The purpose behind this new PAP idea of constructive politics is quite obvious: to try and stem the tide of criticisms of the partys poor and directionless leadership. Its to define what is acceptable in the political arena; and thus anything which does not fall within this definition of being constructive is to be seen as destructive, and hence dangerous to society. And who gets to define what is constructive? No prizes for guessing correctly. Its like constructive criticism, a meaningless term but used to define what is acceptable to the ruling party. Whether it is constructive criticism or constructive politics, it has nothing to do with society but everything to do with the PAPs attempt to shield its members from valid criticism. As Low Thia Khiang said, it is nothing but political rhetoric. Indranee Rajahs speech in Parliament is quite awful - she was doing the very thing she was accusing the WP of doing, digging up issues which WP had already answered and explained several times. Her snide and unsubstantiated insinuations about WPs town council dealings were already explained by Sylvia Lim at least three times in three different years (if I recall). Indranee Rajah said WP TC did not call for a tender for its managing agent contract in 2011. But Sylvia explained why this was so in 2011 in a letter to its residents, and again in 2012 and 2013 when the issue came up because of the PAPs AIM affair. WP did not call a tender for this first contract because the PAP had suddenly terminated the town councils computer system contract and left WP to have to start from scratch. It thus felt the best way to protect residents interest was to appoint a managing agent, instead of calling for a tender. And this is entirely legal under the Town Councils Act. This is why, I suspect, no one from the HDB, which oversees town council matters, has made any noise about it.Instead, it is those trying to score political points who are beating their chests and pulling their hair out about it. Lets not forget that WP did in fact call an open tender after one year had passed on the first contract. So, what rubbish is Indranee Rajah saying? Hers is cheap politicking - on the one hand, talking about constructive politics (in boring and sleepy monotone, by the way); while on the other, being entirely irresponsible in not stating the facts clearly about the matter. As WP had said, and others have said as well, if the PAP or Indranee Rajah, find that WP has been corrupt in any way, please go ahead and make a report to the CPIB. Stop being irresponsible MPs. Is using residents money to create a computer system, and then later to sell the same system to its own PAP-owned company, and then terminating its services to the new WP town council, leaving residents in the lurch, is this constructive politics? And oh, by the way, the PM is frothing at the mouth trying to demolish a blogger over a blog post about alleged misappropriation of CPF funds - while his own MP in Parliament seems to be alleging similar of the WP. Constructive politics, indeed. Dont be fooled by self-serving political rhetoric, people. Weve seen and heard all this before.
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 04:06:05 +0000
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