SINGAPORE - The Workers' Party-run Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) has paid the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC) just over $24 million - money it owes in the handover of Punggol East SMC.
The WP lost Punggol East to the People's Action Party during the General Election in 2015, and the single-member constituency returned to the fold of PRPTC.
In a statement on Friday, PRPTC said AHTC had paid it slightly over $4 million on Thursday (March 9), as part of the $24 million due to Punggol East according to financial statements.
PRPTC had received a sum of $20 million earlier.
It then sent AHTC a letter of demand on Tuesday (March 7) for the remaining amount.
The PRPTC also said it received the financial statements - the third set submitted by AHTC - on Feb 24, 15 months after the handover on Nov 30, 2015.
The first two sets were withdrawn by AHTC after discrepancies were identified, it said.
Last October, the Court of Appeal had ordered AHTC to hand over all financial documents related to Punggol East to the PRPTC - the culmination of a dispute over documents needed to review the accounts of the SMC.
PRPTC said it has also notified AHTC that "its demand is without prejudice to PRPTC's rights arising from the discrepancies it had identified in the audited financial statements on distribution of assets and liabilities, the lack of details in those statements, KPMG's findings, the past payment review which is being conducted by PRPTC's independent accountants, PwC and the review that is being conducted by the independent panel".
