GE2025
PAP's Liang Eng Hwa: SDP's Paul Tambyah 'naive' to think it doesn't matter who the MP is with regards to estate projects
"It is not like it is autopilot. It doesn't come to you on a silver platter as what SDP may seem to suggest," Liang said.
April 30, 2025, 11:43 PM
People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Bukit Panjang SMC Liang Eng Hwa clapped back at comments made by Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) Bukit Panjang SMC candidate Paul Tambyah regarding the continuation of estate projects.
Tambyah had said, during a rally on Apr. 29, that estate projects and services were assured to continue even if SDP were elected.
"These projects were carried out by highly skilled, apolitical professionals from various government agencies," Tambyah explained.
Liang, however, called Tambyah's view on estate projects "naive" during a Bukit Panjang SMC rally held on Apr. 30.
PAP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Edward Chia also spoke at the rally in support of Liang.
Does not come on a silver platter: Liang Eng Hwa
Responding to Tambyah, Liang said:
"It is not like it is autopilot. It doesn't come to you on a silver platter as what SDP may seem to suggest."
Liang explained the role he played, as the former incumbent MP, in bringing constituency projects to Bukit Panjang:
"In most of my years of serving as an MP and in Bukit Panjang town, actually a major part of my effort is to work with the bureaucracy to bring much-needed projects to Bukit Panjang."
Liang acknowledged the professionalism and efficiency of the civil service and government agencies, but emphasised the importance of the MP in advocating for residents.
He noted that the civil service sometimes rejects projects that do not align with their current plans or objectives, or for which they have no budget, adding:
"So, it is actually naive to think that it doesn’t matter who is your MP – that agencies will do all these things for you; to carry out these projects for you. It's not the case."
Liang said that as an "experienced MP", he would be able to push for projects to "get off the ground" and see them to fruition.
To illustrate the role of MPs in pushing for estate changes, Liang mentioned his work with the Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority to build the Senja-Kranji Expressway link.
He also cited how he pushed for the construction of two hawker centres, Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre in 2016 and Senja Hawker Centre in 2022, and started bus service 972, as MP.
Top photo from Gov.sg/YouTube
