Rather than being just a “glorified estate manager”, a Member of Parliament’s “real value” to residents is to lead, bond, inspire and fight for them, said Mrs Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss from the Singapore People’s Party yesterday.
In making this point, the Opposition candidate in Mountbatten Single Member Constituency put down her rival for his handling of the authorities’ plans to redevelop the Dakota Crescent housing estate, which is one of Singapore’s oldest.
Criticising Mr Lim Biow Chuan, the incumbent MP from the People’s Action Party, for saying previously that most of those who like the estate’s heritage do not live there, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss said residents have told her otherwise and would like to save the place.
“It is you the residents who should have the first say and be consulted as to what should be done about the local heritage,” she said, speaking at a rally held in the ward last night — the third straight day the SPP has held one. Residents of rental blocks there, which were built in the 1950s, were notified last year they were required to move out of their homes by Dec 31 next year.
She added that primarily, an MP should be a legislator, making sure laws are debated thoroughly and well-considered before they are made. The job falls on the Opposition, she added, given that the PAP’s MPs form an overwhelming majority in the House.
“There are widening gaps in our society, which if left unchecked, will affect our future and our children’s futures. There is a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots in our society, and not enough is being done to arrest income inequality. There is a gap between the aspirations of Singaporeans and the reality of poor social mobility … between the good intentions behind government policies and the reality of people falling between the cracks,” she said.
Responding to Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong’s recent comments that the PAP is its own check, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss said this is a “dangerous and undemocratic” idea.
She then drew the crowd’s attention to the recent Auditor-General’s report, which showed financial lapses across several ministries and agencies.
“The PAP MPs are mice when talking about the accounting lapses flagged by the Auditor-General. Do you want Parliament to be our rubber stamp? We cannot afford to let Parliament write our government’s blank cheques,” she added.
Last night, she also plugged the SPP’s track record of running the Potong Pasir Town Council for about two decades “successfully and without a hitch”, in bolstering her credentials to run a town council, if elected.
“Under Mr Chiam (See Tong)’s capable hands, the accounts of Potong Pasir Town Council were always clean and always in surplus. Recently, the PAP government has made it their national agenda to cast doubt on the ability of Opposition parties to run a town council successfully.
“As far as SPP is concerned, that is a myth. With SPP’s backing, my team and I are more than confident of running Mountbatten town council. This will be my first call of duty and the first order of my business,” she said.
Ms Chong-Aruldoss stood in Mountbatten under the National Solidarity Party’s banner at the 2011 General Election, taking 41.4 per cent of the votes. She joined the SPP this year.
Seven years ago, Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss had a conversation with her four pre-teen and teenage children.
She realised they did not feel rooted to Singapore as they had no say in the nation-building and decision-making process.
Troubled but still optimistic and wanting to be part of the solution, she did something not many people would even imagine doing: Go down the road of opposition politics.
It was not an easy step to take, but she has always believed that one has to start the ball rolling in order to see change.
Fast forward to today: The London School of Economics law school alumnus and former Katong convent girl who runs her own law practice, is currently making a second bid for the Mountbatten single-member constituency seat, where she is running on the Singapore People’s Party ticket.
In 2011, she ran against the People Action Party’s Lim Biow Chuan. Lim won 11,965 votes (58.64 percent), while she garnered 8,436 votes (41.35 percent).
But judging by the extent her children getting involved with her current 2015 campaign, perhaps her desire to have them stay put in Singapore and take part in the country’s decision-making process will no longer be wishful thinking but a reality.
Mothership.sg spoke to Jeannette to ask her about why she is back, what voters can expect and why she will put her legal career on hold to serve the people full-time.
1. First question: What is the best political advice you’ve ever received so far?
Jeannette: A veteran politician once told me that running for elections is like a marathon. It takes a lot of preparation, a lot of personal sacrifices have to be made and it’s a long journey. But as with any marathon, slow and steady wins the race.
2. How different is 2011’s Jeannette from 2015’s Jeannette?
Jeannette: In 2011 when I stood for elections, I had conviction in my heart, but perhaps I may not have articulated what I feel inside. Now in 2015, I am better able to explain my convictions and I believe that voters will be able to understand me better as to what values and things I want to do.
Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss Mothership interview: Nicole Seah spe…Good morning! Mothership.sg exclusive: Nicole Seah (佘雪玲) interviews Singapore People’s Party Mountbatten SMC candidate Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss (Jeannette For Mountbatten) about why she is back this #GE2015. Here’s a snippet of their conversation. Stay tuned for the full article.
Posted by Mothership.sg on Friday, September 4, 2015
3. I remember a conversation we had where I asked what motivated you to join opposition politics. You said your children felt a sense of disconnect and you worried they might not have a sense of belonging and that may leave Singapore one day. Does that still remain your motivation?
