Salient Points 2 (40)

Content

1. Submission to Parliament (Covering Letter, CL1)
2. Salient Points 2 (SP1-SP16)
3. Summing Up (SU1-SU26)
4. Explanation (EX1-EX4)
5. Prime Minister (PM1-PM3)
6. Annuity Premium Deduction (AP1-AP7)
7. Resolution (RS1-RS10)
8. Sales Agreement, First Salesperson (ST1-ST7)
9. Resale Checklist For Sellers Who Engage Salesperson (RC1)
10. Sales Agreement, Second Salesperson (ND1-ND7)
11. Sales Agreement, Third Salesperson (RD1-RD7)
12. Resale Checklist For Sellers Who Engage A Salesperson, Acknowledgment (CA1-CA3)
13. Option To Purchase (OP1-OP10)
14. CPF LIFE, Spreadsheet (SS1-SS3)

The texts are numbered separately and dated in reverse order. Contractual documents and spreadsheet are after the texts.

1. Submission to Parliament

(Covering letter to the submission of second set of documents to Parliament. Please refer to the letter in Parliament 2 (72).)

2. Salient Points 2

(Salient Points 2 (40), similar to Salient Points (40), are arranged in chronological order with comments in italics.)

SP2-Summing Up
1.
16 Jan 19
Letter from Resale Section of HDB
Resale of Flat at [address]

“For the sale of this flat, CPF Board has informed us that the sellers do not need to refund the CPF monies used previously.”

(No application was made to withdraw the CPF money used in the purchase of the flat as required by 2012 CPF Act. If CPF Board had informed the officer, it would be misinformation. Please refer to Explanation (72) Item 2 and Summing Up (72) Item 23, fifth paragraph. The two letters handed in at Meet-the-People Session were separate summary on all issues of the case, of which the refund to CPF Account is only one.)
2.
13 Feb 19
Letter from CPFB
Request for Clarification on CPF refund upon sale of flat

“We have a system link-up with HDB where we notify them of the CPF refund amount required upon notification of a sale of flat. In your case, we had notified HDB via the system link-up in March 2014 that no CPF refund is required to your CPF account upon the sale of your flat. We have explained the details regarding the refund in our last reply on 16 December 2014.”

(Summing Up Item 16 was where the senior assistant director gave the reply. The fact remained that no application was made for refund as required by 2012 CPF Act. The deputy director misled by referring to the last reply of 16 December when the reply of 21 November was more relevant. Both replies were from the senior assistant director.)
3.
20 Jan 19
Email to MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“Your copy of the reply was sent to me. A photo of the reply is in the attachment.

A full reply would include the 2012 CPF Act and Changes to CPF Housing Refund Policy Effective 1 January 2013 where refund is required. Please refer to CPF 1 (78), CPF 2 (78), CPF/HDB (78), CPF Life (78) and Salient Points (40) in my blog and, in more details, hard copies with supporting documents were submitted at MPS, Ang Mo Kio. Officers at CPF, including assistant directors and a director, avoided the issue in their replies.”
4.
22 Jan 19
Email from MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“I will request the CPF Board and the HDB to respond to the questions that you have raised.”
5.
20 Feb 2019
Email to MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“This is the second officer to avoid the issues since you wrote to them on 28 Dec 2018.

a) In the senior assistant director’s email of 16 Dec 2014, her statement that “the event referred to in section 21B(11)(b), i.e. the setting aside of your Minimum Sum, has occurred to result in the lapse of your housing charge” had not fully explained the situation. Its could not be traced in 2012 CPF Act as related to my case whereas I had pointed to passages in 2012 CPF Act and Changes to CPF Housing Refund Policy Effective 1 January 2013 that stated refund was required in my correspondence with officers but it was not addressed.”
6.
22 Feb 19
Email from MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“I’ve suggested to CPF Board and the HDB to set up a meeting with you to clarify and answer the questions that you have raised.”
7.
26 Feb 19
Email from CPFB
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“As we have explained to you several times on this matter, we regret that we will not respond to you further on the same matter. You may refer to the details regarding the refund amount in our last reply to you on 16 December 2014.”

