It has been more than two months since the sudden and shocking death of her actor-boyfriend Ashmi Roslan, but local Suria actress Syirah Jusni still feels the pangs every day.
The pain and heartache of losing her beau of two years has manifested itself in physical ailments.
“Till today, without fail, I come down with fever every night,” said the 26-year-old in an interview with The New Paper yesterday.
She described herself as being in the process of “healing emotionally and bringing my health back”.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Syirah added: “As days go by, it does get easier. At the end of the day, no matter how devastated I am, life goes on.”
It used to be worse.
One week after Ashmi — who would have turned 34 on Aug 11 — died, she suffered a “panic attack”.
Singaporeans from all walks of life, who are used to dealing with daily issues of all sorts that have plagued the country the last few years, are suddenly discovering that they are running out of problems.
This after the General Election 2015 is causing their problems to be solved one after another at an alarming unprecedented rate.
One Singaporean, Mei Wen Ti, said: “Suddenly, Sembawang residents wake up one fine morning and discover that they are having a new hawker centre and swimming complex built right in their neighbourhood to deal with the fact they didn’t have access to these basic amenities for years.”
“It is like they used to have 99 problems but now they have none.”
“And then two constituencies that are home to Singapore’s oldest estates, Jalan Besar and Tanjong Pagar, are set to be spruced up over the next five years as both town councils suddenly unveiled master plans to rejuvenate the estates.”
“It’s like waking up one fine morning and then, ‘Woah, what the hell just hit me? Solutions!’”
Other Singaporeans said these influx of solutions to age-old problems have reaffirmed their belief that having elections every year is the way to go.
This is to bring about a better standard of living and quality of life for Singaporeans and the good times will continue rolling as long as Singaporeans head to the polls regularly.
Another resident, Boh Dai Ji, said: “My neighbour, was in arrears, and HDB cancelled his outstanding debt.”
“My son, fail all subjects in Primary 3, and still can go CC collect bursary award.”
“Holding elections is, therefore, the most effective way for residents’ issues to be addressed. All GRCs and SMCs should have elections every year.”
“Otherwise, all problems will be put on the back-burner, as Singapore only focuses on economic growth at all costs.”
The Sunshine Welfare Action Mission (SWAMI) Home, which hosted a People’s Action Party (PAP) press conference last Friday, has been told by the authorities to abide by its constitution, after a report was lodged with the Registrar of Societies questioning whether it had violated its constitution by hosting a political event.
SWAMI’s constitution states that it cannot take part in any political activity or allow its funds or premises to be used for political purposes.
A Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson said SWAMI is a registered society and is obliged to adhere to its constitution. “SWAMI was advised by the Registry of Societies on 17 August 2015 to ensure strict adherence to its constitution,” the spokesperson said.
The report was lodged by Singapore People’s Party (SPP) member and blogger Ravi Philemon.
In a blog post on Saturday, Mr Philemon questioned why SWAMI Home had hosted the PAP press conference, which saw the introduction of the party’s slate for Sembawang GRC in the coming General Election by party chairman Khaw Boon Wan.
Mr Philemon said based on his experience working in volunteer welfare organisations (VWOs), most of them have constitutions that forbid them from getting involved in political activities. “The introduction of PAP candidates who will contest in Sembawang GRC in the next General Election is clearly a political activity,” he wrote.
In a statement, SWAMI Home’s president Low Chang Yee said the home had not checked its constitution when it agreed to rent its premises to the PAP. “The local MPs wanted to rent our premises for their event. We agreed as their rental of our premises on commercial terms was helpful for us,” he said in a statement.
The organisation has never used its funds to help any political party, and funds raised from the renting of its premises are used to help run the home and other charitable causes, Mr Low explained. “Now, we have been informed and are aware of this provision in our constitution,” he added.
The PAP’s Sembawang GRC team — led by Mr Khaw, who is also National Development Minister — said in a statement that it had rented the home “partly to support this VWO and partly because we felt it was an accessible place and had sufficient space to accommodate reporters”.
“We had not checked the VWO’s constitution. However, we have nothing but the highest regard for the work done by this VWO and will continue to support it in any way we can,” they said.
On Oct 1, something important is going to be removed in Potong Pasir.
It is a covered walkway, built in 2008, leading from Potong Pasir MRT station to Block 147 at Potong Pasir Avenue 1. It has to go because a mall and a condominium would be coming up, so residents were told. This might not seem like a big deal – except this is one particular walkway which had been talked about and argued over, even in Parliament and during elections. And is probably one of the last remaining sign of Mr Chiam See Tong’s 27 years stewardship of Potong Pasir.
The MRT walkway built by Mr Chiam See Tong at Potong Pasir. Picture taken in August 2015.
