A bet with GMS over WP and AIM

[aurvandil]

Recently I made a bet with GMS over WP and AIM. I wagered that SL would raise the AIM issue in Parliament and it would become a campaign issue during the BE. GMS bet that WP would chicken out on AIM. The loser would do a SBF posting on how he was wrong about WP before the end of the BE.

SL withdrew the motion and for a time, it did look like WP had chickened out. I therefore conceded the bet.

After I conceded and started working on my post, WP sabo me by coming out full throttle on AIM. I was amazed by what was said in the last two rallies.

WP's raising of AIM appears to have caught PAP off guard. THP issued a lame statement which got hammered by the TOC article below. The article provides a concise list of sharp questions and is the best article so far on AIM.

The msm is in disarray. They reacted by blacking out AIM. This tactic is however unlikely to contain the issue as Punggol East is a very young constituency with good access to Internet.

The PAP have one rally left tonight to respond. If they address the issue tonight, will our MSM breach the laws of Cooling Off day to run stories for the PAP? Previously they had already run afoul the law by publishing poll results after the writ had been issued. A second breach with no action taken against them would damage credibility. It might even backfire and encourage swing voters to vote WP in response to the biased propaganda coverage.

The AIM issue is not going away. PAP Ministers and MPs planning a holiday to recover from an exhausting BE better make it a short one. PM LHL had promised an MND review in 2 months. Singaporeans are going to hold him to it and the battle will begin anew.

----

STATEMENT BY THE ONLINE CITIZEN, IN RESPONSE TO THE STATEMENT BY DR TEO HO PIN ON AIM

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2013/01...nse-to-the-statement-by-dr-teo-ho-pin-on-aim/

Dr Teo Ho Pin issued a statement about the AIM transaction in response to media queries last night. The Online Citizen has already explained the problems with the transaction. To reiterate, these are the problems:

a) The glaring conflict of interest, in PAP-controlled Town Councils awarding a key contract to a PAP-owned company.

b) The failure by the PAP-controlled Town Councils to ask for a performance bond or banker’s guarantee from a $2 company that was buying and licensing-back a mission-critical piece of software.

c) The absolute lack of detail in the tender notice, and the reported lack of detail in the tender document that cost $214 to obtain.

d) The apparent discrepancy between the date on which AIM submitted its bid (20 July 2010) and the stated closing date of the tender period (14 July 2010), and whether the proper process for extending the tender period had been followed.

e) The finding that the Town Council Management System was obsolete and needed replacement in 2010, when it continues to be used, and hence presumably perfectly functional, in 2013.

f) The long delay in replacing the supposedly obsolete TCMS, with the PAP-controlled Town Councils not even having selected a vendor 2.5 years after deciding that it was necessary to replace the TCMS.

g) The payment of the management fee of $33,150 to AIM, and how the incurring of this obligation was beneficial to the residents of the PAP-controlled Town Councils.

h) The failure by Dr Teo and Mr Chandra Das to disclose the payment of this management fee to AIM at the earliest possible opportunity, especially when they were highlighting the “savings” of $8,120 from selling the TCMS to AIM and licensing it back.

i) The lack of information on how the management fee of $33,150 paid to AIM was used by AIM.

j) The lack of independence in having the Ministry of National Development review the AIM transaction, as MND is the same body that oversees Town Councils

k) The continued lack of information from the PAP about the companies that it owns, what they do, the persons who benefit from their operations, and their business dealings (if any) with PAP-controlled Town Councils and government agencies, in particular the previous contracts between AIM and PAP-controlled Town Councils that Mr Das has alluded to.

Dr Teo has so far failed to address or even acknowledge these problems. TOC will send a copy of this statement to Dr Teo. We look forward to the statement by Dr Teo Ho Pin in response to new media queries.

 

[HTOLAS]

MSM (SCM) articles are not covered under cooling-off day rules. Have fun.

 

[zhihau]

The PAP have one rally left tonight to respond. If they address the issue tonight, will our MSM breach the laws of Cooling Off day to run stories for the PAP?

there will be answers... let it be...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RdopMqrftXs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[giggity_shit]

GMS made a bet with GMS?

 

[aurvandil]

I know many here dislike TRE. TRE however released the following tasty tit bit that the software sold to AIM cost the Town Council's as much as $30 million to build. Given the sensitive nature of AIM, one would have expected THP to immediately issue a statement on this claim. The article came out on Tuesday (22 Jan 2013). Strangely, there has been no response till now. I am beginning to get the eerie feeling that the contents of the TRE article might be true.

