MM Lee: HDB will continue to build “affordable†homes
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Originally posted by sbst275:
I'm talking abt Taipei not even the whole ROC. Since when Taipei MRT is less pakced, 3 - 4 mins freq there's no seats at all
As for Hong Kong, in e first place they were worried abt having BOT for the MTR due to the handover issue. Hong Kong is big, but Singapore would soon end up the same problem, even higher demand for MRT and bus services.
it is packed because it population is more than Singapore, therefore it need the freq needs to increase, if ours is to go into such freq, most of the train will be not so packed, and that affect the cost, you need to have a sense of economic of scale in doing business, if we want MRT in Singapore to be full utilized, we need to make sure it is packed.Ya, the way singapore is building underground and tunnels, digging cable lines here and there, one of these day, they are going to sink just like the Nicoll highway case, touch wood. We are already so small and the soil structure is not that good, and yet keep digging underground car parks, shopping centres, tunnels etc etc, just one BOOOOMMMM only all sink down liao. Hong kong is big, but alot of mountain very hard to utilise, I climbed stairs at New Hongkong hill houses also cannot tarhan liao.
Problem there will alway be, just a matter of how to go about it, without problem, get so much high paid peoples for what??? dun worry, you paid so much tax already, still want to worry for them ar?? dun be stupid lah
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Originally posted by Atobe:
It is typical of a "kiasu" Taiwanese 'hum' to book a place in Lim Chu Kang before it even need the place, is the Taiwanese 'hum' worth a plot of Singapore land when its place of domicile is in Taiwan ?
The Taiwanese 'hum' had better wish that no one is buried - especially LKY - who will surely return to continue to torment the Taiwanese 'hum' in the after life.
Huh! LKY get to bury meh?? I think he should follow what most singaporeans did, burnt, BBQ
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hmm
It is govt policy to make sure
everyONE can afford a home in sg leh
thats why got so HDB Grant..
So many Scheme..to rem/ headache also sia
Singles can buy lar
PR also can buy lar etc
Govt try to make sure everyone have a roof
over their head..
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and also a place for them to shit, post and grumble
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SINGAPORE: First—time homebuyers now have more options when it comes to getting their dream home.
The Housing Board is offering 2,670 new flats through four Build—to—Order projects launched on Tuesday. This brings the total flat supply for this year to 13,500 units.
HDB said two BTO projects in Queenstown estate, SkyVille and SkyTerrace@Dawson, cater mainly to buyers who are prepared to pay more for a prime location and better finishes.
It expects an overwhelming response to these flats.
Prices start from S$112,000 for a Studio Apartment, S$280,000 for three—room, $373,000 for four—room and S$532,000 for a five—room flat.
cheap a not?
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what dream home??? i thot leasing only?? and flat is not home, they are flat lor
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Singapore is slowly emulating itself into the mindset of the most populated country in the world, rather unfortunately though. Not only talking abt the immense amount of influx from this country into Singapore, but also talking about this country's policies of only serving the rich. If you have money, u r a first and high class citizen in any country, but if you don't, please kindly find your own way out. A true but sad cruel fact. Right now in Singapore, so what if you are a local born, true blue Singaporean, you are no better or special than any other foreigners here. Maybe the diff is that local males must do national service whereas foreigners don't (altogether more than 30 mths over a span of 12 years). If you are born at peasant level, of course, you are worse than a foreigner, anytime.
The topic that we are talking over here is about owning a flat in central part of this great nation of Singapore, Land For The Rich. Sorry local born peasants, these locations are reserved for the privileged and rich elites (be it local or foreign, no diff, meritocracy). The poor local-born peasants may soon have to move to Pulau Serangoon, Lim Chu Kang or Kusu Island (provided they are not sold as resorts to the rich and elites).MM mentioned HDB flat prices can be expected to keep on rising as long as the economy continues to grow. Please kindly do a review, dear policy makers. How much is an average diploma holder getting today compared to 10 years ago? Economic development, the exterior? So where are thelocal born, true blue, low-wage and non-elites peasant Singaporeans going to stay in Singapore? A Sembawang 4 room resale flat cost more than 300k (excluding cov) these days. Also HDB-only Singaporeans, don't be stupid. You only HDB flat is definitely not your asset until you pay off in full its rental of 99 years. Anytime before that, it's a liability, a huge one.
