The proposed changes to Town Councils Act (TCA) will help to safeguard residents’ interests, said most political analysts and corporate governance experts interviewed by TODAY.

While enhancing accountability, the amendments will still leave room for political parties to run the estates with a fair amount of autonomy, said the experts who were in favour of the proposed amendments.

Town councils were set up in 1989 to give elected Members of Parliament (MPs) more authority and responsibility over the HDB estates in their constituencies. Unlike the Companies Act and the Charities Act, which provide for full inquiries and penalties such as fines or jail terms when rules are broken, the TCA takes a “light-touch approach” to regulation and enforcement.

MPs are given maximum autonomy in operating their town councils to bring home the message that how they manage their estates will affect their electoral fortunes at the next polls.

The proposed changes will not lead to a “nationalisation” of town councils, said Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan.

“The proposed changes are designed as safeguards. They also seek to claw back the rather freewheeling autonomy that town councils now seem to have ... ” he added.

Associate Professor Tan believes the changes will allow political parties to be better assessed based on their management nous, financial expertise and planning foresight.

Associate Professor Lan Luh Luh, from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School and Faculty of Law, said the changes promote good governance overall, although some may be directed at the Workers’ Party (WP). Its management of the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) — now known as Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) — has come under scrutiny in recent years.

Incidents involving the WP-run town council have highlighted deficiencies of the current TCA, said Associate Professor Lan.

She noted that some matters involving the AHTC need not have been taken to court if the Ministry of National Development’s (MND) regulatory powers were clearly spelt out.

However, Associate Professor Mak Yuen Teen, also from NUS Business School, said de-politicising town councils is the ideal safeguard for residents’ interests. “Having statutory boards like the Housing and Development Board (HDB) take over town management and allowing MPs to focus on national issues is better in my view ... At the moment, we are hybrid and confusing.”

Given that the MND is “not independent of the Government”, it is “critical” that the ministry uses the proposed enhanced powers in an even-handed manner on town councils run by the PAP and the WP, he said.

Town council chairmen approached by TODAY also welcomed the proposals to promote better accountability. However, they echoed earlier concerns that one proposal — for each town council to have to have a dedicated fund for lift replacements — may further strain the town councils’ operating and sinking funds.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Chua Chu Kang Town Council chairman, said service and conservancy charges may need to be raised to set aside money for the lift fund. He also suggested giving town councils a greater say in decisions made by government agencies at the planning stage, such as in the choice of lift infrastructure.

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by KELLY NG

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