(The same deputy director of 13 Feb 19 gave the reply after Mr Teo wrote to them.)
8.
1 Mar 19
Email from Resale Section of HDB
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“2        We would like to assure you that we are actively looking into your email/letter. We will reply to you as soon as we can. If we need more time, we will inform you.”
9.
3 Mar 19
via Google Sheets to MP
Spreadsheet-CPF Life
10.
3 Mar 19
Email to MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“1. I forward two emails from the officers of CPF and HDB in response to your suggestion of 22 Feb 19 that CPF Board and the HDB set up a meeting with me. The two officers were shown to be wrong in my email of 20 Feb 19 but yet allowed to reply the way they did.”

“I made four calculations where lump sums were committed to compare the rate of return that included the two instances just mentioned. Each of the calculations was in two stages. The first stage used the single payment formula from the date the lump sum was committed to the date at age 65 and the second stage used the annuity formula from age 65 for 20 years (life expectancy of Singaporean male at 65 is about 85). With the help of the spreadsheet the rate of return could be adjusted to give the same monthly payout as estimated by CPF Life.

Please refer to the comments and notes in the spreadsheet sent separately. The rate of return for the second and third calculations were below the lower range estimated by CPF Life. The fourth calculation was lower than 0.001%.”

(Summing Up Item 10 included a shareable link to the spreadsheet.)
11.
4 March 19
Email from PA
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“Your further questions have been forwarded to CPF Board for their reply to you directly, please.”
12.
4 Mar 19
Letter from Resale Section of HDB
Resale of Flat at [address]

“Based from the Option To Purchase (OTP) and flat application submitted to us on 28 Jan 2014, you and your mother, [mother’s name] have granted the OTP to buyers on 25 Jan 2014 and received an Option Fee of $1000 in cash. After the buyers decided to exercise the OTP, they paid you an Option Exercise Fee of $4000. Together, the Option Fee and Option Exercise Fee form the deposit and is considered part of the agreed resale transacted price of [dollar amount].”

(Explanation (72) Item 4 made clear no option money was received. The officer could not produce any receipt that payment was made.)
13.
7 Mar 18
Email from CPFB
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat - [my name]

“As we need more time to address your enquiries, we will reply to you as soon as possible.”
14.
10 Mar 19
Email to Resale Section of HDB
Sale Of Flat At [address]

“I do not think the second paragraph is true. If the options were payments towards the price of the flat in the document handed to me at the final appointment, the document would have stated so. The document only showed a deposit of $5000 was deducted.”

“As to the third paragraph, the letter from HDB reference RS01110A14/PR/ZUR dated 29/01/2014 sent to me before the first appointment showed that the death certificate was not required if the deceased was not a co-owner of the flat. When I asked the handling officer why she required the death certificate, she did not reply.”
15.
12 Mar 19
Email from CPFB
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“We have replied you on numerous occasions, we seek your understanding that we will not be replying further unless you have new enquiries.

Please refer to our reply dated 16 December 2014 on the details of the housing refund amount and our reply dated 30 April 2015 on the computation of CPF LIFE payout.”

(The senior executive avoided the questions just as the deputy director of 26 Feb 19. The reply of 30 April 2015 from a director did not show any computation except repeated the amount of payouts from document sent to me. She too stated “As the issues in your latest email are similar to those we have replied you on numerous occasions, we seek your understanding that [we] will not be replying further unless you have new enquiries.” I followed with 4 questions i) whether she agreed with the senior assistant director’s stand that there was to be no CPF refund, ii) why was there no reply from CPF within the 7 working days stated in the application form for SHB submitted by the principal estate manager, iii) whether the $4 more in payout from interest earned for the year that was included in the Policy Certificate issued for the second additional CPF LIFE was correct and iv) why I was asked to purchase the first additional CPF LIFE with no safeguard in place. She did not give a reply.

i) Summing Up Item 16 of 14 Mar 19; ii) Summing Up Item 22 of 31 Mar 19 Item 15d), Item 16; iii) Summing Up Item 27 of 10 May 19, last question in italics; and iv) Explanation (72) Item 3 explained the issue in the 4 questions respectively.)
16.
14 Mar 19
Email to MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“The senior assistant director’s email of 21 Nov 14 is better than her email of 16 Dec 14 as it referred directly to the 2012 CPF Act.

