During the recent debate in Parliament about Singapore’s Budget for 2021, PSP NCMP Leong Mun Wai noted that the People’s Association (PA) budget was surprisingly high yet again, while many Singaporeans are still unsure about the PA’s exact role in society.
NCMP Leong expressed his concerns surrounding the PA’s staggering budget of S$796 million, an amount that is higher then other Government Agencies with more obvious functions, like IRAS or Govtech.
In 2020, PA spent $199m on events, but more than $441m on administrative costs. NCMP Leong sought clarity on how PA money is spent, in line with PSP’s belief that transparency in Government is an important tenet of a modern society that honours the democratic process.
Finally, NCMP Leong also sought answers about the political affiliations of PA management and volunteers. As a body that receives public funds, it is imperative that the PA remains politically neutral – both in its internal structures and its external activities in the different communities of Singapore.
As PSP continues to strive towards transparency of Government, our NCMPs will continue to seek clarity on issues such as the true role of organizations like the People’s Association (PA) that receive and use taxpayer money.
The Video for Mr Leong’s speech can be viewed here:
Video Credit: The Online Citizen Asia (TOC)
