‘Maybe they should be called Penghulus’: Calvin Cheng changes mind on Singapore’s Mayors after meeting Denise Phua
Mr Cheng had previously said he was not convinced about the role of Mayors, but said the meeting helped clarify how they coordinate district-level programmes and initiatives.
Former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng recently met Denise Phua, MP for Jalan Besar and Mayor of Central Singapore District, to better understand the roles and functions of Mayors and Community Development Councils (CDCs). Cheng had previously expressed doubts about the relevance of Mayors, but the meeting changed his perspective. Singapore currently has five Mayors, each representing different districts and chairing a CDC.
Cheng acknowledged that Mayors and CDCs indeed carry out various tasks, such as creating district-specific programs and coordinating with multiple ministries when necessary, which might be challenging for a single MP to handle. He also pointed out that having more MPs per constituent ratio can be advantageous, as long as the city-state can afford it.
However, Cheng also questioned the term "Mayor," arguing that Singapore's Mayors do not govern municipalities. He suggested the Malay term Penghulu, traditionally used to administer a mukim (a district comprising several villages) and exercise authority over multiple ketua kampung. Cheng expressed a preference for the term Penghulu and shared it on social media, inviting others to understand why Singapore needs Penghulus.
Reactions to Cheng's post have been mixed, with some questioning the necessity of Mayors and others expressing confusion over the implementation of CDC vouchers.
Written by urgent.news from The Independent Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
