The Law and Home Affairs Minister, Mr K Shanmugam, took the managing agent of One Canberra to task on May 21 for planning to spend $19,000 on the first annual general meeting (AGM) of the executive condominium. The AGM is being held to vote on the management corporation strata title (MCST).
Mr Shanmugam in his letter to the managing agent, Realty International Associates Pte Ltd (RIA), said several of the Yishun condo’s residents had raised the matter with him. He was concerned because there was a cheaper option available. Chong Pang Community Club was available as an alternative venue for the AGM, and the managing agent need only pay for logistics and catering at an estimated cost of $5,000, he added.
RIA is a sister company to ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd.
< One Canberra – AGM >Several residents of One Canberra came to look for me. They were concerned about the high cost…
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Sunday, 21 May 2017
RIA’s vice-president responded to the minister’s letter the following day and explained why they could not go for the cheaper option. The vice-president, Mr Jackson Ong, said the AGM was agreed to be held on June 17 and they could not hold it in the One Canberra clubhouse as it was too small. They also enquired with Chong Pang Community Club, but the place was not available on that day.
Mr Ong said they next looked at SAFRA, which could only accommodate a maximum of 320 people, before tentatively deciding on Orchid Country Club. He said the country club venue would have cost about $16,000 (not $19,000), but plans were not finalised, neither were circulars sent out.
Mr Ong added that MCC Land, the developer of One Canberra, had agreed to pay $8,000 for the AGM if it were held at Orchid Country Club. This would have brought the cost of hosting the AGM at the country club down to $8,000. The remainder would have been paid for from the condo’s maintenance fund. The residents pay $240 to $260 monthly to the fund, depending on the size of their units.
After the minister’s letter and Facebook post, RIA decided to change the date of the AGM to June 24 and hold it at Chong Pang CC. Mr Ong said: “We value Minister Shanmugam’s feedback and have decided to hold it at Chong Pang CC after changing the date.”
It will now cost $8,200 to host the event at Chong Pang CC. The premises are offered free of charge, but a cleaning fee of $200 has been imposed. The food and the rental of tables and chairs will cost $8,000.