11/11/2011

Smaller flats do not compromise on quality of life

This is another political truth that Singaporeans are going to make to believe in. Drinking shit water is good. No car will not affect the quality of life. Two working parents too will not affect family life as quality time is more important. HDB flats are affordable, are affordable and stop complaining that it is not.

Singaporeans are not gullible. They are only easily made to believe whatever political truths they are made to believe. Foreign talents are here to help them and not competing with them for jobs or facilities. Foreign talents are better than local talents.

As far as living in small flats or mickey mouse flats are concerned, just compared with Hongkong and Japan and we will feel so blessed. In Hongkong a designer can even turn a 300 sq ft unit into a lifestyle statement. On entering the unit, he says, welcome to my living room. Then he pull down a shelf, without moving from the spot he is standing, he will say, welcome to my kitchen, next by moving a panel, he says, this is my toilet. Then pushing another panel and pulling out a sofa bed, he says here is my bedroom.

All high tech staff, futuristic, with expensively designed furniture and fittings. His life style is definitely not affected. In fact he will show off his cleverly designed flat as a statement of style.

Seriously, what kind of flats, what size is needed for a decent flat to raise a family with two children? Have we forgotten about family and children? Maybe we have accepted that the family shall be small, with one or two children or no children at all. Get use to the smaller flats. There is no contradiction or conflict in policies, definitely.

But having two children still needs a lot of space for growing up, for grandparents or a maid. Oh, we used to have many bodies in a cubicle. Two on the beds, two under the beds, one on the table, one under the table, one in the kitchen and a few more in every corner of the room. How can we complain about smaller flats? We have progressed, like back to the future.

The thing is that why are we squeezing our people into smaller spaces. Or is it to make room for more foreigners, for 10m population? Is a bigger population indispensable, which our progress depends on it and is the quality of our life? If the quality of life is living in smaller and smaller flats that are going to cost more and more, I think this kind of progress can be done without.

Are we serious in wanting parents to have children, to have three tiered families? Sure, it only depends on whether you can afford it. Having more children and three tiered families in a 10,000 sq ft or 20,000 sq ft property should be no problem. When you can’t afford that, live within your means and try clever redesigning, clever use of space like squeezing the maids with the grands or the children or in the store room.

The quality of our life style will definitely not be affected. It is only an issue of affordability and living within your means.

20 comments:

  1. Me knows that beautiful lady will upset You for a long time to come.
    However, You must not be upset, angry and be indignant with her.

    She probably is one of the many civil servants that we have in our system who only knows how to work. BUT knows little about livings. They know technology, administration and management from their studies. When it comes to livings, they have little or no feeling for fellow men, they had books and computers as their best foods. They have cars and BIG HOUSES as their possessions and prides. HOW THE HELL DO THESE PEOPLE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LIVING IN A PIGEON HOLE???

    Can the man in the street reason and argue with these administrators with authority? Forget about it, they will scold the plebeians for been lazy, lowly educated, we are morons to them.

    Hey! Me sounds angry too huh!
    No, me very worry leh, these people are turning fellow citizens into birds leh. Even a gentle smiling gal did not talk liked a human, she spoke like a chicken breeder.

    patriot

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  2. Why am I no surprised by yet-another-negative-post by redbean?

    People in HK and high density Jap cities have been living 'shoulder to shoulder' for decades, without any significant problems. Most of them don't even complain any more because high density living has become their "norm".

    There is no other way to accomodate 9-15 million people unless there is more efficient use of space for living.

    I can see Johor and the neighbouring islands opening up for living as well, connected by high speed mass transpot of various kinds.

    The world is getting more crowded, and most resources are limited. Therefore one can expect prices to rise and more efficient uses of resources discovered and implemented.

    However no one is stopping you from consuming more resources, if you so choose. All you have to do is pay for it... and you can have bigger car, bigger house, your own personal live-in doctor, servants and harems.

    Anyone who has serious mental issues with change or adaptation to change can willingly remove themselves from the gene pool, doing humanity a huge favour in the process :-)

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  3. This is the new normal that Singaporeans don't need and don't want. Those who want this kind of normal, do the necessary. Those who don't, do the necessary.

