SINGAPORE - People’s Action Party (PAP) activists are doing their best to win back the opposition-held constituencies of Hougang, Aljunied and Sengkang, and will sooner or later succeed, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday.
He said: “They have a tough job, showing the party’s presence, fighting against the current. They do good work, making sure the Opposition don’t get a free pass.”
Speaking to more than 1,000 cadre members at the PAP’s Awards and Convention held at the Singapore Expo, PM Lee praised two activists in particular – Mr Lee Hong Chuang and Mr Ling Weihong.
Both men, who recently stepped down as chairmen of their respective branches in Hougang and Sengkang East, have “led their branches well, and worked their ground diligently”, PM Lee said.
Mr Jackson Lam succeeded Mr Lee Hong Chuang as chair of the Hougang branch in October, while Mr Marcus Loh took over as chair of the Sengkang East branch in November. The PAP will give both newcomers its full support, PM Lee said.
Mr Lee Hong Chuang was later in the evening spotted at a grassroots event at Kaki Bukit Community Club, where he spent time with seniors of Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC at a Silver Generation Carnival focused on active and healthy ageing.
He was joined by Aljunied grassroots advisers Shamsul Kamar, Victor Lye, Alex Yeo, Chan Hui Yuh and Chua Eng Leong, who had contested Aljunied GRC in the 2020 General Election. Former Cabinet minister Lim Boon Heng, who has been advising the PAP’s Aljunied team, was also present.
Speaking to The Straits Times on working with residents in her Serangoon ward, Ms Chan told ST: “I have been there for almost nine years, since 2014, so I know many residents, and they are like friends.”
When asked about walking the ground in an opposition-held ward and whether the PAP’s representatives in Aljunied have made progress there, Ms Chan said that those working in grassroots organisations do so because they want to serve the community.
She added: “The grassroots work we do is for the community and is regardless of the political affiliations of our residents. We just want to make sure policies are well fitted out by the Government to the people and then if people need help, if they fall through the gaps, we make sure they are helped along the way.
“When we do our grassroots work, we don’t think of a political angle.”
Mr Lee Hong Chuang added that he has a very good relationship with the people of Hougang.
During the event at Kaki Bukit Community Club, he danced with seniors during getai performances, and took videos of them on his mobile phone.
More than 500 seniors took part in the event, which also featured talks on topics such as preventive care, scam prevention and mental well-being.
Mr Lee said: “In Hougang, people like me and they engage with me. When I cheer with them, they are reciprocal. I thought that was very encouraging.”
People are very happy as they know the grassroots organisations plan activities for them, he added.
“What we are trying to do is give them a common point so that they at least know we are a community together as one.”
