Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by w.eikaas @ Wed, 14 May 2008 02:05:33 +0800

w.eikaas — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:05:33 +0800

When is the next election going to be? I cant wait!

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by will4 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 22:31:02 +0800

will4 — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:31:02 +0800

Originally posted by HyperFocal:

... with them, it is all about promises unkept, or broken, lip services, and half buckets of water efforts or Token Acts for the records ...

Aljunied GRCX almost lost to the opposition in the last election, wonder if they forgot about it?

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 16:15:07 +0800

qlqq9 — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:15:07 +0800

ya, only PAP is indispensable at the mercy of the people, a ha hee hee.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:58:38 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:58:38 +0800

... in our case, we are alll DISPOSABLE and replaceable with FTs...

.. so they think...

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:58:10 +0800

qlqq9 — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:58:10 +0800

Originally posted by HyperFocal:

... Guards that let MSK slip away comes to mind as such...

yes, agree. keep paying themselves obscene salary but never bother to provide good service to the people who feed them, hopeless PAP.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:57:33 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:57:33 +0800

... anyway, the govt cannot be faulted for complacency on their part as a whole... they are IMMUNE to any ACCOUNTABILITY and cannot perform their duty with the fear of being held accountable...

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:56:06 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:56:06 +0800

Originally posted by qlqq9:

PAP never educate these staff of theirs about good service or these staff have attended the crap Quality Service class but refuse to put it to practise. They are not the only ones who provide bad service, bad service in government sector is rampant. The overpaid world class salary PAP providing us with a third world class (or worse) standard where service is concerned.

... Guards that let MSK slip away comes to mind as such...

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:54:46 +0800

qlqq9 — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:54:46 +0800

Originally posted by HyperFocal:

... come on, it's not like in the USA where they may have to deal with MILLIONS of poor and needy or homeless to show such impatience & attitudes...!

... such a small country, and they can't deal professionally with people who are in need because of govt's stupid policies? Speaks volumes of their sincerity in 'helping' needies...

PAP never educate these staff of theirs about good service or these staff have attended the crap Quality Service class but refuse to put it to practise. They are not the only ones who provide bad service, bad service in government sector is rampant. The overpaid world class salary PAP providing us with a third world class (or worse) standard where service is concerned.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:52:51 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:52:51 +0800

... please lah, DON'T be the government, step down go run a corporation or something..

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:51:40 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:51:40 +0800

Originally posted by qlqq9:

these people working for the pap are like their master PAP who have no love, no good service to the people who feed them.

... come on, it's not like in the USA where they may have to deal with MILLIONS of poor and needy or homeless to show such impatience & attitudes...!

... such a small country, and they can't deal professionally with people who are in need because of govt's stupid policies? Speaks volumes of their sincerity in 'helping' needies...

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:47:44 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:47:44 +0800

... with them, it is all about promises unkept, or broken, lip services, and half buckets of water efforts or Token Acts for the records ...

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:45:36 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:45:36 +0800

Aljunied Town Council - Taking the easy way out?
Posted by theonlinecitizen on May 7, 2008

Leong Sze Hian & Andrew Loh

All 14 town councils run by the People’s Action Party (PAP) will not be increasing their Service and Conservancy (S&C) charges this year.

- Channel NewsAsia, “PAP town councils to freeze S&C charges this year” (February 28, 2008)

Barely two and a half months later, on May 5 2008, this is what ‘officials’ at the PAP-run Aljunied Town Council (TC) said:

Officials also said they will consider raising the conservancy charges for the dirtiest precincts to cover the extra work that goes into maintaining them …

- “Aljunied trash index aims to wipe out litterbugs.” (Straits Times, May 5, 2008)

The Finance Minister had called for all town councils to freeze their fees during the recent Budget debate in Parliament when he announced the extension of a one-year freeze on fee increases for government-provided services till the end of 2008.

And indeed, as the Channel NewsAsia report said, all 14 PAP TCs declared that they will not increase S&CC for 2008.

However, it seems that PAP town councils, and Aljunied GRC TC in particular, are already looking for ways to increase S&C charges next year – Aljunied TC citing “hardcore litterbugs” in the “dirtiest precincts” as its reason for doing so.

With inflation hitting 26-year highs, isn’t this proposed increase in fees for “the dirtiest precincts” a breach of the PAP town councils’ promise to Singaporeans?

