SINGAPORE: From the SimplyGo saga to the blocked Income-Allianz deal, recent incidents have chipped away at trust in the ruling party, said Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) Hazel Poa on Saturday (Apr 26) night. Speaking at the PSP’s second rally at Bukit Gombak Stadium, she also highlighted the last-minute change to the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) team in Chua Chu Kang GRC as something that has damaged the trust. The party’s vice chairperson said building trust can be painstaking, but that Singapore’s first-generation leaders managed to do so with the bulk of the population. “It would be a waste to chip away at that,” she added. “Unfortunately, there have been many incidents in recent years doing exactly that.”
RECENT MISSTEPS
On the push for full adoption of the SimplyGo payment system for public transport, the Land Transport Authority ultimately reversed its decision only after “huge public outcry”, the former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament said. She said the public had already given feedback on the platform’s shortcomings, but the government still wanted to go ahead with phasing out the older system and make the switch. “The question is, were the decision makers not aware of the public feedback?” asked Ms Poa, who is part of the PSP’s A-team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC. If they were unaware, it is a case of poor management. But if they were aware but disregarded the feedback, it is a case of poor judgement, she added. “Either way, not a world-class performance commensurate with world-class salaries.”
She also brought up the much-debated deal between Income Insurance and German insurer Allianz which was blocked, with Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong telling parliament last October that the transaction in its current form “would not be in the public interest”. “I find it astounding that NTUC supported the deal while being unaware of the capital reduction exercise to the tune of S$1.85 billion (US$1.41 billion),” said Ms Poa, adding that she believes that NTUC and Income Insurance did not perform their duties responsibly. She noted: “I suspect that if any of these were to happen during the time of our first-generation leaders, heads would have rolled.”
Ms Poa also brought up was the food poisoning cases reported by some students after they consumed ready-to-eat meals that were handed out as part of a Total Defence exercise. Earlier this month, the Singapore Food Agency and Ministry of Health said that there was no conclusive evidence linking the gastroenteritis cases to the meals, which Ms Poa believes is a cause for concern. She added: “Is our public service falling in competence as compared to before? There are many instances telling us that it is important for us to have more opposition in parliament to check on the government.”
CHANGES TO CHUA CHU KANG SLATE
Ms Poa also suggested that trust may have been broken when Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong unexpectedly left Chua Chu Kang GRC to be fielded in Punggol GRC. She noted that Mr Gan had said he would lead the PAP’s Chua Chua Kang team about 10 days before the surprise switcheroo on Nomination Day. “I’m sure CCK residents were shocked as well, to lose their long-time MP so suddenly. What made the PAP go back on their public announcement?” she questioned, asking where the line should be drawn between what can be believed and what cannot be believed. She said she would have preferred if the PAP did not announce its line-up for Chua Chu Kang, rather than change its mind after doing so, adding: “This is so damaging to trust.” Citing Health Minister Ong Ye Kung’s comments that there is nothing wrong with switching constituencies as long as candidates are upfront…
