Opposition gunning Tampines GRC to kick unpopular Mah Bow Ta
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Originally posted by Junyang700:
I thinking Mah will be transferred to another GRC or something like that.
Or probably they will let him stay there but draw the Tampines GRC smaller?
Anyway, it is an irony these days. PAP doesnt seem to be able to fill in high qualified professionals into its team - have not seen any new members filling up their candidate list while the opposition seems to have qualified scholars coming in.
Better get rid of him completely.It is either the PAP has set higher standard in their criteria to get people to join them or people just simply do not wish to join them afterall they know well how this PAP functions and are not agreeable with the party.
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Originally posted by jojobeach:
I donch care opposition win or PAP win.
I just sick of the Lee family.
No more LEE please.
Make sure you don't spoil your vote ar choose properly and write neatly.Your wise vote will speak for you later>LOL -
HDB considering imposing a quota on PRs in resale flats
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 27 January 2010 2113 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Housing & Development Board (HDB) is considering imposing a quota on Permanent Residents buying resale HDB flats. This could be done in the same way that racial quotas are imposed to prevent ethnic enclaves.
The issue came up in a dialogue session on public housing with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew where questions on affordability and aspirations were brought up.
Public housing has come a long way from where it started 50 years ago. Still, issues remain. These include how foreigners are perceived to affect pricing of flats.
Mr Lee said over the next five years, the intake of foreigners will slow down but that means Singaporeans will have to increase their productivity.
Going further, dialogue moderator Professor Tommy Koh asked if more could be done to integrate those already here, in much the same way that the Ethnic Integration Policy was introduced in 1989 in public housing estates to get races mingling.
Mr Lee said: "Could the same approach be adopted towards integrating new Singaporeans? We are not allowing new Singaporeans whether from China, India, Malaysia, or whatever, to congregate in the same tower blocks, which they are already beginning to do.
"They buy second hand flats and they congregate. So we have a record of how many new citizens living where and we keep their numbers dispersed. It's a very valuable tool of communal harmony."
HDB later clarified that a quota policy on PRs for resale flats was being considered.
One other issue that came up during the dialogue is that of affordability, which has come up repeatedly. One suggestion was to have HDB provide more rental housing units.
Mr Lee said: 'I completely disagree with that policy. It will lead us into all kinds of problems. You are getting a dependency group - dependent on the government on constant subsidies, whereas our philosophy is 'I give you this asset, I will increase the value of the asset as the economy grows but it is yours and you look after it.' And we do not have run down public housing like other countries which are rental."
Mr Lee was also asked for his take on a recent media report that at least three opposition parties were eyeing National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan's ward with the aim of making public housing affordability an election issue.
He explained: "What is affordabilty? From the point of view of the buyer? And the government that is subsidising you? The government has to price it at a level that is fair to the revenue it is collecting and fair to the individual, not only the present buyer but past and future buyers. If Mr Mah is unable to defend himself, he deserves to lose.
"No country in the world has given its citizens and families an asset as valuable as what we have given every family here. And if you say that policy is at fault, you must be daft."
Mr Lee was speaking before some 500 delegates from 20 countries at a housing conference. - CNA/vm -
HDB now “considering” separate ethnic quota for PRs to prevent emergence of “ethnic enclaves”
January 28, 2010
Written by Our Correspondent
The Housing Development Board (HDB) is now considering “introducing a separate ethnic quota for permanent residents to prevent them from forming enclaves in public housing estates,” according to a report in the Straits Times.
Under the Ethnic Integration Policy or EIP, a quota is set for both Singaporeans and PRs by stipulating maximum proportions for the key ethnic groups to maintain a healthy racial mix in the HDB estates.
Proportions for the main ethnic groups – Chinese, Malays and Indian/Others – in each block and each precinct of around 10 to 12 blocks are subject to quotas. Sale of an HDB flat to a buyer from an ethnic group that has reached the block or the precinct limit is not allowed.
However, the quota does not cover the increasing number of foreigners who are living in rented flats and rooms in the HDB heartlands.
Due to the ruling party’s liberal immigration policies, foreigners now make up 36 per cent of Singapore’s population, up from 14 per cent in 1990.
Their presence is ubiquitous everywhere in Singapore from the financial district, industrial estates to the far-flung HDB heartlands. Geylang has now been turned into a little “China” while Sembawang has become a haven for Indians and Bangladeshis.