    I have never disputed your statement that the people deserved the govt they get.

    The choice is in the hands of the Singaporeans.

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  4. Can we look at it that the living space is increased due to smaller family...
    50 years ago... big 3 generation house with 10 rooms... probably 300 sq meter... host 20 to 30 persons.
    30 years ago... nuclear family in 4 rm flat... 110 sq meter... host 5 persons; parents plus 3 kids.
    Now... downsize family in 4 rm flat 90 sq meter... host 3 to 4 persons; parents plus 1 or 2 kids or none.

    Simple calculation will show an increase in average living space for each individual.

    Thus the lady has just dished out a pile of BULL SHIT!!!

    Future implications.... seems like government is able to control population by down sizing flats... thus will come a day where Singapore produces no more babies or have no more married couples due to smaller flat... that may be less than 10 meters to ensure we can have > 10 millions... in the name of GDP growth.... and quality of LIFE.

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  5. They may wan to shrink the size of the people to 5 ft. Walla, the rooms look bigger instantly.

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  6. Eh? How about some genetic engineering to shrink sinkies to pigeon size?

    Saycheese

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  7. Greatest bullshit that I ever heard.

    Try talking to the average Hongkie (pardon my language), or to the Japanese and S Korean living in the cities. They don't bring you to their home for social gathering because theirs are too small. Yes their social lives are effected but luckily they have the country side to go for escapee, except the unfortunate Hongkie who has to bear with it. Those who are capable will migrate to Australia, NZ and US for a new style of living.

    So what do we have in Singapore?

    Perhaps for those who are capable we should start contemplating on migrating. The Govt should also start thinking of importing FT to do the NS duties to defend Singapore.

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  8. That's why I called it political truth. Small is good mah!

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  9. @Matilah_Singapore,

    Are you a Singaporean?

    I am a average Singaporean and one of the 3.2 million, and why should I let 6-12 million extra people (I assume there are foreigners as our population cannot grow to 9-15 millions unless we produce like rabbits in coming years) to reduce my living space.

    As old man LKY said that you will defend a country only when you have a stake in it. But will I defend a country when I have a small insignificant stake.

    Sure the world is getting crowded
    that is why the Govt has to manage the immigration into this country, letting the right people in and provide good living space and condition in Singapore for its citizens.

    You only defend a country when it is worth living in it.

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  10. smaller flats do not mean lower quality of life...Ha,ha,ha,ha ha.....

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  11. So so many post delete by author? Because they said the true??
    ""This post has been removed by the Author.""

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  12. dare to say this crap on national TV. Skin very thick leh ! Who are they trying to fool.

    Even a kid knows that he is cheated if he pays the same price for a smaller lolly. Talk about HDB flat. raiding the people's CPF account !!

    Hsq

    Matilah, u are really too optimistic. I totally disagree with you !

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  13. The solution is to build higher but maintain same flat size. Singapore HDB flats are not as high as the HK or Tokyo ones. There is still room to go. Quality of life will not be affected by high-rise building, in fact, a city can cleverly build lots of high-rise building to house the residents while keeping vast land area for park and open space for social activities. This is the future city. No car, renewable energy, minimum travel, well built, and healthy city. Singapore is yet to be one. Do you guys know that Singapore is never the most advanced city in the world? If you think it is, it is because you have been brainwashed by the government and have yet to see the world.

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  14. My Ah Kong's kampong land can be built into dozens of blocks of flats and we are resettled into pigeon holes without complaining.
    So there is little reason for you guys to complain about living in a smaller space.Be happy enough that you have a roof.
    But you all also can be like me and turn your castle into a place without wall.
    I sleep at the park and Gor Kah Kee sometimes.No wall.Very spacious.

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  15. Agongkia may have the opportunity to discover that his sleep at the 'goh kah kee' and or park could cost more than if he stays at the many budget hotels in Geylang and Balestier.
    Somemore makan at these two places 24 hrs leh with plenty of meimeis around.

