Eh... HDB & PA! It's A Freaking Dumb Idea!

RE: Media Release on Use of Public Sites at Aljunied GRC : The Workers’ Party of Singapore

RE: HDB abusing its power as land owner, says WP

RE: HDB & PA respond to open spaces issue in Aljunied

Who in the Public Service Approved This?
While it is unsurprising that PA is in the picture, plugging failed MPs as GRO advisors and 'community uses approvers', it's simply disappointing that HDB refuses to play referee, and instead chooses to play alongside PA.

If you are familiar with the process, I'm sure more than a few officers in HDB (and even MND) were involved in this.

Did no one at any level raise the point that this approach is simply not right?

Or minimally have the basic decency, as a public service officer serving the people of Singapore, to highlight that this is a politically-sensitive issue, and, as such, that the relevant stakeholders, e.g. MPs of Aljunied GRC, ought to be contacted BEFORE the decision was finalised?

CEO of HDB is an Administrative Service Officer wor!
It's impossible for someone with such high CEP to overlook the sensitivity of this issue.

With glistening wistful eyes, I ask...
What has happened to HDB's mission of 'We promote the building of active and cohesive communities'?
Whatever has happened to the Civil Service's promise of 'Integrity, Service, Excellence'?

Or perhaps all the officers involved had painfully struggled with this difficult problem, but only to be superceded by the new Minister of National Development?

In the end, HDB publicly and clumsily stated this:

"Responding to media queries, the HDB said it adjusts its list of sites managed by a town council from time to time and this is based on legitimate requests from relevant agencies or civic organisations. 

 HDB said in this case, PA requested tenancy for the sites to organise community activities. The request was approved as PA had been using the sites frequently, added HDB."

What HDB is saying is plainly as follows:

(1) It's not us who decided to change the list of sites under Aljunied Town Council.

(2) It's PA.

(3) But PA has 'legitimate requests', that's why we approved it.

(4) In addition, we have one more justification that we have to let you know. It's also because that PA has been using those sites often, so it's ok for them to take over the sites.

What are 'legitimate requests'? Are requests from the incumbent MPs considered 'legitimate' too?

HDB must know that MPs in the GRC often use sites for residents' activities too. Did HDB ensure that Aljunied Town Council to have at least a few good sites ( in terms of size, location etc)?
In other words, how different are the HDB-approved  lists of sites for Aljunied Town Council, before and after GE2011?

Why weren't the key stakeholders of public sites within Aljunied GRC consulted on PA's request? Isn't it obvious that Aljunied Town Council and/or the MPs of Aljunied GRC are key stakeholders?

Come on, either someone made a mistake, or someone looked the other way. Which is it? Who is it?

**Update:

MND and PA released a joint statement on 24 Aug 2011. Same points as the above, but with an added justification, i.e. PA had to ask HDB for sites coz they couldn't get any from Hougang Town Council earlier. They were worried that the same would happen in Aljunied too. 

Eh... If this is one of the justifications submitted by PA to HDB in its application for the sites, it sounds like a major justification over say 'PA has been using those sites frequently', why didn't HDB mention it in its statement earlier? 
Coz everyone knows it's politically sensitive, so it's 'safer' to avoid talking about it.
Or perhaps one cannot be sure that this accusation of Hougang and/or worry about Aljunied is indeed true.

But nonetheless, just give the approval first, right?

Despite the joint statement, no one has explained why HDB/MND did not consult Aljunied Town Council and the attendant elected MPs BEFORE the approval was finalised and announced.


A Freaking Dumb Idea!

As for the people of local politics, I dunno which smart alec amongst you came up with this idea to hoard the key community sites within Aljunied GRC. 

Please be informed that it's just a truly freaking dumb idea. LOL!!

Maybe you really believe that holding events within any GRC really helps your political party to win votes, and as such, as much as possible, you wanna deprive WP of the opportunity of doing so.

Even so, aren't you losing sight of your objective? Shouldn't your first and foremost objective be to increase your own popularity?

Preventing WP from being present or holding events at these sites is neither (1) gonna make WP any less popular with the residents of Aljunied, nor (2) gonna make you any more popular.

In fact, it's gonna make you look exceptionally lousy!
E.g. The above-mentioned media release by WP has been posted and reposted in the local cyberspace by the thousands within a few hours.

Even if you don't believe that this is a really bad idea, what's up with the verbal intimidation of event organisers?!
That's simply... yet another a bad idea.

If these great ideas are from the top, it's so desperate that it's hilarious.

If these great idea are from the zealous middle/bottom, for Singapore's sake, get your zealots back in control!
It's embarrassing!