Mah Bow Tan: “I don’t expect non-PAP MPs to explain LUP”
October 9th, 2009 | 
Author: From our Correspondent
When asked why the lift upgrading programmes in opposition-held Hougang and Potong Pasir were announced by People’s Action Party (PAP) advisers and not its incumbent Members of Parliament, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said this has always been the practice, as they are the ones liaising with the HDB.
“I don’t expect the MP who’s not … a PAP MP to explain why LUP is like that, why we need co-payment, what the co-payment is all about. The adviser is always the one doing it, and it’s no different this time round,” he said.
With due respect to Mr Eric Low and Mr Sitoh Yi Pin, one does not need to be a genius to understand what the LUP is all about, so why can’t the announcements be left to the legitimate MPs instead?
This obsolete and inappropriate “practice” must be rectified immediately. HDB should liaise directly with the incumbent MPs regardless of their political affiliations and not the losers who have no business to be involved in the first place.
The residents of Hougang and Potong Pasir have expressed their desire clearly in 2006 for Mr Low Thia Kiang and Mr Chiam See Tong to serve them respectively.
As such, all matters pertaining to the running of these two estates including the LUP should go through the two MPs for them to implement the national initiatives on the ground.
HDB is a government agency and does not belong to the PAP. HDB officials are civil servants paid for by the citizens of Singapore and not from the PAP’s coffers. It just happens that the minister in charge of HDB is a PAP member.
Being a government body, HDB should be completely non-partisan and apolitical in nature. They should be fair and even-handed in dealing with all the constituencies, be it opposition or PAP.
There is no law stipulating that only PAP grassroots advisers are allowed to liaise with HDB. Does a PAP grassroots adviser have greater powers than an elected MP of the ward?
Furthermore, both Mr Low and Mr Chiam have been relentlessly lobbying Mr Mah Bow Tan to upgrade their estates.
Almost immediately after the 2006 elections, Mr Low said that he would bring up the “$100 million upgrading package” promised by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Parliament.
On the other hand, nothing was heard from Mr Eric Low until he announced last week in a media interview all of sudden that he has brought LUP to Hougang.
Mr Eric Low should know his rightful place in Hougang. Even if Mr Mah asked him to make the announcement, he should have the decency to inform Mr Low Thia Kiang and invite him to attend the press conference since he is the official MP of Hougang.
It is ungentlemanly and ungracious of Mr Eric Low to claim all the credit for himself to undermine the authority of Mr Low Thia Kiang in Hougang.
As an important minister, Mr Mah should stay clear and aloof of such petty politickeering on the ground and put the interests of the nation above that of the party.
Constituencies should not be divided based on whether they belong to the PAP or the opposition. All their residents are Singapore citizens who pay taxes yearly and serve national service. They should be accorded equal and fair treatment by the government.
Posted in Editorial
Such scenario boils down to one very important question. Can PAP now be trusted? Are Singaporeans now put in the brink of danger with such ruler in the country who choose to dictate how things should be run and than deny the alternative party the mandate which the people of PP & HG has volumniously given to CST & LTK.
Than another serious mind boggling question came: Why are our Statutory Boards so partisan. Are they serving the party or the people? Who pay taxes to feed all these people and yet the taypayers are being denied and humiliated numerous times on different occcassions deemed fit by PAP members?
I am shocked beyond word now.
SHAME ON YOU Minister Mah and Mr Eric Low
Sleeping on the job, as usual.
You will lose more votes than win more votes for the PAP with this type of childish little boy actions.
When will you grow up, little boy ??
Chiam and Low tk are running the respective town councils. All hdb need to do is to liaise with them. Why should Eric low and sitoh come into the picture? Feeling sad that singapore are run a bunch of ‘xiao ren’.
Sadly, MBT will still get the votes in Tampines when re-election comes.
The whole point will be that the people who are living in Tampines have seen their property values inflate over the last 5 yrs, 10 yrs, 20 yrs.
This will definitely be his key message to his voters when the crunch comes. That he and his staff have given “asset appreciation” to those who can vote in his precinct. How is our opposition going to counter this?
