In 03May2006, during parliamentary general elections, PM Lee warned voters that if even 10 opposition members were elected into parliament, then he would "spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?" ('PM Lee says countries worldwide respect and admire Singapore's proven system' [YouTube/@1m10s]).
That same election, the buying of supporters votes through preferential selection for the lift upgrading programme (LUP) in Hougang and P.Pasir was offered in lieu of voters in the two opposition held constituencies voting for PAP MPs rather then returning their incumbent opposition MPs.
"Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has expressed concern that Hougang and Potong Pasir residents will lose out on upgrading if they do not vote for the People's Action Party" [CNA, 26Mar2006] and ('Upgrading should be a separate issue from the General Election' ['petition online']),
Later, in 2009, when the MND/ HDB decided that in any case, all constituencies should eventually undergo the lift upgrading scheme as part of the national HDB LUP ('Lift Upgrading Programme to be completed as scheduled in 2014' [CNA, 06Mar2009]); MND Minister MBT, contrary to statutory specifications regarding the proper conduct of the LUP, decided to, through the PA's overtly partisan and thus illegitimate 'grassroots adviser' scheme, announce to the residents of the 2 opposition constituencies about their respective constituency's inclusion in the LUP via the respective loosing PAP candidates of the last general election; unsurprisingly, this abnormality yielded a barrage of online complaints besides opening a Pandora's box about PAP impropriety wrt compliance with statutory laws, ('Town Council Act (CAP 329A) states clearly that Govt must work with Town Councils (run by MPs) to implement LUP'. [TR, 29Oct2009][alt link]).
Critical to appreciating the LUP conspiracy is the existing PA 'grassroots advisers' scheme'; its essence is described in an ST report as: "PAP MPs are appointed as advisers to the grassroots organisations in their wards by the People’s Association (PA). In the two opposition wards, the PA picked the PAP candidates who contested but lost in the wards in the last two polls as the grassroots advisers." ('‘Adviser over MP’ raises many questions': [ST, 22Oct2009][alt link])
It is noted at both PA website [link][archive] and its govt directory record [link][archive], that PM Lee is the chairman of PA, with Mr Mah BT the first board member on the list, ditto many other PAP ministers and MPs.
The MND's last public response to multiple complaints about loosing PAP electoral-candidates announcing the LUP in opposition wards adds complicity, with MND admitting: "Opposition MPs cannot be appointed advisers, because they do not answer to the ruling party." ('Advisers and MPs have different roles' [ST,27Oct2009]); by so, the MND has very much confirmed the fact that in the PA, its grassroots advisers must "answer to the ruling party"- isn't this syndromic of systemic partisan cronyism if not nepotism that the PAP has imposed throughout the ranks of the civil service if not just the PA and the MND?
There is of course no mention of any partisan political loyalties in the PA's role and mission statement on 'gov.sg', [link][archive] and rightly so, :
"The People's Association is a statutory board promoting racial harmony and social cohesion, nurturing leadership, providing community services and outward bound training and facilitating communications between the Government and the people. The mission is to promote active citizenship and multiracial harmony, connect the citizens for community bonding and volunteer work, provide affordable access to lifeskill and lifestyle activities, and to bring people closer to one another and to the government."
Thus, if the PM (like he said [YouTube/@1m10s]) is unable to avoid imposing partisan loyalties upon statutory boards such as the PA, then he ought to resign from his post as Chair of the PA or else revise the constitution of the PA so that the PA can be "like most stat boards, whose chairmen are usually the permanent secretary of the parent ministry or some other senior civil servant" ('How PAP uses taxpayer-funded grassroots for political gain' [G Giam, 10Oct2009]).
In conclusion, Mr Lee's cold and calculated efforts at corrupting the integrity and impartiality of statutory boards to act in his fancy as a wedge between legitimate opposition MPs and their grassroots/ supporters, at the expense of national funds is most reprehensible if not already an incursion upon the constitutional sanctity of the civil service. "Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the president." ('Integrity of election process a hot topic during youth forum' [CNA, 17May2009])
In the words of PM Lee: "..we demand high standards of integrity and performance from every public servant, MP and office-holder. We assess them rigorously and objectively, and apply disciplinary rules fairly and impartially to all. This is what Singaporeans expect from their Government. And this is what we have delivered and will continually strive to achieve".('Ministerial Statement by PM Lee HL in Parliament on 21Apr2008' [link])
But really, in the midst of this admission of culpability, what assurance is there that PM Lee's systemic civil service incursions and impositions, besides enhancing PAP political hegemony, will really do Singapore much if any possible good?
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References/ resources:
- '(PSD) Maintaining High Standard of Conduct': "The Civil Service works under a Code of Conduct based on the principles of incorruptibility, integrity and propriety. Civil servants are expected to conduct themselves with impartiality and honesty at all times, by: Remaining completely neutral in all political matters and matters of public controversy ... " [PSD (Role)> Nurturing Talent> Progressive Policies]
- 'SM Goh concerned Potong Pasir, Hougang residents will lose out on upgrading': "Mr Goh says: 'I do not want the two constituencies to be left behind, especially Potong Pasir, an old estate. Five years down the road, assuming Chiam do win, there will be no upgrading'." [CNA, 26Mar2006]
- 'PM Lee says countries worldwide respect and admire Singapore's proven system': "...I'm going to spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?.. " [CNA:03May2006][YouTube/@1m10s]
- 'Integrity of election process a hot topic during youth forum': "'Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the president. The symbolism that is attached to that is we actually serve at the pleasure of a politically neutral institution. It is one of the values of the civil service that we are politically impartial,' said Ms Owi. " [CNA, 17May2009]
- '‘Adviser over MP’ raises many questions': "PAP MPs are appointed as advisers to the grassroots organisations in their wards by the People’s Association (PA). In the two opposition wards, the PA picked the PAP candidates who contested but lost in the wards in the last two polls as the grassroots advisers." [ST, 22Oct2009][alt link]
- 'Advisers and MPs have different roles' Lim Yuin Chien, Press Secretary to the Ministry of National Development: "the government-appointed adviser, his main role is to assist in implementing national programmes, such as government campaigns, and HDB's upgrading programmes, including the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP)... Opposition MPs cannot be appointed advisers, because they do not answer to the ruling party." [ST,27Oct2009]
- 'How PAP uses taxpayer-funded grassroots for political gain': "The People’s Association (PA), ..Like all other stat boards, it receives a yearly grant from the government to run its programmes and cover operational costs. .. It spent a total of $320 million last year.However unlike most stat boards, whose chairmen are usually the permanent secretary of the parent ministry or some other senior civil servant, PA’s chairman is none other than the Prime Minister. .. No other public sector board in Singapore has so many “Men in White” on it..." [G Giam, 10Oct2009]
- 'Town Council Act (CAP 329A) states clearly that Govt must work with Town Councils (run by MPs) to implement LUP'. [TR, 29Oct2009][alt link]
- 'Separation of powers' [wiki]: "The separation of powers is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic. Under this model, the state is divided into branches, each with separate and independent powers and areas of responsibility so that no one branch has more power than the other branches. The normal division of branches is into an executive, a legislature, and a judiciary. ..."
- 'Civil servants – no longer politically neutral?': "The question which arises is: should civil servants be involved in a political party and participate in its activities?" [TOC, 27Feb2011]
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