Over the weekend, we visited residents of Pasir Ris St 51 to say hello and have a chat.

Many of them talked about how rising recent cost increases of basic goods such as food and groceries are affecting their lives.

They say that with the increase in public transport fares and water costs, in addition to the coming 1 percentage increase in GST, they will have to tighten their belts even further.

It is saddening to hear of their plight, and we understand because we too are affected.

What makes things worse is how the government squanders hundreds of millions of tax dollars on self-aggrandising monuments such as the Founders’ Memorial while paying little heed to the real needs of Common Singaporeans.

We have assured residents that we will continue to engage them and raise their concerns.