The ward in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC set up a cricket league late last year to cater to Indian expatriates. Soon after, a Filipino community cultural group was formed.

Mr Charles Chong, the ward's MP, said yesterday that he started noticing a growing number of new immigrants in the neighbourhood three years ago.

He estimated that about 10 per cent of the residents in some blocks could be permanent residents or new citizens, but was unable to pinpoint the precise number. Punggol Central has 48,000 residents in all.

Most of the new immigrants are from India, China, the Philippines and Myanmar.

'They are usually very happy to be here and have settled in well,' Mr Chong said.

With his trademark grin, he added: 'When you ask Singaporean residents for feedback, they will complain that they have to wait more than 15 minutes for the bus. But when you ask new immigrants, they are happy that the bus comes in under 30 minutes.'

Mr Chong was giving the media an update on key programmes in the ward ahead of a ministerial visit by Law Minister and Second Home Affairs Minister K.Shanmugam next month.

The formation of the cricket league was prompted by the sight of Indian nationals in the constituency playing cricket almost every weekend, he said.

Called the Sengkang Cricket League, it now has four teams of 12 members each. Five of its members are Singaporean. The league competition starts this weekend, and the finals will be on July5 - the day of Mr Shanmugam's visit.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.