By ewenboey | SingaporeScene
Members of Parliament (MPs) from the People's Action Party (PAP) are encouraging residents to do away with excessive and unnecessary formalities when meeting them.
Several MPs said they have told their grassroot leaders to stop some longstanding practices such as standing and applauding at an MP's arrival, and telling residents to gather way in advance before an MP is due to arrive at an event, reported The Sunday Times.
These efforts are being ramped up as the ruling party heeds calls by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for MPs to hold fast to the spirit of service to the people and to work hard on their behalf.
Liang Eng Hwa, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said he has been trying to eliminate the unnecessary fanfare when meeting residents ever since May election.
He has rejected the need to be named a guest of honour at events or given the limelight. Instead, the masters of ceremonies would just announce that the MP is 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.
Similarly, Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng told his grassroot leaders to refrain from getting residents to stand up to welcome him at events.
He also prefers not to have lion dance performances or be garlanded when he visits his ward, stating that such fanfare could give residents a wrong impression.
"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," he said.
Minister of State for Health and Mayor of South West Community Development Council Amy Khor also admitted that she does not like such extravagant treatment at 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 elected into the Hong Kah ward in 2006, Ms Khor has tried to dispense with formalities where possible, and would even arrive at events early or unannounced. She also said that she would try not to go on house visits with too large an entourage as it may overwhelm residents.
Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong highlighted that "one of the biggest problems" is when grassroot leaders gather residents early at an event.
"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.
He noted that this practice is especially common for education bursary and scholarship presentation ceremonies. These days, he asks for the event programme instead of what time he should arrive to get a better idea on what time he should arrive.
MPs like West Coast's Arthur Fong and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Law Sim Ann prefer to move about either on their own or accompanied by no more than two grassroot leaders as it is more personal and is faster.
"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," said Sim, who is a first-time MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.
Another newly-elected MP, Ang Hin Kee of Ang Mo Kio GRC, tells grassroot leaders not to save a parking space for him. Instead, he will find a parking space at the public carpark just like everyone else.
Despite these efforts to dispel with formalities, the worry for the MPs' personal safety and security lingers, especially if residents get overly familiar with them.
However, Chong said that grassroot leaders should be able to make judgement calls.
"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.
Download our free toolbar here
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Sim Ann prefers to not be accompanied by a group of grassroots leaders. (Yahoo! pho …
Several MPs said they have told their grassroot leaders to stop some longstanding practices such as standing and applauding at an MP's arrival, and telling residents to gather way in advance before an MP is due to arrive at an event, reported The Sunday Times.
These efforts are being ramped up as the ruling party heeds calls by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for MPs to hold fast to the spirit of service to the people and to work hard on their behalf.
Liang Eng Hwa, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said he has been trying to eliminate the unnecessary fanfare when meeting residents ever since May election.
He has rejected the need to be named a guest of honour at events or given the limelight. Instead, the masters of ceremonies would just announce that the MP is 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.
Similarly, Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng told his grassroot leaders to refrain from getting residents to stand up to welcome him at events.
He also prefers not to have lion dance performances or be garlanded when he visits his ward, stating that such fanfare could give residents a wrong impression.
"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," he said.
Minister of State for Health and Mayor of South West Community Development Council Amy Khor also admitted that she does not like such extravagant treatment at 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 elected into the Hong Kah ward in 2006, Ms Khor has tried to dispense with formalities where possible, and would even arrive at events early or unannounced. She also said that she would try not to go on house visits with too large an entourage as it may overwhelm residents.
Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong highlighted that "one of the biggest problems" is when grassroot leaders gather residents early at an event.
"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.
He noted that this practice is especially common for education bursary and scholarship presentation ceremonies. These days, he asks for the event programme instead of what time he should arrive to get a better idea on what time he should arrive.
MPs like West Coast's Arthur Fong and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Law Sim Ann prefer to move about either on their own or accompanied by no more than two grassroot leaders as it is more personal and is faster.
"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," said Sim, who is a first-time MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.
Another newly-elected MP, Ang Hin Kee of Ang Mo Kio GRC, tells grassroot leaders not to save a parking space for him. Instead, he will find a parking space at the public carpark just like everyone else.
Despite these efforts to dispel with formalities, the worry for the MPs' personal safety and security lingers, especially if residents get overly familiar with them.
However, Chong said that grassroot leaders should be able to make judgement calls.
"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.
