Good and Clean government eh?…Let’s see if the practice what they preach and show us some breakdown of the figures and transparency for a change.

Walk the talk.

Actually ..no problem if they can’t show us. We can simply VOTE for changes. Mah is hot favourite target for next GE.

Still treating the citizens, like we are fools to believe what this $million trying to say,

Kindly, show us the audited data how do you derived High Debt Burden… $2 billion loss….. i think many CPA will be keen to know the new era special set of accounting rules…..

Mr Leong,

Thank you for the article. It is more credible than all the articles in the sh*t time and it best of all it is free.

Thank you.

20/11/09

Let us revert back to the earlier HDB policy ie in the 1980s and HDB flats are only meant for Singapore citizens only and not PRs and let the market force determines the prices of HDB flats regardless of rooms (by restricting to Singapore citizens, the HDB prices will not sky rocket and it sky rocketed some so high and beyond reach of Singapore citizens especially the young people (those who are getting married or married, are now unable to buy these HDB flats).Further, only Singapore citizens are allowed to rent these HDB flats (not PRs and foreigners) and let us see how the market force determines the prices of HDB flats now

Regards
Andrew Chuah

Oh wow, then he meant to say that HDB demand has dropped. So if demand have dropped , means market price has dropped right? Then why he has to #$%^(&*( up the HDB prices?

Taking us for a ride again!

for information on other PAP political crimes:

http://fashionablefacistdictator.wordpress.com/

Something is very wrong leh.

Our Parliamentarians do not seemed trustworthy in the eyes of the Citizens.

There are so much disbelief on the words of a minister.

What’s wrong?

patriot

These ministers are suppose to be credible, as claimed by LKY and LHL, which is why they justify the multi-million salary…

but when they speak like this….which is blatant…i don’t think they appear as credible as claimed

Nowadays those comments made by rich ministers can believe up to 50% only. Such is the state of their credibility. When they get too rich, they simply don’t do soul searching anymore. Pathetic ministers.

New slogan for SG: ‘Redefining Economics’
Nobel Prize Winner: MBT

Creative accounting…. a lot of companies doing this. he is trying to tell why his flats should be sold at high prices. we will see hdb prices raised further to cover this “big loss”.

No wonder, our property tax increased now.

“7) patriot on November 20th, 2009 4.39 pm
Something is very wrong leh.”

Their magic is no longer working.

Just find it funny (or not funny at all) that they can still continue singing without knowing that others are able to detect them very much out of tune.

Facts:

1. Sales of HDB dropped.
2. Price of HDB flats keep going up.
3. HDB deficits also went up ($2 billion), doubled from previous year.
4. Slightly less than 5000 units of HDB flats were sold for the same year.

These facts when pieced together don’t make sense what Minister Mah Bow Tan was trying to say.

Analysis:

If sales dropped, that means demand dropped. If demand dropped, logically price should go down, right? How can price went up?

If price went up, that means HDB should make more profits, right? How can HDB make more losses?

If what Minister Mah Bow Tan said is true, i.e. the deficits were mainly due to subsidies on sale of flats to first-timers, then if we divide $2 billion by 5000 units of HDB flats (presuming that all 5000 units were bought by first-timers), it would mean that the subsidy for each HDB flat sold was $400,000. That is unbelievable!

Conclusion:

So, it is clear that the deficit cannot be mainly due to subsidies given to first-timers. The question now we must all ask is:

Where actually lies the actual cause for the HDB’s $2 billion deficit?

Remedial Actions Required:

1. If HDB or the Ministry of National Development refused to give the public a proper answer, then I recommend that the President of the Republic of Singapore initiates a Commission of Inquiry to examine deeply into the affairs of HDB and MND in order to ascertain the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

2. If the Commission of Inquiry were to find out that Minister Mah Bow Tan was not telling the whole truth, then he should be asked to resign together with CEO of HDB, so that justice is done.

Oh ! the PaP have comeback to the words “Subsidies”. This words have not been use, since after the suicide of Teh Choon Wan. When they take our land at 35cents per sq ft. Now the Flat, that they sell us at over 100K. Could the MBT kindly show the Public of thier transparency of the Balance Sheet.

what would you expect from this IDIOT? the budget terminal was built designed under his ministryships…
upon his returned from china..2 security personels have 2 wheelchairs ready..1 for him 1 for his wife..the budget terminal adminstrative staff believed it take a long walk from the tarmac to the duty free station…
lucky for him he is not that STUPID to ride on the wheel chairs includin his angmor wife…

Mah bt try to throw smoke to confuse everyone.

