Letter to TOC by: Joseph Ang
Under the existing HDB policy, singles are not allowed to buy or rent flats directly from the Housing and Development Board (HDB), unless they partner with another single person and apply under the joint-singles scheme. In times of such economic uncertainty, when the economy has not fully rebounded, should such a policy be re-visited, so that singles can remain independent and maintain their sense of dignity?
I hope HDB will re-consider this policy and allow individual singles to rent or buy directly from HDB with minimal waiting time between application and allotment of flats (3 – 6 months at most). The sense of security of having roof over the head is very important to all Singaporeans – whether they choose to marry or remain single.
I personally know of a number of cases where singles rent from the open market as their extended family is not able to accommodate them for various reasons both personal and economic. The open-market room rental which is $450 per month, is very high to a single who is earnings may be limited. Many usually will suffocate for having to pay for public transportation, meals, and other daily needs, on top of the rent from the open market. And what’s worse is they don’t know where to go for help. The families in crisis can go to the family service centres, but where do the singles go to?
Being single is by no means easy, but it is nevertheless a lifestyle we have chosen for ourselves.
While I appreciate the pro-family policies of the government, the government should not forget singles in the process of being pro-family. Singles after all, do contribute to the economy of Singapore as well. Despite this, we are discriminated as ‘third-class’ citizens, and treated worse than a foreign worker, who at least has a dormitory to go to at the end of his hard day’s work.
With only a single income (as compared to at least double incomes in a family) and the ever rising valuations and cash-over-valuations, many singles will find it extremely difficult to buy a HDB flat from the open market.
Of course, HDB has the joint-singles policy for HDB rental flats; but what happens if a single person is not able to find another suitable person to co-share the rental flat with him? Should he be homeless because of this?
I personally know of quite a number of singles who are already at their wit’s end. Most are earning less than $1700 per month. How can they survive if they continue to rent from the open market? What about the singles who earn even lesser?
The newspapers reported recently that there are two block of flats made available for the foreign workers who will be coming here – presumably to work in the Integrated resorts. It does not make sense that foreigners will have ready HDB flats to move in to when they come to Singapore, but a single Singaporean like me is denied affordable housing.
The government should stop only talking about the ‘Singaporean first’ policy, but more importantly make it a practice – whether they be in a family or are just singles by choice!
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Not to forget that there are some families with only one breadwinner, and thus in a predicament worse than singles who only need to take care of themselves. The stress on the breadwinner to pay for the loan of the flat and to take care of themselves is more than double that of singles.
Once again, this is an example of using policy as carrot and stick to herb the people to the direction the PAP wants, The policy says if you are single, you can’t buy from HDB to live alone.
PAP policies treat single Singapore citizens beneath foreigners. Even 2 foreigner siblings under the age of 35 can “form a family” and apply for HDB, but 2 single Singapore citizens cannot.
There is something I don’t understand…
“The open-market room rental which is $450 per month,
is very high to a single who is earnings may be limited”
Is buying a house is cheaper than renting?
If I am not wrong, monthly installment for a house is more than $450 per month.
If a person cannot afford to pay $450, how can he pay for the installment?
Using CPF money to buy house but rental is solely cash. Many Singaporean has money in CPF but no money in pocket :)
What about older singels with no relatives to turn to, because of the self centered, selfish and greedy state policies in generating income to upkeep the salaries of the very people who implemented these policies to their advantage of a comfortable living , in the expanse of the ignorant masses.
What about older singels with no relatives to turn to, because of the self centered, selfish and greedy state policies in generating income to upkeep the salaries of the very people who implemented these policies to their advantage of a comfortable living , on the expanse of the ignorant masses.
Going through all these articles reaffirms my understanding that PAP has lost all moral authority to govern.
It’s sad to see Singaporeans treated so shabbily when the “leaders” help themselves to millions of our money.
You should feel indignant when foreigners (including PRs) are given red-carpet treatment when Singaporeans have to suffer the indignity of homelesses and national conscription at the same breath.
This coming election is your last chance. Constitution and legislation can be changed at will and fancy to further consolidate PAP’s position in the future. GST will be increased to extract more leverage from the peasants.
V.O.T.E. O.U.T. P.A.P.
A pro-family policy that did not work out.
The PAP is not going to help the singles.
This govt (I don’t want to talk about the earlier one) is as fanatic as the Bush administration.
They love to use deception and smoke screen to advance their cause.
They have a large number of singles MP before they introduce all kinds of policies changes that would eventually hurt the singles.
Honestly, with the kind of housing price, it is very difficult for singles to buy a place. Then what is he going to do with his CPF.
The govt is bent on eroding the purchasing power of his cpf saving.
Now, they are trying to “crack” down on speculation on hdb resale through rental.
When LHL actually recommended that to people.