She stated Section 21B(11)(b) applied. But Section 21B(11)(b) refers to Section 15(15)(e), which states: “the charge shall on the application of the member or any other person having an interest in the property be cancelled if the Board is satisfied of the occurrence of any one of the following events...”. Since we did not make an application, Section 21B(11)(b) and Section 15(15)(e) do not apply.”

“The director’s letter of 30 Apr 15 does not explain why the rate of returns were low. It cannot be right that one of the them was lower than 0.001%. The rate of returns were adjusted to give the same monthly payout as estimated by CPF LIFE.”
17.
15 Mar 19
Email from PA
Message Classification: Restricted

“I’ve forwarded your observations to CPF Board, please.”
18.
17 Mar 19
Email from Resale Section of HDB
Sale Of Flat At [address]

“2        We would like to assure you that we are actively looking into your email/letter. We will reply to you as soon as we can. If we need more time, we will inform you.”

(The same officer, who was the handling officer at the Resale Operation Section of HDB, gave the reply at Item 8 of 1 Mar 19 above.)
19.
24 Mar 19
Email to MP
Refund to CPF Account and Return of Deposit After Sale of Flat

“He knew I did not made an application to withdraw the CPF fund used to purchase the flat (he was with me when I spoke about the refund with the officer in charge at the final appointment) and he could have checked instead of asking for his fee after the final appointment. He would have known about the OTP (an additional item was written in the contract that half of the option money forfeited by the seller would go to the Estate Agent), but he never brought up the subject. He asked me to negotiate the price with the third and last buyer only because of intervention from MPs, but without explaining the detail of the option he caused me to lower the price of the flat unintentionally by the amount of the option. He did not advertise in the newspaper to sell the flat. The contract with him was given to me only after the sale when I wrote to them because someone offered to look through the contract. I did not ask for the contract from the second salesperson too. (The supposed contract that the second salesperson and I had signed consisted of seven pages, each with the company logo and a total of eight of our signatures but without any signature of my mother who was joint-owner, was sent to me later through a link in an email not from the company. If look at it carefully, the signatures are not signed individually but printed identically.) I had thought the contracts were similar to that of the first salesperson that was without the additional item on the option.”

“I wrote to his company to reduce his fee to 1% from the 2% stated in the exclusive contract with him because he gave minimal attention to my case. I had written earlier to them whether there were other such cases they came across where no refund was required but they did not reply. (To the extent that they withheld information I should know about, they acted against me.) However, his company replied that they reserved all rights to proceed against me through other avenues if I did not proceed with mediation. I checked the website of several mediation centres, mediation referred to mediation based on the letter of the contract. It would not be an investigation.

(Under Schedule 1, Explanatory Notes: (12) The Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care prescribes the Estate Agent’s and Salesperson’s duty to disclose and avoid any potential or actual conflict of interest.)”

(Summing Up Item 19 of 24 Mar 19 and Explanation (72) Item 4 have more details relating to the sale of the flat.)
20.
25 Mar 19
Email from PA
Message Classification: Restricted

“Mr Teo has requested for your organisation to look into Mr Ng’s request to review his case and reply to him directly.

Please keep Mr Teo informed of your reply.”
21.
26 Mar 19
Email to MP

“I am not sure what to think of the second and third sentence from [your PA].”
22.
31 Mar 19
Email to MP

“1. The next item refers to the counselling session with the principal estate manager of HDB who filled in the Application for the Silver Housing Bonus Scheme without allowing us to read the Important Notes nor did he explained to us what was required.”
23.
5 Apr 19
Letter handed in at Meet-the-People Session
Bringing Up To The Prime Minister

“I refer to my email of 31 Mar 19 on the various issues in the hope that you will bring up to the prime minister.

Since our meeting and accompanying letter to you in Govt Dept (10) on 28 Dec 18, the issues that were brought up to HDB and CPF had not been addressed by officer giving the reply. It was the same sort of replies given many times before.

There were issues where actions were taken. I could think of the stopping of noise from the neighbour after Standpoint (34) was published in 2012, assistance given before the flat was sold in 2014, Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) was given after being told we were not eligible and police took actions after you wrote to them in Govt Dept (10).

