PAP responds to Low's charges on town council
By Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2015
The saga on town councils refuses to go away even as the People's Action Party (PAP) tries to shift voters' focus to national issues.
The PAP yesterday responded to the Workers' Party (WP) accusation the previous day that the ruling party had misled voters on the financial state of Punggol East SMC.
Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council chairman Zainal Sapari said Punggol East had a surplus of $21,363 in 2013, after taking into account $303,372 which could be claimed from an estate upgrading fund.
The constituency did not have a $282,009 deficit as claimed by WP chief Low Thia Khiang, wrote Mr Zainal in a Facebook post. At a rally on Saturday, Mr Low waved a page on the financial statement showing the alleged deficit.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC's anchor minister, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, also weighed in, noting that his town council had handed more than $22.5 million in cash to Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) in 2013.
This amount included sinking funds and project funds.
"Mr Low very dramatically showed one page of the accounts. There are 20-over pages in the accounts, so we should really look at the whole set of accounts," Mr Teo told reporters at a walkabout.
"We were very careful to hand over everything that was due to our residents here... We wanted to do right by them."
By Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2015
The saga on town councils refuses to go away even as the People's Action Party (PAP) tries to shift voters' focus to national issues.
The PAP yesterday responded to the Workers' Party (WP) accusation the previous day that the ruling party had misled voters on the financial state of Punggol East SMC.
Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council chairman Zainal Sapari said Punggol East had a surplus of $21,363 in 2013, after taking into account $303,372 which could be claimed from an estate upgrading fund.
The constituency did not have a $282,009 deficit as claimed by WP chief Low Thia Khiang, wrote Mr Zainal in a Facebook post. At a rally on Saturday, Mr Low waved a page on the financial statement showing the alleged deficit.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC's anchor minister, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, also weighed in, noting that his town council had handed more than $22.5 million in cash to Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) in 2013.
This amount included sinking funds and project funds.
"Mr Low very dramatically showed one page of the accounts. There are 20-over pages in the accounts, so we should really look at the whole set of accounts," Mr Teo told reporters at a walkabout.
"We were very careful to hand over everything that was due to our residents here... We wanted to do right by them."
The PAP lost Punggol East to the WP in a by-election in 2013 after Mr Michael Palmer, its MP and Speaker of Parliament, stepped down.
Veteran PAP MP Charles Chong, who is seeking to unseat WP's Lee Li Lian in Punggol East, said Mr Low was "probably misguided" when he gave the wrong figures.
"Most of my residents are pretty confused about this," Mr Chong said. "We want to extricate Punggol East out of this mess... start afresh."
PAP organising secretary Ng Eng Hen said the party will put the facts on record.
"If Mr Low agrees with the facts, he may have to issue a correction. I hope he's gentlemanly enough to accept that he was wrong in this regard," Dr Ng added.
For immediate release.On 24 August 2015, I was interviewed by Lianhe Wanbao on my potential candidacy in Punggol East...
Posted by Charles Chong on Wednesday, September 9, 2015
* Workers' Party 'deliberately misquoted me' on Punggol East funds: Charles Chong
The People's Action Party candidate for Punggol East SMC called on the WP to subject the accounts at the WP-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council to an independent audit to "bring closure" to the issue.
Channel NewsAsia, 9 Sep 2015
People's Action Party candidate Charles Chong said that the Workers' Party - whose candidate Lee Li Lian is the incumbent at Punggol East SMC - "deliberately misquoted" him on the issue of Town Council funds.
WP Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang said at a rally that after the WP won the single-seat constituency in a January 2013 by-election, it took over the Town Council with a deficit of about S$280,000.
However, in a press release on Wednesday night (Sep 9), Mr Chong said he was referring to the surplus at the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council. He also called on the WP to subject the accounts at the WP-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council to an independent audit to "bring closure" to the issue.
