7/11/2013
Hawker centre cleaning – The mysterious quotation
In Parliament, Vivian referred to a quotation by the AHPETC’s contractor, ATL Maintenance Pte Ltd to the market association as evidence that the Town Council is asking for double payment for the cleaning of the ceiling of the hawker centre.
“The first irregular event is ATL’s quotation delivered by hand on the 19th of February 2013… the hawkers have never asked for a quotation. Mr Low (WP’s chief, Low Thia Kiang) has met with the hawkers. They have told him the same thing. Secondly ATL is your own private contractor. When your own contractor issues a quotation for $7,200 to the hawkers asking for payment for work which you say is already covered by your contract – that amounts to a demand for double payment for the same quantity of work.,” Balakrishnan said, adding that he also had witnesses from meetings who could verify events. Quoted from YahooNews Online
Sylvia Lim said the quotation was requested by the market association:
“This quotation was requested by the market association and does not coincide with their annual obligation to clean the high areas under the town council contract.” Quoted from YahooNews Online.
What is the main issue here? A quotation by AHPETC’s contractor, ATL Maintenance Pte Ltd delivered by hand to the market association. Why did ATL send a quotation to the market association? Was it a request for quotes by the association or ATL voluntarily sent them a quotation? Sylvia Lim said the quotation was requested by the market association.
What is the truth? Is this so difficult to prove? Did or did not the market association asked for the quotation? If yes, why? If not, why should ATL send them a quotation? Who instructed the ATL to send an unsolicited quotation?
Could someone provide the answers to solve the mystery of this red hot quotation? Who asked for it or who instructed for it to be sent to the market association?
One possibility, ATL sent it under instruction from AHPETC which could lead to the assumption that AHPETC is expecting the hawkers to pay for it. And this is likely to be Vivian’s position.
The second possibility is that the market association asked for it. This will mean that ATL just responded to a request for quotes and this has nothing to do with the AHPETC’s intent to demand for payment unless they have already told the market association and this gave them the reason so ask for a quote. One point to ponder, the market association can ask for quotes from other maintenance company as well. Is this the only quote they asked for and received?
A third possibility, nobody asked or instructed ATL to send the quotation to the market association. They just sent the quotation without knowing why? And they know who to send the quotation to. This will be another mystery to solve.
The above questions would be an interesting puzzle for Sherlock Holmes to solve. Let’s see who is the first to come up with the full answers to complete the puzzle.
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19 comments:
Why doesn't Millionaire Minister Bala answer the following questions in parliament:
1.What is Singapore's long term plans for reducing the impact of haze to Singaporeans' health and the Singapore economy?
Haze started in 1997.
Why no long term plans?
2.What is Singapore's long term plans for reducing the incidence of dengue fever in Singapore?
Dengue fever has been around even before our independence in 1965.
Dengue fever is not new.
Why the record number of cases now?
What has gone wrong?
What has changed?
Is it leadership?
Is it expertise?
Is it complacency?
What do you think?
Do we have to vote Opposition to find out?
Sure. Why not?
Using the elimination process, you know the answer.
First scenario is only possible IF ATL belongs to WP just like AIM belongs to PAP. Since ATL is an independent company, this is unlikely.
Scenario 3 would mean that the people at ATL are either very free or are crazy. Companies going around giving people quotation with being requested to do so?
That leaves only scenario 2.
Creating a big fuss over this issue, egging the WP to sue him (Bala) is just a sneaky attempt to divert the citizens attention from serious issues which the PAP can't handle to this nonsensical issue. The WP should not fall into this cunning trap.
"Keeping WP very busy".
That is the AIM.
This matter is being blown out of the whole proportion. Too politicized. The truth may never be totally known.
