The Workers’ Party says Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) has not “obfuscated or intentionally delayed” responding to issues raised by Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee.
In a statement issued today (Nov 22), the town council’s vice-chairmen Pritam Singh and Png Eng Huat said the town council has “made it known to public” that it is looking into the service and conservancy charges arrears data.
They said the town council and will respond to the query on the financial and arrears situation “in due course”.
The statement said, “We are surprised that MOS Lee has framed the matter as an issue of transparency and accountability. The Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) has been auditing AHPETC’s accounts, and we believe that MND will make the AGO report public in its entirety when the audit ends.”
Lee had pointed out that AHPETC has admitted that nearly 30 per cent of its residents owe Service and Conservancy Charges for three months or more.
He added that the town council had stopped submitting its S and C-C arrears data to his ministry since May 2013.
Lee said party chairman Sylvia Lim had given the excuse that the town council is busy with the AGO audit.
He also questioned how, from an operating surplus of S$3.3 million dollars in FY 2010, the town council ran a deficit of S$734,000 two years later.
He asked if the S & C-C from Aljunied GRC residents are being used to cover the deficit in Hougang.
