Tuesday, January 1, 2013

New Year Resolutions

In his New Year Message, Mr Lee vows to run a clean and good government, by "investigating wrongdoings thoroughly and dealing with them decisively and openly". That's as good a new year resolution as any.

Especially when the cut-and-dried case of the foldable bikes episode is yet to be concluded. Are they waiting, as in the City Harvest legal proceedings, for a Queen's Counsel to be approved?

Mr Lee also referred to "lapses by persons in senior positions", which the press take to mean Monday night intercourse hosted by the Speaker of the House. When he should be taking aim at the intellectual property for cash swap between Teo Ho Pin and Chandra Das.

Fast recap. Software developed by NCS (previously known as National Computer Systems) charged to Town Councils. Sold for a song to Action Information Management Pte Ltd (AIM). NCS subsequently bills AIM for maintenance of the same software, and AIM bills Town Councils for same - presumably with a middle man's mark-up buried somewhere, of course. Sounds a wee bit like the "round tripping" accounting sleight of hand City Harvest folks are charged with, doesn't it? Except that the money involved in the merry go round is not from willing contributors but squeezed out of the constituents under the guise of Service and Conservancy Charges. Constituents who are regularly threatened with a $1000 fine for a late payment of $100.

Confucius said: "A gentleman must guard himself against three dangers. When young, as the energy of the blood is still in turmoil, he should guard against lust. In his maturity, as the energy of the blood is at his full, he should guard against rage. In old age, as the energy of the blood is on the wane, he should guard against rapacity." (Simon Leys, The Analects, 16.7, p. 82)

That's rapacity as defined as "the state or quality of being excessively greedy or given to theft".

16 comments:

  1. As highlighted by others, the Tender Notice by itself already contradicted itself.

    1st if they are looking for tenderers to bid for the PURCHASE of the developed software, why do they need to highlight that the lowest tender may not be accepted. Rightfully shouldn't they be interested in the highest offer ?

    2nd, why would any professional IT companies be interested to purchase software customised for Town Councils unless they have a ready customer, isn't it ?

    3rd, it looks like AIM already have a ready customer in the Town Council(s) and so can one therefore conclude that the whole tender was a manipulated tender right from the start with the ultimate aim of awarding it to AIM .... of course unless PAP can prove to us it was otherwise ?

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  2. I commented the below in Feed Me To The Fish's blog. I think it is one of the many schemes by the incumbent to "fix" the Opposition. Time will tell.

    On AIMgate. This whole exercise was designed to screw up any opposition party that won in GE2011 - and it happened in Aljunied GRC. The $140K cost was paid back from the one year lease-back rental in 2011, so no payments were actually transacted either way (see Alex Au's blogs). After this one year, I think the rights to the software would have reverted back to the TCs - so there is no monetary gain for AIM, no corruption or fraud, per se. Unless AIM continued to charge the rental after this one year.

    Why would AIM want this software when it is tailored only for TC use? AIM is only a vehicle used to carry out this scheme. The question to ask is: Is it morally right or ethical for a political party to do this? This same question crops up here:
    (1) No upgrading for Opposition wards
    (2) Million dollar Ministerial pay
    (3) GRCs and gerrymandeering
    (4) Defamation suits and bankruptcies
    (5) Inside polling station in Sengkang is not 200m ruling
    etc...

    What happened is morally reprehensible. For any political party to employ such tactics to undermine the opposition's ability to manage a town council is dishonest and contrary to the spirit of democracy. Not helping the opposition is one thing, but to deliberately sabotage them is another. We need an Ethics committee. To terminate the service to Aljunied (the purpose), or any TC, is legally wrong because they paid for the development of the software. I think WP can contest this.

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  3. Kelong! Kelong! Nothing new.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Failure to carry out statutory duty is misconduct in public office.

    The inaction and refusal of the CPIB Director to launch an investigation is a serious act of nonfeasance of statutory duty. The CPIB Director may be showing partiality becos present/former PAP MPs are involved, of course,is breach of statutory duty. CPIB is duty bound to take action under the law.

