Tag: Workers Party

Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council Found Guilty Of Holding Festive Trade Fair Without Permit

The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), run by the opposition Workers’ Party, was on Friday (Nov 28) found guilty of holding a festive trade fair, without permit, earlier this year.

At the heart of the case, is whether the town council, flouted Section 35 of the Environmental Public Health Act, by holding a Chinese New Year fair, without a permit. The National Environment Agency, prosecuting the case, said it did.

The town council, represented by lawyer Peter Low, challenged the charge. Among the defence was the argument that the event was simply a “mini-fair” which does not require a permit. It also took issue with the need to get a letter of support to organise the fair, from the area’s Citizens’ Consultative Committee, which is chaired by a People’s Action Party grassroots leader.

The judge ruled on Friday that since Section 35 of the Act created a strict liability offence, this means prosecution does not need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that AHPETC deliberately did not intend to obtain a permit to hold its fair.

As for the defence’s argument that AHPETC can hold events without a permit in common areas that it manages, the judge said it seems the town council’s objection was related to the suitability of the application form and not the fact that a permit was required. He said the court is not an appropriate forum to examine conditions tied to the permit application form.

Commenting on the decision, AHPETC Vice Chairman Pritam Singh said: “We’re disappointed with the verdict. We will take advice from our lawyers as to the next course of action going forward. We won’t rule anything out.”

He added that no town council funds were used with respect to this case, saying: “The MPs are contributing to the lawyers’ fees.”

The court was adjourned until Dec 24 for mitigation and sentencing.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

November 29, 2014
MND Targets Aljunied Town Council Again

SINGAPORE: The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council’s (AHPETC) “persistent poor performance” in several areas is of “grave public concern”, the Ministry of National Development (MND) said.

The comments were made in the annual Town Council Management Report, released on Tuesday (Nov 4), which assesses the 16 town councils on five indicators – estate cleanliness, estate maintenance, lift performance, service and conservancy charges (S&CC) arrears management and corporate governance. The town councils’ performance is rated in three bands – green, amber or red.

In the latest report, the MND said most town councils performed well last year, although some “could do better” in certain areas.

Estate maintenance remains an area for improvement, with 11 town councils scoring “amber” in this category. The obstruction of common areas was the topmost observation, accounting for 32 per cent of total estate maintenance observations, the report said.

AHPETC BANDED “RED” IN TWO CATEGORIES

On AHPETC’s performance, MND said this is the second successive report that the Workers’ Party-led town council has been banded “red” for corporate governance, and the third successive report it has been banded “red” for S&CC arrears management.

Under corporate governance, the town council’s independent auditors for Financial Year (FY) 2011 and 2012 have reported various legal and regulatory contraventions, MND said.

“Unfortunately, the town council has not shown that it has rectified them. In fact, it has not submitted its FY13 financial statements and its self-declared corporate governance checklist,” MND said in the report.

Additionally, the sharp decline in AHPETC’s S&CC arrears management is of “grave public concern”, MND said. Aljunied’s S&CC arrears rose from 2.6 per cent in FY2010 to 8.4 per cent in FY2011 and FY 2012 – after Aljunied merged with Hougang – significantly above the national norm of about 3 per cent, the report said.

In December 2012, the town council committed to improve its arrears situation. However, its S&CC arrears rate had further increased to 29.4 per cent as at end-April 2013, the report said. It added that the town council stopped submitting its monthly S&CC arrears report from May 2013, despite repeated reminders.

Source: channelnewsasia.com

November 5, 2014
PAP Reshuffling Grassroots Advisers in Opposition Wards

SINGAPORE — After serving as grassroots advisers in constituencies where they lost during the General Election in 2011, Mr Ong Ye Kung and Mr Desmond Choo are leaving their positions in the opposition-held wards of Aljunied GRC and Hougang.

The People’s Association (PA) announced today (Sept 18) that Mr Choo had been appointed second adviser to Tampines Grassroots Organisations (GROs) for Tampines East.

Mr Ong, who has been volunteering in Sembawang GRC, relinquished his post as adviser for Kaki Bukit in Aljunied.

Replacing them are veteran grassroots leaders Goh Chee Koh, 69, and Dr Kee Wei Heong, 64.

Mr Goh, the honorary chairman of Punggol Central Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC), is now adviser to Hougang GROs, while Dr Kee, chairman of Bukit Gombak CCC, takes over from Mr Ong.

The changes mean the positions of adviser to GROs at the two Workers’ Party-held constituencies — typically occupied by People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament or potential PAP candidates — are now almost all filled by veteran grassroots leaders.

Apart from Dr Kee, advisors to the Aljunied GROs include Mr Anthony Loh, 75, Mr David Tay Poey Cher, 69, and Professor Brian Lee Chang Leng, 73. The fifth advisor is former Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Zainul Abidin Rasheed, 66, who was part of the PAP team that was defeated in the 2011 election.

