Thursday, July 16, 2015

(More) Lapses In Governance

The Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) stumbled across a red herring. The chairman of Admiralty Citizen's Consultative Committee was caught with his grubby little hands in the cookie jar:
  • - the chairman approved awards of two contracts (totalling $32,000) to a company of which he was a member of the senior management;
  • - the chairman approved his own claims (totalling $114,767) in 7 instances.
The rogue chairman is not identified, no reasons are given. It's not like he's a minor, even 16 year olds in Singapore are routinely cuffed and shackled, strapped to an iron bed even. Like Lee Suan Yew, the horrible person's younger brother, who was a non-executive director of Hotel Property Ltd (HPL), which gave a discount to relatives without seeking shareholders' approval, the anonymous chairman was allowed to resign quietly and get off scot-free.

After all the hue and cry about related party transactions associated with a certain town council, Minister Khaw Boon Wah is saying that no dishonesty is involved, so let it rest, people. ("I am glad the investigation panel found no evidence of dishonesty. Nonetheless, it was a related-party transaction that was not declared.")

This was expected, coming from one who was equally honest about his $8 open heart operation. The jaundiced People's Association (PA) came up with a sneakier defence - that there was no irregularity in the payments as the amounts paid tallied with the quotations and the work rendered. Payment for what, payment to who, payment approved by whom, it all don't matter. So  will it come down to this: votes can be bought so long as the amount disbursed tallies with the amount received.

The lapse in governance is not an isolated instance in PA, the rot has spread to the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and Singapore Polytechnic (SP). The observation on ITE's short comings sound all too familiar: "ITE could also be perceived as favouring certain operators."

Interestingly, only the National Library Board (NLB) will be investigated by the police for "possible wrongdoings" involving $7.3 million spent for e-resources "based on weak justifications." Perhaps it has something to do with the particular minister involved.  So what else is new in corruption and cronyism free Singapore?

22 comments:

  1. Great timing to have this expose as we are all anticipating 12/9 to cast our vote.

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  2. That explain why the evil pappies are so eager to fix WP as early as possible before all these investigation start on their own backyard. Unfortunately god has eyes as those dubious charges against WP hold no water and drag the case so long that investigation has to proceed on the pap's backyard.

    As usual denial, coverup and excuse is what PAP's substance is made of.

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  3. It is farking stupid....if the PAP make examples of their own miscreats...they probably get more votes..by white washing it away...rumors spread...and repeated enough amongst the masses...will bite PAP dirty ugly backside in the end...zzz

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  4. Even if no MISDEED is found.

    28 Cases discovered so far and only 1 case is reported to Police for investigation according to Channel News Asia and Lianhe Zaobao.

    Clearly there were Mismanagements and extremely bad ones.

    patriot

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  5. Holy Cow! Karma is such a bitch, ain't it? Please come clean. Hold on, it's just an honest mistake - let's move on. I say, do we need an independent auditor to sign off all payments to prevent gross looting, like what is proposed for AHPTEC? There is a saying: Don't shit in your own grass-yard, the roots will smell. Will they withhold the Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC) operating grant for Sembawang Town Council? The general election cannot come soon enough.

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  6. With such scandals and looming recession, the timing of the election can't be better!

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  7. KBW can sleep easy because he knew our Shit Time will give it a non-worthy news swept under the carpet. Life goes on as per normal.

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  8. Haha.... What a sordid tale

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  9. Minister KBW who is a religious man and believes in karma must be truly glad that the investigation of the faceless CCC chairman from Admiralty ward was handled by People's Association and not by a more competent investigative agencies.
    As it is the grass loot leader was quickly cleared of dishonest intent and allowed to resign. No need to Hara kiri for bringing shame to the community he served.

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    Replies
    1. He resigned? sound more like running away and taking cover while KBW tried to protect his pet.

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    2. The chairman is guy named Tony Oh.

      Wow, why must he resign before he has a chance to explain himself? Since no "wrongdoing" right?

      When there is major lapses and breakdown in Smrt, the CEO and his team also never resign what! So this is one not guilty but must resign. Some more say is a very distinguishable man . Funny leh.

      If he is clean and not guilty, why must he go. He should explain and be transparent !

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    3. The chairman run-road already, just like a modern day Phey Yew Kok

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    4. http://redwiretimes.com/singapore-in-brief/pa-no-dishonesty-found-in-case-of-ccc-chairman-who-self-approved-over-s100000-in-personal-claims/

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    5. Aha, the chairman has been identified as BBM Tonic Oh Thai Nan
      http://statestimesreview.com/2015/07/16/corrupted-ccc-chairman-is-from-sembawang-grc/

      Where Ying Yang had Intan Mokhtar, Tonic had Vikram Nair at his side

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    6. Tonic became Toxic?
      So toxic that it must be dropped so quickly that the so called honest guy who didn't commit any crime can't even show face and explain the who/what/why/where?

      What does Mr Khaw or Mr Nair have to hide?

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    7. It is a bit late for our leaders to find out the tonic that they have been using turned out to be toxic.
      What a name,BBM Toxic Tan. Wonder whether the title BBM would be stripped off him.

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  10. So do they have any valid reasons for not revealing his/her name?

    Because he/she is related to some other big shot in PAP?

    Because it will stink PAP if they reveal it later that he/she will be standing for election?

    Because he/she was given some award recently?

    Your guess is as good as mine?

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  11. Are we in agreement that the PAP govt is a highly corrupted government? The high salaries merely made them more arrogant and emboldened.

    What Najib had allegedly done is boy scout stuff compared to what the PAP has done.

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  12. And this is only a small sampling audit by AGO. Imagine how much scum would float up if it were a 100% audit! Every year AGO perform similar audit; and every year similar observations arise without fail; and every year similar replies from the transgressing agencies that these are honest oversights and would not occur again. The PAP govt accept the lame excuses and moved on. Compare it with the Chee Soon Juan case which involved only a few dollars used for posting a parcel and was properly approved by his immediate superior. He was brought to the cleaners and lost his job.

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  13. Does AGO also investigate the SG50 funds huh?
    A looooot of monies have been splurged like waterfall I hear...Simisai also can.

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  14. While the Panel found no evidence of dishonesty....
    so non-declaration of conflict of interest is an honest act?
    approving his own personal expenses - to the tune of $100,000 - is an honest act?

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  15. The Public Service Star (Bintang Bakti Masyarakat) may be awarded to any person:
    a. who has rendered valuable public service to the people of Singapore; or
    b. who has distinguished himself in the field of arts and letters, sports, the sciences, business, the professions and the labour movement.

    And probably
    c. who has outdone himself in tapping grassroots business opportunities

    ReplyDelete