taxpayers paying for MINDEF’s officers’ private transport

[MarrickG]

The following is a reproduction of the blog article that I found...We pay for Mindef Audi???

http://singaporecitizen.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/taxpayers-paying-for-mindefs-officer

I’m sure most people will agree that MID-plate vehicles are considered as public resources, given that they are entirely funded by taxpayers’ money. Going by the same line of reasoning, why are MINDEF’s officers driving these public vehicles home?

Not bad eh? Not only do we pay these officers their salaries, we also provide them with public vehicles to drive home! Of course, MINDEF will argue that these are top officials and that the private sector does it with company cars etc. But hey, private sector not funded by public money right?

Of course, I wanted to give MINDEF a chance to explain their policy and rationale behind the policy(shouldn’t be too difficult right?), so I chose to email the MINDEF’s Feedback Channel. I reproduce the entire email here.
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Dear MINDEF officer,

I would like to bring to your attention an example of what I believe is a flagrant abuse of State’s resources. One of your top SAF’s officials has been driving to his condominium home using a MID-plate car. I believe he is of a General-rank although I did not manage to see his rank clearly as he drove past me as he parked his car in the condominium carpark. I believe the identity of the occupant can be easily found out if I divulged the condominium’s address or revealed the exact car plate number.

As a taxpayer of Singapore, I would like to have full clarifications on MINDEF’s policy on the private usage of such public vehicles.

1) Are MID-plate cars considered as public resources, as they are fully paid for via MINDEF’s budget, which is supported by all the taxpayers of Singapore?

2) Are MID-plate cars assigned to each top-ranking officials or they can have different cars on different days based on availability? I believe that is not the case, as I have been seeing the same person drive the same car on different days.

3) Are MID-plate cars allowed for personal use, i.e driving from office to home and vice-versa?I do not believe that travelling from home to office and back again can be considered as “work-related”. I have absolutely no qualms if these officials were driving these cars when they are on official duty but why are they driving the cars home, and parking them in their own condominium’s carpark even on Sundays? Surely Sunday is not considered a working day, and neither is a condominium remotely linked to work?

4) Who pays for the fuel and maintenance of such cars? Do these officials claim such the costs of such fuels as travelling expenses?

5) Under what circumstances are the officials allowed to drive the cars home, and what is the justification for such circumstances?

6) Who grants the permission for any usage of MID-plate cars, or do the officials just do as they please?

I hope you can understand my need for anonymity as MINDEF does have the policy of punishing whistle-blowers. Rest assured that this is a valid case, and I am sure you will be able to verify the case/official if you have the address. I also have the pictorial evidence should you require it. I will be protecting the anonymity of the mentioned official for now because I would like to hear from MINDEF first. If MINDEF chooses to ignore this email and refuses to answer the above-mentioned questions, I believe major blog-sites will be happy to carry this story and I will also go public with the address of the mentioned officer, along with the picture of the MINDEF’s car.

Do feel free to contact me via this email if you need any clarifications, or any assistance in carrying out any investigation and I look forward to hearing from MINDEF soon.

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After reminding them a couple of times that they have the obligation to use humans to reply, other than auto-responders, Ms Vani from MINDEF Feedback Unit had this to say.

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Dear Sir / Mdm

MINDEF Feedback Unit

Thank you for writing in to MINDEF Feedback Unit. Kindly provide us your full particulars.

Best Regards

Vani
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Clearly, they were more interested in finding out the identity of this blogger, rather than answering my question. I’ve absolutely no idea how my identity has anything to do with the questions or aid in the answering of the questions in any way. I sent off an extremely terse reply to MINDEF, which they have yet to answer.
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Dear Vani,

This is very disappointing. Firstly, I have yet to hear from MINDEF despite a 6 day gap. I have to remind your people that there is an issue at hand before MINDEF even bothers to reply again. Perhaps MINDEF thinks that this is not a serious issue enough to address?

Secondly, I’ve explained clearly why I do not wish to reveal my identity. I do not believe the revelation of my identity has anything to do with the issue at hand. All I asked for are clear and precise questions, all of which do not involve my identity. If MINDEF still attempts to pursue my identity rather than answer the questions, it is rather obvious MINDEF seeks to silence me, rather than answer me.

If that is the case, I will go public immediately and leave the public to judge the issue at hand. By then, I am afraid I will not be able to protect the identity of your official.
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Good luck in trying to defend the policy in public then. I honestly do not believe in any form of justification in providing public transport for the officials’ private business. Surely going home is not considered an official matter?

Now do you wonder why MINDEF’s budget increases year on year? This is where they spend their money on. Vehicles for their officers’ private use.
It isn’t bad to be a public servant in Singapore. 8 months bonuses. “Market-pgged” salaries that only go up their boom years and frozen wages during bad times. Zero retrenchment thus job security. Free Audis to drive to work and back home. What next? Funding their children’s education?
MINDEF seems to have forgotten where their obligations lay to. It’s not to the officers but to the taxpayers. That naturally means that every single cent has to be properly accounted for, and wastage minimised, and I do not believe giving Audis for officers to drive home is in that category.

 

[SIFU]

somemore dunno how to park properly.. car so crooked

 

[cass888]

The following is a reproduction of the blog article that I found...We pay for Mindef Audi???

http://singaporecitizen.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/taxpayers-paying-for-mindefs-officer

Stupid. The officer has to pay MINDEF for his trip home. So it is better for the car to be used outside of office hours than not.