MBT i will look forward to the day when you lose your seat in the parliament.

The election will tell. If MBT is still voted for his district Tampines… something is wrong…. Well he have taken good care of Tampines but not other district i guess……

MBT your downfall should be near.

At the end of the day, Singaporeans are not that stupid to be hoodwinked into believing that HDB is always losing money to subsidise citizens to purchase our flats.

Then why charged us 20% penalty on our 2nd purchase of a HDB flat just because we made a profit on the sale of the first flat. And we have to wait 2 and a half year to purchase a 2nd new flat.

Please show all the audit figures with independent CPA doing the auditing. Ideally, publish it on its website the balance sheets.

“These facts when pieced together don’t make sense what Minister Mah Bow Tan was trying to say.” – Citizen of Conscience

It makes lots of dollars! Mah is not interested in cents too.

i hope the opp mps can ask why hdb can still allow owners to own private property when the demand for flats is now so high. Many of these owners are renting out their hdb flats and staying in their condos. They should either step up their enforcement action or stop letting people own public and private property at the same time.

Vote NSP in Tampines in next election!

Anyone is better than the useless Mah Bow Tan and the Scottish-loving Irene Ng.

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/11/nsp-to-adopt-minister-specific-strategy-in-next-elections/

Somehow I do not feel optimistic that we will be able to get answers as TRANSPARENT as this :

1. The Costs to the government to build a 3-room, 4-room and 5-room HDB flat;
are as follows respectively: $x, $y, $z

2. The Profit Margin which HDB adds to the cost for each of these categories of flats when it sells them to the public is $A

3. The HDB bases / does not Base the Selling Price of flats on the prevailing market price of these flats.

Scanning the list of questions tabled, I am only impressed by Mr Chiam’s questions.

I wonder what exactly does Donald Tsang mean by singapore is TRANSPARENT.
I mean in what aspect did he mean?
HDB pricing?

This crook continues to lie and suck more and more blood out of each and every singaporeans while on the other hand he can still continue to lie straight through your face and tells you people that his ministry is losing billions out to help us in subsidizing our hdb flats. What to do when his master allows them to do what they like as long as they ripped in alot of $$$ for him.

HDB’s S$2 billion deficit ???
How did MBT come to this conclusion or calculation?
Oh, he should be able to give Mr Chiam all the figures he asking for right since he knows the numbers well in order to come up with the 2 Billion deficit?

Over to you MBT.

All affected singaporeans will just have now to get united and kick out all these MIW out of govt in the next GE, its the only way to go people pls wake up now before they get us all killed.

is there any way of having this article reported on the sh*t time so that the government will be forced to make an official reply?

This MBT seriously needs a lesson in mathematics – will someone teach him a lesson?

just wondering what is the Accountant General doing. Sleeping or have no balls to check on the HDB accounts?

Wondering why can’t the opposition ask question like Leong’s. Just ask specific questions on the account the show that the actual units built are lesser then what MBT said.

Confront him! Come on, can someone tell the opposition what to say and ask?

Wow… people here seems to be unaware of how good big brother massage figures. Don’t waste time, ask too much see u in the attorney general office. If you enjoy being a bankrupt you are welcome to ask. Chiam See Tiong tried to ask, then he also shut up already. Dr Chee ask too much also bankrupt already.
The best way is don’t need to ask just send them the message on polling day.

justkaypoh @31

I remember oppo Dr Chee Soon Juan once asked Mr Lee Senior many years ago, about the whereabouts of some big money ($51 bil loaned to indonesia) and next minute Dr Chee was sued for IMPLYING that there was corruption and surprise, surprise, Mr Lee won! So, who dare to ask about money like noiseMaker at 32 posted.

noiseMaker @32

Do you get to vote? Which consituency are you from?

The gayman is lying again and again to make themselves look good.
This is really sad.

I would like to ask the Minister for National Development whether it is true that there a double standard that favours PRs as follows:

Singaporean citizens who have purchased a HDB flat (from the open market), even though fully paid, has to wait for 12 months before they can resell their flat, (this is what has happened to me)

while

PRs who have purchased a HDB flat (from the open market), who are still paying their monthly installments to the banks, are allowed to sell their flats at any time, without the same restriction imposed on Singapore citizens. (this was told to me by my Singapore PR friend who has just purchased the HDB flat in Oct 2009.)