Aljunied GRC Town Council

The fact of the matter is that Aljunied TC, along with all PAP-run TCs, have enough funds to address the “hardcore litterbugs” problem. (Read here for TOC’s earlier article on town councils’ funds.)

According to Aljunied Town Council’s Annual Reports, it had $84 million in its Sinking Fund, an increase of 5 per cent over it’s $80 million in 2005/2006.

Its accumulated surpluses as at 31 March 2007 was $5 million.

Its funds invested with fund managers was $44 million, an increase of about 33 per cent over the $30 million in 2005/2006.

In an earlier article, TOC reported:

According to the Straits Times’ report of March 25, 2006, “The gathering storm”:

Taking into account all the grants from the Government, the Aljunied Town Council, for example, gets $560 per household for the financial year ending March 2005.

The grants include funds from the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC), which is controlled by the Ministry of National Development.

In contrast, government grants came up to just $113 per household in Potong Pasir.

In another report on the same day, “Hougang’s Low may be ‘heart’ to beat”, the Straits Times reported:

Government grants came up to about $111 per household in Hougang in 2004-05. By contrast, neighbouring Aljunied Town Council, which has access to funds such as the government-controlled Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC), got $560 per household for the same period.

One therefore will have to question why the Aljunied Town Council charges more for S&CC than Potong Pasir and Hougang, across the board – from 2 rooms to executive flats – when the Aljunied TC is getting more government grants than the two opposition wards.

In one instant, a one-roomer’s S&CC in Aljunied Crescent rose from $3.50 to $18.50 from 1994 to 2005 – an increase of about 428 per cent.

Raising fees, penalties, legal cost, jail, lose your home!

Instead of charging more, how about reducing S & CC for the cleaner precincts instead?

Instead of using penalties almost all the time, how about incentives to motivate people, for a change?

By the way, we understand that if you couldn’t pay your S & CC, the penalty used to be just 50 cents or a dollar or so.

Now, we believe it is 2 per cent per month of the amount owed or a fixed penalty of a few dollars, whichever is the higher.

2 per cent is the highest charge for all financial transactions allowed in Singapore, and only credit cards charge such a high rate.

If you can’t pay your S & CC, you are slapped with penalties. If you still can’t pay, you get a legal letter for which you have to pay the legal cost. As it’s a standard letter for which thousands are sent every month, why charge $20 as the legal fee for such a letter?

If you still can’t pay, you are charged in court, and slapped with a fine.

Well, here’s the paradox - if you can’t pay for your S & CC, how can you afford to pay the fine?

If you can’t pay the fine, you may end up in jail.

By the way, how many people in Singapore have been to jail?

The Town Council Act also empowers the Town Council to sell your HDB flat to recover unpaid S & CC.

A billion dollars in funds, yet…

In the spirit of keeping one’s promise, this new idea to increase S & CC should be nipped in the bud, before we waste anymore of taxpayers’ money and time to figure out how to implement it.

Perhaps our MPs may have rather short memories, as the promise was made just about 2 months ago.

By the way, with more than a billion dollars in PAP town councils’ sinking funds, as well as operating surpluses – does Aljunied Town Council still need to charge more “to cover the extra work that goes into maintaining them”, as officials at the TC claimed?

It is high time that PAP-run Town Councils stop taking the easy way out.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:42:24 +0800

qlqq9 — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:42:24 +0800

Originally posted by HyperFocal:

Why must CDC staff 'SHOUT' AT NEEDY CUSTOMERS?
READER: Officers yell at residents looking for financial help
SPOKESMAN: Staff may speak louder if crowded

By Zubaidah Nazeer
May 06, 2008

DEALING with difficult clients on a daily basis can get to them.

Ms Amy Hafiz (far left) and Ms Halifah Parmo were appalled by service standards. TNP picture: KUA CHEE SIONG
Never mind if these clients are the needy who are there to ask for help.

Now, customer service officers at a social services centre have come under fire for allegedly raising their voices at those who approach them, and for exhibiting what appeared to be unprofessional behaviour.

Residents who have been to a branch of the North West community development council (CDC) were observed to have been rudely served.

One visitor who was there recently raised the issue to The New Paper.

Ms Amy Hafiz, 39, a clerk, claimed that she saw two customer service officers at the CDC's Woodlands Civic Centre office shout at and speak roughly to other residents who were there to ask for help.

