WP's Managing Agent's issue

[metalmickey]

The mayors are for CDC - community and not estate related function. CDCs were created to bridge the gap between the PAP government and the next smallest grassroots which were CCs (constituency level) and RCs (zone levels) which were deemed too decentralised, so they needed something in between.



It's not the throwing part that people have an issue with. It's the "dual cronyism" part.

My point is that even when you separate the estate management body from the national parliament, the people who run that thing have to be appointed. If they are appointed then they will be PAP people. Or if they are elected, then you will also have all these political games going on.

There may be a dual cronyism but the system already is equipped with the ability to expose problems with the running of town councils. My point is that the system is a little more transparent now that you have WP and PAP backstabbing each other in parliament over all these small details. Maybe we already have a democratic system that already works. This mudslinging is part and parcel of the natural work of democracy.

 

[metalmickey]

The manner in which the WP appointed their town council management is a by-product of necessity. You just can't appoint any tom dick and harry to help you out. It's not just something that you can expand the Hougang operations to cover an Aljunied operations which is six times the size of the original. You're never going to employ somebody who used to work for the PAP. Maybe getting the people over from Potong Pasir might have been an option. But the first time around, you're always going to get your own guys in. Later on, when the WP grows large enough in size, then you can start trusting outsiders and declare tenders which are really open.

Running town councils is a very delicate operation. At the very least, failure is not an option, since failure means that you will lose your seat. If WP's town council managers charge higher management fees per unit, they don't have the efficiency of operations yet, and they don't have the economies of scale. I'm quite prepared to close one eye for WP for this election cycle, and for the next election cycle, if they win maybe another 10-15 more seats in 2016. After that, I'd be ready to demand more accountability from the WP.

I mean, which idiot here really believes that the same management team that ran the town council can keep on doing the same wonderful job when the seat changes hands?

 

[scroobal]

Now you are grinding your axe.

Most of us agree including you that MA should be HDB or appointed by MA.

WP is in a difficult position and at a clear disadvantage. Taking on a GRC is a huge step forward and intention is to do a great job while looking all the time over their shoulder hoping that no sabotage takes place. Its natural that they appoint a reliable and trustworthy partner. They are also trailblazers for the opposition. We know that their momentum is puling others along.

It now requires some strong action from WP so that they don't fall into PAP's trap or march to their tune.

Hopefully WP takes home some lessons from this episode. They have to be whiter than the PAP.

Dear Locke,

I am saying, we can't expect WP to change the present system anymore, regardless whether this system is created by WP or not, period. Even if WP come into power one day, it will not change this system because it has tasted honey from it.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[scroobal]

Just in case people are not aware, the AIMgate business is still unfinished.

1) What is the track record that AIM has

2) Why are TC dealing with a $2 company.

3) How TCs deal with a company like AIM where all correspondence does not reveal the name of the person that they dealing with.

4) What is exactly is the value that AIM bring to the whole event other than re-charging with no work done.

 

[metalmickey]

Whereas the WP's problems reflect the reality that they are inexperienced, and that they can't really trust anybody but their own good friends, the AIM issue looks more like asset stripping for the benefit of a few well-connected people. I hope that after this episode, there will be more leaks regarding anything else considered inappropriate about the way that PAP town councils are being run. AIM couldn't possibly be the end of it.

 

[scroobal]

Agree. Transparency benefits society.

Whereas the WP's problems reflect the reality that they are inexperienced, and that they can't really trust anybody but their own good friends, the AIM issue looks more like asset stripping for the benefit of a few well-connected people. I hope that after this episode, there will be more leaks regarding anything else considered inappropriate about the way that PAP town councils are being run. AIM couldn't possibly be the end of it.

 

[kingrant]

Agreed. The FMSS issue and the so-called salvo from that Teo guy are just red herrings.

WP shldnt get dragged into more of it. Just go for the high moral ground and demand everybody cease and desist. So Pritam shld take up Khaw's challenge.

Wonder if this is another issue LHL is going to have to apologise again.

Just in case people are not aware, the AIMgate business is still unfinished.

1) What is the track record that AIM has

2) Why are TC dealing with a $2 company.

3) How TCs deal with a company like AIM where all correspondence does not reveal the name of the person that they dealing with.

4) What is exactly is the value that AIM bring to the whole event other than re-charging with no work done.