HDB did not reveal on how it is going to “tweak” the EIP to prevent the emergence of “ethnic enclaves” in the HDB estates which have already become a reality.
It will not be easy now for HDB to “integrate” these newcomers as they have come in too large a number within too short a period of time so that there are few incentives for them to assimilate into Singapore society.
The three native races of Singapore – Chinese, Malay and Indians at least share some similarities in terms of culture, language and food.
Quite a number of Chinese in the Singapore’s early days of independence were able to converse fluently in Malay. They are also comfortable of eating the cuisine of other races such as Mee Rebus, Roti Prata, Nasi Lemak, Lontong etc.
The present batch of newcomers from mainland China are of a different “stock” altogether. As there are already so many of them in Singapore, they tend to congregate within their own community rather than to reach out to the rest of Singapore.
While HDB may be able to force them to live side by side with locals, it doesn’t mean that they will bother to interact with them. It is entirely possible that they still prefer fraternizing with their compatriots elsewhere and not knowing who their neighbors are.
As Singapore is a very small place, the immigrants can meet up with one another relatively easy and there is no impetus on their part to mingle around with the locals.
At the rate the ruling party is mass importing foreigners into Singapore, we may end up with little “Hunans”, “Liaonings”, “Chennais” and “Delhis” all over the island one day.
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what so bad about oppostition - is it their candidate is lousy of no good calibre - degree holder
what so good about pap - is it their candidate is supreme of good calibre - gahmen scholarship holder - harvard, imperial, ivy league, cambridge, oxford, stanford
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Hrm i wonder if they're going to be using this to distribute new citizens to GRCs they deem...not loyal enough.
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I think the most successful group of kakilang is the pinoy/pinay. No measure will desegregate them. Far or near, they stick together like glue.
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Originally posted by AH TRUTH:
Opposition gunning Tampines GRC to kick unpopular Mah Bow Tan out of office
Written by Our Correspondent
At least three opposition parties have expressed their interest to contest in Tampines GRC in the next general election helmed by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan who is becoming an increasingly reviled figure in Singapore due to his failure to curb the sky-rocketing prices of HDB flats which is causing tremendous hardships to ordinary Singaporeans, especially first time home buyers.
According to a Straits Times report today, the National Solidarity Party, Singapore Democratic Party and Reform Party may be contesting in Tampines GRC though the latter’s Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam declined to comment further when contacted this week.
Leaders from the opposition believe that rising unhappiness on the ground over the hike in the prices of public housing will give them a chance against the incumbents led by Mah Bow Tan.
Mr Mah first took part in the 1984 elections when he lost unexpectedly to SDP’s Mr Chiam See Tong in Potong Pasir. He subsequently entered Parliament in 1988 via Tampines GRC where he had held ever since.
Under his charge, the prices of HDB flats have rocketed over the last few years, contributed partly by inadequate number of new flats being built in the face of rising demand fueled by mass immigration during the same period of time.
Though Singapore was supposedly to be in recession in 2009, the prices of resale flats increased by 8.2 per cent with median COVs doubling to $24,000.
New launches for Build-to-order (BTO) flats are grossly over-subscribed, an indication of how severe the housing shortage crisis is.
Instead of acknowledging his mistakes and seek to rectify them, Mr Mah lashed out at first-time home buyers for being “choosy” and asked them to be “realistic”. He later admitted that he was “caught off guard” by the spike in prices as well.
Despite evidence suggesting otherwise, Mr Mah is adamant that HDB flats remain “affordable” to Singaporean and urge “Singaporeans to play their part by buying a home within their means.”
Quoting the affordability benchmark of 30 per cent used frequently by HDB to show that HDB flats remain affordable to ordinary Singaporeans, Mr Mah said a family with a monthly income of $3,000 can buy a flat worth up to $250,000 and spend only 30 per cent of their income every month on the mortgage.
“Similarly, a family with a monthly income of $4,000 can afford to buy a new flat worth up to $333,000 without spending more than 30 per cent a month on the mortgage. This means they can comfortably buy any of the flats offered in the latest BTO projects this month,” he added.
However, Mr Mah fails to take into account the bank interest rates and inflation over the years which will lead eventually to the family spending more than 30 per cent of their monthly income on the mortgage.