Dear Mr Leong Sze Hian,

we the netizens of singapore sincerely would like to know if there is double standard applied to selling of resale flat for PRs and Citizens as mentioned by #35.

Respectfully waiting for your reply.

Thank you, Mr Leong, for your queries.

They square, I tell you, they square. If you are still in doubt, please refer to the first sentence of this paragraph again; repeated as necessary.

The nation’s housing statistics are published regularly and made available to the public for scrutiny. Our books are open and transparent, and our ministers are accountable. Our housing institutions are committed to providing affordable housing. Housing does remain affordable. It is suggested that you re-read the preceding sentences again for greater clarity. Should it be inexpedient for you to do so, please keep a lookout for related articles in the ST, which is the most widely read broadsheet in Singapore and might carry a like response in print, for your convenience.

HDB carries out regular evaluations to ensure that housing remains affordable to the general public, and that the waiting time is short. Our rate of home-ownership remains one of the highest in the world.

Looking forward to further queries from you and other concerned individuals.

A&E,
“Our books are open and transparent, and our ministers are accountable”

This is what is typed.
Whether you typed or they typed.

What really matters is where are the answer$ to Mr Chiam’s pertinent questions?

Do you dare to confirm that because “The nation’s housing statistics are published regularly and made available to the public for scrutiny. ”

that these answers can be found in Statistics?

I am glad alternative parties are contesting in Tampines GRC, it seems the ground is ready to kick MBT butt out of his invory tower. His speech tells alot about this govt. I am certain it will develop the same trend in other ministries, Singapore need a good clean up of govt and stat boards otherwise the new generations will suffer greatly under the tyranny rule.

Thank you, Mr Idiosinguppo , for your queries.

They are, I tell you, they are. If you are still in doubt, please refer to the first sentence of this paragraph again; repeated as necessary.

The nation’s housing statistics are published regularly and made available to the public for scrutiny. Our books are open and transparent, and our ministers are accountable. Our housing institutions are committed to providing affordable housing. Housing does remain affordable. It is suggested that you re-read the preceding sentences again for greater clarity. Should it be inexpedient for you to do so, please keep a lookout for related articles in the ST, which is the most widely read broadsheet in Singapore and might carry a like response in print, for your convenience.

HDB carries out regular evaluations to ensure that housing remains affordable to the general public, and that the waiting time is short. Our rate of home-ownership remains one of the highest in the world.

Looking forward to further queries from you and other concerned individuals.

The performances of many of our cabinet members in the last many years have created tremendous doubts in the Citizenry about their credibility, competency, reliability and hence integrity. Why is this so?

They(cabinet members) appear to me to be numbed to all the negativity reflected on them and at the same time persisting and adamant in the ways they go about their duties.

When the integrity and propriety of leaderships are lost in the eyes of the citizenry, our City will be in deep trouble.

Hope there will be amend and improvement and if not the people will have to change with the circumstances and elect replacements of those that are glaringly deficient in integrities.

patriot

” it seems the ground is ready to kick MBT butt out of his invory tower. ”

The proble is most singaporeans do not demand for the answers to Mr Chiam’s questions.

These singaoreans are SELF-DEFEATING. The sabotage to the rest of citizens who want the answers.

thus , because of apathetic singaporeans, singapore will not change until PAP change singapore.

I could not understand what is the Harm that could come to singaporeans if they know the pricing of HDB flats? Why should singaporeans not be curious to know the answers?

singaporeans, please wake up. Having the information is better than not knowing. Pls do not do yourselves a disfavor.

once upon a time, this gahment used to reliable and trustfull. but recently, it has lost the confidence of the public with so many boo-boos and it seems that afterall, all the talented million dollar paid minister and craps are all nothing but bullshit.

Its actually the People who are responsible guys and gals.
Why blame the executive and not the shareholders who approve?

tomb raiderz

What you said is not exactly right. It’s the executive that hide information from small shareholders and give them false impression with half truths.

38) idiosinguppo on November 21st, 2009 10.36 am A&E,
“Our books are open and transparent, and our ministers are accountable”

This is what is typed.
Whether you typed or they typed

No point what they promised, argued, typed or whatsoever, they still coninue to play hide n seek with the people all these years, expect more bulls accumulating until the whole nation being packed with one big piles of shit and those responsible for all these shits would already have packed and left the country by then. Don’t tell me they will still stay on to clean their own shit?

