The day that WP has been long dreading is here

Pic: Fabrications About The PAP

Despite the Worker's Party leadership's best efforts to deflect, delay, obstruct and remain unaccountable for the mess that is the AHPTEC/AHTC Accounts, the day of reckoning has arrived.

Here's a brief recap to how things have reached this stage.

4 Nov 2016: HDB asks Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), to take steps to recover improper payments that it made.

17 Feb 2017: Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) appoints an independent panel to review the findings of a KPMG report that said the towncouncil had "serious flaws" in governance and made improper payments amounting to millions of dollars to third parties. After consultation with HDB, the three people who were appointed are panel chairman Philip Jeyaretnam SC, and members Mr N Sreenivasan SC and Mr Ong Pang Thye (managing partner of KPMG LLP).

So what will happen next?

Will the implicated WP MPs do the honorable thing and resign? Thereby triggering off a By-Election?

Will there be criminal charges brought against those involved? And when that happens, will there be a By-Election since the person(s) may be disqualified as an MP upon conviction. (See Disqualifications for membership of Parliament).

Is this the beginning of the end for the Worker's Party? Will this end the Worker's Party dominance as Singapore's premier Opposition Party? 

Will Chee Soon Juan jump in at this golden opportunity to sink WP to further his own (hopeless) ambition to be elected as an MP?

Or will the WP MPs simply deny, deflect, play the victim card and continue to disavow any responsibility for the mess that THEY created THEMSELVES?

And people say that Singapore politics is boring.

Read more here:

Straits Times: AHTC takes legal action against Workers' Party town councillors over past payments (25 July 2017)

Straits Times: AHTC alleges that all payments totalling $33 million made to ex-managing agent are void (26 July 2017)

Read more about the AHPETC / AHTC saga here

"Sue until your Pants Drop!!!"

Source: Robert the Otter Facebook page








For context to the comic ...

So should the PM take Hsien Yang to court? Consider this recollection:

“When i recounted how when I was about 13, my father had told me if anything happens to me please take care of your mother and younger sister and brother.

Singapore was then part of Malaysia, we were in a fierce fight with the central government and the communalists. My father didn’t tell me but he knew his life was in danger. Fortunately nothing happened to my father then, he brought up the family and he lived a long and full life.

Little did I expect that after my parents died, these tensions would erupt with such grievous consequences and after so many years, I would be unable to fulfil the role which my father had
hoped I would. So I hope one day these passions would subside and we can begin to reconcile."

https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/videos/vb.93889432933/10154769316607934/

No one will be spared, nothing will be swept under the carpet

Pic: Singapore Matters FB page

SINGAPORE - The swift action taken after a complaint was received about the former general manager and secretary of Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) shows the "essence of how the Government is run", said Minister of Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam on Friday (Jan 6).

"Regardless of who and regardless of the fact that this is the general manager of Ang Mo Kio Town Council, if there is an allegation, it will be investigated and no one will be spared," he said.

"No town council, no one, nothing will be swept under the carpet. That is why Singapore is successful, because we take probity in public office very, very seriously."

Mr Shanmugam was asked about the case on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the results of a review of criminal investigation processes.

Mr Victor Wong, who works for CPG Facilities Management, the managing agent of the town council, is under investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

He was asked to go on leave by his company after the town council received a complaint about him in September, town council chairman Ang Hin Kee told The Straits Times on Dec 29.

Mr Ang had said that the complaint "arose out of his dealings which relateto probable behaviour needing investigation done by CPIB".

Mr Shanmugam also contrasted the actions taken by AMKTC to the practices of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), which had come under fire last year (2016) for lapses in governance by auditor KPMG.

"(In) the only place where this Government is not in charge ... you have people appointing their cronies to run the Town Council. You have the Town Councillors being misled about the terms on which the cronies were appointed," he said.

He added: "But Ang Mo Kio Town Council, complaint made, CPIB is in. Aljunied Town Council, court application after court application, auditor general to investigate because they wouldn't give the information to their own auditors, their own auditors prepared a report saying we are being denied the information. You call that good behaviour with public funds?

A 68-page report by KPMG on AHTC's accounts released in November last year (2016) revealed that payments totalling at least $23 million were approved by town council members with a conflict of interest.

Improper payments totalling about $1.5 million were also identified.

The Court of Appeal had ordered the town council managing the opposition wards of Aljunied GRC and Hougang single-seat ward to appoint a Big Four accounting firm to establish whether any past payments it made were improper, and ensure it complied with the laws.

The report is part of an ongoing audit of AHTC following significant lapses in governance flagged by its own auditors as well as by the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) in a special report in February last year, which was debated in Parliament.

Mr Shanmugam added: "Eventually, all of this will have to come full circle, once the auditors finish their work. There is more to come."

