Tag: WP

Workers’ Party Youth Wing Forum SG100 Conference

As Singapore celebrates her golden jubilee, the Workers’ Party Youth Wing calls on fellow young Singaporeans to share their dreams and aspirations for the next 50 years. More than a dozen young Singaporeans will offer their personal views on Singapore’s future development in three panel discussions. We hope to create a forum for conversation on alternate paths for Singapore — to paint a shared vision and provide inspiration to shaping Singapore’s future to realise community ownership and citizen participation. We hope to provide the catalyst for deeper discussion on the Singapore we want in 2065 and the roadmap to get there. Together, we can build a nation that we can be proud of calling home for generations to come.

Venue: The Agora, Midview City, no. 18, Sin Ming Lane
Date: Saturday, 22nd August
Time: 1pm to 5pm, registration begins at 12pm, doors will close at 12.55pm
Enquiries: [email protected]

This event is open to everyone.

Pre-registration is required due to limited seating capacity at the venue. Pre-registration begins 20th July. Please check back here.

Programme

1pm: Opening Statement by WP Youth Wing President Daniel Goh
1.10pm: Session 1 – Super Urban Singapore (VISION)
2pm: Session 2 – Community & Heritage (OWNERSHIP)
2.50pm: Tea Break Session and Art Competition Voting
3.20pm: Session 3 – Participating in Our Identity (PARTICIPATION)
4.20pm: Summation and Q&A
4.40pm: Closing Remarks

Information about the panellists and their presentation titles will be made available closer to the date

Session Abstracts

Super Urban Singapore

Several major developments that are being planned for the next few decades will transform Singapore’s cityscape. Paya Lebar Airbase and Keppel Port will be relocated, opening up prime land for redevelopment. The current government projects the population will hit 6.9 million in 2030 and is planning to further build up Singapore to accommodate the influx of migrants. By 2065, the 99-year lease clock would be ticking for many HDB estates, where over 80 per cent of Singapore live. The extensive redevelopment of our old heartland regions beckons, as is already happening in old estates such as Queenstown. Would we see the island dominated by 50-storey HDB flats with sky gardens to match the towering skyscrapers of the downtown district? Would most of us live, work, love and shop underground, turning street-front living into a luxury good? What are the environmental, social, cultural and political implications? What should we do to co-create our vision of a super-urban Singapore?

Community and Heritage
We frequently use the term “community” in our public debates to refer to stakeholders in policy and political matters. The government regularly calls upon communities to act on a social problem or for the government to act on, and sometimes both. However, are communities empowered to act or by the government’s action? What forms a community and how can a community be empowered with ownership to realise its social aims and aspirations? SG50 has seen an outpouring of commemoration of Singapore’s heritage, which is seen as intimately connected to communities. The Botanic Gardens was recently inscribed as our first UNESCO world heritage site, a place of significant combined natural-cultural heritage. This island that we call home has more cultural capital than we realise. But are we able to go beyond nostalgia and buildings to value cultural traditions and values as our living heritage and use these cultural assets to foster community ownership as we head to SG100?

Participating in Our Identity
National identity is represented in the culture, language, traditions, history and politics of the people. It is the sense of the nation as a whole, a description and a proposition expressing a strong sense of belonging and belief amongst the people. Our Singaporean identity has developed strong roots over the past fifty years and continues to evolve. What are the main features of our identity and what foreseeable evolution of our identity in the next fifty years can we expect and should embrace? What challenges to our identity do we face and are there gaps we need to fill? One key foundation for national identities around the world is political culture—the values, institutions and practices associated with governance to keep the country running and secure. Is our political culture solid and stable enough to support our identity? How are we, as citizens, going to participate in the political process and shape our identity?

Source: http://wpyouth.sg/sg100

July 11, 2015
Workers’ Party: Authorities Should Take More Enforcement Action Against Errant Rail Operators

The Workers’ Party is deeply worried over the 3.5 hour disruption of train services along the entire stretch of both the North-South and East-West MRT lines on 7 July 2015. The severe inconvenience caused to an estimated quarter-of-a-million commuters during the evening rush hour makes this the most serious MRT disruption in Singapore’s history.

The latest breakdown comes on the heels of repeated assurances by both SMRT and the authorities about the improved reliability of our transport system. Yet, the number of significant train delays reached an all-time high of 12 in 2014 and stands at 8 in 2015. This is despite billions of dollars of government funds being pumped into improving the existing MRT infrastructure since 2011.

Even as the LTA and SMRT work together with their engineers and external consultants to identify the precise cause of the breakdown, we find it particularly troubling that two of our country’s main rail lines can be fully disrupted by what appears to be an electrical fault. This raises questions about our transport system’s resilience, particularly as such a system-wide failure could have repercussions on our nation’s economic and national security interests.

