boosted the PAP’s showing in Bukit Batok given its close links with Jurong GRC. In the lead-up to this by-election, Mr Tharman has also figured prominently during the hustings, accompanying Mr Murali on walkabouts and in press conferences.

RESIDENTS GENERALLY HAPPY

For many Bukit Batok residents, who will be going to the polls again for the second time in 240 days, the by-election on Saturday seemed to be a distraction they would rather do without.

Some attributed it to election fatigue, others said it was simply down to the fact that their needs have been taken care of and there were no outstanding issues bothering them. And then there were those who have already made up their minds.

Despite the by-election making headlines and dominating coffee shop talk in the rest of the island, there was a lack of buzz in Bukit Batok itself — despite the candidates and their respective entourages pounding the streets almost every day — with residents admitting that they hardly kept abreast of what was going on.

Some of those whom TODAY spoke with — especially the elderly voters — could not even name the candidates, let alone cite their plans for the constituency.

“I feel that the main election was over not too long ago, so I kind of lost interest in this one,” said Ms Belle, 48, a customer service officer who has lived in the town for about a decade.

Ms Katherine Tham, 52, a homemaker, added: “(The) by-election is just another election ... We’re not so bothered about it because the estate’s been well taken care of (in) the past few years and it’s been peaceful, no big unhappiness … Whoever (is going to take) care of the estate just has to make sure they upkeep it.”

Over the decades, the residents interviewed said they have observed continuous improvements to the town under the PAP’s watch.

“The whole estate has been very well maintained, given that it’s been so many years,” said Mrs Katherine Low, 60, a general manager.

Mr Goh Han Serm, 59, credited the late Dr Ong — who was the ward’s MP for five terms from 1988 — for growing the grassroots movement in the constituency. “Whoever took over from him actually just built on that,” said the Bukit Batok resident of 30 years.

But infrastructural improvements, such as covered walkways and jogging tracks, were more noticeable when the constituency came under Mr David Ong’s watch, residents said. Homemaker Cee Cee Neo, 53, who has lived in the estate for more than 20 years, added that Mr Ong would attend activities every weekend and was proactive in resolving residents’ concerns.

Bukit Batok has a population of about 45,900. Of these, 25,727 residents will head to the ballot box on May 7. An overwhelming majority of residents (95.7 per cent) live in public housing. Of these, most live in four-room flats (39.4 per cent), followed by one- to three-room units (31.9 per cent) and five-room or executive units (24.4 per cent).

The residents interviewed said they were generally satisfied with the state of affairs in the constituency, with the transportation network and the ample amenities getting the thumbs up.

“I think the estate is well maintained. Facilities are acceptable ... Overall, I’m quite comfortable living here,” said Mr Nelson, 39, a resident at Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 for more than 20 years.

A 49-year-old housewife who gave her name only as Mdm Lim noted that it takes her a mere seven minutes to walk to Bukit Batok MRT Station, and another three minutes to reach Jurong East. “Less than 15 minutes and I reach shopping malls such as JEM, Westgate and JCube … so I don’t have to travel all the way to town to get my necessities,” she said.

The wide range of bus services available also makes getting from Bukit Batok to other areas such as Bukit Timah and Ang Mo Kio easy, said Mr Aliff Tee, 27, who works at a publishing company with an office in the Central Business District.

In terms of healthcare, residents can choose to visit the polyclinic located near the Bukit Batok MRT Station, or the numerous private and Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics that dot the void decks in the estate.

Nevertheless, with Bukit Batok being a mature estate, residents pointed out certain areas in need of improvement, such as the limited number of parking spaces and wet markets.

Some residents also took issue with the greenery making way for new developments. A 53-year-old resident who wished to be known only as Mrs Tan said: “Of course they need to meet the requirements of the population, but slow down please.”

Nonetheless, she said she was grateful that the area has “at least one (green) lung” — Bukit Batok Nature Park.

Other residents pointed out the need for a wider variety of facilities that can cater to a broader age range, instead of those geared specifically to the elderly, such as fitness corners.

