1-6-6-4.

There was the 4-D number that National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan repeated in parliament.

Delivered in a dead-panned manner during the sombre debate on the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) last Friday, Khaw got Ministers and parliamentarians cracking up.

Khaw was making reference to the excess fees paid to the managing agent for AHPETC, FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), which was estimated at $1.6m per year and 6.4m in four years.

A rare smile from our Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugan.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo caught the laughing gas.

Ng just couldn't stop laughing for more than ten seconds (16:13-16:25)

Below is the excerpt of Khaw's closing statement on the Motion on AGO report on the audit of AHPETC:

"Minister Shanmugam gave us a vivid analysis of the intrinsically troubling structure of FMSS and its relationship with AHPETC. He is our Law Minister. He said in this House, that the structure is downright unlawful, and that it is a serious breach of fiduciary duties for any Town Councillor to have approved such a process. Inflated fees were paid to the FMSS, in return for gross incompetence, placing the Town Council’s financial health at risk. The excess fees paid to FMSS, we have heard, were estimated at $1.6m per year. So in 4 years, it is 6.4million. 1-6, 6-4. 1.6 million a year, 6.4 for 4 years. 1-6, 6-4. In 3 short years, the TC’s finances deteriorated from a $3.3 million surplus to a deficit of almost three-quarter million dollars. In short, FMSS and its owners who de facto run the TC have milked it, and residents’ money and public funds have in this manner been abused. That was the conclusion and the statement by Minister Shanmugam. [emphasis mine]"

In case the punters are curious, 1664 did not emerge as the winning number last weekend.

Its last appearance was more than two years ago.

Perhaps 1664 is timing its reappearance when the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) starts its GE campaign.

Related articles:

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Parliament: An astounded Khaw Boon Wan is astounded by Workers’ Party’s MPs

Khaw Boon Wan on AHPETC: In the good old days, Japanese CEO & board of directors committed suicide over mismanagement

5 lapses by Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council they need to fix ASAP (Summary)

The long, arduous road 1 year in the making: Auditor-General’s report on Workers’ Party’s AHPETC

Top photo from here.

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