Other issues have persisted--issues with CPF on the refund to CPF Account and the rate of returns from two additional CPF LIFE purchased--issues at resale section of HDB on the resale documents--issues with salespersons on estate agent’s duties.”
24.
16 Apr 19
Email from Resale Section of HDB
Sale Of Flat At [address]

“2        As we have explained to you in our earlier reply, you and your mother, [name of mother] have granted the Option To Purchase (OTP) to buyers on 25 Jan 2014 and received an Option Fee of $1,000 in cash. The buyers had paid you an Option Exercise Fee of $4,000 when they exercised the OTP on 25 Jan 2014. Together, the Option Fee and Option Exercise Fee form the deposit and is considered part of the agreed resale transacted price of [dollar amount]. You can refer to the OTP attached for reference.”

(Summing Up Item 25 of 29 Apr 19 below was my reply. I did not receive the OTP and no option fee and option exercise fee was received on 25 Jan 14.)
25.
29 Apr 19
Email to Resale Section of HDB
Sale Of Flat At [address]

“I negotiated the price with the buyers on 25 Jan 14 in the presence of salespersons for seller and buyer. If the Option To Purchase (OTP) was signed on 25 Jan 14 as indicated in the OTP, why wasn’t the OTP handed to me on the same day. Clause 5.1(b) of the OTP stated “deliver the signed Option (original copy) to the Seller”. And if I had received payment of option fee and exercise fee, were there receipts.”
26.
5 May 19
Email to MP

“At the meeting of 5 Apr 19 you again wrote to CPF on the monthly payout from CPF LIFE, but to date there is no reply from CPF.

I refer to https://www.psd.gov.sg/who-we-are/our-service-commitment:

“Feedback and Enquiries
Respond to letters and faxes within 10-14 days
If we need more time, we will give an interim reply within 10 – 14 working days and a full reply within 1 month.””

(After my letter Bringing Up To The Prime Minister in Summing Up Item 23 of 5 Apr 19, Mr Teo wrote to CPF only on the rates of return of the two additional CPF LIFE including the deduction from RA to CPF LIFE before monthly payout began in a few months. The email above informed Mr Teo there was no reply from CPF after a month.)
27.
10 May 19
Letter handed in at Meet-the-People Session
Monthly Payout From CPF LIFE

“I refer to our meeting and the letter you wrote to CPF on 5 Apr 19. This is one of those times when officers did not reply to email or letter written to them. It cannot be in the public interest other than of self or group interest.

Normally officer would give me a reply by the required number of days. They had delayed subsequent enquiries on the same subject by the number of days each time. They had informed me a number of times that they had replied numerous times and would no longer reply to me on the same subject. They had officers informed me by referring to email or letter of previous officers.

In most of my cases officers did reply, but they did not address the subject in question.”

(The letter Monthly Payout From CPF LIFE was submitted at next Meet-the-People Session when there was no reply from CPF. Instead, Mr Teo told me there was a letter to inform him that CPF did not reply to me because they had replied on numerous occasions before. Mr Teo said he would write to CPF again.)
28.
12 May 19
Email to Prime Minister
Meet-The-People Sessions

“There is some difficulties at MPS of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Mr Teo wrote to CPF, but instead of replying to me as usual I found out at the MPS that they had replied to Mr Teo. I did not read the letter when Mr Teo pointed to it while asking me whether I had received it. The few lines in the letter could have informed Mr Teo that they had already replied to me in previous correspondence as Mr Teo had said to me.”

“I know the solution will not come easy and have therefore made my request to Mr Teo a few times to ask for your assistance. This is only one issue of five issues needed to be addressed by officers that were listed in my letter of 5 Apr 19 titled Bringing Up To The Prime Minister. All my emails and letters to officers and Mr Teo are in Summing Up (72) of my blog.”

SP2-Explanation

14 Jun 19
Letter handed in at Meet-the-People Session
Documents Provide The Explanation

“1. There are a number of mistakes made in the five issues of my case. They are not complicated issues. The process of checking documents of government departments is required to arrive at a conclusion.

There were mentions that it is for the court to decide. It can be, but it gets complicated with the many layers of government and a host of other matters with little connection to the issues. A weak rival is likely to give up with the delays, expenses and lack of resources.

If the mistakes are to be decided by the court, will it not affect the integrity of the department concerned? In my case internal investigations are only required to reach a conclusion. But there are resistance to carry out investigations that will implicate officers. There seem to be not enough good people who will make the difference.

