Leong Sze Hian
In my letter to the Today newspaper titled, “A precious resource”, I had asked why two blocks of flats in Toa Payoh were being reserved for rental to foreign workers from the two Integrated Resorts (IRs). I had said that HDB flats, being public housing – a precious, limited resource, and much in demand – should only be reserved for Singaporeans.
The HDB replied to my letter in Today titled, “Priority given to truly needy”.
The HDB’s reply states:
“The flats cited by Mr Leong Sze Hian are vacated flats due for demolition. In the interim, they are being used for short-term rental”.
This does not address the point that I was trying to make in my letter, which was why thousands of needy Singaporeans have to wait for more than a year before they are able to rent a flat, when these IR foreign workers can rent upon their arrival in Singapore.
Shouldn’t these “vacated flats due for demolition”, which were vacated by Singaporeans in the first place under SERS (Selected En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme) and “being used for short-term rental”, be given to needy Singaporeans instead of foreign workers?
Also, why does it take so long (two years) to demolish flats under the SERS programme?
Who is the HDB, whose mission, duty and responsibility, is to provide affordable public housing to Singaporeans, to arbitrarily decide that these flats are not suitable for needy Singaporeans, but suitable for foreign workers?
For every flat rented to foreign workers, there may be needy Singaporeans deprived of it and are living and being homeless at a beach park somewhere in Singapore.
The HDB says that “Mr Leong alleged that foreign workers pay much less than Singapore citizens when they rent flats.” The reality is that Singaporeans have to pay at least $400 to rent a room, compared to these foreign workers who pay as low as $140.
Even under the HDB’s Interim Housing Programme, designed to help needy Singaporeans who cannot get a HDB rental flat, rental starts from $400 a month to share a flat, as I understand it.
If EM Services, the HDB’s managing agent or the HDB itself starts advertising to rent out these two blocks in Toa Payoh to Singaporeans who are willing to share a room/flat, I think they may be taken up in no time.
The fact is that there is no rental scheme available to Singaporeans to rent a shared room/flat from $140 in the open market.
According to EM Services’ web site, it was founded as a joint venture between the HDB and Keppel Land Limited.
Is there a possible conflict of interest?
The HDB’s letter says:
“EM Services Pte Ltd, HDB’s managing agent, rents these vacated flats at prevailing market rates with no special rental concession or subsidies. Current market rent is about $1,500 per month for each flat”.
The HDB also says:
On the other hand, HDB provides highly-subsidised rental flats under the Public Rental Scheme to eligible Singapore citizens, with rents as low as $26 per month.
Clearly, one would make more money renting the flats for $1,500 than renting it for $26 under subsidised HDB rental schemes.
The HDB should not on the one hand be the sole provider of rental flats to needy Singaporeans, and yet also at the same time have an interest in a company that rents HDB flats to foreigners for a profit.
With regards to the HDB’s statement that “[those] who are assessed to require housing urgently are given priority allocation”, why are foreign workers given priority over Singaporeans for these two blocks of flats?
HDB says that it “will be building 7,500 units of new one-room and two-room subsidised rental flats in the next three years to cater to Singapore citizens who are in financial difficulties.” Is this not an admission by the HDB that many more Singaporeans are in financial difficulties in respect of housing, despite its consistent rhetoric that HDB flats are affordable? (“80% pay flats with CPF”, ST, Jan 13).
There were:
- 30,770 HDB loans in arrears over three months as of September 2009,
- An estimated 50,000 plus in arrears over three months in their Service and Conservancy Charges (S & CC)
- About 77,200 households in arrears on their television licence fees which is only $110 a year (“Why viewers must pay fees on time”, Today, Jan 5).
Looking at the above statistics, is it any wonder that despite more than 40,000 rental flats now, another 7,500 will be built in the next three years?
The HDB should have built more rental flats much earlier, so that Singaporeans do not have to be so angry now over this issue of HDB flats being rented out to foreigners.
The HDB says:
“Mr Leong also alleged that foreign workers do not have to wait when they rent a flat, but Singapore citizens do. This is also misleading and untrue. The facts cited by Mr Leong are no different from flats available for open market rental.”
