11/22/2006

myth 95

'HDB flats are too small' A Ms Sangeetha Bysheim wrote to the media complaining, oh no sorry, feedback, that HDB flat is a squash for more kids. How wrong can she be. In a 3 room flat, it can take in easily and comfortably 10 people, father and mother and 4 children to a room. And there is still space in the living room to park maybe another 4 bodies when lights out. And Ignatius Lourdesamy from the HDB rightly replied that our flats are big, bigger than in Hongkong, Tokyo and Seoul, and bigger than private apartments. Singaporeans should not be complaining about small flats. They did not know how good life is in Singapore. Go to Africa and see those natives living in thatch huts or in open space! 'HDB flats are also designed for more efficient use of space.' Now this is very important in land scarce Singapore. What Sangeetha should suggest is that all flats and houses must also be designed to save space. After all we are going to have 8 million residents in years to come. Maybe there should be a law to regulate the size of space entitlement for each citizen. As an example each person is entitled to 3 by 3 metres of bedroom space, no matter whether it is HDB flat, private flat or landed properties. If hardlanders are deemed fit to be squeezed into a small hole, or in public transport, then anyone who thinks that such condition is acceptable should also be prepared to be in the same shit hole. There is a saying that you need to be in the same shit to appreciate what it is like. Try living it is one way. There are still people who believed that Singaporeans can survive on a household income of less than $1000, or a big family to live inside a pigeon hole of 50 to 90 sq metres.

4 comments:

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The best reply from HDB by Tay Boon Sun, Senior PRO, for Director(Corporate Devt) HDB in Today paper today.

"I refer to the letters....(by forumers about small HDB flats). We would like to inform these families that they do have many choices available to them...(eg new 5 rm flats, executive flats, resale flats, in other words go and buy them if you want bigger flats).

The HDB Sample Household Survey 2003 indicated that, in general, the majority of HDB residents are satisfied with living in a HDB estate.

The survey showed that what residents liked most about HDB living were the low housing cost and the comprehensive estate facilities.

More than half of the households were contented with their present HDB flats, esp those living in the smaller flat types."
_________

Now stop complaining. Only a small minority are not happy with big small flats. The smaller the flat types, the more contented are the residents.

Anonymous said...

Red Bean please do not mention my father (ignatius lourdesamy) in this blog. My name is Naomi Lourdesamy and he is my dad. If you do not do so by March 2007 there will be consequences

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi naomi,

now i found your comment. please read what i said. your father's reply was in the paper.

my other comments were general comments that were my opinion which you are free to disagree.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

this is your dad's reply which i lifted from the paper.'And Ignatius Lourdesamy from the HDB rightly replied that our flats are big, bigger than in Hongkong, Tokyo and Seoul, and bigger than private apartments.'

it is inaccurate or offensive?