It is not the fine points of the law that needs to be clarified. Most, if not all, of the issues are in the document provided by departments or to be found in departments.

It will be in the public interest to correct the mistakes made or to explain the positions taken according to the documents. The issues could also be brought up to the prime minister for a determination since it has not been addressed.

The case has been for years as more issues cropped out.”

SP2-Prime Minister

16 Jun 19
Email to Prime Minister
A Request To Meet The Prime Minister At Meet-The-People Session

“1. I refer to my email titled Meet-The-People Session (MPS) dated 12 May 19 that it was likely CPF would not give a reply. Mr Teo had said he would write to them on 10 May 19 but a month had passed and they did not give a reply.

My next letter to Mr Teo handed over at MPS titled Documents Provide The Explanation was another summary of the five issues on mistakes made by officers. However, Ms Sun presided at the MPS and I told her what the writer had said to me that no one at the MPS had the authority to ask government departments to do the necessary. The writer told me that he would do his best to inform government departments but whether they followed up was in their discretion. To bring up the problem I could personally go to the Istana or Parliament. I asked him what was the purpose of the MPS and mentioned David Marshall was the first to set up the MPS.”

“I had asked Mr Teo and Ms Sun to ask for your assistance but for some reason they may not be doing it. The writers had said the issues would be referred to the Prime Minister Office but Mr Teo is part of the Prime Minister's Office.”

SP2-Annuity Premium Deduction
1.
27 Jun 19
Letter from Lifelong Income Department, CPFB
CPF LIFE

“As you are reaching your payout eligibility age of 65, you will start to receive your CPF LIFE monthly payout from August 2019. The monthly payout had taken into consideration an additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32, and the extra interest earned on your CPF balances. You will receive payouts from your CPF LIFE plan for as long as you live. You may refer to the Policy Certificate for your policy details and read the enclosed Important Notes on CPF LIFE.”

(The letter was written without officer’s name and signature. When I told the officer who attended to me at CPF Tampines Service Centre that the letter was not signed to avoid responsibility, she said the letter was computerised. But the mistake was with “an additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32, and the extra interest earned on your CPF balances”, which the officer had acknowledged. Without question, the rest of the letter could be computerised.

This is a new issue and the second time the letter for the issuance of Policy Certificate was sent without name and signature because officer knew mistakes were made in the Policy Certificate. Please refer to my comments of the latter Policy Certificate in Salient Point (40) of 12 Jan 15 and 4 Feb 15 and the former Policy Certificate is the next item below.)
2.
9 Jul 19
Letter handed in at CPF Tampines Service Centre
Annuity Premium Deduction And Retirement Account Balance Toward CPF LIFE

“The letter stated “The monthly payout had taken into consideration an additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32, and the extra interest earned on your CPF balances.”

Is the additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32 the extra interest earned on CPF balances or are they separate items? How did the $2,134.32 come about. It seems to me the additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32 is a purchase of additional CPF LIFE, commencement date 27 June 2019, which I did not make.

2. The monthly payout of $1,461.32 is also an issue. If the increase of the monthly payout came from the additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32, what was the amount of the increase? I subtracted the monthly payout of $1,461.32 from the lower range and upper range monthly payout of the previous additional CPF LIFE to calculate the rate of returns, but the two rates of returns varied too widely to be of any use.”

“3. From the Important Notes on CPF LIFE on CPF LIFE Annuity Premium:

If you join CPF LIFE before your DDA, there will be deductions of two annuity premiums.

The first annuity premium has been deducted upon the issuance of your CPF LIFE Plan.

The second annuity premium will be deducted two months before your DDA, subject to the available balances in your Retirement Account (RA) for the premium deduction. The second deduction will be done automatically, and you will be informed of the exact monthly payout that you will receive from your DDA after the deduction is made.

Why was the available balance in RA of $3,484.32 as indicated in the Policy Certificate not deducted?

4. Mistakes were made when I was asked to purchase the two additional CPF LIFE. In my case Item 3 applies. The Important Notes on CPF LIFE listed all the situations for the deduction of annuity premium.”