Whatever MBT said and did were all correct! Please, he is the minister, he DICTATES what is to be and what is to be not. He has absolute jurisdiction on how things are to be done.
Please do not blame MBT, we have ourselves to blame. He was given the opportunities to be elected and is the ‘rightful chosen’ one (whether it is by front door back door side doors is another story). We should blame ourselves for giving this opportunity to him.
However and whatever we complain here is just noise to him, I dont suppose he is bothered at all. Save our energy, pointless.
In no time, election time is coming. Just do the necessary to get him out of the way. Prices of flats are too high, beyond reach. And he is very firm in not acknowledging this.
The concern now is : can our opposition get enough candidates to contest in all the single wards as well as GRCs. Any body who contest under the opposition ticket are better than the current ruling party candidates.
“I don’t expect the MP who’s not … a PAP MP to explain why LUP is like that, why we need co-payment, what the co-payment is all about. The adviser is always the one doing it, and it’s no different this time round,” he said.”
I have never felt so insulted and pissed for SInkaporeans
This idiotic MBT thinks that the simple LUP is too ‘deep’ for Sinkaporeans other than the PaPies Elites to cpmprehend or understand?
Who the fiack he thinks he is, only he got a University Degree, other Sinkaporeans all less superior and less intelligent than him?
HDB is a government agency and does not belong to the PAPies. HDB officials are civil servants paid for by the citizens of Sinkapore and not from the PAPies’s coffers. Since when HDB is owned by PaPies?
Such fiacking arrogant shit can only come from the mouth of Leegally Corrupt PaPies Millisters.
Sinkaporeans should really rethink and reassess his capability to be a representative of the people.
Anyone who is planning to vote for this piece of shit really have got to get his brain checked!
Hi XiSd Tay,
Unfortunately, if you go out and talk to some Singaporeans, you WILL be utterly disappointed with the sad truth – many of them really needs to get their brain checked.
WE need MBT out of the picture. Seriously. He’s either getting senile, or thinks he’s some super human so high up top that NON PAP MPs can’t do ANYTHING.
Good Job, Mah, for discrediting your party as a party who only works within themselves. You guys can say it’s good for the people, fast, efficient to work amongst yourself….bla bla bla….the way I see it, PAP enjoys gerrymandering as much as it likes fixing oppositions to win votes, instead of earning the votes themselves.
The root cause, again, is because we simply do not have the critical number of opposition MPs to make noise in parliament. LTK and CST are just two voices there and even if they motion to do something to HDB, their motion will easily be shot down.
People got to understand how powerful having control of parliament is. All other things are just empty talks.
This is why NMP and NCMP schemes are no use when it comes down to national issues.
Wow lau…Mah Boleh Tahan…sigh
There is another question that needs to be asked apart from why HDB seems to be partial to PAP.
Why is it that the grassroots adviser is appointed by People’s Association (PA)? Should it be automatically be the MP afterall the MP is the one that the constituency voted in? Isn’t he the one that the residents want as their leader? What right does People’s Association have to make this appointment?
A further disturbing note. Why is the PA partial to PAP? Should this organization be for the citizens. Why are so many of the civil service looks like beholden to PAP? Something is seriously wrong here.
Perhaps Mah want to eat the words of his boss. Isn’t PM Lee remark that even PAP MPs may not understand gov’s policy. Let alone a nonsense and illogical remark from Mah.
“Said Mr Lee: “In fact, if we test people’s understanding of policies, I think even news workers and PAP MPs might not pass.”"
http://singabloodypore.rsfblog.org/archive/2008/04/14/singapore-regulations-on-new-media-will-be-ready-before-next.html
Now we change challenge Mr Mah to insult us with
“Said Mr Lee: “In fact, if we test people’s understanding of policies, I think even news workers and PAP MPs might not pass.”
Ha,
by the way, did Mah instruct HDB to divulge LUP information to the PAP losers ? Isn’t Mah the one responsible for LUP ? Isn’t Mah the one who support Sitoh over the lamp post saga payment after election ?