Thank you Sze Hian. I will sure bring this matter up to extract accountability from the minister in time to come.

Goh Meng Seng

44) mike on November 21st, 2009 1.32 pm
once upon a time, this gahment used to reliable and trustfull. but recently, it has lost the confidence of the public with so many boo-boos and it seems that afterall, all the talented million dollar paid minister and craps are all nothing but bullshit

The people of singapore will just have to do ONE thing, only ONE thing I repeat, vote as many opp party into parliament as possible, if possible get rid of the entire papees out of govt, this is the only way to stop the shits from piling up in our land before everything gone out of control. Always remember this, NO ONE IS GOING TO HOLD ANY ACCOUNTIBILTY AFTER ALL! NO ONE!

But Mr Goh Meng Seng,
why blame the executioner when it is the shareholders who accept it given they have the choice before?

So, lets not be biased. Its really the people. This includes the ugly ones.

No party can remain unchanged for 1 simple rule of the universe:

No leader is immortal.

No 2 person can think or behave exactly the same.

Period.

Now , the floor is open for rebuttals. come.

In case readers missed my point, it is that PAST performance does not necessarily guarantee for future Performance . More than enough Talents exist but these do not join the opposition. Who is gonna guarantee the future of our nation without a strong alternative team? Who is gonna check on them except themselves ? But people come and go. They are not immortal.

Today’s Saturday newspaper forum page had one guy saying something the same.

46) justkaypoh on November 21st, 2009 2.25 pm
“tomb raiderz

What you said is not exactly right. It’s the executive that hide information from small shareholders and give them false impression with half truths. ”

what you said is Also not exactly correct.
The shareholders know Enough whats going on.
They consciously made the decision.

If I remember the figure correct, MBT happily used $400,000 to rebrand Marina Bay as “Marina Bay”.

Correct me if I am wrong.

yeah, you are right 3rd class.

With that kind of expenditure habits, I have no doubt that MBT can run a monopoly into a financial loss.

mon@55

Who or what nurtures that habit? Non-accountability and on top of that, ’subsidy’ for the expenditure, and on top of that, promotion, and on top of that, no need to answer to people. The system is rotten, put anyone decent in such a rotten system and we will get maggots for sure. There is only one way to stop this rot. VOTE THE paps OUT!

mah really has to go!

come on, Singaporeans, if you have an iota of brains or conscience, you must vote against him!

how can a minister not even know the basics of his star portfolio???

to claim that a deficit went up to 100% because more were sold???

how can his ministry let PRs make so much money out of HDB flats – there are so many PRs renting out their units to make quick bucks!!!

I’ve never trusted Mah Bow Tan. When he was Minister for Communications, he bungled up the compensation that the government had to pay Singtel for allowing in the competition. Yet he lied under oath in the High court when the government brought action against Singtel to claw back some of the compensation. Of course, our MSM conveniently played it down so as not to embarass the government. I honestly wonder why the opposition politicians failed to capitalize on that.

The highly trusted Mr MBT should stand for election in an SMC.
Afterall, he is sure to win based on solid evidence that the People support the HDB policies for 50 years non-stop. If you disgree, tell me did the people publicly ever rejected or disapproved ANY HDB policies? And our genius here MBT should be the man responsible for the glory is it not?

So, i like to vote in his SMC.

hum is as hum doea,

“what you said is Also not exactly correct.
The shareholders know Enough whats going on.
They consciously made the decision.”

Your statement shows little truth. They know Enough? Just look at the books of HDB, they give ‘Enough’ information? Many people I know still believe all that HDB says.

Please go and find out

Goh Meng Seng,

Thanks for your efforts and the willingness to communicate with netizens.

You may corner MBT by using his very own words with the facts.

E.g. He said more flats are built, but the accounts show lesser flats build.

Again, I’d say we campaign to get Sze Hian to run HDB. He has given so much thought and anlaysis to this and get him to do a better job! We need affordable housing (pls drive the prices loooow) and we want our government to make money!! Sze Hian, I support you!

#61,

“You may corner MBT by using his very own words with the facts”

But what happens if he too busy to be engaged in a debate?

given that 80% or so singaporeans live in HDBs and many others like PRs and foreigners also live there. And there are no publich outcry of dissent, can I assume that this man is highly respected, loved , regarded , trusted and liked if not adored by these super majority singaporeans ?

So, surely MBT will win all elections ? If so, hdb dwellers must hold themselves responsible for making such wonderful decisions.

