TR EMERITUS

Some of you here are still at kindergarten level when it comes to politics, PAP is to be blame for that as they treat you all like Mushroom, Keeping you in the dark and feed you with shit. Politics are dirty, The Hero Today can be a dictator of tomorrow, LKY can be one such example, just read his speech when PAP is the opposition party and you will know what I mean. Taiwan Ex President Chen is another example, he took power from the long standing KMT, his key election manifesto is anti corruption, guess what? He is in jail now awaiting for corruption charges during his 8 years in power. Back to SG, Any political party, who do not work aggressively towards seizing majority of the seat in parliament do not have my support, simply put, if you are not serious to secure power to make law, then you will always be a ‘Wayang’ opposition party. You can be in Parliament to make a few noise but PAP will continue to bulldoze any bills they like, including policy that screw Singapore in the long term, like th FT policies. Who are the one working the ground and who are the one doing nothing, you guys can see for yourself. If people here not happy that other opposition is not as widely covered , well it’s because they have done nothing much to reach out to the grassroots level or anything worth reporting, we could be just a few months away from election, if at this when the ground is so piss with PAP and still not much action from some opp party, then I really suspect that they are the “PAP Approved” opposition party.   Singaporean 2012  Read More →

OPINION The latest housing rules introduced by the government appear no more but a knee-jerk response to rising public disaffection and disgruntlement at the sky-rocketing HDB prices which not only did not address the root cause of the problem, but inconvenienced and penalized middle-class Singaporeans who are keen to upgrade to private properties as well. Genuine HDB upgraders will have to sell off their flats first before they can qualify for a 80 percent loan to purchase a private property or they will have to settle for a 70 percent loan. The additional 10 percent downpayment will translate into anywhere between $50,000 to $100,000 considering the fact that property prices have already reached its peak this year with fears of a property "bubble" evolving. According to data from various real estate agencies, PRs form between 20 to 40 percent of buyers in the resale market. The percentage of new citizens is not known, but added together, they may form the majority of the buyers as young Singaporeans who are priced out of the resale market will have to opt for BTO flats instead. As such, PRs and new citizens are the main culprits behind the unabated rise in prices as well as the Cash-over-Valuation (COVs) which has exceeded $50,000 in some mature estates. Public housing is reserved solely for Singaporeans. Why are PRs, who are actually foreigners, allowed to buy resale HDB flats? It is also absurd that new citizens are entitled to the same housing privileges as native Singaporeans who are born and bred here their whole lives including National Servicemen who have sacrificed two years of their lives to the Singapore Armed Forces. The present housing rules need to differentiate between these three groups - native Singaporeans, new citizens and PRs to better sharpen the distinction between them. 1. Permanent Residents: Disallow them from buying resale flats. They can either rent a place or purchase private properties. If they can't even afford a roof over their heads in Singapore, then they should not be given PR in the first place. Existing owners are allowed to keep their flats, but they can only sell them back to HDB at the purchase price and not in the open market in the event they decide to leave Singapore. 2. New citizens: A two year minimum residency period is imposed before they are allowed to buy resale flats and another three years for BTO flats to prevent them from abusing loopholes in the system to profiteer from the public housing market. For example, a new citizen may not be residing in Singapore and rent out the flats instead for rental income. They are also required to pay an additional stamp duty amounting to 5 percent of the flat's valuation to HDB which can then be used to subsidize native Singaporeans to help them purchase flats. The present rule of selling off their overseas and local properties before purchasing HDB flats applies. 3. Native Singaporeans: The housing subsidies should be increased to $40,000 for resale flats and $70,000 for BTO flats to help Singaporeans purchase a home of their own, thereby encouraging them to start a family earlier and boosting our declining birth rates in the process. They can take up to 90 percent bank loan to finance their purchases as well. Singles should be allowed to purchase resale flats in the open market regardless of age. To use an analogy, if Singapore is a family, then native Singaporeans are its children, new citizens its adopted children and PRs are children of neighbors with the government as the parents. Which parents in the world will neglect their own children and look after the children of others instead? Charity begins at home. The government must take care of its citizens first and only then can it extend its goodwill to others.     Debunking official myths of HDB flats series: 1 Myth 1: Singaporeans are “owners” of their HDB flats 2. Myth 2: HDB flats are “affordable” to most Singaporeans 3. Myth 3: Rising prices of HDB flats “generate” wealth for Singaporeans   Related articles: >> Errant buyers of resale flats now face jail term >> New property rules a ploy to get foreigners to settle in Singapore >> Mah Bow Tan: Property boom in 2007 was “unexpected” >> Singaporeans complain about new housing rules to curb speculation >> HDB releases 3,000 flats in a single day >> Mah admits there is a property “bubble” evolving >> New rules to prevent private property owners from speculating in resale flats >> Mah blames Singaporeans for strong demand in public housing >> Mah: 16,000 BTO flats next year >> Median COVs hit a record high >> $300,000 for four-room BTO flats in Punggol >> Mah Bow Tan: HDB flats are still affordable to first time flat buyers >> Why Mah Bow Tan’s policy of high HDB flats is wrong >> Letter to Mah Bow Tan on HDB policies >> Singaporean want govt to allay anxiety over HDB leasehold >> Mah Bow Tan embarrassed by Reform Party’s Hazel Poa >> Mah Bow Tan: “Unrealistic” expectations to blame for unhappiness about flats >> Taiwanese PR paid record $ 650,000 for 4-room resale flat >> Grace Fu: PRs are helpful to HDB flat owners selling their flats >> HDB launches “traveling exhibition” to trumpet its achievements in the heartlands >> PAP to upgrade 12,000 HDB households ahead of next election >> Mah Bow Tan: We do not want flat prices to go down >> Prices of resale flats to rise further as PR quota reached >> Taiwanese PR offers $50k COV for resale flat >> Mah Bow Tan: PRs have minimal impact on resale flat prices >> No empirical evidence to suggest that public housing is affordable in Singapore >> When will Singapore’s property bubble burst? >> Why HDB is unable to reveal break down costs of new flats now >> HDB to consider introducing rules to curb property speculation >> HDB blames Singaporeans for not selecting flats when given the chance >> Singaporeans worried about retirement after depleting CPF to pay for over-priced HDB flats >> Mah Bow Tan acknowledged that rising HDB flat prices has sparked “fresh concerns” >> PM Lee: Govt does not have control over prices of resale flats” >> COVs of resale flats shooting through the roof >> HDB resale price index hit record high in 2009 >> Singaporean wants PRs to live in rented flats instead of buying resale flats >> Singaporeans wants PRs to be banned from selling HDB flats at a profit >> Shanmugam: Singaporeans likely culprits for driving up HDB flat prices >> Mah Bow Tan: HDB flats remain affordable >> Means testing for PRs to buy resale flats >> Immigration and public housing: should the govt or people plan ahead? >> Grace Fu: hard to predict demand for housing >> Indonesian PR bought 4-room flat at $653,000 >> Mah Bow Tan asks home buyers to be realistic >> PAP MP blames young couples who cannot get a flat for not planning ahead >> Home affordability: HDB versus the public >> Demand vs supply: so many applicants, so few flats >> Number of applicants exceed number of flats >> HDB to increase supply of flats >> Mah: don’t compare with prices in the past >> ERA: 40 per cent of HDB flat buyers are PRs     Please join our Facebook discussion on this article here and invite your friends to do so as well to raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.  Read More →

