Edwin Tong comes to “fumbling” Heng Swee Keat’s rescue in AHTC parliamentary debate
Ms Lim's request for Mr Heng to clarify his apparent remarks that "millions have been lost" appeared to fluster the heavyweight ruling party politician who later claimed that he had actually said "millions of dollars in public funds are involved."
Minister of State for Law Edwin Tong came to Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s rescue after the latter fumbled while defending a parliamentary motion he had brought forward against Workers’ Party (WP) politicians Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim, yesterday.
DPM Heng, who has been identified as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s presumptive successor, moved to get Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) saga to require Mr Low and Ms Lim to recuse themselves from the town council’s financial matters, in the wake of a High Court judgment that found the MPs liable for damages in the AHTC lawsuit.
Yahoo Singapore reporter Nicholas Yong noted that the DPM “fumbled”when he was expected to defend his motion after Ms Lim and Hougang MP Png Eng Huat asked him to clarify the comments he had made in his hour-long speech.
Ms Lim’s request for Mr Heng to clarify his apparent remarks that “millions have been lost” appeared to fluster the heavyweight ruling party politician who later claimed that he had actually said “millions of dollars in public funds are involved”.
Mr Yong reported: “Heng hesitated in his response and flipped through his folder at length, before moving on to the rest of Lim’s queries.”
When Mr Png asked the DPM for clarification on his implication that only one signatory was needed to encash a cheque under AHTC when the town council actually requires two signatories including the AHTC chairperson or vice-chair, Mr Heng wanted to get back to why he put forth the motion and criticised Ms Lim and Mr Png for asking “little questions”.
He said: “Let me get back to why I moved this motion. This is a question of integrity…I have asked very serious questions about how the transactions were done…but both of you have just stood up to ask me a series of little questions.”
Shortly after Mr Png shot back that “it’s a question of integrity,” Mr Heng asked for a ten-minute recess to consider and respond to Ms Lim’s questions. Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin granted the adjournment despite WP chief Pritam Singh’s objection.
Edwin Tong came to the rescue of Mr Heng following the break and addressed Ms Lim and Mr Png’s questions. On Mr Png’s point about co-signing cheques, Mr Tong hit out:
“I think the position is very clear: it’s not about one signatory or two signatories, it’s about the entire system that you have set up as a result of what you have done…That entire system has been completely subverted, a proper system has been subverted by the way in which you’ve done this.
“Don’t penny pinch a dime with us.”
Referring to the “serious and grave findings” of the High Court judgement, Mr Tong said that the judgment constitutes a “serious and grave indictment” of the WP MPs conduct.
He also accused the WP of spreading a “misleading narrative repeatedly put out to the public over several years” that they had to immediately appoint a new managing agent after the PAP-owned Action Information Management (AIM) abruptly stripped them of the town council management computer system.
Once you go black, you can never fucking go back.
Can you spot CECA Heng in this photo?
Criticism against Heng Swee Keat for “scoring an own goal” in motion against WP continues
Yahoo Singapore Assistant Editor Nicholas Yong said the DPM's speech was "harsh in tone but rambling in delivery"
The criticism Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat earned, in the wake of his less-than-stellar performance in Parliament as he introduced a motion against Workers’ Party (WP) politicians, continues.
In a commentary published yesterday (6 Nov), Yahoo Singapore Assistant Editor Nicholas Yong noted that the motion “should have been a slam dunk” but the DPM ended up scoring an “own goal”. Mr Yong was present in the House as DPM Heng moved to require Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim to “recuse themselves” from Aljunied-Hougang Town Council’s (AHTC) financial matters.
Calling his hour-long speech “harsh in tone but rambling in delivery,” Mr Yong said that DPM Heng – who is expected to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as head of government after the next election – “was supposed to carry the ball” but instead he “fumbled” and “dropped the ball” when Parliament convened on Tuesday (5 Nov).
Revealing that Mr Heng struggled to defend his motion during the ensuing debate, Mr Yong recalled: “Instead, just minutes into the debate on the motion, Heng had to call for a time-out. He hummed and hawed, flipping through his folder like a student stumbling through his class presentation. And it all happened under persistent questioning from Lim and even typically mild-mannered Hougang MP Png Eng Huat.”
