Andrew Loh / Joshua Chiang
Blocks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 along Tiong Bahru Road were built by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) which operated between 1927 and 1959. The SIT was a body set up by the British colonial authority to solve the housing problems faced by Singapore in its early days.
SIT was, you could say, the precursor of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) which was formed in 1960. The HDB eventually became Singapore’s sole public housing authority in 1982.
The five blocks of 4-storeys each at Tiong Bahru were selected for the HDB’s Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) in 1995.
However, it was only 12 years later – in 2007 – that the blocks were converted to condominiums. It is unclear what the ‘interim use’ of the blocks was between 1995 and 2007
Presently, the five blocks, now named “Global Residence”, together provides 120 “exclusive” apartments “with 2 to 3 bedroom suites ideal for expatriates and families.” (Source)
It is unclear who the Managing Agent for the apartments is.
According to the Global Residence website, the rental rates for the apartments are S$4,800 monthly for a 2-bedroom suite, and S$5,000 monthly for a 3-bedroom suite.
As in the case of the flats in Bedok, Toa Payoh and Havelock Road, the question is: Why are so many SERS flats being reserved and rented out to foreigners instead of Singaporeans who are in the queue for public rental flats?
Minister for National Development, Mah Bow Tan, revealed last month that there are 4,550 people in the queue for such flats. And as The Online Citizen has shown, some whose applications for such flats were rejected have ended up living in our public parks. Why are public housing flats specially reserved for foreigners? Aren’t they suppose to rent from the open market, just like everyone else?
Who profits from the rental, such as the “S$4,800” and “S$5,000” monthly rents for Global Residence?
Also, under HDB’s own rules, foreigners, expats, permanent residents, students and S Pass holders are not eligible for rental flats provided by the HDB.
Why then is the HDB now apparently contravening its own rules by reserving and renting out these flats to those who are not suppose to be eligible?
Lastly, has Parliament ever been told of this change of policy by the HDB – this policy of converting public flats for rental to foreigners?
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Also, along Boon Lay Ave. TOC, you may want to check it out.
Singaporean first? My S! Liar, bloody Liar, damn freaking Liar.
pap why don’t all of you go eat shit and die.
Outrageous ! HDB flats become condos !? And while at it, why not convert prata man’s istanana to migrant workers dormitories as well ?
The flats are simple and nice…. how does the govt feel about moving the original inhabitants out of their flats?
Global Residence ? Yeah, global my S. It is global to the whole world except your own citizens. Reading this report makes me sick, and just wana go burn down these flats.
So this is hidden objective to some of the SERS projects in prime locations. Not so much moving Singapore citizens to newer and better homes, but to milk foreigners of more $$$ for the PAP government and to directly compete against private sector in the rental market. Talk about encouraging free market in Singapore, ha ha.
Anyway, the ultimate problem lies in Singapore citizens with the votes, both young and old. I spoke with a “young” friend in her 30′s, a die-hard PAP supporter. Despite her internet savvy, she refused to read any of the alternative views that may tarnish her golden image of PAP and simply condemn the poor as “they asked for it”. Mine you, she’s not an elite, afterall she almost lost her HDB due to changes in her personal circumstances. Thanks to her successful appeal via her PAP MP to the HDB, she has since made a sweeping judgement that all those who are homeless just did not appeal hard enough or were opportunistic weeded out by the strict appeal criteria. There are many such ostriches amongst Singapore voters, thus the probability of PAP losing its majority is slim.
For those who cannot wait for the old man to die, the only alternative is to migrate. Meanwhile, vote for change while one is still here, so as to help those who are stuck in La-la land.
is HDB breaking the law?
This is 2 much! sigh!
How to trust them?
No One Will Be Left Behind [ JUST LEFT ASIDE TO DIE ]
http://news.asiaone.com/News/NDP+Rally+2007/NDP+Rally+2007.html
Sinaporeyans Comes First For Govt [ FIRST TO BE LEFT BEHIND ]
http://news.asiaone.com/News/the%2BStraits%2BTimes/Story/A1Story20100101-189132.html
HOW TO TRUST THEM?
No One Will Be Left Behind [ JUST LEFT ASIDE TO DIE ]
http://news.asiaone.com/News/NDP+Rally+2007/NDP+Rally+2007.html
Singaporeans Comes First For Govt [ FIRST TO BE LEFT BEHIND ]
http://news.asiaone.com/News/the%2BStraits%2BTimes/Story/A1Story20100101-189132.html
Let me see if I got this right.
Under HDB’s rules, foreigners, expats, permanent residents, students and S Pass holders are not eligible for rental flats provided by the HDB. So HDB do a SERS on those block and instead of demolishing the blocks, they transfer it to EM Services. Since they are transferred to EM Services, these blocks are technically not considered HDB flats.
So EM Services (which is partly own by HDB) can rent them out to foreigners, expats, permanent residents, students and S Pass holders without breaking HDB’s rules. Am I right?
WOW, I must really respect the person who came up with this idea.
//DK
It is a standard technique used by the govt.
They did the same thing for TH.
They transfer the shares to TH and get TH to charge high prices in Singapore thereby acting as 2nd rate tax agents for the govt.
//No One Will Be Left Behind [ JUST LEFT ASIDE TO DIE ] ; Sinaporeyans Comes First For Govt [ FIRST TO BE LEFT BEHIND ]
Shows LHL is only good at talking (not to say lying)
Wow!.all the HDB rental flats fetch so much money.So can the taxpayers have a piece of the pie too, since
PAP uses our money to build them.
to : preston loon
You asked : “So can the taxpayers have a piece of the pie too..” ?
