This is only possible if there is a non-compete clause in the contract between AHPE TC and ATL. Even if there is such a clause, there would not be a breach is all the sub contractor did was submit a quote. For a breach to occur, the minimum threshold is for the contract to be be awarded.
As mentioned before, simply producing a quote is not evidence of any intent to cheat. For this to be evidence, we need other supporting documents ( e.g circular announcing the additional charges, invoices to the hawkers). So far, none of this has been produced. There is therefore no evidence supporting the claim that the hawkers were asked to pay extra.
Given the nature of the business, it seems highly unlikely that AHPE TC has a non-compete clause with ATL. Such a non-compete clause would be meaningless in any case given the number of other companies offering similar services to ATL.
With regard to the intent of the quote, Ng Kok Khim to whom the quote is addressed, is now denying that he even asked for a quote in the first place. He claims that ATL sent the quote to his shop "by mistake". If ATL had tried to "double charge" as claimed, then Mr Ng should be saying he requested for the quote because ATL said they had to pay extra. The following is his version of what happened:
Grassroots leader in hawker centre cleaning dispute: 'I have no political motives'
http://www.singapolitics.sg/news/gr...-cleaning-dispute-i-have-no-political-motives
A grassroots leader and patron of a market association involved in a dispute over the cleaning of hawker centres in Aljunied GRC has responded to online allegations about his role in the spat.
Mr Ng Kok Khim, 60, who had been the target of online speculation in recent days since it emerged that he was a PAP member, told Singapolitics that he had no political motives in his handling of the cleaning issue and stressed that he had never asked the cleaning contractor engaged by the town council for a quotation.
“We were surprised when we got the quotation,” he said.
The spotlight had been turned on Mr Ng after a quotation from ATL Maintenance in February was shown to have been addressed to him. The quotation is one of the key elements in the ongoing debate over whether the Worker’s Party-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) had asked hawkers to pay more to have their ceilings cleaned.
AHPETC maintains that no town council staff ever asked for more money, while the National Environment Agency (NEA), and hawkers say the opposite.
Mr Ng said that he thinks the quotation was mailed to him because his shop address is the mailing address of the Block 538 market association in Bedok North.
He was chairman of the association until he stepped down a couple of years back and became its patron.
“My shop address is used by the town council and government agencies like the Housing Board when they correspond with the market association,” said Mr Ng in Mandarin.
Mr Ng said it “did not make sense” for the hawkers to ask ATL for a separate quotation as the cleaning was entirely handled by the town council in previous years. This was corroborated by current market association chairman Tan Gin Xiong, 66.
However, Mr Ng said he and other hawkers did approach their own contacts informally for quotes on the cost of erecting canvas covers for the stalls ahead of the March cleaning. About five contractors came down to view the market stalls before one agreed to take on the job. ATL was not among them, said Mr Ng.
Each hawker eventually paid $140 for the canvas covers.
Mr Ng said the hawkers had gone to AHPETC to clarify matters after they received the ATL quotation. They then went to Genting on a trip organised by the market association during the first three days of the March spring-cleaning and came back to find the market ceiling uncleaned.
He dismisses allegations that he had politics on his mind when he and hawkers raised the cleaning issue.
“I have never had any political motives. I have always seen my role as serving the community,” he said.
The shopkeeper, who has run his children’s apparel store near the Block 538 market for over 30 years, confirmed that he is a member of both the Citizens’ Consultative Committee for Kaki Bukit division and the People’s Action Party.
Mr Ng said he and the market association maintain friendly relations with the WP MP for Kaki Bukit division, Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, who they have invited to dinners and other events. “We do not take sides,” he said.
Mr Ng said he hopes the issue can be resolved as soon as possible. Mr Faisal’s representatives have already spoken to the Block 538 hawkers. “We told them we will be satisfied if AHPETC bears the cost of the next spring-cleaning”, said Mr Ng.
Even if clients ask subcontractor to quote for EXTRA job, if the Main Con finds out, it will sure sue the subcontractor for breach of contract as the contract itself will include such clause that the subcontractor should not get direct jobs from its clients.