Furthermore, after depleting their entire CPF for these over-priced 99-year leasehold HDB flats, they will have little or no savings left for their retirement.
It appears that Mr Mah and his colleagues are unable to comprehend the hardships and sufferings of ordinary Singaporeans, especially first-time home buyers who are under great stress to afford a roof over their heads.
Besides Mr Mah, his colleagues are equally unsympathetic towards the genuine concerns of Singaporeans. Ms Grace Fu, the Senior Minister of State for National Development claimed that rising prices of HDB flats help to “create wealth” for Singaporeans.
Law Minister Shanmugam said he had a “hunch” that Singaporeans are the “culprits” for the predicament they find themselves in today.
While many Singaporeans are unhappy with Mr Mah, it is unlikely they will cast their vote for the opposition if they field a weak team there without any concrete plan for the nation.
Political anaylst Eugene Tan told Straits Times in an interview that “it would be a ‘narrow and self-limiting’ strategy for any opposition party to pick an electoral ward based on the minister’s portfolio.”
“It will have some effect only if housing is a problem with Tampines GRC voters, thus making it ‘a useful lightning rod. To make the ‘national issue’ strategy effective, opposition parties have to raise the same issue across all constituencies they are contesting and give concrete alternative proposals,” he added.
The rising costs of public housing linked together with the relentless influx of foreigner will be the single most important issue in the next general election.
The opposition has to come together under a common umbrella standing on a common platform with a common manifesto and alternative vision for Singapore like Malaysia’s opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat to stand any chance of denying the PAP its traditional two thirds majority in Parliament.
Opposition eyeing Tampines GRC
By Sue-Ann Chia and Kor Kian Beng from Straits Times
TAMPINES GRC is shaping up to be a hot spot in the next general election, with at least three opposition parties keen to contest the five-MP constituency.
What draws them is the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) anchor minister helming the group representation constituency – National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.
Why? They are convinced there is some unhappiness on the ground over housing and the contest would give them the opportunity to hit out at housing policies, particularly the affordability of public housing.
The first to stake its claim is the National Solidarity Party (NSP) which considers Tampines GRC its turf as the party has contested there four times, in the 2006, 2001, 1991 and 1988 polls.
The Reform Party had also declared its interest in the ward publicly last year, though its secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam declined to comment further when contacted this week.
Instead, he said the party has been active in the north-western areas of Hong Kah GRC and Choa Chu Kang.
The Straits Times understands that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has approached the NSP, saying it may be keen to contest in Tampines GRC.
The Workers’ Party (WP) has been spotted in the area too.
When asked, the WP’s organising secretary Yaw Shin Leong pointed out that Tampines GRC falls within ‘the north-eastern corridor’, where the party has been active since the 2006 elections.
In fact, the party has been holding regular community walkabouts and house-to-house visits in wards in the northern, north-eastern and eastern areas, he said. They include constituencies such as Aljunied GRC, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Tampines GRC and Hougang.
‘It’s not surprising if people think that we are eyeing Tampines GRC,’ he added.
Mr Yaw said the WP will not contest the ward ‘unless there are compelling strategic reasons like long-term party growth expansion’, since the NSP has contested there before. Opposition parties adhere to some form of a gentlemen’s agreement to prevent three-cornered fights that would dilute their vote share.
The NSP’s Goh Meng Seng, who is likely to lead a team in Tampines GRC, does not intend to budge. ‘By hook or by crook, we will go to Tampines GRC,’ said Mr Goh, who was in the WP team in Aljunied GRC in the 2006 elections.
He also sees value in taking on Mr Mah, who has been in Tampines GRC since 1988, to highlight housing issues, such as rising HDB flat prices and reverse mortgage of homes to provide seniors with a stream of income in their retirement years.
‘HDB affects 80 per cent of Singaporeans. It is a key factor in our life,’ said Mr Goh, 39, a businessman.
‘Voters must send a clear signal to the ruling party that they want change or don’t want certain policies. They can do that only with their votes.’
If it means booting out a minister, voters should not be afraid to do so, he said, adding: ‘This is about extracting accountability from the ruling party.’
Since Tampines GRC was formed in 1988, the NSP has contested it at every election except in 1997, which saw the PAP team getting a walkover.
