“Opposition Party Appeals to Sun Xueling for Respectful Engagement with Residents”

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), a local opposition party, has expressed criticism towards Minister of State Sun Xueling for publicly sharing a resident’s feedback letter and for her disapproval of its tone and language.

On June 3, Ms. Sun, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Punggol West SMC, posted screenshots of the resident’s email on her Facebook page. The email, addressed to both Ms. Sun and Workers’ Party (WP) MP Jamus Lim, raised concerns regarding noise from heavy vehicles near Punggol Way, as well as grievances about uneven cement floors at the void deck and criticisms of road design, using offensive language. The frustrated resident warned that failure to address these issues could result in Ms. Sun losing her constituency.

While the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council assured the resident that they would address the concerns, Ms. Sun’s public reaction sparked discontent. In her post, she emphasized the importance of civil discourse and encouraged the public to avoid offensive language when providing feedback.

In response, SDA chairman Desmond Lim released a statement on June 11, expressing disapproval of Ms. Sun’s handling of the situation, which he claimed had “aggrieved” residents. Lim acknowledged that while the resident’s email may have been inappropriate in tone, making it public and criticizing its content was unnecessary.

He stressed the importance of treating residents with dignity and respect, even when their comments are rude, stating, “Even if one feels offended by the resident’s comments, lashing out and retaliating is never the solution.” He urged public figures to respond to residents’ concerns with empathy and understanding, sharing his own experiences of facing personal attacks.

Mr. Lim highlighted that a compassionate approach can foster better communication, saying, “A soft word can turn away anger.” He called for humility in serving residents and emphasized that the SDA aims to embody this ethos.

Mr. Lim has been a longstanding figure in Pasir Ris-Punggol politics, first contesting in the 2001 general election. Despite facing electoral setbacks, he has remained committed to serving the community and advocating for their concerns.