He is running out of sources of income and he is squeezing the weak people in the system: the old people, the poor and the singles who rent out their place.
//RW
Rental is done using cash.
Payment of flats is done using OA monies, which would have lied there doing now.
if you think those interest earned in OA makes sense, think again.
The minimum sum would effectively have prevented you from taking any monies out. Maximum take out after 30 years of working (well approximately) is 5K.
if they raise the medisave minimum sum, they are effectively raising the minimum sum.
This govt is very (only) good at pretending to do work using words.
The actual sweat work is done by contributors of taxes and cpf.
RW: At least after paying off your monthly mortgage, the house belongs to you as unliquidated assets. Great letter Joseph!
//RW
Better tell your boss that their hidden taxation gimmicks is no that ingenious.
They need to cut cost simply.
Excuse me! The gullible and credulous Singaporeans do not deserve to be treated this way! Why? Who are those idiots whom formulate those policies and subsequently force the ordinary civil servants to implement those policies? They are the so-call “elite scholars” taking up government scholarships to pursue their undergraduate studies mainly to overseas/abroad universities and to a lesser extent in local tertiary institutions.
So, the philosophy and ideology behind this whole episode directed by this DOM is likening to a prostitute (gullible main-street-men) paying a “client” (the scholars and the million-dollar miw) exorbitant amount of money to have “sex” with her hard and deep!
The scholars take up scholarships fully funded by the TAXPAYERS to pursue their overseas dream and subsequently return to take up well paying jobs by helping the greedy million-dollar miw to formulate policies to totally milk-off the gullible electorates whom have paid taxes assiduously to fund their salary!!
Where is the justice?
If the HDB is so adamant about making money, it should open the market to single citizens. Once that happens, there is no need to let PRs compete for HDB flats. Methinks this is a far better solution that all citizens will appreciate. In fact, citizens should be able to buy a flat once they hit 21, as long as they prove they can finance one.
I wouldn’t neccessarily call it pro-family- rather what the government adopts is an anti-single policy that discriminates someone for choosing to remain single either by circumstance or choice.
PRs and foriegners alike are given the “red carpet” treatment for obvious reasons. The need to prop up the foreign talent pool is just a smoke screen. Old fart and his cronies are fast loosing their credibility with the locals and the only way to ensure their majority win is to quickly recruit these foreigners into citizenships and who are likely to vote for the ruling regime out of gratitude and unfamiliarity with the oppositions.
Hmmmm
We cant really blame the government on this particular issue.
Its tinted with religious bias.
As long you are not pro-creative male/female couples (you do not deserve any rights).
Singles, single parents and all other form of society are not deemed worthy to be given basic
accommodation consideration.
Government is merely echoing this sentiments.
Kenz, I do not agree that religious bias came in, perhaps you imagined too much about the religion affliation of our government. Reason being,as mentioned many times, 2 PR singles under the age of 35 are able to buy flats while Singaporeans equivalent cannot.
That’s right! Folks, do not be fooled anymore. Our eyes by now should be open and able to see what the damage that this garhmen has done to us for 50 years!!! It’s time to vote wisely this coming election!!! Whether they give so called “goodies and candies” Don’t fall into it and don’t buy it also!!! Use the vote wisely , and that’s the final chance for all native born singaporeans!!! We don’t want to suffer anymore!!!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
i liked leekuanyew’s golden phrase on foreign talents
he said in bold clear cambridge english…
we must embraced and welcome them with openned arms to make them feel @ home….
on my 1st mornin upon arrival in heathrow airport in outer london when i was 1 of the potential quitter from singapore to be the very few 90s legal foreign talent in britain…
the 1st words come from the british immigration officer was….
wei wei here come another vietcong boat people who is here to be on welfare….
i explaint to the british immigration officer
i am not a vietcong i may looked liked 1
you also looked liked my friend pierre bolmain the french chef from rauitelly calaie(france)
he is not amused….
//whoincharge
What’s your point?
//Kenz
rubbish!
Which religion suggest that singles are not worthy?
Buddhism doesn’t.
I couldn’t believe with all the education we have, someone would find this acceptable.
fpc
I never said buddhism suggested it.
Try ask some of the churches and see for yourself.
Kenz – Feb 3, 2010 21:51
Try ask some of the churches and see for yourself.
-
Church cannot influence PAP Policy.
God loves you kenz.
//Kenz
I don’t think any authentic church would suggest that.
[i]fpc
Feb 3, 2010 19:16
//whoincharge
What’s your point?[/i]
are you realLEE born stupid or you need leekuanyew to hold your hands when he serenade you?
you don’t even know how to suan an angmor the way he looked down on you as a chinese/vietcong…
try go aroun the world..you don’t even hav to drink tiger beer to do that..just fly tigerairways.com
//Kenz
For your info. Catholic Priests and Nuns are not supposed to marry. So are these religious doomed?
