Hougang goes for lift upgrading vote

[silentisgolden]

SINGAPORE: Residents in 20 blocks in Hougang Avenue 5 and 7 will be voting over the next two weeks to vote for lift upgrading.

Those living in Blocks 320 to 328 will start to cast their votes tomorrow, while residents living in Blocks 332 to 337, 339 to 341 and Blocks 359 and 361 will begin voting next Friday.

New lifts will be added to these blocks and existing ones will be upgraded to serve every floor.

While upgrading was raised as a hot topic in last month's Hougang by-election, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said precincts in Hougang have been identified for the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) since 2009.

Speaking at a National University of Singapore Society event on June 21, Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang said the LUP "has not even started for about 80 per cent or more of the HDB flats in Hougang".

In a statement, the HDB said the LUP for 11 of the 20 blocks were announced on Oct 31, 2010 and the process is "no different" from the other LUP precincts island-wide. After a precinct is identified for LUP, the HDB said a local working committee will be formed, which will generally comprise the local adviser, residents, grassroots leaders as well as representatives from the HDB and the Town Councils.

The committee will gather feedback from residents to ensure that the proposed design is technically feasible, cost-effective and meets residents' needs.

"Depending on the complexity of the block design, configuration and local situation, it may take several months or more than a year before the LUP solution is finalised and ready for polling," HDB said.

Mr Desmond Choo, adviser to Hougang's Grassroots Organisations, said the assessment of the blocks and handing out tenders to suitable contractors "takes time". The process, however, could be "faster as there was a higher percentage of senior citizens living in the ward who would benefit from the LUP", he added.

Hougang's Member of Parliament Png Eng Huat said he was "happy for the residents living in those blocks" and was "sure most of them will welcome the overdue LUP".

The HDB said it aims to achieve direct lift access for all eligible blocks island-wide by December 2014.

- TODAY

 

[johnny333]

It's kind of sad that in "world class" Spore where MPs are paid $$$,$$$,$$$, lift upgrading is a major political issue

 

[Cruxx]

Lift fucking upgrading? What's next? Vote for PAP and get a free hello kitty? Sinkies will always be sinkies.

 

[Sideswipe]

the LUP is a forever major local issue in sg politics. really bored of this.

 

[Jlokta]

the LUP is a forever major local issue in sg politics. really bored of this.

give it a couple of GEs, maybe next time the PAP wards are those that will be at the last of the queue for any form of upgrades.

 

[streetsmart73]

It's kind of sad that in "world class" Spore where MPs are paid $$$,$$$,$$$, lift upgrading is a major political issue

hi there


1. hahahaha!
2. as one sister put it: real people's ministers mah!
3. taking too long for the real hougang residents.
4. i salute the real people of hougang who did not give up & stand tall!

 

[sleaguepunter]

hi there


1. hahahaha!
2. as one sister put it: real people's ministers mah!
3. taking too long for the real hougang residents.
4. i salute the real people of hougang who did not give up & stand tall!

heong kong low,

we dont need you salute, we want u to do your part. 21 years just to get salute a bit too long oredy.

btw, there a quite a number of hongkees staying in HG ave 5. Almost one 4 rm block consist mainly of ex heong kong yen.

 

[Cruxx]

heong kong low,

we dont need you salute, we want u to do your part. 21 years just to get salute a bit too long oredy.

btw, there a quite a number of hongkees staying in HG ave 5. Almost one 4 rm block consist mainly of ex heong kong yen.

streetsmart73 hasn't naturalised? 点解?

 

[Heshe]

the LUP is a forever major local issue in sg politics. really bored of this.

Yes it is a issue as you said. But qualitatively speaking, the diry polticians of the PAP 'made a non-issue INTO ans issue' Why?. Simple. What are we RECITING, daily pledge for almost 300 days a year, 3000 days for 10 years, and if ONE study in school for 20 years, we recite the daily pledge 6,000 times in OUR LIFETIME, and this is the way treated US - those who disagree get ffkk off, EVEN no matter how much tax u pay... The pledge is to BRAINWASH you, not to tell you how the PAP treat Singaporeans AS ONE.

 

[Tension68]

Previously, in almost all the past GEs, pappies dangled all kinds of upgrades to "ensnare" voters. They fed the "greediness and neediness" of the sg ppl. They inadvertently created, and IMHO, are still cultivating the kiasu, kiasi mentality that we haf known in our own ppl.

