Foreign workers’ dormitory in Serangoon to open in November
September 27th, 2009 | 
Author: From our Correspondent
The controversial temporary workers’ dormitory in Serangoon Gardens which sparked a furore among residents living in the vicinity will be opened in November this year.
Located in the northeast of the island, Serangoon Gardens is a sprawling private estate of bungalows, semi-detached and terrace houses some which hails back to the colonial era.
The proposal by the National Development Ministry to local a foreign workers’ dormitory there last year caused the residents to go up in arms and protest in unison.
The MP in charge of the area, Lim Hwee Hua met up with the residents to hear their grievances, but the dormitory was still constructed despite security concerns.
The National Development Ministry though did agree to suggestions put forth by residents over the building of the dorm, such as restricting mass activities after 10.30pm, putting plants to screen the site from nearest homes, and locating pick-up and drop-off points within the site.
Serangoon Gardens lies in Aljunied GRC which was won by the PAP by a margin of 43.7% in the last general election. It is not known if this unpopular move by the government will have an impact on the results of the next poll to be held soon.
The opposition Workers’ Party which has been active on the ground lately, is likely to stake another claim on the coveted GRC.
With the finalized electoral boundaries not declared yet, it is hard to predict if Aljunied GRC will still remain intact.
During the 1997 general elections, residents of Cheng San GRC were promised a bag of goodies if they voted for the PAP.
4 years later, Cheng San GRC was craved up and absorbed into the neighboring Ang Mo Kio and Aljunied GRCs.
The GRC system had allowed the ruling party to field weak candidates hiding behind the cloak-tails of heavy-weight ministers which artificially inflated the number of seats they held in Parliament.
The PAP won only 66.6% of the valid votes in the 2006 elections, but has 82 out of 84 seats in parliament. The voices of the 33% of the electorate which voted for the opposition are not represented.
Posted in Editorial
Lim Hwee Hua has made her prescence felt in Serangoon Gardens despite the setting up of the foreign worker’s dormitory. In fact from what I heard from my fellow residents, she is pretty confident of winning the next election even if it carved up as a single constituency. She has listened too much from her hangers-on. I am not so sure about her winning if there is a strong credible opposition candidate!
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It doesn’t matter if you put up a retarded opposition candidate.
I’ll take my chances with the retard. At least I know the retard will only make a mess. Period.
Whereas the pap WILL make a mess, then turn around and blame me for the mess.
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Is the crux of this matter about the location of the dormitory? Would this dormitory have been better received elsewhere on the island, say Tuas or Changi? Or is the issue about people not wanting to have a new dormitory, no matter where it were to be located?
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Ok man!
Looking forward to the next elections. I like listening to election rally.
Anyway I tink the boundary cutter for the election is having headache. They also have to contend with new factors.
1) many singaporeans never vote
2) young ones grow older now can vote, and many old ones gone liao. it seems to me that a lot of young singaporeans have grievances.
On the other side, there are many new citizens that will of course support the ruling party.
I really looking forward to it! Though it will be nothing like the excitement of Malaysia…but still it will be fun
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Serangoon Gardens will be carved to Bradell Heights SMC which is part of Marine Parade GRC now. No oppositions had been contesting Marine Parade for many elections already that’s why Lim Hwee Hua is so confident.
MIW had made this calculated move. The only sufferers are the Serangoon folks.
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Maybe PM Lee will grace the opening ceremony of the new dormitory…….and kiss some of the inhabitants as a gesture of gratitude for coming to work in S’pore!!!
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if they don’t listen or help, just voice your dissatisfaction by casting your votes wisely to make them disappear.
It is absolutely wasting of them to talk about them.
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