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  16. Anon 9:12, please do not try to be mischievious. All the posts that are deleted are deleted by the authors who posted them.

    Two, I have seen several posts disappearing after being posted. Could it be the evil hands that are doing the deleting and trying to point the finger at me?

    I have reposted one by Southernglory. I have seen another post by a Gary disappearing. I will try to get it back on monday if I can trace it.

    This blog does not erase any post highhandedly even if the post is by the devil. Only outright vulgarities or hate posts will be removed and I will state so if ever I have to do it.

    I welcome good contrarian views, not sneaky pests.

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  17. @Anon 532

    Yes, I am Singaporean - born, bred, NSF, I pay CPF, Medisave, voter, heartland, registered corporation... And I stand at attention when I sing the national anthem.

    I also support OPEN BORDERS and a free labour market. 9 million? Bring it on!!

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  18. Why you want to sabo us? Some unthinking sinkies will think this is a good idea just because you said so.

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  19. Wah, Redbean... You blame me because "unthinking Sporeans ". (your words) might believe me.

    Blame the messenger huh? I Fuck you with a rotten during!

    Ok? I Sedap sekali!

    9-15 million population? Imagine the possibilities you bunch of negative thinking, shallow, small-minded cunts.

    Wake the fuck up and get real lah!

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  20. Hi Gary, I managed to recover this post of yours.

    Redbean,

    Topics like these are best discussed by people who have declared the status of their current living environment - two, 3, 4 rooms HDB, EC, Condos, landed, luxury home district etc?

    In fact it is perhaps best discussed in a seminar where identified home owners state their views ie based on your housing type.

    You see what I am getting at? A who lives in a Bukit Timah bungalow, for example, IMB (in my book), has no business telling HDB residents about what they think for the simple logic that they would be guilty of trying to dispense/prescribe views that they themselves don't have to live with, quiet literally. Hardly an objective viewpoint don't you think?

    In the same way, Singaporeans are generally troubled by the decisions and comments of govt which they can very obviously see as not being applicable to the speakers concerned or worse, out of touch with their own experiences and reality.

    But it is not impossible for such views to be put across IF and only IF ALL factors and arguments and reasonings necessary to understanding are in good faith put forth TOGETHER AND AT THE SAME TIME with such comments, AND people are given the opportunity to ask questions, to counter propose and basically feedback what they think and feel about it, AND it is INCUMBENT and OBLIGATORY of any GOOD administration to thoroughly and adequately answer them. If govt don't think a counter proposal would work, say why with all the answers and reasons supported with hard data and facts and superior reasoning. And I mean real hard data not just mere unsupported statements. On this, there is a saying that there are lies, damned lies and statistics. So we must not be ride rough shod over with questionable, creative answers which take liberty with the truth.

    In order not to seem to be MANIPULATIVE, DATA PROVIDED MUST ALL BE PROVIDED AT ONCE, AT THE SAME TIME. AS ANY SELECTIVE, PIECEMEAL, GIVEN ONLY WHEN PUSHED OR ASKED FOR AND DELAYED RESPONSES WOULD BE JUSTIFIABLY SUSPECTED OF BEING HELD BACK, ENGINEERED AND TIMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF MANIPULATION. THIS WOULD BE AN INSULT TO US ALL AND BASICALLY WOULD BOMB TO SMITHEREENS ANY FURTHER TRUST BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND GOVT .

    HAVEN'T WE SEEN ENOUGH OF THESE GOVT TACTICS AT THE LAST TWO ELECTIONS?

    There has to be the supposition on the people's part that there ARE valid or better reasons or ideas from the govt and they the citizens are important and respected enough for govt to want to explain to and be taken into confidence, in order to get the general public or the majority to buy in.

    Time consuming? Well, isn't it obvious then the process should be started early/earlier and professionally handled? ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY! If it seems like a long way to go at this juncture, it is justified for us to say that the govt which has 40 years to do it, but has not done it, is more to blame really.

    Utopian? No. Only two ingredients are needed: WILL AND SINCERITY, which are sadly in short supply from the govt's end at the present moment.

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