 

[kingrant]

Concerned citizens should express and publicise their disgust at the partisan politicking on both sides in TCs and pressurise the govt to dismantle them and return to good old Westminster model role for MPs and return the responsibilities of managing the estates to HDB and MND. Citizens must make clear that the TC system is solely the machination of a paranoic PAP govt which cannot get over its past phobias.

 

[eatshitndie]

Agree. Transparency benefits society.

sincerely agree. especially with women's clothings.

 

[Leongsam]

sincerely agree. especially with women's clothings.

This statement only applies to a small minority of women.

I'd prefer that most women cover as much as possible with opaque material

 

[eatshitndie]

This statement only applies to a small minority of women.

I'd prefer that most women cover as much as possible with opaque material

yes, must qualify statement with caveats. chio bu only.

 

[watchman8]

Agreed. The FMSS issue and the so-called salvo from that Teo guy are just red herrings.

WP shldnt get dragged into more of it. Just go for the high moral ground and demand everybody cease and desist. So Pritam shld take up Khaw's challenge.

Wonder if this is another issue LHL is going to have to apologise again.

Blowing up the FMSS issue now means that AIM gate hogwash in state owned media did not work as intended. PAP focus group checks must have told them that most people dont buy the explanation given by khaw. Hence PAP has to resort to plan B, which is to divert attention to WP town council.

 

[streetcry]

Ms Sylvia Lim, Chairman of the Workers’ Party, has just issued a statement to refute Dr Teo Ho Pin’s latest round of allegations against WP and FMSS.

She said: “WP had raised this issue inside and outside Parliament as it viewed the transaction as jeopardising the public interest. We could not see any justification for the sale to a third party, let alone a company owned by a political party, of the most critical town management IT system developed with public funds, leaving a Town Council powerless and at the risk of disruption of services.

It is most regrettable that Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan and Dr Teo Ho Pin have decided to distract the public by casting aspersions on WP’s management of the Town Council and on its Managing Agent, FM Solutions and Services Pte Ltd (FMSS). It is disappointing that the Ministry, too, has been drawn into the fray.”

For the full statement, please log on to:
http://wp.sg/2013/05/<wbr>town-council-management-what-is<wbr>-really-at-stake/

 

[yellowarse]

My point is that even when you separate the estate management body from the national parliament, the people who run that thing have to be appointed. If they are appointed then they will be PAP people. Or if they are elected, then you will also have all these political games going on.

MPs are elected legislators whose duties are concerned with law-making and the questioning of government policies, not running town councils or carrying out municipal tasks.

Estate management in a small nation like Singapore should be the function of the civil service/stat boards, which are politically non-partisan. It should be depoliticised and returned to the HDB. Period.

Next you'll be saying there's no point separating infrastructure from the parliament, and MPs should not only run town councils, but also build public housing and roads, since you can't avoid political games either way.

 

[kukubird58]

Just in case people are not aware, the AIMgate business is still unfinished.

1) What is the track record that AIM has

2) Why are TC dealing with a $2 company.

3) How TCs deal with a company like AIM where all correspondence does not reveal the name of the person that they dealing with.

4) What is exactly is the value that AIM bring to the whole event other than re-charging with no work done.

hahaha...scroobal, are u using shared account???
u had guaranteed that there was nothing wrong.....are u the same scroobal or someone else?????

 

[giggity_shit]

Dumb dub PAP were just barely winning the argument if they just stuck to the one tender wp sama sama to pap. Once they went into the detail breakdowns.... Wp win back initiaive

 

[SgParent]

http://forums.delphiforums.com/3in1kopitiam/messages?msg=64488.249
“
SgParent says:
Interesting.

Minibond TeoHP could have happily and secretly thank his lucky star, that now the heat is not on him. But no. He now up the stake and gone on the offensive, probably on instruction from Pinky or the $8 Malaysian Cow himself.

Well if WP is really clean then it should make use of the free publicity on this matter to counter attack.
*******************************

Ok not sure if this counts as a counter attack but I guess it should work......

Anyway if gutsy A+ Sylvia is a guy, I would have labeled her as "metal balls Sylvia". For a lady, how?

What do you think?

