Sengkang Hospital: not an election sweetener. Really?

On the brink of the General Election, ministers have been quick to assure the public that the Budget and projects in the pipeline are not an election ploy or sweeteners.

The latest assurance is over the Sengkang Hospital.

Frankly, election sweeteners are common stratagems employed by politicians the world over in a bid to stay in power. Nothing really wrong with that except some may wonder if it is ethical particularly of those who puff up their chests to claim the moral high ground. 

What irks me is why wait for the eve of a General Election before announcing sweeteners and projects, and let people suffer in the interim?

This is why people may see it as an election ploy.

A retiree I discussed the controversy with, Mr M (not the illustrious Dr M), said rather vehemently, “Don’t waste your breath telling us, you know, that all this is not an election ploy. C’mon man, I wasn’t born yesterday!”