Recently, I mentioned that it looks possible the ruling party might spring a surprise and announce a snap poll from Sept 2013 onwards. I suppose many brushed it off. Now with this saga hanging like an albatross over some entity's neck, the likelihood certainly has increased than diminished. From the televised debate, certain people look more "prosperous". In other words, flabby. There can be many justifiable reasons for calling an early poll. Generational change, regional factors, potential geo-political crisis, economic reasoning, potential international turmoil all could be valid causes and depending on what and how situations and events ensue and unfold in the near term. With another expected landslide ruling party victory in a snap poll, it means the ruling party would remain the all almighty master of this land till at least early 2019 if snap poll is called later this year.
Don't just talk talk....
If so good, ask him to form his team to stand against LOW and his team in ALJUNIED GRC in 2016...no point talk and talk lah....waste time...
Singapore is bigger than ceiling cleaning! Why waste time on this? Move on move on move on !!!
Hi List for love, welcome to the blog. People have lost their sense of proportion and priority over what is more important to the nation.
To follow up on anon 12:07's statement, ' There can be many justifiable reasons for calling an early poll', there can be many justifiable reasons not to call a by election.
@ anon 8.03 am
Unfortunately, the ruling party's strategists and tacticians I believe are not as simple minded as you hope for.
I must qualify I am just an ordinary and probably mid-stream Singaporean, not belonging to any political party in my whole life up to this very moment. My objective is Singapore's national interests, not partisan to any side. Different individuals choose different routes to contribute. In the right spirit, anyone who believes in freedom of choice should not impose their will on others. Having said that, I am commenting in my personal opinion and capacity. In most contests of power, even in the US, elections are won and lost not by the votes of the majority but rather the "minority voters". I am sure akin political observers would know what I mean and likely agree with that. I shall elaborate more on that in another post but meanwhile some may wish to follow up on that.
The quotation was addressed to Ng Kok Khim.
Thus, either someone directed ATL to send to him or Ng Kok Khim had asked for the quotation, that's why it was addressed to him.
I think we're all missing the forest for the trees. Vendors can send a million quotes for a particular prospect but ultimately there'll only be one PO and upon completion of Task/Services Rendered with satisfaction, there can only one DO followed by one INVOICE. What say you? Simple as that. So what's the problem?
fish 'n' chips
You are missing the whole discussion fish n chip. We are trying to fish out the devil who set this quotation going out.
Who is the devil, the Town Council Manager, the ATL guy or the Hawker Association guy? Can you smell stench of a devil around?
@Anonymous July 12, 2013 8:22 pm
Quote
"“The first irregular event is ATL’s quotation delivered by hand on the 19th of February 2013… the hawkers have never asked for a quotation. Mr Low (WP’s chief, Low Thia Kiang) has met with the hawkers. They have told him the same thing. Secondly ATL is your own private contractor. When your own contractor issues a quotation for $7,200 to the hawkers asking for payment for work which you say is already covered by your contract – that amounts to a demand for double payment for the same quantity of work.,” Balakrishnan said, adding that he also had witnesses from meetings who could verify events. Quoted from YahooNews Online"
Unquote
Vivian obviously has never worked in the business world. How could a quotation amount to a demand for double payment for the same quantity of work? Scratch head, face palm. Nobody pays anything upon receipt of a quotation. How could VB interpret "issues a quotation" translating into "asking for payment" is really beyond me? It's either too cheem for him or it's too cheem for me.
I get quotations in my mailbox every day for renovations, home insurance, repairs and other offers etc. Are those amounting to demand for payment?
Maybe Bala's debater English is of a higher standard than my lowly unrefined English.
The mysterious quotation indeed.
The best way to analyse this mystery is to ask a few easy questions:
1. Who would be silly enough to try to cheat the hawkers into paying double?
2. Don't people know that the Chairman is a leading grassroot leader, who has easy access to PAP leaders?
3. Don't people know how many years the Chairman has served and know how the cleaning is done every year?
4. In fact, don't all the hawkers there know how it was carried out in previous years?
5. Are we to believe that somebody is out to cheat by sending a quotation to this powerful and experienced Chairman?
Taken together, these are all easy questions. If anybody is so blind that they can't see the answers straightaway, then they do not deserve $million salary.
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