Personally, this whole matter of less than transparent awarding of small contracts to related party businessmen has been going on since time immemorial.
It's a grey area whereby the amounts involved are not significant enuf or purported corruption clearly defined enuf for any meaningful prosecution to happen.
So Alex Tan's persistent questions although well-meaning are laughably unrealistic.
Still, if he has time & inclination to kick up a fuss - by all means, make some people sweat a little.
That PA, being a govt organ blah blah also old academic issue.
Of course PA & PAP 'arg - ka - leow', never forget PA's historical origins.
Say what you like about the repugnance of PA=PAP=Govt, as long as no major scandals erupt, life goes on.
Like this PR reply to Alex Tan from PA, stock answer : ' we have investigated, all in order', like Temasak/GIC investment losses - 'no in depth revelation - for security sake' (be happy, pre-internet days, you won't even hear of news of losses, let alone dwelve further) .......
The unspoken bottomline is: you just got to take my word for it & trust my integrity. Take it or leave it - not happy ? vote me out.
Just as bad laws are passed for expediency in Parliament always allowing for intepretation & exercise at discretion of the Minister, in the end, they turn around & tell you, no need for good law, more the person/govt you elect. Screw the system/institution , all these are form only, it's the integrity of the leaders you elect....
There must be a line drawn somewhere, isn't it ?
Of course form-substance, institution-individual dichotomy , all must have a balance.
Back to this PA thing.
On paper, I'm sure that are controls. 3 quotes called blah blah blah.
If evaluation shows close/equivalent merit, who to give the business to ?
Some related party / or our supporter's firm, someone we know of course - so long as PA don't look like suckers or given shoddy goods & services.
It is a grey area, unworthy of CPIB intervention.
Ultimate remedy ? - throw out PAP & reconstruct the landscape.
Too drastic?
That's why for 51 yrs, we are still returning PAP to power.