Pic: Singapore Matters

Source:

• The Straits Times - (6 Jan 2017) No one will be spared, nothing will be swept under the carpet: K. Shanmugam on probe of Ang Mo Kio Town Council ex-GM

• ST Video of interview (You gotta to see Min Shanmugan slam-dunk WP here).

• Related Story: Ang Mo Kio Town Council general manager under CPIB probe

Read more here:

• Channel NewsAsia: 'Let the law take its course' (6 Jan 2017)
• Singapore Matters: What's the difference between AMK TC and AHTC?

=================

DTCL Thots:

(1) Obviously we have not yet seen the end of the AHPETC/AHTC saga.

(2) Somebody, apart from Victor Wong, is gonna get hurt real bad... somebody (or somebodies)

(3) We bet that the final chapter will open when criminal changes brought about over the AHPETC / AHTC saga.

(4) ... and when that happens, will there be a By-Election since the person(s) may be disqualified as an MP upon conviction. (See Disqualifications for membership of Parliament).

(5) Will WP be able survive this disaster of their own making and to hold on to their seats in Parliament? Or will WP sink into oblivion?

Reactions to the KPMG Report on the AHPETC / AHTC

Pic: Singapore Matters FB Page

Pic: Screen-cap from Goh Meng Seng's FB page

Pic: Fabrications About The PAP FB page  Quote Source: Goh Meng Seng FB page

Danny Loh: the missing link in the AHTC saga

By Bertha Henson, The Middle Ground 

"... It’s a pity that documents and emails have been deleted from the accounts of the FMSS directors and employees.

Said KPMG: “Email archives pertaining to How Weng Fan were not present on the electronic device that we were informed was assigned to her.” 

On June 2 last year, 17 documents and four email archives were deleted from the profile of Mr Loh.

We wonder what Mr Loh could have said if he was alive. ..." (See Full Article here)

When Town Council managers start issuing cheques to themselves outside… 

By 'I Tahan You Very Long Already'

"... Now every resident of Aljunied and Hougang has to ask himself- Can I trust the denials of my Town Council and MPs any more? Will my hard-earned money be paid to WP supporters? Will the Town Council properly maintain my lifts, electricity fittings and other essential amenities?   ..." (See Full Article Here)

AHTC getting sued 

By 'Thoughts of Real Singaporeans'  

"... The Workers’ Party have always been a credible opposition party. They can no longer brush this issue aside as they had done previously because their own independent (read NOT PAP) auditors found these lapses (and there is just no way they could blame the PAP for it).

All eyes will be on their leader Low Thia Khiang as he needs to continue and show that the Workers’ Party are not like the cronies of the PAP and rise above this AHTC / AHPETC saga. 

Are his Workers’ Party members as loyal as they seem? or will they hightail, rat each other out and leave him to face the consequences? ..." (See Full Article here)

No Way Out for Workers Party 

By 'onwardssignapore' 

"... Some interesting observations, first, how long do they need to correct the accounts? It’s already slightly more than a year since GE2015. Time is precious, no? If this is a measurement of effectiveness, they have failed miserably. ..." (See Full Article here)

Pic: Onwardssignapore

Pic: FLOP FB Page

Pic: Squeaky Hammer FB Page

Read more below

• Straits Times: MND, HDB ask WP-run AHTC to take steps to recover improper past payments (4 Nov 2016)

• Ministry of National Development: MND’s Statement on the KPMG Report (4 Nov 2016)

• Channel NewsAsia: KPMG notes 'serious flaws' in AHTC's governance (1 Nov 2016)

• Mothership.Sg: KPMG’s report on Aljunied-Hougang Town Council’s so serious, the word “criminal” was mentioned (1 Nov 2016)

• KPMG Report on AHTC: Report on Improper Payments (31 Oct 2016) (Backup link)

Breaking news : Independent Auditors find questionable transactions amounting over S$1.5m

Now we know why WP has been so reluctant to resolve the AHPETC / AHTC Account mess.

Now we know why WP has been wanting to appoint their choice of incompetent Auditors.

Now we know why WP wants to have a "non-disclosure" clause before releasing the account documents to the Auditors and PRPTC.

As the Chinese proverb says, “紙包不住火“, which literally means that paper cannot cover fire.

The factual truth about how the AHPETC / AHTC 's sad state of financial affairs came about, will soon be exposed. 

Transparency and Accountability indeed. Let's wait and see what sort of lame excuses WP will come up with now.



================================================

AHTC made millions in improper payments, KPMG flags concerns about criminal conduct

TODAY : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/ahtc-made-millions-improper-payments-some-shortcomings-if-deliberate-could-amount-criminal

SINGAPORE — Independent auditors have found that flawed governance in the Workers’ Party-run Aljunied Hougang Town Council (AHTC) led to improper payments running into the millions to various parties, including to its former managing agent FM Solutions & Services (FMSS) and service provider FM Solutions and Integrated Services (FMSI).

