Another two anti PA(P) articles

[steffychun]

Why are PA's appointed advisers exclusively from the PAP?


THE People's Association's (PA) reply yesterday ('Why opposition MPs can't be advisers to grassroots bodies') failed to point out that its management board is chaired by the secretary-general of the People's Action Party (PAP), its vice-chairman is the PAP treasurer and the special adviser to the PA chairman is a former PAP chairman.

Other board members include members of PAP's executive committee like Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Ms Grace Fu and Mr Masagos Zulkifli.

If the PA and its grassroots officers are blind to political affiliations, why are its appointed advisers exclusively from the PAP?

This clearly gives the appearance of a conflict of interest even if there is none.

If grassroots advisers are supposed to help the Government connect with people, then elected MPs, who form the legislative branch of the Government, can surely better connect with the residents who have voted for them.

Defeated PAP candidates who are advisers do not hold other government positions.

Yet, they hold important PAP positions.

For example, Madam Cynthia Phua is the party's vice-chairman of the North East District Committee.

Is the PA implying that elected MPs cannot be expected to promote beneficial programmes such as those that battle dengue or promote active ageing?

If the PA has no partisan agenda, why can it not trust opposition MPs to promote its programmes?

Tan Si An

 

[steffychun]

Re: Another anti PA(P) article

PA should give better reasons


I READ with great apprehension the hollow response from the People's Association (PA) in yesterday's letter ('Why opposition MPs can't be advisers to grassroots bodies').

PA should give us more convincing reasons to support the accusation before concluding that opposition MPs cannot be expected to support government programmes.

First, as a statutory board, like the Strata Titles Board and Public Utilities Board, the PA has a mission to serve 'all communities of the country'. Hence, if it serves all residents regardless of their political affiliations, how can it exclude elected MPs?

Second, do government policies and programmes distinguish between pro-People's Action Party residents and pro-opposition residents? The answer is obviously no, because residents are people of the community.

Last but not least, can the PA prove that elected MPs from the opposition - were they to be made advisers - would not support government programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing?

Paul Chan