Monday, April 18, 2011

Cheaper housing key to securing future

From Channel News Asia:

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has said there would be no future for Singapore if the People's Action Party cannot secure cheaper housing for future generations.

It was responding to the ruling party's manifesto entitled, "Securing the Future Together", which was released on Sunday.

The NSP's Secretary General, Goh Meng Seng, along with his party's members and volunteers, covered the Chua Chu Kang, Jurong and Pioneer areas on Sunday.

Mr Goh said he disagreed with National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan's comments that lowering the cost of state land was equivalent to "raiding the reserves".

Mr Goh said: "At this moment, we know that we have about S$300 billion of reserves. And I think it is about time that we can do with a lower growth for the reserve. And I would rather (have) a lower reserve growth than HDB raiding the people. Raiding our young generation with high cost of housing."

The NSP will be going up against Mr Mah in Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

Mr Goh said that the Socialist Front's move of not standing in the Whampoa and Mountbatten single-member constituencies was a "considerate gesture", while the NSP's withdrawal from Moulmein-Kallang GRC was to have a more "harmonious opposition movement".

Mr Goh said: "But of course, there are still areas which we are facing three-cornered fights at. As far as NSP is concerned, we have made the greatest compromise that we could, and I think the ball is in other people's court now."

The NSP still faces possible three-cornered fights in Radin Mas and Pioneer, which the Reform Party is also contesting.

Mr Goh was walking the ground with his party's Chua Chu Kang and Jurong GRC teams, and its candidate for Pioneer, Steve Chia.

Potential NSP candidates like former Nee Soon Central MP, Cheo Chai Chen, as well as 35-year-old Dexter Wong and 29-year-old Abdul Salim Harun, were also present.

- CNA/ms

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to know that NSP can see the shackling of Singaporeans to the high cost of Public Housing. Though the high pricing itself ties Singaporeans to a long term debt; maximun 30 years mortgage, there are other aspects that aggravate the Housing Issue.

Amongst the burden cause by purchase of Public Housing are loan, use to be by the Housing Board itself but, now only available to selective buyers. Transfer of ownership to kins.

Sometimes back, me heard a Malay elderly man telling his friends that it cost him a 'big' sum of money to transfer his 4 Rm HDB Resale Unit to his son. He was saying that as he was reaching sixty year old and working only part time, he aint able to service the loan many years down the road.

He transferred the Unit to his son taking it as a matter of inheritance with the condition that his son has to pay all the outstanding loan. What had been paid by him(the older man), he has no intention or need for his son to return him. However, he claimed that the TRANFER was treated liked him selling the Unit to his son. It not only incurred much inconvenient procedures, the fee ran into many thousands of dollars.

For most elderlies, leaving their HDB Units, fully and partially paid, to their next of kins is almost traditional and routine affairs. Why does HDB have to charge many thousand SIN Dollars for some simple paper works?

It sounded liked a simple transferring of ones' property to kin(s) is a messy affair. And because of the initial high cost of the Housing Board Flats and high fee chargeable in subsequent arrangements in subletting and transfer, housing itself can greatly mess up the live of many a owner.

It will be to the credit of NSP to lighten the HOUSING PROBLEMS OF SINGAPOREANS. The people will be grateful.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr Goh,

PAP said that this election is for the future.
I wonder why no one say this election is a time for the people to grade the performance of the PAP government for the last 4-5 years.

If the life of the people has improved since the last election then it is only right that the people continue to support them.
If their life have become worse then the people should send a clear signal by voting otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Opposition parties should let the voters aware of

Our leaders pay in 2006 and 2011.

And our nation’s median pay in 2006 and 2011.

Anonymous said...

Can any opposition parties provide the following information?

1) How much are our ministers’ pay from 2006 to 2010?
2) How much are our nation’s median pay from 2006 to 2010?
3) How many months of bonus our ministers received from 2006 to 2010?
4) How many months of bonus the average workers received from 2006 to 2010?

Anonymous said...

In the eyes of our PAP leaders, Singapore ordinary citizens have now become"JIAN-MIN'(low class people subject to exploitation by high class people)

Anonymous said...

From the internet, we can read that people are furious with MBT! I think you have a real chance to defeat him and all Singaporeans will be thankful to you!

The challenge though is to convince those who only read SPH papers...