SINGAPORE — Candidates from the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), and an independent candidate contesting Pioneer Single Member Constituency (SMC) outlined their plans for the ward in a constituency political broadcast on Tuesday (July 7), ahead of the July 10 polls.

PAP candidate Patrick Tay, 49, has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Boon Lay ward in West Coast GRC since 2015. Before he moved over, Mr Cedric Foo has been the MP for Pioneer SMC for four terms — a total of 19 years — even after the single-seat constituency was carved out of West Coast GRC in 2011.

Mr Tay outlined his commitment to all Pioneer residents, saying that he has “plans to walk the journey with everyone as one Pioneer together”.

Mr Tay will be contesting against Mr Lim Cher Hong from PSP, as well as independent candidate Cheang Peng Wah.

Mr Lim, 42, is a financial consultant and programme coordinator cum trainer at the Silver Generation Office, which is part of the Agency for Integrated Care. He is contesting his first election.

He highlighted that Singapore ranked 34th on the 2019 World Happiness report, attributing this to issues such as a "lack of job security" and the nation's cost of living having "gone through the roof".

Mr Cheang, a 62-year-old business consultant and former engineer with the Republic of Singapore Air Force, is the only independent candidate this General Election.

In his speech, he emphasised that alternative voices, such as those of independent candidates, are needed to make a diverse Parliament that will prevent “blindsided groupthink”.

Pioneer SMC has more than 24,600 voters.

In these constituency political broadcasts, candidates vying for single-seat wards have three minutes each to speak. Those contesting in four- and five-member GRCs have 12 and 15 minutes respectively in total.

The broadcasts are being aired on Channel 5, CNA938, cna.asia, 8world.com, CNA YouTube, CNA Facebook and TODAY at 7pm from July 3 to 8.

PAP’S PROPOSALS

• Mr Tay hopes to care for residents who need help, especially those out of jobs or who need training to land a new job or even those facing legal challenges.

• He hopes to find innovative ways to connect and bring people together.

• He hopes to create a vibrant home in Pioneer, so that all may work, live and play safely.

• Mr Tay also told the stories of his time as a civil defence volunteer when he was activated to distribute food packets to those at the scene of the 1986 Hotel New World disaster. He also recalled the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003, when he was with the National Trades Union Congress and where he helped “thousands of fellow Singaporeans in affected industries undergo skills training”.

He said: “I saw for myself the importance of the community coming together, especially during a crisis, to help each other. I shared these two personal stories because we are facing a greater crisis this time around. But I believe we can overcome this mountain of a challenge just like how we did during the Hotel New World disaster and Sars.” 

PSP’s PROPOSALS

• Mr Lim said the party believes that all Singaporeans should have a say in the country's future, and it advocates for "consultation and consensus building" among citizens.

• He hopes to be a strong advocate for the local issues that people in Pioneer care about, promising to serve full-time as a Member of Parliament if elected.

• Mr Lim added that he would bring back Pioneer's "kampung spirit".

• He also said that he would manage the town council effectively and maintain a "high level of cleanliness" in the estate.

He said: "Let’s work together to make Pioneer SMC the home we love and can be proud of. Come 10th July, you get to choose." 

MR CHEANG’S PROPOSALS

• Mr Cheang stated that he would build on his predecessor Cedric Foo’s promise of building a sound barrier for the nearby MRT train tracks.

• He promises to listen and serve the residents of Pioneer regardless of their background.

• Mr Cheang hopes to break the “entrenched interests stuck in the upper echelons of society”.

• He added that his presence will improve the quality of the next Parliament and “prevent blindsided groupthink”.

He said: “As Lee Kuan Yew said, ‘There will come a time when people will say, look, let’s try the other side’. The time is now. Without competition, there will be no progress. The change will begin now or never.”