Hougang grassroots adviser eyes six sites

Hougang grassroots adviser eyes six sites
by Teo Xuanwei 04:46 AM Aug 24, 2011
SINGAPORE - Hougang SMC grassroots adviser Desmond Choo is eyeing the transfer of the lease for six plots of land - which are currently under the care of the Workers' Party's (WP) Hougang Town Council (HGTC) - to the People's Association (PA).

This as the WP locked horns with the Housing Development Board (HDB) over the transfer of 26 parcels of land under the purview of the WP's Aljunied Town Council to PA.
Grassroots advisers are appointed by the PA to advise its grassroots organisations (GROs) in each constituency. In PAP-held wards, these positions are held by the incumbent MPs.
At a press conference at the Hougang Community Club yesterday, Mr Choo - the defeated PAP candidate in the Opposition ward - revealed that he is currently in talks with the PA, which is applying to the landowner HDB, for the transfer of the lease - which he hopes to finalise in one to two weeks.
Mr Choo also claimed that prior to 1991 - when WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang first won the Hougang seat - grassroots leaders used to be able to organise large-scale events at areas such as basketball courts.
Since then, they have faced the "predicament" of having their applications to the HGTC for permission to use the land rejected, ignored, or approved only a day before the scheduled event, he said.
Mr Daniel Neo, a grassroots leader who was also at the press conference, cited an incident in December 2004 when they tried to hold a Hari Raya cum Christmas party for residents.
The Hougang Zone 1 Residents' Committee (RC) chairman said HGTC rejected the application, "saying that they have ceased to give permits since 2002, without any valid reason".
The party was eventually held at the RC premises. But according to a separate media statement by Mr Choo and his grassroots leaders - which highlighted more than 10 examples of how grassroots activities were allegedly curtailed in Hougang and Aljunied - the HGTC "removed and confiscated a platform outside the RC centre just an hour before the event".
Apart from "lack of responsiveness" to various requests by the GROs, the statement cited "subtle sabotages" such as in 2001, when the lights for a basketball court were suddenly switched off at 9pm - an hour before a martial arts event organised by Hougang Zone 1 RC, which had 800 participants, were due to end.
Mr Choo said the six plots of land he is interested in are all just outside the RC centres. He added that there were 30 to 50 other parcels of common spaces in Hougang that are suitable for holding events.
Mr Choo said that even if PA takes over the running of these areas, the WP MPs would be allowed to attend activities there in their personal capacity.
"Generally I'll be quite supportive, as long as both sides are very clear that we're non partisan ... don't come in and make politically motivated initiatives," he said.

HOUGANG MP RESPONDS
When contacted, WP MP Yaw Shin Leong, who succeeded Mr Low as Hougang MP, said the move "merely reinforced" his party chairman Sylvia Lim's point that the HDB was "abusing its power" to "achieve political objectives".
Referring to how defeated PAP candidates become grassroots advisers, Mr Yaw said: "Contrast (this) to Opposition candidates who lost at General Elections but will never ever have similar grassroots platforms to leverage upon, in preparations for their next elections."
He added: "For the sake of Singapore, I urge both the PA and HDB to stop all these politically motivated bickering."
Mr Yaw said he would be happy to resolve any difficulties Mr Choo or his grassroots leaders are facing in organising activities in Hougang if they approached him.
Reiterating that the interests of residents "must always come first", Mr Yaw said: "The more activities residents can participate in - be it organised by the PA or the WP - the better it will be."
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110824-0000388/Hougang-grassroots-adviser-eyes-six-sites
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