http://www.iproperty.com.sg/property/searchresult.aspx?t=S&gpt=H&pt=&ds=27&mp=0&xp=999%2c999%2c999&k=&mbu=0&xbu=999999&mbr=0&xbr=9&mbt=0&xbt=9&sby=&ns=1
Yes, I can safely say that present Singapore flats may even command a higher rental rates than the very much talked-about Hong Kong. Check it out for disbelivers in the links below. I stayed in this wonderful condo in North-Western part of Hong Kong a year ago, nice grand with hotel-like lobby and friendly staff opening door to the lift on 24-hour basis. The size of the condo is similar to our 3-room HDB flat but the rental rate is the same or cheaper than the Northern part of Singapore. But isn't that a good sign, meaning Singaporeans have more valuable assets? Yes, you bet. But what if you belong to the peasant class that can't afford to buy a HDB flat? Sleeping on streets or under the bridges? This is not Hong Kong that we are talking about. Also, the HDB-only owners, don't be too happy about this. How many of you can really earn money through renting out your only HDB flat?
http://property.28hse.com/show3m.php?catid=4213&catcat1=105&page=2&offset=20
http://www.iproperty.com.sg/property/searchresult.aspx?t=R&gpt=H&pt=&ds=27&mp=0&xp=999%2c999%2c999&k=&mbu=0&xbu=999999&mbr=2&xbr=2&mbt=0&xbt=9&sby=&ns=1
We must have read news about China saying that their prestige uni grads can't even afford the simplest set of house. Please check them out clearly. In Beijing, same case over here, only rich and elites can afford to stay in the central part of it. Peasants that really want a house badly have to move to the outskirts. You can even stay in underground units that are considered slums, somehow. But in Singapore, where else can one stay if this sorry soul can't afford a house, Singapore river?
In terms of jobs, one will only see in the state-controlled papers saying that locals don't want this job and that job etc. Please again, open your eyes and ears. There are manufacturing companies in Singapore that hire foreign degree holders as production engineers on salary of $1600-$1800 on 12-hour shift, contracted work. In shipyards in Singapore, fellow Asean engineers are very happy to work here, the best when the job has tons of OTs. They can save up some money and move back to their country in a few years time. So how are we going to fight this? You mean Singaporeans should have no friends, family ties, marriage, kids due to a lack of personal time like all these foreigners? In this case, the difference between these foreigners and true blue Singaporeans is that these foreigners have a vision for a better home and future, whereas true blue Singaporeans can only sigh and wait for the sky to drop them a better future (house, job & $ etc).
There are a lot red-tapes in our conversation over here and there are topics about foreigners that I can't cover in details. Therefore, I shall not continue for now. It's totally pointless to talk with no action on the net anyway. I strongly urged true blue, non elite Singaporeans to start shifting out from Singapore to other countries, just like what I'm going to do in a few months time. Do remember, your language advantage over other countries is not to be undermined. If you make it big one day, then you can come back to Singapore and get yourself a nice decent space in the whatever area of your choice. Else, just do what my foreigner friend encouraged me to do, be an upper class in a poor country is definitely much better than being a lower class in a rich country.
As for our dear elite policy makers, apart from taking 'peanuts' salary, talk more about facts, identify problems and more importantly, constructive solutions, openly to us. Tell us how bad the actual situation is now and future. We will and have to be open to accept these cruel facts and work our way out because all of us know that we cannot be dependent on our government. Not just some motivational talks and beautiful pictures from the top echelon of the state in one page of the state-controlled papers and next 2 pages highlighting the sorry plight of other countries. Beating all the self-praised shit into our empty heads. Resulting that Singaporeans always think they are head and shoulders above others where true fact is we, Singaporeans, are just laughing stocks for people in other countries. They envy the name of Singapore as a country, but definitely not the Singaporeans staying in the country. Even then, their opinion about the country will change when they get to know us better. All these are true stories that happened to me, at least.
