People's Association reimbursement claims flagged in AGO report being investigated by police: Chan Chun Sing
The claims were made by a former PA officer for the overseas purchases of costumes and accessories worth S$142,200 for Chingay 2017.
SINGAPORE: The police are looking into a case involving reimbursement claims made by a former People’s Association (PA) employee for overseas purchases for Chingay 2017.
The matter was flagged by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) in its report for financial year 2017/2018 that was released in July.
In the report, the AGO said the reimbursement claims were supported by some supporting documents with “tell-tale signs” that cast doubt on their authenticity.
The PA employee had made the claims for the overseas purchases and payments for costumes and accessories worth S$142,200.
In Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 20), PA’s deputy chairman Chan Chun Sing revealed that the matter has been referred to the police.
Mr Chan said that an independent investigation panel led by a senior officer in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) was set up in June 2018 to look into the Chingay 2017 procurement, as well as to review past overseas Chingay purchases and payments.
The panel, he said, has since completed its investigations.
“While there was no conclusive evidence that there was wrongdoing, there were concerns over the authenticity of some transactions.
“PA has referred the matter to the police and will fully cooperate with the police in investigations,” he said.
“We will decide on further steps after the police complete their investigations.”
Mr Chan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, was responding to questions filed by Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament Png Eng Huat.
Mr Png had asked about the AGO’s report which also flagged several other issues, including lapses in the PA’s procurement for festive street light-ups.
According to the report, the tenders for two street light-ups – Mid-Autumn Festival 2016 and Chinese New Year 2017 – were awarded to the same overseas manufacturer who had been awarded the contracts every year since 2014.
In its proposal for the Mid-Autumn Festival 2016 light-up, the overseas company had listed additional costs, including accommodation for its workers during their stay in Singapore, transportation charges for materials and the provision of a site for assembling lanterns.
However, the grassroots organisation did not consider these additional costs on top of the tender price in its evaluation when comparing prices of the proposals.
Mr Chan noted on Tuesday that the AGO had flagged this matter as an administrative lapse.
He added that the event organiser was “well aware” of these additional costs because it paid for the expenses every year, which averaged S$34,000 for each event from 2014 to 2016.
“The organiser has acknowledged the lapse and put in place measures to avoid its recurrence,” he said.
Mr Chan pointed out that the AGO’s observations for the three events were not mentioned in past external audits conducted.
He added that the PA’s own internal audit had earlier identified that Chingay’s practice of overseas procurement did not fully comply with approved procedures, and these were immediately stopped in early 2017, before AGO’s recent audit.
“PA acknowledges and takes a serious view of the observations by the AGO,” he said. “We will continue to educate our staff and volunteers to improve the procurement practices.”
WHY DID THE GOVERNMENT NOT AUDIT PA?: PNG ENG HUAT
An exchange between Mr Chan and Mr Png took place in Parliament as the WP MP stood to ask a series of supplementary questions.
Mr Png asked who in the PA should be held accountable for such lapses, pointing out that the organisation is not run by volunteers, but headed by government ministers and MPs.
“It is allocated a huge budget closing in on a billion dollars, and with professionally paid staff,” he said. “So I would like to ask where the buck stops for accountability.”
Mr Png also asked if the work of PA’s current auditor – which he said has been giving PA a “clean report” since financial year 2013 – needs to be audited.
“It could not pick up serious lapses repeatedly, some with tell-tale signs of possible fraud as reported in the AGO report,” said Mr Png.
In response, Mr Chan repeatedly stressed that there is a “material difference” between a set of accounts that is qualified and one without such qualifications.
He also took issue with Mr Png’s use of the phrases “serious lapses” and “fraud”, saying that the AGO did not use those words in its report.
“I have no doubt on the integrity of my public officers and their professionalism,” Mr Chan said. “I accept that sometimes they make mistakes, and when they do, we will put it right.”
“Please do not use words that do not correspond to the reality, or words that the AGO has not used,” he added. “The AGO and auditors have never made any comment that the PA’s accounts are qualified.
“This is quite different from other cases that Mr Png may be familiar with.”
Mr Png then pointed out that he had looked through the various reports, and said that PA has had many years of qualified accounts before 2007.
Furthermore, he said there were six consecutive years where the PA had received an adverse opinion – which he described as “the worst opinion you can ever get for an audit report”.
“So why did the Government not audit PA’s accounts?” he asked.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/peoples-association-reimbursement-ago-report-police-10949898
Why Khaw Boon Wan never ask Chan Chun Sing to step down or commit hara-kiri?
Next year onward just ban the Chingay procession, problem solved.
Pre-Election Wayang. Time to employ the good guy bad guy tactic.
Come early next year, some of the about-to-retire ministers will make their final appearances and shed crocodile tears on national TV.
When you see that, you know for sure it's just a matter of months before GE arrives.
The Amy-fixing-social-enterprise-and-saving-hawkers saga and the Sunday channel 8 night show where they invite a minister every episode to chit chat are all tell-tale signs.
Next, it'll be the carrot dangling technique. You know the drill : HDB lift upgrades, new playgrounds and sheltered walkways.....
I don't get it.
If the so-called independent investigation panel found nothing wrong, why was the case subsequently handed over to the police? Besides, shouldn't the police have stepped in at the onset?
Not to mention if no wrongdoing was uncovered, why would the employee leave suddenly?
Things somehow just do not quite add up.
“While there was no conclusive evidence that there was wrongdoing, there were concerns over the authenticity of some transactions. "
No evidence of wrongdoing, yet authenticity of transactions questionable.........what a fucking contradictory response. Hello Kee Chiu stop beating around the bush with your gay answers. Have the decency to just come clean about things already, the real goddamn honest truth isn't the least bit malleable.
PA's official reply will probably be: Going forward, we shall strive to do better next time. So let's move on!!