“The Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, said ” The MUP, the IUP and now the LUP are three key programmes to rejuvenate our public housing estates. The programmes are heavily subsidised by the Government and provide good value for money for HDB residents. As HDB residents have continued to show strong support for the programmes, the Government will strive to bring the benefits of upgrading to more HDB residents.””
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10208p.nsf/WPDis/Lift%20Upgrading%20ProgrammeRelated%20Info%20-%20More%20Upgrading%20Programmes%20to%20benefit%20HDB%20residents?OpenDocument
@steven on Fri, 9th Oct 2009 10:10 am
[[Chiam and Low tk are running the respective town councils. All hdb need to do is to liaise with them. Why should Eric low and sitoh come into the picture? Feeling sad that singapore are run a bunch of ‘xiao ren’.]]
They have already exhibited “xiao ren” quality ever since LTK won Hougang by chasing his council management away from the premise that the old PAP council used.
Through LTK’s diligence and initiative, WP build a new council building in record time to serve the people.
If we keep our mouths shut and our eyes closed to wrong-doings we fail in our duty to let the truth be heard.
If we continue to ignore the mismanagement and misguided policies of the PAP Government, our family, friends, loved ones, neighbours, fellow-citizens will forever remain unaware of them and, ultimately, suffer for it.
I was a PAP believer until, some months ago, I discovered TR and TOC.
Needless to say, my eyes are opened now and my vote will go to an opposition candidate in the next General Elections.
The truth is not out there in our Main Stream Media but in the Internet.
Get your family, friends, loved ones, neighbours, fellow citizen and NS brothers to check out TR, TOC and similar sites to discover for themselves what I discovered about present day PAP Singapore.
At Speechless.
I support your comment, Now PaP MP are not your MP, now they are your CEO, waiting for big fat salary & big bonuses.They don’t are contact to the ground, they only care to look at their Monthly Bank Statement accumulate with rxtra Zero.This is not a Nation yet, This is a commercial hud,They are seaching for upgrading to made extra $ for the Big Boss.Thoses grass root who supported them are small thief,they care for their material gain. So the common people will suffer. Amitabah.
I strongly urge Mr. Low and Mr. Chiam to up their game…and do not underestimate this bunch of ruthless slimy snakes! Get your bats ready and wobble them on their BIG FAT HEADS! Engage the media…all sorts…if not the local shit papers…at least post something on your websites to debunk their brownies stealing antics!
Reading all the rants, I started asking, is that all we can do? Mah Boh Tan has said something too wrong to be forgiven. HDB belongs to Singapore, not PAP. There is a strong case. Is there anything we can do to actively to remove him from his status? Instead of the net, should we spread this in paper media and distribute it to everyone in Singapore? Should we proactively convey the truth rather than sitting on the chair and shout into the thin air in the internet? We are not idiot as what the PAP wants to believe. We need to do something and do it now!
MBT can never stand tall….horizontal or vertical!
Why do you think the PM Lee and his dynasty allow MBT to continue to trample the citizens with high cost price of HDB ? “Birds of a feather flock together”
Don’t you find that most profitable and large money comes from HDB and land sales ? What better way to recoup the TH and GIC investment loss than through the citizens wholesale again ?
The government got no respect for anyone outside PAP !!! This is the result of having the same ruling party since independence !!!
WITH The highest respect to Mr. MAH”S “FuDGEEEEEeeeeeinKING FARTING FUDGeeee…zzzzzzzzzzzz….y LOGic… HE SURE BEAT THEM ALL… Of PApieeeeeeeeeS… FuDGEE FUZZY Logic I just posted in another TR BLOG!!!…
SO NOW… when he speaks… I can help even giggling… But IT IS… my anus farting the laughs instead… as…
HOW TO BEAT This Mother of Farting Sense Of HUMourING OUR funnybones!!! KLUDOS to you “btan” and ALL Others wWHO OSO CAN’T STAND THE STENCH… OF a certain fart… time to run away FOR SOME FRESH AIR YAH!!!…
QUOTE
Exposer on Fri, 9th Oct 2009 11:27 am
Perhaps Mah want to eat the words of his boss. Isn’t PM Lee remark that even PAP MPs may not understand gov’s policy. Let alone a nonsense and illogical remark from Mah.
