SLA shooting itself in the foot
September 27th, 2023 | 
Author: RE: RIDOUTGATE VS KATONG TERRACE HOUSES
HUMILITY, honesty, hardworker bees, the best of the best, in Whites we trust, RIDOUTGATE will be hyped, the major lift the minor fall and nothing but wind gust.
That’s the last stanza of Ballad Of Ridoutgate, my poem in my blog on Ridoutgate saga, 26 May 2023. With great humility, I quite like it. If you like to check it out, click here.
True to form the wind came and blew out through the windows of Parliament House in July. CPIB has investigated, chummy senior minister has investigated, parliament has discussed, tears shed. Nothing to see here. Everything was done aboveboard. The public and parliamentarians alike were lost in a clusterfuck of discombobulated facts and figures.
What the ministers spent, what they added, how much were previous rents, comparative rental rates, how long untenanted, all these are irrelevant. Occam's Razor - when something is too complicated, take the most simplistic view. All one needs to understand is this:
26 Ridout Road
Minister Shan’s bid was $24,500, which was exactly equal to guide rent, what a coincidence. SLA then spent S$515,400 on restoration works. SLA spent another S$172,000 to chop the trees, replant, and put up fencing on an adjacent piece of land. As the land was incorporated into 26 Ridout Road, Shan’s rent was increased by $2,000 to $26,500 to recoup the additional cost.
31 Ridout Road
Minister Balakrishnan’s bid was S$19,000, which exceeded the S$18,800 guide rent. SLA then spent S$570,500 on restoration.
I was terribly surprised two ex-senior counsels in Parliament were unable to see the clarity that this nobody blogger was able to perceive. In my 1 July 2023 blog on Ridoutgate I wrote:
Had the essential works been carried out before the ministers' bids, would more bids be received from the public and at much better prices? One never knows, and therein lies the ministers' benefits and protests of unfair treatment.
Now compare to the government terrace houses at Katong, also managed by SLA. These properties have been refurbished and now available for rent.
Prior to being upgraded, the units fetched rents of between S$2,500 and S$3,200. Open bidding transactions after upgrading have been reported between S$5,300 and S$6,800. The increase in rates is more than 100%.
Previous tenants had to vacate for refurbishment. These returning tenants are given lower rates starting at S$4,500 for middle units and S$4,800 for corner units.
It’s a no brainer rental rates of old houses improve significantly after refurbishment or restoration.
The black-and-white bungalows at 26 and 31 Ridout Road should have been restored first and then opened for bidding. Who knows, just like Katong terrace houses, the rents could be 100% more than what the two ministers bid.
SLA followed common sense business practice for the Katong heritage terrace houses. Refurbish first, improve product value offering, then let out at higher prices. For 26 and 31 Ridout Road, the ministers bidded for old bungalow houses, but received fully restored ones. If that is still difficult to understand, the ministers paid for some old junk but took delivery of something new.
The government is so out of touch with reality they think Singaporeans are too stupid to see through the farce. All those who still think no advantages were offered to the ministers ought to go Woodbridge for a brain scan.
Patrick Low
* Article first appeared on Down The Rabbit Hole.
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Posted in 
It’s clear that SLA has too much on its plate. It’s time to tender out for more profitable managers.
One small apartment – $5k. One big bungalow with giant garden – $25k. Something not right!
Our reserve has been raided, ok, not raided, but surely mismanaged with low returns.
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SLA is just another one of the direct ‘service providers’ to the Regime. In fact, every government department and agency is required to put their loyalty to the Clown Circus first and last.
Rules and excuses will be made (and broken) to justify any whim of the MIW. Like ‘inside is outside’ and ‘Indian is Malay’, anything is possible when the law can be overturned at the whims of the MIW.
And if all else fails, there is ISA and POFMA. No ballsless $inkie will dare say that there is anything wrong with the Pure & Wholesome running the island into the ground.
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The author’s thesis is about fairness – which is equality of opportunity. It is not about “humility”.