His press release, in full, is as follows:
"On Aug 24, 2015, I was interviewed by Lianhe Wanbao on my potential candidacy in Punggol East SMC for the then‐upcoming General Election. One of the issues covered in the interview was that of town council finances affecting Punggol East.
"The interview, carried in the Aug 25, 2015 edition of Lianhe Wanbao, quoted me as saying that when Punggol East was handed over to the Workers’ Party, the Town Council had a surplus in excess of S$1 million. This was clearly a reference to Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (there being no entity known as “Punggol East Town Council”).
"The Workers’ Party (WP) has deliberately misquoted me to give the impression that I said that Punggol East had a surplus of S$1 million when it was handed over to them. This is a very regrettable move on the part of the WP and has served to further confuse and mislead the public and also to distract voters from the main issue – that of the WP being unable to provide a set of unqualified accounts for Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) since the WP took over those constituencies.
"The lack of unqualified accounts and absence of transparency has prevented the public from properly understanding the true financial situation at AHPETC.
"For the record, Pasir Ris‐Punggol Town Council (PRPGTC) ended its 2012/2013 Financial Year with a surplus for the year of approximately S$1.7 million. PRPGTC’s audited – and unqualified – financial statements for FY2012/2013 are available for download from its website, http://www.prpg‐tc.org.sg/.
"Rather than continuing to trade numbers, the WP can bring an end to the uncertainty by subjecting AHPETC to an independent third party audit – including a forensic audit – and by providing full co-operation to the independent auditors. This will allow the public to have a clear and unqualified picture of the financial health of AHPETC and bring closure to this issue."
The People's Action Party candidate for Punggol East SMC called on the WP to subject the accounts at the WP-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council to an independent audit to "bring closure" to the issue.
Channel NewsAsia, 9 Sep 2015
People's Action Party candidate Charles Chong said that the Workers' Party - whose candidate Lee Li Lian is the incumbent at Punggol East SMC - "deliberately misquoted" him on the issue of Town Council funds.
WP Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang said at a rally that after the WP won the single-seat constituency in a January 2013 by-election, it took over the Town Council with a deficit of about S$280,000.
However, in a press release on Wednesday night (Sep 9), Mr Chong said he was referring to the surplus at the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council. He also called on the WP to subject the accounts at the WP-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council to an independent audit to "bring closure" to the issue.
His press release, in full, is as follows:
"On Aug 24, 2015, I was interviewed by Lianhe Wanbao on my potential candidacy in Punggol East SMC for the then‐upcoming General Election. One of the issues covered in the interview was that of town council finances affecting Punggol East.
"The interview, carried in the Aug 25, 2015 edition of Lianhe Wanbao, quoted me as saying that when Punggol East was handed over to the Workers’ Party, the Town Council had a surplus in excess of S$1 million. This was clearly a reference to Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (there being no entity known as “Punggol East Town Council”).
"The Workers’ Party (WP) has deliberately misquoted me to give the impression that I said that Punggol East had a surplus of S$1 million when it was handed over to them. This is a very regrettable move on the part of the WP and has served to further confuse and mislead the public and also to distract voters from the main issue – that of the WP being unable to provide a set of unqualified accounts for Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) since the WP took over those constituencies.
"The lack of unqualified accounts and absence of transparency has prevented the public from properly understanding the true financial situation at AHPETC.
"For the record, Pasir Ris‐Punggol Town Council (PRPGTC) ended its 2012/2013 Financial Year with a surplus for the year of approximately S$1.7 million. PRPGTC’s audited – and unqualified – financial statements for FY2012/2013 are available for download from its website, http://www.prpg‐tc.org.sg/.
"Rather than continuing to trade numbers, the WP can bring an end to the uncertainty by subjecting AHPETC to an independent third party audit – including a forensic audit – and by providing full co-operation to the independent auditors. This will allow the public to have a clear and unqualified picture of the financial health of AHPETC and bring closure to this issue."
9月6日 副总理张志贤 Teo Chee Hean 和榜鹅东区候选人张有福在反驳工人党对2013年榜鹅东市镇会账目赤字问题时，出示2013年4月份的报表，作出解释。左图为工人党秘书长刘程强在集会上所出示的报表，显示的28万元赤字是榜鹅东...
Posted by 8频道新闻新加坡 Channel 8 news on Saturday, September 5, 2015
PAP rebuts claims by WP that Punggol East was in deficit
Low gave only part of the picture when he showed printout of accounts: DPM Teo
By Jalelah Abu Baker, The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2015
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday (Sept 6) rebutted Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang's claim that Punggol East suffered a deficit of more then $280,000 in April 2013, before the estate was transferred to the WP's town council.
The facts show that Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council had handed over $22.5 million in cash to the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), Mr Teo told reporters.
"Fully accounted for. At that point, they raised no issues, so we are very surprised that these issues have suddenly come up," he said.
Mr Low had, at a WP rally in Punggol Field last Saturday night (Sept 5), held up a printed page of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council's accounts and accused the People's Action Party (PAP) of misleading voters by saying the ward had a surplus when handed over to the WP town council.
Low gave only part of the picture when he showed printout of accounts: DPM Teo
By Jalelah Abu Baker, The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2015
The facts show that Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council had handed over $22.5 million in cash to the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), Mr Teo told reporters.
"Fully accounted for. At that point, they raised no issues, so we are very surprised that these issues have suddenly come up," he said.
Mr Low had, at a WP rally in Punggol Field last Saturday night (Sept 5), held up a printed page of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council's accounts and accused the People's Action Party (PAP) of misleading voters by saying the ward had a surplus when handed over to the WP town council.
WP won Punggol East SMC in a 2013 by-election, after which the ward came under the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council.
But DPM Teo, who leads the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said Mr Low was giving only part of the picture. "Mr Low very dramatically showed one page of the accounts. There are 20-over pages in the accounts, so we should really look at the whole set of accounts... We were very careful to hand over everything that was due to our residents here. We wanted to do right by them," he said.
The real issue at hand, DPM Teo added, was the fact that after these accounts were handed over, AHPETC had never submitted an unqualified set of accounts.
"The question for AHPETC is: You haven't been able to account for these monies in three, four years of operation.
"Even up till today, the accounts have been qualified, and we don't fully understand what's happened to all our money," Mr Teo added.
Several ministers have also raised questions over governance lapses in AHPETC, after a report by the Auditor-General's Office in February flagged these lapses.
The $22.5 million handed over to AHPETC in 2013 was listed as part of the transfer of assets and liabilities from Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council. The amount includes sinking funds and project funds.
Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council chairman Zainal Sapari also rebutted Mr Low's allegations in a Facebook post. He wrote: "The truth is that the financial position was in surplus and Punggol East SMC was in good financial health when the whole set of accounts handed over to AHPETC is read together."
Mr Zainal noted that as at March 31, 2012, the last full-year audited accounts before the by-election, there was an accumulated routine fund surplus of $804,945 for Punggol East SMC. Also, if there is a change of party, the law requires that 100 per cent of this routine fund surplus be transferred to the sinking fund with the exception of town improvement projects committed to at that point.
Therefore, $782,563 was set aside from the routine fund surplus for committed town improvement projects, and the balance was transferred to the sinking fund.
Mr Zainal also said that at the handover to AHPETC on April 30, 2013, there was a deficit in the accumulated routine fund of $282,009.
However, the same set of accounts also showed an amount of $303,372 claimable as reimbursement from the Community Improvement Projects Committee fund, which had already been secured for Punggol East SMC.
This was made known to AHPETC "at the point of takeover of Punggol East's accounts and monies, which would give an actual net surplus of $21,363", he added.
Mr Teo, who was on a walkabout with PAP candidate for Punggol East Charles Chong, also said that WP's Mr Low had previously said his then Hougang Town Council accounts were fine, despite their auditors expressing grave concern about whether they were able to continue operating in the manner they had.
"The point here really is this: For Punggol East, we looked after our residents well, handed over all the accounts fully, everything was there, every cent was accounted for," he added.
Timeline
Sept 4: Workers' Party (WP) bosses Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim say they are done talking about the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga, following weeks of verbal sparring with People's Action Party (PAP) ministers and backbenchers.
"We have already answered all the questions they raised but the PAP is going in circles, and I think it's unproductive to continue," said Mr Low during a visit to Chong Pang ward.
Ms Lim, who was in Fengshan, said: "This issue on town council lapses versus People's Association lapses - if people keep going on and on about it, it could sound like a broken record."
Sept 5: "So we've made our points. I think the voters are clear-eyed, they know what this is about. They can make up their minds. I think we can leave it to them," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, referring to the AHPETC saga during a press conference.
Many had thought it would be the end of the issue but, in a surprise twist, Mr Low raised it again while speaking during a rally at Punggol Field later that evening.
Holding up a printout of the Punggol East town council accounts dated April 30, 2013 - when it merged with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council after the by-election earlier that same year, Mr Low accused the PAP of misrepresenting the facts and misleading voters. "It was the bully that cried foul first. They are bullies. It is a deficit of $280,000 and not a surplus. You all have to get this clear," he said.
Sept 6: A PAP candidate in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Mr Zainal Sapari, issues a quick clarification in a Facebook post. He said: "At the hand-over to AHPETC on April 30, 2013, although there was a deficit in the accumulated routine fund of $282,009, the same set of accounts also showed an amount of $303,372 claimable as reimbursement from the (Community Improvement Projects Committee) fund, which PRPGTC (Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council) had already secured for Punggol East SMC.
"This was made known by PRPGTC to AHPETC at the point of takeover of Punggol East's accounts and monies, which would give an actual net surplus of $21,363."
The Punggol East ward was under the PRPGTC before the WP won it during a by-election in 2013.
At a separate walkabout at Rivervale Plaza, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said: "Mr Low very dramatically showed one page of the accounts. There are 20-over pages in the accounts... We were very careful to hand over everything that was due to our residents here, because my residents, our residents before, we wanted to do right by them. We handed $22.5 million in cash to the town council, from Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council to Punggol East residents through the AHPETC."
Sept 4: Workers' Party (WP) bosses Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim say they are done talking about the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga, following weeks of verbal sparring with People's Action Party (PAP) ministers and backbenchers.
"We have already answered all the questions they raised but the PAP is going in circles, and I think it's unproductive to continue," said Mr Low during a visit to Chong Pang ward.
Ms Lim, who was in Fengshan, said: "This issue on town council lapses versus People's Association lapses - if people keep going on and on about it, it could sound like a broken record."
Sept 5: "So we've made our points. I think the voters are clear-eyed, they know what this is about. They can make up their minds. I think we can leave it to them," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, referring to the AHPETC saga during a press conference.
Many had thought it would be the end of the issue but, in a surprise twist, Mr Low raised it again while speaking during a rally at Punggol Field later that evening.
Holding up a printout of the Punggol East town council accounts dated April 30, 2013 - when it merged with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council after the by-election earlier that same year, Mr Low accused the PAP of misrepresenting the facts and misleading voters. "It was the bully that cried foul first. They are bullies. It is a deficit of $280,000 and not a surplus. You all have to get this clear," he said.
Sept 6: A PAP candidate in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Mr Zainal Sapari, issues a quick clarification in a Facebook post. He said: "At the hand-over to AHPETC on April 30, 2013, although there was a deficit in the accumulated routine fund of $282,009, the same set of accounts also showed an amount of $303,372 claimable as reimbursement from the (Community Improvement Projects Committee) fund, which PRPGTC (Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council) had already secured for Punggol East SMC.
"This was made known by PRPGTC to AHPETC at the point of takeover of Punggol East's accounts and monies, which would give an actual net surplus of $21,363."
The Punggol East ward was under the PRPGTC before the WP won it during a by-election in 2013.
At a separate walkabout at Rivervale Plaza, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said: "Mr Low very dramatically showed one page of the accounts. There are 20-over pages in the accounts... We were very careful to hand over everything that was due to our residents here, because my residents, our residents before, we wanted to do right by them. We handed $22.5 million in cash to the town council, from Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council to Punggol East residents through the AHPETC."
Posted by Geraldine Lee on Wednesday, September 9, 2015
#AHPETCThe WP claimed, during its rally on 5 Sep, that PRPG-TC handed over an accumulated routine fund deficit after...
Posted by Zainal Bin Sapari on Saturday, September 5, 2015
PAP 'misled voters on financial status of Punggol East'
Ward had deficit, not surplus, before joining Aljunied-Hougang Town Council: WP chief
By Pearl Lee, The Sunday Times, 6 Sep 2015
Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang accused the People's Action Party (PAP) of "misrepresenting facts and misleading voters", as he claimed Punggol East ward had a deficit, and not a surplus, before joining Aljunied-Hougang Town Council in 2013.
At the WP rally in Punggol Field last night, Mr Low held up a printout of the ward's town council accounts dated April 30, 2013 - when it merged with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council.
"The PAP misrepresented the facts, misled the voters. It was the bully that cried foul first. They are bullies. It is a deficit of $280,000 and not a surplus. You all have to get this clear," Mr Low said.
His remarks run contrary to what PAP's Punggol East candidate, Mr Charles Chong, told Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao last month, that the Punggol East SMC had a surplus of $1 million before the PAP handed it over to WP. The opposition party won the seat in a 2013 by-election.
Mr Low last night added that Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mr Chong had both spoken publicly about Punggol East's surplus before it was handed over to WP.
He said: "I now urge the PAP to answer to WP and to the residents of Punggol East: Where did the money go? We want their answer."
Ward had deficit, not surplus, before joining Aljunied-Hougang Town Council: WP chief
By Pearl Lee, The Sunday Times, 6 Sep 2015
Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang accused the People's Action Party (PAP) of "misrepresenting facts and misleading voters", as he claimed Punggol East ward had a deficit, and not a surplus, before joining Aljunied-Hougang Town Council in 2013.
At the WP rally in Punggol Field last night, Mr Low held up a printout of the ward's town council accounts dated April 30, 2013 - when it merged with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council.
"The PAP misrepresented the facts, misled the voters. It was the bully that cried foul first. They are bullies. It is a deficit of $280,000 and not a surplus. You all have to get this clear," Mr Low said.
工人党刘程强：榜鹅东交接时亏损28万元 钱去了哪里
9月5日【工人党竞选集会】工人党 The Workers' Party 阿裕尼集选区候选人、秘书长刘程强说：”我现在手上拿的，就是榜鹅东2013年经过审计过的账目表。这个报表显示，在交接时，榜鹅东亏损28万元，不是100万的盈余。我问他们，钱去了哪里，我们要他们回答。他们是恶人先告状。” http://ch8news.co/1g1CoH5 #GE2015
Posted by 8频道新闻新加坡 Channel 8 news on Saturday, September 5, 2015
His remarks run contrary to what PAP's Punggol East candidate, Mr Charles Chong, told Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao last month, that the Punggol East SMC had a surplus of $1 million before the PAP handed it over to WP. The opposition party won the seat in a 2013 by-election.
Mr Low last night added that Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mr Chong had both spoken publicly about Punggol East's surplus before it was handed over to WP.
He said: "I now urge the PAP to answer to WP and to the residents of Punggol East: Where did the money go? We want their answer."
Mr Chong is challenging WP's Ms Lee Li Lian in Punggol East SMC.
In an interview with The Straits Times published on Aug 28, Mr Chong also asked Punggol East residents if they wanted to help subsidise Aljunied and Hougang, as the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) was found to have financial lapses.
Punggol East SMC had joined forces with Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC to form the AHPETC in 2013. Before that, it was part of the PAP's Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council.
Yesterday, WP chairman Sylvia Lim and Mr Pritam Singh, who are contesting in Aljunied GRC, also hit out at the People's Association (PA) and the HDB for what they described as unfair, partisan practices against WP-held constituencies.
Ms Lim said HDB had asked AHPETC if it could host a welcome party for new residents when the Rivervale Arc was completed last year. Ms Lee, the Punggol East MP, had agreed. "She unhesitatingly instructed the town council to approve it. But when the day came, Lee Li Lian was not invited. Instead, the guests present were grassroots adviser Teo Ser Luck and Dr Koh Poh Koon," said Ms Lim.
Mr Teo is the grassroots adviser to the ward, while Dr Koh had lost to Ms Lee in the by-election in 2013.
"Is HDB, a government department, helping the PAP campaign against a WP MP? HDB even had the cheek to ask AHPETC to stand by its cleaners to clean up after the event," said Ms Lim, citing it as an example of the unnecessary politicking Ms Lee has gone through.
HDB is a statutory board of the National Development Ministry.
Mr Singh said the Aljunied Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC) under the PA rejected many improvement projects proposed by AHPETC between 2011 and 2015, such as upgrading playgrounds.
AHPETC had suggested 50 projects but only 17 were approved in the four-year period, and works have not started on any, he said.
The CCC chairman is "indifferent to helping the community in a bigger way in opposition wards" as this would mean facilities will be built on "highly visible town council common property", Mr Singh said.
Additional reporting by Rennie Whang
Additional reporting by Rennie Whang
CCC rebuts WP claim of indifference, says 17 projects being implemented
By Chong Zi Liang, The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2015
The Citizen Consultative Committees (CCCs) in Aljunied GRC yesterday rebutted Workers' Party (WP) candidate Pritam Singh, saying they have been "working very closely" with the WP-run town council on upgrading projects.
Mr Singh had said at a rally last Friday that the CCCs were "indifferent to helping the community in a bigger way in opposition wards". Out of 50 Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) proposals, the CCCs had approved only 17, and work had not begun on any, he added.
But Mr Sim Wai Chin, chairman of Eunos CCC - one of five CCCs in the constituency - said in a statement that a public tender for works to be carried out for these 17 projects was called and closed in May this year. They will be awarded, he added. Out of the 17 projects, 12 were proposed by the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) and five by the CCCs, he said, adding: "All 17 projects are being implemented at the same time."
CIPC funds for upgrading are given to town councils through the CCCs, which are grassroots bodies under the People's Association.
Mr Sim also outlined how the CCCs have been "working very closely" with AHPETC.
Between August last year and March this year , "there have been numerous consultations, including nine meetings and site visits", he said, plus e-mails between the CCCs and AHPETC.
By Chong Zi Liang, The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2015
The Citizen Consultative Committees (CCCs) in Aljunied GRC yesterday rebutted Workers' Party (WP) candidate Pritam Singh, saying they have been "working very closely" with the WP-run town council on upgrading projects.
Mr Singh had said at a rally last Friday that the CCCs were "indifferent to helping the community in a bigger way in opposition wards". Out of 50 Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) proposals, the CCCs had approved only 17, and work had not begun on any, he added.
But Mr Sim Wai Chin, chairman of Eunos CCC - one of five CCCs in the constituency - said in a statement that a public tender for works to be carried out for these 17 projects was called and closed in May this year. They will be awarded, he added. Out of the 17 projects, 12 were proposed by the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) and five by the CCCs, he said, adding: "All 17 projects are being implemented at the same time."
CIPC funds for upgrading are given to town councils through the CCCs, which are grassroots bodies under the People's Association.
Mr Sim also outlined how the CCCs have been "working very closely" with AHPETC.
Between August last year and March this year , "there have been numerous consultations, including nine meetings and site visits", he said, plus e-mails between the CCCs and AHPETC.
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