Public transport operator, SMRT, says an independent committee will be set up to conduct a comprehensive review of security measures and management of the company. 

[whAt eXcUse cOmmIttee ? ? ? ?  security is a dAIly brEAd & bUtter IssUE ? ? ? ?]

This follows a second security breach at its train depots. 

CEO Saw Phaik Hwa said she will be personally chairing the independent body. 

She said SMRT takes full responsibility 

[CEO shOUld bE sAcked  immEdIAtEly fOr  sUch  LAPSE REPETITION]

for the security breach at its Bishan depot which resulted in a train carriage being sprayed with graffiti. 

SMRT said it occurred at a location where upgrading works to the security measures were " being scheduled."  

She told reporters at a media conference this afternoon that the incident was unacceptable. 

[thE  fAct Is thE LAPSE REPETITION  is AlrEAdy AccEptEd  ? ? ? ?] 

And the top priority for the company now is to ensure all security gaps are immediately addressed. 

[It wAs stIll nOt a tOp prIOrIty AftEr  the fIrst IncIdence ?  ]

-By Hetty Musfirah

gOOd  gOvErnAnce  nEvEr  AccEpt  FAILURE  REPETITION

SINGAPORE: The role and function of the Elected President dominated a television debate organised by Channel NewsAsia.

The hour—long programme, called " Meet the Candidates" , featured all four presidential candidates together on television for the first time.

It will be aired on Channel NewsAsia at 8pm on Tuesday, 23 August. The programme will also be simulcast on MediaCorp’s 938LIVE. There will be a repeat telecast on Channel 5 on 24 August.

The candidates were interviewed by

Professor Tommy Koh, chairman of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore

Janadas Devan, director of the Institute of Policy Studies at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and

Debra Soon, managing director of Channel NewsAsia.

[Interviewers  shOUld  be  eX-presIdents  ? ? ? ? ?]

After a quick introduction by each candidate on why they should get the popular vote, it was straight to question time.

The candidates crossed swords on the limits of the President’s constitutional powers, how they would act on proposals to draw down on past reserves and exercise their moral authority.

They were also asked how they would vet civil service appointments.

Mr Tan Jee Say said: " I would subject the appointees, the recommendations of the government, to a fair bit of scrutiny.

" We are talking of very senior appointments and we must do justice to the powers of the president. We should not take a flippant attitude, that this is from the government’s recommendation and we accept it without question."

Mr Tan Kin Lian said: " I want to check on what are his (appointee) values, and I want to see whether he holds the values of honesty, fairness and a sense of public service. And I will probably want to influence him that these values are very important."

Candidates were also quizzed on what they would say to the leaders of China, India, Indonesia and the United States. 

[Public  sErvAnts  nOt  mErcEnArIes]

Dr Tan Cheng Bock said: " The four leaders you mentioned are very important to our country so I’ll be very, very cautious.

" I definitely have to act on the advice of our foreign ministry. Each country has a particular relationship with us, and I have to be guided by how far I can go as a President in my conduct with all these leaders in my conversations."

Dr Tony Tan said: " I would give the same message to any of the four leaders. I would say, in a very polite way, that the issue facing all of us now in the world, in your country, in Asia, in my country in Singapore, is the global economy and the precarious state of the global economy today."

In a separately recorded programme for www.channelnewsasia.com, the candidates also took questions from the public that were sent in earlier. The programme will be uploaded on the website from 9am on Wednesday.

— CNA/ir

SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) has accused the HDB of abusing its power as land owner by transferring the management rights of 26 common areas from the Aljunied—Hougang Town Council to the People’s Association.

It also said that the PA has curtailed the ground presence of the elected WP MPs by warning residents who apply for permits to hold events at these sites not to invite the elected WP MPs or risk having their applications turned down in subsequent years.

The WP took over the town council from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), following their win at the General Election in May.

In a statement to the media, WP chairman Sylvia Lim said the town council received an email from HDB on June 21, informing them of a list of sites to be excluded from their management.

This included 26 sites which had previously been managed by the former Aljunied Town Council under the PAP, said Ms Lim.

She noted that " no background nor rationale was given for the decision" .

Ms Lim said many of the sites are strategically located, being hard courts or amphitheatres which are highly suitable for organising social activities.

She said the Aljunied—Hougang Town Council also wanted to explore the joint use of the sites with the PA. However, an email from PA dated June 15 indicated that " booking (of the sites) by WP will not be allowed" , said Ms Lim.

Ms Lim also said residents of Paya Lebar who applied for permits to hold the lunar Seventh Month events at the sites were told verbally that they could not invite the elected WP MPs or risk their applications being turned down in future.

However, the former PAP MPs are not under such restraints as they are invited as " advisors" to the grassroots organisations. Ms Lim said such actions would give PAP candidates a ground advantage and permanent presence in advance preparation for the next elections.

Responding to media queries, the HDB said it adjusts its list of sites managed by a town council from time to time and this is based on legitimate requests from relevant agencies or civic organisations.

HDB said in this case, PA requested tenancy for the sites to organise community activities. The request was approved as PA had been using the sites frequently, added HDB.

Also responding was the PA which said the practice of leasing public spaces for community activities is not new, nor is it peculiar to Aljunied GRC. It added that the Citizens’ Consultative Committees under the PA may rent various sites across Singapore for community activities.

The PA reiterated that it is non—partisan and does not allow any political party or MP to hold activities on PA premises or other facilities managed by the PA. And this applies to all political parties and MPs, including the PAP.

—CNA/ac