The Penang state government has appointed building consultants and township developer Surbana, whose majority shareholder is Temasik, for a PDC affordable housing project in Batu Kawan.
Surbana started off as the Housing and Development Division of the Singapore Housing Development Board, which was established in 1960. The HDB’s first overseas foray was consultancy work in Indonesia in 1991.
In 2003, HDB’s Building and Development Division was corporatised as HDB Corporation Pte Ltd (HDBCorp). The following year, HDBCorp was acquired by Singapore government investment arm Temasek Holdings. HDBCorp was renamed Surbana Corporation Pte Ltd in a rebranding exercise in 2005.
As pointed out yesterday, the RM1.1bn from PDC’s sale of the Bayan Mutiara land is only trickling in. So it’s not clear how the RM500m allocated for affordable housing was transferred to PDC – unless we are talking about a future allocation or pledge.
No denying the quality of Singapore public housing (though prices of HDB flats have been rising there as well). But does this mean PDC is no longer – or was never – capable of building decent affordable housing on its own? And how much is the fee payable to Surbana?
The prices range from RM72500 to RM220000 – not exactly ‘low-cost’. In fact, there’s been a subtle shift in official terminology. They seem to have stopped talking about ‘low cost’ – now it is all ‘affordable’ housing. But are these flats going to be ‘affordable’ to the average production line worker, restaurant employee or security guard with a family to feed and educate? Where do they go?
Guan Eng’s speech today:
Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to all those present here today to witness the Signing Of The Letter Of Commitment Of Appointment Of SURBANA INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD by the Penang State Government for the Affordable Homes project undertaken by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) in Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan.
The Penang State Government has appointed the Penang Development Corporation as the implementing agency to complete and provide quality affordable housing for the people of Penang. The State has transferred RM500 million from the Chief Minister’s Incorporated (CMI) to PDC under the State Affordable Home Fund set up last year. The monies for the fund came from the sale of the Bayan Mutiara mixed development project conducted via an open competitive tender. Since Penang became the first state in Malaysia to implement an open competitive tender system, Penang has benefited from choosing the best price with the best quality and coupled with the best maintenance.
Instead, of spending the people’s money to build government complexes in Bayan Mutiara, the PR state government has cancelled this project and decided to sell the land to obtain funding proceeds for social programmes such as affordable housing. This move demonstrates the State Government’s sincerity in providing affordable homes for the lower income groups in Penang and to live with human dignity. And this RM500 million is the largest amount ever allocated by any State Government in the country for this purpose.
This affordable housing scheme is the first in a series of affordable housing schemes that will be introduced by the State in both the mainland and island of Penang. This project is located in the mega township development of Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan, Seberang Perai Selatan.
To deliver homes of the highest quality, the designs and concepts for this proposed scheme is being benchmarked against the Singapore Housing Development Board public housing schemes. Instead of imitating the original, the Penang state government has decided to choose the original which is why Surbana International Consultants has been chosen because of its outstanding record in the development of Singapore. As the Building & Development Division in the Housing & Development Board (HDB), Singapore’s Public Housing Authority, Surbana had provided integrated full suite consultancy services for Singapore’s public housing. In the last 50 years, Surbana and HDB have created over a million quality homes and 26 townships.
Incorporating the latest housing designs and standards, the Penang state government hopes to build at least 11,800 affordable homes that allows Penangites to live, work, learn and play in comfort and dignity. There will be football fields and green spaces for our children to grow up safely and healthily.
The above development is based on the concept of affordable quality lifestyle housing that promotes sustainable community living to foster good family values and neighbourliness. Emphasis will be given to building designs that promote social integration within the same building blocks with units of different sizes to cater for families of various sizes to accommodate various generations from the young to the elderly with facilities that are disable friendly.
The proposed scheme which will cover 5 parcels of land totalling 200 acres and will provide some 11,800 quality affordable residential units of 3 bedroom apartments housed within blocks of 9 – 20 stories. The price ranges from RM72,500 for apartments of 800 sq. feet to RM220,000 for larger units. 53% of these will be apartments of 1,000 sq ft and 24% will be apartments of 900 sq feet while the balance of 2,760 units is of 800 sq ft apartments.
Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan will be developed over a period of 10-15 years and is poised to be the first green with excellent accessibility and connectivity to major highways, bridge links, ports and airport to Penang island. The key attraction of this development is a 40-acre linear park which provides a seamless link up of the 5 residential phases. Located within the community green spine are amenities like clubhouse, food courts, markets, surau and shops which are only 3-5 mins walk from residential blocks.
Apart from the linear park another total of 40 acres in open spaces will be provided for the individual precincts bringing total open spaces to 40% of total development. This development will incorporate sustainable eco-friendly features among others, efficient water and energy features and bus stops that are within short walking distance, sheltered walkways and bicycle path to minimise vehicular access.
Lastly, I will like to once again take the opportunity to welcome Surbana International Consultants to Penang. I am confident that the State Government’s effort to provide affordable quality homes with an integrated concept and design of international standards for the people of Penang will be realized soon and work on the project is expected to commence by the end of the year.
We want everyone in Penang to own their dream home. Even if we are poor, our homes should not be like cages for our kids. Our children deserve better. Penang deserve better. We aspire that great Penang dream of a home that is clean, green, safe and comfortable for your children to grow up with dignity. In Penang everyone can share this dream.
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I work for UEM. Currently we are undertaking construction job of 4000 unit houses in Brunei for their National Housing Scheme. Surbana is our design consultant cum Masterplanner. I can tell you, and everyone else in our team there would agree, that they are absolute rubbish.
Anil, do you know the difference between the term low cost housing and affordable housing ?
Obviously, people would prefer affordable housing than low cost housing .
If you can afford it, would you buy a low cost house ?
Low cost is like everything is cheap from small space to lower quality materials .
The term low cost sounds so demeaning.
Does the gomen know the demographics of the poor, the lower, middle to upper of middle class and the rich & wealthy in Penang? Where are their concentration and preference for certain locations? The low cost housing may seem outdated or extinct in the high vocabulary of Cosmopolitan Penang, but the hard reality is low cost housing is still in demand by those in the lowest rung of society – the old & dumped parents or vagabonds shamed by relatives or those who cannot pay for a decent place in caring homes. The lowly paid workers who cannot climb up… Read more »
becoz people always sing praises of penang island (friendly people, wonderful food etc) so more people moving in to island.
so to stop further escalation in property prizes, some people should just keep their mouth (writings) shut and enjoy food not to tell the whole wide world.
personally i see productivity of penangites hav declined over the years living in complacency awaiting help from gomen, heaven (temple or church) or ah-longs (4D syndicate) and now start to kow pei kow boh.
If Penangites are unproductive, go tell the Inland Revenue to stop collecting taxes and let us Penangites to start enjoying more spending power, can you? Otherwise, don’t shoot from your orifice without realising that Penangites pay one of the highest taxes in many years so to remember so that you and others in other states get to enjoy free money for development for your creature comforts. Yeah, we Penangites advertise our state attractiveness which helps to bring in foreign tourist revenue not only for Penang, but also for Malaysia. And we don’t depend on Federal for jobs like crutches or… Read more »
Nobody can live in affordable house that without ccess to convenient transportation. So accessibility becoe part of housing opportunities cost. Having knowledgeable consultancy firm to kick start the work will save tons of time discovering problem . Afterall, Penang is natural resource stripped similar to Singapore.
Having cheap local consulancy sounds reasonable, but bare in mine that , it will took months of studies which translate to cost . And malaysia tranfer too much opportunities cost on urban development, that will skewed the studies result and create too many blind spot.
Dear Anil, I honestly feel that it is a fact that PDC has failed as a developer of decent affordable or low cost homes. Just look at the maintenance and quality of their low cost flats on the Island. The design is ugly, inadequate or no green spaces at all and no trees. Let’s not even talk about walkways to bus stops and shops. Many don’t even have a walkway right outside the gate. You walk on the road and risk getting rammed down. With such a bad track record, I would have sacked the entire PDC team. I am… Read more »
Maybe Anil should stay for a week at Tampines HDB to understand what entails as AFFORDABLE housing.