In a report made public on the town council's website on Tuesday (Nov 1), KPMG said improper payments to FMSS and FMSI alone amounted to over S$1.5 million.

AHTC also overpaid when it appointed FMSS as its managing agent by more than S$1.2 million, said KPMG, which was appointed by AHTC on court orders to help fix compliance and governance lapses uncovered in a special audit by the Auditor-General’s Office.

Read the full article here : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/ahtc-made-millions-improper-payments-some-shortcomings-if-deliberate-could-amount-criminal

Workers Party demonstrate what it means to be "Transparent & Accountable"

So in the long running drama that is the AHPETC / AHTEC Town Council accounts, the Workers Party have decided that in the best interest of the public, as well as to demonstrate what it really means to be "Transparent & Accountable", WP are demanding that a Non-Disclosure clause be imposed BEFORE any Town Council Documents relating to Punggol East SMC (which Lee Li Lian lost in the 2015 General Elections to PAP's Charles Chong) is released to Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC) to finish the handover of accounts.

According to a TODAY news article, there are two reasons given by AHTC vice-chairman Sylvia Lim to explain why there has been a delay in handing over the Accounts.

(1)  There are "... confidentiality concerns that “need to be worked out”. Information relating to the town council’s vendors, contracting rates, and staff must not fall into the hands of a third party."

and

(2) that it would be "... physically challenging for AHTC staff to sieve through files and extract documents pertaining only to Punggol East."

First reason given - The Docs are "confidential" and must not fall into the hands of a "third party".

Can we say that this reason is rubbish to the nth degree? Why should the documents of the Town Council be "confidential"?  Who are the "third parties" that you are afraid of?

You are managing and operating a public entity. You are dealing with pretty mundane municipal matters like maintenance, area cleaning, facilities management etc. You are NOT a company with confidential Intellectual Property or designs that could be stolen by a competitor.

And what third parties? The Govt? What bullshit! The AGO just audited you. The PAP? Come on lah, you lost the SMC to the PAP. And they (PAP & PRPTC) are taking over Punggol East SMC from you. They have every right to any and all documents relating to PE SMC.

Unless, of course, you have something to hide which is either horribly embarrassing or will be politically very damaging to the Workers party (like showing how incompetent the Town Council was managed and where all the TC surplus was spent on).


Second reason - "Physically challenging"???   

What kind of a rubbish, bull-shit, primary school level type of excuse is this?

Hello! Didn't you invest in a new accounting/Town Council Mangt system when you took over in 2011? (See here, here and here)

Are you now suggesting that that this accounting/TC mangt IT system never materialised and/or is the system so badly built that the Town Council accounts are all hard-copy based?? (which in itself is a real cause for concern too. You spent the resident's money on the system but it fails to do the job it was designed for??)

Come on lah.. who are you trying to bluff?

The last few times AHPETC / AHTC tried to put obstacles in the way of the AGO / HDB in trying to sort out the TC accounting mess that WP created, it turned out that WP was simply trying to hide their incompetence from the public.

For example, back in Jan 2016, WP refused to use a "Big-Four" Audit firm to audit the TC accounts. Instead, WP wanted to appoint their own Auditors. It would later turn out that WP's choice of Auditors would be poorly qualified and simply not up to the task. 

And what's even more interesting is that in the end, all of  the WP nominated audit firms Business Assurance and MRI Moores, withdrew from being considered as AHTC's nominated accountants, without providing for any substantial reasons to explain their withdrawal.

What is interesting is that WP then applied to the Court for ACRA’s PMP documents (relating to WP's choice of Auditors) to not be released to the public. (CNA, 22 Jan 2016)

Isn't this all very suspiciously convenient? WP (intentionally?) chooses an incompetent unqualified audit firm. When this rejected by the Courts , WP applies to for the relevant documents to be kept secret. 

Why does WP want to seal the documents? 

And here's another fine example of WP's Transparency & Accountability moto in action. When the Court decided that a Big-Four Audit firm would be appointed, WP then tried to put a limit on what the Audit firm could check!

In MND's Reply to Media Queries on the Court of Appeal Hearing of 7 Jan 2016, it stated that: 

2(ii) Accountants’ Terms of Reference – AHTC’s Statement refers to the Court’s “helpful clarification that the accountants… were not being given a carte blanche to look into the TC’s affairs”. 

However: the Statement fails to disclose that AHTC had tried, unsuccessfully, to limit the accountants’ terms of reference, to: 

(a) Only the non-compliances identified by the Auditor-General’s Report (the “AGO Report”) of Feb 2015, and 

(b) Only any improper past payments involving its former managing agent, FM Solutions & Services (“FMSS”) and FM Solutions and Integrated Services (“FMSI”).