In Singapore one is doomed if one gets married. Once married you are already into the Pay And Pay system. One has to work the guts out to pay bills for housing, medical, education, food, etc, etc, etc and yet never gets to see his family.Due to his busy money-makingto pay and pay. If one loses the job due to retrenchement and unable to to find same salaried job. You can say goodbye to family life and throw oneself from ‘The Pinnicale.’ When the male kids reach 18yrs, they become state property to protect the wealthy and they won’t know if they can ever use their CPF.
This is marrige life here and I rather remain Single and be blessed by God, for not bringing out another life here to suffer.
Angry One
Letting singles buy flats is not going to boost the government’s coffers, since the CPF monies of single singaporeans are already in its pocket. The government can far more easily get its hands on the extra couple of thousand dollars of your money each year with the GST and the ERP alone. The only thing that might change this equation is if there is political capital to be had. At the moment, there is none. The government has always been able to put out crap to justify its actions. Observe that there was supposed to be limited land resources for a population of 3 million, so single citizens had had to do without. Put this statement along side the open door policies that we have now, and the new population figures that prevail today – 6 million, and it becomes clear that it was bullshit all along.
When the government asserts that something is impossible, often it is merely something that the government doesn’t want. But if it is something that the government wants, its talents in coming up with justification are breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. If single Singaporeans were to somehow become a sufficiently potent economic driver, I fully believe this government would be scrambling to do the political equivalent of getting on its knees and creating partial vacuum around their members.
prettyplace
Feb 4, 2010 1:27
If you are earning $700 for a L-shape rental flat you pay $26.
If you earn $1000, you pay $99. I wonder what measurment this is.
An almost 300% jump. Mah Bow Tan must be mabow.(drunk)
My parents had to go thru the same hassle of selling the flat after divirce back then. 15 years ago.
However, it was so easy for my dad to get a rental flat back then. Almost Immediate.
Looks like Mah Bow Tan really stuffed it up. Best is to vote these guys out. Get people who think and work for the people. I hope in the coming elections we put some opposition up in GRC’s to question the PAP.
I keep telling my young friends, who are in the 20’s about housing and how it will be when they grow older to get a place.My my i can’t even imagine.
The true reasons …………….
http://catscarpediem.blogspot.com/2010/02/homeless-in-singapore-real-story.html
I tell you. whenever they announce any new policies, just criticise it to see the implications for people. Soon, things will change.
Already, we make fewer calls with Singtel and fewer buy ST.
JUst look at the thickness or thinness of ST these days.
dont need foreigner to thrash oout the system.
IF we don’t buy St. Let’s see how else the pigs can influence the populace.
andrew,
at least COOS does, :) i remember seeing their website on god’s will to the followers.
benz
nun and priests, catholic version. bad example.
not all are celibates anymore. There are those that pretend to be, but then they go and abuse children.
So what are your points?
A&E
Every SG’s CPF is in their coffers, regardless singles or married. your point exactly?
In short, the ruling party is taking it’s people who voted them in for granted.
guys, lets not offtrack from the theme topics,ok? Singles need help, and the help is their immediate housing needs to be addressed to those blood suckers n money suckers govt! These are the most vulnerable, ignorable groups that hardly people take note n help raise up their concerns in the msn, parliament, tv, news, blar blar… please if there is anyone here reading this, suggest how to bring their concerns to a higher level so that their immediate outcry for decades can be heard through in this country!
Dare to care…
Kenz – Feb 4, 2010 10:46
at least COOS does, :) i remember seeing their website on god’s will to the followers.
–
I couldn’t find any info in COOS website about their views on singles.
I believe PAP uses HDB to influence social engineering on family planning. Its policy and ideology is probably from MM Lee. Mr Stop at 2.
@ Facethefact, Shihan, fpc
thanks for clarifying why buying a hdb might be more affordable,
despite the installment be higher than rental payment.
@fpc- second post
i have no idea what you are talking about.
anyway, folks! just listen!
vote all the dimmy papaya pigs , donkeys, dos, monkeys all out in this coming election!!!
sg really need a fresh political climate change! we dont have much time left! let’s not be daft and let the mm says so, lets be smart ppl, because we are indeed!
Vote the opposition party in the coming election! i personally like reform party becos i find KJ got the look of a prime minister, don’t u guys agree??
Let’s vote for reform government! Let’s vote for change! Let’s vote for a new govt to arise in this coming election!
Throw out all those multi-million dollars pigs out!!! Show them the exit door!! And if possible, get every single dollars and cents from their pay to return it back to us , the rightful owner of taxpayer’s money!
All true blue singaporeans, let’s stand up as one united people!
