SINGAPORE – On Tuesday (Jan 10), Workers’ Party MP Louis Chua raised concerns in Parliament regarding certain neighborhoods lacking essential amenities. He emphasized the importance of local conveniences, such as coffee shops, for fostering community life and urged the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to allocate more void deck spaces for such purposes.

Chua shared that many residents from his Sengkang GRC constituency have expressed frustration over the scarcity of coffee shops and convenience stores. He pointed out that in his Rivervale division, despite the presence of Rivervale Plaza and Mall, there remains only one coffee shop and one convenience store to serve the entire area.

This scarcity poses challenges for residents with mobility issues, particularly the elderly and disabled. “For many, buying a meal or getting groceries becomes a cumbersome task requiring the use of public or private transport,” Chua noted. He further reflected that had he grown up in present-day Sengkang instead of Ang Mo Kio, he would have struggled to buy lunch on his own.

Chua urged the HDB to prioritize underserved areas like Sengkang, proposing that unused portions of multi-storey carparks could be converted into commercial spaces, even if not designated for coffee shops. He also suggested that HDB could introduce a ballot system to offer low-rent commercial spaces for small businesses, encouraging micro-enterprises and social ventures.

“Coffee shops and convenience stores not only meet daily needs but also serve as gathering places that build community ties, an essential part of our heartland culture,” Chua stated, pushing for these to be more widely promoted.

As a representative of Sengkang GRC since 2020, Chua voiced his support for the HDB Amendment Bill, which aims to upgrade existing neighborhood businesses. He fondly recalled his childhood in Ang Mo Kio, where the local shops met nearly all of the community’s needs, and urged for a revival of such community hubs in today’s estates.