In several blog posts I have wondered aloud if the WP had done wrong by their constituents in AHPETC then why didn't the CAD or CPIB go in, investigate and charge them. I was pretty upset with the PAP for trading accusations with WP and no action. I was even more upset when MND decided to withhold funds designated for AHPETC. I thought the WP was done for, they were going to run out of money to pay for TC services.
So I started digging and investigating, I retrieved the published judgement of Justice Quentin Loh and read it for myself.
I learned that the Town Council Act was designed for voters to take full responsibility for whoever they had voted to be their MPs. The government have no legal recourse to step in and take over the town council management until it is too late. In fact if the MPs were dishonest it is pretty easy to monkey around in countless ways depending on how good you are at hiding nefarious activities. So this was how Justice Loh recorded his displeasure when he delivered in judgement. I found on page 80 the following.
Very simple, had AHPETC not constituted under the town council act but say a condominium estate, the WP is in a pickle now. And below was how the judge described Sylvia Lim on page 78.
I want to see some opposition MPs in parliament but they must have more integrity than this. People must distinguish between the appearance of running a town council well from one that only appear so and is not sustainable but decaying on the inside. Unfortunately this is also the situation in many countries. I am glad the WP is not going to form the government by a very long shot.
What else is there to find out? Might end up revisiting the AIM saga in more detail eventually.
Per what M Ravi say, why does the PM has a hand in appointing judges if our institution is independent?
ReplyDeleteDoes judge Quentin Loh have a good comprehensive knowledge in accounting and auditing too?
The difference between Najib and WP is that the former has a full reign of the govt and power today. And WP is not the ruling party. Does it excuse them if they commit wrong, of course not. But I believe the communication to say that they are not in jail is a counterproof that they haven't don't anything illegal. Are they so stupid to do anything under those watchful eyes of PAP? If so, why would PAP wait?
I didn't read Quentin Loh's judgement until recently and there is a huge difference reading stories about it and digging into it yourself. I always knew it mattered but had decided will only do it near the GE which is now.
DeleteMy guess is you didn't read what the judge wrote since you already used M. Ravi to discredit the independence of our judiciary. Go ahead and vote opposition. That is your right.
You choose to believe that everything WP says is right and everything that PAP says is false. And even the High Court judge would say stuff to side with PAP. So is what is there to say to you? Waste time only.
DeleteGo and vote for any opposition party that is contesting your constituency and be satisfied.
s y Tan, where did you get the idea of, "You choose to believe that everything WP says is right and everything that PAP says is false."
DeleteActually who were you referring to? I believed the judge. Who in is his or her right mind doesn't? Like many I have hoped better from the WP but am very disappointed.
Johnislam.blogspot.sg
ReplyDeleteWP has cleaned up its AHPETC financial mess substantially. See its auditor report for FY14/15. What's outstanding are the opening balances when TC changed hand in 2011.
ReplyDeleteNo excuse for WP for not doing a better job, though. I am counting on PAP to be a huge check to keep WP straight and narrow before it grows up.
I just wonder how Judge Loh's view of PAP's conduct if the TC handover and AIMgate is brought before him. Like you have said many times, one is a pot and the other, a kettle.
I have been wondering how to study this systematically. I had started by looking at the latest development. Perhaps it makes sense to start from the leaves to the branches and back to the roots before a firm conclusion is possible. I am going to look at the AGO report more carefully next.
DeleteThere is so little time!
I left a long comment here yesterday night but it got deleted (?). Anyway if you did, you've every right to do so as this is your blog.
ReplyDeleteBut the picture comparing with Najib is grossly unfair. The difference is that S'poreans KNOW that the PAP is "sue until bankruptcy or jail happy" and will not hesitate to prosecute if there 's the slightest hint of wrongdoing. Especially for a real threat likr WP. Miraculously after all the huff and puff, not one not two but nine WP MPs have survived intact after 4 years. And the TC is kept clean & running. Without being able to follow all the details, they're smart enough to draw their own conclusions accordingly. Especially since PAP has a reputation of exaggerating even small matters like cleaning of hawker centre, James Gomez filling up forms, as if everything is a major national infringement.
