"AHTC trial: WP’s Pritam Singh spars with PRPTC lawyer on managing agent tender waiver
SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh on Thursday (Oct 25) contested the view that not calling a tender for the first managing agent contract in 2011 signalled to the wider market that the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) is only open for business from its supporters.
Mr Pritam Singh, who took to the witness stand for the first time in the landmark trial, was cross-examined by Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, the lead lawyer for Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC), on this point.
Mr Davinder Singh asked the WP Member of Parliament (MP) if it occurred to him that the wider industry would know that no tender was called prior to the appointment of FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) as managing agent in 2011, to which the latter said yes.
He also asked if it occurred to Mr Pritam Singh that others would know that Ms How Weng Fan, then appointed general manager of AHTC, is a shareholder of FMSS.
“You can’t have it both ways. You can’t say nobody is going to touch us, and then one year later, say the market is suddenly going to embrace us,” Mr Davinder Singh countered, in a charge he had similarly made against fellow WP member in the lawsuit, Mr Low Thia Khiang.
“The market has money to make from (a managing agent) contract. They have to make a business consideration,” Mr Pritam Singh said.
“You’ve made the decision for the market when you sent that message loud and clear when you waived the tender and went with someone associated with WP,” Mr Davinder Singh parried back.
“I disagree,” Mr Pritam Singh said."
My take is simple. If one has acted in good faith honestly, no matter how "smart" or "good" the lawyers may be, one would just answer matter of factly without emotion! At most, the lawyers may show that some decisions made were not the best but NEVER with ulterior motives!
My answer would be: "Given the situation of existing mgt agent indicating it's intention to resign, to our utter dismay as we would hv loved to hv the existing agent continued, we decided to get the mgt agent of Hougang TC to form a new company n take over. It is definitely NOT an optimal choice with the TC Mgt System also taken away fr our TC!
It is pitiful that the ruling party explicitly said it is not their job to make life easier or easy for the opposition party!
If FMSS is making so much money, why didn't any of the subsequently tenders called get on bidders? why did they conclude that AHTC is only for a new mgt agent formed by WP supporters? is that how they had looked at all PAP TCs' contracts? Would FMSS be successful to bid for PAP TCs work assuming they r equally qualified n properly scaled?"
So Pritam impressed me with his answer. Maybe he can start asking Davinder too, a known PAP supporter n one time member (still is?) n MP of PAP!
SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh on Thursday (Oct 25) contested the view that not calling a tender for the first managing agent contract in 2011 signalled to the wider market that the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) is only open for business from its supporters.
Mr Pritam Singh, who took to the witness stand for the first time in the landmark trial, was cross-examined by Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, the lead lawyer for Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC), on this point.
Mr Davinder Singh asked the WP Member of Parliament (MP) if it occurred to him that the wider industry would know that no tender was called prior to the appointment of FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) as managing agent in 2011, to which the latter said yes.
He also asked if it occurred to Mr Pritam Singh that others would know that Ms How Weng Fan, then appointed general manager of AHTC, is a shareholder of FMSS.
“You can’t have it both ways. You can’t say nobody is going to touch us, and then one year later, say the market is suddenly going to embrace us,” Mr Davinder Singh countered, in a charge he had similarly made against fellow WP member in the lawsuit, Mr Low Thia Khiang.
“The market has money to make from (a managing agent) contract. They have to make a business consideration,” Mr Pritam Singh said.
“You’ve made the decision for the market when you sent that message loud and clear when you waived the tender and went with someone associated with WP,” Mr Davinder Singh parried back.
“I disagree,” Mr Pritam Singh said."
My take is simple. If one has acted in good faith honestly, no matter how "smart" or "good" the lawyers may be, one would just answer matter of factly without emotion! At most, the lawyers may show that some decisions made were not the best but NEVER with ulterior motives!
My answer would be: "Given the situation of existing mgt agent indicating it's intention to resign, to our utter dismay as we would hv loved to hv the existing agent continued, we decided to get the mgt agent of Hougang TC to form a new company n take over. It is definitely NOT an optimal choice with the TC Mgt System also taken away fr our TC!
It is pitiful that the ruling party explicitly said it is not their job to make life easier or easy for the opposition party!
If FMSS is making so much money, why didn't any of the subsequently tenders called get on bidders? why did they conclude that AHTC is only for a new mgt agent formed by WP supporters? is that how they had looked at all PAP TCs' contracts? Would FMSS be successful to bid for PAP TCs work assuming they r equally qualified n properly scaled?"
So Pritam impressed me with his answer. Maybe he can start asking Davinder too, a known PAP supporter n one time member (still is?) n MP of PAP!
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