In other words, when WP failed to appoint an unqualified Auditor (perhaps in hopes that using an unqualified Auditor would mean less Audit findings.), WP had attempted to restrict what the Independent Auditor could do in its Audit.

And since the appointment of KPMG as the Independent Auditors, the public has since come to known that there are so many problems with the AHPTEC / AHTC accounts, that it really simply unbelievable.

The TC Accounts are under WP's direct control and oversight. How can WP have let things get into such a mess?

Why is WP constantly blocking access to documents?

Why did WP attempt to appoint unqualified Auditors?

Why did WP attempt to limit the scope of the Independent Auditors?

Is this an attempt at hiding something that would be disastrous for WP?

What ever happened to WP's promise of Transparency and Accountability?

What happened to WP's "over 25 years of experience managing Town Councils" ?

This are pertinent questions that remained unanswered by WP.

And yet, Low's response to the whole mess is simply this.

Read more here:

• TODAY: 25 Oct 2016 - AHTC seeks non-disclosure clause for document handover to PRPTC

• CNA: 7 Jan 2016 - HDB raises concerns about AHTC's choice of accountant

• Ministry of National Development: Reply to Media Queries on the Court of Appeal Hearing of 7 Jan 2016

• CNA: 22 Jan 2016 - Court orders AHTC to appoint 'Big 4' accounting firm 

• Read more about the AHPETC / AHTC saga

Workers Party glosses over the fact that there was no actual progress made on resolving the Audit Points

Pic: Fabrications About The PAP

WP's tradition of suppresio veri, suggestio falsi to paint a rosy picture of their slow progress (aka delay tactics). Nothing can be described as "successful" if it resolved nothing. Worse still if new implementations introduce more problems instead.

In fact, KMPG's July report stated that it found a further 70 control failures within the town council, in addition to the 115 control failures earlier identified by the Auditor-General's Office. 

This has been consistently what KPMG's monthly report been saying: "These Audit Points are unresolved ....or iii) because of identified shortcomings in the way in which they have been remedied. "

Fabrications About The PAP

15 October 2016 KPMG Monthly Report
(See Full Report)
Reference Section 1.2 - Summary of status as at Oct 2016 Report, Page 1

15 September 2016 KPMG Monthly Report
(See Full Report)
Reference Section 1.2 - Summary of status as at Sept 2016 Report, Page 1

"Referring to the lapses, KPMG said "no audit points were resolved" in the period since the last progress report last month.

While AHTC has put in place some measures to address these issues, several have not been fully implemented and others have not been tested, said KPMG. It added that some measures were also found lacking. As a result, they were not enough to bring the town council in line with the Town Councils Act, said KPMG."

Straits Times: 17 Sept 2016  - AHTC accounts: Audit points not resolved since last report

18 August 2016 KPMG Monthly Report
(See Full Report)
Reference Appendix A, Section A.1, Page 4

One major area it has to clear up is the more than 1 million transactions it had recorded in 18 temporary clearing accounts. 

So far, AHTC has investigated only 599 of these transactions after two months.

TODAY: 18 Aug 2016 - AHTC’s dummy code not fictitious, but processes weak: KPMG



20 July 2016 KPMG Monthly Report
(See Full Report)
Reference Appendix A, Section A.1, Page 12

In his post, Mr Shanmugam said that KPMG, which is AHTC’s own independent accountants, had uncovered even more faults than the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) and AHTC’s statutory auditors. He said the AGO and AHTC’s statutory auditors found 115 failures, and KPMG uncovered another 70 – making a total of 185 failures. “Since the AGO audit, the situation has not gotten better. It has gotten far worse,” he wrote.

Mr Shanmugam added that the report underlines a key issue: that AHTC’s leadership has neither upheld nor enforced integrity and ethical values. “The rot is at the top,” he wrote. “This should come as no surprise.”

He said the High Court and the Court of Appeal have already criticised the Workers' Party's Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Pritam Singh for suppressing the truth (designed to mislead) both in Parliament and in Court. “To them, the truth is a tradable commodity,” he said, adding that he would elaborate further on this in another post.

Channel News Asia: 23 Jul 2016 - KPMG report on AHTC paints 'devastating account' of town council mismanagement: Shanmugam


In a 43-page report posted by AHTC on its website on Wednesday, KPMG — which was appointed by the town council on court orders to help fix compliance and governance lapses following a protracted legal tussle — said it had identified a further 70 “control failures” after four months of work. 

These cut across key areas of governance, financial control and reporting, procurement and records management over five years. 

TODAY: 21 Jul 2016 - AHTC has ‘pervasive’ lapses, needs to ‘reset tone’



15 June 2016 KPMG Monthly Report
(See Full Report)

• Reference Section 2.3 - Status of Audit points, Page 3 to 6. 
• Only 3 Sub-points - 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 - have been deemed satisfactorily resolved by KPMG.

