SINGAPORE: People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate for Punggol GRC, Sun Xueling, addressed residents’ concerns over transport and infrastructure development in the area during the party rally for Punggol GRC on Saturday night (26 April).
Sun acknowledged that many Punggol residents rely on public transport for commuting to work, school, and sending family members around.
She emphasised that an hour spent on the road is an hour taken away from family and productive activities.
“I know these are your concerns. I’m with you four to five days a week, every week for the past five years. How can I not know that transport issues are on your mind?” she said.
In her speech, she stressed, “We do not need strangers to come to Punggol to talk to just any resident to find out what is on your mind.”
“We know this. All of us on the stage know this,” she said, highlighting the close engagement between the PAP candidates and the community.
Sun also outlined efforts underway to improve transport infrastructure, pointing to new roads and MRT lines under construction, which have caused significant digging activity around Punggol.
In November 2024, construction officially began on the Cross Island Line (CRL) Punggol extension, which will shorten over 70,000 daily journeys between Singapore’s north-east and east.
The 7.3km extension of Singapore’s eighth MRT line will comprise four stations: Punggol, Riviera, Elias, and Pasir Ris. The Punggol station will be linked to the North East MRT Line, the Riviera stop to the Punggol LRT Line, and the Pasir Ris station to the East-West MRT Line.
She reassured residents that these inconveniences were part of the town’s continuous development.
“What you see is a Punggol that is constantly developing, and with development, there is upside potential for all of us,” she said, adding that Punggol was becoming an increasingly valuable estate year by year.
Sun will be competing alongside her team, which includes Janil Puthucheary and Yeo Wan Ling, with Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong leading the slate in the Punggol GRC.
DPM Gan’s inclusion in the Punggol team came as a surprise, as it was not previously announced. He had originally been expected to anchor the PAP’s team in Chua Chu Kang GRC.
The PAP team will face off against the Workers’ Party’s candidates: Harpreet Singh, Jackson Au, Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar, and Alexis Dang in 2025 General Election.
Netizens Slam Sun Xueling’s “Stranger” Remarks
However, Sun’s remarks sparked backlash online. More than 1,300 comments were posted on CNA’s YouTube and Facebook pages, with many netizens taking issue with her use of the word “strangers.”
Many criticised Sun for referring to fellow Singaporeans, allegedly referring to Workers’ Party (WP) members, as “strangers.”
Several pointed out that WP candidates are Singaporeans too, and should not be labelled as outsiders.
Some commented that if Sun considered the WP as “strangers,” then by her logic, residents in Hougang, Aljunied, and Sengkang—constituencies currently held by the WP—would also not need “strangers.”
Others questioned the consistency of her argument, highlighting that her own PAP teammate, Gan Kim Yong, could also be considered a “stranger” to Punggol, having served in Chua Chu Kang for nearly 20 years.
“With all due respect, Gan Kim Yong says he has only been in Punggol for three days. That qualifies him as a stranger?” one user commented.
Another netizen pointed out the flaw in Sun’s logic, arguing that if her standard applied, then there should be no elections at all, as no new parties would be able to contest in other constituencies.
“If You Really Understand, Why No Improvement?”
Sun’s speech on public transportation also drew scepticism.
Several netizens further questioned whether the PAP truly understood residents’ concerns, citing what they saw as a lack of improvement in transport issues over the years.
They wondered if the PAP was addressing the root issues, suggesting that if the party was not capable, they should give others a chance to tackle the actual problems.
One user compared Singapore’s MRT system to China’s metro networks, noting that despite heavier passenger loads, the Chinese systems reportedly experience fewer breakdowns.
Others accused Sun of fearmongering, suggesting she implied that infrastructure development would halt if residents voted for opposition parties.
Another netizen argued that major infrastructure projects, such as new MRT lines and roads, were long-term initiatives credited to civil servants at agencies like the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), planned at least a decade ago.
“Please do not take credit for their hard work,” the user wrote.
Another user commented that while they agreed transport and infrastructure were important, many Singaporeans were increasingly concerned about social and economic issues.
“What is the point of having nice gleaming buildings, roads, and public transport when people are finding it even harder to afford them? Go take the trains in the morning and you’ll see many people are unhappy and stressed,” the user added.
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