And when The New Paper dropped in, we also observed how the officers sometimes spoke rather loudly, enough for others to hear.

Ms Amy was there on the morning of 16 Apr to ask about the ComCare assistance plan for herself.

She had called a helpline first, but was told to go to a CDC near her home to get more help.

While waiting for her queue number to be called, Ms Amy claimed that she heard two officers passing unpleasant remarks about the people they were helping.

When a middle-aged woman asked the officers why she had to return at 4pm even though she was already there that morning, one of the officers said curtly: 'You want help? Just be here.'

Another officer told an elderly man, loud enough for Ms Amy to hear: 'Get your documents ready before coming.'

Ms Amy said: 'After the people left, I could hear the officers talking about them... and (voicing) their frustrations. I believe they should be a bit more professional as service staff.'

Ms Amy, who was there with her friend, both allegedly heard the officers complaining that the residents did not seem to listen to instructions.

When Ms Amy's number was called, she was told to get some documents and to return at 4pm as well.

But she stressed that the officers were not rude to her.

When Ms Amy returned at 4pm, she witnessed the rudest scene yet.

Another middle-aged resident had just opened the door to the office when one of the customer service officers shouted at the woman in a mix of Malay and English.

The officer allegedly said: 'Why (sic) you come now? I told you to be here at 1pm right? Now, too late already.'

Ms Amy said: 'I was puzzled by this attitude. Where was her professionalism as a customer service officer? Why can't she wait for the woman to arrive at the counter and then advise her patiently?'

She saw the woman trying to explain herself for the so-called miscommunication but the officer allegedly shot back loudly: 'You can't understand me... not (sic) I give wrong information. The camera is on, you want me to play back?'

Ms Amy's friend, Madam Halifah Parmo, 43, said: 'I thought of telling her that she should not be so rude and serve people that way. I thought what she did was just not right.'

About 10 minutes later, a middle-aged man who had also witnessed the scene went in to see a case worker.

Ms Amy said: 'I think he must have told the case worker about the commotion because the counter phone rang and I could hear the customer service officer trying to explain what happened earlier.

'I heard her saying, 'Ya lah, there's this man who can't get help from us (who) came to her rescue.'

Ms Amy heard another two phone calls that the officer answered about the incident.

Ms Amy said: 'I was totally appalled by her comments. Not only was her explanation distorted, but I wondered why she was at the counter at all if she wasn't patient in serving the ones who really need help?

'I also wondered if the camera was for real or was it just a threat?'

The New Paper dropped in unannounced on 22 Apr and observed the goings-on for nearly three hours in the afternoon from a seat furthest from the officers.

The office area was about the size of two HDB bedrooms, with seats for up to 15.

Sometime around 3pm, after a few people had been served, one of the officers raised her voice to a middle-aged woman and said: 'When we send the letter then you come down. She's not in! You have to call first.'

The woman did not seem to be frustrated, more at a loss. Then the officer motioned to her colleague and asked her if she could speak in Malay to the woman.

About half an hour later, the same officer was heard shouting to a woman and an elderly man: 'Anything wrong, I don't know ah... (it will be sent to) this address... whatever (sic) outstanding is based on that.'

When we asked the woman later whether the officers were rude, she said: 'Not always, sometimes.'

At about 4.35pm, the same officer was heard trying to emphasise a point to a young man and his wife by saying: 'Concession. Stated here... CONCESSION. CONCESSION!' she yelled.

When contacted, a North West CDC spokesman said that they are investigating the incidents.

In an e-mail reply, the CDC's acting general manager, Ms Toh Lay Hoon, said officers are advised to be attentive to the needs of the clients.

'However, when there is a crowd at the service counter, counter service staff may have to speak a bit louder, especially to the elderly.'

Ms Toh said that while most of the residents they serve were easier to handle, they have encountered those who were uncooperative in offering information and could also become abusive towards counter service staff.

She added that the officers are given customer service training, and monthly service briefings are provided.

Ms Toh added: 'Between July 2007 to March 2008, our counter service staff at the North West CDC received 632 'Go the Extra Mile for Service' Cards for great service provided to our residents.'

All eight samples that were given belonged to another staff member not featured in this story.

these people working for the pap are like their master PAP who have no love, no good service to the people who feed them.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:36:52 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:36:52 +0800

Look at how WILLING, gov's so called CDC is in helping people in need...

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:33:14 +0800

HyperFocal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:33:14 +0800

Originally posted by LCH1989:

it is not true... PAP help people by giving them comcare, project sucess & NE CDC. U should learn more fro PAP.

Why must CDC staff 'SHOUT' AT NEEDY CUSTOMERS?
READER: Officers yell at residents looking for financial help
SPOKESMAN: Staff may speak louder if crowded

By Zubaidah Nazeer
May 06, 2008

DEALING with difficult clients on a daily basis can get to them.

Ms Amy Hafiz (far left) and Ms Halifah Parmo were appalled by service standards. TNP picture: KUA CHEE SIONG
Never mind if these clients are the needy who are there to ask for help.

Now, customer service officers at a social services centre have come under fire for allegedly raising their voices at those who approach them, and for exhibiting what appeared to be unprofessional behaviour.

Residents who have been to a branch of the North West community development council (CDC) were observed to have been rudely served.

One visitor who was there recently raised the issue to The New Paper.

Ms Amy Hafiz, 39, a clerk, claimed that she saw two customer service officers at the CDC's Woodlands Civic Centre office shout at and speak roughly to other residents who were there to ask for help.

And when The New Paper dropped in, we also observed how the officers sometimes spoke rather loudly, enough for others to hear.

Ms Amy was there on the morning of 16 Apr to ask about the ComCare assistance plan for herself.

She had called a helpline first, but was told to go to a CDC near her home to get more help.

While waiting for her queue number to be called, Ms Amy claimed that she heard two officers passing unpleasant remarks about the people they were helping.

When a middle-aged woman asked the officers why she had to return at 4pm even though she was already there that morning, one of the officers said curtly: 'You want help? Just be here.'

Another officer told an elderly man, loud enough for Ms Amy to hear: 'Get your documents ready before coming.'

Ms Amy said: 'After the people left, I could hear the officers talking about them... and (voicing) their frustrations. I believe they should be a bit more professional as service staff.'

Ms Amy, who was there with her friend, both allegedly heard the officers complaining that the residents did not seem to listen to instructions.

When Ms Amy's number was called, she was told to get some documents and to return at 4pm as well.

But she stressed that the officers were not rude to her.

When Ms Amy returned at 4pm, she witnessed the rudest scene yet.

Another middle-aged resident had just opened the door to the office when one of the customer service officers shouted at the woman in a mix of Malay and English.

The officer allegedly said: 'Why (sic) you come now? I told you to be here at 1pm right? Now, too late already.'

Ms Amy said: 'I was puzzled by this attitude. Where was her professionalism as a customer service officer? Why can't she wait for the woman to arrive at the counter and then advise her patiently?'

She saw the woman trying to explain herself for the so-called miscommunication but the officer allegedly shot back loudly: 'You can't understand me... not (sic) I give wrong information. The camera is on, you want me to play back?'

Ms Amy's friend, Madam Halifah Parmo, 43, said: 'I thought of telling her that she should not be so rude and serve people that way. I thought what she did was just not right.'

About 10 minutes later, a middle-aged man who had also witnessed the scene went in to see a case worker.

Ms Amy said: 'I think he must have told the case worker about the commotion because the counter phone rang and I could hear the customer service officer trying to explain what happened earlier.

'I heard her saying, 'Ya lah, there's this man who can't get help from us (who) came to her rescue.'

Ms Amy heard another two phone calls that the officer answered about the incident.

Ms Amy said: 'I was totally appalled by her comments. Not only was her explanation distorted, but I wondered why she was at the counter at all if she wasn't patient in serving the ones who really need help?

'I also wondered if the camera was for real or was it just a threat?'

The New Paper dropped in unannounced on 22 Apr and observed the goings-on for nearly three hours in the afternoon from a seat furthest from the officers.

The office area was about the size of two HDB bedrooms, with seats for up to 15.

Sometime around 3pm, after a few people had been served, one of the officers raised her voice to a middle-aged woman and said: 'When we send the letter then you come down. She's not in! You have to call first.'

The woman did not seem to be frustrated, more at a loss. Then the officer motioned to her colleague and asked her if she could speak in Malay to the woman.

About half an hour later, the same officer was heard shouting to a woman and an elderly man: 'Anything wrong, I don't know ah... (it will be sent to) this address... whatever (sic) outstanding is based on that.'

When we asked the woman later whether the officers were rude, she said: 'Not always, sometimes.'

At about 4.35pm, the same officer was heard trying to emphasise a point to a young man and his wife by saying: 'Concession. Stated here... CONCESSION. CONCESSION!' she yelled.

When contacted, a North West CDC spokesman said that they are investigating the incidents.

In an e-mail reply, the CDC's acting general manager, Ms Toh Lay Hoon, said officers are advised to be attentive to the needs of the clients.

'However, when there is a crowd at the service counter, counter service staff may have to speak a bit louder, especially to the elderly.'

Ms Toh said that while most of the residents they serve were easier to handle, they have encountered those who were uncooperative in offering information and could also become abusive towards counter service staff.

She added that the officers are given customer service training, and monthly service briefings are provided.

Ms Toh added: 'Between July 2007 to March 2008, our counter service staff at the North West CDC received 632 'Go the Extra Mile for Service' Cards for great service provided to our residents.'

All eight samples that were given belonged to another staff member not featured in this story.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:18:04 +0800

qlqq9 — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:18:04 +0800

Originally posted by t_a_s:

under pap rule, we have to work like pariah, can die, can not sick

they can afford to work and fall sick. They work, they get lots of money, overpaid world class salary. They sick they have all the top drs to treat them and they enjoy good medical benefits that is much better than the common folks.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by t_a_s @ Fri, 09 May 2008 14:59:41 +0800

t_a_s — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:59:41 +0800

under pap rule, we have to work like pariah, can die, can not sick

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Fri, 09 May 2008 13:08:10 +0800

qlqq9 — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:08:10 +0800

Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:

Get caught in what?

just ignore. some kind of running dog of PAP in disguise

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by dumbdumb! @ Fri, 09 May 2008 11:33:14 +0800

dumbdumb! — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:33:14 +0800

lol. in the end... the ones who are getting the "help" don't really need help at all.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by shrekho @ Fri, 09 May 2008 10:38:36 +0800

shrekho — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:38:36 +0800

A lot of speculations here.

Put youself in the shoes of the Lees, how do you think you can answer the questions?

Example: I extort 10 and give back 1, if I were Lee, I would ask, do you have any facts or statistics to back you up? Slander case man.

This place is twisted, but at least I have a job, some cpf, trade some shares to jiak kopi. Knocking off, I can go home safely after I have my pubbing or weekend relaxation session.

I cannot agree more that we are really entrapped into this viscious cycle and perhaps what some call tyranny, but can you, or any other political party, do better and come up with a concrete plan? How many can do it?

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by Caitaokue @ Thu, 08 May 2008 17:26:14 +0800

Caitaokue — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:26:14 +0800

nevermind guys, we tahan for another three years. meanwhile we help out the opposition in any ways.

BTW, you all got support CSJ and buy his tak boleh tahan t-shirt or not. I hope he come up with more products and t-shit like this, everyone in Singapore wear this and walk on the street. S1 car passes by, stopped and vomit blood.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by qlqq9 @ Thu, 08 May 2008 16:59:06 +0800

qlqq9 — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:59:06 +0800

Originally posted by eagle:

How about this:

I extort $10 from you.

Then I give you back $1, and tell the world I had kindly helped you by giving you $1is

eagle, this fellow is brainwashed. wonder how is he going to see when he does nothing to his blindness.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by eagle @ Thu, 08 May 2008 16:51:37 +0800

eagle — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:51:37 +0800

Originally posted by LCH1989:

it is not true... PAP help people by giving them comcare, project sucess & NE CDC. U should learn more fro PAP.

How about this:

I extort $10 from you.

Then I give you back $1, and tell the world I had kindly helped you by giving you $1

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by LCH1989 @ Thu, 08 May 2008 14:46:27 +0800

LCH1989 — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:46:27 +0800

Originally posted by qlqq9:

hello, pap love people like you who are so damn timid. It is becos of people like you that allow pap to be more and more daring to make our life difficult. You sound like one of the 66.6% voters.

it is not true... PAP help people by giving them comcare, project sucess & NE CDC. U should learn more fro PAP.

Dear Prime Minister, tolong please... replied by HyperFocal @ Thu, 08 May 2008 14:04:57 +0800

HyperFocal — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:04:57 +0800

... actually true, PM shouldn't try to do anything to help...

... it's always half a bucket and then something goes up in cost...

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