We call on the authorities to enforce a more rigorous maintenance regime on the rail network, with effective measures in place to ensure that commuters’ interests take precedence over corporate profits. For key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the number of unscheduled train withdrawals per 100,000 train kilometres and the number of service delays exceeding 30 minutes, concrete targets must be set and disclosed to the public.

In the meantime, engineering and front-line staff should also be provided with proper support by their employers to ensure that they are equipped to handle any similarly challenging situations in the future. Their efforts and tireless work – many working through the night – should be recognised, and we would like to express our appreciation for their hard work.

THE WORKERS’ PARTY
9 July 2015

July 11, 2015
Gerald Giam: Caught In The NSEW Line Breakdown

I was caught in the massive breakdown of the North-South and East-West Line (NSEWL) of the MRT yesterday evening as I was heading to a meeting at the WP HQ in Jalan Besar. When I reached Dover station at about 7.05pm, the eastbound train was already at the platform but with all its cabin lights off. I got onto the train anyway, but waited almost 5 minutes before it finally moved off. The westbound train on the opposite track was similarly stalled. My train stopped midway to the next station and all its lights went out again. This pattern was to repeat itself several more times over the next 25 minutes. When I reached Outram Park station at about 7.35pm, the lights in the train went out a final time and we were told to detrain as it was no longer in service.

The PA system announcements at the station informed us that train service on the entire NSEWL had been suspended and free shuttle buses were available. So I exited the station thinking I could hop onto one of the buses. Big mistake! The street level was packed with people and there were no buses to be seen and no directional signs to guide the stranded commuters. Someone asked me where the buses were. I told him honestly that I had no idea.

Knowing that it would be pointless to attempt taking a cab, I headed back down to the station, against the flow of the crowd, hoping to get in again and take the North-East Line (NEL). But all the fare gates were closed and I was told by an SMRT staff that I had to exit and walk around the station to get into the NEL entrance. I finally boarded the NEL and arrived at my meeting almost half an hour late.

I consider myself fortunate that I was able to hop onto the NEL. The guy sitting next to me on the East-West Line train (before it stopped at Outram) said that he was heading to his home in Simei. I think he, like hundreds of thousands of other commuters, probably got home much later than usual.

This 3.5 hour service disruption, which happened simultaneously on the two busiest MRT lines during the Tuesday evening rush hour, was probably the most serious service disruption ever. I had flashbacks to November 2011, when I had another close shave — I just missed getting on one of the trains from City Hall station that was to eventually stall in the middle of the tunnel.

According to SMRT and LTA, the outage was due to a power fault. Preliminary investigations found that a faulty train could have caused the power to trip. I find it astonishing that a fault with a single train could cause power to be cut to trains at all 58 stations on the NSEWL. Is there so little redundancy in the system? Or are all the circuits strung together in series like a cheap set of Christmas tree lights?

As of the time of this writing, it is still unclear if the MRT service will be available in time for the Wednesday morning rush hour. SMRT has already advised commuters to make alternative travel plans. Both the Minister for Transport and LTA have come out to apologise for the breakdown and demanded that the faults be investigated and rectified. That is little comfort for the quarter-of-a-million or so commuters who suffered this massive inconvenience and frustration.

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the November 2011 MRT disruptions had identified maintenance (or lack thereof) as a key cause of the multiple breakdowns then. Now, almost 4 years later, with a new CEO at the helm who promised to focus more on engineering and maintenance capabilities, we seem to be back to square one. What can we expect moving forward? Another COI?

Source: http://geraldgiam.sg

July 9, 2015
PAP Caught In Catch-22 Situation In Aljunied GRC

The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) organising secretary Ng Eng Hen’s latest comments on PAP’s readiness for the next polls are another sign the General Election could be near, possibly soon after the National Day Rally, said political analysts.

And ratcheting up intrigue in the forthcoming elections, which must be held by January 2017, they added, are Dr Ng’s comments about the PAP’s strategy for the electoral battle in Aljunied and the make-up of the possible new candidates it has found.

In an interview with The Sunday Times published yesterday, Dr Ng, speaking on contesting Workers’ Party (WP) in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), was quoted as saying: “Why would we want to field somebody that we know has a higher chance of being rejected and deprive ourselves of an office-holder?”

Analysts said such a strategy captured the challenges the PAP faces in reclaiming the first-ever GRC it lost — its team of candidates in 2011 included several ministers and Mr Ong Ye Kung, a new face touted as a potential office-holder. Whether the WP keeps its team in Aljunied intact — headlined by party chief Low Thia Khiang and chairman Sylvia Lim — is one factor to consider, they said.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament Eugene Tan said the PAP is caught in a Catch-22 situation: “Putting heavyweight candidates may reflect how seriously the party wants to win back Aljunied, but they could risk losing office-holders. However, taking the less risky option almost certainly results in a situation where WP is more likely than not to retain their seats.”