    The CPIB comes under the PMO, and reports to the PM.If the PM shows partiality and refuses to order an investigation into the matter, it will show nonfeasance of his duties as Prime Minister, again a breach of statutory duty. CPIB reports to the PM,a PAP Member of Parliament.

    The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), it derives its powers of investigation from the Prevention of Corruption Act (Chapter 241). The bureau is headed by a director who is directly responsible to the Prime Minister.
    The bureau is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the public service and encouraging corruption-free transactions in the private sector. It is also charged with the responsibility of checking on malpractices by public officers and reporting such cases to the appropriate government
    departments and public bodies for disciplinary action.

    (Ex-Premier Faces Charges for Iceland’s Fiscal Woes - NYTimes_com)
    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/05/world/europe/05iceland.html?_r=0
    (police force bill,0400022.pdf)
    www.parliament.gov.sg/sites/default/files/0400022.pdf

    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where is the 35% President? He has been given the power by the Constitution to order the CPIB to invetigate cases of corruption. There should be a petition to him to investigate.

      Delete
  5. Whoever wrote that New Year Message for the PM must have started very early. Sure, he or the PM make sure the most up-to-date GDP # were available.

    No mention of the AIM/AHTC affair and no mention of a very definite 4th Quarter Technical Recession either.

    We have to assume that the "coverment" is hard at work going through the numbers one more time or maybe, they will declare that, yes, we are in recession.

    And a very severe one too. Incidentally, there will be a by-Election at Punggol East SMC....... so announced the PMO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like that word. It is more like a "Covernment" running the country rather than "Government" ... Everything they do is just Cover-up these and that to look good that all is well while screwing the citizens.

      And to think that we been hoodwink by PAP for past few decades smearing opp party and abuse of power and authority through control of media and public org.
      Simply beyond disgusting and shameless.

      Delete
  6. Did PM Lee say that in a highly inebriated state after some serious alcohol or was the AIM targeting at those population who just got out of bed from their hungover? Either way, this price must go on, our it will be openly leaked..wiki not ?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Are they trying to hookwink the people again ?

    Can anyone even believe it that certain family has nothing to do with it consider that AIM exists for past 2 decades and they are not aware with what it does behind ? Surely we know very well who the mastermind behind these getting free money from the public ...

    It is like the wolf crying wolf again when get caught red-handed.

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  8. as usual interesting article good start to the year...........all readers should promote this web site to all ..............

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Oracle of Batam1/01/2013 7:41 PM

    Step 1
    Staff committed error
    ".. it is unfortunate that the tender notice was poorly prepared. We have reprimanded the staff concern.."

    Step 2
    Deflate attention to AHTC
    "... AHTC was elected and they would have to ensure that the constituents are being properly served. This includes having viable administrative support. It is not the PAP's job to assist them

    Step 3
    The residents come first
    We have always taken the position that residents should be aware of who they are voting for. They should ask themselves if they are being served.

    Step 4
    Lets move on, there are dark clouds ahead
    Singapore faces uncertainty. Our population needs to be managed and a core group of Singaporeans will add balance and prepare us for more good years!

    Case closed.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey people!, it is time for "technical recession" watch again, and oops, we fu you again, its "no technical recession" yet again, just like Q2. And how did they do it this time? By revising downwards last quarter's Q3 numbers down to a very low base, by comparison Q4 was able to show positive growth quarter-on-quarter. hence avoiding 2 consecutive quarters of negative gorwth or what is called "technical recession"! QED!