The answer : No. We did NOT have a pie. The Managing Agent profited, not us. And they are a different entity from us. So, please stop having ideas!
Haha. Joking, lah !
this is utterly disgusting. if not for the TOC expose, we’d all be in the dark about this. how many more HDB blocks are being converted like this??
It looks like a variation of the Chinatown shophouse grab. The state compulsorily acquired the old shophouses, paid the owners below market rate, URA renovated them, and put them up for sale at a very tidy profit.
Why does the government agencies NEED to make profits? Aren’t we being taxed enough and used to pay for things we don’t really approve for building?
There is a freakin’ Casino for foreigners, with a big sign of Singaporeans must pay for morality. Come on, we have Geylang, red light district, open gambling behind on back streets which the police will walk pass and do nothing. Just because its nice and new, you don’t allow Singaporean to go in?
What’s with the “Expats only” condos? WTF?
The government (which you can definitely use interchangably with PAP) seems no not do as preached, and because they control the media, many Singaporeans are still in the dark and do not understand or care.
I’ve met scholars who are highly paid civil servants now telling me that Scholars are better people, and all smart people that “Can make it” are scholars, and those scholars that left civil service are not smart and they “cannot make it in the real world”.
I believe most that left hate the bureaucracy and double standards inside. As a public servant, I can assure you that there is definitely double standards in terms of promotion and opportunities, and laws can be bent for some.
The eligibility for rental flats have been raised and the govt claim that there are “less homeless” people in the queue for rental flats. The number of people is the same but the number of eligible applicants are reduced.
I really feel that to be business friendly, Singapore should not do it at the expense of the citizens.
I can volunteer to be a PR and enjoy the benefits and not get the penalties?
yeah. they managed to take advantage of us because of the unbalanced political system that we have.
Please vote NOT for PAP who only care about feeding their own Salary, and only capable of sqeezing money from their own people.
I get better satisfaction voting in a Dog, who understand better how to wack tails when feeded.
In the outside world , PAP are just losers.
Only manage to recover some leftover soup from Suzhou, and boost like that got many pots of gold.
I am so incensed and horribly disgusted. These blocks could well be low-price condos to locals, or remain untouched for the original occupants.
HDB flats—>SERS—>EM flats—->rent to EXPATS without breaking any HDB rules. What a brilliant idea from pap/govt ! They MUST and must repeat this success formula and brag about it for the next GE. Am sure all the new citizens will surely support them.
And while at it, why not consider SERS the entire Toa Payoh, then transfer the flats to EM. Since this town is so central, EM will have amass a huge profit by renting to the expats! These expats are foreign talents and must be given due priority. They do not have to spend time serving NS to defend the country, neither are they champion grumblers or daft ppl. The locas can just reside in some ulu outskirt far flung town like punggol or jurong west.
While the ruling party is now trying to cover up their backside, more and more citizens now realised that they are being short changed all these years. Citizens are compulsary to serve NS and put their lives to defend the nation while new citizens enjoys all the benefits,and yet PM can still passed a very insulting that he don’t even dare to be their PC??? poor soldier. Many poor folks without a roof over their heads are left to die on their own while public housings are being converted into immediate accomodations behind the peoples back to wellcome the new citizens. Local Singaporeans are indeed real “daft” as what MM said. The sad thing 66.6% (don’t even know the figures are real or not) still believe what the MIW are doing theings behind their backs while painting a rosy picture through the MSM, do you people out there really believe everything you read on the ST??? May God have mercy on you people.
doctorwho
Feb 5, 2010 23:51
is HDB breaking the law?
—————————————-
i don’t think so because the law is set by them. LOL
This is outragously NOT right!
it’s painful reading, to know that people are conned out of their original dwellings via SERS, so that foreigners can take up the vacated units.
SACK PAP – ALL OF THEM
better to be under the British rule than PAP. British treated us as servant but the pap threat us as slave.
Foreigners need a place to stay. Rather that foreigners rent proper places than packed into HDB flats or condo units modified to become illegal dorms. They become a nuisance to the residents. Some people even rent out their flats/condos like hotel rooms. Homeless Singaporeans should be helped, but it is a different problem from letting flats out to foreigners.
Like what Chow Yuen Fatt, playing the role of the Chinese pirate, Sao Feng, in Pirates 3 said:
“Welcome To Singapore! ”
Looks like Singapore is coming full circle, returning to its roots to be the haunt for pirates and drug lords. Throw in a few pigs that walk on 2 feet and you can have a full scale Musical of Animal Farm on the Titanic. Don’t forget the peanuts. :)
We S’porean get taxed if we rent our own private property or condos out to either locals or foreigners.
PAP is tax free. Can anyone answer me why?
B’cos, they set all the laws…. rules…….. licenses……… regulations…….. all the “L” and “R” all the “lefts and rights”
But, let me tell you this. They themselves are the “L” and “R”.
“L” stands for “LEECHES” and “R” stands for “RUTHLESS”.
They are just a bunch of RUTHLESS LEECHES.
Does anyone agrees with me?
So, many young Sporean couple are finding it so difficult to buy a HDB flat nowadays b’cos they are so costly. How many years must they service the finance before they can fully own the flats?
25 years or 30 years? By then, how old will they be?
Hi it is very nice information . best of luck .
why the hell are these near prime locations being made available only to EXPAT families? PAP, WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY? ANSWER US!
Tis is very very disgusting to hear tat our HDB, our govt is so untrustable. Im being played out, can i reverse my recent GE vote?