TR EMERITUS

Written by Our Correspondent  Singaporeans generally think highly of the chances of the opposition in the next general election, according to a discussion thread posted on Yahoo news. The thread asked Singaporeans what they think of the chances of the opposition in the next general election and if they can make a difference. More than 100 comments have been posted so far, the majority of which are supportive of the opposition and express hope for greater opposition presence in parliament to check on the PAP.   Lord Dan felt that the opposition stands a greater chance due to better quality candidates: "Stronger chance as compared to previous elections. The number of top quality opposition party candidates are on an increase and they have excellent academic qualifications and career path. On paper, they can easily match the new candidates that PAP dished out on the previous elections. Obviously, the OP to watch will be the Reform Party and the Workers Party but with rumours that Mr. Chiam See Tong will be "coming out" of Potong Pasir to lead a GRC fight this will be an interesting election. Here's a toast to a 2 party goverment. We badly need an alternative voice in Parliament."   Wind S concurred: "Very much higher. They will win a few seats. As recently the way the government pass law and suggestion to solve problems are not so advisable such as against the loan shark and the borrower. The health benefeit and suggest singaporean to go to Malaysia for treatment. Asking for trouble to go to Malaysia for treatment as if there are any problem who will take action against the hospital Singapore Government or the poor patient. Even we can use medisave so what anytime there will be also all sort of charges the malaysian can come up with. Singapore hospital are build by Singaporean we want to use our own hospital at a higher subsidy not going oversea as we trust our government. Malaysia forget it remember the water contract remember the 20 ringit petrol."   Outcast claimed that many young Singaporeans are getting peeved with the PAP: "Frankly , after going through so many forums. I can see and sense many younger adults are really piss with our current government. Yes, we will be seeing more oppositions winning and gaining Singaporeans support. For sure I will be voting for the opposition in my area Choa Chu Kang. I strongly believe even with PAP out the opposition can still run the country as all the infrstructure is already there only for them to fine tune it. Hopefully they will not be like the PAP asking for million dollar pay and to bear in mind work for the country and people not for yourself."   jul nwc is obviously angry with the PAP: "I would say the opposition chances are going to be good. We are seeing a better crop of candidates interested in politics this time round. Not that they are going to be better than the ruling party since they are not a pr oven lot but it is because of the frustration felt by the ordinary folk today . I really wonder if the ruling party knows the ground well. they are too high up to feel us ordinary wage owners get affected by some of their policies. Top of the list is this FT issue and Singapore is really getting very very crowded. In the past I had without hesitation voted for them,. But this time I will give the vote to the opposition even if they cannot be a good alternative. Its the only way we can seriously show our displeasure for what had been thrust down our throats."   The above comments are unlikely to be taken seriously by PAP leaders. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hit out at netizens lately for "astroturfing" to exert pressure on his administration to make some policy changes in their interest. PAP Minister Lim Swee Say told Singaporeans last month in Parliament that the PAP is "deaf to all criticisms". With public sentiments against the PAP at an all-time high, the opposition is expected to make significant gains in the next general election including winning the GRC. The PAP could be in for a rude shock when the time comes as many of its leaders appear to be still sleeping high up in their ivory tower and unable or unwilling to appreciate the sentiments on the ground. The next election may be the last chance for Singaporeans to reclaim ownership of their nation after which they will surely be relegated to being second-class citizens with the number of foreigners the PAP is mass importing to replace them.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans.   Related articles: >> What will happen to Singapore if the opposition wins the next general election >> Dr Ng Eng Hen welcomes greater contest from opposition >> Chee slammed again for introducing confrontational politics in Singapore >> Lim Hwee Hua: opposition "trying" to work the ground for next GE >> Let the next GE be a primer for Singapore's own political tsunami >> Are opposition MPs becoming redundant in Singapore ? >> Why do we need so many strawberry PAP MPs in Parliament? >> PAP MPs complain of fast-pace of parliamentary debates >> Why PAP MPs are no more but a "wayang" >> A disaster in the making: PAP's "instant tree" mentality >> Yes-men PAP MPs embarrassed themselves by saying instinctively "yes" to wrongly reduce budget  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent Stung by the rising public disgruntlement over sky-rocketing public housing prices, HDB will be releasing another 2,000 new flats into the market to meet the growing demand, especially from young Singaporeans. According to a Straits Times report, the HDB will release two residential sites at Sembawang Road/Canberra Drive and Sengkang East Avenue/Buangkok Drive for sale on Wednesday. In total, more than 4,000 flats have been put up for sale through various BTO bidding exercises since the beginning of the year which are usually over-subscribed by 5 to 10 times, an indication of how serious the housing shortage has become. The housing crisis is precipitated largely by the lack of foresight on the part of HDB to plan for more new flats to be built during the period 2006 - 2008 when the inflow of immigrants is at its greatest. The prices of resale flats grow by 8.2 percent last year with median Cash-over-Valuation (COVs) doubling from $12,000 to $24,000 in the last quarter alone. However, with so many new flats being released lately, prices are due to drop or even crash when they are finally completed three to four years later. The high prices of HDB flats have caused young couples to either postpone their marriages or starting families which exacerbate the problem of Singapore's low birth rates. Despite evidence showing otherwise, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan is adamant that HDB flats remain "affordable" to Singaporeans. The combative Mah blames Singaporeans for being "fussy" and having "unrealistic" expectations about public housing, even using statistics from HDB and Singstat to show that median income has outpaced prices of HDB flats between the years of 1999 - 2009. What he did not reveal is that once the base year is changed to beyond 2000, the prices of HDB flats will outpace the median income of Singaporeans instead. Common sense will tell us that it is impossible for the prices of HDB flats to continue going up forever. There will come a time when it will drop. The question is when. As for making profits out of the sale of HDB flats, it is only possible if one emigrates or own two or more flats because one will have to buy another flat to stay. With the PAP proposing to lock the profits from the sale of HDB flats in the seller's CPF accounts, there will be hardly any generation of wealth to speak of. The "wealth" accrued by Singaporeans from the appreciation in value of their HDB flats remain on "paper" only - there is no way they can unlock the "wealth" and convert it to cold hard cash to be used.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join the discussion about this article on our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to help us raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.   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: >> 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  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent According to the government gazette filed on 9 April 2010 last Friday, Tanjong Pagar Town Council has lost three serialized receipts: It was not revealed what the receipts were for. Tanjong Pagar Town Council runs the constituency of Tanjong Pagar GRC which is helmed by PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew. The elder Lee is currently away in the United Kingdom for an official visit and has not appeared in the media for the last few weeks or so. He used to make a "grand" appearance or speech on the state media every one or two days to remind Singaporeans of his ever looming presence. PAP MP Koo Tsai Kee reportedly took over Lee in his absence during the weekly Meet-the-People sessions. The news of the loss was not reported by the mainstream media which has been extremely careful to censor any negative publicity of PAP Town Councils which had come under fire from Singaporeans for losing millions of dollars of sinking funds in their investments in the Lehmann Brothers' minibonds.  Read More →