Please no more slums in Penang!
“No denying the quality of Singapore public housing (though prices of HDB flats have been rising there as well). But does this mean PDC is no longer – or was never – capable of building decent affordable housing on its own? And how much is the fee payable to ” Anil, your statement above puzzles me. 1. What’s wrong with appointing proven consultants from neighboring countries for new ideas and concepts? Moreover, there is standing examples that are there for all to judge their competences. 2. I am sure you are a frequent visitor to Bayan Baru? Take a look… Read more »
In any market oriented economy, as soon as it opens up to globalisation and neoliberal capitalism, the forces of imbalanced demand & supply will work like pressure cooker on competitive profits & prices from food, education, housing, medical to luxuries. Coupled with petrol price increase (no thanks to commodity speculators), the spiral effect needs no guessing. Survival of the fittest kicks in, the chase for a better life becomes an uphill Kia Su task, what used to be taken for granted like free medic becomes a rich man’s convalescence, neighborliness an unheard of human nature, and the sense of lifestyle… Read more »
Resistance (to change) is futile.
tunglang,
i think you deserve to take a vacation. I recommend you take a cruise along Li river at Guilin. With AirAsia, Fernadez says everyone can fly and there are many economical places to enjoy outside Penang. I think your mentor Mdam Kee can also recommend you other interesting places to go.
Go and relax and at the same time enjoy the street food there.
Learn to let go and be cheerful always. God bless.
Change is not a wholesale market offering that look, taste and feel like gold. Introspection will help one discern the good change from the bad.
Wary is caution, not blindfolded tasting.
This is harsh realities of globalisation and urbanization of neoliberal capitalism. But many young Penangites are not prepared for it thinking their parents are Thua Khang or the gomen can rescue them. We don’t have social security to cushion, much less god fathers to give blank cheques.
Asking the experts from Singapore to develop our township with efficient water and energy features and bus stops that are within short walking distance, sheltered walkways and bicycle path to minimise vehicular access.AND amenities like food courts, markets, surau, banks and shops which are only 3-5 mins walk from residential blocks, ALSO you guys wanna complaint!!
After 40years, which Malaysian State’s housing have all these features stated?!?!
BTW even the RM250m cows knows where is good public housing!
Racheljansz, you are right. More readers like you to share goodies happening outside island Penang. I went to Singapore, spent 3 weeks there at my nephew’s modest HDB home. Once i stepped outside the flat, I have walking (comfortable walkways light up at night) distance to bus stands, grocery stalls, hawker centres, banks, cinemas etc. Every district has a Community Centres catering for youngs (basketball or futsal fields) and olds (weekend trips to Msia or yoga etc), with sports facilities both outdoor and indoor free of charge. Also, the HDBs are very well maintained (Tampines ones are UN certified as… Read more »
Yes, seeing is believing.
Penangites should visit Singapore.
Take AirAsia to JB Senai Airport.
If the hotel in Singapore is expensive, you can stay in JB (Tune Hotel) and take the bus to Singapore (CW2 to Bugis/Queen St, CW5 to Newton Station) from JB Sentral/CIQ (another BN project worth visiting).
Take the MRT, walk on the walkway in Singapore.
Take a stroll at the HDB estate. Visit the community centre and regional library. Surely an eye opener.
But do not gamble at Marina Bay Sands and Resort Sentosa.
The HongKong and Spore government is one of the best in the world, but the property prices also very high. Their account is surplus with billions of dollars but yet their people living in a so small space. How about Penang island? Whether it is governed by PR or BN, Penang property price is destined to soar. You don’t believe it, then try to go to Tokyo, London and New York. See yourself how they live for average citizen.
People like tunglang have been enjoying “lepak” lifestyle and cannot adapt to the change in cosmopolitan lifestyle. They prefer “old” penang unaware that globalization has rendered such 70’s-80’s settings are near impossible to sustain ! I am born and raised in Penang island. However, I am not stubborn but able to move on with times and now settle down comfortably in Sungai Petani. I beckon I may have 25-30 years (God’s blessings) left so and I can kickstart nolstagic feel in serene S Petani with my simple savings for simple daily lifestyle. Face the fact : When i went dating… Read more »
TuaKee, you don’t know a thing about my previous lifestyle of 10-12hrs advertising career. So do give me a chance to right the wrong perception of tunglang. Tunglang is no lepak kaki but a multi-tasker who find time to write in between works (minding my own business). When passion takes over, there’s nothing to shut up my voice, so don’t think I just lepak to write shiok-shiok. I do love Heritage Penang in every aspect even before the UNESCO heritage site award, worked with Madam Kee on Penang Tourism 99 campaign, understand the ups and downs of promoting and caring… Read more »
To own a comfortable house, one has to work like rat. Tell us a place where one can take it easy in work and yet to have a comfortable house?
Even in Down Under – plenty of land and easy working life, a small 2 bed unit with just a bathroom costs more than Aus$300K to $450K, people have problems in servicing their loans.
The key test is average property price divided by household income. How do we fare?
So where are the towns and cities that are affordable to where one work unless one has to travel along distance like staying in Seremban and work in KL. To do that one has to leave his home about 6am and reach home about 7pm. This means he has to leaved his Office sharp. This is acceptable in the Government Service but not in private companies where the bosses expect one to work a bit longer.
kingkong, work like rats with bosses that expect one to tambah masa kerja so one cannot go home on time. So bosses’ solution is to sleep overnight on office couches so that the next morning the super rat souls are eveready (nevermind without brushing teeth) in the office before work starts. What a rat way of work lifestyle just to own a million ringgit home.
I will be glad to be medic insurance agent to these rats.
The Aussies with minimum wage and social security don’t have nightmares. At the most difficult, they go slaughter the kangaroos for free barbeque meat!
On the verge of going nuts, they just go surf the biggest wave off Gold Coast.
You have not even answer the question as where in the one one can work easy and yet own a property. So you acknowledge even in Aust, those with easy life unable to own one.
Now you start to blow cow to say they can easily catch and slaught a kangaroo for free lunches. Go and ask any Aussies hanging around in Penang Road or TB to confirm it is true? They will be saying Malaysians live in tree tops
Who say I have to answer to you? You pay me ah!
Everyone has a right to say his thought. Stuff your ears then. Another Jaguh boyscout!
If I say sweet things of LGE, then you fall in love with me, right?
BTW, in BolehLand, Sodome is a crime! Whether you like it or not.
Simple english even cannot faham? Tell ” us ” and not ” me” for all the readers. It shows that you have been blowing cows and water reinforced by saying Aussies catch kangaroos for free lunch as if kangaroos are so easy to catch.
TuaKee has certainly provided good points to those ‘Die Die Also Must Stay in Penang Island’ penangites who cannot accept the rising costs in the island. Some good old things in Penang are gone forwever, only live in our memories. I don’t see Capitol cinema (where I dated my many girl friends) anymore but I choose to appreciate the modern-day Lotus 5 cineplex in Prangin Mall with good sound system. Remember the heritage zone does not cover the entire Penang island. If one cannot accept the modern day development on Penang island, then one can ‘travel back in time’ to… Read more »
Anson, you’re another one who don’t understand my love of Belum Rainforest. Nature has been in my blood since childhood, not these 2 years @ anilnetto! My daredevil expeditions deep into the dark rainforest in northern Malaysian states has grown my passion for the formidable jungle many folds. To many slick metrosexual urbanites, the Belum Rainforest is an inconvenient place to live, but to tunglang it is a haven full of mystery, beauty and rare colors. It is not a place to put my soul in harsh penitence, as you think brother. To you, maybe. And I am very sorry… Read more »
in 2-3 years time tunglang will complaint in anil’s blog about people ‘destroying” his belum forest for example blaming rich people coming to exploit Belum Rainforest Resort.
http://www.belumresort.com/
btw, I am Perak-born and I sincerely hope tunglang does not bring his Penang rantings to peaceful Belum Forest and disturb Ying-Yang equilibrium there, ok ?
If you camp in the Belum rainforest, it is really noisy at night. Want to complain?
As a Perakian, you should learn from others facing the onslaught of irresponsible progress and not be too smart that it will not happen in Belum. Already poachers are having a field day in your backyard Belum with just a handful of rangers to keep watch over them! Even the so called protectors of our nature assets … shot the prized hornbills.
Go take a slow hike and find out yourself since you are so near to Belum.
Yes tua kee, we have to be more self reliant and work harder now but that doesn’t mean we let developers and politicians rob us everyday. No point working extra hard to make money but at the end of the day allow the government to rob and short change you like what is being done now. Amenities are built using your money, but yet you have to pay many times above the cost of construction to use them. We must take charge of our government and make sure the policies that they formulate protect the future generation and their quality… Read more »
This is not considered introspectively for the now and for the future. As long as material progress can be had by whatever means, the consequences are inconsequential.
Some prefer no questioning, but blind acceptance of all things progress.
History taught us rise and fall of civilisations. Is it too difficult or boring to learn (for our own good)?
Kevin, work for the money to buy super expensive homes of no choice in Penang (Island) b’cos have to cari-makan rather than ‘Yat Chiu’ (plant & eat bananas) in mainland.
And work until sick or mental case, then the other 2 industries will also reap excessive profits namely medical insurance & private hotel-pitals.
Tanjung Rambutan will be the next ‘treatment’ centre for Penangites of unsound minds and unsound dreams!
The problem is Penangite do not want to venture far out from their home. Why don`t you try, Bukit Minyak, Simpang Ampat, Batu Kawan, Sungai Dua etc etc. Look around, single storey or even double storey house cost only about 100k and above. And it will go up very soon as these areas are developing very fast. I wanted to buy for my children and what they said. I rather live in the 600-700 sq ft flat flat in Penang island than in those areas with bigger landed house.
The TRUTH about Housing affordability in Singapore. Diary of A Singaporean Mind: “I’ll show you why this whole affordability argument from Minister Mah is bogus. Our public housing is the most expensive in the world and it causes Singaporean households to be deep in debt putting them at risk – 8% of HDB loans were in default in late 2008 even before the recession started[Link:HDB Mortgage Defaults Up 33,000 in October]. The need to service a debt over 3 decades make Singaporean households financially vulnerable – but there is something that make such loans even more dangerous……” Read the expressed… Read more »
Please use some common sense and show some maturity. If you want to argue a point based solely on bits of other people’s posts , at least look up the figures tossed if it makes sense. Repeating , copy and paste style just shows a compete lack of substance. The post you copied is just like yours, ranting and whinning but no explanation.
Go to Pondok Internet and work 24/7/365 more productively as Penjaga Blog Komentari Semenanjung Malaysia. Sure get the job!
Good to see your posts have grown shorter. Perhaps you have exhausted limited vocab or run out of post elsewhere to copy? Good.
Oh! Now I see you are self appointed Penjaga Blog Komentari Semenanjung Malaysia.
Congratulations! Even though surat pemohonan tak terima langsung!
Anyway, self appointment is still an appointment (though of the ego type).
This is as far as I can comfort you!
An isolated frustrated Singaporean who vent his frustration ‘cow peh cow boh’ on blog does not represent the 99% of Singaporeans living comfortably in their HDB home.
Agreed, Anson. Too bad uncle TL and his irrelevant drivel continues to fill this forum, using flimsy bits of comments like these. When adults discuss, it is done with sound reasons and facts. Instead , we get loyar buruks ….
This is one Singaporean comment on the state of LESS AFFORDABLE housing in SingLand. Whathefish: 2. Your parents times are way too far for any good comparison, i.e. if the flat costs only 25k. 3. If youngsters nowadays really max out their loans to buy, then they are more stupid than i think. I thought newer generation is more financial savvy. Who in the right mind maxes out property loans? Most of the pple could even pay off HDB loans via CPF only, no cash. That being said. SG property is really too high now, and it should go down… Read more »
My old friend in Penang has a son graduated locally with a Science degree. He went to Singapore to work as a production supervisor (not a glamorous job) at a wafer fab factory on 12-hour night shift work (i.e. 3-day week alternates with 4-day week) 8 years ago. He is earning S$2700 initially but now S$3600-S$4000 per month (plus allowances and OT payment). For 5 years he forgo the opportunity cost of savouring home cook or Penang street food, and the quality time with family. He is prudent in his expenses and eat 2 daily meals at low-price company cafeteria.… Read more »
Anyone comments on the housing in JB???? Gatal Gatal?? Err… come lah to JB, the land is thousand times bigger than Penang Island… but the housing price, wa ha ha … A double storey linked house 20 x 70, can cost up to RM500,000~!~! Gatal Gatal, Johor water price is higher than Penang; Johor Char Kuey Teow is RM4.00 onwards (just at the normal housing area, not tourist spots yet), Johor road condition is as many pot holes as the moon surface…. gua ka ka… then why Johorean why gatal gatal vote to BN last election? What to do??? Still… Read more »
It is impossible to get a 20×70 double storey house in an urban area on Penang Island for RM500,000.
Such new landed properties are released to the market from RM 1million.
Penang Island is an island.
The mainland – U can get it!
Johor is many times bigger, but still expensive!
That is the PRICE to pay when you gatal-gatal vote pakatan in as the state government !!!
Pakatan low cost house definition = RM72500 to RM220000 !!!! ???
I will pick BN’s low cost house definition anytime anyday. Next time you know how to vote wisely. Now you have tasted the POISONOUS sweet talk. Anyone wants to vote pakatan again ???
Gerakan K, this is not low cost housing, it is affordable housing. They are two different things. Not everyone wants to live in low cost houses. For example, if u were in Penang and earned 3k to 4k a month, would you want to live in a 800sf low cost flat with 2 roms? The answer is no, you would target for something bigger, with more comfortable amenities and green spaces. But you cannot afford any such home in Penang with that kind of salary because they are all 500k and above. So, these affordable homes that are to be… Read more »
Therefore, having homes from 70k to 220k all in the same area is a good plan to ensure that people regardless of their income may live together and interact peacefully.
This will never happen.
The greedy developers will figure in the opportunity costs and will cry day and night if it happens for example in Tanjung Tokong!
Of course, they are developers, not charity foundations. What do you expect? They want to make money. It is up to the government to regulate them and formulate town planning rules which are strictly enforced.
If the government regulates them, the developers and housebuyers would like to oppose. People like to boost that they live in Taman Tun, One Utama in Petaling Jaya and see their property goes up and they are the higher class people than those Sg Way or PJ Old town.
But Lee Kuan Yew has told HDB to do away the classes and mix them together so that those better off can help those in need in order to create Sinkaporeans. Sinkaporeans do not think like special class or rights as in malai craeted by AMNO
No doubt that Singapore HDB + mixing ratio is better than us. However, Singapore also have class differences. Don’t tell me – DOVER is lower class than the Woodland. Price is different. Demand is different.
Don’t tell me Communist has no class different!
GK Are you ignorant. Najib Ammo Barang Naik 1 Malaysia housing cost between 200 to 300k
BN’s housing model using EPF fund will create a problem similar to the sub-prime crisis in USA. If a person cannot secure a bank loan, then how likely is he able to pay back EPF loan? BN only bring a very short-term solution, but end up creating a gigantic social problem like the sub-prime crisis. Singapore PM recently told their citizens that their pay will go up 30% in 10 years with productivity improvement brought by utilization of technology, modern work flow and competent workforce. PM Najib can ‘cakap kosong’ with no facts in his ‘high-income nation’ while continue to… Read more »
When you don’t have the ability, you bring in the people who do. Nothing wrong with that.
Why Batu Kawan. Is LGE going to kick the poor out of Penang. It seem that Penang will be for the rich only. LGE better buck up or you will be kick out instead of us.
It makes me / us wonder what is the strategy and intention of transforming into Global Cosmopolitan Penang (Island). Is it to make it ‘uninhabitable’ for the poor (Chin Yah Phai Seh – too shameful – to have them around) and middle class (who’s going to be poor in due time) in Cosmopolitan ala SingLand? Is it to usher in the rich man’s standard of lifestyle to match its global image of Cosmopolitan for the rich and famous? Or is it to fulfill the dreams of developers too sleepless for The World Islands (Dubai) imitation which will afford them an… Read more »
why singaporean consultants? THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SINGAPORE! … It is like asking israel regime to become the consultant for peace.. lol
Are you ignorant or what. Who says there is no affordable in Singapore. In fact with the exception of the private sector, Singapore public housing is more affordable than Penang Island
What I heard was average Singaporeans have to work damp hard to service home loans, some ranging from S300K – S500K for decent flats (depending on how much is deducted from their CPF). And it may/usually takes 2 generations to fully pay up!
That without servicing a car loan which many don’t have.
What a meaningful way of life!
Unless they sell off their high priced property and retire in 3xcheaper standard of living countries like BolehLand.
You heard? Or just making things up without facts as usual? Let me share some hard facts and figures, first hand info from my sibling in Singapore: – HDB flat prices vary from 360,000 (std)to 450,000 (super HDB, which is a new concept. Condo style, bigger, new designs) – monthly instalment can be deducted from CPF account. In my sibling’s case, that means she and her hubby pay 1600 out of pocket plus 1400 thru CPF deduction. Combined, mind you. -HDB has strict criteria in terms of salary and eligibility. If you cannot afford, no go. No such thing as… Read more »
As a side note, Singapore’s Gini coefficient (income inequality) is just as high (or thereabouts) as Malaysia’s.
My figure stated – Ranging, Heard from. dumbo!
Should I get a sound recording for you?
Everyone entitles to give an opinion. You don’t own this blog, dumbo!
Hello uncle TL, please read your own nonsense. What 2 generations to pay loan? If you can’t qualify, you won’t be eligible.
It is a given that people need to work hard to pay for their investment. If you have nothing productive to add to the topic, go take a break. Doesn’t mean you have to open your mouth. If you post nonsense, then be prepared to take criticism…
The meaning of ‘may’
may 1 |mā|
1 expressing possibility : that may be true | he may well win | may take 2 generations
Some find it hard to understand simple English or is it hard to swallow in PJ. Yet want to be gau gau just to proof what? Gibberish!
BTW, I am no English teacher of British comedy Mind Your Language!
Hello, Mr Correction.
If you are so precise, figure calculative and fact-stickler you shouldn’t troop in here like a non-fiction proof reader and proof seeker.
My recommendation:
Go to Pondok Internet and work 24/7/365 more productively as Penjaga Blog Komentari Semenanjung Malaysia.
Good for your health and sanity, fit your confrontational temperament!
If you are still stung by my nonsense, go to SingKahPoh & buy a Tiger Balm to soothe your ego. Or a Tiger Beer to cool your nerves. These are factual remedies that work. No need to Chiu Chua (swear)!
Hahah, BTW uncle TL…the best response you can give is Dumbo? What great wit you have!
You are truly a sad should. When you are caught out with your inaccurate assertions , youronly lame excuse is to fall back on the use “may”.
Instead of a riposte, all you can come up with is another long winded rant. Senility.
A typical Jaguh boyscout response! Pity!
Singaporeans can take HDB housing loan at 2.6% interest for their first home. In contrast, government housing loans in Malaysia for civil servants are at 4%. Others @ 7% & more. That is certainly affordable if one cares to work out the loan servicing requirement between a Singaporean there and a Malaysian here. Compare the earning and loan servicing requirement of a Malaysian couple viz-z-viz a couple in Singapore. 1. Monthly Income. Malaysian couple = RM10,000 Singaporean couple = SGD 10,000. 2. A 1,200 sq ft apartment. In Singapore = SGD350,000 (HDB) In Penang = RM 500,000 (on the island)… Read more »
And bear in mind that the bulk of Malaysian households earn less than RM3000 per month, though a bit higher in Penang Island.
How many of you earn RM10,000? You can afford drinks , music and women all nite long?
Tung Lung,
Penangite on the island will now have to work even harder to service their housing loan which has gone beyond their reach compared to Singapore which has a higher standard of living. And with Singaporean using their Singapore dollars which is now 2.5 times, they are snapping condo and properties at an alarming rate.
1st time Singaporean buyer of new government HDB flat is actually much lower (subsidized by government) than quoted by tunglang (he is quoting the resale price).
In fact 1st time buyer (young newly-wed) can buy 4-Room (3 bed rooms and 1 hall) HDB flat at very affordable low price if they choose the new township. They can pay with their CPF (12% from employer!) in installment and the price of the flat is likely to appreciate with time when the township gets mature.
The ‘fact’ I heard was from someone with long-time relatives in SingLand. So, why should I doubt him (a pastor) or ask for black & white as some Jaguh boyscout with brainless antics demands.
Listen for a change instead of over exerting your big mouth, uncle. The point Anson was putting across was that HDB flats ARE affordable to many citizens in Singapore , as opposed to your flimsy assertions.
Weren’t you claiming that affordability was a problem in Singapore?
So what other excuses do you have? Run out of them? Good……perhaps we can all have some peace for now.
Discussion for the preferred peace of your little mind or is it minion brain?
Com’on. Don’t be so coward to share thoughts but linger under your so-called peace thought of own thinking.
What a Jaguh boyscout of no courage but self defeating antics of ‘Ma Lau’.
LOL, Singapore consultants and affordable housing ??? It looks like another O. Town advertisement !!! Luckily they did not pick HK consultants !!! Yeah right, affordable housing in HK.
No affordable housing in Singapore? Said who? There’s a long waiting list of people waiting to buy HDB flats, which are about 40% less than the average condo being built by private developers.
Very true. Their HDB estate is very well maintained compared to many condominium in Malaysia.
Malaysia should benchmark the practices of the town councils in Singapore.
Have you been in Singapore? Have you seen their so call HDB FLAT??? In Malaysia, it’s call APARTMENT. There are so well maintain and even some of the so call APARTMENT in Malaysia can’t maintain as good as theirs. Why dont just learn from them which is our neighbouring country? Instead of learned from the East (Japan), initiated by Mahathir, which is thousands of miles away from us, and have ruled Malaya, killing hundreds of thousands of human lifes?
Jimmy, I agree with you that house prices (of a reasonable size) in Singapore cannot be deemed to be affordable to the average joe. However in this case we have to judge things relatively and compare apples to apples. Let us say for example a 1200sf 3 bedroom apt is considered a reasonable home. A typical unit like this would be more affordable in singapore than in penang. Dollar for dollar (without conversion), such units are cheaper in singapore. Furthermore, average income in sg is very much higher than that here. So, compared to penang, sg homes of that range… Read more »
Jimmy K should read this article first: Are HDB Flats Affordable? http://www.mnd.gov.sg/reflections_housing/article6.htm HDB prices its new flats below market value, taking into account the income of homebuyers. Hence, first-timers enjoy a substantial subsidy when they buy new flats from HDB. Next, for first-timers who cannot wait for a new flat or wish to buy a specific flat in a specific location, HDB provides a CPF Housing Grant of $30,000 (or $40,000 if they stay near their parents) to buy a resale flat. Beyond that, new and resale flat buyers can apply for a concessionary loan. For a $200,000 loan over… Read more »