(It seemed the additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32 came from the available balance in RA of $3,484.32 as of Jan-Dec 2018. When the officer told me I had an amount in my RA from the record, I asked her to add the amount to the $2,134.32. The sum came to be the same as the available balance in RA of $3,484.32 as of Jan-Dec 2018. The sum of $3,484.32 was shown in the Policy Certificate as RA Balance at policy issuance. The letter from Lifelong Income Department to inform the start of monthly payout and the enclosed Policy Certificate were both dated 27 Jun 19.

Statements from two documents, Important Notes on CPF LIFE on Annuity Premium and Policy Certificate, are clear on the matter. The Important Notes on CPF LIFE on Annuity Premium stated “The second annuity premium will be deducted two months before your DDA, subject to the available balances in your Retirement Account (RA) for the premium deduction. The second deduction will be done automatically, and you will be informed of the exact monthly payout that you will receive from your DDA after the deduction is made.” The Policy Certificate stated “The monthly payouts include the extra interest earned on the CPF balances and the CPF LIFE balances.”

Therefore it seems to me the available balance in RA of $3,484.32 as of Jan-Dec 2018 and the extra interest earned on the CPF balances including the extra interest earned on the CPF LIFE balances, should go into the monthly payout. The extra interest earned on the CPF LIFE balances comes from the unused annuity premium under CPF LIFE. The whole process is done automatically and the exact monthly payout begins on Aug 2019.

This was why I wrote to CPF Tampines Service Centre that “It seems to me the additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32 is a purchase of additional CPF LIFE, commencement date 27 June 2019, which I did not make.” and “Why was the available balance in RA of $3,484.32 as indicated in the Policy Certificate not deducted?”)
3.
15 Jul 19
Letter from Lifelong Income Department, CPFB
CPF LIFE

“We would like to explain that the premium deducted from your RA on 27 Jun 2019 is indeed for the issuance of an additional annuity. However, this additional annuity is the one that will be done automatically for all members at two months before their payout eligibility age.”

“Regarding the monthly payouts under CPF LIFE, we would like to clarify that the range provided to you previously does not represent the upper and lower limits of the payout. The range is meant as a reference for members who are not due to receive monthly payouts, based on the interest rate assumptions of 3.75% and 4.25%. However, for members like yourself who are starting their payouts, the computation will be done based on the current CPF RA interest rate of 4% per annum.”

(The reply did not show how the additional annuity premium deduction of $2,134.32 came about nor why the available balance in RA of $3,484.32 as of Jan-Dec 2018 was not deducted two months before DDA.

I could understand the payout done based on the RA interest rate of 4% and the premium deduction two months before the Draw Down Age (DDA). In my case, the payout should then be added to the payouts of the first CPF LIFE and the two additional CPF LIFE to arrive at the starting payout.

My spreadsheet showed that the rate of return of the first CPF LIFE was within the estimated range but not the two additional CPF LIFE, which were below the estimated lower range of 3.75%. The calculation of the upper and lower range of the first CPF LIFE, the two additional CPF LIFE and the earned interest for the year 2014 were 3.814% and 4.340%, 2.959% and 3.462%, 2.652% and 3.227%, and less than 0.001% and less than 0.001% respectively.

From the Important Notes on CPF LIFE on CPF LIFE Annuity Premium I should not have been asked to purchase the two additional CPF LIFE. There should have been only two deductions. The first upon issuance of the first CPF LIFE and the second done automatically for the starting payout two months before the DDA. The money that would have been left in the RA would have earned based rate of 4% and the extra interest, which included the unused annuity premium under CPF LIFE. 

As it is, my payout has been lowered by the two additional CPF LIFE.) 

SP2-Resolution

22 Jul 19
Letter handed in at Meet-the-People Session
Being Accountable To Parliament

1. Since the letter Government Departments dated 28 Dec 18 handed to Mr Teo at Meet-the-People Session (MPS), there were three letters Bringing Up To The Prime Minister, Monthly Payout From CPF LIFE and Documents Provide The Explanation handed in at MPS. Mr Teo wrote to HDB or CPF or both together on the issue of the refund to CPF Account, the $5000 deposit in the Resale Document from HDB and the CPF LIFE, but only on one issue at a time.