The Rise of Loony Fringe wannabes in Singapore politics

US President Obama in the video may have been addressing the circumstances on how disingenuous person like Donald Trump can become a viable candidate for the US presidential office.

However,  what Obama is talking about can be easily observed in Singapore politics as well.

Instead of putting forward viable, alternative policy solutions/suggestions for the electorate to consider, many MP-wannabes chose instead to use tactics which are very similar to what Donald Trump is using - namely half-truths, out-right lies, implying conspiracies, casting innuendos, stroking populist dissatisfaction and anger to order to win votes.

Pic: Onward Singapore

Is Singapore prepared to see her political debate devolve as what is happening in the US, where persons of doubtful character can stand forward to be elected as part of the Govt?

Are Singaporeans ready to put their trust and faith in persons who consistently twist and lie in the face of factual information?

Some of Singapore's Loony Fringe MP-wannabes and political activists/bloggers

In the UK, we have seen how the Brexit politicians campaign for their cause to leave the EU by using misleading half-truths to woe the electorate.

Pic: Another Angry Voice Blog

And when these same 'Leave' politicians are confronted by their own media for their promises and claims made, they simply deny any responsibility for their words. The immediate impact of the Brexit vote was the overnight deterioration of the british economy which continues to this day.

Pic: CBC News

But Singaporeans only need to look around the immediate region to see examples of what can happen to a country in a very short time when the wrong people are elected to positions of power.

Philippines's extra-judicial killings of drug dealers without due process, is controversial to say the least.

Even in our own backyard, we can clearly see how the Worker's Party is just floundering in the Town Council accounting mess. Two election cycles have passed, and yet the Accounts still cannot be verified and cleared up once and for all.

Some will disagree and say that similar issues exist in PAP constituencies, just not highlighted by the local media.

But consider this  - Even IF this was indeed a political ploy (and I am NOT saying it is) to put WP in a bad light, what does it tell you about WP when after more than 5 years now, the accounts still cannot hold up to impartial scrutiny by the independent Auditors?

Surely by now, WP would have caught up with the plot and taken immediate measures to resolve this in as short a period as possible? Is that what WP is doing? Why is it taken so long to resolve these accounting issues?

Singapore does not need an Opposition simply for the sake of opposing the Govt of the day.

What Singapore really needs, whether as part of the ruling party or the Opposition, are persons of integrity with a compassionate heart for serving Singapore to improve the lives of all Singaporeans, and not doubtful characters who are simply furthering their own political agenda and satisfying their selfish desire for power and revenge.

Short Thoughts on recent events

The Lion vs The Dragon

China is pressuring / heckling / threatening Singapore for our stand on the South China Sea issues. Apparently they are not happy with us advocating for a world where small and large countries abide by a “rules-based international order” (in reference to The Hague Tribunal's South China Sea Ruling).

So now China is getting real angsty with Singapore, a country whose geographical size and population is easily dwarfed several times over by any one of China’s cities by spreading patently false news about Singapore's actions in NAM and even threatening economic sanctions.

We can reasonably infer three things about Singapore from China's reaction.

(1) Singapore's oversized influence on the world stage

What we say and do as a country carries significant clout/influence on the world stage despite of our tiny size. China is aware of keenly this and wants to mitigate the impact/fallout from our stand on the South China Sea issue.

(2) Singapore will not succumb to external pressures that are prejudice to her interests

Our stance on the issue may have been surprising/unexpected/shocking to China. After all, they are such a huge country with one of the world’s largest economy. 

Their surrogate’s reactions tell us what is in their minds. China, as the BIG country, had fully expected Singapore, the TINY country, to be compliant with China’s wishes/whims. The last thing they expected was for Singapore to have its own strong stand/opinion on the issue.

I think they forget that Singapore has been (and still is) through that sort of pressure (both political and economic) before from her neighbors over various issues. Just think Water Supply and Trans-boundary Haze and how Singapore was harassed over these issues.

And Singapore has never caved in or done anything that would be prejudicial to her interests. Even when the US pressured Singapore over the Michael Fay incident, we did not give in to their demands. (ok, we did give them a bit of face by reducing the number of cane strokes that Fay received. But the sentence was still carried out.)

(3) Singapore's Leaders have Balls of Steel the necessary courage to stand up to bullying tactics

Our leaders have the moral courage to take a principled stand, which is consistent with international law, to protect Singapore’s long term interests. We do not cave in to short term political or economic threats to us.

So yeah, China, you can go suck it.

Thailand Terror Threats

Just today (11 Oct), the Thai Police announced that there was an armed group was plotting car bomb attacks in a province near Bangkok. I hope that nothing of the sort happens and the Thais will be able to handle this threat quickly.

I also fervently pray/hope that nothing similar will ever happen in Singapore. And even if it does, that Singaporeans will stand united and strong as one and not falter in the face of terror threats.

