Election Is Coming

Everyone is talking about it and many say election will happen in September this year.  PM Lee did not attempt to hide saying it is soon in his last weekend NDP speech.  I say September is likely the month where our election will take place and I am certainly looking forward to it.  Already, opposition parties have started to make their rounds and some parties are still quibbling over who is to contest in which ward to avoid third corner fight.

I live in MacPherson and it is now a single ward under incumbent, Tin Pei Ling from PAP.  This is going to be one of the hotly contested wards.  Nicole Seah of NSP then was making waves at this ward and I must admit she has held herself well despite her young age.  By my own admission, Tin Pei Ling did not fare as well as Nicole during the last election.  Nicole is no longer interested to contest and now both NSP and WP are laying claim to this ward.  WP is now a branded opposition other opposition parties are trying to avoid and because of their big branding, they are not willing to accede to NSP's request not to contest in MacPherson.  At first NSP has agreed not to contest after the meeting by all the opposition parties but they have now overturned their decision - they now say they will contest.  Both NSP and WP probably think Tin Pei Ling is a weak link and MacPherson ward is ripe for the taking.  There are many poor families living in MacPherson and many are living in old 1-room and 2-room rental flats.  They need help of sorts.  Granted, I can hear grouses from the common folks at the hawker centre.  I even heard of one elderly uncle complaining that he is planning to live in Johor.  He cited the reason that our water is not safe for drinking and that nobody will win in our Toto & Big Sweep as it is controlled by the government.  Comical and nonsensical but I heard it from this man.  If these are his reasons for uprooting, I sincerely encourage him to do so.  Probably the grass is greener across the causeway for him.  I have even encountered an elderly Indian lady who is always with a younger Indian man and they are always drinking alcohol at the nearby hawker centre as long as they have money.  I believe the elderly lady is using her own CPF money to support this younger Indian man.  They do not work.  From a neighbour's account, sometimes, the younger man would beat up the older lady when money runs dry.  The lady looks sickly and dirty.  She is a stroke patient and she walks unsteadily.  They are on social help.  Sad but she needs to first help herself before anyone can really help her.  There are many families that need help from the private or public sectors.  Tin Pei Ling is aware of it when I emailed her to highlight the plight of this particular Indian lady recently.  She has been spontaneous with her follow up and she is sincerely wanting to help.  I voted her in then because she was part of Marine Parade GRC though I have never been impressed with her.  I am going to vote for her again because she has proven to be a truly committed MP who has served the residents well.  Candidates from WP and NSP, don't you think MacPherson ward is an easy target.  For the betterment of the residents living in MacPherson, Tin Pei Ling should continue as our MP.