1. Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has finally conceded what the National Solidarity Party (NSP) has been saying all along: that the government’s liberal immigration policy was poorly thought out, and has had an adverse impact on housing plans. In his comments reported by The Straits Times on 7 September 2010, SM Goh offers the implausible excuse that the government was “caught by surprise”.
2. Given that the government sets quotas on the number of foreign workers to be let in to the country every year, it is ridiculous for the government to claim that it was caught flat footed by a sudden surge in immigrants.
3. Mr Mah has said as early back as 2007 that Singapore is planning for a 6.5 million person population within the next 20 years. Apparently, as a Cabinet Minister, Minister Mah is well aware of the direction that this government is heading to. It is thus inexcusable for HDB, under Minister Mah’s charge, not to respond accordingly to the intended population plan. Minister Mah will have to be made accountable for such mismanagement of the housing planning by HDB.
4. SM Goh and the NSP are in complete agreement over one point: the National Development Ministry, helmed by Mr Mah Bow Tan, is the Ministry that should bear the responsibility for the housing bubble that resulted from this surge in immigrants.
5. On the other hand, NSP is doubtful of PAP’s policy of increasing the population size to 6.5million. The falling total fertility rate (TFR) of native Singaporeans means that the government’s race towards the 6.5 million figure will be spearheaded by a further influx of foreigners. Despite the government’s packaging of the 6.5 million figure as a “planning parameter”, Singaporeans will be justified in demanding reassurance given that previous planning parameters have been exceeded, as SM Goh concedes.
6. Singaporeans across almost every demographic have borne the brunt of this poorly thought out policy: low wage workers have seen their incomes decline as foreign workers depress wages, while at the other end young middle income couples have seen public housing continue to rise beyond their means. Every Singaporean taking public transport has seen the reality of a public transport infrastructure bursting at its seams.
7. In light of all of the above, the NSP calls on the government to urgently revise the 6.5 million person population target downwards, and commission an inter-Ministry study with the purpose of accounting to Singaporeans regarding how housing, transport, and social infrastructure can continue to be assured.
8. The NSP also reiterates our stand that new HDB flats should be sold at cost price to citizens. HDB should also consider selling new flats to PR at market price so to ease the demand due to unusual increase in PR population.
Goh Meng Seng
Secretary-General,
National Solidarity Party
On behalf of the National Solidarity Party
8 September 2010
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2 comments:
I do agree with a lot of things you said. I strongly feel that there is not really any accountability in the government.
Addressing it to MCYS does not seem like it would help much too, as such letters would be sent to the media in other countries, but it would not work here.
Are there any actionable steps that you could suggest that perhaps the government or MCYS or VB could take to ensure the safety of Singaporeans?
Hi Meng Seng,
I refer to Wong Cant Sing's speech on the latest update to the PAP's FT policy in Parliament yesterday.
He said that from now on, there will be less PR intake this year compared to previous years.
I THINK THIS FORKED TONGUE MINISTER IS PLAYING WITH WORD GYMNASTICS.
You see, he didn't mention anything about the intake of EMPLOYMENT PASS holders for this year. In other words, the PAP Govt could increase the intake of employment pass holders while decreasing the intake of PRs this year!!
We all know that the BIGGER threat to our job security comes from EMPLOYMENT PASS holders, and not so much from PRs becos PRs also include foreign non-working spouses married to Singaporeans.
So is Wong Cant Sing also committed to REDUCING the intake of EMPLOYMENT PASS holders??????
That is my $2,500 per month concern!!
Meng Seng, please post this question to WKS in your capacity as sec-gen of NSP.
thanks,
Simon
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