MBT for SMC! sure win!

Fellow Citizens,
The only thing we Must do is Vote in more Opposition. They may not be scholars (most aren’t), but if they have a Heart for the People , I think it will turn out well. Look at all these numbers not adding up.

We must tell ourselves that THIS IS IT !.

WE MUST WANT CHANGE AND THE ONLY WAY IS THROUGH GETTING IN MORE OPPOSITION.

Time to act Singapore. The Time has come.

Mr. Mah is either suffering from monetary-induced dementia or just speaking half-truth. Either case disqualifies him to be a minister.

Monetary-induced dementia has caused many PAP ministers and MPs to be incoherent and speaking rubbish, like “S’pore is not a nation”, “S’pore is only a city” http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/07/spore-not-a-nation-yet-says-mm-lee/
http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/10/31/shanmugam-singapore-is-not-a-country/

The whole lot of them have passed their expiry date and are beginning to turn bad and sour

History is repeating itself in the HDB, another Teh CG in the making, lose money also don’t know where they lost the money and any how use subsidies given out to cover backside. I thought subsidies is a resale market price subsidies (resale price minus hbd selling price (cost price plus hdb profit margins)) as claimed by smart and arrogant MBT . HDB should not take these subsidies as actual losses in their account books, when actually they are making a profit when selling at HDB posting selling price even taking into consideration grants given out to qualified applicants.

Post #66:

me agrees that history is repeating itself as You put it.

However, no present leader will be as stupid as Teh Cheang Wan

who might have been too confident and conceited.

The present batch of cabinet members rally and support one another

and are far more smarter and scheming, learning from the past experiences.

Me suspects that most, if not all, have contingency plans to deal with

adverse developments in their political adventures.

Ultimately, the Citizens are the likely ones to die with their eyes wide open(si bu ming mu- Pinyin), meaning; die with much regret)

patriot

How…could he declare a losse for the year 2009 when april 2010 has not yet come lol? He only wants to support the gov in raising property taxes!

80% of the Singaporeans is a homeowner? You are joking right? They rent the HDB for the gov for only 99 years or less, they are the real homeless:X

Only the other 20% that is homeless, is the real homeowners cos they have private properties!

What a joke is this MBT!

[...] – TOC: Mah’s explanation does not square with HDB’s annual report – Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Govt helps Singaporeans by increasing property [...]

My question to this Mah-ther-fogger is;
Where the fog we you in the last 3 yrs? Galivanting in Vegas? You’ve done shit for Singapore. I hope you will resign soon.

I’m not much of a creative accountant, but if you look at the latest HDB annual report, you’ll see that they have about 5000 staff. Counting salaries (together with their bonuses and the CPF contributions by HDB), combined with the high maintenance cost of a very flashy HDB Hub, I’m not surprised that the overhead costs of running HDB is eating into its numbers. What to do, despite HDB selling less flats year after year, you don’t hear them retrenching do you?

I would like to see MBT let the People and HDB dweller appraise his performance by standing in an SMC.

MBT, I am impressed by your ability to calculate the deficit.
I assume you have accurate information that led you to this figure.

Today is the parliament discusses among other things questions by Chiam.

Could you give the HDB Leaseholders information as laid out in the format by
23) Albino Lizard ( Xian Tang) on November 20th, 2009 10.15 pm ?

If not Why? If you , for some reason, cannot Tell us the answers, then kindly tell us 1st world intellectual citizens Why you cannot .

Mah is toeing a really dangerous line with what he has done with Singaporeans’ lives…Sg is better off without him

74) Nat Wob Ham-kcuf on November 23rd, 2009 5.38 pm
” Mah is toeing a really dangerous line with what he has done with Singaporeans’ lives…Sg is better off without him ”

IMpression REality.

I learnt this over 2 elections.

MBT has never EVER lost.

This is because singaporeans living in flats love him for the high price of their flats, imho.

correction: the comments section does not accept “” as input. It becomes invisible.

what it should be : IMpression NOT Equal to REality

this nee na mah is the one who caused the hdb prices to shoot up like nobody business, making it very very difficult for the local citizens even to havea decent roof over their heads today, and he will allow the pricing to increase further until you people have to pack and leave, blood sucker!

Now who dares to sell their flats given that flat prices have risen so high and could be rising further?

Sell and profit but only buy something more expensive if not smaller?

But i think singaporeans continue to accept just like did 50 years ago. non-stop.