Jeannette: As a mother of four kids, I have a very vested and deep stake in the future of Singapore. And I wanted to set an example for my children, that if things are not what they prefer, and they would prefer something else, I want to tell them not to walk away or vote with their feet, but stick around and be part of the solution and try to make things better. So that is something I want to explain to my children. That’s what I want them to do, not just to go where the grass is greener.
4. So this is your second time running against the PAP’s Lim Biow Chuan, what do you think are your chances this time?
Jeannette: I would say that, firstly, the majority will decide the outcome and I am ready to be judged on the merits and the capabilities. I am confident I am up to the task. So I leave it to the voters, they have a choice and let them decide. I put myself out, my manifesto, my plans for Mountbatten, so it’s up to them.
5. Has it been challenging going down this path?
Jeannette: Yes, absolutely. I still need to do my job, I still need to meet deadlines, and I’m a working mom. It’s not easy to balance all these things, so that has been one of my challenges, but I still feel that this is something that I want to do, so I just have to get it done.
6. And you still have time to adopt a dog?
Jeannette: Ember was a rescued dog, she is part of a litter of maybe seven or eight which was found near a garbage bin in Tuas. A dog rescuer alerted and was asking if people might want to adopt, and the litter was so cute! I wanted to adopt more but one is enough and she is part of our family now. She is used to us and we are used to her, and she has a great personality.
7. Back to something more serious. Since 2011, many have also said that the PAP is shifting left in its ideology somewhat. Policies have become a bit socialist and populist-leaning, and it’s been easier for people to get financial assistance too compared to in the past. Do you think the ground has sweetened in favour of the PAP government?
Jeannette: Well, I have a slightly different perspective, as I think this demonstrates that they are more responsive to the people’s needs, and this shows that competition is beneficial to citizens. Had not I stood up against the incumbent, would the incumbent have been more hardworking? Would the PAP have been more left-leaning, if not for the results of the 2011 elections?
8. Some might also say that in 2011 there were quite a number of strong candidates from several parties, but this time round it is quite plain to see that there are quite a number of sections in the opposition that might be in turmoil as well. Do you think this affects the opposition’s standing as a whole?
Jeannette: Well, we’re only a few days into a nine-day campaign. [Laughs] I think when you give all the opposition politicians a chance to show themselves, then maybe we can look back and see how it goes.
9. What are some of the changes you have seen in Mountbatten then?
Jeannette: What is most interesting is what has not changed about Mountbatten, which is the fact that Mountbatten is still an SMC and spared from the fate which befell Joo Chiat SMC.
I deplore the GRC scheme, which benefits the incumbent at the expense of the electorate. GRC constituents are short-changed by the diffused relationship between them and their collective MPs. In an SMC, the residents have a better sense of their identity as a community and have a more direct bond with their MP which enables residents to be better served.
10. Recently, there has been more attention paid online to MPs’ attendance in parliament. Can voters expect you to have 100 attendance record like Low Thia Khiang and Gerald Giam?
Jeannette: The ruling party has altered Singapore’s electoral process several times. With each amendment to the Constitution, it gets harder and harder for opposition politicians to enter Parliament. Every seat won by the opposition will be hard-earned, paid by heavy personal sacrifice and a history-making feat achieved against great odds. Voters can be sure that if elected, I will make full use of my seat in Parliament.
11. Do you think it is important to be a full-time MP?
Jeannette: Being an MP is one of the highest calling in public service. If elected, my MP duties will take top priority and my legal career will be put on hold or otherwise take a backseat to my role as MP.
12. So, for the last question, not as loaded as the previous ones, the de facto question this GE: Describe yourself as a hawker dish?
Jeannette: Well, Nicole, sitting in front of you, I can only think of wantan mee because we used to enjoy it together. You used to SMS me and say “Shall we eat wantan mee? Let’s go!”
[Yeah, wantan mee is comfort food.]
I think it reminds me of home. And friendship too.
[Thank you for making time today. Wish you all the best for the rest of the hustings period.]
She hopes to keep food costs in the area under control, enhance social mobility and preserve a part of Mountbatten’s heritage – that is Ms Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss’ plan if she is elected.
Unveiling what she called her “Mountbatten Manifesto” on Monday evening (Aug 31), the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) candidate in the Single Member Constituency (SMC) spelled out a five-point plan.
“Residents know that Mountbatten is famous for its local food. I pledge to work with local stallholders and local government agencies to ensure that rental prices are kept affordable so that the community can continue to enjoy their favourite food at affordable prices,” she said at a press conference.
She pledged to try to improve transport connectivity within the constituency, as well as set up a Mountbatten Social Mobility Bursary for children of the disadvantaged. “I want to demonstrate how Singaporeans can work together as a community,” she said on her plans to raise S$100,000. “Where those who are better off will be able to help those who are not so better off.”
