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The #RidoutGate Mega-Thread!

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PAP, opposition MPs file questions on Ridout Road state properties; WP urges SLA to release more info in advance​

A view of the entrance to 31 Ridout Road taken on May 13, 2023.
Nuria Ling/TODAY
A view of the entrance to 31 Ridout Road taken on May 13, 2023
www.todayonline.com

Mr Singh also asked whether there are any rules or conventions to ensure that Cabinet ministers do not take advantage of privileged information received in the course of their duties in regard to the lease of government properties.

The party added that it will still continue studying the matter and other MPs from the party may also file questions on the matter as more information becomes available.

“As questions continue to be asked in the public domain about the circumstances behind the leasing of both properties to Cabinet ministers, we call on the Singapore Land Authority to release all relevant and material facts in advance, such as the guide rent for both properties, so as to make for a fuller and more meaningful debate in Parliament,” the statement read.

The three PAP Members of Parliament (MPs) who said that they have filed questions for Parliament on the matter are Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai, Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, MP for Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency.
Mr Murali on Thursday said that he has filed four questions regarding the properties earlier this week on May 16.

Among others, he asked whether Mr Shanmugam was "involved in his official capacity" in any decisions relating to the rental of these properties, and what measures have been put in place to ensure that any bidder is not provided with any advantage over other bidders.
Mr Sitoh asked for the rental rates for the properties, SLA's standard tenancy operating procedures and whether the statutory board has followed the procedures.

​

Mr Zhulkarnain asked for the circumstances under which the properties came to be rented to the ministers and how had SLA marketed the bungalows.

In response to TODAY's queries on WP's request, SLA reiterated that more details will be announced in July.

In its statement on May 13, the statutory board said that "more details on this issue" would be provided during the next parliamentary session in July.

It added that 26 Ridout Road had been vacant for more than four years before it was tenanted to Mr Shanmugam in 2018, and that the minister had notified a "senior Cabinet colleague" that he was making a bid for the property.

It also said that Mr Shanmugam was the only bidder and his offer, made through an agent, was higher than the guide rent — which was not disclosed to him.

Mr Shanmugam renewed the tenancy for another three years in June 2021, it added.

As for 31 Ridout Road, SLA said that the property had been vacant for more than six years before it was tenanted to Dr Balakrishnan.

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He put in a bid in November 2018 that was above the guide rent, which was also not disclosed to him.

SLA said that Dr Balakrishnan was the highest bidder. His tenancy was granted with effect from October 2019, and renewed three years later.
Ridout Road is off Holland Road and near the Dempsey Hill lifestyle and entertainment area.

According to SLA data, the property at 31 Ridout Road has a land area of 136,101sqft.

Information on the property at 26 Ridout Road could only be found within a lot that included 24 and 31 Ridout Road, with a total land area of 525,171sqft.
 
All PAP ministers work their butts off in order to improve the lives of Singaporeans and they deserve whatever perks are extended to them.

They make major sacrifices in order to serve the public. If they were in the private sector they'd be making 10x what they earn now.
 
While Singkies are squeezed into tiny HDB pigeon holes, these two blokes and their privileged families are enjoying all the space. Song bo Singkies? :D
 
How come golf course land tio axed, but that huge Ridout land still happily remains available huh?

Golf course land ‘will be reduced over time’
www.todayonline.com
BY PHILIP GOH
Published November 16, 2013
Updated November 18, 2013


SINGAPORE — Members of golf clubs whose leases are running out will finally find out the fates of their clubs by early next year.
This was confirmed by Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs, Mr K Shanmugam, in a post on his Facebook page yesterday.
Mr Shanmugam’s post was addressing an editorial published in The Business Times on Tuesday on the need to strike a balance between the needs for golf as a sport and lifestyle choice and alternative uses for the land which the courses sit on.
While acknowledging that there is a place for golf courses in Singapore and noting that having golf facilities “makes us a better location for business investment as well”, Mr Shanmugam pointed out that land allocated to golf courses will be reduced over time because of Singapore’s land use needs.
“In the past, many golf courses were built over land which could not be developed for high intensity use. We are now able to make better use of some of these land,” he wrote.
As such, the Government’s approach is to let the leases expire if the land is needed for another purpose.
“In the coming years, some golf course land will be redeveloped, to put to higher intensity uses, to meet Singapore’s land use needs,” said the minister.
The Government had indicated last January that golf courses may have to make way for other land use such as housing, signalling a policy shift for the 18 clubs who occupy an estimated 1,500 hectares or 2 per cent of Singapore’s total land area.
Consultations have been ongoing between the Ministry of Law and the Singapore Land Authority with 13 clubs here who are on 30-year tenures.
The first leases to expire will be those for the Keppel Club and Changi Golf Club in 2021, while other with less than 10 years left on their leases include the Singapore Island Country Club, the Seletar Country Club and the Tanah Merah Country Club.
According to Mr Shanmugam, golf clubs will be told in advance whether their leases can be extended. “We plan to make an announcement early next year on our approach to lease extension for golf courses and to let clubs whose leases will expire within the next 10 years know whether their leases can be extended,” he said.
Lease doubts have not only hurt golf club membership prices with clubs reporting falls of between 2 and 15 per cent, but have also affected some clubs’ plans to redevelop their facilities.
Three months ago, Raffles Country Club members voted down a S$26-million revamp on one of the club’s two courses amid uncertainties over extension to their land tenure.
According to Peter Goh, General Manager of the Orchid Country Club, the Yishun facility that features three nine-hole courses has some 10 years left on its tenure.
“There are a lot of uncertainties about the extension of the tenure and for now we have no new information,” said Goh. “What is certain is we have our 10 years here and we’re not sure what will happen beyond that.”
However, Goh said that the club’s membership price has not seen much fluctuation and remains “in the S$39,000 to S$40,000 range”. He added that the 1,800-member club can accommodate more golfers to maximise its utilisation.
 
SBFNews said:
While Singkies are squeezed into tiny HDB pigeon holes, these two blokes and their privileged families are enjoying all the space. Song bo Singkies? :D
Click to expand...


It like good old colonial days. The 2 ministers must be realising their fantasies of living like a colonial master.
 
Shameful fake opposition party worker party never do their work and sinkies have to rely on Kenneth Jeyaratnam to dig out this news
 
There is no corruption in SG!
So when will these two fuckers follow Teh Chiang Wan's lead?
At least Teh had balls.
It's not even 10 years since LKY went to hell.
 
26 Ridout Road vacant for more than four years and 31 Ridout Road, vacant for more than six years before it was tenanted -I guess in the private sector , the holding company would have gone bankrupt by then.
Why was this not highlighted in the Auditor General 's Report and what was SLA doing to market them?
This is a massive wastage of public resources and yet nobody is held accountable for this.
its criminal when many locals are jobless and struggling to survive
 
Last edited:
My friend from straits times told me that actually a young journalist in straits times investigated this piece of info and prepared to publish it but her work was rejected by editor and several weeks later her work was leaked to KJ.
 
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