As for the whatever Taiwanese 'hum' or whatever freaking crap shit, please kindly mind your own biz as it has nothing much for us to talk to you about. If you have any highly-intellectual opinion, keep it to yourself as we are not keen in knowing how your ass looks like. For all local born, true blue Singaporeans, please do not waste any more of your precious time. Go fend for your survivals as nobody else will in anything anyhow anyway. If you are a suay suay born peasant, all the more you must do something for yourself. Do not waste time talking about local policies and politics since they are just agendas and decisions made by the government of Singapore. Don't forget, $ makes the world spin, towards your direction.
Get your ass up, do it & good luck!
SH,
(a 35 year old to-be, male, local born, true blue, non elite, diploma-holding Singaporean, will be trying out his luck in a foreign country in the next few months time)
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Originally posted by Leesiewhoi:
Singapore is slowly emulating itself into the mindset of the most populated country in the world, rather unfortunately though. Not only talking abt the immense amount of influx from this country into Singapore, but also talking about this country's policies of only serving the rich. If you have money, u r a first and high class citizen in any country, but if you don't, please kindly find your own way out. A true but sad cruel fact. Right now in Singapore, so what if you are a local born, true blue Singaporean, you are no better or special than any other foreigners here. Maybe the diff is that local males must do national service whereas foreigners don't (altogether more than 30 mths over a span of 12 years). If you are born at peasant level, of course, you are worse than a foreigner, anytime.
The topic that we are talking over here is about owning a flat in central part of this great nation of Singapore, Land For The Rich. Sorry local born peasants, these locations are reserved for the privileged and rich elites (be it local or foreign, no diff, meritocracy). The poor local-born peasants may soon have to move to Pulau Serangoon, Lim Chu Kang or Kusu Island (provided they are not sold as resorts to the rich and elites).MM mentioned HDB flat prices can be expected to keep on rising as long as the economy continues to grow. Please kindly do a review, dear policy makers. How much is an average diploma holder getting today compared to 10 years ago? Economic development, the exterior? So where are thelocal born, true blue, low-wage and non-elites peasant Singaporeans going to stay in Singapore? A Sembawang 4 room resale flat cost more than 300k (excluding cov) these days. Also HDB-only Singaporeans, don't be stupid. You only HDB flat is definitely not your asset until you pay off in full its rental of 99 years. Anytime before that, it's a liability, a huge one.
http://www.iproperty.com.sg/property/searchresult.aspx?t=S&gpt=H&pt=&ds=27&mp=0&xp=999%2c999%2c999&k=&mbu=0&xbu=999999&mbr=0&xbr=9&mbt=0&xbt=9&sby=&ns=1
Yes, I can safely say that present Singapore flats may even command a higher rental rates than the very much talked-about Hong Kong. Check it out for disbelivers in the links below. I stayed in this wonderful condo in North-Western part of Hong Kong a year ago, nice grand with hotel-like lobby and friendly staff opening door to the lift on 24-hour basis. The size of the condo is similar to our 3-room HDB flat but the rental rate is the same or cheaper than the Northern part of Singapore. But isn't that a good sign, meaning Singaporeans have more valuable assets? Yes, you bet. But what if you belong to the peasant class that can't afford to buy a HDB flat? Sleeping on streets or under the bridges? This is not Hong Kong that we are talking about. Also, the HDB-only owners, don't be too happy about this. How many of you can really earn money through renting out your only HDB flat?
http://property.28hse.com/show3m.php?catid=4213&catcat1=105&page=2&offset=20
http://www.iproperty.com.sg/property/searchresult.aspx?t=R&gpt=H&pt=&ds=27&mp=0&xp=999%2c999%2c999&k=&mbu=0&xbu=999999&mbr=2&xbr=2&mbt=0&xbt=9&sby=&ns=1
We must have read news about China saying that their prestige uni grads can't even afford the simplest set of house. Please check them out clearly. In Beijing, same case over here, only rich and elites can afford to stay in the central part of it. Peasants that really want a house badly have to move to the outskirts. You can even stay in underground units that are considered slums, somehow. But in Singapore, where else can one stay if this sorry soul can't afford a house, Singapore river?
