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Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Tiong Bahru residents to vote on new colour scheme for blocks after purple was selected to reflect bougainvillea
Tiong Bahru residents to vote on new colour scheme for blocks after purple was selected to reflect bougainvillea Isabelle Liew The Straits Times May 17, 2025 Residents in 14 Housing Board blocks in Tiong Bahru will get to vote to decide what colour the buildings will be repainted. The buildings were initially set to undergo a purple makeover, which upset residents as they said their views were not sought. The exterior of one storey in Block 9A Boon Tiong Road had already been painted several shades of purple, including a dark plum which some residents said looked gaudy. On May 17, Tanjong Pagar GRC new MP Foo Cexiang took media questions for the first time since news of the incident broke on May 13. He said he has spoken to over 200 Boon Tiong Road residents over the last few days and will give them a choice over the colour. "It is also an opportunity to bring together residents and build a community," he said of the poll. But he has not decided when the poll, which will take place outside two residents' committee centres in Boon Tiong Road, will be held. Two options are confirmed: the purple-coloured theme, or maintain the current off-white and light orange shades with some modifications. There will be other colour options, but these have yet to be confirmed. Mr Foo, who oversees the Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru division of Tanjong Pagar GRC, also explained why purple was initially selected. "The purple colour scheme was not one that was selected without thought or heart," he said. Noting that residents had in 2015, as part of a community event, planted rows of purple-blossomed bougainvillea along Boon Tiong Road, he added: "The idea was to have a colour scheme that reflects the purple bougainvillea." The idea came from a discussion between Ms Indranee Rajah - who was previously adviser to Tanjong Pagar GRC Grassroots Organisations - as well as residents and architects, he added. Ms Indranee was MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC from 2001 to 2025 before moving to anchor the PAP's team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, which won in the 2025 General Election. So far, the paint job has been completed for one block, 2A Boon Tiong Road, which sported shades of lilac. Another 11 blocks in Boon Tiong Road were set to undergo repainting, with gondolas set up and some external portions painted purple. The dark purple portion at Block 9A, which sparked concern among residents, was a mock-up and not the colour that the architect envisioned, he added. "We will not have that level of darkness for the proposed purple scheme," he said. Asked why voting was not done earlier, Mr Foo said that there is no protocol on how advisers should conduct the repainting process. Mr Foo said he had spoken to Ms Indranee about the incident. "She encouraged me to work with the residents and architects, and if there are changes that should be made, to please do so," he said. Mr Foo said he hopes to minimise any delays. It will take around three to four weeks to start painting after the colour scheme is chosen. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Tiong Bahru residents to vote on colour scheme after complaints over purple makeover
Tiong Bahru residents to vote on colour scheme after complaints over purple makeover SINGAPORE - Residents in 14 Housing Board blocks in Tiong Bahru will get to vote to decide what colour the buildings will be repainted. The buildings were initially set to undergo a purple makeover, which upset residents as they said their views were not sought. The exterior of one storey in Block 9A Boon Tiong Road had already been painted several shades of purple, including a dark plum which some residents said looked gaudy. On May 17, Tanjong Pagar GRC new MP Foo Cexiang took media questions for the first time since news of the incident broke on May 13. He said he has spoken to over 200 Boon Tiong Road residents over the last few days and will give them a choice over the colour. 'It is also an opportunity to bring together residents and build a community,' he said of the poll. But he has not decided when the poll, which will take place outside two RC centres in Boon Tiong Road, will be held. Two options are confirmed: the purple-coloured theme, or maintain the current off-white and light orange shades with some modifications. There will be other colour options, but these have yet to be confirmed. Mr Foo, who oversees the Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru division of Tanjong Pagar GRC, also explained why purple was initially selected. 'The purple colour scheme was not one that was selected without thought or heart,' he said. Noting that residents had in 2015, as part of a community event, planted rows of purple-blossomed bougainvillea along Boon Tiong Road, he added: 'The idea was to have a colour scheme that reflects the purple bougainvillea.' The idea came from a discussion between Ms Indranee Rajah - who was previously adviser to Tanjong Pagar GRC Grassroots Organisations - as well as residents and architects, he added. Ms Indranee was MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC from 2001 to 2025 before moving to anchor the PAP's team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, which won in the 2025 General Election. So far, the paint job has been completed for one block, 2A Boon Tiong Road, which sported shades of lilac. Another 11 blocks in Boon Tiong Road were set to undergo repainting, with gondolas set up and some external portions painted purple. The dark purple portion at Block 9A, which sparked concern among residents, was a mock-up and not the colour that the architect envisioned, he added. 'We will not have that level of darkness for the proposed purple scheme,' he said. Asked why voting was not done earlier, Mr Foo said that there is no protocol on how advisers should conduct the repainting process. Mr Foo said he had spoken to Ms Indranee about the incident. 'She encouraged me to work with the residents and architects, and if there are changes that should be made, to please do so,' he said. Mr Foo said he hopes to minimise any delays. It will take around three to four weeks to start painting after the colour scheme is chosen. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: PAP wins Pasir Ris-Changi GRC