Do not fear, do not retreat, because it is only through ppl power’s , then we can overthrow the corrupt govt!!
Change!
we need it now! yes we can!
I am a single contributing faithfully to taxes like any other Singaporeans for more than 10 years. However, I only realized now how I am penalized for being a single for not being married and procreating to the society when I wanted to get a place to stay on my own. I am not allow to buy direct from HDB and the resale flats are at a all time high with COV above 30k. I am very dissapointed that our government treats single like PRs. I don’t need the 11k single subsidy, I just want to be able to afford my own place which is priced beyond my means. Why am I excluded from government policies? Are singles not Singaporeans?
Yeah, Jamie.
the policies of the pigs are stupid and cruel and insensitive.
You might not be married now but that doesn’t mean you won’t in the future and they shouldn’t erode the purchasing power of your CPF saving with escalating HDB prices.
The pigs now are very short term people.
I actually wanted to say that the pigs@parliament are self serving people.
They are not working for the good of the people.
if that happens, it is unintended.
They are working for themselves.
//RW
If you don’t like to support the pigs’ policies, one way would to stop patronise (or limit your exposure) to GLCs like SPH etc.
While I was younger I shared room with others to save cost, I went through so much hassles. I save hard yet never able to catch up with the high priced HDB. Now I am 46-years old still single, in order to have peace of mind I took a room by myself where I need to share with Burmese housemates. I am living in little Myanmar, tolerating their living style and have to live like one of them even. Is this what the government expects Singaporeans to be? I pity myself for not feeling proud of being a Singapore citizen!
I agreed to Joseph above message.
I think nobody want to be alone , moreover marriage is not a game which we can start & stop anytime. Therefore I think that government should help those single man & ladies to own a affortable flat instead of forcing them to a homeless situation. I even came across some low income single who really wish to get a flat & get out of their home bcos of the pressure given by the married sibling. Some even thought of commit suicide becos they do not have a place for them to settle down. Going home is a nightmare to them. Singapore government, pls take good care of your SINGLE SINGAPOREAN. They desire the government to take care rather then putting attention to NON SINGAPOREAN.
totally agree with mr ang’s letter.we are also human we are also singaporean serve national service and completed 13 years reservist too bad destined to be single and now no roof over our head
that’s right. We need people to speak up for all singles (true blue native singaporeans) be it whether male or female, to ask the garhment to let us buy an affordable HDB flat from HDB directly which based on individual incomes. Garhment should not force the singles to buy from resale flat which they have to compare with those rich PR or foreigners, obviously the singles in singapore who is above the age of 35yrs old totally couldnt afford it due to the skyrocketing prices of ressale prices.
Listen ,all singles in singapore, if garhment dont do that for singapore, lets vote all of them out and put opposition party who will think of us and help us to get our own flat eventually. And remember to vote all the PIGS out in the coming GE.
Enough is enough! We dont need such a evil garhment. Lets get rid all of them.
It is obvious that the govt have in mind a pro-marriage social agenda in requiring couples to marry before being eligle to purchase new HDB flats, and other policies spring for there. As a result, not everyone’s housing needs can be met or there is a range of accommodation arrangements then result from the ‘main’ or ‘lead’ policy that HDB has. Essentially as a result Singaporean singles generally end up the losers and end up paying more (e.g. private housing instead of HDB) or living in poorer conditions (e.g. single man who shares flat with Myanmar nationals who rent the other rooms) or just living at home with parents/siblings, so draining their finances and/or having less desirable living conditions or just unable to leave the nest. Married couples have the benefit of economies of scale etc although if they have children then their expenditure goes up considerably and one may argue that’s why they deserve the preference and government help. Could the housing situation for Singaporean singles be better tackled by govt? Probably. But I don’t see any interest on the part of govt or any serious effort. One thing that could be done is to build more and better quality studios (in HDB and private estates) for those for prefer to live on their own). There could be some tax breaks for those developers who build more studios as a proportion of units in the development. So that there can still be some form of communal living, these studios might have acess to communal laundry rooms and storerooms in a common area, but I would not advocate communal kitchens since they will always be disputes on cleaning up. More importantly, the HDB poiicies/rules for sales of HDB studios to singles could be
relaxed, and private property developers should have incentives to build more studios.
agree, totally agree.
this is the main reason i decided not to support pap anymore.
Why cant singles who earn more than 3K get a HDB loan??? We pay tax like everyone else, maybe more, but we do not get ANY subsidy!
And if your parents are working, you dont get tax relief even if you are staying with them, supporting them, etc!
The cost of resale flat is skyrocketing and how can a single ever afford??
I used to support PAP but all these issues really saddened me … that they have not done enough for this group.
Why should we be “penalised” just because we earn a bit more? Boy, we worked really hard and this is what we get at the end??