Tony Tan Doublespeak

The Workers party on Monday accused the HDB of abusing its power as land owner by transferring the management rights of 26 common areas from the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council to the People's Association (PA).

Dr Tan, 71, said, "I would be very concerned with regard to any unfairness whether this is done intentionally or perhaps through a mistake.

"In this particular case, my view is that the HDB should investigate the incident thoroughly, get the facts and make sure that the proper procedures are followed."

Lets face it. This is not new. The PAP government has always abused its position by depriving opposition parties of state resources at every which way it can. We don't have to go far to see the pattern. HDB upgrading excercises were often used as a carrot to win votes on the one hand while on the other, veiled threats were issued to warn voters of voting for the opposition. This happened times and times again in wards held by the opposition, namely Hougang and Potong Pasir.

So what is new? The only thing new is Tony Tan calling for HDB to look into scandalous conduct of HDB and PA. Well, he's now running for EP lest we forget. Would he have made the same call if he is not or when he was the government? Certainly not.

From this we can see the two sides of the man however honourable he tries to make himself out. And he is not the only one guilty of such double posturing. It's not difficult to see why opposition parties find it so hard to have a place in the sun. They are perpetually running an uphill battle against the CCs, CCCs, PA, HDB and all government machineries and organs in turth.

In the present saga, it's abundantly clear HDB does not operate as a branch of the government. Rather, it operates more like a branch of the PAP. When PAP was in charge of the ward, HDB happily allowed those sites in question to be managed by the Town Council. But now that the Town Council comes WP, they take the sites away and lease them out to the PA whose well-known political agenda is that of the PAP.

How dirty can you get? It's a flagrant violation against fairplay on the part of HDB, PA and above all, the PAP government. It's shameful that such institutions purportedly serving the public would abuse their positions to impede and stifle the role of political parties other than the ruling PAP. Those responsible for making such corrupt decisions in these public instituions are a disgrace and must be made fully accountable.