The pandemic brought to the fore the critical role of the People’s Association (PA)
The pandemic brought to the fore the critical role of the People’s Association (PA). The People’s Association (PA) is often the target of attack from the Opposition. But the 3 years of pandemic and the response of PA during the pandemic had altered people’s perception – and appreciation – of the PA. The pandemic years […]
Did the PAP mischaracterise the WP’s working paper on lease decay? An English test will answer this question.
Before COVID-19 in 2020, HDB resale prices had been going down, down and down. In fact, prices had fallen for six consecutive years. Analysts at that time were divided over whether prices would continue to fall in 2019. You can watch the video here: Against this backdrop, the Workers’ Party published their Working Paper […]
How about making resale HDB flats affordable by selling them at cash over historical cost instead of market price?
New BTOs have remained affordable. The outcry over the unaffordability of HDB flats is mostly over the resale prices. Say you bought a HDB flat in the early days for $50,000. Today, it is worth much more. What would you do if someone comes up to you and say that you should sell your flat […]
In what context did Mr Lee Kuan Yew say that the value of HDB flats would never drop?
It is important to understand the context in which Mr Lee Kuan Yew made that statement. Mr Lee Kuan Yew spoke at the Launch of Tanjong Pagar Town Council’s Five-Year Masterplan and Opening of ABC Waters at Alexandra Canal on 19 March 2011. He spoke to his residents in Tanjong Pagar, a very mature estate with many […]
Let’s not be greedy for more, and kill the golden geese that help keep our tax burden lower than most countries: Ho Ching
In a Facebook post, Mdm Ho Ching explains how the NIRC has helped to keep our tax burden lower than most countries. “Let’s not be greedy for more, and kill the golden geese that help us keep our tax burden lower than most countries, other than those who can benefit from oil reserves or other […]
Many governments spend first, then look for funding. The PAP Government has a different approach.
In many countries, governments spend first and then look for money to fund the spending. The result is a huge debt burden for future generations when governments make big promises to get elected and then borrow to fund their promises. The Singapore PAP Government’s approach to spending is different. The Government set aside money for […]
Leong Sze Hian’s vain attempt to cast doubt on the Government’s good intention in the PG Package
Leong Sze Hian wrote an article published by TISG (Did the Singapore Govt overestimate the PGP package or under utilised the funds to assist seniors?) that was a stark display of ignorance and a vain attempt at casting doubt on the good intention of the PAP Government in introducing the package. In his hurry to […]
GST hike: will Singaporeans rise to the occasion with grit and determination?
At the IMAS-Bloomberg Investment Conference earlier this year (9 March), SM Tharman Shanmugaratnam talked about the ‘perfect long storm’ that the world has entered, shaped by a confluence of many factors. It is an era of profound uncertainty and fragility. The world has been facing rising prices caused by the pandemic recovery and then exacerbated […]
The suggestion that a government can arbitrarily decide on land value is a dangerous one
Let’s be clear. To begin with, the HDB does not price new flats based on costs, nor development or land costs. That much the Minister for National Development Desmond Lee has stressed. So the argument over how land should be valued is moot because land cost does not come into the equation. I suspect some […]
The ‘return my CPF’ fever has been soundly replaced by a voluntary top-up fever
Remember when the “Return My CPF” and “Vote them out” fever was so high? Multiple protests were organised at Hong Lim Park as speaker after speaker criticized the Government for holding back people’s money, for not keeping their promises and for losing their money. All kinds of claims were made about the retirement sum, minimum […]