Look at the Govt's preparation for terror attacks vis a vis SG Secure movement, the SAF's Army Deployment Force (ADF) and the SPF's Emergency Response Team.

US Presidential Elections

The US Presidential elections have, in my opinion, devolved into a reality show. What is truly horrifying is that Trump, a serial liar to the nth degree, with his disturbing stance on nuclear weapons use (seriously, Trump actually can ask why nuclear weapons should not be used??), can be taken seriously by US voters as a candidate for the highest office in the States. 

We are already seeing some signs of this sort of populist politicians coming into our own elections (read the 'loony fringe' politician-wannabes like HHH, Roy Ng etc). Lets just hope that our own elections do not go down the path of the US elections.

And in other news

The Govt is looking at:

(1) Measures to mitigate the fall from a Recession, just in case it happens. 

(2) Changing the Elected Presidency to strengthen the two-key protection of our national reserves. 

(3) Refining the CPF scheme, to better meet the changing retirement needs of Singaporeans 

(4) building and strengthening our ties with India, Australia and Norway 

(5) Contributing Temasek Rice seeds – a naturally bred rice stain which is hardy and able to withstand extreme weather conditions such as floods and drought - into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the world's largest secure seed storage facility. 

(6) Fighting the Aedes mosquito to prevent the Zika & Dengue viruses from spreading.

(7) Building up our National Taps to harden Singapore's water supply for the future.

  

When you take in the big picture of all the recent events around the world, and the activities of our govt, one really has to appreciate the mind-boggling amount of work that is being done. Singapore has huge challenges  and numerous complex issues facing us right now and in the immediate future. 

It is true that the Govt has the advantage of ministries to help with the work but the Ministers are the ones that have to set the direction and lead their respective Ministries. The Civil Service cannot, and should not be,  the ones  who set policy and direction. That is the purview of the elected govt. 

However, when we look at our largest group of elected Opposition MPs in Parliament, we really have to wonder what the heck is going on with them. 

Pic: Singapore Matters

The Workers Party with the largest group of Opposition MPs in Parliament, 6 elected MPs and 3 NCMPs, is still grappling with resolving AHPETC/AHTC accounting issues after more than 3 years now. 

Maybe that's why LTK wants to have 20 Opposition MPs. Even with 9 MPs, WP is still so ineffective/ 

inefficient that they need at least 20 to function properly.

And yet WP wants to take over the PAP and lead the Govt when they, all 6 MPs and 3 NCMPs, cannot even resolve their self-created accounting issues. 

You can't even handle a Town Council and yet you dare to dream of leading the Govt?

Seriously… WTF lah. 

Workers Party tries desperately to throw smoke to score points

So WP seems to be trying to use this little piece of new from the 5th Monthly Progress Report issued by KPMG to AHTC to boost their reputation.

Notice how they emphasize the "100% KPMG Check" and "No Duplicate or fictitious payments found" on their Facebook post.

If you didn't read the entire 5th Monthly Progress Report, it is likely that you would think that the Audit is going well for WP, that things are getting sorted out.

Unfortunately that is NOT the case.

PIc: Fabrications About The PAP FB Page

So really, what WP is trying to do is to distract your attention with some little piece of good news. By doing so, they hope that you won't actually go and read the actual 5th Monthly Progress Report for yourself.

Because if you read the 5th Monthly Progress Report, you will soon realize that that the AHPETC / AHTC Accounts mess is really a big pile of crap that has yet to be significantly cleared up.

Remember what WP kept on claiming during the elections - that they have "more than 20 years of experience in managing Town councils."

Read more here:

5th Monthly Progress Report

AHPETC /AHTC Posts

TODAY: AHTC’s dummy code not fictitious, but processes weak: KPMG

WP kungfu simply cannot make it - Round 2: Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill

On 15 Aug 2016, Workers' Party Chief Low Thia Khiang clumsily attempted to cast aspersions on the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill in Parliament.

However, in doing so, LTK exposed his own ignorance (or perhaps he is simply intentionally presenting half of the facts behind the bill) of what the Bill was about as well as its scope.

And Minister for Law, Mr K Shanmugam utterly destroys Low Thia Khiang's feeble claims.

Vid Source: Gov.sg YouTube Channel

This graphic shows how LTK was trying to smoke Singaporeans with his ignorance (or blatant presentation of half the facts).

Pic: Fabrications About The PAP Facebook page

What is the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill all about?

Here are some infographics from the Ministry of Law to help you understand.

Pic: Ministry of Law

Pic: Ministry of Law

And here are some online commentary about the Bill and how the debate in Parliament went.

Contempt law debate- a good day for Singapore 

By I Tahan You Very Long Already 

It was good fun watching the news last night. On the one hand, you have the good-intentioned technocrats from the ruling party trying to use facts and logic to explain why we need to have the contempt law written down properly for Singapore courts. 

