REACH (Telegram) 97 - What are your thoughts on the issues to be discussed in Parliament today? Which area interests you the most?
(SK)
23 Sep 2025 (10am - 7pm)
REACH (Telegram)
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 9:53 am]
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REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 10:00 am]
📢 Topic 📢
Parliament will sit today (23 Sep) at 11.30am. Members of Parliament will be raising questions on a number of issues such as jobs, housing and manpower.
💬 What are your thoughts on the issues to be discussed in Parliament today? Which area interests you the most?
📌 SkillsFuture
All Singaporeans aged 40 and above received in May 2024 a $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit top-up to refresh their skills and progress in their careers. The credit, which does not expire, can be used for more than 7,000 courses. These courses include degree programmes by institutes of higher learning and SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme courses, which grew in number from 179 to 239 in 2024. These courses help mid-career workers transit into in-demand sectors. The majority of these learners took up IT-related courses, in areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security and digital marketing.
Dr Charlene Chen and Mr Patrick Tay have submitted questions on the employment outcomes for persons who took up SkillsFuture courses in terms of employability and wages. The questions also focus on whether certain segments of workers have less success in securing jobs despite taking such courses and if MOM intends to ease this situation.
📌 GRIT
Under the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) scheme up to 800 traineeships will be offered by private firms and the public sector from October 2025 amid concerns from fresh graduates about a tepid job market. Trainees will receive allowances that range from S$1,800 (US$1,400) to S$2,400 per month depending on the scope of each traineeship. WSG will work together with various agencies to identify companies in growth sectors such as financial services, information and communication technology, and manufacturing and wholesale trade.
Apart from placements in these private sector companies, there will be a separate GRIT@Gov scheme, which is coordinated by PSD, to support trainees in public sector agencies.
A few MPs will be asking questions on how GRIT will help ameliorate issues of lower full-time employment of students graduating from Institutes of Higher Learning while ensuring the quality of the traineeships provided. They will also be asking how the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) intends to to setup guardrails to ensure that courses remain meaningful to students and not appear to become cost-savings for companies.
📌 HDB Rental and Affordability
Rental rates have more than doubled for privately held HDB shop units, particularly over the past year, while rents for shops directly leased out by HDB have mostly held steady. Median rentals for heartland shops held by private landlords rose from $3.51 per sq ft (psf) in the second quarter of 2024 to $7.34 psf in the second quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, shops directly rented out by HDB have seen rents rise at a more gradual rate. HDB said for nine in 10 of such shops have remained largely unchanged over the past five years. HDB shop units can either be rented from private owners or the state. In 1998, the Government stopped selling HDB shop units to private owners, and the board now rents them out directly. HDB said this gives it the “flexibility to better curate the trade mix of shops” and respond to residents’ needs.
Some MPs have submitted questions on this issue ranging from HDB’s efforts to keep the rent of HDB shops affordable, in particular those selling cooked food or providing medical services to approaches to keep rental rates in check.
📌 VERS
Under both Sers and Vers, the Government takes back flats before the end of their 99-year lease to redevelop them and meet housing needs. While Sers is a compulsory scheme, which gives the Government full discretion on which HDB precincts to redevelop, Vers will involve home owners of selected precincts that are aged about 70 and up choosing if they want their homes to be acquired by the Government for redevelopment, before their leases run out. The terms of Vers have not been finalised.
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 10:01 am]
“In this term of government, our aim is to develop and flesh out the Vers framework,” said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat to local media outlets in an interview on Aug 5 2025. Mr Chee said that before Vers is launched in the 2030s, the authorities will seek Singaporeans’ views and feedback on the scheme. He noted that Vers is a “very long-term, very complex policy that will not only have to be fair to the current generation of flat owners, but must also be financially sustainable for future generations”.
Mr Foo Cexiang submitted a question on whether the Ministry’s plan to only select certain HDB precincts for Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) will result in VERS having a lottery effect and whether the Ministry can design VERS to apply to all HDB flats. Mr Low Wu Yang Andre submitted questions on how the Ministry of National Development define and quantify the less generous compensation terms of VERS as compared to SERS, in relation to a flat’s market value. He also asked about the safeguards that will protect homeowners whose VERS compensation could be lower than their outstanding mortgage.
