Why Opposition MPs Can't Be Advisers To Grassroots Bodies

WE REFER to Mr Muhammad Yusuf Osman's letter yesterday ('Advisers to grassroots bodies should be elected MPs').
The mission of the People's Association (PA) and its grassroots organisations (GROs) is to bond the community and connect people with the Government. PA and its GROs serve all residents regardless of their political affiliations in fulfilling their role.
Grassroots advisers are appointed by PA, a statutory board. Besides connecting people to people, grassroots advisers are required to help the Government connect with people and help promote government policies and programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing.
Hence, the Government has to appoint grassroots advisers who support its programmes and can play this role well. Opposition MPs cannot be expected to do this and thus cannot become advisers to GROs.
Ooi Hui Mei (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communications
For Chief Executive Director
People's Association

Opposition MP's does not support active ageing and anti-dengue? This Ooi person should be taken to task for such blatant falsehoods as though citizens are daft.

As i said, it's like saying why Luke Skywalker can't be the adviser and the Empire saying why they must follow Vader.

Windsor said:

WE REFER to Mr Muhammad Yusuf Osman's letter yesterday ('Advisers to grassroots bodies should be elected MPs').
.....Grassroots advisers are appointed by PA, a statutory board. Besides connecting people to people, grassroots advisers are required to help the Government connect with people and help promote government policies and programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing.....[/B]

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Well, the Grassroots advisors certain has done a lousy job on this, judging from the decreasing level of support from the people in every election.

Windsor said:

Hence, the Government has to appoint grassroots advisers who support its programmes and can play this role well. Opposition MPs cannot be expected to do this and thus cannot become advisers to GROs. Ooi Hui Mei (Ms) Director Corporate and Marketing Communications For Chief Executive Director People's Association

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Yet another senseless response.MPs are elected by the people of the constitutency - PAP or otherwise.PA is now saying even if the people do not want the MP of their choice, they will still be forced to live with an advisor that PAP appoints - so much for non-partisan.WP being silent on the EP throughout certainly was not doing itself any favor at all - behaving like the voters that spoiled their votes, have unwittly or perhaps deliberately allowed TT to enter the post. Go live with that consequence both within and outside the Parliment for the next 6 years.

double standard at its best. basically, that Ms Ooooooi is saying that only PAP can ctrl over PA & GROs. opposition cant enter the game of monopoly. in summary, its yet another loyal female pooch trying to please her owners.

Opposition MPs are rightfully elected by their constituents... For the PA to give this kind of pathetic lame reply, it truly shows that the PA is just another running dog of the PAP.. A true case of blatant injustice and pure double standards..

ah_phah said:

...Ms Ooooooi ...another loyal female pooch trying to please her owners.

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Pls don't blame the lady, she is a messenger earning an honest living, working for Ah Mee.

The actual answer is much more simple. Having opposition MPs as advisors will give them access to much needed resources to strengthen their hold on the ground which is the last thing the MIW want. Similarly having their losing canddiate as advisors in opposition held ward gives them access to the ground and opportunities to weaken their opponent's hold.

Windsor said:

WE REFER to Mr Muhammad Yusuf Osman's letter yesterday ('Advisers to grassroots bodies should be elected MPs').
The mission of the People's Association (PA) and its grassroots organisations (GROs) is to bond the community and connect people with the Government. PA and its GROs serve all residents regardless of their political affiliations in fulfilling their role.
Grassroots advisers are appointed by PA, a statutory board. Besides connecting people to people, grassroots advisers are required to help the Government connect with people and help promote government policies and programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing.
Hence, the Government has to appoint grassroots advisers who support its programmes and can play this role well. Opposition MPs cannot be expected to do this and thus cannot become advisers to GROs.
Ooi Hui Mei (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communications
For Chief Executive Director
People's Association

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Director (Corporate Communications) Ms Ooi Hui Mei Tel: 6340 5105 [email protected]

bhoven said:

Director (Corporate Communications) Ms Ooi Hui Mei Tel: 6340 5105 [email protected]

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Call her for what? You may just get an automated voice

Windsor said:

WE REFER to Mr Muhammad Yusuf Osman's letter yesterday ('Advisers to grassroots bodies should be elected MPs').
The mission of the People's Association (PA) and its grassroots organisations (GROs) is to bond the community and connect people with the Government. PA and its GROs serve all residents regardless of their political affiliations in fulfilling their role.
Grassroots advisers are appointed by PA, a statutory board. Besides connecting people to people, grassroots advisers are required to help the Government connect with people and help promote government policies and programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing.
Hence, the Government has to appoint grassroots advisers who support its programmes and can play this role well. Opposition MPs cannot be expected to do this and thus cannot become advisers to GROs.
Ooi Hui Mei (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communications
For Chief Executive Director
People's Association

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Some people will indeed do/ say anything for money:
[Pict source]
[pict source]
[pict source]

PS:
I think PM Lee rearranged the members of the PA after the last GE (MBT not member anymore); 28Feb2011:

2009/10 Board:



(Source: http://www.famousquotesabout.com/on/Dictatorship)


References: (PM Lee's misuse of the PA for PAP partisan objectives):
- 'Upgrading in Opposition Wards- MPs should front initiative': "Why did the HDB choose to work with unelected candidates instead of the elected MPs in the constituencies?.. shouldn't the mandate that the residents gave to the elected MPs be respected?" [ST, 07Oct2009]

- 'How PAP uses taxpayer-funded grassroots for political gain': "The People’s Association (PA), ..Like all other stat boards, it receives a yearly grant from the government to run its programmes and cover operational costs. .. It spent a total of $320 million last year. However unlike most stat boards, whose chairmen are usually the permanent secretary of the parent ministry or some other senior civil servant, PA’s chairman is none other than the Prime Minister [pict][board]. The de facto leader of all the CCCs, CCMCs, RCs and NCs in each constituency is known as the “adviser to the grassroots organisations (GROs)”. This adviser is appointed by PA, presumably with the nod of its chairman, the Prime Minister. In PAP constituencies, PA always appoints the elected MP as the adviser. But in opposition wards, PA appoints the PAP candidate who lost in the last election, not the opposition MP" [G Giam, 10Oct2009].

- '‘Adviser over MP’ raises many questions': "PAP MPs are appointed as advisers to the grassroots organisations in their wards by the People’s Association (PA). In the two opposition wards, the PA picked the PAP candidates who contested but lost in the wards in the last two polls as the grassroots advisers." [ST, 22Oct2009][alt link]

- 'MND continues to throw smoke bombs over role of PAP 'grassroots advisers'': "There is absolutely no reason why opposition MPs cannot be appointed as grassroots advisers unless they decline to work with the government. The root cause of the problem lies in the lack of a clearly defined demarcation between the state and the party which resulted in many supposedly apolitical institutions like the People’s Association being made use of by the PAP to serve its partisan interests.
As the People’s Association is a statutory board, its members and grassroots advisers should have no political affiliations.
It is disingenuous of the PAP to appoint their losing candidates to continue “serving” in the opposition wards under the veneer of being the “grassroots advisers” appointed by the PA." [TR, 27Oct2009][alt link]

- 'Town Council Act (CAP 329A) states clearly that Govt must work with Town Councils (run by MPs) to implement LUP': "It is a joke that for some strange reasons or another, Mr Shanmugan’s ministerial colleague has refused to obey the Town Councils Act by choosing not to work with Hougang Town Council and even has the audacity to TWIST the facts by claiming that 'it is the role of the grassroots advisers to implement the LUP' through his press secretary when it was stated NOWHERE in the Town Councils Act that the LUP has to be carried out by the grassroots advisers! From beginning to end, there was no mention of the words 'Grassroots advisers', 'People Association' or 'PAP losing candidates' and so how did Mr Eric Low come into the picture at all? " [TR, 29Oct2009][alt link]

- 'Grassroots Organizations should stay non-partisan': "By appointing PAP candidates as grassroots advisers in Opposition held wards, the government is effectively bringing partisan politics into governmental institutions. Using the PA as a vehicle for PAP candidates as grounds to gain political capital so that they may fight their next battle with more goodwill, the governmental risks costing itself the position of Singapore as a Parliamentary Democracy; and put Singapore in par with communist states like Cuba, China and North Korea." [TR, 03Nov2009][alt site]