In terms of jobs, one will only see in the state-controlled papers saying that locals don't want this job and that job etc. Please again, open your eyes and ears. There are manufacturing companies in Singapore that hire foreign degree holders as production engineers on salary of $1600-$1800 on 12-hour shift, contracted work. In shipyards in Singapore, fellow Asean engineers are very happy to work here, the best when the job has tons of OTs. They can save up some money and move back to their country in a few years time. So how are we going to fight this? You mean Singaporeans should have no friends, family ties, marriage, kids due to a lack of personal time like all these foreigners? In this case, the difference between these foreigners and true blue Singaporeans is that these foreigners have a vision for a better home and future, whereas true blue Singaporeans can only sigh and wait for the sky to drop them a better future (house, job & $ etc).
There are a lot red-tapes in our conversation over here and there are topics about foreigners that I can't cover in details. Therefore, I shall not continue for now. It's totally pointless to talk with no action on the net anyway. I strongly urged true blue, non elite Singaporeans to start shifting out from Singapore to other countries, just like what I'm going to do in a few months time. Do remember, your language advantage over other countries is not to be undermined. If you make it big one day, then you can come back to Singapore and get yourself a nice decent space in the whatever area of your choice. Else, just do what my foreigner friend encouraged me to do, be an upper class in a poor country is definitely much better than being a lower class in a rich country.
As for our dear elite policy makers, apart from taking 'peanuts' salary, talk more about facts, identify problems and more importantly, constructive solutions, openly to us. Tell us how bad the actual situation is now and future. We will and have to be open to accept these cruel facts and work our way out because all of us know that we cannot be dependent on our government. Not just some motivational talks and beautiful pictures from the top echelon of the state in one page of the state-controlled papers and next 2 pages highlighting the sorry plight of other countries. Beating all the self-praised shit into our empty heads. Resulting that Singaporeans always think they are head and shoulders above others where true fact is we, Singaporeans, are just laughing stocks for people in other countries. They envy the name of Singapore as a country, but definitely not the Singaporeans staying in the country. Even then, their opinion about the country will change when they get to know us better. All these are true stories that happened to me, at least.
As for the whatever Taiwanese 'hum' or whatever freaking crap shit, please kindly mind your own biz as it has nothing much for us to talk to you about. If you have any highly-intellectual opinion, keep it to yourself as we are not keen in knowing how your ass looks like. For all local born, true blue Singaporeans, please do not waste any more of your precious time. Go fend for your survivals as nobody else will in anything anyhow anyway. If you are a suay suay born peasant, all the more you must do something for yourself. Do not waste time talking about local policies and politics since they are just agendas and decisions made by the government of Singapore. Don't forget, $ makes the world spin, towards your direction.
Get your ass up, do it & good luck!
SH,
(a 35 year old to-be, male, local born, true blue, non elite, diploma-holding Singaporean, will be trying out his luck in a foreign country in the next few months time)
if halfway, retrenched how?????
Don't forget it's 99 yrs lease hdb only
it is not freehold property in sixth avenue
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Wha, 35yo Uncle talk so much. Go lah, no one is stopping you. Just make sure you dun come back and do begging jobs ya. Have some bones in you, but if you become rich, also dun come here and disturb our properties prices ya, people talks alot of bad stuff about elite, but when they themselve become elite, they also practice the same bad thing, be a philantropist, helps those old poor aunties and uncles here, that will be very much appreciated.
A good foreigner never talk bad about his or her own country, so make sure you dun talk bad about Singapore when you migrated ya. Dun say that you cannot make it here so in turn say Singapore is bad ya.
And lastly, remember that anything above 20kg in excess, you need to pay extra language excess ya, take care, and good bye.
