MND report on AIM

[tequila_powered]

E M Services

Chairman of EM Services is a (now ex) PAP MP..

keyword - EX.

ie Oppostions has ex-PAP guys.

Is it true as alleged by gahmen that EMS guy supported WP? (this is a question, not a combative rebuttal)


EDIT - aiyah, I see my typos. It is FMSS, not EMS. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Kiwi8]

Aljunied-Hougang Town Council prepares handover

Aljunied-Hougang Town Council set for August 1 handover

If you want to interpret "on track" as "smooth".

But it also shows that everything was done on time then she came up with reasons why AHTC performance not up to par compared to other TCs. Both sides have their reasons, both are valid considering everything.

"on track" can mean based on the assumption that the contract with AIM was kept and that AIM did not issue a sudden 1-month termination letter to surprise AHTC.

 

[NTB2DO]

keyword - EX.

ie Oppostions has ex-PAP guys.

Is it true as alleged by gahmen that EMS guy supported WP?

No idea about that story, first time I heard about it.

However my understanding is that EM Services is govt-linked in some way.. Could that be the reason why they appointed "ex" PAP MP to be its chairman? Incidentally, AIM is chaired by "ex" PAP MP too..

 

[tequila_powered]

No idea about that story, first time I heard about it.

However my understanding is that EM Services is govt-linked in some way.. Could that be the reason why they appointed "ex" PAP MP to be its chairman? Incidentally, AIM is chaired by "ex" PAP MP too..

Nvm, I fubar-ed. I meant FMSS, not EMS. Sorry paiseh.

 

[Carnage]

E M Services

Chairman of EM Services is a (now ex) PAP MP..

HDB is shareholder of EM Services, I can't remember the share ownership. The remaining is owned by Keppel?

EM Services was set up by HDB if I don't remember wrongly.

 

[Carnage]

WP did not use a company that is linked to them. That was just a smoke screen.

Do you know about EM Services? Their shareholder is HDB.
Read here:
[FMSS Saga] The Real Story which ****ty times dont tell you - www.hardwarezone.com.sg

ehmm I didn't go past your starting post in that thread. I don't see where "HDB is shareholder of EMS"? Can you point out? Thanks.

Also, they alleged that the boss of EMS is linked as strong supporter of WP, not necessarily a WP office bearer. Can you explain their allegations [fact-fully]? Thanks

Trying to understand what is and what's not here [fact-fully].

belated edit - typo - FMSS, not EMS. sorry for post-confusion. This is how it should be read.

Also, they alleged that the boss of FMSS is linked as strong supporter of WP, not necessarily a WP office bearer. Can you explain their allegations [fact-fully]?

koxinga already explained how PAP views it.

That being a supporter for WP also means there's a link. Bloody stupid if you ask me.

 

[NTB2DO]

Nvm, I fubar-ed. I meant FMSS, not EMS. Sorry paiseh.

Ya it's true:

Highlights of the Debate on the MND Town Council Review Report – The Online Citizen

Issues with FMSS

Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in his round-up speech and subsequent responses that AHTC had awarded a contract to FMSS without a tender.

The town council financial rules allow for a waiver of tender, and in this case of AHTC, MND did not intervene.

FMSS was formed by people closely associated with the Workers’ Party – former Hougang town council General Manager, spouse, were contractors to Hougang town council, Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Hougang town council, who were also assentors and proposers for Yaw Shin Leong’s candidacy during the elections, etc.

FMSS was only formed on 15 May, 2011 – 4 days after the elections

FMSS was awarded a $5.2 million contract without a tender, and one year later was the only tenderer awarded a 16.8 million 3-year contract, etc.

Ms Sylvia Lim’s response was that there are only 3 companies providing town council management services and all 3 were doing business with the PAP town councils, and the incumbent managing agent actually asked to be released from providing services to AHTC.

So, they had no time to call a tender in the first year and nobody else tendered a year later.

She also explained that they complied with the conditions to waive a tender – urgency in the public interest – termination clause for service to be cut-off – time was running against us – As for the sole tender a year later, a special audit was conducted due to the sole tender and the auditing firm found the company complying to all requirements of the tender.