The sign by Mr Chiam’s Potong Pasir Town Council about when the MRT walkway was opened has been removed. Picture taken in August 2015.
Today, the PAP announced its candidate for Potong Pasir. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, 51, will be defending his seat after narrowly scooping it up from Mrs Lina Chiam in 2011. Mrs Chiam is of course, the wife of Mr Chiam See Tong, who has been synonymous with Potong Pasir since he became an MP in 1984. Mr Sitoh told reporters this morning that the past four years has not been about removing Mr Chiam’s legacy, but whether intentional or not, that is what it has felt like to the residents here who, like me, have come to love the neighbourhood as it was under Mr Chiam’s charge.
When Mrs Chiam lost the Potong Pasir seat by a mere 114 votes, there were plenty of tears not just for the Chiams’ Singapore People’s Party but for what it meant for the ward’s identity. In the months following that May day, my tiny town was invaded by camera-toting Singaporeans, from as far away as Woodlands and Tampines, who wanted to see for themselves the housing estate that had withstood 27 years of wooing by the People’s Action Party.
Was it really a slum? Did Mr Chiam really conduct his Meet-The-People Sessions (MPS) in an open-air void deck? Did residents really suffer from a lack of amenities in the estate?
My constituency, where I have lived for 20 years, became a curiosity. Visitors would get off the train at Potong Pasir MRT station, and recall that it was supposed to be named Sennett, and was rumoured to stay closed even when the Northeast Line began operation in 2003.
They would walk along that walkway to Block 147 and recall how politicised this walkway became during the 2006 elections, a story involving a concrete path sheltered by trees, to having solar powered lights that was left abandoned, and that eventually became that sheltered walkway.
They would have their photograph taken in front of the ‘Welcome to Potong Pasir’ signboard, which had a a smiling Mr Chiam, before it got taken down. They would then head to Block 108, where Mr Chiam had his MPS with the residents, and marvel at the table and chairs.
‘Welcome to Potong Pasir Constituency’ Signboard. Picture taken in June 2011.
Next stop would be the coffeeshop at Block 136, which Mr Chiam makes a point of visiting after each election victory. Then visitors will walk by the river in the estate, experiencing the quiet charm of a slower paced Singapore.
This was a constituency without an NTUC Fairprice supermarket (it used to be at Block 136, but it was closed after the elections in 1984), nor a bank (POSBank used to be at Block 146, but it was closed after the elections in 1988). There was not even a Post Office (there was Promax Stationery, a Postal Agent, at block 148, which performed some postal services, but it closed in the 2000s). Potong Pasir’s lifts did not stop on every floor then.
It lacked amenities, yes, and this lack contributed to the laid-back, kampung feel of Potong Pasir. Without an NTUC, you would have to patronise the estate’s wet market at Block 148, or the neighbourhood dry-goods uncle’s shop at Block 137, or the 24-hour neighbourhood supermarket at Block 136. The shopkeepers and stall holders will always have time to banter with you.
New stage area built between Blk 136 and 140 at Potong Pasir. Picture taken in August 2015.
The iconic walkway with a pavilion in the centre that was completed in July 2000. It has been demolished in the recent upgrading. Picture taken on 4 Jan 2013, by Matthew Ang.
Residents find it painful to use the stairs because lifts do not stop at every floor, yes, but this meant that they had more time to chat with each other while waiting at lift landings. Helping an elderly aunty lugging her grocery up the stairs became the norm.
While there wasn’t a Post Office or a bank, there was the facility-filled, ever-bustling Toa Payoh Hub, a short bus ride away on the only bus service in Potong Pasir (there was another bus service serving the estate, but it was rerouted after the elections in 1991). And when Serangoon Nex opened its doors in 2010, it was an even shorter train ride away.
One Potong Pasir quirk was the signs by the Town Council showing when amenities and improvements were installed. They were everywhere: in playgrounds, parks, and even on trees planted by Mr Chiam.
Tree planting sign board, during Mr Chiam’s stewardship at Potong Pasir. Picture taken in May 2011.
Almost all have been replaced or removed because of the intense upgrading programme Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, the PAP MP, has embarked upon since 2011. Potong Pasir is being made over. You see it – the “keep out” hoardings. You hear it – the pounding of construction equipment.
Since 2011, an NTUC Fairprice supermarket, a Post Office, a bank, and even a gym has come up. We have lifts that stop on all floors save for eight blocks in the estate. We have more sheltered walkways being constructed, and a beautiful riverside park newly opened for residents. A new street soccer court has been built beside Block 109, as there are plans to reuse the space of the street soccer court built by Mr Chiam. We also have more family service centres at void decks serving the residents.
