Jun 19, 2011
No fanfare when PAP MPs meet residents
They are making an effort to do away with formalities, focusing on serving the people
Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng at his inaugural Coffeeshop Chat session with residents in his ward. Mr Baey has asked his grassroots leaders not to get residents to stand up to welcome him at events, and prefers not to have lion dance performances or be garlanded when he makes community visits. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
Members of Parliament from the ruling People's Action Party are stepping up efforts to connect better with their residents by doing away with excessive formalities and fanfare when meeting them.
Several MPs interviewed by The Sunday Times said they have asked their grassroots leaders to stop certain longstanding practices such as asking residents to stand and applaud at the MP's arrival, and gathering residents long before the MP is due to arrive at the event.
The intensified effort comes amid several calls by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in recent months for MPs to hold fast to the spirit of service to the people and to work hard on their behalf.
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Liang Eng Hwa said that since the May 7 General Election, he has been trying to do away with unnecessary formalities when meeting residents.
He has asked not to be referred to as the guest of honour at events or given the limelight. Instead, masters of ceremonies will simply announce that the MP is also attending the event.
'The purpose of this is to let the grassroots know that the focus must be on the residents and not the MP. I also want residents to feel that I'm one of them,' he said.
Like Mr Liang, Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng has asked his grassroots leaders not to get residents to stand up to welcome him at events.
Ironically, however, he later realised that some grassroots leaders took his request too literally. 'Sometimes, when we give such instructions, the grassroots leaders go to the other extreme and tell people not to stand up. Eventually, I told them just to leave it be - if residents want to stand, they can stand, if they want to sit, let them sit.'
Mr Baey, too, prefers not to have lion dance performances or be garlanded when he makes community visits within his ward.
Such fanfare could give residents the wrong impression, he pointed out. 'There is no need to make such a big deal out of a market visit. It makes it look like I go there only once in a while, when in fact I have been there before.'
Minister of State for Health and Mayor of South West Community Development Council Amy Khor said she has never fancied the pomp surrounding public events: 'There is some artificiality to being pampered at such events - big entourage at walkabouts, people standing in line to greet you, and grassroots rounding up residents to be early.'
Since becoming MP for Hong Kah North in 2006, she has tried to dispense with formalities whenever possible. This includes arriving at events early and walking in unannounced. She also tries not to go on house visits with too large an entourage, so as not to overwhelm residents.
Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong feels that 'one of the biggest problems' is when grassroots leaders gather residents at an event too early.
'They will tell me to arrive at 9.30am. So I come at 9.28am, thinking I'll be two minutes early. But when I get there I realise that I'm actually 28 minutes late because everyone else has been there since 9am,' he said.
This happens especially often for education bursary and scholarship presentation ceremonies, he added. These days, he asks for the event programme instead of asking what time he should come. From that, he gets a better idea of when he should arrive.
Some, like West Coast GRC MP Arthur Fong and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Law Sim Ann, prefer to move about on their own or accompanied by just one or two grassroots leaders, because it is more personal as well as faster.
Said Ms Sim, who became an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC last month: 'Where there is no need to be accompanied by a group, I am more than happy to move around on my own or with just one or two other persons. I find it fast and convenient.'
Another newly elected MP, Mr Ang Hin Kee of Ang Mo Kio GRC, reminds grassroots leaders not to reserve a parking space for him; he will find one himself at the public carpark, like other guests.
But will a reduction in formalities compromise the security of the MP, for example if it encourages residents to become overly familiar with them?
Mr Chong said it is important for grassroots leaders to make a judgment call.
'Fortunately, Singapore doesn't have a history of people assassinating their political leaders. If it's someone aggressive looking, then they definitely should be vigilant. But if it's a little old lady who wants to hold the MP's hand, then they should relax a little,' he said.
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