 

[superman]

Nope. I meant to say what I meant to say.

Maybe because last time I did procurement in the civil service. At least the way I was briefed was that there should not be a single hair linking any potential vendor/tenderer to the issuing authority. Unless the change the IM definitions, I thought this is the case. This is to avoid the case of allegations, not really from the public but from another competitor. Even if there is really no intention, well, you wanna avoid the process of proving your innocence,. which is a really bitch when the auditors/AGO are in the picture. (I meant this as my opinion, based on my own experience. Feel free to disagree)

But here is the thing, Khaw is signalling upfront that these do not apply in the case of TCs because they are 'political' entities. Here is where I feel uncomfortable. Until this incident, no one is really aware where does the line lay with respect to the TC.

Talk is cheap to say there should not be any linking, its the details that is difficult to draw out. Where do you draw a line, lets say you cannot award contract to a friend, how to define friend, people you know for a decade, people you only met once a year, people who follow you on facebook, people you only met when you go reservist. How about a friend of a friend you know very well, is it ok? Once you go into details, you will find that you can only DIY.

 

[Carnage]

Talk is cheap to say there should not be any linking, its the details that is difficult to draw out. Where do you draw a line, lets say you cannot award contract to a friend, how to define friend, people you know for a decade, people you only met once a year, people who follow you on facebook, people you only met when you go reservist. How about a friend of a friend you know very well, is it ok? Once you go into details, you will find that you can only DIY.

It's how they define it that irks me.

When it's to their advantage it's ok, when it's not they say opposition do so cannot. Why the inconsistent double standards?

 

[NTB2DO]

Talk is cheap to say there should not be any linking, its the details that is difficult to draw out. Where do you draw a line, lets say you cannot award contract to a friend, how to define friend, people you know for a decade, people you only met once a year, people who follow you on facebook, people you only met when you go reservist. How about a friend of a friend you know very well, is it ok? Once you go into details, you will find that you can only DIY.

And in WP's case, what other choice did they have other then to enlist help from their former Hougang TC management agent (who had FMSS set up in haste after WP's win in 2011)?

The estate management agent who was running the then-PAP Aljunied GRC did not wish to continue its service with WP.. So how?

And then, despite calling for tender a year later, no other TC estate management company (among those 3 which are currently managing PAP's TCs) were interested in taking up AHTC's tender (which makes perfect business sense to me: why risk losing business with PAP's 14 TCs just to get 1 business from WP leh?).. Since FMSS was the sole tenderer for the contract, if WP did't give the contract to FMSS, then who else can WP give the contact to? Give to thin air is it?

 

[NTB2DO]

Come to think of it, FMSS's case actually reveals the kind of uphill task that an opposition party could face upon winning a constituency from PAP, doesn't it?

 

[cybercom8]

And in WP's case, what other choice did they have other then to enlist help from their former Hougang TC management agent (who had FMSS set up in haste after WP's win in 2011)?

you must be naive to think it was set up in haste without any prior planning or preparations. this issue must have cropped up in discussions even before the election as one of their plans.

they had a choice to continue with the current TC management agent. WP could have gained more political capital if they had shown that they went with the previous agent but was rejected by them. instead, they clearly had a plan to replace the former agent and there were even correspondence to that effect.

 

[cybercom8]

Come to think of it, FMSS's case actually reveals the kind of uphill task that an opposition party could face upon winning a constituency from PAP, doesn't it?

uphill task? if you are in that industry and someone hands you a multi-million dollar contract without any tender, you will probably be extremely grateful for such an uphill task

 

[◆◇◆V◆◇◆]

you must be naive to think it was set up in haste without any prior planning or preparations. this issue must have cropped up in discussions even before the election as one of their plans.

they had a choice to continue with the current TC management agent. WP could have gained more political capital if they had shown that they went with the previous agent but was rejected by them. instead, they clearly had a plan to replace the former agent and there were even correspondence to that effect.

You must be naive, if you still think it is alright for WP to continue to use AIM.

