TR EMERITUS

Reform Party CEC member Mr Tony Tan Lay Thiam has voiced out his concerns over the recent spates of police harassment of netizens to intimidate them into silence. Last Tuesday, a 27 year old Singaporean Mr Abdul Malik was arrested by the police on the dubious charge of "inciting violence and public disorder" for a comment he posted on Facebook which is critical of PAP minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. Three days later, the Temasek Review reported a police NSman Mr Abdillah Zamzuri who was called up for questioning by his NS police unit for criticizing the Singapore police over the controversial case of Lianhe Wanbao photo-journalist Mr Shafie Goh who was handcuffed for taking photos of flooding at Upper Bukit Timah two months ago. These two incidents sparked a massive outroar among Singaporeans, with many pledging their support for the victims as public confidence in the Singapore police drops to a new low. A former government scholar, Mr Tan blogged that the PAP may be using the police to test the limits of the patience of young Singaporeans: "This could be a beginning of a new phase. A phase where the ruling party would use whatever it takes to silence their dissenters. And they could be testing and pushing the boundary to see how the bulk of Singaporeans reacts to these police involvements and subtly remind everyone to fall in line." He said he had spoken to some young Singaporeans who were appalled by the reaction of the Singapore police: "I have the chance of speaking to some of them and these police questionings have gotten some members of the younger generations wondering what is happening to the Singapore Police Force. Does the police not have more pressing responsibility of dealing with security threats to Singapore, like terrorism and transnational crimes with the launch of the casino?" This is not the first time that the Singapore police has harassed netizens for comments posted on the internet. Some netizens were also called up for questioning for re-posting anti-PAP flyers on the internet under the Sedition Act not too long ago. From the response of netizens so far towards the arrest of Mr Malik, it appeared that the "fear factor" is no longer working. The Singapore police is only going to piss off more people and destroy its own credibility if it continues to arrest and harass netizens without any strong grounds with the intention of intimidating them into slience without strong grounds to do so. Mr Tan ended his post by calling the PAP to give young Singaporeans more space to voice out their thoughts: "The last thing we need is to suppress their thoughts and mute their voices. Give the younger generation the space, I believe we will have a stronger Singapore, because we are prepared to discuss our fears openly and to think of better policies and ideas that can make Singapore a better place." It is highly unlikely for a despotic regime which is intolerant of criticisms to be open to alternative views and dissent. Repression is the only instrument it knows to preserve its power at all costs. Read rest of Mr Tan's article here.   Related articles: >> Dissenting is our right >> Abdul Malik: My thoughts on the YOG games >> Dr Vivian: I don’t care about arrest of YOG critic >> Arrest of YOG critic to squash dissent failed miserably >> Character assassination by Straits Times against YOG critic >> Netizens voice support for arrested YOG critic Abdul Malik >> Outcry among Singaporeans at arrest of YOG critic >> Singapore police put YOG on world map >> Did Dr Vivian lodge police report against YOG critic? >> YOG critic arrested by Singapore police >> Participant of “I hate YOG” Facebook arrested by police Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us  Read More →

In a shocking move, HDB announced today that it will be putting up 3,203 flats for sale, the large number in a single launch this year. The flats for sale include 1,408 BTO flats in Yishun and 1,624 balance flats across other estates which are "left over" from earlier bids by home buyers. In contrast, only 3,183 flats were built in 2008 when Singapore accepted 20,000 new citizens and 90,000 PRs who were allowed to purchase resale flats in the open market which raised questions why HDB did not release more flats for sale earlier. [Source: HDB Financial Report 2008/2009] As there are insufficient new flats being built to meet the demands of both Singaporeans and the new citizens, many have to purchase flats in the resale market, thereby jacking up prices in the process. Below is a graph illustrating how the rise in the prices of resale flats coincides with the rise in the number of foreigners in Singapore between the years 2000 and 2008, courtesy of Kojakbt, the moderator of 3in1kopitiam: Till today, HDB still hasn't explained to the public why so few flats were built between the years 2006 - 2008. During a dialogue session with Singaporeans yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan expressed his concerns that a property "bubble" may be evolving in Singapore as a series of measures were taken to curb property speculation. With the elections around the corner, the latest move appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction to the fast rising unhappiness and disgruntlement on the ground at the inability of the government to control the runaway flat prices. However, with the BTO flats taking three to four years to build, it is unlikely to ameliorate the situation immediately. In the meantime, Singaporeans who purchase their HDB flats at today's prices better pray hard that the property market do not crash in the near future as the global economy slows down. While it may be good news for some that HDB is finally releasing for flats for sale to meet the growing demand, it may come as too little, too late for others who have to fork out their life-savings to buy flats in the resale market whose prices hit a record high this year with median COVs of above $50,000 in some mature estates.   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: >> 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 →

After reaping all the dollars from the CPF accounts through the artificially inflated prices that were deliberately pushed by Mah’s HDB and URA policies – he has left all those high priced property owners in the lurch. When property prices begin to slide with his sudden belatedly U-Turn policy, the banks will be calling on those high priced property owners to make-up the difference between real market values and their mortgaged loans. This matter was discussed as early as October 2009 in some of the forums and blogs, and the superior Minister from the Pro Alien Party was adamant that he did not need any correction. Again, without any apology another U-Turn is made surreptiously under the guise of wisdom to take “early corrective actions” now – when it is already too late. Will this government of the Pro Alien Party assist the “high priced home owners” who committed to their purchases over the last 3 to 4 years, and keep the banks from hounding these mortgagees ? All these problems of housing shortages, over priced land sales that affect housing costs, are the handiwork of another self-acclaimed talent from the Pro Alien Party. From the Ministry of Communications – Minister Mah left Singaporeans with the dubious assurances that telephone call charges by the minute will be LOWER and FAIRER for households. From the Ministry of Transport – Minister Mah left Singaporeans to bear the high road taxes of 400 percent increase beginning from 1982, and gave the false assurances that Road Tax will be LOWERED to a level before the increase when ERP system is extensively installed. Have we seen any further reduction in road tax when ERP is charged in both direction of travel during two daily peak period – going to work and returning home, and on all major expressways as well as secondary main roads; that include an inner and outer business district zones. Now we have heard him claim that there is no bubble, and no housing shortage – that Singaporeans are to be blamed for not owning a home as we are simply too choosy. Singaporeans should give him one clear choice to confirm his dubious career at the upcoming election. Atobe  Read More →