👉 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/traineeship-employment-fresh-graduate-economic-uncertainty-5306581?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_23092025_cna
👉 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-people-tap-skillsfuture-programmes-in-2024-amid-stronger-support-for-mid-career-workers
👉 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/first-voluntary-redevelopment-projects-for-hdb-flats-likely-to-be-launched-in-first-half-of-2030s
👉 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/rents-for-privately-held-hdb-shops-double-in-past-year-prices-hold-steady-for-those-leased-from-hdb
👉 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/moh-hdb-to-trial-price-quality-method-tender-approach-for-bartley-beacon-gp-clinic
----
Daniel, [23/9/2025 10:20 am]
VERS scares me a bit. Let me explain: We own an HDB flat with the lease lasting us until old age (96 years). That's an arrangement that works for us, as it means we have a place to live up to an age where we will be unlikely be able to live on our own. With VERS however, it could mean that (based on the possibility of being outvoted by the neighbours) we will have to look for a new flat in our 60s or 70s with limited funds, meaning we're having to budget for that in our retirement planing. This uncertainty (as opposed to the certainty of the fixed 99 year lease) is a bit stressful.
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 11:00 am]
[ Poll : Which issue(s) are you most interested in for today's Parliament sitting? Share your reasons in the chat! (You may choose more than one option.) ]
- Support for Jobs: GRIT & SkillsFuture
- VERS
- Rental and affordability of HDB shops
- Others (Please share your views in the chats below)
365, [23/9/2025 11:02 am]
Uncertainty will be what impedes VERS. At an old age, people just want a home that they don't have to worry about. My suggestion for VERS compensation is to make it akin to CPF Life, whereby there will be a flat available with no additional out-of-pocket expense for the aged person as long as they continue living.
To prevent abuse:
- This flat cannot be sold, or rented out, and can only be returned to the government.
- It has to be the main place of residence for the one who took up VERS.
- It cannot be inherited by descendants, only by the legal spouse at the time of application, and spouse has to be aged >=60 at time of application as well.
- If no available person to inherit, the flat will be returned to the government.
- Leeway and special considerations can be made for disabled children, this aspect can be discussed further.
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 11:02 am]
Dear Contributors,
Please take a moment to participate in our polls and share your opinion. The poll questions are pinned for easy reference, and your vote is anonymous.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts on today’s topic!
💬 What are your thoughts on the issues to be discussed in Parliament today? Which area interests you the most?
Thank you.
Megan
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:03 am]
1. GRIT is certainly a good programme that gives job opportunities for fresh graduates with difficulties in applying for jobs a chance for traineeships and employment.
2. It gives hope to fresh graduates rather than struggling in sending hundreds of resumes or attending multiple job interviews with no results.
3. Hopefully, GRIT traineeship will eventually provide a pathway for trainees to convert into meaningful permanent jobs.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:10 am]
1. Next I want to comment about many local restaurants and f&b folding up - quite a many are famous.
2. I think we need to think of ways keep them - else all the local flavour foods will be gone in no time - and we lose our food cultural heritage.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:12 am]
[16/09, 4:15 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: "Singapore food suppliers face late payments, falling revenues as more restaurants close.
Suppliers say customers are stretching payment terms from 30 days to as long as four months, putting their cash flow under strain."
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/fb-food-suppliers-revenue-delayed-payments-5349901#:~:text=Singapore%20food%20suppliers,flow%20under%20strain.
[16/09, 5:35 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Don't know why Singapore f&b come under such pressure.
[16/09, 5:41 pm] Close friend: Actually business no good on weekdays. How to survive on just 2 good days per week.
[16/09, 5:42 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Yes.
I noticed food court, neighbourhood coffeeshops good business.
But restaurants many struggling.
[16/09, 5:45 pm] Close friend: Not just the price but how to stomach rich food everyday even if one can afford?
[16/09, 5:46 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Hmm...
True. Can't be eating good food everyday.
I think intense competition also another factor - coming from overseas very big food chain.
[16/09, 5:46 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Our local flavour could be ease out.
[16/09, 6:17 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Thinking aloud, for Singapore restaurant to survive, they should also run food stalls in food court chains to offer affordable foods rather than just relying on the restaurant business.
I notice Putien, Pepper lunch do that.
Some food stalls also run chain food stalls in multiple food court like Amah mian, Bao yu mian, Chinatown duck rice etc.
I think this is the only way for Singapore f&b to survive and preserve the local flavour foods.