Asked about the opposition challenge, Tampines GRC MP Ong Kian Min said: ‘They are interested because this is a small and compact space. With their limited resources, it helps when they don’t need to spread out to cover the area.’
Read rest of article on Straits Times
This Mah fellow, son of a washerwoman, is one of the most arrogant MPs I came across.
A wonderful strategy. The only problem I may foresee is that they can play dirty by pulling him out of the GRC last minute before polling thereby undermining this strategy completely.
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When is the election? I will come home to vote since I am in this GRC.
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He ok wad. Wad yr problem.
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Originally posted by 4sg:
This Mah fellow, son of a washerwoman, is one of the most arrogant MPs I came across.
A wonderful strategy. The only problem I may foresee is that they can play dirty by pulling him out of the GRC last minute before polling thereby undermining this strategy completely.
Don't think so, if they want to pull him out, they would have done it long ago -
Originally posted by Wmyongj:
When is the election? I will come home to vote since I am in this GRC.
Nobody knows, not even opps except the selfish despots PAPElection Dept = PAP (leehsienloong in charge of election dept)
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
Don't think so, if they want to pull him out, they would have done it long ago
I don't think u understand my statement. -
maybe the PAP have to put those useless but obedient lackey ministers in ''safe'' wards like Tampines...........let those unimportant MPs fight it out in ''riskeir'' wards..........
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Originally posted by 4sg:
I don't think u understand my statement.
it is tm, it is fine. Will not respond to your post for now. oops angel7030 not here today dw! hahaha -
Even MM has thrown in the gaunlet.If you the ppl believe MBT has to go then vote him out as MM put it- "he deserve to be kicked out".
MBT has enjoyed enough as a Minister who got into parliament also thru' GRC backdoor.It's time for him to go.Too many blunders.Too speculative.Too moneyminded.
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Originally posted by Tsh2005:
Even MM has thrown in the gaunlet.If you the ppl believe MBT has to go then vote him out as MM put it- "he deserve to be kicked out".
MBT has enjoyed enough as a Minister who got into parliament also thru' GRC backdoor.It's time for him to go.Too many blunders.Too speculative.Too moneyminded.
MBT = Mah Bow Nao = Mah Bow Lan
Mah Bow Tan is the most brainless, gutless, useless, worthless minister of all..................to LKY, he's no more useful as a chair or table...........
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so many unfavourable comments about ah shorty mah. think it good shorty mah resigns on his own rather than losing his seat in the next election, this very malu
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
so many unfavourable comments about ah shorty mah. think it good shorty mah resigns on his own rather than losing his seat in the next election, this very malu
malu tan.
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
malu tan.
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resign and lose his multi-million dollar salary ? that thick-skinned Short Arse will gladly offer his ass to LKY..........heck, to the whole cabinet to save his job................
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Originally posted by Tsh2005:
Even MM has thrown in the gaunlet.If you the ppl believe MBT has to go then vote him out as MM put it- "he deserve to be kicked out".
MBT has enjoyed enough as a Minister who got into parliament also thru' GRC backdoor.It's time for him to go.Too many blunders.Too speculative.Too moneyminded.
go look at the CNA video. LOL at MBT's awkward smile/bow when LKY said that. fear in his eyes! -
Originally posted by sir_peanuts:
go look at the CNA video. LOL at MBT's awkward smile/bow when LKY said that. fear in his eyes!Haha... Natural instinct leh. Your boss say if you cant do your job well, you gonna get retrenched... LOL...
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Though I'd never liked e policies made at whichever dept he's at anytime, but tis housing/ HDB issue is treated as a joke and being childish.
HDB is only left w/ 170,000 - 200,000 new flats to be able to be built w/ current new towns, the bulk at Sengkang (45,000), Punggol (60,000), Bt Panjang (20,000) & Sembawang (45,000), Jurong West (12,000). Land usage is just only to get more intense.
It's unless SAF is made to give up more trg grounds to develop additional new towns.
But I do agree the price of flats has to be reasonable. But 1 thing is that expensive flats would make ppl think twice of buying a car (but it means more demand for public tpt and e thrist for upgrading current facilities).
Even there's alrdy space crunch to store chemicals/ oil products at Jurong Island and I dun see ppl here kpkb or highlighting anything abt it