Singapore Democrats
The SDP has invited the top officialsat the Ministry for National Development (MND) and the Housing BoardDevelopment (HDB) including Minister Khaw Boon Wan to the launch of its housing policy plan.$CUT$
The invitees are:
1. Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Minister, MND
2. Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Sr Minister ofState, MND
3. Mr Tan Chuan Jin, Sr Minister of State, MND
4. Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, SrParliamentary Secretary, MND
5. Dr Lee Bee Wah, Chairman, GovernmentParliamentary Committee, MND
6. Mr Koh Cher Siang, Chairman, HDB
7. Dr Cheong-Chua Koon Hean, CEO, HDB
No one has accepted the invitation. MrLee Yi Shyan’s assistant replied to say that Mr Lee is traveling and unable to attend, but he wishes the SDP everysuccess.
This is unfortunate as it is anopportune time to discuss the urgent problems that envelope public housingin Singapore and to find solutions for them. It would be a goodoccasion for the MND and HDB to listen to what the SDP proposes and to tell us what is wrong with our plan if they disagree with it.
This could lead to a substantive andmeaningful conversation about a truly national matter. It is an issuethat many Singaporeans are concerned about and the PAP Government,SDP opposition and civil service could figure how best to deal with.
It is no good ignoring the SDP’sproposals and, worse, the grave problems that beset the housingsituation in Singapore. Instead it would be beneficial to Singaporeans forthe PAP to debate the SDP on this subject to see which party has the betterideas to take Singapore forward in the area of public housing.
A key proposal of the paper, Housing ANation: Holistic Policies For Affordable Homes, is the introductionof a new scheme of HDB flats which would help to lower the priceof HDB flats while not causing market instability.
The SDP has sent out advance copies ofthe paper to several media organisations upon request but has imposedan embargo on its publication until after the launch on Sunday.
We look forward to the public’s inputand participation at Sunday’s launch.
Launch: Housing A Nation: Holistic Policies For Affordable Homes
Date: 4 Nov 2012, Sunday
Time: 2-5pm
Venue: Diamond Room, Quality Hotel