Political analysts TODAY spoke to said the moves are not surprising, coming in the wake of earlier appointments of grassroots veterans at Aljunied GROs. For example, Mr Loh replaced former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo in Bedok Reservoir—Punggol in 2012, said Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Gillian Koh.

Singapore Management University law professor Eugene Tan said the PAP faces a dilemma in Aljunied and Hougang. Fielding a strong candidate with no guarantee of an electorial victory would upset the PAP’s leadership plans, he said. If a weaker candidate is fielded, voters could feel they are not taken seriously.

The latest move also suggests that while the PAP considers Mr Choo — who also lost in the Hougang by-election in 2012 — and Mr Ong MP material, the party feels the ground in Aljunied and Hougang are not sweet enough. “The party is seeking to be realistic in electorial prospects,” said Assoc Prof Tan.

The PAP received 57.2 and 63.9 per cent of the vote at Tampines GRC and Sembawang GRC during the last General Election. Tampines GRC and Sembawang GRC are currently helmed by Education Minister Heng Swee Keat and National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan respectively.

At Tampines, Mr Choo will be working with Mr Mah Bow Tan — current Adviser for Tampines East. Mr Mah stepped down as Minister of National Development after the 2011 General Election. Mr Ong, meanwhile, was reportedly slated to join Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Manpower Hawazi Daipi said at his Marsiling Meet-the-People Sessions.

Asked whether the move to place Mr Ong and Mr Choo in Sembawang and Tampines was intended to ensure they stand a higher chance of getting elected into Parliament, Dr Koh said the PAP knows there is no such thing as a stronghold and each constituency has to be taken seriously. Voters have become more demanding and will scrutinise the candidates, she added.

On whether the move would give them a better chance of getting into Parliament, Mr Choo and Mr Ong – who was both the PAP branch chairman and grassroots adviser for Kaki Bukit at one point – stressed that the announcement was made by the PA, and not by the party. The PA appointment and whether a candidate is fielded in the constituency where he is adviser are two separate matters, Mr Choo said.

“I think the PA is quite clear about this separation. Whether I will be fielded as a candidate in Tampines, that is something that is still very much (the) party’s decision,” he added.

When contacted, Dr Kee, who hopes to do more for seniors in Kaki Bukit, said he is not interested in becoming an MP and prefers serving residents through grassroots work. “I had predecessors who actually died on the job when they are in their 80s. Even at 80 years old, they still come and help out at functions and do their best for the community. I will be like that,” he said.

Previous media reports have identified several chairmen of the PAP branches in Aljunied GRC as potential candidates. The next General Election is due by Jan 2017.

http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/ong-ye-kung-desmond-choo-appointed-other-constituencies

September 19, 2014
Politicians Like WP Pritam Singh Shouldn’t Get Involved in Gaza Issue

MP for Aljunied GRC Mr Pritam Singh recently urged the government to take a tough stand in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Prior to that, he has promoted activities that expressed support for Palestine.

As a citizen, I am curious if Pritam Singh speaking in his personal capacity or presenting his views as a MP in Aljunied GRC?

According to media reports, Israel and Palestine have suffered losses in the conflict.

In August this year, in his parliamentary reply to Choa Chua Kang GRC MP Zaqy Muhammad, Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr K Shanmugam has reiterated that Singapore supports “sanctions based on international laws”.

Israel and Palestine are eager to achieve their political objectives at the expenses of innocent civilians.

Notwithstanding international pressure, Israel-Palestine conflict showed no signs of tapering. This matter requires intervention and resolution from international bodies. Singapore has already presented her neutral stand in the conflict and expressed views that the conflict to be resolved by international resolutions. Singapore has to be realistic since Israel and Hamas are not dependent on her.

I am concerned with the intentions of Mr Pritam Singh because his intentions might be misconstrued in our multi-racial society, causing dividing views to arise.

What if Singaporeans from non-Muslim communities emulated Pritam Singh and expressed support for individual parties in unresolved international conflicts, will such actions cause tensions within Singaporeans? What has Singapore got to gain? As a small state, what is Singapore’s voice in the Israel-Palestine conflict?

I hope MPs will be more prudent when they express views towards international relationship issues. They should have due consideration for Singapore’s multi-cultural society and comprehensively assess the message they are telling everyone.

Source: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/gpgt-wp-pritam-singh-guest-honour-support-palestine-event-what-he-trying-do-4798340.html

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September 8, 2014
Pritam Singh Back Out as GOH For Gaza Charity Concert

Dear Pritam,

I happened to look at the flyer about the charity concert, in aid of humanity or was it Palestine? I was shocked that you were listed as the guest of honour in the earlier flier.