I wonder which foreign leaders do not like singapore type of citizens?
I mean they so educated wor. must be smart.

“It is making a loss and the government gives it grants every year to cover the losses, mainly because we’re giving subsidies to people to buy flats to make flats affordable to first timers. That is why we’re making a loss.”

I am sure this can be proven to the people by opening up the books.
Talk is good but black and white is clearer.

Did any MP challenged MBT in today’s session?
80 plus talents in the house.
None?

“It is making a loss and the government gives it grants every year to cover the losses, mainly because we’re giving subsidies to people to buy flats to make flats affordable to first timers. That is why we’re making a loss.”
****************

My active son told his grandfather (my father-in-law) he was hungry. My father-in-law came to me and started questioning:”Why is your son starving?”

I replied my father-in-law:” He is hungry and I give him food everyday, mainly because I give him the food he needs to make him play actively in front of you to make you happy. That is why he is still hungry.”

Understand?

this Marboro really lives up to his reputation for being ministry making million dollars minister after leading LTA into what we called today money machine. shit to him…

If MaBochee so easily claimed loss in terms of billions, then i suspect the rest of ministries would soon declare likewise so that next Budget would be replennished with much higher taxes to squeeze all singaporean.

[i]Bay Yam Sai on November 23rd, 2009 10.41 pm Now who dares to sell their flats given that flat prices have risen so high and could be rising further?

Sell and profit but only buy something more expensive if not smaller?[/i]

let me shared you a deal hdb was tryin to be ^KIND^ and carin…
they circulate this instructions out to ALL the RC ballcarriers…
they tell them..you go aroun your neighbours those who are already 3/4 dead who still owned a fulLEE paid 3 rooms flat…glamoursin how they can earned side income till they dropped dead…
you the ahpeks/ahmas/ahpohs have your 3 room flat right? ^pawned^/sell to us..we hdb very kind..1 year we give you $5000(or maybe $7000) till you dropped dead or migrate to china lark..you stayed in as lon as you can..don’t fall sicked hor…or else you have to stay in jb new smaller studio with nursehome hor…
now any smartalec liked kopitiamahpek/ghimohresident would have calculate a VACATED hdb 3 room flat can rent out @ $1600/month as sweet as a canary pie without even placin an advert in today freenewsmedia..
now lets multiply that by 12…how much per year compared to the $7000 even if extended to $10,000 if we PAWNED our fulLEE paid flat to hdb?
this is where that shortleggs minister tryin to say loss/profits in hdb budget….

The horse says we should live in 2nd floor and 1st floor.

Last time, the horse says we should go to the ulu ulu areas to live.

It is our fault that we are too picky.

WOW.

Next thing you know foreigners all live in high floor and near town, then locals live under them for them to step on every day…or locals become countryside village people.

Sian~

To 85) RuiKen on November 24th, 2009 2.57 pm

1st floor and 2nd floor now. In future, I think he will say we should live in underground bomb shelter like dead people. If we don’t want, he will say we are picky.

Ulu ulu now. In future, he will say to move to Tekong or Kusu. If we don’t want, we will be labelled ‘fussy’

Double Sian~

Ha higher prices for lower quality workmanship and raw materials used?
Who are they trying to fool?

Compared with the older flats built some 20 yrs ago – the workmanship leaves much to be desired.

Case in pt – my parents’ 3-room flat in the east remains in good condition – leaks or cracks on the walls whatsoever. My current flat in the northeast bought 5 yrs ago – cracks have started to appear on the walls, tiles have loosen (some are hollow to start with)!

What exactly are we paying so much for, esp when they are hiring so many foreigners at cheaper rates to do the construction etc nowadays?

Ha higher prices for lower quality workmanship and raw materials used?
Who are they trying to fool?

Compared with the older flats built some 20 yrs ago – the workmanship leaves much to be desired.

Case in pt – my parents’ 3-room flat in the east remains in good condition – no leaks or cracks on the walls whatsoever. My current flat in the northeast bought 5 yrs ago – cracks have started to appear on the walls, tiles have loosen (some are hollow to start with)!

What exactly are we paying so much for, esp when they are hiring so many foreigners at cheaper rates to do the construction etc nowadays?

Is anybody checking or looking into Mr Mah’s personal account and assets within & outside Singapore? This will be a good challenge for any journalist who want to make a name to investigate.

You cant check his assets. Because under the law, politican money cannot be revealed lol.