- 'PAP has blurred line between State and party': "THE cry for multi-party representation in Parliament is the People's Action Party's own doing.. The PAP has blurred the line between the State and the party: What belongs to the State belongs to the PAP... The People's Association becomes a PAP instrument... The money belongs to the State". [STforum, 13Apr2011][alt link]

- Chang NY: 'Delink political affiliations of grassroots bodies': "I would like to suggest that the People's Association (PA) be run like a civil service organisation in order to single-mindedly and unmistakably carry out its sole purpose of serving the people. Board members of the PA should not hold any political office. There is then no conflict of interests." [ST,4June2011][alt link]

Same as Why Churchill can't be the adviser to the SS

The obvious reason to all who can still see clearly is that the PAP fears the opposition MPs who are proving to be a more capable and creative lot compared to their own MP appointees. These incumbent PAP MPs (Aljunied GRC) have been emphatically voted out of their entrenched positions. THese people esp.their Hougang MP-wannabe badly need to stay connected to the people (to stay alive politically)if not through the front door, then by rear entry! What a laugh!It is nothing but an insult to the people's intelligence to call and appoint the losing political candidates as grassroots advisers when their popularly-elected political rivals are sidelined. Grassroots advisers are in reality highly-politicised appointments and virtual pseudo MPs. The combined effect is simply to erode the moral and political standing of the elected opposition MPs. PA=PAP! Non-partisanship? Think again.

oskibaby said:

Opp MPs are chicken who refused to cross the road...so how to be grassroots advisors...PAP will only win back support from the voters if they play fair...as long as they play cheat, their share of vote will continue to decrease...let them do it at their own perils...these old generation nuts still live in their own dreamy world thinking of communists! They cannot handle pluralism, diversity and most of all alternative views...let them have this cancer...it will self destruct with time...

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Spot-on!

Question is how do we bring about the change and political awakening amongst all the blind and 'one-eyed kings'? Is the PA to be blamed when the people who chose to join the RC,CC and CCC etc are daft voters who have something to gain by aligning with the govt or 'advisor'?. Does it not amaze you when big businessmen take full page advertisements to announce they got PBM or BBM? How many people dare to take up leadership appointments in CCMCs and CCCs and go against the govt's stated positions??

We have a nation full of gutless majority. The PAP represents these gutless majority. The PAP wins every election pandering to the interests of these gutless majority. And they have done an excellant job in setting up the systems to ensure success. The true strength of our country is in its systems & processes...not in the individuals running the system. Why?, cos we just have too many daft citizens. That is why FTs are favoured here. PAP will only listen to you if you have a PHD or if you are poor and have the ability to write in good english or mandarin.

The rest can go slave till you drop dead. Not happy, leave lor.

the reason is very clear as to why Opposition MPs cant advice the grassroots, simply bcos, they r not as lowdown as the Punani Alliance, headed by; Pinkie Masochist

PA= the Propaganda Agency of the PAP?

KuanTi01 said:

The obvious reason to all who can still see clearly is that the PAP fears the opposition MPs who are proving to be a more capable and creative lot compared to their own MP appointees. These incumbent PAP MPs (Aljunied GRC) have been emphatically voted out of their entrenched positions. THese people esp.their Hougang MP-wannabe badly need to stay connected to the people (to stay alive politically)if not through the front door, then by rear entry! What a laugh!It is nothing but an insult to the people's intelligence to call and appoint the losing political candidates as grassroots advisers when their popularly-elected political rivals are sidelined. Grassroots advisers are in reality highly-politicised appointments and virtual pseudo MPs. The combined effect is simply to erode the moral and political standing of the elected opposition MPs. PA=PAP! Non-partisanship? Think again.

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yperic said:

