While Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat continues his recovery in hospital, the other four Members of Parliament for Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC) will be sharing the workload to ensure that services to the residents are not disrupted.

Apart from Mr Heng, the team is made up of Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng, Ms Cheng Li Hui and Mr Desmond Choo. Ms Cheng is currently overseas, and Mr Masagos, Mr Baey and Mr Choo met yesterday to discuss arrangements to cover Mr Heng’s duties in his absence. Details will be shared today.

Speaking to TODAY before the meeting, Mr Choo said he will be helping to cover Mr Heng’s Meet-the-People Session (MPS) on Monday. However, issues including the MPS schedule and the sharing of other duties would have to be worked out, he said.

Mr Choo noted that currently, the MPS of all Tampines GRC MPs are held on Mondays. Mr Heng’s slot may have to be moved to another day, so that the other MPs can take turns to attend to the residents, said Mr Choo, a first-term MP. Community functions, market and block visits will also have to be shared among the MPs and grassroots leaders, he added.

Mr Heng was slated to attend two events today — a forum on SG100 held at the Institute of Technical Education College Central and a pre-school education fair in Tampines.

TODAY understands that Acting Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung will stand in for Mr Heng at the forum, while the four other Tampines GRC MPs will attend the fair in spite of Mr Heng’s absence.

Stressing that the Tampines GRC MPs have always worked together as a team, Mr Choo said: “Of course, (things) might be different as Minister Heng plays such an important role in the GRC as its anchor minister ... In any case, Tampines residents can seek help from any MP, regardless of where they stay ... We want to reassure residents that we are prepared to step up to cover for him until he recovers ... The services to residents will continue uninterrupted.”

Speaking separately at a gathering of religious leaders to pray for Mr Heng, Mr Baey described the Finance Minister as a “meticulous” MP who cared very much for residents. Mr Baey cited how Mr Heng had set aside time to attend meetings and community events in Tampines last weekend, despite his busy schedule. “We all know that he has heavy responsibility as a minister, he travels quite a lot, and yet he still spends time on his constituency,” he said. “As fellow MPs or residents of Tampines ... we really appreciate that his heart is in the constituency.”

On Thursday, Mr Heng had collapsed during a weekly Cabinet meeting and was sent to the hospital. Mr Baey said that since the news broke, many Tampines residents have expressed concern for him through various means, including via social media, and asked how they could convey their get-well messages.

“They really hope that (Mr Heng) will recover soon, recover well and fully because they have seen over the past five years how (he) has served residents of Tampines and they really hope that he can be back,” Mr Baey said.

Tampines residents TODAY spoke to said they were concerned about Mr Heng’s health, but they did not have any worries about the day-to-day running of the town in his absence.

SIM Global Education student Darrell Lua, 25, said: “I definitely look forward to his speedy recovery and continued involvement in the development of Singapore.” He added: “I am certain that, if needed, the residents under his ward can always look for the other Tampines MPs.”

Another resident, who wanted to be known only as Ms Wong, said she was concerned about whether Mr Heng would be able to return to his duties after he recovers, given how severe the effects of a stroke can be. But she believed the ward would be in safe hands as Mr Heng recovers. “I have great faith in their capability of running Tampines in the absence of Mr Heng as they have years of experience,” the 25-year-old said.

Ms Chris Ng, 50, an accounting executive, said she was shocked by the news. “He’s a nice and friendly person, with no airs … We’re all hoping for him to quickly recover,” she said in Mandarin.

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Toh Ee Ming

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