Curbs lifted on events at PA sites
Li Xueying; Teo Wan Gek
IN AN apparent softening of stance by the Government, residents can now invite whoever they wish to events held on public sites leased by the People's Association (PA).
This means that MPs from the opposition parties can now be invited to these activities in their personal capacity.
There are two caveats though.
One, the events must be of a 'non-political nature'. This means that they cannot be, say, political rallies.
Two, the lifting of the restriction applies only to events organised by non-grassroots organisations.
Government grassroots organisations - such as residents' committees (RCs) and Citizens Consultative Committees (CCCs) - continue to reserve the right to invite only their grassroots advisers, usually the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) candidates in the constituency.
The liberalising of the rules was announced last night by the PA - the apex body of government grassroots organisations, in a joint statement with the Ministry of National Development (MND) under whose remit the Housing Board (HDB) falls.
It is the latest twist in a furore over the use of public spaces in Aljunied GRC that had even the four presidential candidates - locked in the heat of a campaign edging towards the finishing line - weighing in yesterday.
All four called for 'fairness' in the matter, with former deputy prime minister Tony Tan saying: 'It is important that justice and fairness should be done, and not only that, but the public should see that justice and fairness have been done.'
On Monday, the Workers' Party (WP) said that residents had told them they were not allowed to invite WP MPs for Seventh Month festivities, held on PA-leased land in Aljunied GRC.
In the statement last night, MND and PA gave their side to the dispute.
They said there had been occasions when organisers of grassroots and community events applied to use sites managed by the Aljunied-Hougang town council - run by the WP - and were told that they were expected to invite the WP MP.
'It was only on Aug 19 that the chairman of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) stated publicly that the town council would not impose any condition on whom the organisers could invite, when using sites managed by AHTC,' they wrote.
The town council chairman is Ms Sylvia Lim, who made the statement in an interview published in The Straits Times that day.
'PA welcomes this new position of AHTC, and is likewise lifting its current restriction on invitees for events organised by non-GROs on sites leased by PA from HDB, as long as they are of a non-political nature.'
The PA statement also sought to explain why 26 public spaces - mainly open fields and hard courts - within Aljunied GRC were transferred to the PA shortly after the May 7 General Election when the PAP lost in the constituency. The sites were previously under the management of the town council.
This transfer, Ms Lim had charged, was 'politically motivated and an abuse of power' on the part of HDB.
Yesterday, MND and PA described the transfer as a pre-emptive move in anticipation of potential obstacles placed in the PA's way by the new WP town council.
PA, they said, had been using such sites frequently to conduct community activities - and intends to continue doing so 'to carry out their mission of promoting bonding among the residents'.
But while the PA has had no difficulty gaining access to sites managed by town councils run by the PAP, it has met with 'many difficulties' in Hougang, a single-seat ward under the WP since 1991.
'PA was concerned that they might encounter similar difficulties in Aljunied,' they said. 'To avoid unproductive wrangling, PA decided that it would be best if they could lease their own sites.'
In approving the request from PA, HDB has 'ensured that there will be sufficient open areas to meet the demand from other users'. MND and PA also released examples of how the grassroots organisations in Hougang have been stymied in various attempts to reach out to the residents. (See sidebar)
Mr Poon Mun Wai, secretary of one of the five CCCs in Aljunied GRC, told The Straits Times that the grassroots leaders had decided to apply to the PA for the transfer 'after feedback' from their Hougang counterparts.
'We want to have more room to organise activities without being held by a condition by the town council to invite the opposition MPs. It should not be a condition, it should be up to the organisers.
'We are just trying to make room for ourselves.'
Yesterday, Mr Ong Ye Kung, one of the PAP candidates in Aljunied GRC in the May polls, said: 'I am glad to learn about the new positions of AHTC and PA.
'This makes a lot more sense to facilitate grassroots organisations in promoting social bonding and cohesion.'
Ms Lim did not respond by press time.
xueying@sph.com.sg
wangekt@sph.com.sg
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_705424.html
==================
At/ related:
01Sept2011: QFT: 'Curbs lifted on events at PA sites'
SGF:
01Sept2011: Curbs lifted on events at PA sites
No comments:
Post a Comment