HDB and CPF did not give full reply but, as usual, avoided my questions. There were no reply to the last three letters. In fact, when I handed in the letter Monthly Payout From CPF LIFE, Mr Teo showed me a letter sent to him from CPF. I did not read the letter but Mr Teo said CPF wrote that they had replied to me numerous times before. The letter Documents Provide The Explanation to Mr Teo was handed to Ms Sun who presided at the next MPS. This time I requested of the petition writer that the assistance of the Prime Minister was required on all the five issues listed in the letter.

Mr Teo and Ms Sun together wrote four times to CPF on the issue of CPF LIFE, but no reply was sent to me the last three times. Just as Mr Teo had informed me at the second last MPS that CPF had sent a letter to him instead, CPF could have sent a letter to Ms Sun of the last MPS. It happened so after CPF wrote the letter dated 27 Jun 19 that I would start receiving my monthly payout in August. There were mistakes in the letter and I went to CPF Tampines Service Centre on 9 Jul 19 with my letter Annuity Premium Deduction And Retirement Account Balance Toward CPF LIFE. After going through my letter and the letter and attachments from CPF, the attending officer checked with her senior and asked me whether I had received a reply on 19 Jun 19 after the last MPS with Ms Sun. Since I did not receive the reply, the reply would be to Ms Sun.

7. The letters Bringing Up To The Prime Minister and Documents Provide The Explanation addressed to Mr Teo are each summary of all the five issues that required investigation. The letter Annuity Premium Deduction And Retirement Account Balance Toward CPF LIFE addressed to CPF Tampines Service Centre is a new issue that required investigation. The last letter was in reply to the letter from CPF of 27 Jun 19 to inform the start of monthly payout at age 65 in two months time. All the letters are at Summing Up (72) Item 23, Explanation (72), Annuity (78) respectively. The letter from CPF dated 27 Jun 19 will be submitted at MPS, Ang Mo Kio. However, my comments are at Salient Points 2 (40) under SP2-Annuity Premium Deduction.

Why investigation? My complaints through MPS, the last numbered twenty, have no effect. Their replies avoided the questions in the ways noted in the letter Monthly Payout From CPF LIFE and no reply was given recently noted in Item 1. The email dated 14 Mar 19 in SP2-Summing Up Item 16 is proof that officers did not reply to the refund to CPF Account and the low rate of return from additional CPF LIFE. The questions were first posed in 19 Apr 14 to CPFB and 30 Apr 15 to a director of CPFB respectively. What started it all was noise from the neighbour eleven years ago from the first MPS on 16 Feb 08.

The reason it was not addressed by executive officer up to the level of director is because of influence from powerful persons. They are not visible, but they affect the future prospects of officers. They cause officers to misbehave because of advantage gained. Although we have a centralised government that is efficient, we are not immune to such influence. Item 4 a) to g) above refer to such a situation.

Their influence cut across government departments, statutory boards and commercial enterprises. In my case I was stonewalled and there was not much in the way of a media report except for indirect references. Item 5 above are pronouncements from ministers, which I feel have some bearing.

That brings me to the final point, which is also the title of this letter. Without an investigation from Parliament, my complaint will never be resolved. I will always be at the end of officers who will continue to go against me.

I had asked that the matter be brought up to the prime minister and the Parliament before. The petition writers had reservation when I asked that they addressed my complaint directly to MP. I had therefore submitted the first set of documents in Salient Point (40) and will submit the second set of documents in Salient Points 2 to MPS, Ang Mo Kio.

Please bring up my complaint in Parliament.

SP2-Sales Agreement, First Salesperson

(Please refer to Salient Points (40) Sales Agents. I wrote to terminate the agreement and submitted an official complaint to CEA. There was no reply from CEA.) 

SP2-Resale Checklist For Sellers Who Engage Salesperson

(Sellers must observe a 7-day cooling-off period before granting Option To Purchase. Sellers to check with HDB/bank on outstanding housing loan to be discharged and CPF Board on amount of CPF (plus interest) to be refunded. Sellers must give true information and there are penalties for infringement.)

SP2-Sales Agreement, Second Salesperson

(Please refer to Salient Points (40) Sales Agents. I wrote to terminate his service and his company confirmed the termination. No sales agreement was given. The sales agreement shown here that was submitted to me online was false. It had my signatures printed and did not include my mother’s signature who was a joint owner of the flat.)

