Quote:
PA denies allegation of 'double standards' by NSP's Nicole Seah [TDY, May 05, 2011][video] .. The association said that party-political activities are not allowed at the community clubs (CCs) and its staff members will ask members of the public displaying party
symbols to remove them before entering the CCs. It added that this
applies to all political parties... http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore...Ps-Nicole-Seah |
Isn't it odd that the Prime Minister of Singapore is also chairman of a core statutory board- the People's Association (PA) [
directory][
board(09-10)]?
What's the point of the PA blatantly asserting a 'non-partisan' stance
at ground level (it bans persons wearing anything remotely political
within its CC compounds (
'PA denies allegation of 'double standards' by NSP's Nicole Seah' [
TDY, 05May2011][
YouTube]) when we all very well know that at HQ level, the PM uses the PA as a hegemonic political weapon against opposition? (
'‘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])
Why should the PA remain the PM's weapon to usurp/ pervert the
relationship between an opposition MP and the grassroots movement in his
constituency or as a siphon so public funds can covertly be extended to
fund PAP's partisan political interests? (
'How PAP uses taxpayer-funded grassroots for political gain' [
G Giam, 10Oct2009])-
especially where since Jan1991, the Singapore constitution has provided
for an additional (non-partisan) 'Elected Presidency' [
Wiki: Elected Presidency- History].
Please end this loophole of hypocrisy- place the PA under the direction
of permanent secretaries in allegiance to Singapore's 'Elected
Presidency'- to make sure that the PA and by extension, the Singapore
Civil Service remains free from overt partisan political prejudice-
especially by the ruling party as it is obviously the current case at
moment.
And do away with the titles of 'PA adviser to grassroots', 'PA
grassroots adviser' as these are terms of prejudice and duplicity,
currently referring to either incumbent PAP MPs (or PAP losing electoral
candidates in opposition wards). Removing this blatantly biased
terminology will remove partisan bias from the conduct of the civil
service and allow MPs to perform their rightful roles and
responsibilities in serving the grassroots in their respective
constituencies without undue partisan prejudice.
Kindly return the Singapore Government and Civil Service to the spirit of leadership by integrity.
---
References (Conduct of civil service): -
'Separation of powers' [
wiki]:
[i]"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. ..."
-
'(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]
-
'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]
References (PM Lee's misuse of the PA for PAP partisan objectives): -
'Upgrading in Opposition Wards- MPs should front initiative':
"Why did the HDB choose to work with unelected candidates instead of the elected MPs in the constituencies?.. shouldn't the mandate that the residents gave to the elected MPs be respected?" [
ST, 07Oct2009]
-
'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 [pict][board].
The de facto leader of all the CCCs, CCMCs, RCs and NCs in each
constituency is known as the “adviser to the grassroots organisations
(GROs)”. This adviser is appointed by PA, presumably with the nod of its
chairman, the Prime Minister. In PAP constituencies,
PA always appoints the elected MP as the adviser. But in opposition
wards, PA appoints the PAP candidate who lost in the last election, not the opposition MP" [
G Giam, 10Oct2009].
-
'‘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]
-
'MND continues to throw smoke bombs over role of PAP 'grassroots advisers'':
"There
is absolutely no reason why opposition MPs cannot be appointed as
grassroots advisers unless they decline to work with the government. The
root cause of the problem lies in the lack of a clearly defined
demarcation between the state and the party which resulted in many
supposedly apolitical institutions like the People’s Association being
made use of by the PAP to serve its partisan interests. As the People’s Association is a statutory board, its members and grassroots advisers should have no political affiliations. It is disingenuous of the PAP to appoint their losing candidates to
continue “serving” in the opposition wards under the veneer of being the
“grassroots advisers” appointed by the PA." [
TR, 27Oct2009][
alt link]
-
'Town Council Act (CAP 329A) states clearly that Govt must work with Town Councils (run by MPs) to implement LUP':
"It is a joke that for some strange reasons or another, Mr Shanmugan’s ministerial colleague has refused
to obey the Town Councils Act by choosing not to work with Hougang
Town Council and even has the audacity to TWIST the facts by claiming
that 'it is the role of the grassroots advisers to implement the LUP' through his press secretary when it was stated NOWHERE in the Town
Councils Act that the LUP has to be carried out by the grassroots
advisers! From beginning to end, there was no
mention of the words 'Grassroots advisers', 'People Association' or
'PAP losing candidates' and so how did Mr Eric Low come into the picture at all? " [
TR, 29Oct2009][
alt link]
-
'Grassroots Organizations should stay non-partisan':
"By
appointing PAP candidates as grassroots advisers in Opposition held
wards, the government is effectively bringing partisan politics into
governmental institutions. Using the PA as a vehicle
for PAP candidates as grounds to gain political capital so that they
may fight their next battle with more goodwill, the governmental risks
costing itself the position of Singapore as a Parliamentary Democracy;
and put Singapore in par with communist states like Cuba, China and
North Korea." [
TR, 03Nov2009][
alt site]
-
'PAP has blurred line between State and party':
"THE cry for multi-party representation in Parliament is the People's Action Party's own doing.. The PAP has blurred the line between the State and the party: What belongs to the State belongs to the PAP... The People's Association becomes a PAP instrument... The money belongs to the State". [
STforum, 13Apr2011][
alt link]
Inspired by: ~
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"--
Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
Rgds,
B.C.