Mah still has not disclosed HDB cost structure

Rock^Star SG

It has been almost one and a half years since Edmund Tan questioned Mah Bow Tan on the costs of buliding HDBs, to which the latter answered, "If he wants to know the costs, then he must first prove how he can build a HDB with just $70,000."

Who can forget the smirk on Mah's face as he said that and how irresponsible those words were. Accountability to citizens has suddenly been taken down a further rung.

Today, Singaporeans are made to pay for the PAP's mistakes and greed by not having enough in their CPF for retirement.

$200,000 to $700,000 for a public housing in S'pore? Go figure.

The annuity plan is just another cover up of their mistakes at the expense of Singaporeans. Once citizens die, the remaining money goes towards the pool rather than to their next of kin.

AndrewPKYap SG

Would TT DUrai have disclosed anything voluntarily?

reddressman SG

If this can be disclosed, it will be better than info session.

There are so many questions posed but not answered directly and clearly.

As a reminder, what was raised by Andrew about PR:Local occupancy of created new jobs.

Can the highest paid in the world provide the answer please.

There must be at least dozens more like these unanswered. Mr. Green

walesa SG

With the greatest respect, what you're expecting is akin to banking on the world's greatest government (I mean the one headed by Kim Jong Il) to shed light on all its illicit dealings and human rights violations. What are the chances of that happening?

In all seriousness, accountability does not exist in fascist regimes, does it?

Darkness_hacker99 SG

Not possible to build HDB with $70,000.

But we can do a cost breakdown.

Rock^Star SG

Well, it sure won't happen but at least I can inform as many as I can.

We have the right to know.

Jontst78 SG

If there are senior people from the construction industry here, maybe they can give us a ballpark figure.

Say 16 stories with 6 units per story(4 room flats). A very rough estimate, how much to build? Excl land cost.

robertteh SG

Lands are owned by the people collectively and paid out of taxes.

If we exclude land the costs of building a 64 sq meter unit is S$50,000.00 as witnessed by a recent construction project carried out under my supervision.

If HDB sells a 3-room flat (about 60-70 sq meters) at S$150,000.00 it will be making close to S$100,000.00 if land cost is not charged again.

reddressman SG

Originally posted by walesa:

With the greatest respect, what you're expecting is akin to banking on the world's greatest government (I mean the one headed by Kim Jong Il) to shed light on all its illicit dealings and human rights violations. [b]What are the chances of that happening?

In all seriousness, accountability does not exist in fascist regimes, does it?
[/b]

I am not a scholar or high flyer. But I am confident of saying this:

Theoretically, all your problems can go away IF the people ALL decide to get rid of evil.

So, technically, the solution exist.

Life is more complicated and for many reasons, KIM's people did not unite together to get rid of the big devil.

Another reason is KIM's people do not live in a democracy.
Also, KIM's country is a 1-party state.
Also, KIM's country blocks all external access and information to enter their country. Thus, I am sure KIM controls all the MEDIA (radio, television, newspaper).

KIM's PEOPLE COLLECTIVELY can liberate themselves. The other way is External forces like USA force KIM to resign or somehow get rid of him Wink .

So, there is a solution but it requires all of KIM's people to unite and kick the bustard out of his kingdom. KIM's people most probably have been brainwashed completely and absolutely. So, even if solution exist, the body without the mind cannot act in the right way. They live in FEAR and DURESS.

walesa SG

You're not wrong - you do indeed have the right to know. That said, just think about it : why do dictatorships the world over score so poorly on press freedom? After all, is the right to be informed not a fundamental human right?

What I'm trying to say is it wouldn't be realistic for you do expect a bunch of megalomaniac despots to feed you with information which is detrimental to the image they seem to want to portray.

walesa SG

That's where the problem starts, isn't it? Utopian solutions and practical solutions are 2 seperate matters entirely.

Mind, Kim's regime is a democracy by Kim's definition. Pretty much like the shambles you have here even if it looks better than DPRK on many fronts.

Rock^Star actually addressed a very pertinent point - his sort of questions would yield answers easily in the free world just by flipping through parliamentary archives. That said, the way this regime is run isn't very far off from Kim's playground - so, all in all, you shouldn't expect a level of transparency any more tangible than the world's finest government headed by the finest leader in the world known as Kim Jong Il.