If what the HDB says is true, it should tell us where and how a Singaporean can rent a flat for $140.
The fact is indisputable that these foreign workers get a flat to stay upon their arrival in Singapore, whereas thousands of Singaporeans are waiting to rent HDB flats.
The HDB then asserts:
“Any person, Singapore citizen or otherwise, can also rent similar flats from the open market without waiting.”
Can the HDB please give us a listing of such “similar flats” in the open market which are being rented out for $140?
Instead of saying that “Mr Leong’s friend can contact HDB for advice on housing options if he is truly in financial difficulties”, may I suggest that the HDB go and ask the homeless who are currently staying at places such as the parks in Singapore?
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I will gentlely remind folks that the election commission is under the PAP Prime minister control.
Singapore Government is not EQUAL to Singapore Government as it is only doing things in its own interest [many now unlike last time].
Thus Singapore Government should be classified as PAP Government.
Make so many mistakes, screw ups and fark all policies and all these PAP wayangs and clowns [instead of creating real laughter but create real pain to honest hardworking folks] think they are really intelligent and elite. And disdain the us the singaporeans who gave them monies via tax/cheap land at our expense/sacrifices…and say nobody left behind…yeah…nobody are us singaporeans not the rich or the so called overrated elite or so called intelligent but NO wisdom or worthy useful experience….just a bunch of nickapoos!! Farking arschloches…
Thanks to you idiotic politicians like Singapore is not a country but a city or Singaporeans not hardworking so must import foreigners to spur up the locals up or we must give our leaders [more like self serving leechers _ notice in parliament when pay raise for the politicians the parliament seats will at full house]…
Enough is enough.
Vote right this coming GE…if still fail then vote with your feet and leave with your hard earns capital for a country where your sacrifices and efforts mean something then giving to these parasites of the PAP.
Haiz..
Foreigners Good???……….Retirees Forgotten????………Dying slowly in High Cost of Living here….. Remember Retirees help build the Country from scratch!
Hi Mr Leong,
I would like to point out certain inconsistencies in your allegations.
The reality is that Singaporeans have to pay at least $400 to rent a room, compared to these foreign workers who pay as low as $140.
1. You forget that foreign workers who pay “as low as” $140 typically SHARE rooms. We’re looking at 2-3 workers per room. If you multiply that for a 4 Room flat, we’re looking at 9-10 individuals sharing it, which adds up to a total of $1,400-$1,500. That’s the same as renting a 4 room flat on the open market.
I dont think many Singaporeans out there live in flats with 9-10 people, unless they happen to have huge families.
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10202p.nsf/WPDis/Renting%20A%20Room%20/%20Flat%20From%20Home%20OwnersStatistics%20-%20Median%20Subletting%20Rents%20by%20Town%20and%20Flat%20Type?OpenDocument&SubMenu=Statistics
2. Needy Singaporeans generally don’t rent a flat on the open market. HDB offers flats at $26 LOWEST and $200+ HIGHEST as subsidized flats. I can’t find the “Interim Housing Programme” which you describe. Kindly provide the link for us. Thanks.
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10202p.nsf/WPDis/Renting%20A%20Flat%20Directly%20From%20HDBPolicies%20-%20Public%20Rental%20Scheme?OpenDocument&SubMenu=Policies
Remember Haiti???…….Little Red Dot cannot be complacent!
how come opposition mp like cst do not tell things like what mr leong tell us?
if really mr leong becomes a mp, will he still be like now or will be different?
hi mr leong,
i have a question for you.
i know you are good in stats so see if you can write an article on toto and big sweep.
i as a poor person hope to strike toto or big sweep to be rich
as we know singpaore not easy to be rich as government policies cause so many things to be so expensive.
just wish to see which has the best chance toto or big sweep.
in singpaore pools website the odds of big sweep first prize is 1 in 3,200,000.
http://www.singaporepools.com.sg/en/lottery/bigsweep_odds_winning.html
the odds of toto first prize is 1 in 8,145,060.
http://www.singaporepools.com.sg/en/lottery/toto_odds_winning.html
so surely big sweep has more chance.
but the difference is 1 month big sweep open once only but toto open 2 times a week.
so can you guide me or other poor people like me who wish to win.
which is a better chance big sweep or toto?
is it able to calculate?
thank you.