[16/09, 11:02 pm] Close friend: Yes, offer lower cost avenues. Same good taste but less ingredients or smaller portions in more accessible venues like food court.
[16/09, 11:03 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Yes.
I think most such stalls in food court very profitable because many people patronize their stall.
Pepper lunch alot of students, Malays, young people and office workers like.
Always long queue.
[16/09, 11:05 pm] Close friend: For most people, premium food, premium location only for special occasion.
[16/09, 11:06 pm] ☸️ Danny 心: Yes.
Not many people can afford restaurants.
Only once in a while.
But in food court, it is like daily meal.
365, [23/9/2025 11:12 am]
I have not tried skillsfuture yet, I think I have made this same suggestion previously, if there isn't already such a system, apologies if my wording is confusing:
- companies can indicate courses which skills they want candidates from. Specific courses and course providers instead of just general skills as quality can differ from provider to provider.
- citizens can view what courses companies are interested in, along with the job vacancies they have, so they can have more assurance of landing a job after taking said courses (still not 100% as there's interview and competition with other candidates)
This also incentivise course provider to provider higher quality courses, so more companies would want them, and in turn more people would want to pick their course.
You have to give a vision to people for them to pick up the courses and start learning new skills. If they can't see that it can help them, then there's less likelihood of them bothering with skillsfuture.
E.g. Company A needs someone skilled in cloud computing, sees provider X, Y and Z providing such courses, but is only satisfied with X and Y. So they indicate the cloud courses of X and Y as preferred. Prospective candidates see there's available positions and a provider, then start picking up the cloud courses from X and Y, and can match what company A is looking for, increasing their chance of landing a job. Provider Z sees few uptakes on their course and is incentivised to improve it.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:27 am]
Propose a refinement to descendants not allow to stay in vers flats except spouse.
1. What happens if there are descendants not married staying in vers flats - and are ask to vacate?
2. Descendants staying in vers flats should be allowed to continue staying until end of life or end of flat lease or marriage and applying for their own flats.
3. Else they will be left homeless.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:35 am]
4. Because a 99 year lease flat is meant to house 2 generations - parents and children (unless married).
5. Those children who stay single to take care of their parents are staying in the same flat.
6. If parents passed away after vers, cannot be a situation whereby the children are chased out of the house as they cannot inherit the vers flat?
365, [23/9/2025 11:43 am]
The expectation is a normal able-bodied adult single/couple have their own flat. The compensation flat has no fixed lease life, but works like CPF Life, until the flatholder (as a couple) passes on. My thought process is to provide this assurance to them in their later years. Since there's no fixed lease life, so it should not be passed down to descendants, as it'll be another lottery situation.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:45 am]
1. One important consideration that I forgotten to mention about Gaza.
2. I feel our Foreign Minister conditions for supporting 2-State solution - that PA must be ready to govern without militant Hamas are extremely important.
3. Because imagine if Hamas are left to be independent and govern Gaza fully arms and promoting terrorism ideologies like ISIS, Al-Qaeda?
4. It will not only pose danger to Israel, but also all the neighbouring Arab countries.
5. What happens if Hamas promote their terrorism ideologies on the online web and influence our youth here to commit terrorism?
6. Hence I concur with our Government views that militants through terrorism and force must not be allowed to govern Gaza - unless moderates like PA take over, else the world will become more dangerous.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:48 am]
That means vers is a mean to chase out single adult who are taking care of their parents who may be in the middle age with not so much saving.
And the flats with say 10 to 20 years lease will last them through their end of life.
Then vers become a disincentive for occupants to vote in favour because it impacts the middle age lives.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 11:51 am]
1. That is without vers, these middle age single adults can stay until end of lives after their parents passed on.
2. With vers they are left with no house and yet have to fork out a big sum of money at 50 plus or 69 years old with little savings.
3. So vers become a cruel programme that should not even be design in the 1st place because the descendants become worse off.
365, [23/9/2025 12:02 pm]
We can do a special consideration for caregiver children then, similar to disabled children. But there needs to be a set of conditions to prevent abuse. If not they can easily abuse this by suddenly becoming caregivers when their parents are in very poor health already, inherit the flat, while having another flat or even condo outside.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:03 pm]
1. Or another way to see it, a 99 year lease flat suppose to house parents and children.
2. Some are married, some stay single to take care of parents.
3. That means the 99 year lease flat suppose to be an inheritance flat for the children staying with parents that can house 2 generations.