Until recently, many students were unaware of the legal implications of expression of views in the media. With increasing use of the internet, corresponding to a significant surge in blog sites and in a new-age environment where “responsible freedom of expression” is touted and encouraged, there is an urgent need for students to be kept informed and be aware of their responsibility. The Student Affairs Office, working in conjunction with the Students’ Union, sought advice from Ms Tay Hsiu Chieh (Director-Legal and Secretariat Office, NTU) to clarify issues for the benefit of our students. In consultation with Mr Lau Kok Keng (Head, iTec Practice Group at Rajah & Tann), a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” on the rules for internet postings were compiled. Do's Comply with all NTU Rules & Regulations for Students, including the NTU CITS Rules for Student User Accounts When blogging or posting, write about events as they happened and as accurately as possible Make positive or neutral comments about other people that will not affect their reputation or insult them If comments are in any way derogatory, stick to the truth that can be proven, and try not to refer to any particular person by name or in a manner that will cause his/her identity to be made obvious or known If comments are your own opinions, ensure they are honest opinions of facts that concern matters of public interest (eg. where a crime has been committed) Ensure any music, text or picture that you share on your blog/website is either free from copyright, or the consent of the copyright owner has been obtained for the posting Otherwise, use no more than 10% of it. In addition, the portion used must be insignificant compared to the entire song, video or literary work Don'ts - Make comments about people based on rumours, especially if they are derogatory - Make false statements against people if it may cause them any harm - Make racist comments or any comments that incite hatred among Singaporeans - Make seditious comments - Make comments that cause hatred or dissatisfaction about the Singapore justice system. - Assume that you cannot be identified when you post content on online forums/blogs/message boards from your computer with a nickname - you can be identified!! - Put links to copyrighted songs or share the songs on your website/blogsite - Use copyrighted images from other websites on your website as background or share them! - Post obscene, vulgar, distasteful, sexually suggestive, abusive or offensive content in any form - Create webpages / blogs containing information regarding politics and religion, unless you have acquired proper licences from the Media Development Authority AND the written approval of the University Caveat Emptor! By Mr Lau Kok Keng of Rajah & Tan LLP  Read More →