53) XiiAoGeNgEnX on January 14th, 2010 7.02 pm Hi Mr Leong,
“I would like to point out certain inconsistencies in your allegations.
The reality is that Singaporeans have to pay at least $400 to rent a room, compared to these foreign workers who pay as low as $140.
1. You forget that foreign workers who pay “as low as” $140 typically SHARE rooms. We’re looking at 2-3 workers per room. If you multiply that for a 4 Room flat, we’re looking at 9-10 individuals sharing it, which adds up to a total of $1,400-$1,500. That’s the same as renting a 4 room flat on the open market.
I dont think many Singaporeans out there live in flats with 9-10 people, unless they happen to have huge families.”
Are your figures based on your conjecture or based on actual ground reality at the two blocks of rental flats in Toa Payoh? If it is the former, any debate is meaningless.
This is PAP’s way of telling us to vote them out – as they don’t wish to be too direct about it. They are indirectly sending a message to all Singaporeans:
“Can’ t you see that we are tired of governing after four long decades? Please give us a break!”
57) sgcynic on January 14th, 2010 8.09 pm
I once gave English tuition to a 15 year old China kid somewhere in Lavender area. He lives in a 5 room flat with roughly 12 other people. His room, which was roughly the same size as mine, is shared by his mother and another stranger.
When I asked if he could concentrate on his studies, and he said yes. I asked if he was alright with his living conditions, he said yes, this is how it is all over.
I’m taking his word on it, and from my personal observation.
Does your “actual ground reality” differ from mine? Do share your story! :)
59) XiiAoGeNgEnX on January 14th, 2010 8.22 pm
The “actual ground reality” that I asked about is the two Toa Payoh HDB blocks which are rented out by EM Services under the auspices of HDB. If indeed they can be rented out to foreign workers at lower unit cost due to multiple people sharing a single unit, then my question is why not for Singaporeans, at least to give temporary shelter to those with genuine hardship, The example that you give for the unit in the Lavender is irrelevant unless it is also rented out by EM Services or the HDB. Hope this clarifies.
50) ApApA on January 14th, 2010 5.47 pm
“MBT, give you one last chance, dissolve EM Services or let voters dissolve you”
u sure u will have a chance to vote?
I mean, even if he goes to your ward/GRC,
i wonder will a walkover deny/disenfrachise you the chance to vote?
I heard many saying something similar in 2 last elections. They say very confidently will not vote for so and so. In the end, same old story.
but really, its quite amazing. citizens are quite remarkably amazing that despite all the issues that popped up since before the last 2 elections to now, the mahjority still want no change, in that sense.
in terms of this kind of change, whatever the minority wants is dependent on what the mahjority decides. the minority will have to accept the decision of the mahjority.
i cannot see any reason strong enough that will change the mahjority decision. What are stronger reasons than reasons already presented since before the last 2 elections?
the citizens are really unique in this WORLD , imho.
Mr Leong can say until the cow comes home.
As long as he has no power, he cannot help the people in these aspects in a direct way.
The decision comes from the people.
In this case, the uniquely spore sporeans.
Ya, not people from any country but spore.
i’ve stopped believing HDB’s replies when they claim that their flats are very affordable and that they actually incur a loss for every new flat sold.
that was the last straw for me.
i do not want to even take their rubbish that they spew out seriously now.
#61 says: “the citizens are really unique in this WORLD , imho.”
Singapore citizens are not unique but the PAP is, in keeping with its dictatorial ways, telling the WORLD a blatant lie that it’s in power through popular support. The PAP has been able to con the WORLD that it has popular support through its castrated propaganda mouthpieces and a PAP election dept that takes orders from the prime minister and his father to “fix” the opposition and “engineer” the election results.
