SINGAPORE - The motion on the Auditor-General’s audit report of Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) was passed unanimously today (Feb 13) by all 85 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House.

Earlier in the day, PAP MPs roundly slammed AHPETC's behaviour and state of affairs. Story here. 

A statement from WP's Png Eng Huat - in which he suggested that annual audits over the years by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) on Government ministries and statutory boards had also found lapses - drew a sharp rebuke from Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo. Story here.

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat also gave a lengthy and strongly-worded speech, charging WP of betraying the people's trust and accusing them of being evasive. Story here.

In his round-up of the debate, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan called out WP's MPs, saying they have showed "no remorse" and urging them to demonstrate their sincerity through real actions. Story here.

Here's what other MPs said in the two-day proceeding:

Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP)

• The people I discussed the matter with say don’t attack the WP, they will only get more sympathy. Why shld they be let off easy just because they're opposition?
• When rules are unclear, why is AHPETC the only town council with difficulty following them?
• Cannot be brushed off to lack of inexperience and lack of resouces, it comes down to accountability and integrity of those who run AHPETC
• Just because there is a contract doen't mean you pay blindly. Where is the oversight? Where is the assurance that the services paid for were performed and performed adequately?
• AGO cannot say if public monies have all been accounted for because documents AHPETC were obliged to keep were missing
• Report does not by any stretch confirm there are no dishonest statements or any criminal activity
• What distinguishes a good organisation is its response to lapses
• AHPETC's response? They brushed off lapses and tried to spin AGO's report as an endorsement of no wrongdoing - a blase response
• Real question is how is WP going to account to its residents and all Singaporeans, as part of its funds were contributed by Government grants
• No loss? Tell us how they know this. And if they cannot give a highly satisfactorily answer, then something has to be done
• What they should do - commission a complete forensic investigation, and undertake legal proceedings to recover any losses in monies

Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC MP)

• After upgrade of its system, TC is enhancing its SOPs to ensure accurate reflection of amounts due to external parties 
• TC accepts proper management involving handover of records from previous management should have been better addressed. Previous managing agents had resigned, hence institutional knowledge of transition is lost
• Proper handover procedures for resigning staff already implemented
• China wall is built between AHPETC and FMSS during the tender process
• FMSS' role is purely administrative. At no point do they make a decision on who to award the tender to. Its role is purely to advise the tendors committee; it is for the committee to deliberate and determine in the interests of residents 
• No personal benefit is acruued to FMSS by virtue of these processes
• AG report did not flag out any criminal wrongdoing by any AHPETC staff

Png Eng Huat (Hougang SMC MP)

• Auditor-General has previously pointed out accounting lapses by ministries
• AHPETC will not be the last to be flagged by AG for lapses. Over the years, govt departments have also erred
• AHPETC has made incremental improvements to computer systems over the years, iis robust in keeping reliable database
• What AHPETC does not have is software to generate the S&CC data in the format that MND wants
• Having a central computer system managed by HDB will better safeguard residents' money and public funds
• We will work towards providing timely data to MND that will provide snapshot of situation at AHPETC
• AHPETC has cooperated in audit and will take lessons in the findings in spirit of accountability and good governance

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC)

• We, the elected MPs, are guardians of transparency, accountability
• It's about the management being conscious of good practices
• PAP is more worried about AHPETC residents being bullied by WP, than being accused of bullying WP
• My friend asked: 'Why is PAP doing WP a favour by helping them get their house in order?"
• Sinking fund lapses will undermine fund's adequacy and sufficiency
• Were the lapses about ignorance, incompetence, or taking advantage of Town Council rules?
• AHPEC has flip flopped and reported wide swings in S&CC numbers, data unreliable
• After hearing yesterday's speeches, not sure if WP members have come to grips with serious lapses

Mr Chen Show Mao (Aljunied GRC MP)

• All have the responsibility to make sure we do work well, give residents a clear account
• The related party transactions at AHPETC were not against the law but full disclosure needed; AHPETC should have written full disclosure
• We are happy to do disclosures, but what kind of format should we adopt? There should be "standard guidelines" for disclosure: How to do disclosure, under what circumstances
• For all payments, chairman (Sylvia Lim) and vice chairman (Png Eng Huat) need to co-sign cheques
• Neither general manager nor secretary have any say, their approval is based on what architects and other professionals certify

Mr Sam Tan (Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth; Radin Mas SMC MP)

• WP had frequently criticised PAP on transparency in previous election rallies, and had taken first stab at the Action Information Management (AIM) issue
• WP repeatedly assured that it had good staff and could manage the town council. If the quality of AHPETC team is good, there shouldn't be so many lapses in compliance and oversight
• If PAP had made the same mistakes, do you think WP would accept this explanation? Would people accept it?
• Audit serves as an alarm to all town councils, whether run by PAP or Opposition
• When a town council is at fault, it should be held responsible. The current Town Council Act doesn't allow this
• In accountability in town council management, the Government should take more proactive action
• However, Sylvia Lim's reply that AHPETC will try to solve problems is a 'positive' response

Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap (Aljunied GRC MP)

• Indeed there are areas the town council and councillors can work on and improve upon. There should be greater safeguards for use of public funds
• We have been honest in dealing with lapses. There is a rigorous process in scrutinising proposals
• The TC does not take public funds for granted
• No reason to suspect misuse or loss of funds
• We’ll continue to exercise prudence in managing the town