HDB used to be a very unique and successful socialist approach to
provide basic adequate housing for Singaporeans. The HDB scheme was
made possible by the power of Land Acquisition Act that allows the
government of the day to acquire land at dirt cheap prices. It is a
social contract between the people and the government to empower
them to acquire land at cheap prices while in return, the people's
basic housing needs are taken care of by the government providing
HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED HDB flats to more than 80% of the
population.
The break down of Cost price of HDB was made available back in 1981
when the government showed us how much COST SUBSIDIES have been
given to the citizens.
However, since the introduction of "Asset Enhancement Program" in
early 1990s and subsequently the introduction of "Market Price
Subsidy" in the pricing of new HDB flats, new HDB flats are no
longer cheap. The PAP government has subtly avoided their
responsible embedded in the social contract. The PAP government has
used very creative accounting to avoid showing how much money they
have earned from selling new HDB flats while shamelessly claiming
that a "Market Subsidy" was provided. This is no more than mere
"DISCOUNTS" with no real subsidy given.
When asked to provide the breakdown of the COST of building these
HDB flats, there was surreal silence from HDB. Why could they
provide breakdown of cost back in 1981 while reluctance to provide
it now?
We just want an honest price from HDB for our young Singaporean
couples, at least a COST PRICE of HDB for our young in return for
the enormous power that we have given the PAP government in Land
Acquisition Act which it has used to acquired huge land stock at
dirt cheap prices.
This group will act as a campaign to pressure the PAP government to
fulfill their role as a responsible public housing provider. To
fulfill their part of the social contract as embedded in the Land
Acquisition Act.
Dear Uncle Meng Seng,
If you are looking at the resale market of HDB, yes, it can be
abit costly, however, as someone rightly put it, the sellers are
not complaining, it is when they become the buyers of
resale flat that is complaining. As for new flat for new couple and
first timer, it is still very much affordable in today market and
earning power of most people.
HDB run itself as a business entity, it does not have to tell
you about it cost of operating, this are confidential information
property of any business entity, as such, even a chicken seller
will not tell you his base cost, and to sell, if you insist, he can
tell u a high figure in cost of buying chickens ending up he is not
making much. Why pursue yourself to know the base cost of a flat if
the number can be massaged, therefore even if they come out with a
figure, are u going to believe it. I think basically, in you life,
you must have had gone thru bargaining for some goods in the
street, tell me, what does the seller said, he/she will alway says,
not making.
As a person of much travelled, I see singapore housing solution
as one of the top class in the world, comparing to many many other
countries, most of their poors are homeless with nothing to
complain about.
When we talk about removing the paternalistic of Govt policies
on it citizen, i think we must not alway rely on Govt subsidaries
and other perks that spoon feed many of the lower income group
here, by and large, as time goes on, this group become more prone
to money problem and alway look at Papa Govt for help, and when the
govt dun help, they make hell lot of noises. The Govt is not going
to be that unreasonable to set a new flat price that is beyong a
common citizen reach, they have been constantly studying the
condition and the earning power of Singaporeans thru income tax and
other statistic to justify the cost of a flat. Today, singapore are
not earning less, and a flat today, come with good amenities and
good structure to justify it cost higher than those other old flat
build in the early housing development state.
When govt set the cost of the flat, it is base on the average
$4k per household income to set let say a 4 rooms flat, it cannot
be a set of different price for different group, if you earn 4k and
less, too bad, if you earn 4k and above, live well. But those
living 4k and below, should buck up and face the real fact that the
world is moving forward and not backward. And if you are looking
for some quick hard cash, you start to sell you flat at a higher
cost but end up having to look for another one at a high cost, you
cannot blame nobody. A housing flat is for people to live, build a
family, enjoy the surrounding and be part of the intergrated
culture, not for you to do business with it, sell here and buy
there or end up downgrading or living in tents,...i think people
have to wake up. That's all.