The team from the Singapore Democratic Alliance comprising Mr Desmond Lim (second from left), Mr Abu Mohamed (third from left), Harminder Pal Singh (first from left), and newcomer Chia Yun Kai. FILE PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS The PAP has won Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah. Her teammates are Mr Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (third from left), one-term MP Sharael Taha (first from left), and new face Valerie Lee. ST FILE PHOTO SINGAPORE – The PAP has won Pasir Ris-Changi GRC – led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah – with 67.66 per cent of the vote against the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), a coalition of two parties and a newcomer. Ms Indranee's teammates are Mr Desmond Tan, 54, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, one-term MP Sharael Taha, 43, and new face Valerie Lee, 39. They faced a straight fight against a team from SDA comprising the opposition coalition's chairman Desmond Lim, 58, secretary-general Abu Mohamed, 74, communications lead Harminder Pal Singh, 53, and newcomer Chia Yun Kai, 32. Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, which has 100,639 voters, was formed by merging some districts under the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with adjacent areas in East Coast GRC, after electoral boundaries were redrawn. Pulau Ubin was subsumed under the new boundaries of Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. During the nine days of campaigning, Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development, had said that while the PAP has plans to address concerns such as cost of living and jobs at a national level, her team at Pasir Ris-Changi GRC would also explore issues and plans at the local level, including improving infrastructure. Ms Indranee had moved from Tanjong Pagar GRC where she had served for 24 years to anchor the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. This was after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, the former anchor minister in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, announced his retirement from politics after 33 years. Mr Teo had been an MP in Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC since 1997. The SDA is a coalition currently comprising the Singapore Justice Party, of which Mr Lim is the secretary-general; the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), of which Mr Abu Mohamed is the president; and Mr Chia, who had initially announced that he had founded his own party Most Valuable Party – to contest East Coast GRC. Mr Chia joined SDA on Nomination Day on April 23. The SDA had aimed to address cost of living, issues of housing and healthcare, as well as providing better job opportunities for Singaporeans amid competition from foreign talent. The alliance has not prevailed since it began contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in 2006. Pasir Ris-Changi voters whom The Straits Times spoke to earlier on polling day said the voting process was smooth and hassle-free. The day began with heavy downpours in the earlier part of the morning of May 3 before clearing up to clear skies for the rest of the day. Voters said issues such as cost of living were on the top of their mind when it came to casting their votes. 'What's more important for me is to choose the right team to bring the country forward,' said housewife Noor Huda Abdullah, 49. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: WP bailed at crucial point, says Indranee on the party's voting approach on repeal of Section 377A
Minister in the Prime Minister Indranee Rajah speaking at the Punggol GRC rally held at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on May 1. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO GE2025: WP bailed at crucial point, says Indranee on the party's voting approach on repeal of Section 377A Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – WP bailed when it came to the crunch on a delicate and potentially very contentious matter, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah on May 1. She was referring to the WP's approach to voting in Parliament on the repeal of Section 377A and the constitutional amendment accompanying it that protected the current definition of marriage. Section 377A is a colonial-era law that criminalised sex between men. If the PAP had allowed its MPs to vote as they wished like the WP did on the repeal of Section 377A, the law might not have been struck down or the current definition of marriage would have been at risk, she pointed out. She was lending her support to the PAP's team facing off against the WP in Punggol on the last day of the hustings. Addressing comments from the WP that there was one occasion they had helped to make up numbers when they voted in favour of a constitutional amendment, Ms Indranee said that particular amendment was a straightforward one with no controversy. 'But there's another amendment that they didn't tell you about,' she said, pointing out how the WP had voted on the repeal of Section 377A and the constitutional amendment accompanying it. Parliament had in 2022 passed laws to decriminalise gay sex and protect the definition of marriage against legal challenge. The PAP government had moved to have the law struck down, while introducing a new article to protect the current definition that could still be amended by future governments, noted Ms Indranee. When it came to voting on the changes in Parliament, the PAP did not lift the party whip, which meant that its MPs voted as a bloc. As a result, the changes went through, said Ms Indranee. 