Say the good stuff, the daft only want to hear the good stuff

Below are some extracts from an article posted in the independent Singapore on the current furore over the depreciating value of HDB flats. Netizens are angry with the CEO of HDB for telling them that the value of their flats would fall as the lease got shorter.

“then-National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan told Singaporeans: “We’re proud of the asset enhancement policy. (It) has given almost all Singaporeans a home of their own…that grows in value over time.”….

current National Development Minister Lawrence Wong…majority of flats will be returned to HDB, without any compensation for homeowners, when the 99-year-lease runs out….

Dr Cheong, “You should buy a flat, as you say it commensurate with the lease. The price you pay should commensurate with the lease. As you should buy a flat that would last you a lifetime.”

Netizens criticised Dr Cheong for her “out of touch” views on how Singaporeans can monetise their flat. Not realising that the options she offered aren’t ideal goals for ordinary Singaporeans who likely hope to enjoy the fruits of their labour in their senior years….”

What Dr Cheong should say, and what the daft would want to hear, is that the value of their HDB flats would keep going up and up, even when the lease expires. This is music to their ears. Saying that the value will fall and turn to zero are bad news, unacceptable, unpalatable and anyone saying it should be slammed. Dr Cheong should be wise to say things like what Mah Bow Tan said, that the value of HDB flats would grow over time. Then she would be like by the daft, never time if what she said would be half truth or truth with many qualifications.

Let me say something the daft would like to hear. I will parrot the ministers in past saying asset enhancement will enhance the value of their HDB flats and the value will grow over time. Be happy with this news, just like be happy looking at your CPF statements seeing the value going up every time. Feel rich, feel good, just put the head inside the ground like an ostrich.

Don’t anyone dare tell the daft that the value of their HDB flats would become zero. This is unspeakable even if it is the truth, the final truth. Daft only want to hear good news, the good stuff, even if they are untruth or half truth.

The value of HDB flats

Do not be envious of the guy owning a million dollar HDB flat. You could be richer than that guy even if you are living in a $300k HDB flat. The real value of the flat is not what it is quoted. It is the real market value and the market value of HDB flat is what the market is willing to pay for it. After 50 years, the real value would take a plunge and the dive will get steeper with each passing year.
 
Why is the guy owning a $300k HDB flat richer than the guy in a $1m HDB flat? The value is time, the number of years left in the lease. As an example, the $300k flat could have a 90 year lease left but the $1m flat could be left with 50 years. So in 50 years time the guy will consume all the remainder of the lease and be left with nothing. The $300k guy would still have 40 years of lease or value.
 
In the Singapore context, many would be left eating up the remaining lease if they are not able to sell off the flat in time. For those who bought direct from HDB, they are luckier as they would not outlive their lease. For those who bought in the open market, resale, especially the younger buyers and buying flats with shorter leases, they could outlive the lease and ended up surrendering their zero value flat before they mati, and become homeless.
 
Remember, the value of your flat is measured mainly in time, the remaining lease available and the market value will fall drastically as the lease nears its expiry.
Be warned when you are considering a resale flat. Watch the years left in the lease. You could buy yourself a time bomb that would blow up in your face before you realise your folly.
 
The fake balloon of an ever appreciating HDB flat is about to be pricked. Conned? No, you choose to believe the con man. It is your fault for not thinking. In the game of musical chair, don’t be the one holding the can when the music stops.
 
Would someone in Parliament one day blurb out that the HDB is not yours just like your CPF money is not yours, but a longer rental, like the cars with a longer COE.

The evil Empire and its wicked allies will not leave Syria

They lost the war in Syria and their monster ISIS is about to be terminated for good. What can they do to keep the flame of ISIS burning and to keep Syria and the Arab/Muslim world in perpetual disorder, in unending turmoil?
 
The latest plan, threw a few chemical bombs at the Syrian civilians, get the western media to blow it up, then accused Assad and the Syrians for using chemical weapons at their own people. Keep shouting, keep beating the drum, get all the wicked and evil European powers to shout the same tune. This would make the unthinking believe that it was Assad and the Russians that used chemical weapons. And this is the perfect excuse, just like WMD, to start a new war in Syria. This time it would be the combined forces of the evil American Empire and their die hard rogue European powers to invade Syria and to attack Assad.
 
The AFP reported, “The US, backed by Britain and France, has said it is ready to act with or without support from the United Nations, where the Security Council was to vote on rival US and Russian proposals to probe chemical attacks in Syria.” Trump said the missiles would be flying into Syria. Such blatant act of war is received by the meek in the world as the right of the evil Empire and their equally bad European countries. The evil Empire and its rogue allies would not want to take any chances to prove that they were the real culprits that used chemical weapons on Syrians. They wanted to do a fait accompli, to attack Syria first before anyone could stop them. Their only agenda is to keep Syria burning and the troops from the evil Empire in Syrian soil.
 
The loudmouth school girl representing the US in the UN said, “History will record this as the moment when the Security Council either discharged its duty or demonstrated its utter and complete failure to protect the people of Syria.” Who was she referring to, the evil Empires and the rogue European powers planning to invade Syria and kill Syrians and turned their country into another dysfunctional state like Libya and Iraq? Would the UN have the guts to say No to the evil Empire and stop them from invading Syria?
 
