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[h=2]ST keeps publishing letters asking about FMSS when WP has already
explained[/h]
May 18th, 2013 |
Author: Editorial
In the ST Forum page today (18 May), ST published a letter from a Mr S.
Ramamirtham (‘Time for managing agent to come clean’), essentially attacking WP
in the recent AIM saga in Parliament.
Mr Ramamirtham wrote:
“When Workers’ Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim brought up the Action
Information Management issue last year, she surely expected the People’s Action
Party and the Government to come clean on the matter.
And they did come clean, first with a comprehensive report by the
National Development Ministry and then the debate in Parliament on
Monday.
In fact, it was revealed that the WP-appointed managing agent, in the
form of husband-and-wife company FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), was set up
just four days after the WP won Aljunied GRC in the 2011 General
Election.
Just who are this couple? Shouldn’t they speak up for themselves in the
face of so much public discussion?
Perhaps it is time for Ms Lim to call a press conference and introduce
the couple to the public, and let them answer all the burning questions that
have been raised in the media and, most importantly, come clean, like what the
Government did in Parliament earlier this week.
Accountability and transparency have to work both ways – not just for the
government of the day but also for the opposition
parties.”
In fact, WP has already come clean. Ms Lim has already explained in
Parliament as well as in the follow-up media statements, stating how FMSS came
about becoming the managing agent of Aljunied TC.
She wrote that after GE in May 2011, the then PAP managing agent, CPG
Facilities Management, asked to be released from its contract with Aljunied TC
(‘After
GE 2011, CPG actually wanted out of Aljunied TC‘), thereby putting the
Aljunied TC in a fix.
At the time there were only 3 companies in the market providing TC management
and services: Esmaco, EM Services and CPG, all which are linked to PAP in one
way or another.
She said, “The set-up of FMSS was due to the very real possibility that WP
would be faced with no other company to manage AHTC.”
“None of FMSS’ shareholders and directors are WP members and FMSS is not a
WP-owned company. FMSS was engaged based on its directors’ experience in
property management, professional skills and track record in running Hougang
Town Council. One of the directors of FMSS was the former GM of Hougang Town
Council.”
She said that due to the urgency of continuing providing TC services to the
residents after the withdrawal of CPG, as TC Chairman, she decided to waive the
tender for the MA contract and engaged FMSS directly for the first year.
The waiver was within the rights of the Chairman under the Town Council
Financial Rules in certain circumstances. In the second year when things went
back to normal, an open tender was called. FMSS was the only one who submitted
the bid.
She said, “AHTC was aware of its duties when dealing with a sole tenderer,
and that the TC needed to ensure value for money for its residents. AHTC had
also commissioned a special external audit of the tender award as an additional
assurance of compliance and good governace practices, and that steps had been
taken to ensure value for money.”
In another statement, Ms Lim also added, “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 Corrupt Practices Investigation
Bureau or other relevant agencies to investigate the matter, rather than to make
these suggestions and insinuations. We assure these agencies of our full
co-operation.”
Hence, with the detail explanation put up by WP, it’s not known why ST keeps
publishing letters and articles asking about FMSS.
Who is S. Ramamirtham?
TRE did a cursory search on “S. Ramamirtham” on the Net and it appears that
Mr Ramamirtham is a frequent letter writer to the mainstream media:
“Opposition
not needed”, Today, 28 Jul 2001
“My call to all Singaporeans: Don’t
fall into the trap of the opposition. Singapore doesn’t need an opposition in
Parliament – it is of no use to the betterment of the country.”
“SM
Lee and PAP did well”, Today, 7 Sep 2001
“Singaporeans must be happy
that Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew has helped bring about a breakthrough in
negotiations on bilateral issues between Singapore and Malaysia…”
“Thorough
drubbing on Polling Day?”, Today, 5 Oct 2001
“The impression I get
from reading your article ‘Ripple effect’ (Today, Oct 2) is that Singapore’s
opposition parties are not only going to waste the voter’s time during the
coming election rallies, they also ought to be given a thorough drubbing by the
electorate on Polling Day… I think if the PAP is returned resoundly to power
again, it will be able to do a better job.”
“Where
there’s a will, there’s water”, Today, 15 Sep 2005
“Over the years,
the Singapore Government has, through the leadership of three Prime Ministers,
Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Goh Chok Tong and now Mr Lee Hsien Loon, enlarged every
possible resource and supply of water that can benefit this country and its
people.”
In any case, if Mr S. Ramamirtham or ST continues to feel that there was any
wrongdoing in WP’s management of the Town Council, they can simply take Ms Lim’s
advice and make a report to CPIB rather than continuing to insinuate. Ms Lim has
said that they will fully co-operate with the relevant agencies in their
investigations.
