Walkabouts hit snag at condos

[mr funny]

http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNew...ry_652015.html

Apr 2, 2011

GE 2011

Walkabouts hit snag at condos

Opposition candidates: Condo security usually unwilling to let us in

By Andrea Ong & Jeremy Au Yong


PARTY activists and potential candidates on the campaign trail have hit wet markets, hawker centres and HDB blocks.

But candidates, in particular those from opposition parties, have told The Straits Times that their walkabouts and home visits tend to hit a snag when they attempt to visit voters in condominiums.

The security guards do not let them in.

Workers' Party (WP) treasurer Eric Tan said that even if they are invited by friends to the condo, they could run into trouble with condominium management committees if other residents complain.

Mr Tan heads the WP's eastern area committee, which covers East Coast GRC and the Joo Chiat single-member constituency. Both areas have high concentrations of residents in private estates.

'We have to respect the rules and come to terms with the fact that it is not always possible to conduct house visits (in condominiums),' he said.

But parties have resorted to other ways to get their messages across.

The Singapore People's Party's Mrs Lina Chiam, who hopes to succeed her husband Chiam See Tong as Potong Pasir MP, said: 'I can reach out through the media and Facebook, and hopefully make a few friends there who can help me put my fliers into letterboxes.'

She has to contend with several new condos that have come up in Potong Pasir since the 2006 General Election.

The WP, on its part, has tried to get supporters living in condominiums to invite residents to town hall discussions in function rooms, Mr Tan said. But such outreach efforts are limited.

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general Chee Soon Juan said the best way to reach such residents is through the Internet, and to encourage them to visit the party website.

The SDP, Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and National Solidarity Party (NSP) also rely on the postal service.

NSP vice-president Christopher Neo intends to mail pamphlets to 3,000 voters living in some 30 condominiums in Jurong GRC, where he plans to contest. But this means added spending. The cost of printing and mailing one pamphlet is around $1, and election rules limit spending by parties to $3.50 per voter, he said.

Opposition parties say the limited access they have to condominium residents is yet another disadvantage they face compared with the People's Action Party.

'Having been in power for more than 50 years, the PAP has activists and grassroots leaders living in every corner of the constituency who can help give out fliers,' said Mr Neo. He also claimed that condo security guards are more willing to let the PAP team in.

But Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Lee Bee Wah and Hong Kah GRC MP Ang Mong Seng, whose wards have a large number of private estate residents, say they seek approval from management committees before visiting condominium residents.

But there are PAP MPs who do have an advantage. This is because some residents serving on management committees also serve in the ward's Neighbourhood Committees (NCs).

'If the candidate is the MP, he is also adviser to the NCs and can visit condo residents in that capacity,' said Mr Ang.

Condominiums are not the only tricky properties for walkabouts. SDA secretarygeneral Desmond Lim, who plans to contest the Punggol East single-seat ward, said he has been shooed away from shopping malls by security guards. Landed property, with homes spaced further apart, poses a different challenge.

But candidates have come up with innovative solutions. NSP candidate for the Mountbatten single-seat ward Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss has 'cyclabouts' in private estates. Her team uses bicycles to cover more ground speedily.

Or, as the PAP's Ms Lee suggests: 'You just have to visit private estates more often and build up relationships.'

But others, like the SDA's Mr Lim, say landed property actually makes for easier walkabouts: 'It's all in one stretch, so you don't have to climb up and down stairs. The worst thing that can happen is that a dog barks at you.'

[email protected]

[email protected]

[wenqing]

Read papers Sitoh Yi Pin could enter condos near Potong Pasir but Lina Chiam could not.

Same situation for MRT stations and shopping centres.

Power talks.

Hope Election Commission do something about this and ensure level playing field for all candidates campaigning.

Singaporeans deserve to fairly hear all candidates.

[romeo]

shit.. so unfair..
i hope some condo mgt let opp parties in but shut the door on pap candidates..
let them have a taste of being shut out!

[ysyap]

Yeah man... no use standing outside the condo to talk to the residents or hand out fliers coz most who walk in are domestic helpers. Minority are the owners. Most owners drive in and out. Sigh! So what happen in the past, before internet...?
Think condo residents can enjoy more quietness than landed during campaigning.

