Punggol residents need not fear losing a DPM. They have already done us a favour themselves by removing a number of heavyweights. For Heng Swee Keat, I actually feel a bit sorry for him. He’s a nice guy, just in the wrong party. From PM in waiting to now, he had a very bumpy ride and obviously didn’t live up to the party’s expectations.
I’m don’t feel so bad about Ng Eng Hen going, but he’s probably one minister who hadn’t made too many mistakes. Like Teo Chee Hean, I think the main problem is their age. After Jamus Lim warmed the cockles of so many people’s hearts, the party could be trying to rejuvenate itself, but alas, there is no room for wit and candidness in a party trying to defend its deeply entrenched, almost sacred values and positions. Amy Khor? Good riddance.
I’ve always said that it’s not kids but politicians who say the darndest things and here’s the most laughable one from our former health minister:
Yao mo gao chor ah? You threw obstacles in Dr Chee’s way and you have the cheek to ask him why he made a detour? Where is Bukit Batok SMC now? At least Dr Chee didn’t make a last minute move like some PAP heavy weights. And what about Mr Ong himself who chickened out of Aljunied?
Got this kind of minister I don’t know where to hide my face. How come he still dares to point the finger at others? It’s amazing that such things don’t bother the PLPs. Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter to them. As long as they feel that they can benefit from the system (the hell with everyone else), they will continue to support the white gang. For me, I can’t even stand the sight of such hypocrisy.
Now back to something closer to home – in fact, it is home for me – Punggol. What’s at stake here? Like Sengkang, we’re a relatively new estate, in fact, we’re even newer. Our oldest flats here are about 25 years old – launched at the turn of the century. Then PM Goh Chok Tong was raving about it. Then, Punggol got forgotten. Our MRT station was delayed and it was relatively inconvenient to get anywhere from here. Ironically, that was when I found Punggol most attractive. There were many wide open fields with friendly folks flying their kites on weekends. It was a nature walk along Sungei Serangoon to Punggol Beach. I remember having a chat with Thai workers catching cockles from the river.
Then suddenly after 2008, the bulldozers came in and the hoarding came up. Many trails became out-of-bounds. Within a couple of years, the famous Punggol Waterway came up. It was a beautiful display of exotic plants along the edge of the water, lovely wooden footpaths and viewing decks.Then we had our first shopping mall Waterway Point. All of a sudden, properties in Punggol grew red hot. We had visitors from all over Singapore. Many people who had bought a flat here were ecstatic. Frankly, I can’t understand them. Where are you going to stay after you’re sold your beloved home?
Then, the Cinderella moment came for the Punggol Waterway. The colourful, exotic plants started withering. The fountains went dry, the waterpark was deserted and the hanging garden became a wall. The beautiful wooden structures, probably made from artificial wood, cracked and snapped even as the cranes were moving in to urbanise Punggol. Yesterday’s Punggol was just a showcase to create demand for development. Today, the wooden paths and viewing platforms have all been “cemented”. Everything had turned grey and metallic for durability. High maintenance exotic plants had given way to “rewinding”. The waterway began to look like a drain as more buildings came up alongside. The once vibrant PCN became just another PCN. The kite fliers have all gone. On weekends, the paths are choked with human and bicycle traffic as more and more green fields gave way to concrete forests. Punggol Field is now a shameful misnomer. There are no more fields here. And what do we get in return? 10 years ago, I was semi-retired and working part-time. Now, I’m working full-time and earning less! To add oil to fire, we’ve got higher GST and higher cost of living. Is there any reason for me to be thankful and justify our ministers’ pay? Let’s cheer the courageous folks who dare to speak up at the rallies, but remember, only votes count.
Looking back. Nomination Day surprises. Let the video speak for itself.