SP2-Sales Agreement, Third Salesperson

(Please refer to Salient Points (40) Sales Agents and SP2-Summing Up Item 19 above. He neglected his duties on the refund to CPF Account and the Option To Purchase (OTP). He and his company should know that refund to CPF Account was required and he did not refer to the $5000 option fees nor the additional item added in the sales agreement that half of the option money forfeited by the seller would go to the Estate Agent. In fact the sales agreement was not given to me until after the sale when I asked for it. In general he gave minimal attention to the sale.

I wrote to his company to reduce his fee to 1% from the 2%, but his company replied that they reserved all rights to proceed against me through other avenues if I did not proceed with mediation. Mediation would be based on the letter of the agreement, it would not be an investigation on whether there was negligence.)

SP2-Resale Checklist For Sellers Who Engage A Salesperson, Acknowledgment

(The Resale Checklist is required to be submitted to HDB for the sellers to grant the Option To Purchase to buyer not less than 7 days after the checklist is completed. The checklist also stated sellers are to check with the CPF Board on the amount of CPF (plus accrued interest) to be refunded. The last portion of the checklist stated in addition to other remedies any false statement made is liable to fine and/or imprisonment or both.

The Resale Checklist showed that a salesperson would require to know about the Option To Purchase, the refund to CPF Board and the penalties.

Yet I was not allowed refund to CPF Account and $5000 deposit could not be accounted for. Please also refer to my comments in SP2-Sales Agreement, Third Salesperson above and SP2-Option To Purchase below.)

SP2-Option To Purchase

(The question came about because I enquired of the $5000 deduction shown in the resale document from Resale Operation Section of HDB.

Please refer to the resale document at Salient Points (40) under SP-CPF Refund of 11 Mar 14 and 8 Apr 14  and their replies at SP2-Summing Up Item 12 of 4 Mar 19 and Item 24 of 16 Apr 19 above.

They stated the $5000 deposit was option fee and option exercise fee we had received that form part of the resale price of the flat. Although the fees were indicated in the OPT we had signed, the OTP was not given to us as required and there was no receipt to show we had received any fee. The situation is explained in Explanation (72) Item 4.) 

SP2-CPF LIFE, Spreadsheet

(The spreadsheets was intended to show the rates of return of CPF LIFE. The 4 calculations referred to the first purchase of CPF LIFE, the second purchase of additional CPF LIFE and the third purchase of additional CPF LIFE. The fourth calculation showed the rate of return only of earned income for the year 2014 just after CPF LIFE had calculated the upper and lower range payout for the third purchase of additional CPF LIFE. The fourth calculation was part of the third purchase of additional CPF LIFE and the Policy Certificate that was issued on Jan 15 included the earned income for the year 2014.

There was no necessity for the purchase of additional CPF LIFE because the Important Notes for CPF LIFE on premium deductions stated there need only be two deductions from Retirement Account to CPF LIFE. The first upon issuance of the Policy Certificate and the second automatically two months before the Draw Down Age.

The spreadsheet calculation showed the rates of return from the two additional CPF LIFE to be lower that the estimated lower range calculated by CPF LIFE. The fourth was an obvious mistake with rate of return below 0.001%.

Please refer to Explanation (72) Item 3.)

3. Summing Up

(Please refer to Summing Up (72) and my comments at SP2-Summing Up. Hard copy of the text will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

4. Explanation

(Please refer to Explanation (72). Hard copy of the text will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

5. Prime Minister

(Please refer to Prime Minister (72). Hard copy of the text will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

6. Annuity Premium Deduction

(Please refer to Annuity (78) and my comments at SP2-Annuity Premium Deduction. Hard copy of the text will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

7. Resolution 

(Please refer to Resolution (72). Hard copy of the text will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

8. Sales Agreement, First Salesperson

(Hard copy of the document will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

9. Resale Checklist For Sellers Who Engage Salesperson

(Hard copy of the document will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

10. Sales Agreement, Second Salesperson

(Hard copy of the document will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

11. Sales Agreement, Third Salesperson

(Hard copy of the document will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

12. Resale Checklist For Sellers Who Engage A Salesperson, Acknowledgment

(Hard copy of the document will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

13. Option To Purchase

(Hard copy of the document will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)

14. CPF LIFE, Spreadsheet

(Hard copy of the spreadsheet will be submitted at MPS Ang Mo Kio.)