Extracted from TalkingSingapore
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In Court today (4 May 2015), lawyer for AHPETC, Peter Low made the astounding claim that AHPETC is above the law, and that the Government and the residents of Aljunied can do nothing if AHPETC has mismanaged or misspent money. According to the lawyer for AHPETC, all that can be done is for the Court to say that it is naughty of the TC and to wait till the next General Election.
Members of the public, present in court today, were visibly shocked to hear this as the Worker's Party had campaigned on the platform of greater transparency and accountability during the Singapore General Elections 2011. Upon hearing Peter Low's statement, one opposition supporter was observed to have stormed out of the court room swearing that the Worker's Party had lied to him and Singaporeans and that they are a bunch of self-serving crooks.
Court proceedings today also revealed that Ms Sylvia Lim had misled the Public, Parliament and the Courts. Her pattern of lies were disclosed ....
Sylvia Lim Misled the Public. In a 14 Feb 2014 press statement, in response to an observation from its own Auditor, Ms Lim assured the public that the TC had rectified its failure to transfer monies to the Sinking Fund. However, the AGO Report subsequently showed that AHPETC had in fact not rectified its contravention, contrary to what Ms Lim claimed.
Sylvia Lim Misled Parliament. On 12 Feb 2015, in response to the AGO Report, Ms Lim told Parliament that the TC accepted AGO’s finding and was transferring monies to the Sinking Fund quarterly, in compliance with the law. However, it is revealed in Ms Lim’s sworn Affidavit and in Court today that the TC is in fact continuing to contravene the law: for FY14/15, the TC made transfers for two quarters of the Financial Year, instead of four, and the two transfers were late.
Sylvia Lim Misled the Court. On 27 Mar 2015, Ms Lim told the Court that the TC had sufficient funds for operations for at least the next three months. However, she did not reveal to the Court that this was premised on AHPETC continuing to contravene the law and not making sinking fund transfers. Today, AHPETC told the Court that the TC in fact did not have sufficient funds to run the TC if it were to transfer monies to the Sinking Fund, as required by law.
Given AHPETC’s fundamental position that it is above the law, it is important for the Court to tell AHPETC and the Worker's Party that no one is above in the law in Singapore. The Court need to immediately approve MND's request to appoint Independent Accountants to (a) rectify weaknesses in AHPETC financial system; and (b) do a forenic audit to recover lost public funds.
In short, AHPETC's pattern of deceit can be summarised below:
1. Foo, Kon & Tan (AHPETC's original auditor) had pointed out that AHPETC did not make the mandatory transfer of money to the Sinking Fund not paid.
2. Sylvia Lim said in a Press Release that they will pay.
3. AGO Special Audit found that AHPETC did not transfer of money to the Sinking Fund.
4. Sylvia Lim said in Parliament they have corrected this and paid, and will pay.
5. Today's Court proceeding shows that AHPETC has still not transfered money to the Sinking Fund
Is this the sort of opposition you want? Singaporeans need to tell Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Khiang that no one is above the law in Singapore. VTO!
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