“Said Mr Lee: “In fact, if we test people’s understanding of policies, I think even news workers and PAP MPs might not pass.””
http://singabloodypore.rsfblog.org/archive/2008/04/14/singapore-regulations-on-new-media-will-be-ready-before-next.html
Now we change challenge Mr Mah to insult us with
“Said Mr Lee: “In fact, if we test people’s understanding of policies, I think even news workers and PAP MPs might not pass.”
UNQUOTE
There is a more disturbing implication to the partisan nature of our GLCs and stat boards.
Do GIC & Temasek hold their allegiance to PAP instead of Singapore? If the answer is yes, can we expect the money inside to still be around should PAP lose power one day? Already, they are taking steps to insist Temasek is only a private company…
Do YOU know that you need and ISBN PERMIT or some other PERMIT to print AND DISTRIBUTE them here in SINKaPOOReee???…
Even when your article ISN”T OFFENSIVE nad IS OBJECT and YOUR RIGHT In EVERY Sense of THIS WORD… The SPF WILL BRING IN FOR QUESTIONING FIRST… And then… in the meantime… they will AS NECESSARY… ISSUE Press STATEMENTS To THE EFFECT… THAT INVESTIGATIONS ARE STILL GOING (BEHIND THE SCENES OF COURSE!!!) …And so they the SPF CANNOt and Unabble to Comment OR Give Further INFORMATION… Untill “THEY” HAVE Acertain “THE TRUTH” IF
An Offence Or Serious Offense HAS BEEN COMMITTED!!!…
And so in The Meantime… IF ‘negotiations’ ARE going on with the Adminstration… CAN ANY OF US KNOW???… Since… THIS IS A “POLICE MATTER”… and thus shrouded in secrecies…
Thus it sound BOTh right and wrong too doesn’t it!!!…
That’s the CONUNDRUM Veil Over ALL Our EYES.. and PLUGS into Our EARS too!!!… And we thus ALL… BECOME ‘BRAINLESS!!!…
SIMPLE DOES IT… LOOKS NEAT and TIDY… even IF IT IS MORALLY and ETHICALLY NOT… THTA”S HOW EXTREME POLITICS WORK… Dear “ric”!!! Please read UP… Remember UP too… and More IMPORTANTLY… With MORE INFORMATION… WAKE UP!!!
PA = PAP = GOVT = civil service = PAP = PA – an incestuous relationship. Simply put – all in the ‘family’.
SHAME OF YOU MBT!!!!!!!!!!!
PAP..PLEASE REMOVE MBT!!! HE IS OF NO SUBSTANCE!!!!
Then what can we do? Point is, voting is useless unless the opposition is able to challenge in every GRCs. No point ranting here but not given a chance to vote. The internet exposure is simply too little and most of the PAP voters are the older generation who seldom log in to the Internet. We need to do something right? If not what is the point?
The Untouchables has done it again!!! The just trample on citizens and could not care less what we all think. I award MBT with one pair of my slippers.
MBT’s reply is hardly surprising.
Do you expect ivory from a dog’s mouth!?
When/where did MBT say this? I can’t find it anywhere in the state media?
Your wrote…
“SHAME OF YOU MBT!!!!!!!!!!!
PAP..PLEASE REMOVE MBT!!! HE IS OF NO SUBSTANCE!!!!”…
IF Wong Kan’t Seng DIDN”T get removed…
WILL… a “MAH (horse) Boh (don’t) Tan (wait)”… that just runs and runs FOR OUR Dollars… even very SHORT and with Equally SHORT legs… CAN Catch and Keep OUR Dollars…
And WHO WENT INTO Parliament in a package call GRC… then become a Minister od NATIONal DevelopMENt…
BE REMOVED… By his “MASTERS” and BOSSES WHo PUT HIM THERE???
NUTS… if anyone should think SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While its a silly comment by Mah Bow, its strange/pathetic that I don’t see any response from WP or SDA on the matter either. Is a declawed and detoothed opposition what we want in a place as important as parliament?
