Tag: PA

Sylvia Lim: Is The People’s Association Losing Its Way?

The People’s Association (PA) came under Ms Sylvia Lim’s scrutiny in Parliament on Wednesday (April 13), with the Workers’ Party chairman questioning its “ever-increasing” budget and whether it had drifted from its mandate, which includes fostering social cohesion.

Speaking on the first day of the debate on the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s (MCCY) budget, Ms Lim said it was understandable that the PA’s FY2015 budget was much larger than usual because of the SG50 activities that were organised and the building of facilities for residents.

However, the Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC questioned its budget for FY2016, which stands at nearly S$900 million.

“(It is) still very high… This is a significant 34-per-cent increase from FY2014. How is the high expenditure justified?” Ms Lim asked.

Turning to the PA’s mandate, Ms Lim said she believes that some of the association’s activities have deviated from its objectives, which include “fostering cohesion and bonding, and … promoting group participation that transcends sectional loyalties”.

“An unhealthy culture seems to have developed within some quarters of the PA, who see its role to include advancing the ruling party politically and undermining the work of Opposition MPs,” Ms Lim said.

She pointed to the mobilisation of PA activists to campaign for the ruling People’s Action Party’s candidates during elections as “just one aspect”.

Ms Lim said that when MPs from the Workers’ Party try to advance their residents’ welfare through infrastructural projects, they learn that government bodies, such as the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing and Development Board, recognise only PA organisations — such as Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs) and Residents’ Committees – as the “proper channels”.

Citing an occasion when she was seeking information from the MND on plans for private-estate upgrading projects in her ward, Ms Lim said: “The ministry referred me to the CCC. I then wrote several times to the CCC, but it seems that my letters do not even merit a reply.”

A total of 24 MPs and four Nominated Members of Parliament rose to speak on the MCCY’s budget on issues ranging from helping the Malay-Muslim workforce retrain and stay economically relevant, nurturing homegrown athletes, to promoting corporate giving and volunteerism.

The debate on the ministry’s budget continues on Thursday.

Source: www.todayonline.com

April 14, 2016
Jeanette Chong-Aruldoss: Give Me A Fair Chance To Win Your Votes

ENCOUNTER WITH A GRASSROOT LEADER

(Yesterday morning, 22 Aug at Blk 17 Old Airport Road Food Centre)

Smiling broadly and holding up my J4M flyer, I approached a man aged about 40 sitting alone.

He glared at me and motioned that he did not wish me to approach him.

Thinking he might not be local, I asked in English “Are you a Singaporean?”

Staring at me for a couple of seconds (to the point that I thought he might indeed be a non-Singaporean), he then answered in a stern tone, “Yes, I am a Singaporean and I have already decided who to vote for.”

Astounded, I said “But how can you have decided when elections have not even began yet?”

Him (with hostility): “I am a grassroot leader.”

Me (thinking that grassroot leaders are community-minded): “Oh may I know your name?”

Him: “No.”

Me (realising that my thinking could be wrong): “Why would being a grassroot leader mean that you already decided who to vote? Does it mean that all grassroot leaders are …..”

Him (sensing where I was going, cut me off in mid sentence): “I know who you are. You are a lawyer and so am I. You are engaging me the wrong way. I am here to have my breakfast. You are engaging me the wrong way.” He clearly wanted me to go away, so I went away.

I am really puzzled by the man’s response. Many Singaporeans join the grassroots to serve the community, and not to serve politicians or the political ambitions of the ruling party. This grassroot leader had made up his mind who to give his vote to. He was not interested to meet me or to even hear me out. He made it very clear to me that I have zero chance to win his support.

Well, can’t say I didn’t try. If you’re reading this, I want you to know, no hard feelings. To everyone else who is reading this, I’m going to keep trying to work for your support, regardless of affiliation.

All I ask is for you to judge me on my merits and give me a fair chance to win your support.

Source: Jeanette For Mounbatten

August 24, 2015
SDP: Authorities Must Investigate Illegal Political Campaigning By PAP At Durian Party

Good morning friends, this is probably not the best way to start you on your week but its something you should know. Over the weekend there was a durian party organised by some grassroots organisations at the park just outside the SDP office at Jalan Gelenggang.

We heard the some people at the party shouting: “Vote PAP!” This took place at Kebun Baru, part of Lee Hsien Loong’s AMK GRC.

This is wrong for two reasons. The campaign period has not yet begun and it is illegal to canvas for voters. Two, this is a grassroots event presumably paid for by public funds. Why was it turned into a vote-PAP affair?

We hope authorities will look into this.

Source: Singapore Democratic Party

July 27, 2015
Stern Warning For Grassroots Leader Who Threatened Amos Yee

After two months of police investigation, the police has decided to issue a “stern warning” to Jason Tan Kok Whee, a grassroots leader over a threatening statement he made online, directed at 16-year old Amos Yee.

Amos was being charged with harassment, and with allegedly wounding the religious feelings of Christians in a YouTube video. He has since been judged guilty of the offences and currently held in remand, awaiting his sentence.

