Is the CPIB A Vampire (organisation)?

Singapore is slowly slipping into the Twilight zone. Consider the following story (imaginary of course). A certain Mr Caw retuns home from work and finds a man pinning his daughter down on the bed, ripping her panties off. What did he do? He decides to "monitor the situation". Because you know, until penetration occurs, it is technically not considered rape yet.

When the man had finished the deed, Mr Caw, never one to jump to conclusions asked: "What are you doing to my daughter?" To which the man replied: "I'm deflowering her to get her started on the next phase of her life as a woman". On hearing that Mr Caw replied: "Oh I see. I'm okay with that!"

In the recent NParks bicycle tender controversy, the Singaporean public had been similarly raped, financially speaking. And Mr Khaw, the Minister of National Development was okay with it too.

If a writer to the forum in the paper yesterday is accurate, then it would appear there is a distinct likelyhood that the tender document for the bicycles had been specified with a particular brand of bicycle and possibly a particular supplier already in mind.

I should think there is sufficient prima facie evidence for the CPIB to step in and conduct a thorough investigation for fraud prejudicial to the public's interest in this tender. What are they waiting for? Does the CPIB actually need someone to file an official complaint to initiate an investigation? You know, like a vampire needs to be invited into the house first or it cannot cross the threshold?

And while they are at it, they should look into the conduct of previous tenders and contracts awarded by NParks. As the saying goes: There is seldom only one cockroach... They might want to call on Ms Nora Samosir to assist :)

In giving a free pass to NParks in this matter, Mr Khaw has not thought deeply enough on the consequences of his action. Far from ensuring that such lapses in tendering do not occur again, it actually sets a precedence for others to follow. The reasoning being if NParks can get away with it, why can't I?

From the multitude of recent cases of misconduct by senior civil servants (sexual favours in return for contracts for example), I would say that the quality of the people in the civil service is deteriorating. Something is not working correctly in the hiring and/or promotion process.

These lapses may be minor on their own, but collectively they are undermining the public's perception of the quality of the civil service. And like termite infested wood looking good on the outside but is rotten within, it will one day contribute to the collapse of the government.

One hopes that someone if not from the government then definitely from the pposition will file a query in the coming parliamentary session to address this issue and pursue it until it is properly concluded.