[Regulators]

Send mailers out or use facebook to reach out to voters

Yeah man... no use standing outside the condo to talk to the residents or hand out fliers coz most who walk in are domestic helpers. Minority are the owners. Most owners drive in and out. Sigh! So what happen in the past, before internet...?
Think condo residents can enjoy more quietness than landed during campaigning.

[Acer]

some condo management chairman or member are grassroot member
U think they will let Opp ppl to come in arr?

[proud owner]

some condo management chairman or member are grassroot member
U think they will let Opp ppl to come in arr?

just need ONE owner to let them in enuff leow ..

security cannot stop owners from letting opposition in ..

if they cannot come out with reasons why PAP can go in and Opp cannot ..then just open ...then shut the FK up to the mgtm ..

they cant do anything to you ..

afterall ... who put those people on the mgtm ?? the residents ...

at most make a big whoo haa at the gate ..
block the entrance ..
call police ... openly make it big .. call news paper .. so that they world knows that even PAP can go into private condo and Opp cannot


the condo mgtm sure LL will let all in one

[proud owner]

some condo management chairman or member are grassroot member
U think they will let Opp ppl to come in arr?

if they are grassroot leader .... allowing pap and not opp means they are biased .. possibly bribed (possibly ..so they cant sue you )..

also means they are allowing politiking in the condo , taking side ... they shoyuld be sacked from the mtgm, ... either allow ALL or NONE at all

[ysyap]

if they are grassroot leader .... allowing pap and not opp means they are biased .. possibly bribed (possibly ..so they cant sue you )..

also means they are allowing politiking in the condo , taking side ... they shoyuld be sacked from the mtgm, ... either allow ALL or NONE at all

Easiest option is don't allow anyone in then after election, your condo kanna marked big time.... hahaha

[wenqing]

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/mp-visit-condo-102111528.html

Minister's 'town hall' visit to condo disappoints


THE MR MIYAGI COLUMN

I received a letter on Friday, 15 April 2011, from our condominium management. I thought it was probably about them fogging the place again and reminding us to close our windows.

The last time they fogged without telling us, some of us chucked a fit and said they should always tell us when something's going down.

It wasn't about fogging that the letter was trying to tell the residents of our small condo, but the impending visit of one of our Members of Parliament (MPs), the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Rear Admiral Lui Tuck Yew.


The letter said there would be a "simple tea reception" served while Minister Lui was to speak and listen to the residents from 7:30pm on Saturday, so that he could "get to know the residents better and to seek their views and suggestions on local and national issues".


My wife and I were really excited. The only visit by government agents and officials we ever had were regular ones by the anti-mosquito-breeding squad of the National Environmental Agency (NEA), and that was only because we had informed them two years earlier that our son suffered a bout of dengue.
Also, this was, after all, the Minister who said we did not need Freedom of Information legislation, because "the government already puts up a lot of information on its websites".


This was the Minister whose subordinate body, the National Arts Council, cut local theatre company Wild Rice's annual grant in 2010 by $20,000, because it "promoted alternative lifestyles, were critical of government policies and satirised political leaders". The move is now known in theatre circles as "Gahmen say Tuck Yew to the Arts".


This was the Minister who labelled the discontent and negative opinions regarding Tin Pei Ling's candidacy as "noise".


We had to meet him.


We didn't harbour any unrealistic hopes, of course. Our condo consists of three blocks of three-storey walk-up apartments, and we were never holding out for lifts or covered walkways (though the owners are waiting for the elusive en-bloc offer).


My wife and I spent a few hours thinking of what national and local issues to talk to our Minister about.

This was our chance to tell him our troubles, even though we could always just pick up our phones or computers to email him.


The idea of a town hall-like meeting excited me, even if for our condo, the town hall was going to be the al-fresco (read: damn hot) common area by the poolside.

What would people say? What did our neighbours worry about? Would anyone heckle the Minister and ask him about his pay, we wondered.