The DPM asked for a recess to consider Ms Lim’s point that it was improper for him to raise such a motion. Although WP chief Pritam Singh protested that the House had just taken a 20-minute break, Mr Heng was granted a ten-minute adjournment by Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin.
Although other office-holders like Edwin Tong came to Mr Heng’s rescue and engaged in heated exchanges with the WP after the break, Mr Yong opined: “And just like that, the game plan was upended.” He added that the efforts of Mr Heng’s colleagues came “too late to undo the own goal scored by Heng.”
Revealing that this is not the first time he has observed that the ruling party’s fourth-generation (4G) leaders “were unable to think on their feet,” Mr Yong said: “We have been told time and again that the 4G leaders are ready to take over. They need to do a better job of convincing Singaporeans of this.”
Read Mr Yong’s commentary in full HERE.
http://theindependent.sg/criticism-against-heng-swee-keat-for-scoring-an-own-goal-in-motion-against-wp-continues/
PAP’s incompetent 4G leadership
Firstly, banning folks from riding e-scooters on footpaths clearly lacked proper and careful deliberation of current circumstances. The PAP is just too used to simply removing anything and everything that gets in their way, instead of drawing up proper plans to tackle pressing problems.
We do not just ban vehicles on the road just because numerous fatal accidents happen each year do we? Scholars ensconced in their ivory towers evidently are clueless with regards to the fact that PMDs are a necessity for many to eke out a living, not just mere fanciful toys used for zipping around from point A to B.
Therefore it isn't hard to appreciate why hordes of food delivery riders were seen showing up at the MPS helmed by some “powerful” Ministers to express their frustration.
The second obvious demonstration of incompetency by PAP’s 4G leadership took place earlier this week in parliament, when PM-designate Heng Swee Keat was supposed to launch a politically-charged assault against WP leaders.
But for such a seemingly ‘routine’ act, he fumbled. He struck many as ill-prepared on account he could not adequately counter the retort from WP’s Sylvia Lim.
Doesn’t he know that the WP team could appeal against the present judgement? Whatever happened to thinking on his feet and hitting back there and then? Heng's apparent loss of words and wit were deemed outright shameful for a reputedly seasoned politician who has been at this game of musical chairs for years.
It really worries me because I now seriously doubt his capabilities to lead Singapore as our Prime Minister! You can’t simply request an adjournment whilst meeting with foreign leaders just because they brought up contentious points which you did not anticipate in advance.
These two incidents have unequivocally shown the world that PAP's 4G leaders are really empty vessels making nothing but stupid noises. They lack foresight, the ability to properly coordinate amongst themselves alongside genuine empathy as far as forming wholesome perspectives of issues at hand are concerned, hence poor decisions and even poorer executions (of such decisions) abound.
Singaporeans must think twice, possibly even thrice when they cast their votes in next GE. Do they really wish for the mediocre PAP to reign for another half a decade?
Goh Meng Seng
Saw this written by an EDMWer earlier lol read liao chio kar pengz, dunno whether he will be invited to lim kopi anot.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/123598075-post1.html
Looking at this I can't help but think Heng is just merely a puppet....
Lee Li Lian also sibei dulan about yesterday's parliamentary proceedings.
Con Hee's lawyer was the only one who impressed me during last night's parliamentary debate.......sibei satki to say the least.
Ah Heng forgot to bring along his 10 year series for the subject on how to properly fix oppies siboh? That's why he can't find any standard answer despite flipping pages here and there?
Just when I thought Pinky was the very definition of a devastatingly ineffective, thoughtless orator, Stroke Heng had to waltz in and steal the limelight. We can now all take comfort in the fact that Heng steering the PAP will almost surely allow it to implode far quicker than previously expected.
Aiyah Auntie Sylvia Lim must be considerate mah, wait ask Ah Heng too many little questions he tio stroke again how leh?
Wah TCJ is still such a loyal PAP dog despite being demoted by Pinky. Woof woof! Good puppy!!!!!
Lim Tean: What An Embarrassing Parliamentary Performance By A Wannabe PM!