4. But come end of lease and need to regenerate the lease flats that are ending but still enough remaining lease for the 2nd generation to live before passing.
5. So to solve the lease decay, the inheritance to 2nd generation suddenly cannot inherit with the introduction of vers - to chase out the 2nd generation - who left with nothing.
6. No flat as shelter to stay in after their parents passing, no cash from converting to vers, and with little savings to buy a new flats at old age that could be in the late 50s or early 60s with little chance of finding employment, borrow loans to buy a flat?
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:04 pm]
So adults with not disabled but no means to buy a new flat chase out of vers and become homeless?
Without vers, they still can stay in their flat until lease decay?
365, [23/9/2025 12:04 pm]
Basically the intent is to make is provide assurance for aged people to not worry over their flats, while preventing abuse. I'm open to more ideas for this. Need to manage the lease life issue also if they are inheriting after providing the "unlimited" lease life
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:06 pm]
Not unlimited lease life but the 2 generations inheritance.
There are many households of such nature.
Cannot be solving a lease decay but bring untold hardships who are still staying in the flat without recourse.
365, [23/9/2025 12:06 pm]
My understanding is that VERS is provided for those flats that's very near end of life. And as with many policies, there will be some that are affected aversely compared to the majority of the public, and it's something they have to prepare for.
365, [23/9/2025 12:07 pm]
Yes, it may disincentivise such cases, but how many more will agree
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:08 pm]
If I am not wrong, vers start with 20 years remaining lease and the children can be at late 50 s or 60 years.
There are many households of such categories.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:10 pm]
Then what is your propose solutions for such big groups of children who are aged left with no flats to stay with little savings?
Short of letting them stay in the park homeless?
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:13 pm]
When you mention such categories are minority, Google AI say 546,183 are singles and in such categories.
Almost half a million people potentially homeless through vers.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:24 pm]
And these singles are now in their early 30s or late 20s.
365, [23/9/2025 12:26 pm]
And they have time to earn money to buy their own flats. Socially the trend and expectation is at least after 35, they'll be having their own flats. There's a normalcy expectation as well.
365, [23/9/2025 12:27 pm]
I don't think there's any wrong with expecting fully able-bodied adults to be able to get their own flats, bto 2 room flexi can be under 200k, before grants.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:28 pm]
I think any government of the day will not fall into this political trap of vers.
Because no government can take such political risk by introducing such a cruel programme - to chase out people when they have sufficient lease to last them through.
Think carefully about the consequences.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:28 pm]
I agree with you on many topics.
But not this one.
365, [23/9/2025 12:29 pm]
As long as the scheme can avoid abuse, I'm open to more ideas outside of this
365, [23/9/2025 12:30 pm]
I'm primarily concerned with only 2 things for VERS, assurance for elderly, and avoiding abuse.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:31 pm]
This is not abuse.
Without vers, 2nd generation can stay until end of life, end of lease.
With vers, their Entitlement is rip off. That is they are being abused.
So must as well no vers.
Just let the lease lapse and then rebuild.
365, [23/9/2025 12:37 pm]
I guess that depends on the remaining lease life of existing flats eligible for VERS already. If it's not sustaining past life expectancy, then this will incentivise them, regardless of 2nd generation. If the lease life of existing flats is still long, then this scheme won't incentivise.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:37 pm]
So basically, a policy if coin must be of equal benefits or better off.
It can't be worst off.
And "We Empathy" must be the values of each proposal.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:39 pm]
All lease at present are 40 years left or longer.
The impact is on all the singles who are late 20s and early 30 years old.
If your proposal is push through, then no point talking about vers.
Let the lease decay and lapse then rebuild.
The vers don't incentivise lease renewal - it punish occupants.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 12:49 pm]
Actually your idea is not without merits as long as you are willing to tweak your proposal to :-
1. Descendants staying with parents (usually around late 50s to 60s) should be allowed to stay in vers flats until their end of lives.
2. Then this policy will equal to if no vers is implemented - as the 2nd generation can stay on the decaying flats until they passed away at their 80s.
3. However if the 2nd generation live beyond 80 years old, usually government will find a rental flat for them until they passed away.
4. With vers, the 2nd generation should allow to stay beyond 80s into 90s until they passed away - about 10 years away - before government reacquired the vers flat.