The PAP is cooking up election results the way any normal dictator would do. Dictators Marcos and Suharto had done the same in the recent past. Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew is no different.
i think HDB will be better off for not replying to Leong’s email.
64) seebeng
You may be surprised how many support them.
Look at their membership.
Every block of flat has several if not many.
people are said to be queueing up long queues waiting to be member.
so many may fight to defend it.
thus its the people , really.
dun blame the executioner.
Mr. Leong ,do keep up the good works, I pray for you n your love one….
HDB’s reply was clear, concise and excellent. Mr. Leong should stop his groundless and misleading allegations. A point must come where enough is enough, anyone going beyond the limits must bear whatever the consequences.
It should also be noted that any person trying to taint Singapore’s international image must anticipate the nation and its people will come down very hard and without mercy on him.
TOC…u sure u not a front for MIW
U dun seem to moderate so many absurd bootlicking postings yet u do mine, which is always honest although a bit intense.
3 thumbs down. I’m now wary of this site & not post, if at all. >:(
59) XiiAoGeNgEnX on January 14th, 2010 8.22 pm
This sounds like illegal subletting.
My Views
post #68 on January 15th, 2010 1.29 am
////A point must come where enough is enough, anyone going beyond the limits must bear whatever the consequences.////
HDB must be transparent as the public expect. they got release the figures on the cost of building each cluster of estates? what is the limits of transparency?
why you so upset? you are MBT (or RamBuTan) arh? :P
the vague vague ways of HDB does not bode well for our clean (transparent) govt.
When they allow foreigners to work here, they must solve their housing problems.
The homeless Singaporeans? Many couldn’t afford to pay rent. Hence they may think its more profitable to first solve the housing needs of the foreign workers..
Sigh..
WE need to understand this:
1. The problem is not the Foreigners. Singaporeans are among the ones who hire them. Many citizens have become employers and they enjoy hiring foreigners.
I do not believe that citizens who hire many foreigners do not enjoy hiring foreigners over hiring citizens.
Singaproeans are too pragmatic. You die your problem. There is a big group of selfish people in this society. We seen cases when on the street a man abuse a woman publicly and people just watch on. We have seen lady being molested , breasts, both, groped over and over again in publich while people cheered on or take photos or videos and no one StoodUp for the abused. We have seen and heard citizen flat neighbors not speaking or communicating with one another simply because the kampong spirit is lost.
We have seen manu issues and the people accept.
No one really cares.
The poor and weak and abused and disavantaged will continue to be the worst hit.
“No one owes you a living”
“Get out of my uncaring hands”
“mere mortals”
This is not the society i like to live in.
Even when so many FTs and FW have come in, the people in general did not stand up and voice up except blogs like TR.
Bicyclists, non-tampinese residents, cannot cycle on footpaths. Where can they cycle? The road? Do young people also have passed traffic exams like drivers have? Do they have the experience and knowledge of road conditions? Is cycling on the road SAFER than cycling on footpaths? Even if you cycle properly, will errant drivers not hit you like that Audi A6?
So many issues!
The cycling issue is it addressed by the opposition? I heard nothing so far.
The mosquito issue is perenial. Have the opposition voiced anything on this? I heard nothing so far.
What is the Opposition doing?
What is it?
Complain, complain! Can be patient a bit or not? Give HDB time to build brand new rental apartments for FT IR staff mah! Then if soon to be demolished flats are not utilised as interim lodgings for the troublesome losers for citizens, then we complain again OK?
74) keyboard_hero on January 15th, 2010 10.11 am
I strongly disagree with your tone in describing the under-privileged.
In Singapore, the majority of those on subsidy schemes and social assistance programmes are people who are unable to help themselves. It is not their fault that they have physical or mental disabilities that inhibit them from being able to improve themselves.
It is the DUTY of the government, and of society to provide for those who are unable to help themselves.
The “troublesome losers” that you feel so strongly against (the lazy leeches on social welfare assistance programmes) are a SMALL MINORITY. It would be terribly unfair for you to generalize the entire class of underprivileged citizens as such.