Also on her mind is Dakota Crescent, an estate built in the 1950s, which is slated for redevelopment by the end of 2016. Residents are likely to be “very disappointed” if it disappears, she said. “I want to explore feasible ways to conserve at least a representational amount of the flats so that the community and Singaporeans may have a physical reminder of where we came from.”
In Parliament, she hopes to increase accountability and transparency by raising questions. But her priority will be to run the town council professionally and help Mountbatten residents, she said.
In the 2011 General Election, Ms Chong-Aruldoss contested the ward under the National Solidarity Party’s banner, losing to People’s Action Party candidate Lim Biow Chuan with 41.4 per cent of the vote.
Asked if the ground was different now, she said: “I have not stopped working for this coming GE. So the difference between now and before is five years of work.”
Ms Chong-Aruldoss left the NSP, where she was secretary general, earlier this year after she lost her bid to be voted party president.
(Yesterday morning, 22 Aug at Blk 17 Old Airport Road Food Centre)
Smiling broadly and holding up my J4M flyer, I approached a man aged about 40 sitting alone.
He glared at me and motioned that he did not wish me to approach him.
Thinking he might not be local, I asked in English “Are you a Singaporean?”
Staring at me for a couple of seconds (to the point that I thought he might indeed be a non-Singaporean), he then answered in a stern tone, “Yes, I am a Singaporean and I have already decided who to vote for.”
Astounded, I said “But how can you have decided when elections have not even began yet?”
Him (with hostility): “I am a grassroot leader.”
Me (thinking that grassroot leaders are community-minded): “Oh may I know your name?”
Him: “No.”
Me (realising that my thinking could be wrong): “Why would being a grassroot leader mean that you already decided who to vote? Does it mean that all grassroot leaders are …..”
Him (sensing where I was going, cut me off in mid sentence): “I know who you are. You are a lawyer and so am I. You are engaging me the wrong way. I am here to have my breakfast. You are engaging me the wrong way.” He clearly wanted me to go away, so I went away.
I am really puzzled by the man’s response. Many Singaporeans join the grassroots to serve the community, and not to serve politicians or the political ambitions of the ruling party. This grassroot leader had made up his mind who to give his vote to. He was not interested to meet me or to even hear me out. He made it very clear to me that I have zero chance to win his support.
Well, can’t say I didn’t try. If you’re reading this, I want you to know, no hard feelings. To everyone else who is reading this, I’m going to keep trying to work for your support, regardless of affiliation.
All I ask is for you to judge me on my merits and give me a fair chance to win your support.
Mrs Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, 51, a lawyer, sets her eyes again on the Mountbatten Single Member Constituency (SMC) for the upcoming General Election with the blessing of her new political party.
A former secretary general of the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Mrs Chong-Aruldoss lost a bid to become NSP president in party polls held in January this year.
She subsequently left the party along with a several other members and applied to join the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) in March, helmed by veteran politician Chiam See Tong.
Mrs Chong-Aruldoss confirms that she will be contesting in the SMC in the upcoming polls which must be held by January 2017.
She said, “Yes, I am keen to make another bid to be elected as MP for Mountbatten. In the course of campaigning during the last GE, I established friendships with residents and got to know some local issues of concern to the residents there. I believe that I will be of more help to residents – and be a better candidate – if I were to have a deeper understanding of issues and closer ties with residents.
“For this reason, even after GE 2011, I have continued to and have been regularly walking the ground at Mountbatten. It has been my aim to build on the relationships which I have already established and to deepen my understanding of the issues of concern.”
Her personal campaign team has also been formed for the purpose of the upcoming election, which does not tax on the limited manpower and resources of SPP. It is said that the team has been visiting the SMC every Wednesday.
In General Elections 2011, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss contested against People’s Action Party candidate, Mr Lim Biow Chuan, under the NSP’s banner for the first time in the newly formed Mountbatten ward.
She received 41.38 per cent of the vote, which is slightly above the national average for opposition candidates.
However, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss is uncertain if the efforts of her campaigning team would bear fruit in the coming election due to Singapore’s constant changing electoral boundaries.
“Of course, all potential opposition candidates including myself, are under the heel of boundary changes. History has seen boundaries change significantly from one general election to another. What if Mountbatten is no longer a single member constituency? I don’t know.”
Despite the uncertainity she faces in the upcoming election, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss said, “For now, I will continue to walk the grounds of Mountbatten to see how best I may be able to serve its constituents, if elected.”
Apart from Singapore People’s Party which is set to contest the SMC if it is not subsumed into other constituencies or removed altogether at the next boundary changes, the NSP itself seems to have also set its eyes on contesting the ward.
This would set up a possible three-corner fight in the SMC.
