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In another sign that the present number of new flats built by HDB is grossly inadequate to meet existing demand, HDB has received 8,967 applications for 1,429 flats at Punggol Emerald and Punggold Waves or more than 6 times oversubscribed. The figure rises to seven bidder for one flat for 4 room flats, or 4,648 applications for 609 flats on offer. The current shortage of flats has led to sky-rocketing prices which are pricing ordinary Singaporeans, especially young couples out of the public housing market. It is a result of lack of foresight by HDB to build more flats to meet the expected increased in demand for housing fueled by mass immigration. The ruling party had made known its ambitious plan to increase Singapore’s population to 6.5 million via immigration as early as 2005. However, only slightly more than 11,000 new flats were built between the years 2006 – 2008 when there were over 90,000 PRs and 20,000 new citizens alone in 2008: [Source: HDB Financial Report 2008/2009] 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: Due to the ruling party’s liberal immigration policy, foreigners now made up 36 per cent of Singapore’s population, up from 14 per cent in 1990. The influx of PRs also contribute to a spike in the prices of resale flats as they have higher spending prowess and are willing to spend more. The Straits Times reported a Taiwanese couple paying a record $650,000 for a four room flat in Bras Basah lately. Another Indonesian PR forked out $653,000 for a 4 room flat in Queenstown. With an increasing number of Singaporeans unable to afford resale flats, they have no choice but to turn to BTO flats thereby spiking up the demand. Despite evidence showing otherwise, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan is adamant that HDB flats remain "affordable" to Singaporeans and chided home buyers for being "fussy" and having "unrealistic" expectations.   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 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. 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Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had made a call today for freedom of information to mark World Press Freedom Day tomorrow. "In Penang, the state legal adviser has objected to the Penang state government’s intention to enact a FOI on the grounds that it is unconstitutional," he was quoted as saying in the online portal The Malaysian Insider. Mr Lim became the Chief Minister of Penang after his party the Democratic Action Party and its allies won the state in the 2008 general election. Since then, he has implemented a few changes to the way the state government is being run to increase its accountability and transparency. For example, Penang state executive councillors now have to reveal their income and assets to the public which is available online. Mr Lim is obviously exasperated at the Malaysian government's reluctance to listen to his suggestions. “We even asked for the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act(FOI) to ensure competency, accountability and transparency in governance,” he said. He added that the government’s actions in ignoring the demands for media freedom have resulted in media freedom deteriorating further with more of intimidation towards the media in the past four months alone. Like Malaysia, Singapore does not have any Freedom of Information laws despite its leaders boasting about how the transparent and incorruptible the government is from time to time. Instead, Singapore has a series of repressive laws to prevent citizens from placing the government under scrutiny such as the Official Secrets Act, Sedition Act and Internal Security Act. The Singapore media is no more but a propaganda mouthpiece of the PAP government. It is ranked 133th in terms of press freedom by international media watchdog Reporters without Borders last year.   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 →

Stung by increasing number of complaints from Singaporeans and foreigners alike of service staff who are unable to speak or comprehend simple English, the PAP introduced a basic English test for foreign workers. The test, called the Service Literacy Test (SLT) is administered by the Workforce Development Agency for only work permit holders in the hotel, retail F&B industries which are heavily dependent on foreign workers. According to the Straits Times, the first batch of foreign workers who took the test today said it was "simple and easy to pass." The test comprises of two parts - speaking and listening which contain 30 questions each testing the candidates on what they would say to a customer during the course of providing service. The overly simplistic test can hardly be an accurate gauge of the English proficiencies of the foreign workers. In other countries like Australia, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, foreigners are strictly employed in sectors where there is a shortage of local workers. Though Hong Kong is part of China, it is far more difficult for mainland Chinese to find work there than in Singapore. Due to the PAP's liberal immigration and pro-foreigner policies, foreigners are allowed to compete directly with Singaporeans for jobs which can otherwise be taken up by them in the retail and hotel industries. The Service Literacy Test (SLT) is no more but a PR gimmick to placate disgruntled Singaporeans on the ground and to "show" that the PAP is listening to their concerns. As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put it succinctly during his May Day Rally, foreigners are still coming to Singapore whether Singaporeans like it or not.   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 →