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Originally posted by John Penn:
if halfway, retrenched how?????
Don't forget it's 99 yrs lease hdb only
it is not freehold property in sixth avenue
default payment lah, like also need gal gal to teach you ar?? the nice thing about HDB is that they will not force you out, unlike private property like mine, there is about 33 thousands people in default payment this year, but no one was ask to leave the flat, just temporary stop or extend loan payment, remember govt said, "everyone will have a roof on top of their head" ....bus stop and tents also got roof hor?? -
Originally posted by angel7030:
default payment lah, like also need gal gal to teach you ar?? the nice thing about HDB is that they will not force you out, unlike private property like mine, there is about 33 thousands people in default payment this year, but no one was ask to leave the flat, just temporary stop or extend loan payment, remember govt said, "everyone will have a roof on top of their head" ....bus stop and tents also got roof hor??
MYFBARE YOU TRYING TO SEEK ATTENTION AGAIN
THICK SKIN ALIEN
BSB
PLEASE FOS
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Clone..hmm!
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Clone..hmm!
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HDB neighbours from hell? This minister knows all about it
But there are sweet moments too, as National Development Minister and former HDB lad Mah Bow Tan recounts of his own HDB Experience. He tells LI XUEYING how the Housing Board, which received the United Nations Public Service Award for its home-ownership programme on Monday, remains relevant five decades after its birth
HEARTLAND MAN AT HEART: Although he now lives in landed property, Mr Mah Bow Tan lived in a Toa Payoh HDB flat before getting married. So, yes, he knows all about those annoying neighbours who let their laundry drip all over yours. -- ST PHOTOS: TERENCE TAN, JOYCE FANG
MR MAH Bow Tan knows a thing or two about 'neighbours from hell'.
'Those who, you know, just hang up their clothing, drip, drip, drip and all that,' he says with a grimace followed by a laugh.
The National Development Minister has long upgraded to private property. But he remembers, with much fondness, the years he lived with his aunt's family in an HDB flat in Toa Payoh Lorong 6 four decades ago.
It was after he finished his OLevels until he left for Australia in 1966 on a President's Scholarship to study engineering.
After he graduated, he spent another five years there before marrying and getting his own nest, a landed property.
'So I know HDB, not just on a professional basis but as a person who has lived in it. And I know that it can be a real pain,' says Mr Mah.
'But it also has its pluses.'
He reels them off: 'Food and carpark downstairs, MRT, bus stops and schools nearby, and the hustle and bustle. Something's happening all the time,' he says.
It is The HDB Experience, a term Mr Mah coined some years ago to encapsulate everything - from urine in the lifts to inter-racial friendships.
'It's a collective, it's where people of different backgrounds, different races, different personalities, different ages, they all live together,' he says with the polished flair of a ringmaster introducing his award-winning circus.
Never mind that it has been 48years since the HDB came into being. The HDB Experience is one that Mr Mah believes is as relevant today - if not more so.
From slums to world-class housing
THE Housing and Development Board was formed in 1960, a time when squatters and slums nestled alongside traditional kampungs.
HDB's task was urgent: to create homes - cheap, fast and in huge quantities.
And it did. In less than three years, it built 21,000 flats. Today, it has built 880,000 flats.
About 80 per cent of the population live in public housing, with almost all owning their homes.
There was a secondary - though no less important - purpose for the HDB: its nation-building role. It was to encourage home ownership, so that Singaporeans feel they have a stake in the country.
The underlying philosophy, as posited in the book Housing a Nation, is that if one owns an asset in the country, one would defend it. This would contribute to political, economic and social stability.
Today, however, Singaporeans are increasingly mobile, settling in as easily in Shanghai, New York and Tokyo as in Sengkang, Nee Soon and Toa Payoh.
How relevant then remains The HDB Experience, and would the Government have to find new ways of rooting Singaporeans in this land beyond the ownership of the roof over one's head?
In fact, Mr Mah argues, it is because of globalisation that The HDB Experience is even more important today.
It ranks as 'one of the most important' in building a shared identity for Singaporeans.