PA explains rationale for choosing advisers
Letter from Ooi Hui Mei Director, Corporate Communications On behalf of Deputy Chairman People’s Association
I refer to the letter "A worry if PA thinks political rather than people" (Sept 1), and recent letters and article relating to the issue of neutrality of the PA.
The Government appreciates the public's interest in the role of the PA and the considerations in appointing advisers.
Our priority is to fulfil the PA's mission of building social capital. The PA connects people-to-people as well as people-and-Government. As a statutory board, it performs its duties in accordance with the policies of the elected Government of the day. Just like other public sector organisations, the PA is not involved in party political activities.
To fulfil its mission, the PA and the grassroots organisations (GROs) gather feedback from the public to help improve policies and initiatives, and explain government policies and programmes to citizens, so that they can benefit from them.
The PA and the GROs also help to implement government social programmes for social cohesion and social safety nets.
Advisers to the GROs guide the GROs in carrying out these functions. It is not possible to appoint Opposition MPs as advisers, because we cannot ask Opposition MPs to help the Government to connect better with the people. Nor can we reasonably expect them to help the Government explain, implement or improve its policies. This is especially true of policies which they oppose, such as restructuring our tax system when we introduced the GST, and relying on ComCare instead of unconditional welfare.
However, the Government does involve the MP, whether PAP or Opposition, when he has a role to play, such as on town council matters and HDB upgrading projects, where the MP has substantial and important responsibilities.
Ministries also keep all elected MPs informed of developments which are relevant to their work, such as change of bus routes or payment of U-save rebates.
This way, even if the adviser is not the MP, the two will complement each other in serving residents and the community, despite any differences in their political views, principles and philosophy.
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110903-0000306/PA-responds-on-advisers
PA explains rationale for choosing advisers

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PA: the Propaganda Agency of the PAP?
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[img-source](prob adapted from [pict link])
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Moral of story,
PA = PAP 'Propaganda Army'- each Govt Ministry headed by a perm Sec (under guidance the respective Minister elect) already has on budget and employ, an adequate enforcement and PR dept (NEA mozzie busters, MCYF using CCs and RCs, NLB, MOH to promote active aging etc). Why does the PAP persist upon bottle necking ALL Govt Ministry community interactions with citizenry through the auspices of the PA?- just so that the PAP candidate for the next GE will always get the opportunity to claim credit whilst usurping the rights and duties of the incumbent opposition MP?

Is the SG govt treating all 'opposition MPs' like lepers/ communist/ terrorists to be ostracized and eradicated through the 'PA'?

Each govt ministry already has the state controlled news agency, the postal system/ internet, the respective MPs, schools, neighborhood police posts etc; various government run PA agencies: CCs, RCs which by law might have to put up notices/ campaigns of a public good. So why the prejudice in selecting 'advisers to grassroots' primarily and overtly based upon partisan leanings?

Doesn't the PA feel any shame given the exposure of this gross discrepancy?

The PA must strive hard NOT to be seen as a partisan political agency or even worse: a mouthpiece for the PAP or a kindergarten for future PAP MPs and therefore a misplaced (corrupt) expense of public monies.

Otherwise in my eyes, PAP MPs lack dignity and have lost all moral; authority, and remain no more then 'Propaganda Artiste' employed in the creation of a horror documentary about a manipulative and corrupt auto-plutocracy- this time named after the PAP?.

Surely it takes more than this to be a PAP MP:
Pls prove me wrong PAP.

Re: PA= the Propaganda Arm of the PAP?

lianbeng adds 2 cents, "if PAP members are called grassroots then Opps members are weedroots lor. PAP deems Opps as weeds mah."

Re: PA= the Propaganda Arm of the PAP?

The rationale is based on the same warped logic used by by Cedric Foo in the defence of the "white horse" classification.

Re: PA= the Propaganda Arm of the PAP?

Actually this collusion between PA and PAP was formalised with the set-up of Min of Culture. With a Ministry dedicated to "developing a multicultural society", things became convoluted when both MCYS and MICA were formed. And MCYS became the boss of PA and other 'institutions' such as CDCs and "Reach"(former Feedback Unit) were formed. The line between party, govt and grassroots became blurred as individuals sitting on one board were multi-hatting and switched hats frequently : What TCB aptly referred to as "soup changed but ingredients the same".

Public policy makers who needed to seek inputs as well as push through their programmes used the PA as convenient vehicles to reach out to the heartlanders, esp through the grassroots leaders and events.

If the govt wants to roll back things and assign PA its rightful duties, it can do so easily, i.e. through the PAP party Branches. The PA remains quiet during elections while the party branches lead things during elections. Once election is over, PAP Br becomes quiet while PA takes over main role of reaching out to the community.

If PA allows opposition MPs to be appointed as PA "advisors", the govt will just transfer more functions to the PAP Br and soon these guys will gain prominence. Question is how to channel govt funds which PA now receives to the party branches...