Dear residents,

It has been five years since I was given the honour of being elected to be your Member of Parliament (MP). It has been an exhilarating and rewarding journey. I am humbled by the strong spirit to serve, as shown by the many grassroots volunteers in Tampines West, who have been toiling together to build a safe and happy neighbourhood for all, for so many years. There were even a few who have passed away in the last five years, and we all miss them greatly.

Making it easier to reach home

I hope that the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) which was the mainstay of the improvement to our estate, has served you well. Most of these lifts are either already in operation or well into the stages of construction. During my house visits, many elderly and disabled residents were beaming when they expressed how appreciative they were of the lifts that stop on every floor. As the construction completes within each precinct will commence the repainting works of the blocks.

Indeed, there have been issues during the selection and implementation stages, but together, with your input and those from grassroots leaders, we have managed to meet midway so that most people will benefit overall. I would like to thank all residents who have supported the programme which enables our elderly parents and relatives as well as the disabled and sick, to access their homes without barriers.

More parks and linkways

Apart from the LUP, I’m also pleased that many neighbourhood parks have also been spruced up and also renewed with new playground equipment for children as well as 3G exercise stations for the elderly. There have also been more linkways constructed in Tampines West and more will be installed in the next five years, including some which will reach directly at school entrances.

Improving the conditions of our home

The next stage is to have our older blocks enjoy the Home Improvement Programme. The pilot programme in the 900 series of blocks has been very well received by residents who have given me feedback that they are very satisfied. I intend to get the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to approve this programme in other parts of our estate so that there will be a more permanent solution to leaking or spalling concrete. Residents will also have the option to renovate their toilets, change doors

and other fittings at a very subsidised cost.

Creating and enhancing value

All these have been carried out so that our homes continue to hold their value. These are assets in our old age whose values we must preserve. In many other countries, public housing is provided and then left to be maintained by the residents or municipals, with no further upgrading and maintenance. As a result, over time, they look old, their values drop, they attract only the poorest to live in them and usually have high crime rates. We are fortunate that in Singapore and in Tampines West, this has never been the case. Together with continual upgrading and enhancements, we continue to ensure that good neighbourhoods are nurtured with neighbourliness programmes by our grassroots members.

Let’s continue to grow Tampines together.

Masagos Zulkifli BMM

Adviser to Tampines Grassroots Organisations