SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan has rebutted the opposition's criticisms on the government's housing policies and painted a bleak picture of Tampines under the opposition.
Mr Mah, who is facing a contest from the National Solidarity Party (NSP) at the GRC, said a Tampines town run by the NSP will have flats with no premium finishing, no community facilities and no upgrading as the opposition is against asset enhancement.
And this means flat values will remain the same forever.
"They (NSP) offer you cheap shelter, we (PAP) provide you good homes. That is the difference. They go on and on about housing. We focus on building families, on fostering neighbourliness, on nurturing a community. That is the difference. They say this contest in Tampines is about me. No! This election is about you, you, you the people of Tampines, about our shared future, and what we can do together to make this our best home. That is the difference," said Mr Mah.
Speaking at a rally in Tampines Stadium on Thursday night, Mr Mah said it is not true that the HDB is making profits from the sale of flats.
He said HDB loses about a billion dollars a year on the Home Ownership Programme.
And Mr Mah said this clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment towards public housing.
Mr Mah added the opposition is also wrong when it warns that using CPF funds for housing means that there will not be enough money for retirement.
For one, members cannot use all their funds for housing.
On the Workers' Party's complaint that the 30-year mortgage is too long, Mr Mah pointed out that Singaporeans can choose to decide whether to take a 20-, 25- or 30-year loan.
But even when they take up a 20-year loan, new HDB flats are still within reach, with buyers using about a third of their monthly income to service their mortgage.
Countering the NSP charge that HDB flats are not affordable, Mr Mah said data shows that most new flat buyers do not need to use cash to pay for their deposit or monthly instalments.
"Of course the NSP claims this doesn’t mean that public housing is affordable. If that’s the case, then I do not know what NSP means by being affordable. And so far they have not given me an answer," he said.
Mr Mah also debunked the NSP's claim that there is a 24- to 36-month-long waiting time for rental flats.
He had already said in Parliament that the wait is eight months.
Mr Mah said home ownership is not a dream, but a reality attained by many Singaporeans.
And while he acknowledged that the HDB has many rules and regulations, it exercises flexibility to help truly deserving cases.
- CNA/ir
Mr Mah, who is facing a contest from the National Solidarity Party (NSP) at the GRC, said a Tampines town run by the NSP will have flats with no premium finishing, no community facilities and no upgrading as the opposition is against asset enhancement.
And this means flat values will remain the same forever.
"They (NSP) offer you cheap shelter, we (PAP) provide you good homes. That is the difference. They go on and on about housing. We focus on building families, on fostering neighbourliness, on nurturing a community. That is the difference. They say this contest in Tampines is about me. No! This election is about you, you, you the people of Tampines, about our shared future, and what we can do together to make this our best home. That is the difference," said Mr Mah.
Speaking at a rally in Tampines Stadium on Thursday night, Mr Mah said it is not true that the HDB is making profits from the sale of flats.
He said HDB loses about a billion dollars a year on the Home Ownership Programme.
And Mr Mah said this clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment towards public housing.
Mr Mah added the opposition is also wrong when it warns that using CPF funds for housing means that there will not be enough money for retirement.
For one, members cannot use all their funds for housing.
On the Workers' Party's complaint that the 30-year mortgage is too long, Mr Mah pointed out that Singaporeans can choose to decide whether to take a 20-, 25- or 30-year loan.
But even when they take up a 20-year loan, new HDB flats are still within reach, with buyers using about a third of their monthly income to service their mortgage.
Countering the NSP charge that HDB flats are not affordable, Mr Mah said data shows that most new flat buyers do not need to use cash to pay for their deposit or monthly instalments.
"Of course the NSP claims this doesn’t mean that public housing is affordable. If that’s the case, then I do not know what NSP means by being affordable. And so far they have not given me an answer," he said.
Mr Mah also debunked the NSP's claim that there is a 24- to 36-month-long waiting time for rental flats.
He had already said in Parliament that the wait is eight months.
Mr Mah said home ownership is not a dream, but a reality attained by many Singaporeans.
And while he acknowledged that the HDB has many rules and regulations, it exercises flexibility to help truly deserving cases.
- CNA/ir