 

[MarrickG]

Stupid. The officer has to pay MINDEF for his trip home. So it is better for the car to be used outside of office hours than not.

So? Must be Audi? Cannot be Honda is it?

 

[commoner]

Boonview at 1 Marymount Terrace,,,,

which CB officer stays there or mistress stays there?

 

[cass888]

So? Must be Audi? Cannot be Honda is it?

Stupid again. MINDEF already explained before that Audi was the lowest bidder. Lower than Mitsubishi and the Japanese cars if I am not wrong. Jus because you pay a higher price for Audi than Japanese cars doesn't mean that MINDEF is the same.

If you want to be ridiculous and next suggest Geely then I have nothing to say.

 

[SIFU]

why not just say QQ chery

btw i hate those SAF jiak liao bees too.. 1 commando ah pek down, many more to go

 

[MarrickG]

Appreciate if you could show me the article then. You would sound stupid if you defend this by using 'If I'm not wrong' as it means you're guessing (unless you're just pretending that you dun). But the fact is in the picture shown. Mindef only have to get 3 different quotes when asking for bids right? Maybe they ask from BMW, Audi and Merz???

Stupid again. MINDEF already explained before that Audi was the lowest bidder. Lower than Mitsubishi and the Japanese cars if I am not wrong. Jus because you pay a higher price for Audi than Japanese cars doesn't mean that MINDEF is the same.

If you want to be ridiculous and next suggest Geely then I have nothing to say.

 

[cass888]

Appreciate if you could show me the article then. You would sound stupid if you defend this by using 'If I'm not wrong' as it means you're guessing (unless you're just pretending that you dun). But the fact is in the picture shown. Mindef only have to get 3 different quotes when asking for bids right? Maybe they ask from BMW, Audi and Merz???

The "if I am not wrong" was a reference to Mitsubishi, not Japanese cars. I am very sure the report compared this against Japanese cars.

 

[MarrickG]

The "if I am not wrong" was a reference to Mitsubishi, not Japanese cars. I am very sure the report compared this against Japanese cars.

Seriously, I would still doubt the report if there really is one. If the report is true, then all the other government Ministries in the whole of Singapore are FUCKED UP as all of them bought Japanese car for their daily office operational use. Maybe Mindef should take the lead and teach them how to purchase cheaper Audi instead of expensive Toyota, Honda and Mitsubitshi.

 

[LonewolfAlfa]

did they get a quote from Skoda?

 

[cass888]

Seriously, I would still doubt the report if there really is one. If the report is true, then all the other government Ministries in the whole of Singapore are FUCKED UP as all of them bought Japanese car for their daily office operational use. Maybe Mindef should take the lead and teach them how to purchase cheaper Audi instead of expensive Toyota, Honda and Mitsubitshi.

Each tender is different. Don't you think the Jap cars will reduce their tender the next time round? It won't be the same dealer giving the lowest quote each time.

 

[annexa]

Maybe next time, you see them driving Chrysler. HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[SotongMee]

SAF most probably got the MID Audi F.O.C.

MID-plated Got Benz also, buy 1,000 diesel Merz Benz jeep gets 5 White Merz Benz free, I saw 1 MID Merz which I thought was one of those cabs.

So? Must be Audi? Cannot be Honda is it?

 

[@rmadill0]

SAF most probably got the MID Audi F.O.C.

MID-plated Got Benz also, buy 1,000 diesel Merz Benz jeep gets 5 White Merz Benz free, I saw 1 MID Merz which I thought was one of those cabs.

Are you sure MINDEF can accept cars for free? I thought our government and civil service must be "clean" and corruption-free? In my humble opinion, accepting free gifts like cars can be considered as corruption.

Also, if really they have bought the Audi based on 3 quotes, they must have got the quotes from Audi, Mercs and BM. No way can Audi out bid any one of the Jap makes.

 

[mercbenz]

The parking skill power!

 

[Yoshitei]

Stupid. The officer has to pay MINDEF for his trip home. So it is better for the car to be used outside of office hours than not.

Are you sure?

From what I understand, even their gasoline is taken from camp and car is washed by some NSF.

There's no road tax and insurance for such vehicles BTW and maintenance is usually handled by the dealer for the first 5 years or more.

 

[Yoshitei]

So? Must be Audi? Cannot be Honda is it?

The only got quotes from manufacturers whom they deem reputable.

For those with stars, they usually get Audi and Mercedes.

For all others, you either get a Ford, Chevrolet of if you're those condemned case, a Daewoo or worse, some 20 year old Mitsubishi Lancer.

 

[commoner]

btw, most of these car entitled people are ranks above LT-Col because my friend Lt-Col not entitled to car even.

if bigger shots than Lt-Col, imagine driving a QQ or Cherry not nice,,,,
driving a Japanese car, ok only,,,
since high ranking, must entertain sometimes, must be something can see, and big size so audi is a good choice,,,

but most of the time, these BIG SHOT have got chauffers one leh,,, park until like that, must be self driven to go for quickie la

 

[SotongMee]

Bundled offer by arms dealers to Mindef sure can one, buy 100 jeeps get 1 Audi f.o.c. then become MID plated perks for senior officers.Only thing is that it is not painted green or camoulfaged

Why not?

Are you sure MINDEF can accept cars for free? I thought our government and civil service must be "clean" and corruption-free? In my humble opinion, accepting free gifts like cars can be considered as corruption.

Also, if really they have bought the Audi based on 3 quotes, they must have got the quotes from Audi, Mercs and BM. No way can Audi out bid any one of the Jap makes.