On the other hand, Minibond TeoHP could only whine like a rejected boy, on why A+ Sylvia never answers his call, never personally his email......... while Minibond TeoHP is obviously not looking for "answers", so isn't the "challenge" to report police good enough?



http://sg.news.yahoo.com/pap-town-c...ubling’-relationship-with-fmss-101234397.html
Teo Ho Pin presses WP's Sylvia Lim for answers
Yahoo! Newsroom

By Jeanette Tan

WP Chairman Sylvia Lim has fired back against Dr Teo Ho Pin's allegations

Yahoo! Newsroom - WP Chairman Sylvia Lim has fired back against Dr Teo Ho Pin's allegations


[UPDATE: 17 May, 8:50am: including Teo's response after WP's reaction]

Why won't Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim answer questions?

That was the reaction of Teo Ho Pin, coordinating chairman of the People's Action Party's Town Councils, Thursday evening after Lim issued a statement in the afternoon in response to questions raised by Teo.

"I asked serious questions about the financial probity of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, which Ms Sylvia Lim chairs," said Teo in a statement to media. "Ms Lim has not answered a single question I asked."

"Why is Ms Lim reluctant to answer questions? What is she afraid of?" he asked.

Worker's Party Chairman Sylvia Lim has challenged Dr Teo Ho Pin to make a report to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) if he believes that the WP had mismanaged the Town Council.

In a press release in terse response to PAP Town Council chairman Dr Teo's reference on Thursday to "troubling facts" in the "questionably close relationship" that the WP has with FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), its managing agent for Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC).

"If the Minister, Dr Teo or the Ministry believe there was any wrongdoing in WP's management of the Town Council, we invite them to make a report to the CPIB or other relevant agencies to investigate the matter, rather than to make these suggestions and insinuations," read the statement.

"We assure these agencies of our full cooperation."

Lim also said that it was "most regrettable" and "disappointing" that Dr Teo and Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan had chosen to "distract the public" by "casting aspersions on WP's management of the Town Council", the allegations made by Dr Teo had already been addressed in Parliament or via media statements issued by AHPETC.

Lim said that Dr Teo's question on why WP had chosen to appoint a Managing Agent to run its Town Council "should be clear" to him, as almost all PAP Town Councils also appoint Managing Agents.

She also accused Dr Teo of misrepresenting her response in Parliament during a debate with Khaw over Managing Agent rates.

"He said that I was “not sure of the unit rates paid by AHTC to FMSS”. I am surprised, as this is clearly different from what was correctly recorded in the draft Hansard which all MPs had received by Tuesday 14 May. I said I needed to double-check the prices the Minister quoted on property units because I thought there might be some errors in the prices that he mentioned, and that we needed to ensure that the comparisons were made on the same basis," clarified Lim.

The press release even included a table charting the distinctions between the controversial AIM transaction and WP's appointment of FMSS, pictured below.

...[Message truncated]
View Full Message

 

[SgParent]

There is NO need to answer the all the queries posed by the PAP. Politics is all about crafting your message. WP has nothing to defend, just go on the offensive..

That's where Rabid GohMS aka Mr I'm-always-correct aka Mr I-always-have-the-last-word deservedly lost every elections in his life -- in his empty head, he just wants to win every detail, every argument, every debate instead of looking at the big picture. No strategy. No vision. No nothing. Just plain ego.

I'm glad he is no longer in the Oppo camp. In fact it will make my day if he joins the White Scums.

 

[giggity_shit]

That's where Rabid GohMS aka Mr I'm-always-correct aka Mr I-always-have-the-last-word deservedly lost every elections in his life -- in his empty head, he just wants to win every detail, every argument, every debate instead of looking at the big picture. No strategy. No vision. No nothing. Just plain ego.

I'm glad he is no longer in the Oppo camp. In fact it will make my day if he joins the White Scums.

I thought he was supposed to rejoin WP?

 

[metalmickey]

MPs are elected legislators whose duties are concerned with law-making and the questioning of government policies, not running town councils or carrying out municipal tasks.

Estate management in a small nation like Singapore should be the function of the civil service/stat boards, which are politically non-partisan. It should be depoliticised and returned to the HDB. Period.

Next you'll be saying there's no point separating infrastructure from the parliament, and MPs should not only run town councils, but also build public housing and roads, since you can't avoid political games either way.

Yes, yes. Because our past experience has shown us that the PAP government has been absolutely impartial when it comes to HDB upgrading works and developing transport lines to opposition wards compared to PAP wards.