Booklet of Mah Bow Tan's thoughts on housing

Booklet of Mah Bow Tan's thoughts on housing

By UMA SHANKARI

THE Ministry of National Development (MND) is publishing a booklet containing the musings of its minister, Mah Bow Tan, in a bid to reach out to more Singaporeans and explain housing policies.

In response to a query from BT, Mr Mah said that the booklet will contain nine commentaries that encapsulate his thoughts on Singapore's public housing programme over the past five decades.

This should give readers an insight into the thinking behind the policies that shape the system Singapore has today.

Said Mr Mah: 'Today, eight in 10 Singaporeans stay in HDB flats, and nine in 10 of them own the flats they live in. This is the highest home-ownership rate in the world. No other country comes close.

'But, public housing is not just about putting roofs over people's heads. It is also about building inclusive homes and communities.

'This has not been an easy effort. There is a finite budget to work with, and policy trade-offs to be made.

'With this booklet, I hope to reach out to more Singaporeans, to tell them about our ongoing housing story, and to enhance their understanding of the policy considerations behind this success story,' he added.

The booklet will be released in either February or March this year.

MND plans to distribute the booklets to relevant entities such as HDB branch offices, town councils, public libraries, and academic institutions.

In addition, the booklet could be sold in selected bookstores.

It might also be available in a Mandarin version, sources said.

Source: www.businesstimes.com.sg