SINGAPORE - Younger Cabinet ministers have completed one-third of the 90 visits they are making to all constituencies in Singapore by the middle of next year, as part of an effort to get a better sense of ground sentiment.
Mr Ong Ye Kung, who is coordinating the weekly visits which started last July, said on Sunday (Feb 17) that they are on schedule. "We have done about 30; 60 more to go. If we work hard, maybe we can finish it in a year and three months."
"Every week we are out here in the open, and the residents are sometimes surprised to see us, but I think we get conversations going, so we have a good sense of ground worries, ground concerns," added the Education Minister who was speaking to the media during one such visit to Sengkang Central.
With him on a tour of Sengkang Community Club was Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Communications and Information; Mr Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health; and Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of Transport and Culture, Community and Youth.
Asked if the visits are part of a shifting of gears for general elections, Mr Ong said: "If it's a shifting of gears, we would have started three years ago, because we have been walking the grounds quite hard for the last three years. The day we finish (an) election, we change gear to prepare for the next election."
The visits have helped the ministers get a better sense of how Singaporeans on the ground feel, said Mr Ong.
"Residents will typically bring up problems in their own constituenices whenever you see them, but when you visit other areas, you listen to slightly different opinions, so our overall understanding would be better," he said.
He added that the regular visits are an effort that Cabinet ministers have to invest in to better connect with the people, and to understand their worries and concerns.
He noted that he has also gleaned some new ideas from visiting constituencies such as Sengkang Central, which comes under the purview of MP Teo Ser Luck.
Mr Teo had overseen the set up of a well-stocked study area at the community club, which has provided students with a conducive environment to study, said Mr Ong.
"After speaking to one to two students... they've all said this is very fantastic," said Mr Ong. "I'm very glad Ser Luck has done this, it's something for me to consider for my own constituency and for other MPs to also consider."
