Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Another Bites The Dust

Fresh from exacting its pound of flesh from the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), the National Environment Agency (NEA) homed in on Colorzon Events and Design for organizing an unlicensed trade fair at Kovan City. Those looking forward to pick up a handphone, accessories or children's clothing at bargain prices will have to head back to Sim Lim Square to be fleeced by the merciless merchants there.

Faced with the new maximum fine of $10,000 - before April 1 it was only $1,000 ("What's wrong with collecting more money?") - Colorzon had no alternative but to buckle under the flexing muscles of NEA. Forget about the altruistic element in providing cheaper goods for the residents at Kovan. It is also convenient that the Heartland Mall of Kovan falls neatly into the jurisdiction of Aljunied GRC. We await with unabated breathe as the insidious minds plot to snare AHPETC into the web of the latest transgression of the law.

To dismiss the notion of picking on opposition wards only, the mainstream media took pains to highlight that since 2011, the NEA has taken action against the operators of 16 unlicensed fairs located at Tampines, Toa Payoh, Simei, Clementi, Kovan City, Bukit Merah, Kampong Glam, Chinatown, Serangoon North, Rivervale Walk and Tanglin Halt. Quietly, of course, without the fanfare of nasty publicity to drag anyone through the mud.

If only the NEA was more focused on fighting dengue. From 1 January 2014 to 8 March 2014, a total of 3,122 dengue cases were reported, representing a 25% increase over last year's figure of 2,503 for the same period. Last year was the annus horribilis with a record high of 22,170 diagnosed cases. Then again, it must be more fun harassing vendors escaping exorbitant rentals - and passing the cost savings to the consumer - than dealing with the pesky female Aedes mosquito. If the platelet count of Baey Yam Keng continue to fall below the recommended threshold for dengue patients, perhaps the NEA may just sit up and resight its cross-hairs on the right target. No way will they want to be blamed for the horrible prospect of another by-election. Meanwhile Baey is assuring his adulating grassroots supporters that "I am sure with a strong will, I can make it." That guy will do anything to post another selfie.

7 comments:

  1. Politicisation of the civil service and other organs of state is the evil that must be exorcised. The Ministers responsible can clearly be identified. The citizens have a responsibility to vote them out in the coming GE.

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  2. Is baey implying he has no strong will...or indirectly implying the dengue medication not good enough to save his life...

    Nevermind...wish him good health, speedy recovery and acquiring true wisdom....the last i not too sure.

    zzz.

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  3. This is 2nd time BYK got dengue fever again. Back in 2007, he and his wife both were down with dengue too.
    According to NEA, dengue are breeded at homes, tsk tsk, nothing to do with them. So MP Baey clearly demonstrated to his residents that he has problem with their own "housekeeping". He now has the street cred and track record to tell residents how NOT to have bad housekeeping practices.

    As for NEA, chasing and cashing in on unlicensed fair vendors (is this life threatening or threatening the livelihood of people just trying to eke out simple profits) is a good distraction from the real tasks at hand. This idea of #smartnation that precipitate under MP Bala can only get "smarter".

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  4. " I have to spend time to think of ways on how to fix them "

    hmmmm.. there is some follow through here... he has kept his word.

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    Replies
    1. The fat lady has not sung yet. Let's see who repents in the next GE... LOL.

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  5. It really begs the question what is exactly wrong with PAP nowadays ? Has our PAP leaders become so evil that anything organised in Hougang-Aljunied GRC becomes such a big problem for PAP to accept that it is for the benefit of its constituents ?

    Is PAP carrying the out warning of the old man that Aljunied voters will repent if they ever vote for the WP ? Even slow in collecting arrears, PAP wants to make a devil out of WP ?

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  6. Well, if it was the good old days, these people would have been labelled Communist or Marxist and put away behind the blue gate. Just ask Francis,

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