Housing
PSP disappointed as PM Wong overlooks root issues in Singapore’s public housing policies
In response to PM Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally speech on housing, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) expressed disappointment that the Government failed to address the root issues of public housing policies. PSP argued that increasing CPF housing grants continues existing policies without solving fundamental problems and urged consideration of PSP’s Affordable Homes Scheme and Millennial Apartments Scheme.
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SINGAPORE: In response to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement during his first National Day Rally speech addressing housing concerns among Singaporeans, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) expressed disappointment that the Government has yet again failed to tackle the root issues of public housing policies, which the PSP believes require a fundamental rethink.
During the NDR speech on Sunday (18 August), PM Wong announced additional support for lower-income couples seeking to purchase their first homes.
Currently, under the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant, first-time families can receive up to S$80,000 (US$60,700) to assist with the purchase of new or resale flats.
He mentioned that the grant will be increased, “especially for the lower-income groups,” with further details to be provided soon by National Development Minister Desmond Lee.
“This is my assurance to all young Singaporeans: Once you start work and wish to settle down, we will make sure that there is an HDB flat that is within your budget in every region,” PM Wong stated.
“We will always keep public housing in Singapore affordable for you.”
In response, the PSP noted in a Monday statement that increasing CPF housing grants is merely a continuation of existing policies without addressing the fundamental issues within public housing.
The PSP once again urged the Government to consider implementing the Affordable Homes Scheme and Millennial Apartments Scheme as alternatives to ensure that public housing remains accessible to Singaporeans without jeopardizing their retirement.
These two schemes were proposed by PSP Non-Constituency Members of Parliament Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa in a motion tabled in February last year.
The PSP believed that Singapore’s public housing policy needs a reset, while the Government’s counter-motion, filed by MND Minister Lee, suggested that there is no need to review the current housing policies.
Separately, the PSP welcomed the benefits for the involuntarily unemployed that PM Wong announced.
“As I said during my Budget speech in February 2024, retrenchments are becoming increasingly common and temporary financial support would be greatly beneficial to retrenched workers seeking a new job, ” said PSP Secretary-General Hazel Poa.
While the PSP was glad that the Government was now ready to implement a scheme to aid the involuntarily unemployed, Ms Poa pointed out that, based on the current details available for the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme, more could be done for lower- and middle-income workers.
She added that the PSP looked forward to debating this in Parliament.
The PSP was heartened that the new PM places great emphasis on addressing the nation’s low Total Fertility Rate, particularly through the new 10-week Shared Parental Leave scheme for infant care, with government payments of up to S$2,500 per week, effective from 1 April 2026.
The PSP noted that this was a much-needed change to promote the sharing of parental duties.
Ms Poa recalled that during the debate on Singapore Women’s Development in Parliament in 2022, she had called for parental leave to be shared equally by default, with flexibility to reallocate leave between both parents based on mutual agreement.
She noted that this announcement was a welcome step in that direction, but emphasized that more still needed to be done to encourage couples to have children.
Nevertheless, Ms Poa affirmed that the PSP would continue to engage the Government in Parliament to ensure that it acted in the best interests of Singaporeans.
PAP Minister Rejected PSP’s Public Housing Proposal in 2023
PSP’s Affordable Homes Scheme, based on a deferred land cost idea first proposed by PSP member Dr Tan Meng Wah, allows Singaporeans to buy a new flat at construction cost plus a notional location premium.
The land cost would only be paid when the flat is sold in the resale market after the Minimum Occupation Period.
Should a Singaporean stay in the same flat his entire life, he will only pay the user price. This user-price concept was first suggested by Mr Yeoh Lam Keong, the former Chief Economist of GIC.
The PSP’s proposed Millennial Apartments Scheme involves the government maintaining a large stock of quality rental flats in prime locations near the Central Business District. These flats are intended for young families or groups of singles and would be leased out for 2 to 5 years.
The scheme aims to bring young Singaporeans together, providing single individuals with more opportunities to socialize and perhaps marry. Meanwhile, those who are already married will have more time for their families due to the proximity to their workplaces.
Rejecting the proposals presented by PSP’s Non-Consituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai, MND Minister Desmond Lee during 9 February 2023 Parliamentary sitting stated that the proposals “do not address today’s problems and certainly do not address tomorrow’s problems”.
The Minister then urged the Parliament to reject PSP’s motion and its proposals, to dismiss the Workers’ Party’s attempts at politicking, and to support the current policy with public housing, thus maintaining every Singaporean’s stake in housing.
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Food prices keep going up…peanuts to LW . tsk tsk tsk
Making extra salary every month from house more than $15,000 just by doing simple copy and paste like online job. I have received $18,000 from this easy home job. Everybody can now makes extra cash online easily.
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Why keep building HDB flats while Lessee are allowed to rent out their WHOLE ENTIRE HDB flat for making money? Isnt it depriving first time buyers of getting a HDB flat?
Overlooks or is kicking the can further down the road because he wants to carry in with the present policy to benefit new citizens?
No government can solve the HBD pricing problem.
It has gone on for too long and too much $$ has been suck up by it.
And it looks like the present government has intention to continue on this path to enslave the population with this housing bubble.
You will feel the heat most intensely from this issue during your midlife crisis.
Seriously, does everyone truly, hand on your heart believe, … that public housing remains affordable to the millions. By virtue of having to dip into your cpf, … does that not negate that entire premise of affordability. Do remind yourselves a~gain, … what’s the real purpose of one’s cpf, eh ?!!! So why does everyone accept that repeated crap played out time and time again on “infinite mode”, especially when the newPM states a~gain, … “we will always keep public housing in SillyPore affordable for you” !!! It may have been affordable, back in the ages, … but it most… Read more »
Without PAP Grants, are We Singaporeans at the MERCY of PAP sticking and playing with High Prices and Making Singaporeans FULLY DEPENDENT to Exist? Squarely the GAME of Grants DO nothing TO get the PAP Administration to Come out With NON MONETARY solutions. Singaporeans BE WISE to wake UP NOT allow the PAP to TOY our brains, MISTING our eyes and BELIEVE in them they are for Singaoreans. PSP is FOR NATION Building. PAP Administration for POWER GRAB, Hegemonic CONTROL over 5 Million sheeps to REMAIN in PERPETUAL GRIP on our balls, STRANGLING the lives and developing of a true… Read more »
This sort of oppo like PSP should really pack up and go home, let alone comment anything about housing ,which they know ZERO.
A article so long and the PSP keep stating…fundamental issues within public housing, affordability of low ses HDB
So what are the fundamental issues, what caused it?
What?
Prices too high? No….why no?….Desmomd can easily do a comparison to what is the cost of same 99 yr pte housing vs the HDB to shut you oppo up!
Such fuxked up opp. No wonder cannot get elected cos even THEY THEMSELVES GOT NO SOLUTION!😆😆😆
The CUNNING PAP make belief LOFTY scheme – wah so good ah!
Use citizens money give grants. Whose money are these grants? From PAP Millionaire bank accounts?
Second common senses, EFFECTIVE, manageable, cheap to administer, REDUCE costs as this IS THE ROOT.
Allow prices RUNAWAY, then Give Grants LPPL PAP Grand LIES. What’s the PAP scheme to FOOL unsuspecting sheeps?
I came up with A Better Housing Policy.
Screw Socialism, Give me Money.
I will give on 1st buyer with decent offer.
LW’s policy also got many holes.
Prime lah
Premium lah
Standard lah
Like Insurance Policy.
Wonder which smart Aleck actually came up with it.
各位 審審,阿姨 , 婆婆 ,
去 菜市場
愁着 給 孩子 孫子 煮啥
上面 PSP , WP , pap 的 菜單也應有盡有
砍價 妳們絕對是 第一 吧?
A very easy GAUGE to calibrate this PAP in view of their MASSIVE Million Dollars Salaries MUST COME with Millions of Dollars of Achievements PAP provide elderly SGpns, the Struggling Cab Driver, the Hawker Ctre cleaner, or the Janitor, the retail shopping centre assistant (the BULK of which are Foreign Trash) your Med Nurse at Polyclinic or Hospital (again BULK of which are Foreign Trash) and on in. 4 Measurements. 1.Who drives the SG economy? SG bankers, SG fin executives, SG born engineers? U name it. Every Foreign Trash U name X locals. 2.Where are all the bookkeeping sheets of… Read more »
The main issue of housing is Singapore has not enough lands and many foreigners and new citizens buy house, jack up housing prices. Both lower class and middle class Singaporeans cannot afford to buy house because house become more expensive. Lower class cannot afford to buy expensive HDB and million dollars HDB resale. Middle class cannot afford expensive condo cost million and more.
Our SG looks more & more like a concrete jungle..
Sad…we’ve lost that once real beautiful island, Our peaceful Home, we all knew.
Yes, I had earlier wanted to mention WP response not effectively strong enough. Not meaty SUFFICIENTLY to THROW the BOOKS at half hearted PAP changes.
PSP Response REALLY DRIVING at the heart of PAP Administration continuos attempts to FOOL SG they are adapting to change SG for the better.
PSP move more solidly to THRASH PAP. TQ.
Lan Jiao PAP