In the other corner of the ring, Workers’ Party MPs were essentially using emotions to try to tug the heartstrings of voters; the big bully versus the man-in the-street narrative which they so often and conveniently pulled out to scare Singaporeans . Do not let these elites rule over you. We will protect your freedom, they say. 

When you break it all down, the WP was basically politicking without adding anything new to the debate. Most of the points they raised could have been brought up even before the introduction of the bill. But why didn’t they bring it up? 

Read the complete post here.

What is this new Administration of Justice Bill and should you be angry? 

By Benjamin Chiang, Five Stars and a Moon 

I don’t see why you should really. If a case is before the courts, a normal people would let the legal system do its work. Doesn’t matter if it’s Roy Ngerng, or Teo Soh Lung or Kong Hee – they have a right to fair trial and a fair trial means a system that is free of influence and prejudice. 

After the trial is over, you and every other media has a right to voice their opinions again and the defendant has the right to appeal with new facts, moving his case to a higher court. 

In today’s age of social media and online vigilantism, wrong data can go viral in just a few clicks. How many times have you grilled someone wrongfully and then regretted it when a counter story was posted? 

It would be a very sad day when an accused who has yet to face trial ends up bearing the full brunt of an online campaign designed to destroy his/her reputation. 

Read the complete post here.

And even the three Nominated MPs (NMPs) -  Mr Mahdev Mohan, Mr Kok Heng Leun and Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin - whom originally had concerns about this bill, and had proposed amendments to it, changed their minds after Mr K Shanmugam addressed their concerns in Parliament.

At the end of the 7-hour Parliamentary debate on this particular Bill, all three NMPs - withdrew their proposed changes and voted for the Bill.

Shiao-yin Kuik explains in a Facebook post (see below) why the NMPs changed their mind. And for her troubles, she is slandered by a rabid Anti-Govt / Opposition supporter.

Via NMP Shiao-yin Kuik's Facebook Post

Vid: Via Gov.sg YouTube Channel

Read more here:

TODAY: Heated debate in Parliament as contempt Bill passed

Ministry of Law: New Bill on Protection of the Administration of Justice

Straits Times: Second Reading Speech by Minister for Law, Mr K Shanmugam, on the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill

Straits Times: Parliament: New law spells out penalties for contempt of court, failure to comply with orders

Straits Times: Parliament: FAQs on contempt of court

TODAY: New law meant to deter public from expressing views, says WP

Straits Times: NMPs seek changes to Bill that spells out contempt of court

This is the type of lies that Opposition supporters like to tell

Vid: Fabrications About The PAP Facebook page

By Fabrications About The PAP Facebook page

Opposition's dirty trick.

NMP Shiao-yin Kuik voted for the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill. 

Now oppositions are trying to discredit and smear her with lies, taking one frame from a video when she is doing her hair and looking down, to allege she is sleeping in parliament.

A picture says a thousand words. But these words may be a lie.

WP kungfu simply cannot make it - Round 1: AGO Report on Govt lapses

Pic: FiveStarsAndAMoon

So while most Singaporeans were caught up with the excitement over Schooling's Gold medal and the pokemon obsession, this happened in Parliament on Monday (15 Aug 2016).

Shanmugam, Low Thia Khiang cross swords on overpayment of volunteer policeTODAY, PUBLISHED: 6:40 PM, AUGUST 15, 2016, UPDATED: 1:14 AM, AUGUST 16, 2016 

In Parliament on Monday (Aug 15) Workers’ Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang crossed swords with Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam over a lapse flagged by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO), which found that the police had overpaid its Volunteer Special Constabulary officers for seven years. The increase in the allowance was approved by officials who were not authorised under the legislation to do so.
During the exchange, Mr Shanmugam alluded to WP’s recent leadership challenge within its ranks and the opposition party’s management of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. Here is an excerpt: 

Mr Shanmugam: “The policy intent was to increase the allowance. The ministry headquarters agreed that the allowance should be raised and approved this... This was not the case of officers making decisions to increase allowances and deliberately by-passing the minister. The officers responsible for handling the earlier approval have been spoken to about their mistakes...” 

Mr Low: “The issue here is not how much we pay (the volunteers), we all appreciate their work. The issue is with the AGO’s report. First it was unlawful that officers who were not authorised to do so, approved the increase in payment. Then subsequently, the Minister decided to make it lawful… to approve, in retrospect. My question is, is this the correct way? For the Government to make an unlawful thing to become a lawful thing, an overpayment to become the correct payment, and is (this) the way to respond to AGO’s report?” 