Hello Der,
Are you part of the internet bridgade either working overtime or doing the night shift? Your same old argument is getting stale.
So should we continue to allow the silly (as you wrote) and incompetent pappy clown MBT to be in a place as important as the parliament? Or continue to be paid millions by taxpayers to screw the taxpayers?
MAH and Singaporea deserve each other.
If you don’t like him, don’t vote for him. Otherwise, don’t complain.
Good riddance.
What Mah Bow Tan is implying is that he doesn’t give two hoods about how a democratic system works…he has the absolute power and he can dictate whatever he personally deems fit, and he certainly have no respects for the constituents of Potong Pasir.
Bad move, I cam almost be sure that PAP will continue to lose these 2 constituencies to Chiam and Low!
So much for the IQ and EQ of these PAP morons!
we want in a place as important as parliament? Or as impotent of caring for its citizen?
Singaporeans can answer this question. Politicians’ answers NOT needed or welcome.
Der said: While its a silly comment by Mah Bow, its strange/pathetic that I don’t see any response from WP or SDA on the matter either. Is a declawed and detoothed opposition what we want in a place as important as parliament?
Actually given the sad and sorry state that Sinkaporeans is in now and the arrogant and non transparent government which brought Sinkapore in the present pathetic state, even a donkey will fit nicely in parliment, as long as its not fed and breed by the paPies.
If you want to have a better understanding as to why the ruling elites consider the elected opposition MPs to be unworthy to announce the LUP, watch the following video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkw7qaIT7f0&feature=channel_page
Pay attention to what George Yeo said, apparently in 1995:
“Remember your place in society before you engage in political debate.. ”
Instead of serving the citizens who supposedly put them in office, they apparently think of themselves as untouchable elites.
Greetings I suppose Quitters from Singapore mustn’t be too critical of how Singapore Governance is,be that as it may,the whole concept is rather unbalanced,unjust and inequitable not to refresh and rehabilitate HDB apartments just because they are in the Opposition Constituencies,apparently this has been going on for years as a modus operandi to deny the Opposition any effectiveness! One must ask the material question is the PAP Government after winning the Elections a Government for PAP Constituencies only or Government of All the People ?So the question of whether to refresh ,renovate and rehabilitate HDB apartments is really a question of fact, whether the criteria for such re-development of Lift Upgrade Programs are needed.My relatives happen to be in PAP Constituencies so they all happy,but why should Hougan, Potong Pasir suffer the inequities just because Mr.Chiam and Mr.Low are Opponents in Parliament to the PAP controlled Government! Its patently unjust to deny fellow Singaporeans their upgrade just because they voted differently from the majority !Its an obsence Democracy and downright vindictive ! The Executive PAP Government must have an even hand in its re-building, refreshing and rehabilitation project based on objective building principles and factors! All this announcements by the PAP Government about its LUP in Opposition Constituencies is really improper anjd a stolen thunder from the Opposition!Isn’t there any more decency left after all these years of winning elections with almost virtual absolute power ? I am apalled that Parliamentary Democracy has come to this.Even the Tory Government after winning over the Labour Government cannot dismantled its National Health System,because it was legislated for all Nation not just the Labour or Tory Nation !We need a Portia or a Daniel to come to Judgement in the PAP ranks!
Gerald Heng Sr.Esq
Greater Boston,MA USA
I reside in Metrowest Framingham,MA,USA
All things being equal, I would have thought that the priority for any upgrading should be based on when the flats are first built. That is the oldest flats should get upgraded first so that it will be fair and equitable especially to the older residents.
This sort of upgrading facilities should not be used by PAP as a tool to entice voters. Does it mean to say that PAP has no qualms to resorting to collective corruption when it comes to election time so that their candidates will be elected and in turn enjoy the fruits of being elected into office?
So LKY as a Mentor and his son as the Prime Minister has no sense of fairness in condoning such policies ? So collective corruption by PAP is OK ?
Why is our Mr “No Cockles” so quiet these few months?What is his views/opinions regarding the comments of MBT?U r paid millions to do a job, please do something.