3/06/2009
Affordability Key to HDB flats
Ignatius Lourdesamy is working overtime to reply to the numerous questioning of HDB pricing of its flats. So far HDB has been explaining that the flats are all affordable as there is a range of flats to fit every pocket. The issue is why are the people not accepting this explanation and why are the people so unhappy with HDB? There seems to be a big gap of difference or perception between the two parties.
In a way HDB is right. Just buy within your means. Just work out on 21% of your income and go for the flats that one can afford. The buyers must be wrong here. If they cannot afford a bigger flat, they must buy a smaller one.
The other issue which many are still having a big doubt over their heads is with respect to the costing of the flats. First is the commercial interest and market pricing policy of HDB. This must have cheesed off a lot of the buyers.
The second point is the costing. How did HDB work out their costs? The most important part of this puzzle is the land cost. I don't think anyone is going to agree with the way HDB cost their land. And that may be the reason why this is often spoken but no details will be given. Then there are the other costs which the people will be curious to know.
HDB is a public housing organisation to build flats for the people. It is not a commercial or private enterprise no matter what it calls itself. It has a public responsibility to serve the interest of the people for the privilege position it is in. At the rate it is going, the animosity towards HDB will keep growing when its priorities do not match the perception and interest of the people it is supposed to be serving.
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9 comments:
"HDB is a public housing organisation to ... serve the interest of the people ..."
What people?
The majority of low income sporeans are CUSTOMERS of govt depts. Customers cannot be service like People. Customers have power of money only. If money not enough to meet the price of a service, Customer should shop elsewhere (eg=JB) and not hang around here whinning for gahmen handouts.
yes master. i go jb or pj.
Er, then don't call it PUBLIC housing when you are:
1. Using public monies as capital
2. Using public land
3. Don't feel you need to reveal cost to public
Public housing means - housing for public. Simple.
It often means the housing built is for those who can't afford if you go by overseas meaning.
If not, open it up to the market and let the private companies handle it. That's why you call them PRIVATE companies because their monies come privately, or through profits.
Kaffein
hi kaffein, to us laymen, this is very logical. but if you try to explain to the supertalents or the masters, they will find it very illogical. their logic is out of this world.
In little red dot, anything that is kept under wraps is to provide leeway for fiddling with numbers. So, rest assured you can never find out how they do their HDB costing, or how much is in our reserves etc.
Since nobody knows the detail costing of HDB flats, nobody can refute their calculations. Since nobody can refute their calculations, it is up to them to price their flats so that it more or less cleans out the citizen's entire CPF savings.
This effectively kills two birds with one stone. On the one hand HDB can make maximum profits from what Singaporeans can afford with their CPF contributions. Secondly, it lessens the burden of CPF lump sum withdrawals upon retirement and also the payment of CPF interest.
HDB, like all 'social programs' has long departed from its socialist roots to provide subsidized (take from the productive, transfer to the unproductive) housing for people.
HDB, for many years has morphed into a very effective political tool, used to manipulate voter opinion during elections, and to bribe or scare the population into supporting the government.
> HDB is a public housing organisation to build flats for the people. It is not a commercial or private enterprise no matter what it calls itself. <
In your dreams. I'd better not wake you up... or you'll blame the cold hard truth of reality on me :)
Keep sleeping dear redbean. Sweet dreams!
"Er, then don't call it PUBLIC housing when you are:
1. Using public monies as capital
2. Using public land
3. Don't feel you need to reveal cost to public"
exactly! that why i am damn pissed. those fuxxers are killing us & yet many continue to be grateful because they fail to see thru the deception.
you can con all the people all the time. you can see the huge machinery labouring just to keep turning the wheel.
So, yesh, in that sense (being a private individual), HDB (Ho De Bo/何得勃 - HOw to acquire eLection) is by extension a private concern/entity.
Hope this clears for all ill-informed sillypoo-lang.
Thank you for writing to Foreign Page.
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