Yes, they may move freely across borders today. 'But at the end of the day, when we all decide where we want to be based permanently, we have to make a decision. I believe that finally there's something that will define a Singaporean and help to make them feel they want to come back - whether it's family or friends.
'I think being in a closed community which is well-integrated, which is safe, where people feel that they belong: The HDB Experience - it can make or break that.'
One of the more experienced ministers in the Cabinet - he marks his 60th birthday, 20 years in politics and nine years as National Development Minister this year - Mr Mah is economical with his words and speaks calmly.
But, like any parent protective of his offspring, he bristles at any suggestion that the HDB is less important now compared to its early years. He rebuts vigorously the layman's observation that its work today seems to be mainly estate renewal and maintenance.
'That's all it does?' he repeats with incredulity. 'No! What it is dealing with today is the transition to catering to a society with different aspirations, and building different types of flats yet trying to cater to the bulk of the people.
'I don't think it's right to dismiss the HDB as doing only this.'
In fact, its job has become more complicated. He elaborates: 'For every flat you renew, you're building two flats or 1-1/2 flats. You've to build, move people out and face issues such as compensation, how to maintain the bonding, the sense of community and yet give them a better flat and, at the same time, make sure they are financially better off.'
Looking ahead, Mr Mah had spoken of finding creative ways to keep flats affordable for low-income families but attractive for the better-off.
But should the HDB go back to basics, outsourcing the latter task to the private sector, and returning to its objective prior to 1973: to focus on low-cost housing for the lower-income?
Not a good idea, says Mr Mah. It will mean that half of all Singaporeans will be deprived of The HDB Experience.
'Your multiracial estates, your ability to forge this common experience, that would be drastically changed...The social bonding part will be different. The safety net will change. The ability to use the flat for retirement income will also change.'
Affordability will also become an issue, he adds.
But ultimately, the proportion of Singaporeans who live in public housing will dip, he says, down to 70 per cent over the next 30 to 40 years as more Singaporeans aspire to private property.
More land is being set aside for private housing. The HDB will also divest some responsibilities such as when projects like executive condominiums are privatised.
This trend comes in tandem with the challenge of housing a growing number of people following Singapore's revision of its planning parameters to accommodate a population of 6.5 million.
Addressing fears that Singaporeans will be living in rabbit hutches, Mr Mah pledges that 'we can accommodate this number without adopting Hong Kong planning norms'.
A typical flat in Hong Kong, he estimates, is about 300 sq ft or 30sq m.
'We are not going that way,' he promises. 'Our smallest flat, a two-room flat, is still about 50sqm or 60 sq m, three-room flats 70 sqm or 80 sq m, our four or five-room flats about 100 sq m and above. That's the kind of norm that we are using.'
It will be accomplished through building upwards - HDB started with six-storey blocks and now has 50-storey blocks, with pockets of greenery amid the concrete.
Still affordable
TODAY, a new three-room flat in Bedok goes for about $200,000; a five-room flat in Clementi $480,000. And near the ends of the spectrum are an $80,000 two-room flat in Sengkang and a $700,000 condo-like flat in Boon Keng.
Does the latter mean that HDB is losing sight of its objective, to provide affordable housing for the masses? It is a question Mr Mah has faced many times.
He reiterates that the HDB prices its flats according to the market rather than to building costs.
'If we go on cost price, then we have to go cost price all the way,' he asserts.
This means that unlike today, homeowners will not be able to make a profit by selling their flats on the market. Instead, they will have to sell back to the Government at the price they bought at. Flats 'will thus not create that store of wealth' for Singaporeans.
Prices will also fluctuate with construction costs.
The minister stresses that HDB flats remain affordable - relative to what they earn.
Last year, about 70 per cent of flat buyers serviced their mortgage loan through their CPF savings.
This means they used below 23 per cent of their income for loan repayments.
'If you go to a bank or any country, they will tell you 30 per cent to 40 per cent is the norm.'
With some frustration, Mr Mah says: 'Of course people will say, why can't it be cheaper?'
