Shaping of policies does not have to be adversarial, says PAP's Henry Kwek
Mr Henry Kwek, the PAP candidate for Kebun Baru SMC, speaking to the media during a walkabout at Mayflower Market & Food Centre on April 25, 2025. The Straits Times
Shaping of policies does not have to be adversarial, says PAP's Henry Kwek
SINGAPORE - Shaping of policies for Singapore does not need to be adversarial as this can be done by communities working together to help one another, said Mr Henry Kwek, the PAP candidate for Kebun Baru, on April 25.
Mr Kwek was responding to a question about comments made by his opponent, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) candidate Tony Tan, at a rally on Apr 24 that more opposition voices are needed in Parliament.
Speaking to media at the launch of Kebun Baru's manifesto, Always on your side, at the PAP branch office at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, he said: 'I don't think that shaping policies should be adversarial, I feel that there's tremendous value in getting our community to come together to help one another.
'We will use many means of advocating for our people, be it parliamentary questions, speeches in Parliament, participating actively in debates, having motions, doing focus groups, putting up papers, using our direct line to persuade the front bench to see and respond to the change that we see needed on the ground.'
Noting that he has been 'doing this for 10 years', Mr Kwek also pointed out how policies in Kebun Baru have evolved to better support seniors, young families and the wider community, with more expected in the next few years.
Since 2015, social support in Kebun Baru has been strengthened through initiatives such as the Hope Collective, which is aimed at providing help to needy and vulnerable residents, he added. The programmes are aimed at befriending socially isolated seniors, mentoring for needy young families and talent development for children from lower income families.
On infrastructure upgrades in the community, Mr Kwek added that Kebun Baru has seen a makeover under the Remaking Our Heartland initiative.
The Mayflower hawker centre and nearby parks have been upgraded, and new wayfinding features are being integrated with MRT exits to provide a clearer route for the elderly.
Residents in Kebun Baru can also expect more enhancements in the public and private estates, he said.
The Ang Mo Kio swimming complex is being rebuilt into a new ActiveSG hub, while Lentor Hills will welcome Lentor Modern, a mixed-use development with 96,000 square feet of commercial space which includes a supermarket and about 50 shops.
Private estates like Teachers' Estate will be the first to benefit from the Estate Upgrading Programme, which is a new upgrading scheme tailored for seniors in older neighbourhoods.
The upgrades include more senior friendly amenities, as well as more footpaths, improved drainage and green spaces.
A new ServiceSG office will also open in AMK Hub by end-2026 to offer seniors in-person help to access government services, he added.
Transport connectivity is also set to improve with upcoming projects like the Cross Island Line and the North-South Corridor, freeing up the roads for buses, cycling paths and landscaped public spaces.
Mr Kwek also noted that more attention must also be given to the 'sandwich generation' who are juggling work, caregiving and financial responsibilities.
'Some of them have health issues, some of them may have business challenges, and they need a bit of extra help. That's why we should do more for our sandwich class,' he said.
'That is a clear need that is evolving, and we will respond to that need like we always have been.'
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