PAP on the attack again

[winnipegjets]

WP town council's release 'misleading': PAP

The People's Action Party (PAP) town council that manages Punggol East constituency has countered that the Workers' Party (WP) town council is being misleading, in an ongoing exchange over the transfer of sinking funds.

Mr Zainal Sapari, chairman of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC), yesterday took issue with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) for implying that his town council had been slow in the transfer of the funds.

The issue arose following a change of hands in the constituency. In 2013, the WP won Punggol East in a by-election. In last September's general election, the PAP won it back.

Mr Zainal recounted in a Facebook post that PRPTC had made two transfers totalling $18 million in sinking funds to the former Aljunied-Hougang- Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) within four months of losing Punggol East.

He said this amounted to 80 per cent of the $22.5 million due to AHPETC, renamed AHTC after last year's election.

His town council made a third transfer of $3 million in May 2014, after submitting the constituency's audited financial statements.

The final $890,092 was transferred in September 2014, after PRPTC "helped (AHPETC) to understand their queries about the accounts", he added.

Mr Zainal was responding to AHTC chairman Pritam Singh, who said on Monday that PRPTC had taken more than 20 months to hand over the sinking funds.

Mr Zainal said: "The media release by AHTC is misleading to infer (sic) that PRPTC was slow in transferring the sinking funds to AHPETC."

The saga started after Punggol East MP Charles Chong said last Thursday that AHTC had not handed over all the sinking funds after last year's election.

Mr Chong said that AHTC had transferred only an "interim amount" of $10 million, and the exact amount due is being worked out.

Mr Singh replied that AHTC will hand over the sinking funds in several instalments, just as PRPTC had done.

He said AHTC will ensure all sinking funds are transferred to PRPTC "in due course".

Yesterday, Mr Zainal noted that PRPTC had transferred 80 per cent of the sinking funds to AHPETC within four months of the Punggol East constituency being lost.

"Compare that to the current situation, where PRPTC has received only $10 million of sinking funds from AHTC and it has been more than four months since the handover date," he said.

He added: "I hope AHTC can get their qualified accounts in order and make the second interim sinking fund transfer as soon as possible."

 

[winnipegjets]

WP responds to Charles Chong on fund transfer

The Workers' Party (WP) yesterday took issue with Punggol East MP Charles Chong over his comments about the transfer of sinking funds to the opposition party when it won the constituency in a 2013 by-election.

The party said that contrary to Mr Chong's claim that the People's Action Party-run Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC) had transferred $22.5 million to the former Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council in 2013, these were actually paid in instalments over 20 months ending in September 2014.

Mr Chong said this to The Straits Times last Thursday when asked about a National Development Ministry announcement that it would release previously withheld government grants to the WP-run town council after it appointed new accountants and agreed to safeguards to ensure proper use of the money.

The town council will get $12.9 million, while another $1.8 million will go to Punggol East, now managed by PRPTC after the PAP won the constituency back in last year's general election.

Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh, chairman of the renamed Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), said in a statement that Mr Chong's comment was "factually incorrect" as PRPTC made the final sinking fund transfer only in 2014.

Separately, he said it was "odd" for Mr Chong to say that with Punggol East coming back under PRPTC's umbrella, the town council had so far received only an "interim amount" of $10 million in sinking funds due to the council.

Mr Chong had acknowledged that the exact amount is still being worked out, but called for the fund transfer to be settled soon "as we have to get back what is due to us to be fair to the residents".

Mr Singh said yesterday that just as PRPTC transferred the sinking funds in tranches between 2013 and 2014, "AHTC will transfer all sinking funds due to Punggol East SMC in instalments".

"We will work closely with our auditor to ensure that all sinking funds - after accounting for any expenditure on Punggol East SMC from 1 May 2013 to 30 Nov 2015 - are transferred to PRPTC in due course."

Mr Chong was contacted for comments last night but did not respond at press time.

Pearl Lee

 

[winnipegjets]

Such disputes would not exist if there were no town councils. What has town councils done better than the HDB managing the estates?

When the HDB managed the estates, there was a one-stop shop to get issues resolved. It was way cheaper too for residents.

Why are the opposition not pointing out the obvious? Get rid of the town councils and use the $2 billion in savings to better the lives of the people!

 

[Satyr]

Such disputes would not exist if there were no town councils. What has town councils done better than the HDB managing the estates?

When the HDB managed the estates, there was a one-stop shop to get issues resolved. It was way cheaper too for residents.

Why are the opposition not pointing out the obvious? Get rid of the town councils and use the $2 billion in savings to better the lives of the people!

Or at least , manage and segregate accounts with the understanding that constituencies can change hands.

 

[winnipegjets]

Or at least , manage and segregate accounts with the understanding that constituencies can change hands.

The PAP put in Town Councils because it thought that would deter sinkees from voting Opposition and bet it would work. It was a waste of our money ...a complete cost efficient operation in the HDB was broken up to cater to the PAP.

Sinkees should demand that the HDB be brought back to its previous mandate and get rid of the Town Councils, the MSO in PMO, the Mayors ...there are billions to be used for sinkees when the wasteful town council scheme is gotten rid of.

 

[Leckmichamarsch]

Such disputes would not exist if there were no town councils. What has town councils done better than the HDB managing the estates?

When the HDB managed the estates, there was a one-stop shop to get issues resolved. It was way cheaper too for residents.

Why are the opposition not pointing out the obvious? Get rid of the town councils and use the $2 billion in savings to better the lives of the people!

GCT wanted TC so that voters can kick their own arses