NSP at Tampines GRC rally, May 4

Singapore permanent residents (PRs) should own their HDB flats for a minimum of eight years before they are allowed to sell them, said National Solidarity Party's (NSP) Goh Meng Seng during a rally at Tampines stadium on Wednesday evening.

According to Goh, the leader of NSP's Tampines GRC team, the rationale behind such a policy suggestion is to prevent them from speculating in property and pushing up property prices.

He said, "Only those PRs who would be interested to settle down in Singapore would not be deterred by such rules because they are in it for the long haul."

In his speech he also mentioned that Singapore must attract the "right foreigners" who can contribute to Singapore's growth, and "not just those who want to go America or Australia after taking us for a ride."

"We welcome foreigners to make this place their home, but not just to speculate property, take our jobs, make money and run away," Goh said.

He also touched on how foreigners are allowed to rent HDB flats while the homeless need to wait for rental flats for 36 months for a subsidized flat.

In addition, HDB is not allowed to rent flats directly to foreigners. But according to Goh, it circumvents the rules by letting EM services, HDB's panel of valuation consultants, rent their flats out to foreigners working in Singapore.

The NSP secretary-general said that HDB can earn much more by charging foreigners a higher price than renting their flats out at a heavily subsidised rate to Singaporeans.

"My good country is turning into a soulless, heartless, greedy company and I do not want my country to be a slave factory," he said.

While referring to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's apology to Singaporeans, Goh said that it has come "too little too late".

"We do not want sorry; we want them to regret for not taking our interests into consideration for the past five years," he told the estimated 5,000-strong crowd.

The issue of public housing was a hot topic during the rally because Goh's Tampines GRC team, comprising Syafarin Sarif, Fong Chin Leong, Raymond Lim and Gilbert Goh, will go head-to-head against National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who has been criticised by some for allowing HDB flats to become unaffordable.

Article by : Liyana Low


Goh Meng Seng:



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