I find that description and generalization highly offensive. I hope you can develop more empathy for those who require social assistance.
@71
It obvious he is a troll lol…if he is so free, he will be in pro gov forums and not here. His aim is all too obvious.
75) XiiAoGeNgEnX
Oops! sorry.
I can’t help it. If Wee Shu Min had put it with such empathy and with her father’s, an MP in Prime Minister’s Lee Hsien Loong’s GRC team, not too subtle agreement in principle of her perception plus the fact that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had never expressed any disapproval, I assumed it’s a politically correct term of reference.
Silly me. Should I call them, the miserable peasants or mortals?
To 68 MYVIEW, If only hdb explain well, produce maximum transparency in the first place. Give no chances for Mr. Leong to write such articles.
Bear in mind, “MYVIEW” ,you may think it groundless, but other may not.
In reality , it happen, you cant deny, it fact.
68) My Views on January 15th, 2010 1.29 am
Mr. Leong should stop his groundless and misleading allegations.
I must say, you gave an excellent example of ‘groundless and misleading’. There is nothing in your post (groundless) to support your point that Leong was misleading, thus, I can only surmise that your intention is to mislead.
People, take back the power you have surrendered. Make them accountable. Do not let a reject (by the people of Potong Pasir) pull wool over your eyes while he is making millions for the government, while another group in losing billions without any accountability or transparency. Sites like TOC help people understand what is happening because of the collective knowledge being shared here, however many out there are ignorant because all the news they get is from the crap MSM. If we want change we must share our knowledge and try to convince people to vote with wisely after having enough information. People need to be enlightened to the policy of the greedy politicians, who have nothing but their own interest at heart.
[i]It should also be noted that any person trying to taint Singapore’s international image must anticipate the nation and its people will come down very hard and without mercy on him. [/i]
wah!!! singapOOR have image mey? ole yes the homeless tents in eastcoast…
mercy on them? when did you ever prayed for the HOMELESS singapooriums?
yeap singapoor is indeed world best in images by havin the highest paid politicians who reaLLEE are all gays who hold hands and their balls together…
come on, hdb, don’t shy shy leh… pls reply to mr leong’s rebuttal on your first attempt at stone-walling/confusing/misleading the public.
don’t know how huh? pls check with your boss minister mah — no wonder he keeps chanting “it’s affordable, affordable, affordable…”
VOTE FOR CHANGE, or be squeezed (money and space wise) to death!
This is the effect of privatisation where the public consumption is not the priority but the bottom line or profit motivated.
The government had privatise alot of these public bodies which are making money rather then privatising for the right reason
Most public bodies are privatised due to inefficiency eg the Indian Railways which improves ineffiency
All eligible to vote in the next GE will have one more good REASON to vote the opposition…..and now there are many many reasons to vote the opposition into Parliamment in the next GE…..
The injustices perpetrated on citizens must be stopped and the only way to stop it is to vote out the incumbents who have lost touch with the electorate.
I do not see that 2 opposition can achieve much.
We need put more in.
I say 20 more, at least, is required.
Ideally 42.
Where and how Singaporeans can rent a flat for $140 is important. I am also thinking when it started. It should not be after the exchange of letters between the writer and HDB.
Just want to illustrate this: in the LUP programme, each household pays $2250 (7.5%), TC pays $2250 (7.5%) and the government $25500 (85%). Which adds up to $30000 per household. There are 24 units in total, hence the cost of a single shaft is $720,000.
Is this a reasonable figure? It seems astromical. Hope someone can compile the total costs for each district and lets have a comparison.
more flats for foreigners means lesss flats for singaporeans, pushing up prices. This in a way puts a heavy burden on CPF as most foreigners do not contribute
Listen up, Opposition. People are ready to give you a chance. All you need is a few good men, no need for scholars, just the passion to serve.
Vote out a GRC or two! Time for a change.
Refer to (79) by [ordinaryman].
“If only hdb explain well, produce maximum transparency in the first place. Give no chances for Mr. Leong to write such articles.”