Mr Shanmugam: “I thank Mr Low for his considerable interest in the matter, and I am glad he takes such a serious view of process errors. First of all, Mr Low heard me hear say quite clearly, what we have done is according to advice from AGC (Attorney-General Chambers). There are different types of errors. First there’s process error, then there can be an error in substance. And there can be an error both in process and substance. What happened here is a pure process error...contrast that with an error in substance, which may or may not have real consequences. 

For example, you have an association, and there’s going to be a challenge for the chairman, and the chairman raises some new voting members to defeat the challenge. The process is legal, but from the view of substance … is it correct? Depends on the circumstances. 

Take another situation. Let’s say a group takes over an organisation, and the organisation has a lot of money. The new group appoints its friends, and sets up a structure to help vacuum the money out of the organisation… and its own accountants say in writing, despite repeated requests, the organisation did not provide us with all the critical documents relating to transactions with the friends. Assume it happens every year, and yet the organisation doesn’t do anything. That is an error both in process and in substance, and that is unlawful, and that must have consequences. 

So let’s keep things in perspective. And since Mr Low is so interested in process errors… I’m sure he will be interested in errors of substance as well."

And what exactly is the implication of the 2016 AGO report?

Pic: itahanyouverylongalready

Parliament - AGO found public funds properly accounted for, no systemic lapses or fraud

Straits Times

SINGAPORE - The Auditor-General's Office (AGO) report on government agencies highlighted several lapses, but the AGO has given an unmodified audit opinion for the Government's financial statements as well as the accounts of statutory boards all along.
This means the accounts are reliable and prepared in accordance with the law, Senior Minister of State for Finance Indranee Rajah told the House on Tuesday (Aug 16).
"Public funds are properly accounted for and we know what they are being used for," she said in response to questions from Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) and Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC). 

"We have a system that is transparent and accountable, and with the Government responding to every weakness that is found," she added. 

The fact that the AGO reports lapses each year reflects this transparency and accountability and is part of how a robust system works, she said. 

Such a system includes a diligent and impartial AGO, agencies that willingly submit to AGO's audit, have their lapses displayed openly and seek to rectify them promptly. 

Mr Liang had asked whether the lapses reported by the AGO in its report for FY 2015/2016 uncover any systemic flaws and how agencies will strengthen their management of public resources to prevent future occurrence. Mr Lim had asked whether the latest report had highlighted any repeated breach of financial regulations and what action will be taken against officers who fail to take action to rectify these breaches. 

Ms Indranee said: "I can say with confidence from this year's AGO report and past years', that there is no evidence of a systemic weakness within government agencies with regard to compliance." 

Most of the lapses AGO highlighted are due to individual officers not complying with procedures, rather than weakness in the system as a whole, she said, adding that the respective agencies have - in all cases - taken steps to rectify the weaknesses identified. 

"It will be unrealistic to expect that there are no lapses found within the system each time a serious audit is done. With over 140,000 officers in the Public Service handling hundreds of thousands of transactions each year, human laxity or errors of judgment will happen," she noted. 

"We take each and every lapse seriously, but if nothing was found by AGO, we would be very concerned about the independence and rigour of AGO's audits." 

No findings of fraud, corruption or personal gain 

Neither is there any suggestion of financial malfeasance, such as fraud or corruption, in the AGO's findings, Ms Indranee said. 

"If there are any suspicions of wrongdoing, AGO does not hesitate to report them to the relevant authorities and highlight them in its report," she said. 

The Government also has zero tolerance for fraud or corruption, and acts promptly and thoroughly to investigate such cases, she said. 

Steps have been taken to rectify the lapses, including disciplining the officers responsible for them. Ms Indranee said 28 officers have been counselled or warned arising from this year's audit findings. One officer was put on a performance review process for repeated poor performance and subsequently left the organisation, she added. 

To improve how agencies manage contracts, the new Building and Infrastructure Centre of Excellence has been set up under JTC this year (2016). 

To strengthen procurement, since 2014, permanent secretaries and agency chief executives have been required to report to the Finance Ministry regularly with an assessment of the findings in procurement audits and their follow-up actions. 

"We will continue to tackle all lapses identified each year with the same resolve," Ms Indranee added.

Can WP and its supporters honestly and objectively say that the issue over the AHPETC / AHTEC Accounts has been handled by WP in a transparent manner?

Has WP come forward to give an explanation of what the AGO report found? Where is the accountability that WP always shouts about?

Pic: Singapore Matters

Read more here:

KPMG's Aljunied-Hougang Town Council Report on Progress (20 July 2016)

Backup source: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-Vd2Rny_eXLRVlGRk93amNzaEE

CNA: KPMG report on AHTC paints 'devastating account' of town council mismanagement: Shanmugam (23 July 2016)

CNA: KPMG findings on AHTC lapses of 'grave concern': HDB (21 Jul 2016)

OnwardSingapore: Workers' Party Loves Pig's Breakfast

Workers' Party In Review: The Damning Report from KPMG: 4th Progress Report 

Read more here.