EM Services is a joint venture between HDB (gov) and Keppel Land (gov-linked).
The Managing Directors of the company are either PAP MPs or ex-MPs.
So you see, therein lies the problem with PAP Town Councils, such as Sembawang Town Council, which badly botched up the security of the water tanks at Woodlands 686B. Residents found an unwanted ingredient in their water- a dead body.
Whenever an organisation practices in-breeding (some call it nepotism) ie. awarding of positions or jobs to parties that have direct relations, not necessarily based on merit or ability, what follows over time is a culture of complacency, conflicts of interests and incompetency.
Not to mention the constant shirking of responsibility or what Singaporeans call "tai-chi".
How a foreign worker had unbridled access to the rooftop and then the water tanks without the knowledge of town council officers is mind-boggling.
You would think a vital installation like water tanks should be better protected.
As usual, no heads have rolled so far and none of Sembawang GRC MPs have said or done anything of note. Newly appointed Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, famed for his mishandling of the YOG budget, has so far not intervened.
The Singapore Democratic Party Sembawang GRC team, despite losing the elections, paid a much welcomed visit to the residents of the affected block. They even brought along a medical doctor to give advice and assistance.
That's the kind of compassion and servitude that very few PAP MPs have in them.
Further, the Hougang Town Council also came out to assure its residents that their water tanks are in secure hands. Now I wonder whose Town Councils are "messy".
From HGTC:
In view of the recent unfortunate ‘body in water tank’ incident, there were concerns raised about water tanks’ security & safety issues across the island. To help residents better understand the processes Hougang Town Council (HGTC) put in place, below are HGTC’s water tanks’ safety guidelines enforced throughout the years.
All water tanks in the HDB blocks of Hougang SMC (Single Member Constituency) Estate are locked. Cleaners do not have access but if they are required to access the roof to do any cleaning works, a HGTC officer is required to be present to monitor and check the works.
The access door to the roof is also locked and the keys to access the locks are securitized in that these cannot be duplicated at any shop except by the manufacturer who can only do so with the authorization by HGTC.
The locks to the access door to the roof are different from that used to lock the water tanks. Any personnel given access to the roof must first be authorized by the company that has a contract with HGTC or statutory boards.
Existing at the roof tops of HDB blocks are various services which various authorities either directly or through their assigns may want access to at one time or another. To accommodate this, HGTC endeavors to maintain the current system of using only securitized padlocks accompanied by very stringent enforcement actions.
If any person who is given access loses the key, the company or authority under which the person was given the key would have to bear the cost of replacement of all the padlocks which the key opens. All the padlocks replaced will have a new lockset combination which the lost key cannot open.
The above ensures that any personnel holding any one key knows of the consequence of losing the key and thus cannot then take the responsibility lightly. Previously, HGTC has made contractors pay for the replacement of padlocks before when their supervisor (usually the person we will allow to sign for keys) lost the key given. The sum involved was substantial. This enforcement had been effective in inculcating the responsibility amongst the workforce which in the past was sorely lacking.
All water tanks in the HDB blocks of Hougang SMC (Single Member Constituency) Estate are locked. Cleaners do not have access but if they are required to access the roof to do any cleaning works, a HGTC officer is required to be present to monitor and check the works.
The access door to the roof is also locked and the keys to access the locks are securitized in that these cannot be duplicated at any shop except by the manufacturer who can only do so with the authorization by HGTC.
The locks to the access door to the roof are different from that used to lock the water tanks. Any personnel given access to the roof must first be authorized by the company that has a contract with HGTC or statutory boards.
Existing at the roof tops of HDB blocks are various services which various authorities either directly or through their assigns may want access to at one time or another. To accommodate this, HGTC endeavors to maintain the current system of using only securitized padlocks accompanied by very stringent enforcement actions.
If any person who is given access loses the key, the company or authority under which the person was given the key would have to bear the cost of replacement of all the padlocks which the key opens. All the padlocks replaced will have a new lockset combination which the lost key cannot open.
The above ensures that any personnel holding any one key knows of the consequence of losing the key and thus cannot then take the responsibility lightly. Previously, HGTC has made contractors pay for the replacement of padlocks before when their supervisor (usually the person we will allow to sign for keys) lost the key given. The sum involved was substantial. This enforcement had been effective in inculcating the responsibility amongst the workforce which in the past was sorely lacking.
