1 town council estate officer manages 100 blocks of flats? HDB residents shortchanged by estate manager

Letter written by: Phillip Ang

Sent to: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Cc: Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, The Straits Times (ST), TODAY, Lianhe Wanbao, The Online Citizen (TOC)

Dear Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,

I refer to my emails to the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PR-PTC) part-time chairman/MP Taha (13 Apr) and the Ministry of National Development (23 Apr).

It appears that answers to my queries are state secrets or could be an embarrassment to PR-PTC.

A ‘reliable source’ has informed me that a town council estate officer could be assigned HDB blocks within five Residents’ Committees, i.e. at least 100 HDB blocks since there are about 20 blocks within an RC. (This may be about to change?)

The number of blocks is mind-boggling and has resulted in obvious issues requiring feedback by residents. PR-PTC does not conduct visual inspection of common areas, corridors, chutes, playgrounds, drainage, etc.

PR-PTC has therefore been shortchanging residents – for years.  Adding insult to injury, residents are effectively performing its job.

The Government has also put in place legislation which is detrimental to HDB residents, i.e. TCs are autonomous bodies, not answerable even to the MND despite managing public housing and have right of non-reply to feedback and queries.

Should residents then take legal action against PR-PTC, say, for refusing – for years – to remove potential killer litter objects to prevent stupidity causing injury/death?

What are the issues that should have been resolved years ago? Part-time chairman/MP Taha must be sleeping on the job if he is still unaware.

PR-PTC should also not conceal information which residents deserve to know; town councils are funded by residents and taxpayers.

I hope the Government will put a stop to PR-PTC’s mismanagement.