Workers’ Party to give response in parliament on AGO’s report of its town council’s lapses

Chairman of Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) Ms Sylvia Lim has said that the Workers’ Party will respond to the audit finding by the Auditor-General Office (AGO) in the parliament on Thursday and would not comment on the matter for the time being.

The Auditor-General was directed by the Ministry of Finance on 19 February last year to look into AHPETC’s accounts, this was requested by the Minister of National Development Khaw Boon Wan.

The two ministries said that the AHPETC’s auditor, Foo Kon Tan Grant Thornton LLP, had earlier submitted a disclaimer of opinion on AHPETC’s FY2012-13 financial statements, raising 13 issues of concern over the Town Council’s accounts.

The ministries said last year that the observations in the auditor’s report raised serious questions about the reliability and accuracy of AHPETC’s financial and accounting systems and highlighted that it was two straight years that the auditor has submitted a disclaimer of opinion on AHPETC’s Financial Statements.

In its report that was released yesterday, the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) highlighted lapses which it identified to be committed by AHPETC.

In a statement released yesterday on the town council’s website, the town council wrote, “We understand that there will be a motion filed in Parliament to debate the matter on Thursday 12 February 2015.  That being the case, the Town Council will give its response in Parliament.”

Ms Lim advised members of the public to read the full audit report, which includes some of the party’s response, to have a better understanding of the issues.

“What I would urge members of the public and those who are interested is to look beyond the headlines and the summaries, and to also look into some of the details of the report if they are interested, to have a better understanding of the issues,”

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan has tabled a motion to discuss the audit findings in parliament on Thursday.

View here for the full report from Ministry of National Development

Responses by AHPETC on the various findings as written on the AGO’s report