Yet, when it comes time for them to sell their flats, 'they don't tell the next person, 'Eh, I'm going to sell it to you at the price I paid for it'.'
What then, about calls for the HDB to be transparent about the different components in the costing, such as land and materials?
'What purpose does that serve?' he counters.
People want to be convinced the Government is not making money off them, you reply.
'The best way of convincing them is to look at our accounts, how much money we are collecting versus how much money we are paying in terms of construction,' he retorts.
'Overall, every year, HDB runs a deficit. $700million, $800million, $900million, close to a billion dollars some years.
'That's real money.'
Political carrot?
A LESS savoury side of The HDB Experience, critics have noted, is how the People's Action Party (PAP) has used upgrading as a partisan tool during the past three general elections.
During the last one in 2006, voters in Hougang and Potong Pasir were promised $180million of upgrading projects if they voted in the PAP. They did not.
Subsequently, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said it had to review its strategy in the opposition wards.
What was the conclusion?
Mr Mah, treasurer in the PAP's central executive committee, says: 'We have looked at this and we still think that it's relevant.'
On whether the review had found the efficacy of the strategy limited, he says: 'I am not sure there is any correlation between the upgrading policies and the election results.
'Notwithstanding that, if we have to face this decision - and have a certain amount of money - of choosing between a PAP and an opposition ward, I think we would still have to go for the PAP ward first.'
What about using age as the sole criterion in deciding which estate is earlier in the queue?
'If we did age alone, then we would just be concentrating our upgrading in pockets of areas,' he says. 'We want to spread it out.'
This, he concedes, has led to cynicism among Singaporeans about the political process.
'Yes, there's bound to be cynicism. People will say yes, you are using this as a carrot.'
But he prefers to look on the bright side, saying: 'I hope we will continue to put this message across that, first of all, this is the practical reality on the ground, that we have to decide, and secondly, the political message also is your vote has an impact on what is happening around you, beyond electing an MP into parliament.'
Housing still on his mind
HE HAS had stints at the trade and industry, communications and environment ministries. But it is in national development that Mr Mah has made his mark.
What would he like to try his hand at next?
Parlaying the question with a laugh, he says: 'I'm too busy to be thinking of that at the moment. Many exciting things are going on...reshaping the physical landscape, not just downtown but in other parts of Singapore.
'Meeting public housing challenges, not just physically but also in terms of policy, in terms of helping to provide for security for our senior citizens. Making sure housing prices are affordable.
'So I am very busy. I've not thought about other things beyond that.'
There is another item on the minister's plate - encouraging his four children to live in HDB flats, the way he did 40 years ago.
They had enjoyed the experience in their childhood when the family stayed temporarily in one when their house was being renovated.
Says Mr Mah: 'Now I can afford private housing, I live in private housing. I've upgraded.
'But for them, I'd encourage them, yes, even if you can afford private housing, if you are eligible for HDB, why not?' -
i raped my dad
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hmmm affordable pls give me a 99 year loan
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Originally posted by angel7030:
what dream home??? i thot leasing only?? and flat is not home, they are flat lor
BSB
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Originally posted by angel7030:
it is packed because it population is more than Singapore, therefore it need the freq needs to increase, if ours is to go into such freq, most of the train will be not so packed, and that affect the cost, you need to have a sense of economic of scale in doing business, if we want MRT in Singapore to be full utilized, we need to make sure it is packed.Ya, the way singapore is building underground and tunnels, digging cable lines here and there, one of these day, they are going to sink just like the Nicoll highway case, touch wood. We are already so small and the soil structure is not that good, and yet keep digging underground car parks, shopping centres, tunnels etc etc, just one BOOOOMMMM only all sink down liao. Hong kong is big, but alot of mountain very hard to utilise, I climbed stairs at New Hongkong hill houses also cannot tarhan liao.
Problem there will alway be, just a matter of how to go about it, without problem, get so much high paid peoples for what??? dun worry, you paid so much tax already, still want to worry for them ar?? dun be stupid lah
There's no problem w/ our soil compostion, it's only the city area soil are softer. You go take a look at the rocks formed at Bt Timah.