The journalist will be charged and sued instead. I also eager to know how much money MM lee paid himself as GIC chairman and his bonuses, and his MM pay combined:P

One should at least use the product that he is somehow involved in.

For credibility, MBT himself should stay in a 4 room HDB flat.

“It is making a loss and the government gives it grants every year to cover the losses, mainly because we’re giving subsidies to people to buy flats to make flats affordable to first timers. That is why we’re making a loss.”

wow, so generous. why not show us the breakdown on all the profits / losses of all the garment related enterprises concerned.

i thought their pay was also linked to performance (or loss performance where the minus sign is simply ignored) or linked to the surrogate performance of real private sector players.

Yesteday, TV news channel reported what MBT said. MBT said a 5 room flat in tiong bahru actual cost is $530k. Can you believe a word he said? 530K? Cost of bulding a HDB flat with land cost and everything? He is selling this New Unit at subsidy to us. I dont believe a damn word he said.

we got so many international bodies and watchdogs being set up to look after so many things going around the world, funny thing there is not even one international watchdog being set up to check on how much politicians are being paid and how much assets do they actually possessed legally inside and outside of their own country.

This is the kind of minister that will lead Singaporeans to higher costs and greater debts. Now he said 10-12000 flats will be built every year for the next 20 years. Do you believe his good intention? I think gov will bulit 12000 flats but they will open the floodgates wider to welcome more foreigners to become PR and citizens and take up this excess. Depessing our wages and spurring costs.

Remember the Government over built the too many flats in 2000-3 with 10000 flats to spare that nobody wants because they anticipate HKgers migrating to Singapore in 1997. Bad judgement and Singaporeans critise the gov and MBT! End up they open the flood gates for any foreigners to absorbed these flats and rapidly cut down the production of flats and sale price and also introducing BTO schemes and caused a supply glut. They also actively encouraged FT to become PR and citizenship by making it easier for them to buy HDB flats.

People are complaining at present about the huge influx of foreigners and short supply of HDB flats. Now in order to justify keeping the gates wide open the gov will ensure HDB flats building process will ramp up next year and balance the supply with demand from new PR and citizens so that no oversupply will happen and at the same time help increase our population growth to 6.5 million in 20 years. This will make most Singaporeans shut their mouth since fixed asset property is our greatest wealth asset which nobody want to see a drop in value due to an oversupply of 12000 flats each year. The rules did not change just the numbers only.

The policy is not building more and more flats but cramp down on the way flats are valued by valuators and speculative behaviours by agents and the price of a new flat. If the Gov opent wide the immigration influx this will continue to push up demand for housing, control this source. Have more 3 room and 4 room flats to cater to smaller famiiy unit and have higher property tax for HDB dwellers who rent out their whole unit and stayed with their parents/family members or condos.

I never underestimate these talents after getting a shock of my life that there are now so many new citizens. Almost caught me by surprise.

These people can strategise.

Before you know it, Bam!

I wonder whats all these new policies gonna affect my future? more policies to come?

Chiam See Tong questions in parliament were not publish in Straits Times, anybody has any news on this?

Perhaps HDB has always known of the supply crunch, but allows such ‘problem’ to roil on so that prices will escalate upward, and that when enough price engineering are done, they would release fresh supplies to the market which would then be peg at higher and inflated price levels.

Selling the same stuff for more $$$.

To rub it in further they can also find an excuse to increase property tax.

Again for the same stuff and out of no where you get to pay more $$$.

That’s just my conspiracy theory.

Secrecy act to keep Singapore politicians’ assets in the dark should be abolished! Dont wait until the old man dies, it will be too late!

ALL MPs, NMPs and opposition members, we need you to push this through!

There was a lot of talk many years ago about the high taxation policies of foreign government and that our govt policies are responsibility.

Yet, we are made to support high hdb prices which effectively is a tax.

The high prices were driven by PR and reducing supply of HDB flats.

all of these policies are the result of Govt obstinancy to hold on to power which drive Singaporeans away.

PAP is now a liability. A very big one.

If I built flats for 80% of the population, selling them at prices which is amongst the highest in the world and yet I am losing money, than I must be a stupid, incompetent business man. Really from the business perspective this is unbelievable. It just does not add up. Something is rotten.

96) Dong Fang Zhi Foo on November 24th, 2009 11.53 pm
” I never underestimate these talents after getting a shock of my life that there are now so many new citizens. Almost caught me by surprise.”