'The Workers' Party, on the other hand, made a big deal of the fact that they were lifting their whip and they voted. Their voting was all over the place,' she said. The WP MPs had a mix of representatives supporting, opposing, and abstaining across the two votes. Party chief Pritam Singh had said then that he had lifted the party whip to allow them to vote according to their conscience, so that they could represent the many Singaporeans who see the matter as one of deep religious belief and conscience. He had also spoken on the PAP's choice not to lift the whip. 'Given the varied public opinion on the impending repeal of S377A, there is a risk that the democratic value of Parliament could be diluted if the views of Singaporeans on this subject are not adequately ventilated in this House,' he said then. At the rally, Ms Indranee said: 'Under the WP approach, it was 'anybody can vote as they like'. There was no leadership, there was no party position. It was a political calculation to be all things to all people.' 'They certainly had many alternative voices, but no party position, and they had the luxury of voting this way only because the PAP had not lifted the whip and we carried the motions.' If the PAP had taken a similar approach and lifted the whip, and the repeal and amendments had not been carried, it could have led to polarisation and clashes between different groups, said Ms Indranee. 'The PAP's approach kept things in balance. It achieved a new equilibrium, and it took into account the views from both sides. It provided leadership, but most of all, it took courage,' she said, adding that it would have been 'so easy' to go the WP route. 'Leadership requires courage, not expedience. And the PAP is a government that governs on principle, not expedience.' She also addressed the WP's campaign message on more alternative voices in Parliament being needed, presenting it as an either-or situation. Ms Indranee said that having opposition voices is already guaranteed under the Non-Constituency MP scheme. Under the scheme, introduced in 1984, seats are reserved for losing opposition candidates with the highest vote shares. WP chief Pritam Singh had said on April 29 that only elected opposition MPs can pressure and push the Government, and that NCMPs have no voters and residents to solicit feedback from. 'If that is the case, I wonder what NCMPs Mr Leong Mun Wai and Ms Hazel Poa have been doing in Parliament these five years,' said Ms Indranee, referring to the Progress Singapore Party's two NCMPs. 'I am sure it must be disheartening for PSP to learn that all their efforts over these past five years do not qualify as pressuring and pushing the government,' she said. She also questioned why the WP had accepted such positions previously, if the party believed this to be so of NCMPs. In the past, WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim had been an NCMP after the 2006 election, while Aljunied incumbent Gerald Giam had also been an NCMP after 2011. She asked voters to examine the 'smooth statements' made by the WP. 'I'm not saying to you how you should vote, but I'm saying look at what they say very carefully, because they don't always hold up to scrutiny.' At the rally, the PAP's candidates for Punggol GRC also spoke. Minister of State for Social and Family Development and Home Affairs Sun Xueling, the incumbent in Punggol West, will be the Punggol town council chairman if elected. She emphasised her experience in addressing the needs of the residents over the last five years, such as speaking up on infant milk formula prices, pre-school capacity and costs, as well as lift issues. 'I hear you. I see you, I listen to you when you share your feedback with me. I do not just raise questions in Parliament. As a political-office-holder, it is my responsibility to present solutions, and this is what I do with the civil service and with stakeholders. So you are safe with us,' she said. Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Janil Puthucheary said the team had had a 'hard fought campaign' that has been peaceful, productive and polite. He did not directly address the issue of 'negative politics' that had become the focus of some back-and-forth in the last few days of the campaign period. He spent most of his rally speech speaking of the plans for Punggol town, including transport services and other amenities. 'This is what we are doing, identifying the needs of our residents, finding the solutions, bringing our partners together, and lobbying government,' he said. Goh Yan Han is political correspondent at The Straits Times. She writes Unpacked, a weekly newsletter on Singapore politics and policy. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
CNA
28-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: Plans for a ‘revitalised' Pasir Ris-Changi GRC can only be put into action with residents' support, says PAP's Indranee
SINGAPORE: Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, promised voters in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC that she will revitalise the town and improve transport connections, adding that this can only happen with support from voters. At a rally by the People's Action Party (PAP) on Monday (Apr 28) held at Tampines Meridian Junior College, she also said that her team would continue plans started under Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who was the incumbent MP for the GRC for 28 years. "To put these into action, we need your support. We need your vote. And at the broader national level, we need a good leadership team." Among the PAP's five-year plans for the constituency are ways to address 'last mile gaps' such as linkways and barrier-free access, she said. Also in the works are better connectivity options – the constituency will be getting four new MRT stations and will be linked to Changi Airport, Punggol and Jurong by rail. In addition, the Loyang viaduct, which is under construction, will connect Loyang and Changi to Tampines. Although PAP has plans to address concerns such as cost of living and jobs at a national level, her team would also explore plans at a local level, Ms Indranee said. Other speakers at the rally included her PAP teammates contesting the GRC. Ms Indranee leads the team comprising Mr Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, one-term MP Sharael Taha and new face Valerie Lee. Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, which has 100,639 voters, was formed by merging some districts under the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with adjacent areas in East Coast GRC, after electoral boundaries were redrawn. PAP faces a straight fight against a team from the Singapore Democratic Alliance comprising the opposition party's chairman Desmond Lim, secretary-general Abu Mohamed, Mr Harminder Pal Singh and newcomer Chia Yun Kai. At an earlier speech on Monday at PAP's lunchtime rally in Raffles Place, Ms Indanee spoke out against the idea that voting for opposition parties is necessary to bring alternative voices into parliament. She said that such voices are already 'guaranteed', referring to the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme, where the 'best losers' from among the opposition candidates are declared elected as NCMPs if fewer than 12 opposition members are voted into parliament. TAKING OVER FROM TEO CHEE HEAN Ms Indranee had moved from Tanjong Pagar GRC to anchor the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC after Mr Teo, the former anchor minister in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, announced his retirement from politics after 33 years. Mr Teo had been an MP in Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC since 1997. He spoke at the rally on Monday evening alongside Dr Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, whose former ward in East Coast GRC has been folded into Pasir Ris-Changi GRC under the redrawn electoral boundaries. Both Mr Teo and Dr Maliki, who spoke at the rally as well, are not standing for the upcoming polls, which will take place on Saturday. On replacing Mr Teo as anchor minister, Ms Indranee said: 'Some have asked me, 'Can you fill his shoes? Have you seen how tall and how big SM Teo is? The answer is, 'No, no, I can't'.' However, she vouched to serve residents with the same dedication and passion as he did. She said that she had a personal history with Mr Teo, because he was the one who started her journey into politics. He was a 'very generous, very calm' host for her first tea session with the ruling party despite her being late for the appointment, she recalled. 'And I really didn't think on that fateful day when I had tea with him, that one day I would be taking over as the lead anchor for his constituency.' Since beginning her campaign in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, Ms Indranee said that she had found residents to be warm and friendly. 'The most often-heard phrase I have encountered in the last few days campaigning here, almost every single resident here has said to me, without fail, 'Welcome to Pasir Ris'.' WHAT OTHER PASIR RIS-CHANGI GRC CANDIDATES SAY The other Pasir Ris-Changi GRC candidates at the rally spoke about their wishes and ideas that they hope to carry out if elected in the May 3 polls. Mr Tan, also deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said that more could be done to ensure job security. He highlighted community initiatives that had helped constituents upskill and place them in new jobs, but said that he was 'not going to stop here'. He promised voters that he would push to strengthen the national SkillsFuture programme, to improve support systems and create better pathways to 'good jobs'. 'A good and stable job is not just important for the paycheck … It's about dignity, it's about security and it is probably the best defence for the rising cost of living and inflation and crisis,' he said. 'I will fight every day in parliament, in NTUC and in the Pasir Ris-Changi community, to make sure that we strengthen job security for all our people.' As for newcomer Valerie Lee, she said that she wanted to advocate for the sandwiched class. 'Caught in the middle caring for both ageing parents and young children, you hold everything together, often invisibly … trying to be the best child, the best employee and the best parent, all at the same time. But the truth is, this is not an easy sandwich to bite into.' Although Singapore has support systems such as the baby bonus, tax relief for working mothers and housing grants, Ms Lee believes that there is room to do more. 'We can do better and we must go further, because the situation is evolving. We need more flexibility at work and not just policies but culture, where it's okay to say, 'I need to take my child to the doctor and not feel guilty about it'," she added. 'I truly believe when we support the sandwiched generation, we're not just helping the middle, we are uplifting the entire family. We'll help children to thrive, we'll help seniors age with dignity and we'll help working adults breathe easier, live better and give more.' 'WE FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE' Mr Sharael Taha, who was elected to represent the Pasir Ris East division in 2020, also sought voters' support to continue 'the progress that we've had'. He gave examples of community initiatives that had benefited residents in his ward, particularly those who are caregivers or from lower-income families. 'These are the real stories behind the policies that we fight for, because we fight for the people, not for the headlines. On cost-of-living pressures, while we have our national measures, here in Pasir Ris, we made a difference,' he added. Highlighting that he had pushed for some causes in parliament, including better protections for gig workers, flexible work arrangements and supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza, he said that it had been an 'incredible honour' to have been an MP for Pasir-Ris GRC in the past five years.
