Yesterday, The Strait Times just published an article that not only insist that housing in Singapore is affordable, it also state that home buyers are creating problems for themselves because they buy bigger places than they can comfortably finance.
It then went on to say Singaporeans also want to live in 'mature' towns or to be near their parents for the selfish child-minding convenience. It then added; “If they choose to be obstinate about quirks, they should not be hectoring the HDB for impossible concessions.”
Now almost everyone knows and accept that The Strait Times is the mouthpiece of the Singapore government, but even by that standard this is a strange one. I have argued a few days ago that houses in Singapore are more expensive than it was 10 years ago and that I know of no Singaporeans who would say that property is more affordable now than 10 years ago.
Now I can understand The Strait Times wanting to defend National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan’s statement that property in Singapore are still affordable, but this article The Strait Times put together make no sense.
First off, don’t the Singapore government want children to live near their parents? Because if I read the article right, it doesn’t. The Strait Times seems to be saying that we shouldn’t and that families should be spilt apart, the further the better. Maybe it’s back to the idea of throwing old parents to old folks home in Malaysia.
Also I want to know what’s this “homebuyers creating problems for themselves because they buy bigger places than they can comfortably finance.” Most Singaporean I know are just aiming for a 3 room flat; is The Strait Times arguing that Singaporeans should just aim for a 2 room flat and give all 3 room/4 room flats to foreigners?
Because that’s the real reason why property prices are so high now isn’t it? Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that for the past few years, Singapore has accepted more than 100,000 foreigners per year. Now there are 100,000 new foreigners each year. Even if you squeeze them 10 to a flat, that’s still not enough because HDB only built something like 8,000 flats per year. That’s not even counting our own Singaporeans!
And that’s why property prices are sky high now. It’s simple maths. Maybe The Strait Times can try it sometimes.
10 comments:
10 to 1? Don't give The Strait Times any ideas, next they'll say it should to 20 to 1.
Isn't that conspicuous that even the editors who wrote the ShittyTimes article don't even dare to put down their name to claim their highfalutin junk ?
All said and done I am a Singaporean and have been jobless for the past 5 months while I see non-Singaporeans getting jobs and some even buying condos. My NS stint, my loyalty to Singapore in 1965 ( when my relatives deserted Singapore en masse to migrate ) makes no difference at all. It is time political parties took up this slogan for : A Singaporean Singapore. After all , if MM clamoured for a Malaysian Malaysia, they can't possibly object to a Singaporean Singapore.
There’s nothing wrong with foreigners coming to Singapore to work, everyone need to make a living but the way government and The Strait Times are turning left and right to avoid mentioning them as the cause of sky high property prices is just comical
It only goes to prove that our Govt did not consider properly the problems that we would bound to face in their unfettered haste to increase our targetted population to 6 million.
Now with a population of 4.8 million we already face so many problems in unemployment, low wages, rising inflation, medical expenses, limited university places, crowded buses & MRT, unaffordable HDB prices, etc. I can't imagine what Singapore would be like with a targetted 6 million population.
For better or for worse, only time will tell. But can we afford to wait for these problems to be compounded ? Is it time that we send a clear signal to our PAP govt that we are not happy with all these current policies ?
Our garhmen is too focus to compete for everything-the best, the only ,the most, the top. All these at all costs. Look at F1 race as an example. The first night race in the world right in the heart of the city. The end result--traffic jams,pollution,inconveniences,untold retail business losses etc.
Others-to be leading Financial Hub and the result ? Investors heavy losses in Lehman products which are so toxics that many countries do not want to sell them but widely advertised and promoted here. And now with the huge influx of foreigners as we want to be "big" the consequences are high property prices and depressed wages.
Hooray... So much for being a Singaporean.
"Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Well, that statement cost Kennedy his life, but it certainly have no effect on the greater mortals up there...
It's time to collect our dues?
There an election coming up so you may have your chance...if the opposition has the guts to contest all the seats this time
Affordability vs need is the problem all over the world.Singapore is not a exception
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