Ya. these are really getting so many talents to serve them to come up ideas and strategies.

1. new citizens. How does this affect the trend of increasing opposition support base?

2. NMP scheme. How will this affect those of their supporters who have become middle voters?

3. Philip J appointment : ditto point 2.

Before we know it, it may be Game Over. As time goes by, so many more have come in and counting.

Oh by the by, Chiam is getting so old liao.
Can new citizens choose to live in opposition wards?
How would boundaries be drawn?

What else to come?

Come, lets come together.

Who is the chief architect who came up with these policies?
singaporeans should know the name of this person.
Is it just MBT or are perm secs involved?
sorry for my ignorance.

CPIB and CAD should investigate into the HDB loses immediately without delay.

Something could be amiss. Very suspicious. I still remember the late Minister of National Development, Teh Cheng Wan’s suicide case – he committed suicide when CPIB was investigating him with regards to corruption.

How can HDB lose money when

1. It is the monopoly of the public housing,
2. It utilises cheap land grabbed from powerless owners at peanuts
3. It gete the cheapest tenders to build the flats,
4. It sells them at ever-rising prices,
5. It has the power to make rules and regulations at its whims and fancies and strictly implemented them to the letter.
6. It gets grants and subsidies from the Ministry of Finance.
7. It is administered and managed by top scholar talents and supervised by a Multi-Millionaire Minister and a ’superb’ Permanent Secretary, who are being paid the world’s highest salary for their ‘outstanding qualities’, as ‘justified’ by MM Lee during a Parliament debate on paying ministers and top civil servants obscene millions of dollars salary to prevent from going corrupt.

For the sake of the nation and the common people, the taxpayers, the HDB dwellers, the Accountant General’s Office should also take it upon himself to look deeply and thoroughly into the account books of the HDB and the MND without delay. It should not close both eyes and both ears, pretending it cannot see and cannot hear anything.

THE PEOPLE ARE SHOUTING VERY LOUDLY!

INVESTIGATE! INVESTIGATE! INVESTIGATE!

Do pardon me for poor reading of superficiality, i thought the Photograph of Minister Mah here makes him look like a very kind and friendly person. Why are most netizens so cynical of his ability and credibility?????

patriot

I second the Call made by Poster #104; based on the reasons and questions raised by the Commenter, there is indeed a need to investigate into the Matter.

Let’s hope that the Corrupt Nimcompoop TEH CHEANG WAN’s Spirit is not dwelling in the Present Parliamentarians.

patriot

[...] – TOC: Mah’s explanation does not square with HDB’s annual report [Recommended] – Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Govt helps Singaporeans by increasing property tax! – [...]

My dear, “can’t stand this” on nov 22nd, 2009, 4:46pm; totally agreed with you, there are plenty of smart people like sze hian who can be engaged to operate/’run’ hdb better than the present bunch of useless, mediocre, mercenary, despicable, ungrateful and non-trustworthiness’ morons-nerds-idiots-imbeciles-mongrels-liars, who keep on lying and lying just to disguise and camouflage their real intentions in covering up their stupidities in ineffective and non-efficient monopoly of Singapore public housing.

Fully agreed with “investigation urgently needed” on nov 26th, 2009, 908am, that truth needs to be made known to the public immediately, as hdb is the sole public housing agency that provide public housing to the Singaporeans in an unilateral matter, with involvement of gigantic taxpayer’s money to fund the development! How mbt can just simply proclaim those figures without concrete evident to backup his claims??? This type of dishonest public announcement is an outrageous ridiculousness that should subject him to relentless public interrogations until the truth is being revealed!! Is he treating Singaporeans as morons, peasants, country-bumpkins, nerds, and idiotic imbeciles like him?

Last but not least, should hdb close down as it is no more relevant in providing “quality and affordable” public hosing to Singaporeans anymore?

Mah’s explanation does not square with HDB’s annual report???
Of course it doesn’t tally…Haven’t you heard the Phrase :

If you can’t convince them…Confuse them!

Should HDB close shop? You have already achieve the target of letting most Singaporean own a flat. Things change and HDB need to change.The roles and functions of HDB need to change as tne housing needs of Singaporens change. WAKE UP HDB

I support Mr. Mah all the way no matter what!

PAP best!

MBT is the biggest moron ever, everything I see his face on TV, i want to spit on his face.

Best of all, how can ppl in tampines GRC continue to vote for him… I rather vote a goat into government than him

Yup…can’t believe how silly tampines people are