5. Then this vers policy is a policy that improves on the current 99 years lease policy and deserves merit and vers should be promoted.
6. It is not an abuse but making the new policy equal or better - with consideration due to social requirements.
7. Then Government of the day will stand rock solid with no political backlash.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:16 pm]
But you see most people stays in HDB. How Vers work if only 1 occupant volunteer to do so
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:17 pm]
And how if 1 occupant don't volunteer to do so
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:18 pm]
Unless it can do so within a unit
Daniel, [23/9/2025 1:23 pm]
I think it's on a per block basis. Same as HUP.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:24 pm]
So if every occupant volunteer but I don't volunteer I will have the whole block to myself?
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:26 pm]
You can see from china a lot of 钉子户
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:27 pm]
Or gov is just playing the game of money?
Daniel, [23/9/2025 1:28 pm]
More like if 70% of your neighbours agree to it then you have to go along (like en-bloc sale).
Daniel, [23/9/2025 1:29 pm]
I think the voting threshold is not fixed yet.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:30 pm]
Then that's quite scary
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:54 pm]
Because young people maybe able to afford to move but old people will have memories. Some people got their house from their passed away parents and being single. So they will need to downgrade or rent houses?
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:55 pm]
Not sure how govt deal with single people in sers
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 1:56 pm]
Oh I searched they eligible for housing
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 2:03 pm]
📢 Topic 📢
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 2:18 pm]
Also before announcement of vers 546,183 singles stay with their parents - but some may want to apply for flats.
But if vers is announced and the intent is to chase out singles who stay with their parents upon passing, then suddenly you will see all the 546,183 applying for flats (if they can afford it) - resulting in a spike in demand for HDB flats putting further strains on housing supply, spike in housing prices, panic for those who cannot afford to buy a HDB flat and Singapore lands quickly depleted due to sudden load of 1/2 million people demands for housing.
And worst, infringe on filial piety whereby children are taught to take care of their parents.
Imagine the consequences of vers if not carefully thought through?
Government of the day will lose power not 20 years down the road but upon the announcement of vers because not only 546,183 will vote against vers but including their parents about 1 million voters - in total 1.5 million voters.
This is the effect of not carefully thinking through a policy with far reaching consequences.
Adam, [23/9/2025 2:27 pm]
Just throwing it out there. What if we let foreigners and prs buy short lease flats? Singaporeans can cash out flat with little lease to buy new flat only for singaporeans. Foreigners who buy are effectively renting a flat which will eventually have no value.
Adam, [23/9/2025 2:39 pm]
Maybe also can loosen eip too to increase pool of buyers
Adam, [23/9/2025 2:40 pm]
Pap of old always said hdb is good investment. Let singaporeans cash out and give foreigners the hot potato
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 3:22 pm]
1,700 more unemployed graduates in 2025 cohort led to increased sense of job competition: Tan See Leng - CNA.
There were about 2,400 more fresh graduates who had entered the labour force instead of taking a break or pursuing further studies as of June, compared to the same time last year, he told parliament.
https://share.google/jGy95F7SD3PghPzQJ
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 3:24 pm]
So the GRIT traineeship programme can only absorb 800 trainees.
900 fresh graduates still got no jobs....
Hmm...
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 3:50 pm]
I don't understand on chase out single who stay with parents
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 3:51 pm]
To me my understanding be it sers or vers it's one to one exchange of flats that need to top up money to buy a one
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 3:53 pm]
So for vers it's the same as sers so the whole flat no more need to buy a new one. Then buy a new one and stay with parents lah
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 3:54 pm]
But the demand of flats will definitely increase as single can allow to buy 5 room flats?
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 3:58 pm]
Once again I don't see much difference in work study programme as it is not a free pass to enter the company. You still need to go through interview and selection program
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:01 pm]
If this is the condition, then no issue.
But another participant suggest that vers only meant for parents and no inheritance to children.
If parents passed away, vers lease lapse and surviving children not allowed to stay in the vers flat.
Children need to buy own single flat - 3 room flat.
You ok with it?
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 4:03 pm]
📢 Topic 📢
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:04 pm]
Of course not then no one will opt for vers
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:05 pm]
If not like I see some people use their 90 year old parent name to apply a hdb
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:05 pm]
Conversely if no vers, assume still got 20 years remaining lease, surviving children can still stay in the flat until 20 years lease expire or children passing.