Until the day ISA is abolished and our children dare to talk openly and criticize our gahmen about policies, who in the opposition camp will trust our world's best gahmen?

The people are not stupid u know.

 

[◆◇◆V◆◇◆]

uphill task? if you are in that industry and someone hands you a multi-million dollar contract without any tender, you will probably be extremely grateful for such an uphill task

No one dare to answer to the tender because it the first Opposition GRC. This is how SG is ruled, by fear.

If nothing is being done, not only we suffer, our children and their children will suffer.
More creative people will migrate, and the 4 races will be replaced by the foreign majority.

 

[cybercom8]

You must be naive, if you still think it is alright for WP to continue to use AIM.

Until the day ISA is abolished and our children dare to talk openly and criticize our gahmen about policies, who in the opposition camp will trust our world's best gahmen?

The people are not stupid u know.

was the ISA abolished when so many have criticised not only the govt policies but launched many personal attacks on anyone remotely linked?

unless you have other reasons for wanting ISA to be abolished?

 

[cybercom8]

No one dare to answer to the tender because it the first Opposition GRC. This is how SG is ruled, by fear.

If nothing is being done, not only we suffer, our children and their children will suffer.
More creative people will migrate, and the 4 races will be replaced by the foreign majority.

its not so simple lah...i am sure some entrepreneurs (non partisan) would be more than happy to land these lucrative contracts. just that usually in the business world, they know its almost like banging their head against the wall as some are more equal than others.

 

[◆◇◆V◆◇◆]

was the ISA abolished when so many have criticised not only the govt policies but launched many personal attacks on anyone remotely linked?

unless you have other reasons for wanting ISA to be abolished?

Sorry but i don't understand the 1st part... so i can't answer the second? But i think u mean to say "was the ISA used".

 

[NTB2DO]

you must be naive to think it was set up in haste without any prior planning or preparations. this issue must have cropped up in discussions even before the election as one of their plans.

they had a choice to continue with the current TC management agent. WP could have gained more political capital if they had shown that they went with the previous agent but was rejected by them. instead, they clearly had a plan to replace the former agent and there were even correspondence to that effect.

"In haste" because FMSS was set up merely 4 days after WP won Aljunied GRC mah..

And hold on.. Do they truly have a choice to continue with the current TC management agent? I thought Sylvia told Khaw that they need to give contract to FMSS because the current one didn't want to work for WP?


Here's what I read from TOC's report:

Highlights of the Debate on the MND Town Council Review Report – The Online Citizen

Issues with FMSS

Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in his round-up speech and subsequent responses that AHTC had awarded a contract to FMSS without a tender.

The town council financial rules allow for a waiver of tender, and in this case of AHTC, MND did not intervene.

FMSS was formed by people closely associated with the Workers’ Party – former Hougang town council General Manager, spouse, were contractors to Hougang town council, Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Hougang town council, who were also assentors and proposers for Yaw Shin Leong’s candidacy during the elections, etc.

FMSS was only formed on 15 May, 2011 – 4 days after the elections

FMSS was awarded a $5.2 million contract without a tender, and one year later was the only tenderer awarded a 16.8 million 3-year contract, etc.

Ms Sylvia Lim’s response was that there are only 3 companies providing town council management services and all 3 were doing business with the PAP town councils, and the incumbent managing agent actually asked to be released from providing services to AHTC.

So, they had no time to call a tender in the first year and nobody else tendered a year later.

She also explained that they complied with the conditions to waive a tender – urgency in the public interest – termination clause for service to be cut-off – time was running against us – As for the sole tender a year later, a special audit was conducted due to the sole tender and the auditing firm found the company complying to all requirements of the tender.

 

[NTB2DO]

uphill task? if you are in that industry and someone hands you a multi-million dollar contract without any tender, you will probably be extremely grateful for such an uphill task

its not so simple lah...i am sure some entrepreneurs (non partisan) would be more than happy to land these lucrative contracts. just that usually in the business world, they know its almost like banging their head against the wall as some are more equal than others.

Which begs the question: Why were there only 1 tender (ie from FMSS only) for WP's TC management contract leh?