Dr Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, added: “For things to flip in Aljunied, minimally, it will have to be the case where voters decide they do not want a WP team, or that the WP splits the two big leaders from the GRC. It will not be a vote for a PAP team.”

What compounds the equation is the theory that the best time to claw back a constituency is immediately after it has been lost, said Associate Professor Tan. “After a while, voters could become comfortable with the fact that it has become an opposition ward, as with Hougang.”

However, political scientist Bilveer Singh, from the National University of Singapore, said that should the WP leaders venture into other constituencies, it would weaken the party’s position and the public may “punish the WP for ‘abandoning’ them”.

He hypothesised that the PAP could stay away from pushing the issue. “At a strategic level, Dr Ng may be signalling that the PAP can live with Aljunied being run by the WP. It is good for democracy and, yet, having exposed the problems of bad governance that Aljunied residents will have to live with, the choice will be up to the voters,” he said, referring to the scrutiny on the opposition party’s town council management.

With Dr Ng indicating that the slate of new PAP candidates is ready, Assoc Prof Tan felt that the polls could be called within the next six months, while Assoc Prof Singh said it could be as early as weeks after the National Day Rally — normally held two weeks after National Day.

Recent hints that polls could be held soon include Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s May Day Rally speech, which observers said carried a heavy political accent, and his targeted Cabinet reshuffle in April.

Meanwhile, on Dr Ng’s comments that the new faces from the civil service, military and police will be “in the minority” — contrary to the norm for the party — Assoc Prof Singh said the PAP may have realised it needs to recruit talent that reflects the changing socio-economic and political flavour of the nation. “The Opposition has hardly got the government-type people on its slots and has been doing well with the electorate,” he noted.

Whether coming from the private or public sector, Dr Koh stressed that candidates need to be able to manage complexities at the helicopter-view level, as well as have a good understanding of how ordinary Singaporeans think, feel and act.

Echoing Dr Ng, she added: “Managing a town council is the very basic criteria, and has to be done well. So whether from the public sector or the private one, the heart of service and these capabilities will be key.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

July 6, 2015
MND: AHPETC’s Accounts Exacerbate Concerns

A day after the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) submitted its overdue financial statements and report for FY2013, the Ministry of National Development (MND) issued a response, saying that the documents reinforced its concerns about the town council’s state of financial affairs.

The MND, noting that the statement and report — submitted on Tuesday (June 30) — were 10 months late and that AHPETC required repeated reminders, said it will study the report. But it pointed out the auditors engaged by AHPETC had disclaimers of opinion in their report — the third consecutive year the town council has received qualified statements from its independent auditors.

Audit Alliance, the auditors appointed by AHPETC, had flagged eight areas of concern, some of them similar to issues raised by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) in its report on AHPETC accounts for FY12/13.

The auditors found that there was no segregation of duty between the person certifying invoices from FM Solution and Services (FMSS) for Managing Agent services, and the person approving related payment vouchers. AHPETC’s deputy general manager, who is a shareholder and director of FMSS, certified 12 invoices received from FMSS for Managing Agent services totalling S$2.1 million, and approved the related payment vouchers. The total value of related party transactions increased to S$8.5 million in FY13, from S$6.8 million in FY12.

The auditor also found that in the case of three tenders called, the Managing Agent failed to declare whether the specifications gave preference to any particular tenderer.

There was also no documentation on whether the tender specifications were approved by the Tenders and Contracts Committee of the town council.

AHPETC also breached the Town Council Financial Rules by failing to make transfers into the bank account of the sinking funds as required. Its transfers were up to 15 months late and errors were discovered in the computation only after the AGO audit.

And it paid for town improvement expenses out of its sinking fund, which is not allowed under the Town Councils Act.

The auditor also said it could not verify whether certain items in the accounts were accurate, such as the FY13 opening balance, and the completeness of the town council’s liabilities as at March 31 2014.

All town councils must submit their audited financial statements, auditors’ reports and annual reports to the MND by August 31 each year. These are then tabled to Parliament and a copy of the audited financial statements and any report made by the town council’s auditor is also forwarded to the Auditor-General.

The MND noted that AHPETC went from an annual operating surplus of S$1.1 million in FY11 to a deficit of S$1.53 million in FY12 and a deficit of S$2.01 million in FY13. The town council also previously understated the annual operating deficit in FY12 by half.

“AHPETC’s financial position has consistently deteriorated between FY11 and FY13, even though the (town council) received full government grants from MND during these three years,” the MND said. “AHPETC’s latest financial statements and reports reinforce MND’s existing concern about the (town council’s) state of financial affairs.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

July 2, 2015