Advertisement

GE2015: Workers’ Party debunks AHPETC ‘myths’ at first election rally

One of many supporters who purchased Workers' Party flags at the rally.

Like the title of a popular TV programme, Workers’ Party members were playing the role of “mythbusters” over the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga at the party’s first rally before the general election.

Thousands of people gathered at the open field at Hougang Central on Wednesday night (2 Sep) to listen to chairman Sylvia Lim, party chief Low Thia Khiang, Hougang SMC incumbent Png Eng Huat and Pritam Singh address the town council issue, which was the dominant theme in their impassioned speeches.

The party continues to face questions over the management of the AHPETC’s accounts and the collection of service and conservancy charges (S&CC).

After greeting WP supporters, Lim began her speech by “debunking” myths about the AHPETC issue.

The first myth was about how the leading opposition party was using AHPETC to reserve contracts for friends. Lim said this was not true as contracts were awarded after an open tender had taken place.

She then highlighted the second myth of “overpayment” to AHPETC’s former managing agent (MA) and the third myth of the MA having the authority to sign cheques themselves.

“What is too much profit? MND (The Ministry of National Development) did not say,” Lim said. Without clarity by MND on the issue, she added that PAP’s Nee Soon and Sembawang GRC town councils have made “overpayments” as well.

On the signing of cheques, she said that it was “not possible” for payments to be made without cheques being countersigned by herself and other WP MPs.

Various ministries and statutory boards faced similar issues but Png said “the treatment of AHPETC is very different.”

The whole saga, Singh said, showed how the town council framework could be structured to damage Singapore’s democracy and that it can be used as a “political tool” to curb “support for the opposition”.