I don’t know what you were thinking of when you agreed. I see it as a populist move to get more votes but I think you have erred in this case. I will come to that later.

You came across as being cut from a different piece of cloth but alas, you have proven that you are no different from the others of your ilk. Therein lies a lesson for us, the common people: When politics come into play, the public suffer. In the game of one-upmanship and votes, thousands of Palestinians and Israelis died unnecessarily in the armed conflict and the images from the conflict has been utterly shocking. The Israelis and Palestinians are both at fault for allowing this carnage.

I trawled our parliament pages to find Singapore’s stand and I agree with it. A tiny country’s words do not carry far but nonetheless, we have registered our point and we are correct to call upon Israel and Hamas to stop their death games. That’s what we did and I was surprised that we did make the call. Israel has been one of the first countries in the world to recognise our status as a new country and it was the first to respond to our call to help build up our defence force. But it was also revealing when Shanmugam said: “Our relationship with Israel is not any deeper than with many other countries. In fact, several other countries have much more leverage over Israel. We are a small country, far removed from Israel, and we have a good relationship with Israel as we have with the Palestinian National Authority and several other Arab countries, and many others.”

However, to stand up and voice our condemnation to an ally takes a lot of guts.

As for the Palestinians, I read that we have been giving them aid. Let me quote Foreign Minister Shanmugam’s response in parliament on 5 August 2014:
“We have maintained good relationships with the Palestinian National Authority. Mr Goh Chok Tong, when he was Senior Minister, had visited Palestine. And we have been supportive of the two-state solution and consistent with that, we have tried to support the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.
“Last year, at the UN General Assembly, Singapore voted for all Palestinian-related resolutions. That is as public a support as you can get.
“I personally met the Palestinian National Authority’s Foreign Minister last year, and we had a good exchange of views. We have also supported visits from the Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority to Singapore. Indeed, we financially support that.

“Since 2013, we have been participating in the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD). During CEAPAD I in Tokyo last year, we announced Singapore’s enhanced Technical Assistance Package for the Palestinian National Authority, worth at $5 million over five years, which is more than several of our regional countries have pledged. Under this package, we have received several delegations and study visits. The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli met with the Palestinian National Authority’s Prime Minister during CEAPAD II in Jakarta earlier this year. Mr Masagos encouraged the Prime Minister to send more Palestinians to Singapore under this package. We hope that they do so.

“So, politically, materially and philosophically, we have been supportive of the Palestinian cause and we have made that very public.”
Hamas is the thorn in this case and they are using the people to further their militant viewpoint. As Shanmugam said, “The international community can make statements, and can try and bring some sense, but ultimately, it is going to require that the actors themselves to also want peace.

“At the end of the day, the fact is, the Israelis and Hamas – and I say Hamas because there was not a single rocket from the West Bank which is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority, and there have been no attacks by Israel on West Bank – are responsible for what is happening in Gaza, and they have to exercise political will, and take concrete steps to bring an end to the conflict.”

Now coming back to my statement that you have erred. The charity concert event that you are willing to grace will definitely polarise Singaporeans. In a multi-cultural and secular society like ours, this issue will definitely pull religion, by its collar, into the picture. This is an explosive issue and will you be able to handle it. I say, you will not. Then who will be left with the mess created by this one inconsiderate act of yours: Us, we, the people of Singapore.

During the same debate in parliament, you talked about the impact of the images including the possibility of self-radicalisation.
I share the same view as Shanmugam, which is, there is nothing much we can do.

The images and the news from Gaza has already created rifts in friendships. Strong views have caused many carefully nurtured friendships to fray. I personally, have kept away from some friends who supported either Israel or Palestine, not just because of their extreme and unforgiving comments but because they wanted me take sides with them in this conflict. It was either I am with them or against them.

Do you think the charity concert will just be a fund-raising platform? Did you ask the organisers for their agenda? Is this your individual stand or the Workers’ Party’s stand? Are you a willing party to this concert which will definitely radicalise Singaporeans in their thoughts and actions? Are you and your party willing to be responsible for the aftermath? Will you and the Workers’ Party be responsible for us, Singaporeans?

Sadly, I don’t think so. All you, the Workers’ Party and other opposition parties, think about is yourself. Let us come to power and we’ll prove it to you, you said in the last elections. But what did you do? Nothing at all. Bereft of views, ideas and suggestions, you and your party are taking us for a ride. We Singaporeans are waking up to you and your kind.

But what is intolerable is you trying to drive a wedge between us, Singaporeans, by endorsing such events. For the political survival of you and the Workers’ Party, please don’t use us. It is not fair to us.

Authored by Robert De Souza

Source: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/dear-pritam-singh-4797710.html

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September 8, 2014