Newly elected Members of Parliament have begun their duties, with several notifying residents via Facebook posts of the resumption of Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS).
These sessions will mostly take place virtually for now, due to social distancing rules in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Sembawang GRC MP Mariam Jaafar said the MPS for her Woodlands ward, which takes place every Monday, will continue to be done over e-mail or phone calls.
In a post yesterday, the first-time MP added that there will be a skeletal team on the ground at Block 852 Woodlands Street 83 to attend to residents who do not use e-mail.
"We are working on enhancing the MPS arrangements while adhering to safe distancing guidelines.
"I, for one, am looking forward to seeing you over video and face to face in the near future," she said, adding that her GRC team is discussing changes to the MPS which they will announce soon.
These would allow residents to visit another MP's session if they are unable to make it for their own MP's session.
Besides Ms Mariam, the Sembawang GRC team comprises Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, Mr Vikram Nair, Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Ms Poh Li San.
Added Ms Mariam: "This way you don't have to wait a week for urgent appeals... Default should still be to go to the MPS of your own MP, but this is one way we use the power of the team to serve residents better."
In a post yesterday, Ms Poh - another first-time MP - said her team intends to resume face-to-face MPS in her Sembawang ward from July 29 onwards, with the necessary social distancing measures in place.
Other newly elected and re-elected PAP MPs, such as Tanjong Pagar GRC's Mr Alvin Tan, Marymount SMC's Ms Gan Siow Huang and Potong Pasir SMC's Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, are also conducting virtual MPS and helping residents via WhatsApp, e-mail or phone.
Mr Gerald Giam, a first-time MP with the Workers' Party's Aljunied GRC team, said in a Facebook post that he welcomes feedback from residents and can be contacted via a WhatsApp link on his social media page. He is taking over former party chief Low Thia Khiang's Bedok Reservoir-Punggol division in the group representation constituency.
Separately, Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui declared in a notice in the Government Gazette yesterday that all 93 candidates who won in the recent polls are elected MPs of their respective electoral divisions.