Mr Tan had posted the comment earlier in March (shown above), “For me, I would cut his dick and put in his mouth for blemish Jesus Christ.”, referring to Yee.

Mr Tan’s comment was posted under the Facebook handle of “Cookie Tan” on the Facebook page of The Real Singapore.

Jason’s images at Telok Blangah CC as grassroots leader

After netizens got hold of the fact that Mr Tan is a grassroots leader at Telok Blangah., a letter of complaint was subsequently sent to the People’s Association (PA), which oversees all grassroots organisations in Singapore, about Jason Tan’s threatening post. There has been no response from the PA thus far and Jason Tan has since restricted his Facebook page from public view.

Apart from a letter of complaint to PA, TOC also understands that a number of police reports were made against Mr Tan over the statement he made.

One of the people who filed the reports, Mr Lee said he was offended by Mr Tan’s comment and decided to file a police complaint against him. He said that Mr Tan’s statement was a criminal threat to Yee.

Mr Lee said in April, “I am seriously distressed by Jason Tan’s statement that bears the intention to harm Amos Yee physical and sexually. I have checked the penal code of Singapore and it seems that Jason Tan have breached the laws and should be liable to be arrested and be charged in the courts.”

Mr Lee also explained that Mr Tan has likely breached the law in making that comment against Yee, particularly penal code section 503, 504, 507 and 508.

Mr Lee added that Mr Tan should be punished according to the penal code section 506.

Soon after Mr Lee had made his report, he was called up by the investigating officer from the Tanglin Police station for an interview.

He said that the investigating officer had informed him that “quite a few police reports” have been made against Mr Tan.

Mr Lee also shared that the police officer had asked why he felt distress about Mr Tan’s Facebook comment. He replied that any ordinary person would feel distressed when they see someone threatening bodily harm against another and Mr Tan’s offence is worse than Amos’ as Amos didn’t threaten anyone with physical harm.

After close to two months of investigation, the police wrote letters to the people who have filed the police reports against Mr Tan and said that the police has closed the case with a stern warning given to Mr Tan.

One of such letters was sent to the social-political blog, TR Emeritus and was published.

The letter writes, “After careful considerations of the facts and circumstances of the case and in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, it has been decided that a stern warning be administered to the defendant in lieu of prosecution. On 10/06/2015, the defendant was warned by Chief Investigation Officer, DSP Tan Put Seng in the presence of Senior Investigation Officer, Henry Chua.”

It is understood that the warning letter would be recorded in police records but would not turn up in regular screening by Police.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

June 19, 2015
Have You Benefitted From PA Events?

I will share about Peoples’ Association activities.

Parties, celebrations, goodie bags, free buffet spread. Grassroots have it well.

My question to Singaporeans, how many of you have participated or benefited from these? Little or none.

Do anyone realize, its always the same old gang or participants? Why? Die hard participants who benefits from everything.

One question we need to ask: Whose money are these?

The PAP strongest point, to which the oppositions are generally very weak in, is public funds.

Participants fear the loss of benefits. Volunteers shudder at the fact that their benefits run out (Free parking within this GRC or constituency, priority school application, HDB BTO after 3 years of service).

Last year’s Grassroots retreat by Sengkang West brought about the question of cost. Grassroots Leaders are given a subsidy of S$100 from Peoples’ Association and perhaps, additional ‘out of pocket’ subsidy from the Member of Parliament.

These are your money! Why are retreats overseas? Why not OBS? Or NTUC Chalet? Or cheaper locations like Batam or Bintan? Excuses like ‘Bonding’, ‘Appreciation’ etc. Do anyone realize these are the ground people for the PAP?

Have they heard your voice? Have they represented your concerns to the Government? Aren’t Grassroots Leaders supposed to link the people and the Government together? Ask yourself this question, when was the last time you saw your Grassroots Leader, other then them walking around?

Residents’ Committee are heavily subsidized by HDB and Peoples’ Association. Yet, we pay for the said courses. Ok, justified if they need to maintain the Center.

However, do anyone realize these RCs and CCC have surpluses of tens and some hundreds of thousand dollars? How did these money benefit the residents? Or did it benefit just a core group of individuals?

Singapore, there are many unanswered questions. No one to check on them, no one to question, no one to challenge. All these are kept away from the average Singaporean. Who justifies their balances? Will they be willing to display their accounts of each RC for residents knowledge?

Obviously no.

On the surface, Facebook post, media coverage on activities appears wonderful. My question would always be, how many residents actually benefited from it? In an average of 25,000 residents per constituency, an event that captures 100 participants is less than 0.5% of the population and the amount spent? A GRC event, say, 120,000 residents but participation figures? 1000? That is less than 1%!

Well, Singapore, please spend some time to think about it. The media appears to display huge participation. Well, think again. Its your money.

Singapore Son

TRS Contributor

Source: www.therealsingapore.com

February 22, 2015