Tanjong Pagar Food Centre prices rise after upgrading

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Tanjong Pagar Food Centre prices rise after upgrading

January 6th, 2014 | Author: Editorial

Renovated Tanjong Pagar Food Cemtre (Photo: Shin Min)


Shin Min Daily has reported that following an upgrading, prices at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre have increased by as much as 50 cents.

It reported that stallholders at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre had increased their prices due to an increase in cost. Within the short time-frame during which the food centre was undergoing the upgrading, it is unlikely that food and labour cost have increased tremendously. The only explanation is that rental has gone up due to the upgrading of the hawker centre.

Some netizens think that perhaps the absence of any electoral competition due to Tanjong Pagar GRC traditionally seeing walkovers has the PAP MPs there taking their constituents for granted. After all, hardly any of the MPs eat at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre, certainly not the elderly Mr Lee Kuan Yew who has been an MP there for almost half a century.

Looking at the past elections in Tanjong Pagar GRC, it appears that the constituency has been used as some sort of “backdoor transit point” for new PAP MPs. They will enter Parliament uncontested from walkovers in Tanjong Pagar GRC and after a term, they will be moved on to another constituency. With such an arrangements, it is unlikely these “backdoor” MPs will develop any sort of long term relationship with Tanjong Pagar residents.

For example, in the 1991 general elections (GE), PAP fielded the following candidates for Tanjong Pagar GRC:
1991 Tanjong Pagar (86,944)

• Koo Tsai Kee
• Lee Kuan Yew
• Lim Hng Kiang
• S Vasoo

By the time the next GE came round, Lim Hng Kiang no longer stood in Tanjong Pagar, having transferred to West Coast.
1997 Tanjong Pagar (141,520)

• Chay Wai Chuen
• Koo Tsai Kee
• Lee Kuan Yew
• Lim Swee Say
• Ow Chin Hock
• S Vasoo

After winning the 1997 elections through a walkover, Lim Swee Say moved over to Holland-Bt Panjang in 2001.
2001 Tanjong Pagar (141,150)

• Chay Wai Chuen
• Chong Weng Chiew
• Indranee Thurai Rajah
• Khaw Boon Wan
• Koo Tsai Kee
• Lee Kuan Yew

Khaw Boon Wan was also another “backdoor” MP. After 2001, he crossed over to Sembawang in 2006.
2006 Tanjong Pagar (148,141)

• Baey Yam Keng
• Indranee Thurai Rajah
• Koo Tsai Kee
• Lee Kuan Yew
• Lui Tuck Yew
• Tan Chin Siong

Tan Chin Siong, Baey Yam Keng and Lui Tuck Yew went to Radin Mas, Tampines and Moulmein-Kallang respectively, in 2011.
2011 Tanjong Pagar (139,771)

• Chan Chun Sing
• Chia Shi-Lu
• Indranee Thurai Rajah
• Lee Kuan Yew
• Lily Tirtasana Neo

It will be interesting to see if Chan Chun Sing will remain in Tanjong Pagar or move to another ward like the others before him. Nevertheless, wherever he stands for election, there is a chance he will be voted out, such is Singaporeans’ displeasure with the PAP.


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