No JG, I didn't delete your earlier comment but I did receive it because blogger email a copy to me. In fact I was looking for your comment this morning and wondered why it wasn't here. Ironically I thought you deleted it yourself. Anyway I got it.
DeleteSince you didn't delete it, I am going to copy and paste it here.
Reposting inexplicably lost comment by JG on Sun, Sep 6, 2015 at 10:22 PM
ReplyDeleteNot here to change your opinion about WP. But just responding to "what else is there to find out".
1) Download the latest Mar'15 AHPETC annual report (http://www.ahpetc.sg/annual-reports/). Understand the reason why their accounts are still given only "disclaimer of opinion" (vs true and fair) in page 10-12 of that PDF file. Compare that with Mar'12 annual report (pg 8 of that PDF file) which was the first time AHPETC was audited and given also "disclaimer of opinion". Most of the reasons for today's disclaimer is the inability to obtain access to previous auditor's (under PAP) work papers to authenticate opening balances. Discuss with your accountant friend what this means : "if you take over a TC and (as LTK puts it "all the computers were taken away when we walked into the office on day 1") you've to implement a new ERP system from scratch and the previous TC does not allow its auditors to provide access to their work papers to authenticate opening balances, what is the prospect of you ever getting "true and fair" opinion in your audit? And how long do you think it will take to prepare for an audit?".
2) Read Sylvia's concluding reflections in page 4 of that PDF file, particularly about the difficulty in suddenly scaling the Hougang's ERP system (9000 residents) to handle AHPETC (74,000 residents) and is still today, a work in progress.
3) Read the AGO's report about lapses in PA and then imagine if that if the Govt is alarmed, and ask AGO to launch a full scale 10 month full time forensic audit (with additional resources from PWC) to dig further, and then imagine if these findings are presented before Judge Quentin : Imagine what the Judge would have said. Unfortunately, this can only be "imagine" because .. you know, this will never happen ... But I've listed this item becos you've to understand the Judge's comments in context, not in isolation.
Everyone is entitled to their expectations of WP in this matter. The only thing I can ask is : what is a "fair" expectation, given these circumstances (AIM, no access to auditor's work papers, new ERP, no other bidders for contract)? The other factor in terms of circumstances is that till today, very few qualified people are willing to risk their family & career to go on the side of opposition. In WP's Aljunied team, the only "highly qualified" people are lawyers.
Whatever that "fair" expectation is, lets turn the table around. If George Yeo & Shanmugam & Davider Singh were to form a party (apart from the PAP) and won Aljunied GRC, and the same set of circumstances presented itself UNEXPECTEDLY (ie. AIM, no ERP system to replace, refused access to old auditor's work papers, MPs with limited actual biz experience), do you expect that such men of integrity would have met your expectations on handling this issue ?
Most people forgot what happened after GE2011 -- the MSM was predicting that rubbish will pile up, streets will not be swept, etc in the immediate aftermath. After all, how are a new team going to suddenly hire tons of cleaners? None of these happened because the new WP team prioritised getting things done first and foremost above everything else. Isn't this in and of itself, already a major achievement? No? Then go back to the imagined scenario above - if George Yeo, Shanmugam & Davinder were in opposition & suddenly given a TC to manage, do you think they can find the resources quickly to get the town cleaned? Put up an ad for contractors -- nobody dare to bid. So start hiring from scratch? Will you also then extrapolate and say that you're glad George Yeo, Shanmugam & Davinder are not forming the next Govt ?
Yep, I used your link to download AHPETC annual report. Thanks!
DeleteI think Mr Sapari and Mr Teo CH needs accounting lessons from Mr Sitoh YP. Punggol east indeed was in deficit as per income statement. They confused voters about an unpaid receivable that could cover deficit. Total bull as this receivable when paid, goes to the cash flow statement not income statement!
ReplyDeleteYou are completely right on this. The DPM has been caught wanting here and I hope this fact goes around. The birds in hand are what is counted. Beyond that who knows? It must not be counted until it comes in, if at all. Of course it was a deficit.
Delete