    But massaging quarterly figures is one thing, the year-on-year figure still showed a worse than expected 1.2% "growth" compared to expectations of 1.4%. Had Q3 not been "goal seeked" downards, Q4 would have been really bad, but since our top civil servants are world class Excel experts, far better than Beijing or Chicago's number crunchers, we fu you again!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Singaporeans are not powerless in all this. Singaporeans can do their part in getting us all closer to the truth, you may want to use yr phone to SMS the following message below to yr families and friends who are affected.
    Can someone pls translate this to chinese/malay/indian language at the reply section to facilitate a wider audience, can you help to forward this SMS?. The SMS method through families and friends will ensure a wider coverage to raise awareness despite a enforced news blackout.
    Feel free to suggest an amend to correct this SMS message.
    TOC hopes that all Singaporeans can work together, to bring some more clarity to this case. We deserve a full accounting from the PAP on this case.

    Suggested SMS message,

    There is a call to the CPIB to investigate possible financial irregularities arising from last year’s sale of the 14 PAP Town Councils’ computer and financial system to AIM Pte Ltd, a company fully owned by PAP. This involves public assets and public funds. No action has been taken.
    Full details can be found at the TOC and TR EMERITUS website.

    Thank You
    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's a scam, CPIB works for the PAP. Dr Teo Ho Pin knew Action Information Management Pte Ltd was backed by the PAP all along.


    "Mr Chandra Das, Chairman of Action Information Management Pte Ltd, said: "AIM participated in the tender not knowing other companies would not do so. ......... But as a PAP company, we wanted to be helpful to the PAP Town Councils. ........" .............................................................

    "Second, AIM was .........

    Third, we were confident that AIM, backed by the PAP, would honour its commitments.

    Given the above considerations, AIM had met the requirements of the tender on its own merits. We assessed that the proposal by AIM was in the best interests of the TCs, and thus awarded the tender to AIM."

    (No basis to suggest AIM transaction improper to town councils, says Teo Ho Pin - xinmsn News)
    http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/no-basis-to-suggest-aim-transaction-improper-to-town-councils-says-teo-ho-pin

    (Teo Ho Pin: Contract with AIM benefits town councils | The Real Singapore)
    http://therealsingapore.com/content/teo-ho-pin-contract-aim-benefits-town-councils

    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete
  13. Member of Parliament(PAP), Dr Teo Ho Pin's conflict of interest (COI) is known as SELF-DEALING.

    Self-dealing, in which an official who controls an organization causes it to enter into a transaction with the official, or with another organization that benefits the official. The official is on both sides of the "deal."

    Where a fiduciary has engaged in self-dealing, this constitutes a breach of the fiduciary relationship. The principal of that fiduciary (the person to whom duties are owed) may sue and both recover the principal's lost profits and
    disgorge the principal's wrongful profits.
    ........................
    (Conflict of interest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest
    (Self-dealing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-dealing

    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete
  14. Quote,

    Joshua Chg,

    "It is a case of nepotism, MOHH, Adelaide Chang abused her authority.
    How could MOHH possibly deny there was no evidence of fraud or criminal wrongdoing on this conflict of interest when there was evidence that there were pass contact and engagement with the said vendor company.
    Adelaide Chang had declared on 3 July during a recent procurement exercise that she had no conflict of interest with the said vendor company, where her cousin is a senior executive. Chang had engaged the same company in the past.
    This type of conflict of interest (COI) abuse that Adelaide Chang committed is classified as Family interests COI, abuse of this type of conflict of interest is called nepotism.

    She's the director of corporate communications.
    Of her duties, one of the key tasks of corporate communication are:
    (a)to flesh out the profile of the "company behind the brand" (corporate branding).
    Chang's duties included corporate branding, she was given the task to procure services to develop a brand identity and new logo for MOHH
    She was also part of the three-member tender committee that was responsible for awarding tenders for a project from her department.
    It was in her area of expertise, it was a project from her department, she was the principal member in the three-member tender committee.

    Just play dump, sweep under the carpet, case closed."
    ......................
    (MOH Holdings director quits after conflict of interest uncovered - Yahoo! News Singapore)
    http://sg.news.yahoo.com/moh-holdings-director-quits-after-conflict-of-interest-uncovered.html

    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete