Both opposition MPs yesterday dismissed the Town Council Management Report that gave their town councils the lowest scores.

In an e-mail statement sent last night, Hougang MP Low Thia Khiang suggested that the whole grading exercise might simply result in residents having to pay more.

He said: 'Such an exercise ... which inevitably requires much resources put in by the town councils, would translate into higher operating costs, and residents will eventually end up paying higher service and conservancy charges.'

He made it clear that he had been sceptical of the whole undertaking from the start.

For example, it was not feasible to assess town councils with a 'common denominator', given the differing constituency profiles.

Opposition town councils start from a disadvantaged position, as they are at the bottom of the queue for estate upgrading.

'Considering this, for the Hougang Town Council to be given a ranking of four for maintenance, as against a three and below given to a PAP town council with all the various upgrading given them by the HDB, it is an accomplishment,' he said.

Town councils were graded 1 to 5, with 1 being the best grade.

Mr Low declared that his town council had responded well to challenges faced. 'This confidence arises from feedback from residents and my own inspection of the estate,' he said.

As for the poor grades the town council received for arrears management, he said that the town council was 'sympathetic towards residents in financial difficulty', though it does take legal action against errant residents.

He stressed that he does not believe in writing off the debts of those who repeatedly fail to pay, just to reduce his arrears.

Hougang Town Council emerged with a set of the poorest scores in yesterday's report card on the 16 town councils.

Only Potong Pasir Town Council chalked up poorer grades.

When contacted, Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong was in a defiant mood. He curtly dismissed the report as a ploy to discredit his town council.

'They want to thump Potong Pasir down,' he said, when approached at his Meet-the-People session last night.

Looking clearly upset, the opposition veteran added: 'Potong Pasir is the best town council in Singapore, what do you expect me to say?'

Source : The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Reprinted with permission.