Then if still surviving - children about 80 + years old, government will provide rental flats for surviving children until passing.
So if vers don't serve its purpose of solving decaying lease and providing shelter - then why vers?
Vers become a political hot potato.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:07 pm]
Exactly, this is what my whole arguments is about.
The vers is not serving its purpose of solving decaying lease and providing shelter - but a tool to chase out the children generation - those in their late 20s now and 30s onwards.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:11 pm]
At least the openings are available and fresh graduates still got a chance to go interview and convince potential employers.
But now hundreds of resumes can go into a black holes with no response - no chance to even get an interview.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:19 pm]
Maybe it's better for 1-1 exchange?(Allocate a recommended unit, top up if want to choose another unit) Regardless of marriage or single. As a few siblings can still stay within
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:20 pm]
If vers is like that, then many people will opt for vers.
Then comes the sustainability of fiscal budget to fund vers.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:22 pm]
Cause I understand the new bto usually have more units de so totally can
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:26 pm]
Don't know until more information on vers is out.
My intuition tells me that vers is not a honey to amortize your flat as assets and convert into a cash cow, it will come with conditions.
Until we know what are all the terms and conditions in vers, before we can analyse it and come to a good conclusion to go vers or not.
Don't expect vers to be like condo enbloc whereby the enbloc heavily favour the occupants - akin to amortizing the condo assets and convert into a cash cow through collective sales.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:27 pm]
For HDB rent unit there should have a cap or a framework to limit the price.
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:27 pm]
The price I see in news is insane
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:27 pm]
How can businesses sustain in such high rental over 10k
Jun Ming, [23/9/2025 4:28 pm]
How does that encourage entrepreneurship in Singapore where there's no room for failure
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:39 pm]
1. I am particularly interested in DPM Gan Kim Yong Parliament speech on growing our GDP by additional 1% through advanced tech, AI, Quantum Computing, advanced manufacturing, advanced biotech, green sustainability - that can even be transformed into new industries - to spur high value added growth.
2. Hope to have more information how this can be done?
3. Real life examples to highlight such development will be good.
4. For example, is this done through our startups? Or through our SMEs, or through our GLCs, or through foreign investors like MNCs or foreign start-ups or through our R&D entities?
5. Which markets or countries or business or consumers or our domestic equivalent will absorb or demand such advanced outputs?
Any supporting industries that are build alongside these advanced industries?
6. IHL producing graduates to support these advanced industries?
7. The projection of GDP numbers in billions or multi billions $ that amount to 1% GDP - about $187 to $200 billions per year.
(Assumption of my computation:-
3% contribute $560 billions to $600 billions GDP per year.
Additional 1% contribute another $187 to $200 billions more to the GDP.)
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 4:59 pm]
If I read and remember the past news correctly, government does provide an option not to vers if majority vote against it.
1. That is 20 years before lease decay, allocate funds to do HIP III that will last until the flat 99 years and then acquire, knock down and rebuild.
2. But no mention what happens to surviving occupants when 99 years expires.
Hence I propose government must set aside rental flats for surviving occupants mostly at the age of 80 years or older where they only have a decade more to live.
Asking these occupants to apply for a bto or buy a resale flats at that advanced age should be out of the equation - as good as telling them to live in the park.
LCL (Danny 心), [23/9/2025 5:21 pm]
1. If I am not wrong, there is one stretch of landed houses whereby their leases of 99 years run out.
2. There are a few surviving occupants of advanced ages.
3. If I am not wrong, their MPs manage to find rental flats for the surviving occupants through the government - and solve their shelter problem without having to chase out of their houses and live in a park.
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 6:02 pm]
Dear contributors, in case you missed it, here are some updates from the debate so far:
👉🏻 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ong-ye-kung-workers-party-ge2025-racial-politics-5363956
👉🏻 https://www.straitstimes.com/live-singapore-parliament-sept-2025
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 6:03 pm]
📢 Topic 📢
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 6:45 pm]
Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our Telegram chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😊
RY, [23/9/2025 6:56 pm]
It is certainly good initiatives by the govt for the mentioned programmes,
As that is what a good govt should be doing and helping her people, whether financially/upgrading/career/family/business and etc
SG is heading towards a more improved/inclusive society, amidst the world chaos happening in other countries eg indonesia/thailand/camodia/middle east/europe/america and etc
Not all maybe perfect with the initial start, but we always learn from mistakes along the way
REACH Singapore, [23/9/2025 7:03 pm]
Dear Contributors
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our Telegram chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😊
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After note:-
心法:
