Nevertheless, the affordability of flats continues to be a concern, and Workers’ Party remains of the view that the government needs to review the formula of pricing new flats and the recommended length of HDB housing loans.
In addition, the Prime Minister has also acknowledged that there are distressed families who have lost their homes for various reasons. The issue of homeless families is real and has severe ramifications, with possible cross-generational effects. The pending government review into those who are rendered homeless should look into some flexibility of criteria to qualify for rental flats and more than two concessionary loans.
Workers’ Party’s response in full HERE.
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However, we note with disappointment that important issue of population growth target remain unaddressed.
It has been recognised that much of the angst felt by Singaporeans – high property prices, congestion on the roads and public transport, overload at polyclinics and public hospitals – is caused by our infrastructure not keeping up with the population growth. The Government can fight the fire now by increasing the number of BTO flats and buses, but without addressing the root of the problem, which is the lack of co-ordination between population planning and infrastructure planning, such problems could recur and there is no basis for infrastructure planners to judge if the additional supply will be adequate. This Rally speech has chosen to ignore the elephant in the room. We need a sustainable long term population plan, one that takes into account not only economic considerations, but also social ones.
National Solidarity Party’s response in full HERE.
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The SPP believes that when we Singaporeans ask for “Singaporeans First”, what we really want is “People First”. This means that the government’s first priority should be the wellbeing of its common citizens; that those of us who are able, should look after those who are not. It is an obligation that starts with the government, and is to be then complemented by able citizens.
The ruling party presently sees any measure directly helping common people but which reduces government revenue or increases costs as a “Populist” policy to be assiduously avoided, and but a “necessary evil” to appease a restive electorate. This is borne out in its failure to change any of its existing policies, merely adjusting the parameters of the policies, like raising the HDB income ceiling and using old-HDB blocks slated for en-bloc as rental HDB flats.
As our GDP and the number of millionaires in Singapore reach record levels, the CDCs are reporting record numbers of Singaporeans seeking financial aid. Singapore urgently needs a government with a “People First” outlook. We propose how this looks in key areas of Housing, Transport, Economic Development and Education.
Singapore People’s Party’s response in full HERE.