Did TCs develop software for $5M before selling it to AIM for $140K?


http://www.tremeritus.com/2013/01/2...are-for-5m-before-selling-it-to-aim-for-140k/

A reader has forwarded LinkedIn information of a person by the name of Jonathan Tan to TR Emeritus. LinkedIn is a social networking website for job seekers and business professionals. It is used by people for professional networking and fostering business relationships. The information is public:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jonathan-tan/23/3a4/203

According to LinkedIn, Jonathan Tan is currently “Director, ASEAN & Pakistan at Palo Alto Networks”, presumably looking after sales.

From the summary of his CV, he describes himself as a professional with over 20 years of sales experience and a deal maker. He claims to have an excellent sales record, cutting deals in the millions of dollars:

Jonathan Tan’s Summary

1 An accomplished, results-oriented sales professional with over 20 years of sales experience in managing top-tier direct customers and channels in diversified industry segments with experience across APAC.

2 Ability to influence, motivate and lead people – prospects, customers, vendors, partners – through effective communication and personal interaction skills.

3 A deal maker in dynamic market. Proven ability to build account relationships at different levels, from C-level executives to achieve sales objectives.

4 Track record exceeding multi-million dollar deals.

5 Proven expertise in enterprise selling, negotiation and creative problem solving skills. Active involvement in all stages of account management, including engagement strategy, early-stage engagement, and deal structuring and final negotiation.

6 Equally resourceful in getting the right resource to accomplish sales objectives with a good understanding complicated corporate processes in large, complex Multi-national companies.

In the last 20 years, he had worked in a number of companies but of particular interest is his previous job as “Deputy Director, Enterprise Software group, NCS Pte Ltd, October 2001 – March 2004 (2 years 6 months)”.

LinkedIn further shows Mr Tan listing one of his key achievements while doing sales in NCS as:

Key Achievement:
- S$30 million deal with Singapore Town Council. Software license at S$5 million.

A media statement [Link] carried 2 January 2013 on the PAP’s official website, says that PAP-run Town Councils (TCs) entered into an agreement with NCS to develop a computer system in August 2003:

In 2003, the TCs wanted to harmonise their computer systems. Hence, in 2003, all the TCs jointly called an open tender for a vendor to provide a computer system based on a common platform. NCS was chosen to provide this system. The term of the NCS contract (“NCS contract”) was from 1 August 2003 to 31 October 2010. There was an option to further extend the contract for one year, until 31 October 2011.

So the contract was negotiated between NCS and TCs in 2003, some time before August. This falls into the timeframe when Mr Tan was Deputy Director of Enterprise Software group in NCS (Oct 2001 – Mar 2004). Since Mr Tan listed the deal with TCs as one of his key achievements in NCS, we assume that the computer system developed by NCS for the 14 PAP TCs cost $30 million (including hardware, vendor software and the developed software), as stated by Mr Tan in his achievements.

There is also “software licence at $5 million”. It is uncertain if by that Mr Tan means the software provided by other vendors or the integrated software developed by NCS or both. Whatever it is, it would not be too farfetched to say that the software developed by NCS for the TCs should cost millions of dollars. Where did the TCs get the money to pay NCS? Quite possibly, from the conservancy charges paid by HDB residents over the years.

 

[commoner]

$5mil to build a software ageing system for 5 mil population is abit far fetched, but would not discount the possibility, possible but no probable.

but me already email to friends to help to spread the rumors anyway

 

[cunnilaubu]

Given the sensitive nature of AIM, one would have expected THP to immediately issue a statement on this claim. The article came out on Tuesday (22 Jan 2013). Strangely, there has been no response till now. I am beginning to get the eerie feeling that the contents of the TRE article might be true.

The fact that THP had been reluctant to reveal the development cost when this was first asked is already an indication that something was not right.

 

[ahkow]

The fact that THP had been reluctant to reveal the development cost when this was first asked is already an indication that something was not right.

I cannot not see what PAP can defend AIM at the rally tonight because it is under review.

 

[aurvandil]

TRE has followed up on their article. The NCS DD that worked on the AIM project has apparently removed the $30 million project cost from his resume !

----

LinkedIn user removes sales info of NCS’ deal with PAP TCs

http://www.tremeritus.com/2013/01/24/linkedin-user-removes-sales-info-of-ncs-deal-with-pap-tcs/

Within 24 hours of TRE’s reporting (‘Did TCs develop software for $5M before selling it to AIM for $140K?‘) of NCS’ deal with PAP Town Councils, extracted from the CV of an ex-NCS Deputy Director, Jonathan Tan, some of the information on Mr Tan’s CV appears to have been removed.

