There’s a running joke among my visiting friends that the cockroaches in Potong Pasir are a lot bigger than the ones in other estates (except Hougang where our robust roaches share an extended family). As a Potong Pasir resident, I take these comments in good humour. Opposition ward residents are nothing if not genial when it comes to jibes about the state of our estates.

However, when the Town Council Management Report (TCMR) was released and at a glance it was clear that the Potong Pasir Town Council had scored the worst across the board, I have to admit that my first reaction was that of dismay followed by quiet resignation. Not because I have to bear more bad jokes, but the scores officially, but superficially, paint a terrible and misguided picture of what living in an opposition estate is like.

Potong Pasir is an old estate, there’s no denying it. Aside from a few modern upgrades such as the playgrounds and exercise areas, community club and an MRT station, it has remained largely the same since the 80’s and 90’s. As a result of that, it is only natural that the buildings are suffering a little wear and tear and the community areas solely funded by the town council are starting to look a little tired. But in terms of cleanliness, as expressed in a letter written by a fellow resident, Potong Pasir is no different from other PAP-managed estates. Common areas are regularly washed and cleaned, roads are swept daily and the shelters and walkways are well-maintained. In short, it’s a perfectly pleasant town to live in.

In a letter addressing the Town Council's arrears in service and conservancy charges, Chiam See Tong wrote, “[The Town Council makes] provisions for doubtful debts due to the unfavourable economic conditions in Singapore, by allowing residents to pay by instalments on compassionate grounds.”

I cannot speak for other residents, but here’s a personal story. Until his death, my father was the sole manager of the family’s finances which included paying Town Council charges every month. When he passed away suddenly in November 2008, his bank account was frozen by the bank and the GIRO payments to the Town Council, among others, were rejected. The sticky situation lasted for a few months until we successfully waded through the bureaucracy and got our finances in order. In that time, we received a firm letter or two from the Town Council reminding us about the arrears, but we were not harassed for it, and for that, I am grateful.

What I am trying to say is that in Potong Pasir it is not always about the money, or the upgrading, or the $1 abalone porridge that gets waved in our faces every time an election draws near. What the voting majority appreciates, as it has been proven time and time again, is our MP’s sincerity and determination to make things work despite the lack of government funding for more extensive maintenance and upgrading projects.

It is perhaps unfortunate for the ruling party that in their efforts to woo us with money, the result has only been stronger community bonds whenever our MP achieves something in spite of the dangling carrots. A daily reminder comes in the form of a modest, but proud, sign that says “Fully funded by the Potong Pasir Town Council,” tacked onto a sheltered walkway connecting Block 147 to the MRT station, the same walkway that replaced the infamous PAP-funded solar-powered lamps that were neglected soon after their loss at the elections.

It would be easy to take the TCMR at face value and say that Potong Pasir must be an awful place to live in, one that’s run by a bunch of incompetents. But to do so is to ignore the fact that numbers -- especially ones so vaguely derived -- cannot quantify the compassion and sense of community that this little "kampung" has enjoyed for decades. 

And for the record, the cockroaches here grow to be the same size as anywhere else, but don’t take my word for it. Come and visit. You may find that it isn’t as bad a place as some might make it out to be.