*Without VERs*
1. Couple married at 30 years old, get BTO flat 99 years lease buy 5-room flat at $500,000.
2. Assume have 1 child 3 years later and 2nd child 1 year later.
3. Couple passed on at 95 years old, lease used remaining 34 years.
4. Both children will be 63 years old and 62 years old respectively.
5. With 34 years lease, both children can stay at the flat up to 96 years old and 95 years old and pass on.
6. This is 2 generation inheritance serve by HDB flat without VERs.
7. Total capital outlay $500,000 for 2 generation - 4 persons shelter.
*With VERs*
1. Couple married at 30 years old, get BTO flat 99 years lease buy 5-room flat at $500,000.
2. Assume have 1 child 3 years later and 2nd child 1 year later.
3. Assume VERs kick in with 20 years remaining lease by law.
4. Couple passed on at 95 years old, lease used remaining 34 years.
5. Both children will be 74 years old and 73 years old respectively at 20 years remaining lease.
6. Assume VERs law say only original couple can stay on VERs flat, no inheritance to children allow.
7. This means both children at advanced age of 74 years and 73 years old will have to apply for 2 single flats at $300,000 x 2 and will kick out from the VERs flat by VERs law.
8. Total capital outlay $500,000 + $300,000 + $300,000 = $1.1 million for 2 generation - 4 persons shelter.
9. That means this 4-person household don't get any benefits from VERs but suffer double whammy loss:-
a. Losing the right to stay in VERs house if VERs.
b. Cough out additional $300,000 x 2 = $600,000 at advanced age of 70 years plus of money to live through end of life.
c. 99 years lease shorten to 79 years due to 20 years Vers kick in to relocate- and displacing the children's right to shelter because of no inheritance right.
10. So anyone think can government of the day survive the political fallout from VERs under such VERs law or not?
11. Does VERs benefit Singaporeans or make Singaporeans life more difficult and much worst off?
12. Then should there even be VERs at all?
As VERs shortchange household badly rather than provide equal benefits or improvement over no VERs.
13. Then why not let the 99 years lease decay and lapse - whereby the parents and children will have enjoy the 2 generation shelter benefits as compare to VERs.
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心法:
Source:- Google AI
AI OverviewA 99-year lease on a Housing Development Board
(HDB) flat in Singapore is
designed to serve at least two generations, ensuring
that land can be redeveloped for the needs of future generations, and maintain affordability in the long term. When a flat is sold, a new 99-year lease typically starts for the new owner, allowing the property to be passed down or sold to the next generation before the lease expires. However, the value of the flat decreases significantly as the lease dwindles.
How it serves two generations
Initial Purchase: A 30-year-old homeowner, for example, would have ample time to live in the flat with their family for their lifetime.
Inheritance: The remaining lease can then be passed down to the next generation, who can also use it for their lifetime, effectively extending the property's use over two generations.
The purpose of the 99-year lease
Land Recycling: The lease allows the land to be returned to the state for redevelopment after the lease expires, ensuring new housing is available for future Singaporeans.
Affordability: This system helps to keep public housing affordable by preventing the land from becoming freehold and limiting access to property ownership, which would lead to social division and inequality.
Rejuvenation: It allows older housing estates to be rejuvenated and redeveloped to meet evolving needs, ensuring that Singapore's housing stock remains relevant.
Considerations for homeowners
Lease Depreciation: The value of an HDB flat diminishes as its lease runs down.
Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS): In some cases, older estates selected for SERS are acquired by the government for redevelopment, with compensation for owners, but this is a highly selective process.
A home for everyone: Maintaining the quality and value of your flat - gov.sg
21 Nov 2024 — HDB flats are sold on a 99-year lease to serve the needs of owners and their children, while ensuring that land can be redeveloped and new flats whic...

gov.sg
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This means VERs objective must not compromise HDB original intent and mission of using HDB flats to shelter 2 generations of our population.
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HDB website
A home for everyone: Maintaining the quality and value of your flat | gov.sg
HDB flats are sold on a 99-year lease to serve the needs of owners and their children, while ensuring that land can be redeveloped and new flats which cater to the needs of future generations can be built on them.
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