Making political attack on NEA officers is "arrogant and wrong": Vivian Balakrishnan

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said it is "arrogant and wrong" of town council chairman Ms Sylvia Lim to make a political attack on National Environment Agency (NEA) officers for simply doing their job.

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SINGAPORE: Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said it is "arrogant and wrong" of town council chairman Ms Sylvia Lim to make a political attack on National Environment Agency (NEA) officers for simply doing their job.
In a media statement released Sunday evening, Dr Balakrishnan said this is a "completely unnecessary distraction caused by the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) and its managing agent FMSS."
All town councils, he said, have always done routine spring-cleaning of hawker centres and there is no excuse for the town council (AHPETC) to delay the current cleaning programme as the safety of the public must remain the paramount concern.
Dr Balakrishnan said hawkers are honest, hardworking people just trying to make a living and there is no reason to charge hawkers more for cleaning the ceiling.
He said there is no reason to disrupt their business.

The hawkers, he noted, have been consistent and truthful throughout this entire episode, and “it's obvious they are speaking the truth”.

NEA civil servants, he added, are duty-bound to protect public hygiene and ensure hawkers are treated fairly.

He asked the town council to cooperate with NEA, and consult closely with the hawkers and fulfill its obligations.


- CNA/xq


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