SINGAPORE: He may not be a visible fixture in the Potong Pasir
district these days, but Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, the People’s Action
Party (PAP) branch manager and grassroots adviser working in the
Opposition stronghold, insists "it’s business as usual".
The 45—year—old accountant — who debuted in the 2001 General
Election — admits the days of "mega events" where he and his
grassroots volunteers would organise events which pulled in
residents in their thousands are long gone.
"Post—2006, our grassroots have decentralised our efforts ... so
that there is more bonding (with residents) and more personal
outreach," Mr Sitoh told MediaCorp on Tuesday.
He did not give more details, but said "our Residents’
Committees have won three star awards from the People’s Association
recently ... so this is evidence our volunteers are still putting
in effort, it’s just that we are not visible".
During the interview, Mr Sitoh said he was now focusing on a
"personal touch" which he hopes will win over the residents.
What does he think of news that the incumbent in Potong Pasir,
74—year—old Chiam See Tong, might be leaving his Potong Pasir seat
in the next election, possibly to lead a team to contest in the
Bishan—Toa Payoh GRC in the next General Election, which is due by
February 2012?
"Our activists will continue to fight" was his reply.
These days, Mr Sitoh says he meets residents regularly at
community events which are low—key affairs "attended by 100 to 200
people".
This pales in comparison to the days when he and his team
attracted 8,000 residents for a food festival in 2004.
And while the residents are unlikely to see the famous $2
shark’s fin soup and abalone porridge dished out at community
events in the past, Mr Sitoh says the people of Potong Pasir are
still getting his full attention.
Before the last election in 2006, Mr Sitoh had also installed
solar lamps along the path where the covered walkway linking the
Potong Pasir MRT station and the town centre is now, after leasing
the land from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).
But after his defeat at the polls, he declined to repair them
after they were vandalised, saying that the land’s lease was due to
expire. The more subdued engagement hasn’t escaped the notice of
some residents here.
"Mr Chiam has been doing a good job here but what I’m really
surprised about is the lack of engagement from the PAP. You rarely
see Sitoh," noted retiree George Lu, 76.
He also said that unlike Mr Chiam, Mr Sitoh did not hold regular
meet—the—people sessions, which were discontinued after the
latter’s 2006 defeat. When told about these views, Mr Sitoh denied
that he had abandoned Potong Pasir.
"Our grassroots leaders are still active and as far as the PAP
is concerned, you can be sure that we will fight the next battle
... we have fought the last 25 years in Potong Pasir and will
continue fighting".
Despite speculation, analysts say it is unrealistic for the
ruling party to "abandon" Potong Pasir.
"It is simply not a practical approach to national politics and
... it will eventually have a blowback effect as many PAP
supporters and government employees are also Potong Pasir
residents," said Associate Professor Bilveer Singh, a political
scientist from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
While residents may be pleased with Mr Chiam’s performance,
Assoc Prof Singh said that there was no guarantee that the veteran
MP’s track record will be sufficient to make Potong Pasir a no—go
constituency for the PAP.
"The PAP has been explicit about their Potong Pasir strategy but
with the Potong Pasir MRT station now open ... that also shows that
there are also limits as residents cannot be cut off from national
programmes," observed Dr Gillian Koh, a senior research fellow at
the Institute of Policy Studies.
But will the PAP be upping the stakes now that Mr Chiam has
signalled he might leave?
"Whether he contests or not, there will likely be continuity on
the opposition’s side," she said, referring to talk that Mr Chiam’s
wife Lina Loh Woon See is gunning for his seat.
"We will have wait and see if the PAP will adopt a different
strategy (when that is announced)". — TODAY