.
Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus
explained[/h]
In the ST Forum page today (18 May), ST published a letter from a Mr S.
Ramamirtham (‘Time for managing agent to come clean’), essentially attacking WP
in the recent AIM saga in Parliament.
Mr Ramamirtham wrote:
“When Workers’ Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim brought up the Action
Information Management issue last year, she surely expected the People’s Action
Party and the Government to come clean on the matter.
And they did come clean, first with a comprehensive report by the
National Development Ministry and then the debate in Parliament on
Monday.
In fact, it was revealed that the WP-appointed managing agent, in the
form of husband-and-wife company FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), was set up
just four days after the WP won Aljunied GRC in the 2011 General
Election.
Just who are this couple? Shouldn’t they speak up for themselves in the
face of so much public discussion?
Perhaps it is time for Ms Lim to call a press conference and introduce
the couple to the public, and let them answer all the burning questions that
have been raised in the media and, most importantly, come clean, like what the
Government did in Parliament earlier this week.
Accountability and transparency have to work both ways – not just for the
government of the day but also for the opposition
parties.”
Parliament as well as in the follow-up media statements, stating how FMSS came
about becoming the managing agent of Aljunied TC.
She wrote that after GE in May 2011, the then PAP managing agent, CPG
Facilities Management, asked to be released from its contract with Aljunied TC
(‘After
GE 2011, CPG actually wanted out of Aljunied TC‘), thereby putting the
Aljunied TC in a fix.
At the time there were only 3 companies in the market providing TC management
and services: Esmaco, EM Services and CPG, all which are linked to PAP in one
way or another.
She said, “The set-up of FMSS was due to the very real possibility that WP
would be faced with no other company to manage AHTC.”
“None of FMSS’ shareholders and directors are WP members and FMSS is not a
WP-owned company. FMSS was engaged based on its directors’ experience in
property management, professional skills and track record in running Hougang
Town Council. One of the directors of FMSS was the former GM of Hougang Town
Council.”
She said that due to the urgency of continuing providing TC services to the
residents after the withdrawal of CPG, as TC Chairman, she decided to waive the
tender for the MA contract and engaged FMSS directly for the first year.
The waiver was within the rights of the Chairman under the Town Council
Financial Rules in certain circumstances. In the second year when things went
back to normal, an open tender was called. FMSS was the only one who submitted
the bid.
She said, “AHTC was aware of its duties when dealing with a sole tenderer,
and that the TC needed to ensure value for money for its residents. AHTC had
also commissioned a special external audit of the tender award as an additional
assurance of compliance and good governace practices, and that steps had been
taken to ensure value for money.”
In another statement, Ms Lim also added, “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 Corrupt Practices Investigation
Bureau or other relevant agencies to investigate the matter, rather than to make
these suggestions and insinuations. We assure these agencies of our full
co-operation.”
Hence, with the detail explanation put up by WP, it’s not known why ST keeps
publishing letters and articles asking about FMSS.
Who is S. Ramamirtham?
TRE did a cursory search on “S. Ramamirtham” on the Net and it appears that
Mr Ramamirtham is a frequent letter writer to the mainstream media:
“Opposition
not needed”, Today, 28 Jul 2001
“My call to all Singaporeans: Don’t
fall into the trap of the opposition. Singapore doesn’t need an opposition in
Parliament – it is of no use to the betterment of the country.”
“SM
Lee and PAP did well”, Today, 7 Sep 2001
“Singaporeans must be happy
that Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew has helped bring about a breakthrough in
negotiations on bilateral issues between Singapore and Malaysia…”
“Thorough
drubbing on Polling Day?”, Today, 5 Oct 2001
“The impression I get
from reading your article ‘Ripple effect’ (Today, Oct 2) is that Singapore’s
opposition parties are not only going to waste the voter’s time during the
coming election rallies, they also ought to be given a thorough drubbing by the
electorate on Polling Day… I think if the PAP is returned resoundly to power
again, it will be able to do a better job.”
“Where
there’s a will, there’s water”, Today, 15 Sep 2005
“Over the years,
the Singapore Government has, through the leadership of three Prime Ministers,
Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Goh Chok Tong and now Mr Lee Hsien Loon, enlarged every
possible resource and supply of water that can benefit this country and its
people.”
wrongdoing in WP’s management of the Town Council, they can simply take Ms Lim’s
advice and make a report to CPIB rather than continuing to insinuate. Ms Lim has
said that they will fully co-operate with the relevant agencies in their
investigations.
.
Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus
