In response to the Workers' Party of Singapore stunning declaration that they do not need to answer to Parliament for their actions, residents of Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East are beginning to voice their regrets voting for the WP.
One pool of extremely unhappy Aljunied-Hougang residents are those living in the former HUDC estate at Hougang Avenue 2 (now known as Florence Regency). Since gaining the rights to privatize their estate on 22 May 2014, these residents (via their Management Corporation) have been in protracted and one-sided negotiations with AHPETC to recover money owed to them.
The main point of contention is the amount of Sinking Fund which owners of the HUDC estate have due from AHPETC. By their own estimates and records, in 2012, residents of the estate had accumulated more $1.2 million in Sinking Funds. Hence, residents were taken aback when AHPETC offered to refund the estate $385,000. After rejecting the offer, AHPETC counter-offered to refund the estate $600,000. While much less than the $1.2 million owed, residents had no choice but to accept. Unfortunately, correct as at today, even the reduced amount of $600,000 has not been fully paid to the estate despite a written promise by AHPETC to do so by August 2014.
There are several issues with this matter. Firstly, why is the amount AHPETC owes in Sinking Fund subjective? According to the Town Council Act, a fixed proportion of monthly S&CC is to be set-aside as Sinking Fund. So if AHPETC had done this, what happened to the additional $600,000. Secondly, if AHPETC is as financial sound as the Workers' Party claimed in Parliament, then why is AHPETC unable to pay the outstanding amount to the residents of Florence Regency?
Unfortunately, the residents of Florence Regency are helpless in this situation and have no recourse. They had chosen to elect the Workers' Party into Parliament (and by default to run their Town Council). As the Workers' Party has openly rejected the authority of Parliament and government agencies to check on them, there is little that the Government can do.
The only option that remains is for the residents of Aljunied, Hougang and Punggol East to see the Workers' Party for who they truly are and to vote wisely at General Election 2016. #VoteWPOut
http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6739 Back in 2011, the pro-tem committee at Hougang Ave 7's HUDC estate smelt a rat when the Hougang Town Council refused to provide SF information. They adopted a gloves off approach and went to the press. After over 4 years, the truth has finally emerged. In Florence Regency, those who were pro-privatisation were also suspicious and could already sense that the WP was writing off the votes of the HUDC residents as they were so confident they could win on the basis of everyone else's - especially the working class. In short, there were some in these HUDC estates who would have undoubtedly voted for the WP (especially those in the minority who were against privatisation and not in favour of selling their homes in a collective sale). However to obtain the mandate to privatise you need the 75% mandate and this was already obtained before the 2011 elections; those pro-privatisation (and the pro-tem committees) were generally already aware of the unreliability of the WP. Also, when the contractor was about to start the privatisation works in 2013, the AHPETC had tried to charge them an arm and a leg for the construction of their office in the void deck of Block 715. When Koh Hui Teng of the New Paper was informed of this, she did not report it; instead it was reported in the Mandarin Shin Min Daily News.
ReplyDeleteI really feel for the residents of Florence Regency. To be honest, given the WP's defiance to the rule of law, the only way for Florence Regency to get what you are owed is for the WP to be voted out.
ReplyDeleteAt FR, most feel the voting bank is too small to make a difference. Moreover as privatisation of the estate did incur the displeasure of HDB neighbours, there is a high likelihood the HDB residents will renew their support for the WP.
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