Viet PRs unhappy with paying for HDB’s HIP
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Viet PRs unhappy with paying for HDB’s HIP[/h]
March 7th, 2014 |
Author:
Editorial
A TRE reader has forwarded a forum posting [Link] on HWZ revealing that a PR who is a Vietnamese, is very unhappy with the HDB’s Home Improvement Programme (HIP). It was posted on HWZ yesterday (6 Mar).
The forum posting showed a screen capture of the Vietnamese’s Facebook posting.
The Vietnamese accused HDB of treating foreigners like “rats”.
“We have no voice over our own house,” he said.
Presumably, he bought his HDB resale flat for more than $500,000. He said that the over $500,000 he paid is “f*cking real money”. He is very unhappy that now, he needs to pay another $13,000 or more to “change some stupid water pipes” under the HIP.
He said that the most ridiculous thing that annoys him is not the amount he has to pay for the pipes but Singaporeans don’t have to pay anything for the HIP.
He said, “Yes, they pay $0.”
The HIP was set up to deal with common maintenance problems related to ageing HDB flats, such as spalling concrete and ceiling leaks, in a systematic and comprehensive manner [
Link].
The HIP works are categorised into Essential and Optional Improvements. Essential Improvements are improvements considered necessary for public health, safety or technical reasons. They are compulsory if HIP is polled successfully:
- Replacement of waste pipes
- Repair of spalling concrete
- Repair of structural cracks
- Replacement of pipe sockets
- Upgrading of electrical supply
Optional Improvements include:
- Upgrading of toilets/bathrooms
- Replacement of entrance door
- Replacement of grille gate
- Replacement of refuse chute hopper
HIP will proceed only if 75% or more of a block’s eligible Singaporean households have voted in favour of HIP at the poll. However, Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) households are not eligible to poll.
The Government fully funds the Essential Improvements for Singaporean households. Hence, they need not contribute to the cost of these items. For the Optional Improvements, the Government will subsidise a major portion of the cost for Singaporean households, depending on what the household chooses. PR households, however, have to pay the full upgrading cost, including the Essential Improvements, as the subsidy is meant for Singaporeans only.
Hence, it is understandable that Mr Steve Pham, the Vietnamese PR, is frustrated and angry with not just HDB but Singaporeans as well, since he is annoyed that Singaporeans don’t have to pay anything for the Essential Improvements of HIP.
To further make his case, he said, “PRs are foreigners in this country but we are also human.” He asked why he can’t vote on HIP which affects people like him as well.
Another of his countryman, Melissa Nguyen commented that such a policy is designed to “drive away FTs”. Even if PRs are allowed to vote on HIP, she felt that PRs will be outvoted by Singaporeans since there is quota set for PRs staying in HDB blocks:
According to his Facebook page [
Link], Steve Pham appears to be a foreign scholar funded by the Singapore Government to study in NUS:
And according to his own admission in his Facebook posting, he has been living in Singapore for the past 10 years.
The Population White Paper [
Link] actually talked about the reason for giving Permanent Residence (PR) to foreigners. It said, “Permanent residence is granted to those who have a long-term stake in Singapore and who intend to sink roots here. It is an intermediate step through which foreigners take up citizenship in Singapore.”
Indeed, even HDB said that for PRs who later become Singaporeans within 1 year from the date of billing of the HIP, they can still claim back reimbursement of the upgrading subsidy from the government [
Link]. In addition, they can convert their interest scheme from HDB’s market interest rate to a concessionary interest rate.
Through his Facebook postings, it is clear that Steve Pham may not have any intention to convert his citizenship to become a Singaporean, since he can easily get back his $13,000 through reimbursement by becoming one.
What do you think?