What? Where the hell had this Mr. Leong been all these decades? Inside the parliament, outside the parliament, in the media, in the coffeeshops, during election campaign …. He must be the only person in Singapore who doesn’t know about HDB policies and its achievements!
For your information, HDB publishes annual report every year. Get it from the library, if you don’t want to pay for a copy!
EM Services also does valuation of HDB resale flats and since this company is also owned by HDB, does it not mean they have played a part in the obscene prices of resale HDB flats by allowing such high valuations?
I believe there is another big can of worms waiting to be opened.
My Views
post #91 on January 17th, 2010 3.16 am
////…. who doesn’t know about HDB policies and its achievements!////
when loans are stretched to decades in these more & more uncertain economic climate, please do not harp on achievements. HDB started out as a social enterprise, thus it carries a certain social responsibility to the well-being of citizens.
achievements should not be measured by how well it manages to hold people hostage with ever increasing prices that in turn helps HDB earn fatter profits for each new launch of PUBLIC HOUSING.
Refer to (93) by [mice is nice].
If you guys made “profit” a dirty word, Singapore will go down to the drain!
My Views
post #94 on January 18th, 2010 2.50 am
in HDB’s context “profit” is a dirty word, further compounded by the fact the breakdown of the cost of building HDB estates are kept under wraps.
lots of factors are already ensuring S’pore is going down the drain, HDB current policies are just 1 of them. no social safety net (secure home), no financial stability leading to less babies, bad enough?
“30,770 HDB loans in arrears over three months as of September 2009,”
this is a very worrying figure
Yes, vote in Mr Leong and vote out that Mah Bow Tan. He is totally useless as his policies are bringing harm to Singaporeans. Even though I do not stay in Tampines but I will vote out the party that he is in even though the MP in my ward is good. This is to send a message to his party that Singaporeans will not tolerate any party’s weakest link.
Bobby Tan Jan 16, 2010 3:38
The injustices perpetrated on citizens must be stopped and the only way to stop it is to vote out the incumbents who have lost touch with the electorate.
sometimes it makes one wonder whether all these perpetration of injustices are done intentionally to drive more older folks out of the country so they can just wash their hands off, and furthermore they have already have solution to replace new citizens, as a matter of facts, there are already many signs signifying that much are being prepared to bring in more ready-made citizens from the FT.
The way the Singapore govt. through HDB treats the citizens of singapore is really HORRIFYING, WICKED, CRUEL AND EVIL without precendence in any civilised Democratic Country…
What is the difference (I fail to see the difference) between a Country like Burma which shoots its unarmed citizens; China which shoots its citizens in an unarmed protest with the actions of our Government “shooting” at our poor citizens’ rights and privleages to cheap and affordable housing?
I am very ashamed of my country’s Leaders (the highest paid in the world) for behaving in such a monstrous and irrersponsible manner.
Time for a Freak Flood to occur (after all 51 years is 1 year overdue) and sweep away the money grabbing, self serving, self aggrandising mercenary politicians in the PAP.
Tired Singaporean,
Not only I but my friends, relatives, colleagues, children and all their friends are not only angry they have indicated to me they will vote the Opposition in the coming GE….regardless which Opposition as long as they are Opposition.
And they will vote any opposition even if that Opposition is a Taxi Driver, Hawker; has one eye, one leg one ear.
The PAP must be taught an abject lesson that they after having awarded themselves the highest, obscene, out of this world salaries from Taxpayers’ money has abandoned their responsibilities to the electorate and do not understand they must SERVE CITIZENS FIRST….
If there are any PAP MPs. who do not suibscribe to the callous trreatment of singapore citizens; let him or her stand up now; resign; from theie Seat in Parliament and resign from the PAP and join the Opposition knowing that you have made a wrong choice, and now repent and will hencefort speak and fight for the Citizens of Singapore.
PAP members of Parliament if you really believe in serving the people I am sure the citizens will forgive you your trespasses against them unwittingly and still vote you into Parliament under the banner of an Opposition Party……
@ My Views
Profit + greed = dirty words (read: PAP’s style of running Singapore INC)
Profit + compassion = good words (read: what Singaporeans want)