We planned our evening to finish dinner by 7pm, bring the dog down for his pee and poo, and then spruce up a bit (wipe crumbs and other food debris off our son's face) and take a nice walk down to the poolside to meet with Minister Lui.


Hopes dashed


Like many best-laid plans, this was dashed when the Minister and some of his entourage arrived at 7:10 and milled along the driveway to the open car park.

They were chatting among themselves, presumably wondering where to begin because our condo's security guard had already gone home for the day, and wasn't able to tell the parliamentarian's people which block was which. They had, to my disappointment, opted for a door-stop visit instead of a townhall-like meeting.


(In case you're wondering, our condo's "security guard" "works" from 7am to 5pm on weekdays and 8am to 4pm on weekends)


I intercepted the group on our stairwell as I brought Mac, our nervous adopted Jack Russell Terrier, to water the plants. I said "hi" assertively, causing a few of what must have been about eight people to scramble through their clipboards, before I volunteered which unit my wife, son, dog, cat and I lived in.


The Minister was then guided to where I was, and he introduced himself as the MP for our area before I politely said I had to bring my dog for his own walkabout before he peed all over the PAP entourage.


The Minister said, "If he has to go, he has to go!"


I was relieved that Mac didn't do what some of our friends are familiar with -- this dog will pee on you just to show how much he loves / hates / is scared by / is in love with you -- and came back in a few minutes, in time to see how much progress the Minister had made in our block. No one else seemed to be at home, so I managed to squeeze in some conversation with the Minister.


In less than a minute, he asked me how many times a day I needed to walk Mac, I said twice, then he told me he once had a dog, a white samoyed, which died at age 6 and a half, and that it was very unusual.

Then he asked what concerns I had living within this compound, and I said something to the effect of us having "some municipal issues (the dengue problem) which we have taken into our own hands (calling NEA)".
And that was that.


It was all over in a flash. I wasn't sure if he meant 6.5 dog or human years, or whether it was unusual because it died at 6.5 years or that it was an unusual dog, or that it was his opinion that the white samoyed, as a breed, was unusual. I didn't even get the dog's name.


By 7:39pm the Minister and his entourage had done their doorstop round and left our compound, walking down the quiet street towards the neighbouring houses and apartments. I'm sure if no one from our condo had spoken about the need for brighter street lights in our area, he'd have figured it out.


Pressed in my hand was a name card from the Minister, complete with a photo of him, and the address and timing of "MP Meet-the-People Session" at the local branch office. I didn't even remember him handing me the card.


It will have pride of place on my fridge door, alongside other contractors' calling cards. I might mistake it for an electrician's though, what with the logo and all.


Can't fault them for trying to make a fist of it. It's your turn, opposition candidates. Come visit our condo, because I think we still have food from the "tea-reception" they planned.


Benjamin "Mr Miyagi" Lee writes across all media except where it can be construed as graffiti. More of him on twitter @miyagi and http://miyagi.sg
Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.


This article is published by Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd., 60 Anson Road #13-01 Mapletree Anson, Singapore, 079914.

[wenqing]

Even Condo owners fed up with PAP.

Need to listen to condo owner side of story then can decide what exactly happened.

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore...idents-threats

Mica Minister alerts police over resident's threats


02:50 PM May 03, 2011SINGAPORE - Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica), Mr Lui Tuck Yew, 49, has said that he and his team had alerted the Police over a confrontation they had with a member of the public while on their campaign trail.


Writing on his Facebook page yesterday evening, the People's Action Party candidate for the four-man team at Moulmein-Kallang Group Representation Constituency, called it the "most nasty moment of our campaign so far."

Mr Lui wrote that a resident, who had claimed to be an ardent Opposition supporter and a member of the management committee, was threatening him and his team, shouting vulgarities at them.


Mr Lui did not say where exactly this took place but said the resident had accused the 10 of them of trespassing, "calling the PAP government the worst (more vulgarities) government in the world."

Mr Lui added that they had explained to him that a resident had invited them in but the man was not convinced.

Said Mr Lui: "He just wasn't interested in any explanation. I certainly hope that even our most ardent PAP supporter would not resort to such behaviour when he encounters the opposition.

"Just so that this episode would be placed on record, we alerted the Police. Hopefully, this will be the first and last of such encounters."

[devilplate]

i tot the above article is pro-pap?

did i missed out smthing?

[DC33_2008]

I hope it is not like the Animal Farm story. Two legs good, Four legs better.

[wenqing]

I hope it is not like the Animal Farm story. Two legs good, Four legs better.

Condo owner must have read this thread about unfair practices.

[wenqing]

Condo Resident Written Response Who Told Lui Tuck Yew Off!



http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/sh....php?t=3219543


Quote:

I am the one who told porno Lui off.

Here are the details. I suggest u leave out my details and condo name:

Condo has only 19 units so we do not have security. However access is only by activating an intercom from the main direct to the resident u want to visit. The gate is than opened by the resident from a switch in his home after he satisfied that the person visiting him is bonafide. This is to keep non residents and unauthorised visitors out. We had some breakin and we are very security consoius since we don't have a guard or cameras.

Yesterday don know how a whole bunch of about 15-20 PAP entourage walked into the compound of the condo unannounced like they own the place and started spreading apround and knocking on the doors of the residents annoying the residents.

This was at about 1pm. I only know about this when 2-3 persons dressed in all white and carrying brochures strated shouting "hellO Hello thru my open door.

I was shocked and asked who they were. They said they werer on PAP walkabout and wanted to talk to me.

I am an MC member and got really mad and shouted at then " Who gave you permission to come in. I want to speak to your MP"

They cld not answer me and started running away down the stairs. I followed them shouting who is your MP. I want to speak to him.

I ran after them and caught up with them as they just about half way leaving the estate and still in the compound of the estate.

I confronted the minister who acted very fierce with me. I asked who gave him permission to come .He said "resident' and could not tell me who. In any case it is not a license to go all over he estate. I shouted at him saying he was trespassing and he needed to have MC approval. That i was MC member and no one asked for approval.

He repliled " i know you are not pappy with PAP government so no need to be like that and extended his hand to shake mine".

I said I will not shake his hand and shouted to him to get out of the esatte . I followed up by saying this was the worst goverment and hoped he will be voted oput.

He turned rund and his whole bunch of people quickly ran out of the estate. As he was leavung I heard hi say " Did nayone of you record down the conversation"

I am not sure he called the police or not. No police have contacted me yet.

Meanewhile the condo mgt corpoation is issuing a notice to all residnents not to allow any piolitcal parties to enter the compound and to remind them that they need to get MC approval.

I want to refute a few things:

a. I never made any threats, I pur[osely stood some distance and put my hands behind my back to ensure no accusations. i did repeatedly shout at them to get out as they were trespassing. I think they know that.

b. The so called vulgaritries they refer to were words like "lousy", "useless", "bloody"

c. I felt more threatened as there were 15 or so of them looking at me menacingly just cos their MP kene questioned vigorously.

[devilplate]

is tat guy wq himself?

[devilplate]

if its WP guys knocking his door....will he welcome them wif open arms?

[wenqing]

is tat guy wq himself?

lol...I only rent out condos, dont stay in them.

[ysyap]

Just thought that this person who chased the MIW out was himself pretty rude too!!! Hmmm.... MIW wrong to tresspass but this guy also wrong to scream and shout coz he's also disturbing the afternoon naps of his neighbors as much as he's accusing the MIW that they're disturbing his quiet afternoon.... hahaha!!!

[acidic.straw]

Whether pap or opposition, it is very very rude to shout at the minister. Can always talk firmly but politely wat...why need to shout? Very boorish behavior

[westman]

Whether pap or opposition, it is very very rude to shout at the minister. Can always talk firmly but politely wat...why need to shout? Very boorish behavior

Shouting is rude. True.
Screwed your live for the next five years is another important matter.

[wenqing]

Whether pap or opposition, it is very very rude to shout at the minister. Can always talk firmly but politely wat...why need to shout? Very boorish behavior

Just for record, this is Minister Lui Tuck Yew's second incident during walkabouts.

Maybe something wrong with Minister's Lui approach and character ??

There is no need to drag police also into such petty incident.

