Looks like a pillar of our vibrant participatory democracy is the latest victim of COVID-19.
The People’s Action Party (PAP) has advised a temporary stop on physical Meet-the-People sessions (MPS) due to the rise in COVID-19 community cases, according to TODAYonline.
The decision came in the wake of a recent spike in the number of community cases around, with Sunday (2 May) recording as high as 14 community infections.
The PAP statement emphasises that “the health and safety of our residents and volunteers is paramount”, and necessitates its decision.
Residents, however, can still voice out concerns to their Members of Parliament (MPs) via phone or through a virtual meeting, though each constituency will have its own guidelines on alternatives to MPS.
Ms Indranee Rajah of the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), for example, is offering the option for appeal letters to be received by email. Those without emails can send a physical letter to her MPS venues at Kim Tian Road or Tanjong Pagar Plaza.
(Though, knowing SingPost, it’ll take a while for the letters to be delivered.)
Residents needing immediate assistance can register for a virtual meeting by WhatsApp or text.
Other MPs have made similar arrangements, such as Mr Tan Chuan-Jin for Marine Parade GRC, who urged residents to contact him by email or WhatsApp for any queries.
I guess the Speaker can’t speak to anyone at the moment. Haha.
If you would like to lodge an online appeal, be sure to include relevant supporting documents and your personal details, such as your name, NRIC, address, and phone number, as Mr Tan advises.
House Visits Also Postponed
Some MPs are also refraining from house visits for the time being, such as Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim of Choa Chu Kang GRC.
Others are continuing in-person meetings for the time being with stricter safety measures in place, according to The Straits Times.
These include requiring appointments for meetings, and restricting meetings to one-on-one only, though a similar complete suspension may be expected soon.
MPS were previously suspended physically last year during the Circuit Breaker, and had been largely a virtual affair until last August, when the National Environment Agency allowed their resumption.
Since then, MPs have largely seen a rise in the number of constituents needing assistance, many for reasons of finance or employment due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to TODAYonline.
The Workers’ Party (WP) has not yet indicated whether it will similarly suspend physical sessions. Maybe they’ll be able to hammer the virus into submission instead.
Feature Image: Facebook (Zaqy Mohamad)
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