SINGAPORE — Following the example of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) has commenced direct management of all divisions within Sengkang Town with effect from 1 February 2023 after not receiving any bids for its MA tender on 29 April last year.

This was announced by the Workers’ Party (WP)-run town council on Wednesday (1 Feb) as the Managing Agent (MA) contract with EM Services came to a conclusion on 31 January.

Seng Kang Group Representation Constituency, which SKTC looks over, was won by WP in the 2020 General Election and is currently headed by WP MPs MS He Ting Ru, Associate Professor Jamus Lim and Mr Louis Chua.

Anchorvale division has been under direct management since 1 November 2021, following the departure of CPG Facilities Management. Buangkok, Compassvale and Rivervale divisions, will likewise be directly managed, with the departure of EM Services.

As announced in May 2022, SKTC has been working on transitioning into direct management of Sengkang Town, with recruitment for the direct management team beginning as early as second half of 2022.

SKTC notes that it has recruited experienced and suitable individuals, including employees from both CPG Facilities Management and EM Services, for its town management works.

Existing contractors will continue to provide their services in the various divisions, and there will be no disruption to their day-to-day operations, said SKTC.

SKTC also conveyed its appreciation to EM Services for its years of service to Sengkang residents, and for working with the Town Council on the handover of the Buangkok, Compassvale and Rivervale divisions over the last eight months.

With the experience gained from directly managing Anchorvale division, SKTC expressed its confidence in delivering the standards of service that Sengkang residents have come to expect.

AHTC, formerly Aljunied-Hougang Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), faced the same situation as SKTC after WP won the GRC in 2011, where the previous MA declined to continue its services and had to turn to FM Solutions & Services Pte Ltd (FMSS) for a temporary measure and too had no bids from the players in the MA industry in their open tenders.

This decision to use FMSS as their MA by WP sparked a series of actions from the ruling People’s Action Party and had its town councillors embroiled in a lengthy lawsuit which finally concluded last year with the councillors largely exonerated from their charges.

In 2015, AHPETC ceased to be managed by a Managing Agent on 15 July and became a directly-managed town council.

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