03-11-2015, 03:15 PM
SINGAPORE: With the authorities reviewing the income ceiling for Build-to-Order flats and executive condominiums — the second time it is doing so since 2011 — Mr Khaw reiterated that the move is to keep pace with wage increase over the years. Some of the executive condo includes The Terrace EC and upcoming Signature At Yishun EC. Nevertheless, he suggested, the Government would be quite happy to see the proportion of people living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats go up — in contrast to the thinking some years back.
While the Government has done much to address the public dissatisfaction with housing that came to the fore in the 2011 General Election, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan told TODAY in an interview there remains more to be done, such as addressing the needs of singles and people who suddenly find themselves in financial hardship.
For the masses, their rising expectations — which Mr Khaw stressed ought to be welcomed as society progresses — will have to continue to be met.
“We are in a much happier situation today. But there remain some problems to be resolved,” he said in the interview, which was conducted last Thursday (Aug 13) at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
“Is 80 per cent the right level? Should we be higher? Should it be less? Years ago, there were some thoughts that maybe 80 per cent is probably too high and more people may want to be in private housing,” Mr Khaw revealed. “And probably that was the reason too that the construction programme of HDB then went on a slow path. But I think the experience of the last few years suggest to us that people are satisfied with the quality of public housing, and the standards are something that Singaporeans are proud of.”
When he announced the review of the income ceilings in June, Mr Khaw said he would personally like to “give every Singaporean couple a chance” to live in an HDB flat even though they may have greater means and do not need Government-subsidised housing.
Policymakers are still mulling over the considerations, he said, but he noted that increasing the proportion to between “80 (and) 85 per cent” was possible. Still, “even maintaining 80 per cent would require some adjustments, because of the wage increases in the last four years”, he said.
While the Government has done much to address the public dissatisfaction with housing that came to the fore in the 2011 General Election, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan told TODAY in an interview there remains more to be done, such as addressing the needs of singles and people who suddenly find themselves in financial hardship.
For the masses, their rising expectations — which Mr Khaw stressed ought to be welcomed as society progresses — will have to continue to be met.
“We are in a much happier situation today. But there remain some problems to be resolved,” he said in the interview, which was conducted last Thursday (Aug 13) at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
“Is 80 per cent the right level? Should we be higher? Should it be less? Years ago, there were some thoughts that maybe 80 per cent is probably too high and more people may want to be in private housing,” Mr Khaw revealed. “And probably that was the reason too that the construction programme of HDB then went on a slow path. But I think the experience of the last few years suggest to us that people are satisfied with the quality of public housing, and the standards are something that Singaporeans are proud of.”
When he announced the review of the income ceilings in June, Mr Khaw said he would personally like to “give every Singaporean couple a chance” to live in an HDB flat even though they may have greater means and do not need Government-subsidised housing.
Policymakers are still mulling over the considerations, he said, but he noted that increasing the proportion to between “80 (and) 85 per cent” was possible. Still, “even maintaining 80 per cent would require some adjustments, because of the wage increases in the last four years”, he said.