Chua Chu Kang GRC rolls out $1 deals, new mosque, better healthcare access in first 100 days after GE

Straits Times

8 hours ago

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(From left) Chua Chu Kang GRC MPs Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Jeffrey Siow, Tan See Leng and Choo Pei Ling speaking during a walkabout on Aug 10.
SINGAPORE – A new mosque for Tengah residents, $1 deals for essential items and priority walk-ins at Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic – these are among the changes the constituency's new MPs have been working towards in the first 100 days of taking office after the 2025 General Election in May.
Speaking to the media on Aug 10 after interacting with a breakfast crowd during a walkabout in Teck Whye Lane, the team detailed its efforts in Chua Chu Kang GRC since it took charge.
'Prior to the general election, we talked about a 100-day plan. We've reached that particular milestone, and we thought that it is important for us to give an update as to what are some of the initiatives we have identified that we're going to put into action, as well as some of the immediate low-hanging fruits and quick wins that we will be able to implement very quickly,' said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, who is the anchor minister for the GRC.
He added that the team has engaged residents through chit-chat sessions and dialogues, as well as walkabouts, since taking office.
His team comprises Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow, second-term MP and lawyer Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and first-term MP and neuroscientist Choo Pei Ling.
The PAP team
retained Chua Chu Kang GRC for a fourth consecutive term in the general election held on May 3. It won 63.6 per cent of the valid votes against the Progress Singapore Party.
The team defeated a PSP team comprising lawyer Wendy Low, stockbroker S. Nallakaruppan, safety consultant A'bas Kasmani and former Singapore Manufacturing Federation secretary-general Lawrence Pek.
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Mr Zhulkarnain, who oversees the Keat Hong ward, said the new mosque in Forest Drive will be the fifth in the GRC.
The existing mosques in the GRC are facing capacity constraints, and as Tengah grows, there will be a need for minority spaces for Muslim congregants to conduct their prayers, he added.
'In the meantime, Brickland-Tengah, Chua Chu Kang and Keat Hong divisions will have a lot more prayer spaces during the Ramadan month and Hari Raya, so that will help to alleviate some of the space constraints that the mosques are facing,' said Mr Zhulkarnain.
He added that there will be a consultation process where residents can give feedback on the facilities that they want in the mosque.
Many residents have given feedback on their concerns about daily living expenses. Before end 2025, the GRC will progressively roll out a programme where 12,000 households can purchase daily essential items for just $1, noted Mr Zhulkarnain.
Dr Tan pointed out that one key feedback he received from his Meet-the-People Sessions is access to healthcare.
Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic used to require online bookings the night before for appointments. But Dr Tan noted that the elderly may not be as IT-savvy and younger children might need the flexibility to see a doctor quickly if they fall ill.
The GRC team worked with the polyclinic to allow priority walk-ins for seniors above 70, children under two years old, and those who are frail and less mobile. This will also apply to Tengah Polyclinic, which is scheduled to open in 2025.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said the team has engaged residents through chit-chat sessions and dialogues, as well walkabouts.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Mr Siow detailed the efforts to improve connectivity in the constituency.
He noted that bus service 872 was launched on the morning of Aug 10. It starts at Tengah bus interchange and serves areas like Tengah Boulevard, Plantation Crescent and Bukit Batok.
On Aug 11, a premium bus service run by a private operator will connect Brickland to Buona Vista via Tengah.
These are part of a total of eight new bus services that will be introduced in Tengah and Brickland to ease transport woes by end 2026.
'Our focus in the last 100 days, as well as going forward, is to make sure parts of Choa Chu Kang town are both connected to the rest of Singapore, as well as internally; people are able to move around to where they want to go,' added Mr Siow.
Dr Choo, who oversees Tengah ward, pointed out that Tengah is Singapore's youngest town and will see 15,000 units completed by end 2025.
Four new pre-schools have opened in Tengah since May, bringing the total number to seven that serve close to 2,000 residents. New amenities in the area include a 24-hour supermarket and coffee shop, said Dr Choo.
Dr Tan said Chua Chu Kang GRC's MPs are also looking into longer-term issues such as infrastructure changes, the changing population demographics and how to serve different groups better.