Unlikely, as the evil Empire is above international law and above the UN. They would invade Syria come what may. The UN is hopeless, hapless. The only man that can stop this evil Empire and the rogue nations from invading Syria and killing the Syrians is Putin. Would Putin stand up to face the evil Empire and the rogue nations of the world? This would be a severe test for Putin and Russia’s influence in the region and their ability to protect and defend their allies. His credibility already dented with the Israeli attack on the airbase and not doing anything. Should the evil Americans and the rogue European nations attack again and Russia not reacting, then it would be the end of Russia in the Middle East. They have fought so bravely to protect Assad so far but their effort would be wasted.
 
The world is now treated to another huge White Lie, that Assad would use chemical weapons on his own people and to give the evil Empire the very excuse to invade and kill him. How many more White Lies from the evil Empire and the rogue nations would the nations of world have to live with before calling a spade a spade, that all the troubles and wars are created and started by the evil Empire and the rogue nations in Europe?
The main agenda of the evil Empire and the rogue European powers is to keep the Arab and Muslim nations in a state of flux and turmoil and unable to rebuild their countries and their lives.
 
When would the evil Empire and the rogue European nations be punished and pay for the crimes against human rights, against the Arabs and Muslim nations, against humanity? Putin alone cannot do the job. The pack of wolves would eat him up. This is their standard op, joined forces to attack countries one at a time. They are going to attack Venezeula, the Russians in Europe, Iran, North Korea and China in the South China Sea. These countries must wise up and united to fight them. If they don’t they would be screwed real bad when their turn comes.

When HDB millionaires become ‘million airs’

Goh Meng Seng wrote a piece titled ‘The greatest fake news is from the PAP’ in the TRE to belabour the point that the value of HDB flat will come to zero as the lease expires. This is the stark reality facing many HDB flat owners. The dream of retiring rich, with a big nest egg is going to turn into a nightmare for some. The mirage of asset enhancement has yet to hit many and many are still hoping that it would not hit them. 

Hold on to your HDB flats, the value will only go up. Many took this advice, some out of no choice. Those whose flats are hitting the 50 year lease are finding it difficult to sell them in the market. There is no buyer except for those due for en bloc scheme.
 
As each day or year passes by, the more difficult it will be to sell these flats. They could only sit helplessly watching the value of their flats disappearing into thin air. The millions they thought they owned are simply a make belief. For those who are still holding onto their million dollar flats and with the lease nearing 50 years, either they sell quickly or seeing the asset value vanishing. Who would be buying a depreciating asset that is falling in price unless the offer price is like fire sale?
 
This state of affair is going to be more real with each passing year and many would be wise to let go of their HDB flats fast, if they could, and still could find a place to stay. Otherwise, it would be just a case of cannot do anything and staring at the value going to zero. Would there be a mad rush to sell, would there be panic selling?
 
The other option to fall back on is the buy back scheme, provided the value is holding. Remember, it would be based on market price. The earlier one opts in the better. Who knows, when they is a flood of people wanting to cash in on this scheme, there may not be enough cash for them and the scheme would quickly be tweaked.
 
The story of HDB millionaires turning into ‘million airs’ is still unfolding and will gather steam in another two or three decades and going forward. There are more than a million HDB millionaires in the queue to be ‘million airs’.

Below are some of the comments in Goh Meng Seng’s article.
 
“The biggest, greatest Falsehood that was cooked up by PAP Government is the Asset Enhancement Scheme and HDB for retirement financing....
 
They have messed up the HDB system so badly that there is no way of reversing the bad scam without causing Huge pain to a few generations of Singaporeans. In the end, Singaporeans were told that not all of their HDB will enjoy enbloc. In fact, the majority (96%) will have the values of their HDB flats turn to zero value when their lease is up. Did they tell Singaporeans about this critical information back in 1990s when they keep harping on Asset Enhancement Scheme? A half-truth is selective falsehood....”

All the fake news – from official sources

The Trump Administration launched a trade war against China, raising tariffs after tariffs. China responded in kind with its own tariffs. The Americans then said it is not in a trade war and both sides are talking. Trump then said China would bring down its trade barriers, would open up. All this looked so real.
 
China has replied. China has not been talking to the Americans for months, and definitely not since trump started this trade war. And China is not going to talk to the Americans until the Americans back down from its wild allegations and threats of sanctions and tariffs.
 
See the fake news and the source of the fake news?
 
The Assad govt is using chemical weapons against the rebels and the Syrians. Russia used the most deadly gas against its ex spy, Skripal and daughter in England. The gas is 10 times more deadly than VX used on Kim Jong Nam. Kim died, but Skripal and daughter are alive and well.
 
The western govts are ganging up like a pack of wolves to accuse Russia and Syria for using chemical weapons. And all the western media, the MSM, are pointing the fingers at the Russians and the Syrians. Trump called Assad animal. But who is the biggest and most evil animal? No need to guess.
 
Who is spreading fake news? Who are the evil ones using chemicals and putting the blame of the Russians and the Assad govt? No need to guess. It is fake news galore in the western media. Who is going to punish the originator and spreader of fake news?