Spat over upgrading continues on first full day of hustings

SINGAPORE — The tussle over promised improvement plans for Bukit Batok estate continued to be the focus in the Bukit Batok by-election, with both parties continuing their war of words on the issue a day after hustings officially began.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout at the constituency on Thursday (April 28), People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Murali Pillai said the S$1.9 million worth of upgrades he announced last Sunday were part of the S$24 million master plan first announced by the constituency’s former Member of Parliament (MP) David Ong.

“I would invite SDP to walk around the estate and to look at the improvements that have been made since,” said Mr Murali, adding that the S$1.9 million was “part and parcel of what was estimated by Mr Ong”.

This quickly drew a response from Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan, who called this development an “afterthought”.

“A S$24 million project that has been talked about by (David Ong), and he (Mr Murali) forgets about it,” said Dr Chee, who was also making his rounds in the estate on Thursday. “Either he didn’t do his homework well enough, or he forgot all about it, and then we brought it up, and ‘Oh yes, maybe we should include it in (the S$24 million plan)’.”

The dispute over the improvement plans began hours after Nomination Day proceedings ended on Wednesday, with Dr Chee taking issue with the S$1.9 million worth of infrastructure upgrades laid out by Mr Murali last Sunday.

Featuring amenities such as sheltered walkways and a multi-generational park, Mr Murali said the works were considered part of the Jurong-Clementi Town Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), and these works could not be carried out if he was not elected in Bukit Batok on May 7.

Dr Chee had questioned this on Wednesday, and called on the PAP to provide an update on the S$24 million five-year masterplan unveiled by Mr Ong during the General Election last year.

He also noted that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has a draft master plan for Bukit Batok and would continue with its projects regardless of who the MP is.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning at 2am, the PAP issued a statement knocking down Mr Chee’s comments, saying he was reiterating “the SDP’s basic misunderstanding over the role of town councils”.

Town councils, said the PAP, are responsible for such works, and not the URA. “The Government funds approved NRPs after they are proposed by town councils. And the Town Councils are responsible for implementing the NRPs, from start to finish,” said the PAP. “This means the town councils are responsible for prioritising needs within all the estates under their charge, developing detailed plans in consultation with residents, awarding tenders responsibly, overseeing the contractors and finally ensuring maintenance of estate enhancements.”

The PAP added in its statement: “As the SDP says it will run an exemplary Town Council, voters will have to judge if it understands its responsibilities and can carry them out efficiently.”

Mr Murali said the five-year master plan — to cost S$23.6 million, to be exact — works out to be about S$4.5 million per year. “There are a number of projects that have been fully executed, a number of projects that are still ongoing and a number of projects in the pipeline,” he said. “So I invite them to do their homework and go around so they can see with their own eyes what’s happening.”

Jurong-Clementi Town Council, he said, has been consulting residents to come up with a proposal. “I’m very confident (the town council) will do a good job because they have already implemented 15 NRPs, and five of them are in Bukit Batok itself,” he said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAURA PHILOMIN