In the first installment of a three-part series, Petir talks to Amy Khor, who recently retired from her 24 year career in politics, and her memories and experiences as an MP for Hong Kah.
“Why isn’t there a walkway here? Why make me walk one whole round? Why isn’t there a shelter over the barrier-free access?”
Amy Khor, former Member of Parliament for Hong Kah North SMC, candidly shared some of her residents’ concerns relating to connectivity.
In an interview with Petir, the 67-year-old described her experience as an MP as one where “every day was an exciting day”. This is because there will be challenges for “every programme you do, even facilities, and so on, to benefit people”.
She noted that Hong Kah North constituency has evolved over the last 10 years, with the emergence of new estates and precincts in Bukit Batok West and Tengah.
She highlighted that even in new estates where barrier free accessibility, covered linkways and lush greenery abound, there are still challenges.
“It is a lived experience, what you design and so on. The fact is that when people move in, based on behaviour, they will find the shortest route to the bus stop and supermarket. So, the walkway or covered linkway might not be the shortest route.”
She recalled another instance where a sloped walkway caused water to gush down and flood the lift lobby of a residential block during heavy rain. Her team had to assess the site and explore solutions like widening the drains, designing better water flow, or building a shelter.
“These challenges, how do we resolve them? Really, there is nothing you can do except boots on the ground, eyes and ears plugged to the ground,” she said. “Engage as much as possible. Try to identify these gaps and plug them. Even after you have identified the gaps, there is also coordination… Can you do it more quickly? Can you do it better? Can you design better?”
Dr Khor follows the three ‘C’ principles: Consultation with residents, coordination with agencies to identify and resolve gaps, and communication to manage expectations and timelines.
“Challenges will always come out right now and then. And what we strive to do is really look at how to proactively address these issues with appropriate solutions.”
Amy Khor: Singaporeans appreciate the help they get and will ‘pay forward’
Dr Khor entered politics in 2001 and served at Hong Kah and later Hong Kah North over the course of 24 years and five terms of government. Before being appointed to political office, she worked as an executive director at a real estate consultancy, gaining experience she later put to good use when dealing with municipal and real estate matters in the constituency.
In one instance, she intervened in a project involving a linkway, which had caused a resident’s unhappiness over an intrusion of privacy.
A cleaner had confided that her sister was upset the design of a planned linkway would allow passers-by a direct look into her ground-floor unit.
Dr Khor visited the affected resident the same day.
Fortunately, the contractor had only begun ground preparation and had not built the linkway. Dr Khor promptly consulted the town council and contractor to find a solution.
“We managed to shift the linkway’s position such that people cannot look directly into the resident’s home. The resident came to thank me. She was happy that she did not have to suffer this for the rest of her life.”
Throughout the years, she has supported many other Hong Kah residents through challenging times. One resident, a mother of two young daughters, had sadly lost her husband in an industrial accident.
“They were quite desperate and unsure of what to do,” she said. The woman became a seamstress, working from home. Dr Khor’s team provided whatever help they could, assisting with her daughters’ education and other household needs. The daughters eventually graduated from university.
“One of her daughters graduated, and the woman brought her to my Meet-the-People Session,” Dr Khor recounted. “She said, ‘My daughter is going to help with letter writing. We must pay it forward since you helped us.'”
Dr Khor said: “The many heartwarming stories show that Singaporeans appreciate the help and support they get. They remember and they try in their own ways to pay forward.”
Making sure programmes can run for over 20 years
Over the years, Dr Khor has implemented several flagship programmes on a “sustained basis to ensure long-term impact and scalability”.
One such initiative is the annual Environment Day in Hong Kah, the first large-scale event she organised after becoming the MP for Hong Kah in 2002.
The Environment Day features a “Trash for Groceries” recycling programme, where residents exchange their recyclables for groceries like rice, noodles, and eggs, she said.
This programme has been held annually for the past 23 years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic when it transitioned online.
“When we were a little late in publicising the environment day, residents will ask about the event, because they were keeping all their recyclables for the exchange.”
Another long running initiative is Hong Kah North’s university scholarship programme. Dr Khor’s team has managed it for more than a decade. It initially awarded five students $1,000 each per year, and now supports nearly 20 awardees with $1,500 each annually.
A unique aspect is that scholarship recipients must complete 20 hours of community service volunteering in the team’s projects or resident network.
“The idea is to raise awareness about community service among students residing in our community and hopefully attract them to join us,” Dr Khor said.
Dr Khor said the programme managed to attract quite a few awardees to continue volunteering. The branch also initiated a polytechnic scholarship to encourage students to start volunteering early because “they are really our future leaders”, she added.
The completion of Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, Singapore’s pilot assisted-living flats, and the Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre on the ground floor, brought satisfaction to Dr Khor. She had advocated for both projects over the years.
She said that the hawker centre provided by the National Environment Agency was the first in the Bukit Batok area, while the community care apartment was the first of its kind.
What’s next for Dr Khor
When asked what she intends to do after her retirement, Dr Khor laughed and replied that she hopes to use her SkillsFuture credits to attend courses of interest, much like many of her residents.
She will also continue to advocate for issues related to sustainability and active ageing.
Over the past 24 years, Dr Khor has been grateful for the opportunity to serve the constituency and Singapore.
“It’s always been about being in a position where, no matter how small, you can help uplift people’s lives and make a difference.” she said. “Knowing that in some way, you have helped further the progress for society, for Singapore.”
Dr Khor finds the most tangible reward in seeing that her efforts have benefitted someone.
“When someone comes up and tells me, ‘Hey, I really appreciate this,’ it’s not that we look for ‘thank yous,’ but if they acknowledge that they have benefitted, I think it warms my heart.”
Read: Amy Khor on being ‘scolded a lot’ for policies that aim to change habits
