OFFERS of upgrading in opposition wards were part of a slew of
policies proposed by People's Action Party candidates during the
General Election, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said
yesterday.
But as voters rejected the PAP's candidates, it was 'naive' of Mr
Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir) and Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) to
now expect the Government to give them the funds for upgrading, he
added.
The issue of upgrading in the two wards turned into a protracted
debate after Mr Chiam asked for the release of 45 per cent of the
$80 million upgrading carrot promised to Potong Pasir residents by
the PAP at the election.
He said that as 45 per cent of voters chose the PAP, the ward
should get 45 per cent of what was promised had the PAP's Sitoh Yih
Pin won.
During the hustings, Mr Sitoh offered Potong Pasir voters an $80
million upgrading plan. PAP Hougang candidate Eric Low had a $100
million plan.
They would have to get the funds for the plan if they were
elected.
Mr Mah and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong - who was an adviser to
the two PAP men - backed their proposals.
Yesterday, Minister of State (National Development) Grace Fu, who
responded first to Mr Chiam's request, said she was puzzled by his
logic of equating 45 per cent of the funds to the percentage of
votes the PAP garnered there.
Going by this logic, should not Mr Chiam then share 45 per cent of
his MP's allowance and his seat in Parliament with Mr Sitoh, she
asked.
She also made the point - reiterated by Mr Mah - that the PAP's
upgrading offer was part of a larger package of policies which the
ruling party offered to voters.
'The electorate in Potong Pasir has obviously not supported that
and therefore they should not stand to benefit from any surpluses
that are generated from that suite of policies,' she said.
Ms Fu recalled that Mr Chiam told voters he could provide upgrading
without assistance. So he should work now on fulfilling that
promise.
Mr Chiam said Ms Fu was trying to 'divert' the discussion, and
asked how it was that the PAP could use taxpayers' money to support
its candidate: 'We are concentrating a huge sum of money in the
coffers of the Government which can be released to an individual
candidate. Under whose authority? Taxpayers' money is taken out of
government funds, and the candidate says, 'Give it to me so I can
win the elections'. This sounds very irregular,' he said.
Joining the debate, Mr Low said the surpluses that Ms Fu referred
to were not generated by the PAP alone: 'Are the surpluses
generated by the PAP, and the people have no part in it? Don't
forget, whether people are in Potong Pasir or in Hougang, they pay
taxes and GST. So your logic and justification is a selfish one
(made) on a partisan basis.'
Mr Low said he applied to the National Development Ministry for
$140 million for upgrading works in Hougang, but his application
had been rejected.
Weighing in on the debate, Mr Mah said Mr Chiam and Mr Low had
'selective hearing'.
'What the PAP candidate said was that, 'I will approach the
Government...with a certain plan, with a certain package, for my
residents. And if I'm elected, I will fulfil that promise',' Mr Mah
said.
Mr Chiam and Mr Low had recalled the sum involved - but forgot
about the part which said 'if the PAP candidate is elected'.
'The PAP candidate was not elected, so how is he going to get that
package?' he asked.
When voters opted for a PAP candidate, Mr Mah said they were also
voting for other aspects of what the party offered, including
prudent fiscal, tax and other policies.
It was also 'naive' of the two MPs to think they could receive
funds from the Government when they did not support its other
policies, he added.
Extracted from STI, Nov 15 2006
Now feel free to insult the "white scums"