[westman]

Just for record, this is Minister Lui Tuck Yew's second incident during walkabouts.

Maybe something wrong with Minister's Lui approach and character ??

There is no need to drag police also into such petty incident.

10 against 1 and the 10 complaint the 1 threatening.
Best of all, one of them are admiral...

10 against 1 yet still afraid. Jialat, our navy no hope liao...
Like that also scared, how to fight when there is war?

[ysyap]

Just for record, this is Minister Lui Tuck Yew's second incident during walkabouts.

Maybe something wrong with Minister's Lui approach and character ??

There is no need to drag police also into such petty incident.

Don't read too much into the incident lah.. Just say unfortunate.... If he come to my place, I'll surely say hello and ask him what about him can I vote for???

[ysyap]

10 against 1 and the 10 complaint the 1 threatening.
Best of all, one of them are admiral...

Jialat, our navy no hope liao

Our DPM Teo also from navy wat,,,

[westman]

Our DPM Teo also from navy wat,,,

On one hand, PAP apolo, on the other hand, continue to bully voters....
Calling him a idiot is an insult to idiot as he is worst than idiot.

[westman]

On one hand, PAP apolo, on the other hand, continue to bully voters....
Calling him a idiot is an insult to idiot as he is worst than idiot.

I really dun't know what to say nor how to see with this person being the A team leader!

[ysyap]

On one hand, PAP apolo, on the other hand, continue to bully voters....
Calling him a idiot is an insult to idiot as he is worst than idiot.

You meant our DPM or our PM?

[Geylang OKT]

aiyoh.... why so boorish and low class behaviour lei?

Condo Resident Written Response Who Told Lui Tuck Yew Off!



http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/sh....php?t=3219543


Quote:

I am the one who told porno Lui off.

Here are the details. I suggest u leave out my details and condo name:

Condo has only 19 units so we do not have security. However access is only by activating an intercom from the main direct to the resident u want to visit. The gate is than opened by the resident from a switch in his home after he satisfied that the person visiting him is bonafide. This is to keep non residents and unauthorised visitors out. We had some breakin and we are very security consoius since we don't have a guard or cameras.

Yesterday don know how a whole bunch of about 15-20 PAP entourage walked into the compound of the condo unannounced like they own the place and started spreading apround and knocking on the doors of the residents annoying the residents.

This was at about 1pm. I only know about this when 2-3 persons dressed in all white and carrying brochures strated shouting "hellO Hello thru my open door.

I was shocked and asked who they were. They said they werer on PAP walkabout and wanted to talk to me.

I am an MC member and got really mad and shouted at then " Who gave you permission to come in. I want to speak to your MP"

They cld not answer me and started running away down the stairs. I followed them shouting who is your MP. I want to speak to him.

I ran after them and caught up with them as they just about half way leaving the estate and still in the compound of the estate.

I confronted the minister who acted very fierce with me. I asked who gave him permission to come .He said "resident' and could not tell me who. In any case it is not a license to go all over he estate. I shouted at him saying he was trespassing and he needed to have MC approval. That i was MC member and no one asked for approval.

He repliled " i know you are not pappy with PAP government so no need to be like that and extended his hand to shake mine".

I said I will not shake his hand and shouted to him to get out of the esatte . I followed up by saying this was the worst goverment and hoped he will be voted oput.

He turned rund and his whole bunch of people quickly ran out of the estate. As he was leavung I heard hi say " Did nayone of you record down the conversation"

I am not sure he called the police or not. No police have contacted me yet.

Meanewhile the condo mgt corpoation is issuing a notice to all residnents not to allow any piolitcal parties to enter the compound and to remind them that they need to get MC approval.

I want to refute a few things:

a. I never made any threats, I pur[osely stood some distance and put my hands behind my back to ensure no accusations. i did repeatedly shout at them to get out as they were trespassing. I think they know that.

b. The so called vulgaritries they refer to were words like "lousy", "useless", "bloody"

c. I felt more threatened as there were 15 or so of them looking at me menacingly just cos their MP kene questioned vigorously.

[westman]

You meant our DPM or our PM?

From each his best