Yesterday, we saw a woeful, fumbling Parliamentary performance by Mr “New Taxes” Heng who could not even respond confidently when pressed by the WP MPs on the prematureness of his idiotic motion in the House.
He had to turn to his colleague to come to his rescue after asking for a 10 minute adjournment.
You did not know your brief wannabe PM! You are no politician and no leader. I have never seen such an inept Parliamentary performance in my life. You are lucky the MSM in Singapore are simply propaganda broadsheets for your Party. In countries like Australia and Britain, the press would be demanding you step down after such ineptitude!
After the next GE, when many more articulate MPs from Peoples Voice and other Parties are in the House, you will face even more embarrassment when there are robust debates.
Parliament then will be a proper debating forum, and not the tea party you and your condescending Party colleagues have come to expect.
It is time Singaporeans Deserve better!
DPM Heng Swee Keat calls for adjournment after being questioned by Sylvia Lim
On Tuesday (5 November), Parliament debated a motion put forth by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for Worker’s Party (WP) MPs Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Khiang to recuse themselves from dealing with or having oversight over financial matters of the Aljunied-Huogang Town Council (AHTC) until the court case has ended.
In his long speech calling for the motion, Mr Heng referred to the High Court judgement which found Ms Lim, Mr Low, and WP chief Pritam Singh liable for damages suffered by AHTC, which it has been said made improper payments under their watch amounting to millions.
As Mr Heng delivered his motion, he claimed that Ms Lim and Mr Low had been “dishonest and deceptive and have failed in their duty to theTown Council”.
Ms Lim countered by seeking clarification from Mr Heng on his remarks that “millions have been lost”, to which he hesitated as he flipped through his folder before addressing Ms Lim’s other queries.
There was then a little back and forth between the ministers on various points with the DPM saying, “I moved this motion because this is a question of integrity, this is a question of the way that we deal honestly in parliament with our residents, with the public, and with our fellow town councillors.”
“I have asked very serious questions about how the transactions were done. I have pointed out very serious findings in all the audit reports, in all the high court findings, the court of appeal findings. But both of you have just stood up to ask me a series of little details.”
To this, WP MP Png Eng Huat retorted, “It is a question of integrity”.
Ms Lim then said, “DPM Heng Swee Keat’s filing of this motion at this point in time is telling but premature,” adding that “The PAP gov is clearly excited about certain findings and comments contained in the High Court judgement.”
She continued, “We have been studying the judgment with our lawyers since it was released and I can inform the house today that we have decided to appeal the judgment with the court of appeal.”
Following that, only a few minutes into what would turn out to be an almost 3-hour long debate, Mr Heng asked for an adjournment. He said, “Ms Sylvia Lim, a member, has said that she has made the point that it was not proper for me to raise this and I would like an adjournment for us to consider the matter and respond to you.”
Mr Pritam Singh countered that there was no need for an adjournment as the House had only just come back from a break. However, the speaker granted a 10-minute adjournment anyway.
The AHTC case
On 11 October, Judge Kannan Ramesh, in his written judgement, ruled that Lim and Low as town councillors had acted in breach of their fiduciary duties to AHTC, reasoning that the breach was evident in the waiver of tender leading to the award of the first managing agent contract to FM Solutions & Services (FMSS).
The waiver, said the judge, was “not justified under the Town Council Financial Rules (TCFR), and that subsequently, Lim and Low had “failed to act in AHTC’s best interests and had acted for extraneous purposes”.
“The evidence shows that there was a clear plan for FMSS to replace the incumbent MA CPG regardless of CPG’s intention as regards the existing MA contract, and that this decision was made by Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang shortly after the 2011 General Elections,” said Justice Kannan.
“There was no urgency of circumstances that would have justified the waiver of tender, particularly since CPG was contractually obliged to continue serving as the MA under the existing MA contract, and the defendants should have held CPG to that contractual obligation, at least for such time as was necessary for a tender to be called,” he added.
As for Mr Singh, the judge said that while “it cannot be said that he has breached his fiduciary duties to AHTC” based on the available evidence, the former had breached his “duties of skill and care” to the Town Council in relation to the award of the first MA contract.
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2019/11/06/dpm-heng-swee-keat-calls-for-adjournment-after-being-questioned-by-slyvia-lim/