Mr Tan’s CV originally can be found at this URL on LinkedIn, a social networking site for job seekers and business professionals:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jonathan-tan/23/3a4/203

However, it appears that the original URL has now been redirected to a new link:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/palo-alto-networks-next-generation-firewall/23/3a4/203

For paid users, one can still access the detail info inside the link.

Originally, the following information was listed on Mr Tan’s CV as at 22 Jan:

Now, the “Key Achievement” has been removed as at 23 Jan:

So, the question is, why the need to remove the “Key Achievement” now:

Key Achievement:
- S$30 million deal with Singapore Town Council. Software license at S$5 million.

The mystery deepens…

.

Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus

 

[metalmickey]

$5mil to build a software ageing system for 5 mil population is abit far fetched, but would not discount the possibility, possible but no probable.

but me already email to friends to help to spread the rumors anyway

A team of software engineers being paid $100K a year - that's 50 man years to code up a software system to manage a town council. Is it really that complicated, or are they using really expensive proprietary software, or are they really that stupid and incompetent?

 

[wwabbit]

Or perhaps he exaggerated the price of the system to make his CV looks better.
Who here hasn't made slight exaggerations in CV?

 

[metalmickey]

Or perhaps he exaggerated the price of the system to make his CV looks better.
Who here hasn't made slight exaggerations in CV?

It's not an outrageous sum. Singapore's standard of IT is usually that fucked up.

 

[aurvandil]

This is a possibility. PAP should forward and quickly set the record straight on how much the Town Council's spent on the system which was sold to AIM for $140,000.

If the number of $30 million is accurate, it gives rise to a new question for TOC to add to their list. Hougang Town Council built a system which has been effectively used by Hougang for 20 years. This system has since been upsized to manage the new AHTC. Given the limited funds available, WP most certainly did not spend $30 million on the system. How and why did the PAP spend so much?


We are almost upon Cooling Off Day so there will not be enough time to answer questions like this. I am however sure that there will be plenty of opportunities afterward.

Or perhaps he exaggerated the price of the system to make his CV looks better.
Who here hasn't made slight exaggerations in CV?

 

[enterprise2]

It's not an outrageous sum. Singapore's standard of IT is usually that fucked up.

Look like the more u dig, the more dirt u find! Maybe some IT expert can find out how much these system actually cost. I am pretty sure WP did not spend $5m for its Hougang system! Another eg of misuse of public funds?

 

[aurvandil]

Sorry but it is $5 million for the software licenses. It was a cool $30 million for the whole system (maintenance, tech support etc).

Look like the more u dig, the more dirt u find! Maybe some IT expert can find out how much these system actually cost. I am pretty sure WP did not spend $5m for its Hougang system! Another eg of misuse of public funds?

 

[commoner]

or maybe $5mil/year licensing agreement. 6 years $30 mil, thereafter ownership transfer to TC,,,,

 

[enterprise2]

Sorry but it is $5 million for the software licenses. It was a cool $30 million for the whole system (maintenance, tech support etc).

Wow!! Someone must be laughing all the way to the bank!! Do u know how many levels of approvals u need to spend $30m in any company?? How many studies and analysis needed b4 greenlight given?

 

[metalmickey]

Wow!! Someone must be laughing all the way to the bank!! Do u know how many levels of approvals u need to spend $30m in any company?? How many studies and analysis needed b4 greenlight given?

It depends on what that $30M is for. If it is a contract with all town councils for all their IT needs for a long enough period of time, $30 mil is not outrageously expensive. If it is for anything less than that, then there will be a lot of question marks. That's roughly $2M for each town council. It illustrates that there was a real need for IT systems to be consolidated (although the way it was done served the dual purpose of fixing the opposition).

NCS is a GLC? It's like government paying a GLC for their services? Tax money being funnelled out to foreign reserves?

Maybe the $30M includes as part of its cost doing a study to spend that $30M. Haha.

 

[Nobody888]

It depends on what that $30M is for. If it is a contract with all town councils for all their IT needs for a long enough period of time, $30 mil is not outrageously expensive. If it is for anything less than that, then there will be a lot of question marks. That's roughly $2M for each town council. It illustrates that there was a real need for IT systems to be consolidated (although the way it was done served the dual purpose of fixing the opposition).

NCS is a GLC? It's like government paying a GLC for their services? Tax money being funnelled out to foreign reserves?

Maybe the $30M includes as part of its cost doing a study to spend that $30M. Haha.

The AIM saga must have shattered many hearts of their blind-followers.

 

[metalmickey]

The AIM saga must have shattered many hearts of their blind-followers.

Still - a lot of PAP supporters, while acknowledging that the system is grossly unfair to the opposition, will still justify it on grounds of "opposition must be stopped from gaining power at all cost".