Singapore GE2020: PAP team outlines plans for Punggol and Pasir Ris

New jobs in digital district, amenities and rejuvenation works among plans for GRC

(Clockwise, from left) Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, who are part of the PAP's team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, during their first live e-rally last night. The discussion touched
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean (above), Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, who are part of the PAP's team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, during their first live e-rally last night. The discussion touched on key issues such as job insecurity. PHOTOS: TEO CHEE HEAN/FACEBOOK
(Clockwise, from left) Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, who are part of the PAP's team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, during their first live e-rally last night. The discussion touched
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary (above) and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, who are part of the PAP's team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, during their first live e-rally last night. The discussion touched on key issues such as job insecurity. PHOTOS: TEO CHEE HEAN/FACEBOOK
(Clockwise, from left) Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, who are part of the PAP's team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, during their first live e-rally last night. The discussion touched
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling (above), who are part of the PAP's team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, during their first live e-rally last night. The discussion touched on key issues such as job insecurity. PHOTOS: TEO CHEE HEAN/FACEBOOK

An equal number of MPs will take care of Pasir Ris and Punggol - three in each area - if the People's Action Party team in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC led by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, 65, is voted back in.

In the team's first live e-rally last night, Mr Teo said he, and new faces Desmond Tan, 50, and Mohamed Sharael Taha, 39, will look after Pasir Ris.

Meanwhile, Punggol will be handed to Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary, 47, and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, 44, who Mr Teo pointed out will be "working very closely together" with Punggol West SMC candidate Sun Xueling, 40, to "run one whole town council well".

Mr Teo said: "We don't want to have bits and pieces of it (Punggol) separated, and then the boundary issues and so forth. Make sure that the town council, especially for Punggol West, is well managed, financially responsible and so on so that we can look after the residents there as well as one town council. And that Punggol town can be developed to its full potential."

Pasir Ris, a mature town, is due for rejuvenation that will be conducted at the levels of town, neighbourhood and individual flats.

Hours earlier, the candidates had unveiled the Pasir Ris-Punggol manifesto.

"Securing Our Home & Our Future Together" spells out what residents in the GRC can look forward to, including new jobs, amenities and other town rejuvenation works.

They include the new 50ha Punggol Digital District (PDD) that will create 28,000 new jobs in fields such as cyber security and data analytics, as well as house the Singapore Institute of Technology's new campus, expected to accommodate up to 12,000 students, and a community club.

A new town centre will be built next to Pasir Ris MRT station by 2027, with a new fully air-conditioned bus interchange.

A new polyclinic will be built with the growing population of older Singaporeans in mind, and some 2,000 flats will be launched in three to five years next to Pasir Ris Park. Meanwhile, an extension of the future Cross Island Line will connect Pasir Ris to Punggol. Set to be completed by 2031, the extension will cut down travel time between Pasir Ris and Punggol.

"This will connect the two towns and bring families and voters closer together," said Mr Teo.

The discussion also touched on key issues such as the post-Covid-19 society, job insecurity - in particular for the youth - skills upgrading, as well as healthcare and digitalisation for the elderly.

Commenting on the challenging job market for fresh graduates, Mr Teo emphasised that the job situation will change and the skill sets taught by Singapore's education system are relevant and prepare young people for jobs.

He also noted: "The measures that we have helped support companies through the temporary phase until they come back to normal, I think that's important, to help workers in these industries come through this, and also how to restructure jobs."

This year, the PAP is in a three-cornered fight in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC - the first multi-cornered fight in a GRC since 1992 - against the Singapore Democratic Alliance and the newly contesting Peoples Voice party.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 04, 2020, with the headline PAP team outlines plans for Punggol and Pasir Ris. Subscribe