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AHTC trial: ‘Distrust’ of CPG dates back to 1991, WP’s Low clarifies

SINGAPORE — His “distrust” of CPG Facilities Management dated all the way back to 1991, when he had a negative encounter with one of the former town councillors, revealed former Workers’ Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang on Thursday (Oct 18).

On his third and last day on the stand as the first defence witness, Mr Low Thia Khiang made the unusual move of asking for permission to clarify his earlier testimony on why he was “not comfortable discussing appointments” in front of the previous managing agent of Aljunied Town Council, which led to the second town council meeting being postponed from late July to Aug 4, 2011.

On his third and last day on the stand as the first defence witness, Mr Low Thia Khiang made the unusual move of asking for permission to clarify his earlier testimony on why he was “not comfortable discussing appointments” in front of the previous managing agent of Aljunied Town Council, which led to the second town council meeting being postponed from late July to Aug 4, 2011.

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SINGAPORE — His “distrust” of CPG Facilities Management dated all the way back to 1991, when he had a negative encounter with one of the former town councillors, revealed former Workers’ Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang on Thursday (Oct 18).

On his third and last day on the stand as the first defence witness, Mr Low made the unusual move of asking for permission to clarify his earlier testimony on why he was “not comfortable discussing appointments” in front of the previous managing agent of Aljunied Town Council, which led to the second town council meeting being postponed from late July to Aug 4, 2011.

CPG was due to exit the town council by August that year.

Pressed on Wednesday by Senior Counsel Davinder Singh for a reason, Mr Low merely said he “distrusted” the company without elaboration.

Mr Low and two fellow WP Members of Parliament (MPs), two town councillors, as well as Ms How Weng Fan and the late Danny Loh — who are owners of managing agent FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) — are being sued by the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC) and an independent panel acting on behalf of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) over alleged wrongful payments made to FMSS and the town council’s service providers.

With the court’s permission on Thursday, Mr Low gave more details: “I thought it would be useful to help the court understand what is the source of my inherent distrust of CPG.”

The court heard that it had to do with a Mr Seng Joo How, who, according to court documents, was the deputy secretary of the AHTC, up till CPG’s departure from the town council.

According to the Mr Low, Mr Seng — with whom he had a negative past encounter — was a key personnel in Aljunied Town Council before WP won the Group Representative Constituency in 2011’s General Election.

Back in 1991, Mr Seng was the town council secretariat at the Housing and Development Board (HDB), when Mr Low became a newly-minted MP for Hougang Single Member Constituency.

Mr Low had testified in his affidavit that shortly after his election, the HDB’s housing and administration department informed him that it was terminating its managing agent services, and that Mr Low’s Hougang Town Council had to vacate its premises.

Seeking redress from HDB, Mr Low was told — supposedly by Mr Seng — that the board needed 40 weeks to build new premises, which meant Mr Low would be without an office for some time.

It was this “discomfort” with Mr Seng that led Mr Low to not want CPG around when a new managing agent was appointed.

“I was hesitant (to share) it yesterday because it might go into personal matters … (and it was not fair to Mr Seng),” Mr Low said, adding he concerned how the “media might spin it … (and do) an injustice to (Mr Seng)”.

Cross-examining Mr Low, Mr Singh, who was representing PRPTC, charged that the opposition MP had “made all of this up”.

“Overnight, and this morning, you read the reports, and you (had to) come up with some sort of reason … you considered that it would damage you legally and politically because you cannot answer why you didn’t want CPG (at the same table),” said Mr Singh.

When Mr Low disagreed, he asked Mr Low: “You would — as a responsible town councillor — appoint a secretary and deputy secretary that you consider to be good, trustworthy and reliable?”

Mr Low responded in the affirmative, following which Mr Singh pointed to the minutes of AHTC’s first meeting on June 9, 2011 and argued that Mr Low was contradicting himself on this matter of “distrust” since the town council appointed Mr Seng as its deputy secretary.

Mr Low countered that he did not “object” to Mr Seng’s appointment. He added that he did not share his personal experiences with the other members of the town councillors, as he had wanted to give Mr Seng “the benefit of doubt”.

Mr Singh shot back: “The evidence you dreamt up last night (is all) false. You came to this court this morning to lie and mislead His Honour.”

DRAMA ON LOW’S LAST DAY ON STAND

Mr Low’s clarification, however, nearly did not happen.

At the start of the hearing at 10am on Thursday, Mr Singh surprised the packed courtroom when he rose to say he had no other questions, following an intense two-day cross-examination of Mr Low.

Addressing Mr Singh, Mr Low then said: “Can I make a request to the judge? Can I be allowed to clarify a question I answered yesterday?”

To which, Mr Singh immediately objected, calling his request “impermissible”.

“It is not appropriate for him to volunteer extra information (at this juncture),” added the PRPTC lawyer.

But Senior Council Chelva Rajah, who represents Mr Low and the other WP MPs, interjected and told the court that if Mr Low wishes to clarify something, and has sought the court’s permission to do so, he could do.

He added that it was “not unusual” for witnesses to make clarifications.

But Mr Singh pressed on: “I already said no questions. It is not for the witness to volunteer … or after cross-examination, seek to give information.”

In this vein, both lawyers sparred for a good 20 minutes before Justice Kannan Ramesh allowed a “brief” clarification from Mr Low, and also gave permission to Mr Singh to cross-examine the MP thereafter.

The trial continues in the afternoon. WP chairman Sylvia Lim, Mr Low’s fellow Aljunied GRC MP, will be taking the stand for the first time.

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