By Phillip Ang
(A version of this letter was sent to the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other ministries and agencies)
I refer to the police report filed against The Independent Singapore, Teo Soh Lung and Roy Ngerng by the Elections Department (ELD).
I applaud the ELD for taking the initiative and hope that every statutory board and government organisation will take a leaf out of ELD’s book to expeditiously resolve issues.
After the ELD had filed a police report, it was reported online that 7 to 8 police officers had escorted former political detainee Teo Soh Lung (I have no political affiliation nor am I related to Teo) to her home after an interview at the police station. This confirms the SPF is well staffed.
7 to 8 police officers had the time to escort Teo back to her home after a 2-hour interview at the police station and spent more time seizing her personal belongings.
Since the SPF has more than sufficient resources to investigate Singaporeans, it makes me wonder why the issue of rampant vandalism,which I have been highlighting for years, continues to be ignored by SPF.
If the same officers had been assigned to tackle this issue years ago, I believe SPF’s efficiency would have resulted in vandalism becoming an exception today.
For the record, I have highlighted this issue to:
– Mr Peter Ong, Head, Civil Service (2 Jan 2016)
– PM Lee (11 May 2014)
– SMOS (Law) Indranee Rajah (22 May 2014)
– LTA CEO, Minsiter Shanmugam, Minister Lui and PM Lee (6 Jan 2014)
– Minister Lui (3 October 2012)
– PMO, ministers and top civil servants (7 August 2012)
etc.
For confirmation of rampant vandalism, below are images of vandalised structures in Pasir Ris estate. At least 1000 public structures are still vandalised, most of them for years.
The situation is similar in other public housing estates and private ones are also not spared.
The worst location appears to be at what former SPF commissioner considered “a potential powder keg .. tinged with a definite criminal undertone”.
If LTA had filed police reports years ago, I am sure rampant vandalism wouldn’t still be an issue. Vandalism in our first world country is worse than in many third world countries.
Are CCTVs not supposed to deter vandals, only to detect other criminal acts? Why waste millions of tax dollars on CCTVs which are blind to vandalism?
There are possibly 10,000 illegal adverts in the above vicinity. Is this not a disgrace to the civil service?
Tackling vandalism is not rocket science and for SPF’s information, contact numbers have been left by the vandals, some in bold print.
If our men in blue and government agencies insist on paying lip service to rampant vandalism, why bother to have any law on vandalism?
Why do the police put up thousands of ‘crime alert’ notices but turn a blind eye to vandalism metres away. (This is also confirmation of poor maintenance by SMRT)
Besides being blind to vandalisme, CCTVs are also unable to identify abandoned bicycles chained to public structures for months/years. Where is LTA’s presence?
When will government agencies cooperate to prevent foreigners from using public structures as if living in their third world countries? Where are the voices of grassroots members and civil servants?
The police have taken ELD’s report seriously and I have no doubt it will do likewise for other government agencies such as LTA, SP, town councils, etc. Since all other means have been exhausted and vandalism is still as rampant, LTA, SP and town councils should take a leaf out of ELD’s book..
