For a constituency being talked about as a "hot seat" in this general election, there was not a lot of heat at the People's Action Party's East Coast GRC rally last night.
And that is how Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say wants it to be as he leads his four-member team in battle against the Workers' Party.
"In most rallies you attend, you see the contesting parties, they scold each other, they shout at each other, they fire at each other, not in East Coast," he said at the Bedok Stadium.
Instead, he and his teammates zeroed in on local issues and how PAP MPs had helped the residents over the past four years.
"We never said anything about our opponents, because as far as we are concerned, this General Election is about us serving you, us caring for you," he added, to cheers from the gathered crowd.
The last of several speakers, Mr Lim shared how initiatives such as MediShield Life and the Pioneer Generation Package helped ease residents' concerns over healthcare costs. He also spoke about the issue of foreign workers and preserving jobs for Singaporeans.
His teammates are Senior Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State Mohamad Maliki Osman and two-term MP Jessica Tan.
Mr Lee spent a good part of his speech talking about infrastructure improvements in his Kampong Chai Chee ward. The most significant change, he said, was in Bedok Central.
"It is the integration of Bedok bus interchange, Bedok MRT and the hawker centre with the shopping mall; with these projects nearing completion, 40,000 of residents, day in day out, enjoy a better commute experience and lifestyle," he said.
Another mega project to be completed in 2017, dubbed the Bedok Integrated Complex, will provide more facilities, including a swimming pool, library and polyclinic.
Taking in residents' feedback, he said more projects such as childcare and elderly care centres, and bicycle lanes are coming up, too.
Ms Tan said Changi-Simei residents asked for a bank branch at Eastpoint Mall. She engaged the management of POSB and the mall, and the bank will be setting up a branch there. "We believe in not just taking care of today, but also providing for tomorrow," said Ms Tan, as she announced plans to further improve the estate, including lift replacement, rewiring, re-roofing, and refuse-flushing systems for public housing.
"So with strong financial management, we have been able to invest a further $50 million for the next five years, and this will come from our sinking fund," she added.
Dr Maliki spoke about caring for the elderly and low-income families, including helping those in rental flats to get their own homes.
"We will hold the hand of those who are slower and lagging behind, but we will never leave them behind," he said.
