Half billion taxpayer dollars go to People’s Association each year - Alex Au

I am sure there are denialists just as there are creationists zombie-ing among us. But I dare say for most Singaporeans, it is as clear as day that the People’s Association is and has always been, an affiliate of the People’s Action Party, in effect if not in name.

The currently trending story about former PAP stalwart and independent presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock having his invitation to a tea party withdrawn throws a spotlight once again on (a) the issue of the politicisation of the People’s Association, and (b) the question of what purpose it serves — even for the PAP.

First, let me recap what’s been in the press about the dis-invitation. The People’s Association planned a Chinese New Year party for former and current grassroots leaders on Saturday 8 February 2014. As a former member of parliament for Ayer Rajah and ‘grassroots adviser’ in the locality, Tan Cheng Bock (pictured above) received an invitation to this party on 27 December last year.

However, on 8 January 2014, Lim Swee Say, Minister without Portfolio in the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association (PM Lee Hsien Loong is Chairman) called him to withdraw the invitation.

There was a change in ‘policy’ to invite only those ex-advisers to grassroots organisations, from the immediate past GE (2011). I did not fit into this category as l stood down in 2006.

– Tan Cheng Bock, on his Facebook wall, 7 February 2014

Lim’s reason, the Straits Times reported, was that there had been a mistake in that the invitations had gone out based on a old list. The list had been revised a few months prior.

This time, instead of inviting all former grassroots advisers “repeatedly for 20, 30 years or more”, the PA limited the guest list to only those who retired in the 2011 election, he said.

– Straits Times, 8 February 2014, PA withdraws Istana party invite to Tan Cheng Bock

Today newspaper tried to check if this explanation was applied evenhandedly, but

The PA did not respond to media queries on the number of affected invitees

– Today, 8 February 2014,Cheng Bock invited to Istana party ‘by mistake’

Tan wrote in his Facebook post that at previous such gatherings, he had been “overwhelmed” by the warm reception he received.

Last year l had to be helped to get back into my car because the crowd kept me from moving forward.

– Tan Cheng Bock, on his Facebook wall, 7 February 2014

He may be cheekily alluding to his popularity among the PAP and People’s Association rank and file. If that’s the case, it can’t be going down well with the princes in the party. Tan Cheng Bock had the temerity to enter the presidential election in 2011 against Tony Tan, the PAP’s all-but-explicitly-anointed candidate. Even worse, he came within a whisker of defeating Tony Tan.

In the 1990s, writer Catherine Lim discerned an “affective divide” between PAP leaders and the people. More recently, many anecdotal reports (e.g. of half-hearted campaigning by party rank-and-file especially when elite “talent” is parachuted into their wards) now suggest that this affective divide is eating into the party itself. In this light, Tan Cheng Bock being unable to reach his car due to the sheer number of greeters is quite believable.

However, this essay isn’t about the PAP; it is about the People’s Association, however blur the boundary is between the two. If the affective divide is opening up within the party, then it must surely be even more palpable between the

- http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2...-dollars-go-to-peoples-association-each-year/

Here's a scary thought!! If PAP loses next election, it can still rule by proxy through the PA!!

More money goes to PA when gong kias and gong cheebyes sign up for the PAssion card:



So you're indirectly funding their junkets:




And sponsoring their 'non-partisan' activities:




If you have a PAssion card, I hope you get knocked down by a truck.

enterprise2 said:

Here's a scary thought!! If PAP loses next election, it can still rule by proxy through the PA!!

Click to expand...

The next gov't should investigate the PA. I'm sure they will find the PA owes the Spore gov't plenty for rentals.

Old news. This is common knowledge.

So you're indirectly funding their junkets:




And sponsoring their 'non-partisan' activities:




If you have a PAssion card, I hope you get knocked down by a truck. [/QUOTE]

Ugly people I must say, 'non-partisan' activities my foot, pictures said it all.

enterprise2 said:

Here's a scary thought!! If PAP loses next election, it can still rule by proxy through the PA!!

Click to expand...

The NTUC, the MSM, the armed forces, the judiciary, the civil service, the GLCs, the cronies, minions and underlings.
The pap won't be easily toppled after 50 years of entrenched power....but the elections is a start.

In another words, money masuk longkang.:oIo:

The PAPzis like to propose that the PA is a government instrument and not politically inclined. If so, members of parliament from alternative parties should be given the same PA privileges as PAPzi members of parliament. That non-members of parliament are given greater privileges than members of parliament shows clearly that PA is indeed politically inclined. Also, PA is made up of PAP members which again shows that they are indeed politically inclined. If the PA is a government instrument and the government works for the people then it should not matter which political party receives PA benefits and privileges. What is important is that all Singaporeans receive the same privileges and benefits from PA regardless of their MPs political affiliation.