In Singapore, the MRT is packed because there's only 3 main MRT lines serving everyone and to protect SMRT, SBS was not even allowed to continue duplicating or direct bus routes
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As for the MRT, it's only SMRT tat's not even a BOT based project. End up it's yield is higher than MTR even.
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HDB is like the devil, when you sign on the dotted line, means you sell your soul to the devil for 30 years.
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Put two horns on MBT and give him a pitchfork is all that is required to complete the picture.
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The banana and your HDB flat
December 17, 2009
One stall sells bananas for 50 cents each. Another prices them at $1 but posts a sign: “Buy One Get One Free!” Who do you buy from? Unfortunately many shoppers are attracted to the latter.It is this psychology that the PAP preys on when it says that HDB flats are subsidized: Jack up the price of the flats and then sell them at a “discount”. This way, the Government calculates, Singaporeans will be eternally grateful for the make-believe assistance.
Here’s how things work in reality. The Government owns most of the island. From time to time it puts out parcels of land for sale and invites private developers to bid for them. (“Private” is used very loosely here as some of these real estate companies are GLCs).
The Government then sells land earmarked for HDB flats to the HDB at a lower price (say, 60 percent) of whatever amount the successful private bid comes to. In other words, the PAP claims, HDB land is subsidized (by up to 40 percent).
Deliciously diabolical, isn’t it? The Government, in the form of the HDB, “purchases” the land from itself, factors the amount into the price of flats, makes a tidy profit from Singaporeans and then claims that it subsidizes the flats!
But so what if the Government makes a bit of money on the side? Does it not provide nice, clean housing at an affordable rate, you ask?
“Affordable” is a rather malleable word. While the Minister for National Development never fails to assure Singaporeans that they can afford the flats, he doesn’t let them in on a secret: They really can’t.
Most Singaporeans use the main bulk of their CPF savings to pay for the HDB loans that they take for their flats. They usually take up to three decades to finish paying up the mortgage – just in time for their retirement.
Lest anyone forgets, the CPF is a retirement savings scheme. It started off as one, anyway. It has since morphed into a housing, investment, medical and insurance fund all rolled into one. But that’s another story.
If you have to use your retirement funds to buy a flat so that you end up with nothing to retire on, it means that you cannot afford the property. All you are doing is to party now but pay for it later, a practice which many retirees are unfortunately finding out the hard way.
The really scary thing is that most Singaporeans don’t know that they don’t have enough to retire on. Those who do just worry.
And work. The Government now tells everyone to retire later. Better still, don’t retire at all.
What about those who cannot work? You hope that you have children rich enough to look after you.
And if you don’t? There’s always the sidewalk.
In the meantime, Mr Lee Kuan Yew boasts how our reserves have expanded from $3 billion to $300 billion and the ministers get invited to places to teach others the wonders of the HDB system.
Affordability means that the amount of money you earn every month is enough for your basic expenses which must include paying for your housing loan and putting aside an amount for retirement. If the housing portion is so large that it leaves nothing for you to save for your retirement, it means that you can’t afford the flat. That’s the unpalatable truth.
In a perfect world the opposition and the media would have alerted the people to this abuse. But alas, we’re not even living in a democratic one. As a result the PAP continues to get away with the humbug.
(Did someone say that civil liberties have nothing to do with our economic well-being?)
So the next time the Government tells you that your flats are subsidized and that because of this the HDB continues to run a deficit, think of the guy who sells you a banana and offers the other one free.
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Originally posted by noahnoah:
hmm
It is govt policy to make sure
everyONE can afford a home in sg leh
thats why got so HDB Grant..
So many Scheme..to rem/ headache also sia
Singles can buy lar
PR also can buy lar etc
Govt try to make sure everyone have a roof
over their head..
Very soon the roof will be the only thing affordable.
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Originally posted by Smokingman:
Very soon the roof will be the only thing affordable.
No lah. The door.....
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Originally posted by jojobeach:
No lah. The door.....