Mdm Jovina Choo, a stay-home mum with two young daughters, said the estate’s smaller playgrounds could do with some upgrading, while Mr Jason Chan asked for more integrated sports facilities. “The swimming pool (in Bukit Batok) has been there for so many years, (but) it’s not integrated with the rest of the estate,” said Mr Chan. Referring to the cluster of football, basketball and multi-purpose courts near the community club, he added: “They are trying their best, but we’re still hoping to see better integration of all these facilities.”

Heartland shops facing lacklustre business because of competition from the mushrooming of 24-hour supermarkets, as well as from the nearby West Mall, also hope more can be done to help keep their businesses afloat.

Madam Santhi Velayutham, 53, who runs a provision shop in Bukit Batok Street 11, said business has plunged by as much as 50 per cent from about three years ago, and she hopes the newly elected MP will think of how to help stallholders such as herself. She noted that the crowds thin out in the vicinity of her shop after noon each day. “(There are) very few people. Now, business is very slow (and) Bukit Batok is very quiet,” said Madam Santhi, who is also a resident in the estate.

And despite being located near Bukit Batok MRT Station and West Mall, a beauty and nails parlour in Bukit Batok Central has suffered losses every month since it opened more than a year ago because of intense competition from the shops in the mall, said a staff member who did not wish to be identified.

The owner of a hair salon at Bukit Batok Street 11, who gave his name only as Mr Ng, was concerned about finding enough workers. He suggested that the town council create a central online database to match unemployed residents to jobs in the vicinity through phone alerts.

As part of his plans for the estate if he gets elected, Mr Murali said earlier this week that he hoped to tap into the network of community activists in Bukit Batok to help the unemployed find a new job faster. Dr Chee had also identified helping retrenched workers find jobs as a priority.

Referring to the candidates’ plans, Mr Ng said he hoped that whoever is elected would fulfil his promise. “Don’t make it a (one-off) thing … this is the least you could do,” he said.

AN INTRIGUING MATCH-UP

Nevertheless, residents said they have good impressions of both candidates so far. Taxi driver Lin Yan Khoon, 66, described Mr Murali as “sincere” albeit somewhat low-profile. Recalling a recent visit that Mr Murali made to his home, Mr Lin noted that the PAP candidate listened intently and left only after the family had finished airing their concerns.

Coffee-shop assistant Lim Teng Huat, 60, said Mr Murali seemed to be someone who was hands-on and personable.

Mr Peter Foo, a 65-year-old project manager at an electrical company, however, was concerned about a possible language barrier. “Things can’t be 100 per cent if you go through a translator ... And for those who speak only in dialect, you might have a big problem communicating,” he said.

On Nomination Day, PAP stalwart Lim Boon Heng told reporters that Mr Murali’s efforts in learning to speak Mandarin and the Chinese dialects Hokkien and Teochew have helped bridge the communication gap. He added that he has seen Mr Murali work the ground in Paya Lebar, which, like Bukit Batok, has a high proportion of Chinese voters.

Still, he had asked Mr Murali to work harder and meet more people so residents would look past his race and “see his real qualities”.

On Dr Chee, residents noted that he was more recognisable. While older residents remembered his confrontational style of the past, they said that he seems to have mellowed.

“Even after I close shop at 9pm, I still see him and a group of people in red, going door to door, almost every day,” said a 63-year-old Bukit Batok resident, who runs an aquarium shop at the market.

As the hustings for the by-election begin in earnest — following the first rallies, which were held last night — all eyes will be on how the intriguing match-up between a low-key long-time PAP activist and a veteran opposition firebrand plays out.

And for all the significance that political pundits attach to the by-election result, residents said that when they cast their votes next week, their choice would come down to one thing: Who can better take care of the estate and the residents, and ensure there are no disruptions to their daily lives.

A 68-year-old resident who gave her name only as Mdm Yap summed up the general sentiment among the Bukit Batok voters: “We Singaporeans like stability ... No matter what, you don’t want anything to disrupt the ward.”