WHEN Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong spoke in Parliament during the Budget debate last week, he caused some eyebrows to raise and jaws to drop.

Last Wednesday, the 73-year-old walked slowly to the rostrum to speak. For about a minute, he stood there, hunched over, in silence. When he finally began reading from a prepared text, his voice was barely audible.

The next day, the opposition MP walked to the rostrum again, to pose a question. This time, still barely audible, he spoke so slowly that his time was up before he could finish his query.

On Feb 6 last year, the leader of the Singapore People's Party suffered a mild stroke. Although he was up and about soon after, his frail physique, hunched posture and slurred speech since have caused some to question if he can still carry out his MP duties.

Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor of Central Singapore District, said that before last week's parliamentary debate session, he had last seen Mr Chiam several months back.

'His condition does not seem to have improved. He looks like he is struggling. But I'm sure he is doing his job at his own pace.'

The Sunday Times polled 50 Potong Pasir residents, all of whom were concerned about his health. Nineteen felt that with his ailing health, maybe it was time for Mr Chiam to call it a day. Said retiree Gea Ban Guan, 56: 'He should take a break. It's time for him to stop taking care of the people and start taking care of himself.'

Read the full story in today's Sunday Times.