The new futsal court in Potong Pasir that was built by Mr Sitoh Yih Pin. Picture taken in August 2015.
The old futsal court in Potong Pasir that was built by Mr Chiam See Tong. Picture taken in August 2015.
Progress comes at a price. A few of our old-time shops have closed down, and I don’t know where uncle has gone. The supermarket and the bank bring more non-residents into our estate. Our coffeeshops are now so crowded and I have to ‘ta-bao’ my family dinner instead of having my family eat there. It is now more difficult to linger and catch up with people in the estate you know.
I dread the upcoming mall and condominium. I have an inkling that it would be like going to Nex at Serangoon. You find yourself swept in a shifting sea of people, able to only wave a ‘Hi!’ to a familiar face before being pressed on. My in-laws already complain about the lack of parking spaces in their carpark that is just next to the NTUC supermarket.
Sometimes, I wonder if all this infrastructural ‘upgrading’ is just to show activity and money spent. If something is upgraded or new, does it follow that it must be good? All the busy-ness is hurting the connections that residents have built up over time. Soon, the new, shiny Potong Pasir will be just like any other PAP ward with no sign left of Mr Chiam’s struggles to maintain the estate for 27 years – and the residents’ efforts to be self-reliant.
I intend to snap several pictures of the walkway to keep the memories of this undaunted little place alive.
The National Day Rally is going to be held this coming 23rd August. I have no doubt for sure that perhaps in the week after or so, parliament will be dissolved and we will begin to see political parties campaigning to win the hearts of the voters to put them into parliament for the next 5 years.
All parties have been working hard at looking for new candidates whom they feel can best represent the party and the people they seek to serve at the respective wards that they are contesting for.
And as how the last elections has shown, Singaporeans are less interested in the affairs of the Town Council but are more concerned at what happens at the national level. Elections, is no longer just about municipal issues but national issues.
More than just that, we need the right candidates who can represent the people at the national level.
If anything, I believe that we need to have a political reform in terms of how elections are held. It should no longer be about representing wards alone. It should be about representing the people. What we need is a parliament that works like council members, elected not by wards but by the entire nation or by the community that they seek to represent.
For example, to have a good representation in parliament, we should perhaps try to work on this:
ALL Singapore Malays vote for a selected number of Malay Candidates who have been nominated by their organisations or have chosen to step forward to represent the community.
For instance, AMP, MUIS, MENDAKI, PERGAS, PERTAPIS, etc.. each nominates one member from their organisation whom they feel can best represent the Malay community. If these guys accept the nomination, then they go on to campaign to win votes of the Malay community for the available number of seats and these guys will represent the Malay-Muslim Community.
Let’s say there are 14 seats available for the Malay-Muslim Community and there are 30 guys contending for the seat. Voters can mark the ‘X’ on 14 of these names/faces who they want to represent them.
This way, no candidate shall be subjected to party politics and will truly represent the people and they can represent the people best because there will be diversity in terms of opinions and alliances. These guys, are then the Malay Members of Parliament.
For those individuals who are not nominated, they can campaign as well to win votes. Campaigning can be managed by the Election Department who will organise the ‘Campaign Tours’ to the different neighbourhoods to allow candidates opportunities to speak. Each candidate given a specific amount of time for their speeches. This puts additional pressure on candidates to be concise with what they want to campaign for and not beat around the bush.
Now, after they win and what about the choice for a Minister of Malay Muslim Affairs. The candidates representing the Malay Muslim community can discuss amongst themselves as council members and elect a person whom they feel best fits the job.
What about Town Councils?
Leave the Town Council management to private firms who have no political affiliation or interest. Town Council managers will have to submit their bids and proposals on how they wish to improve the town to the Ministry for National Development who can issue tenders.
In assessing the suitability of the Town Council to be issued or recontracted, MND can have a KPI or checklist or even conduct household surveys to assess performance of each Town Council. Town Councils that fail to meet a certain percentage gives a good red flag that they are perhaps undeserving of a contract extension.
And what then of the People’s Association and it’s CC Advisers?
Leave that to the staff and passionate volunteers of People’s Association. In doing so, we can eradicate party lobbying where volunteers feel obliged/indebted to help/vote their Advisers/MPs or are interested to volunteer because they’d like to be able to receive benefits (whatever that may be).
I know I’ve only mentioned an example for the Malay-Muslim community but this can be replicated for the rest of the communities and causes as well because at the end of the day, we really want to vote for someone who knows the community really well, is committed to serving the community WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR, FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY(Borrowed this from the Singapore Police Force pledge).
I certainly do not want to vote for someone whom I know eventually is bounded by party politics and has their hands and mouth tied from speaking up, when that is exactly what they should be doing.