Think of it this way, other wards got LUP, other upgrades.. so the residents think, "oh.. we must haf olso.. otherwise our apt. value will go down...:.. and then "if we dun vote for them.. no upgrades..." will sink in.. very kiasu and kiasi. But can we blame them? They got brainwashed.

But the Hougang BE has taught all voters a valuable lesson. They were not entirely sold on the upgrades.. heck, in the Chinese paper, Shin Min, some residents even said that if no lifts at every floor, they can walk... (!!!) That's courage and guts.. and also a clear mind in the midst of all who tried to confuse and disrupt.

After the BE, alot of frens I noe haf been asking me what I felt.. and even voicing out that taxpayers' monies should not be used at "voting bribes".. that is in their own words. We pay taxes, direct or indirect.. and when our money, which should be used to make all within our community, and society, are being used as "vote baits" is a sign of desperation, as well as lousy campaign tactics. (my own view here, along with my frens)

They felt that (afer so many years), the Hougang residents who voted for the WP, had sort of hit them on their heads and woken them up. I could only ask them, "what took you so long?"

Hurrah for the Hougang residents who are getting the LUP.. continue to fight for the equal rights that you rightfully should haf, with all Sg Voters and citizens..

 

[Baluku]

He's Hougang New Messiah!! LOL!

 

[steffychun]

Third World Singapore. i dont think some third world countries have this policy

 

[moolightaffairs]

He's Hougang New Messiah!! LOL!

looks like 陳雷!!!

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z9qGmA5rHmc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[laksaboy]

Lift upgrading is not what it's cracked up to be.

You'll still have to pay (if you're living on a floor that is already serviced by existing lifts, you'll pay less).

The new lifts (Sigma brand, not Fujitec) break down quite often.

A new lift may destroy the facade of the HDB block. The lift may also block the view, block sunshine and make the overall stairwell ventilation worse.

 

[Tension68]

Third World Singapore. i dont think some third world countries have this policy

good point
Sg voters shud not haf voted bcos they want or "need" such things.. they nvr think of wat is mre impt.. lifts at every floor at their HDB apts.. which doesn't really belong to them even after paying off the whole sum to HDB.. and can be "told" to find another place if their current block is slated for redevelopment or en-block or watever...or jobs for them in the near future.. for their children.. and their grandchildren.

That's wat I consider mre impt.. and I believe.. so did the Hougang residents who voted for WP.
Lift upgrades.. Phah.. to quote from a resident who responded to Shin Min's reporter's question on wat to do if no lift upgrades, "No lift to my floor, I walk lor. I can climb the stairs de."

 

[sleaguepunter]

an elder told me this in dialect, pap wu aw kee, hougang langs wu aw goon. basically mean pap are arrogant but ppl of hougang got back bone.

even PP ppl cannot compare as they turn to the bribes given by the pap. they are stupid as if they continue with SPP, they too will get LUP. Already tahan so many yrs liao, so why cannot wait till 2014?

as for the rest of the nation, you ppl continue to put price of flats over futures of the younger generations. May more FTrashs continue to come and turn you neighbourhood into ghettos, lose your jobs to FTrashs and flip burgers for the FTrashs.

 

[steffychun]

good point
Sg voters shud not haf voted bcos they want or "need" such things.. they nvr think of wat is mre impt.. lifts at every floor at their HDB apts.. which doesn't really belong to them even after paying off the whole sum to HDB.. and can be "told" to find another place if their current block is slated for redevelopment or en-block or watever...or jobs for them in the near future.. for their children.. and their grandchildren.

That's wat I consider mre impt.. and I believe.. so did the Hougang residents who voted for WP.
Lift upgrades.. Phah.. to quote from a resident who responded to Shin Min's reporter's question on wat to do if no lift upgrades, "No lift to my floor, I walk lor. I can climb the stairs de."

Even Iraq under Saddam was not like this

 

[Cruxx]

Even Iraq under Saddam was not like this

The only measure of a cuntry is the number of iphones the people possess. Everything else is academic. Justice can't put food on the table after all.

 

[steffychun]

The only measure of a cuntry is the number of iphones the people possess. Everything else is academic. Justice can't put food on the table after all.

Singapore rates low then.