This strategy reminds me of the fairest way to divide a pie between two children: one cuts the pie, and the other gets to choose the piece. Exercises like this demonstrate the rampant unfairness that exists in politics today. Exactly, “Greed”, for lack of a better word, is “good.” Put another way, “Every man for himself and devil take the hindmost.”
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Before the Holee Hideout Saga, the 2 B&W bungalows were just THAT: Black and White bungalows. However, only REASONS KNOWN to the SLA(SinKapore LJ Authority), CONVERTED BOTH HOLEE BUNGALOWS TO BECOME BLACKER THAN BLACK AND WHITER THAN WHITE! Btw, beside these 2, are there ANYMORE SUCH HOLEE ONES STILL NOT DISCLOSED OR UNCOVERED?
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Basically. what Pritam said back then was correct. No one is alleging that the 2 kayus were corrupt, just that the usual PAP defensive way of (desperately) letting the public know in every way possible that things were done above board was not convincing because of a lot of unanswered questions which (to no one’s surprise) went unanswered. Typical PAP was only too concerned about proving that its overpaid goondus did not do anythng wrong but won’t answer questions why these places were spruced up and why such a huge area was only going for less than at least 30k to 40k monthly.
And the other thing about PAP is that we are getting so many updates about the $2.4 billion money laundering scheme but KOSONG on Iswaran’s case other than he being arrested by CPIB. Why all the secrecy? Is the excuse going to be that CPIB is busy handling this money launcering case such that Iswaran’s has been put on the backburner? Sure would make a nice excuse would it not?
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There will be a statement sooner or later that the Pure and Wholesome MP was not guilty of anything. Anyone who dares to challenge this outcome will be POFMA’d and sued until pants drop. Does anyone here really think he will be found guilty for anything?
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$in INC?
$ingapore Is Not Cheap!($in INC)?
Our G functions more like A PROFIT-wwbßORIENTED PROFITEER THAN A PUBLIC SERVICE PROVIDER,does it not?
Look,we can have CA$INos but the G still wants to monopise TOTO,4D,SWEEP,SOCCER BETTING,ETC?
This OPERATOR FUNCTION GOES AGAINST ITS INTEGRITY AS REGULATOR,no one can disagree,can anyone?
From Housing to basic necessities,the G “POW KOW LIAO” AND IS PRICE-$ETTER.
Blame who for high rentals at malls that invariably pu$h up prices???
In $in City,A LARGE IMPETUS FOR PRICE INCREASES COMES FROM THE GREED OF G.
THIS IS AN UNDENIABLE TRUTH.
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What’s the point of preserving those bungalows and sprawling lands, if to be tenanted and lived in, and so can’t be even viewed from without the locked and guarded fences and gates, the “beauty and historical significance” of the buildings far, far at a distance, even totally unseen from the road? In overcrowded and land-scarce Singapore, needing ever more open spaces and parks, they all could be, with the least imagination, be used, say, as parks such as Istana grounds during special national holidays? Surely, such preservation should be for our and others’ inspection and appreciation? Think of the costs, not only money, to the nation.
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In Sg, 7 out of 10 working adults are graduates of all kinds, some from the Ivy League universities (soon it would be 8 out of 10). But our PAP thinks these are all idiots. Ball-less, yes, definitely not idiots.
In the next general election, they will show the PAP how smart they are! They will let their parents know the money and resources spent on them are not wasted.
The next GE, they will take back the country for themselves and for their children.
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Patrick Low, thumbs up to you. Everyone knows that the State was scammed but the PAP have whitewashed it. There is no reason for SLA to keep State owned properties in disrepair and not in tenantable condition for four over years. It is the failure of the Minister in his fiduciary duty to the State. He still continued to cash in on his failure at State level to gain at personal level. The PAP still whitewashes it and no one in the PAP has called it out. Even LHY can be sued using the Courts which again comes under the jurisdiction of the Minister. Up to date, there has been no disclosure by the PAP govt. if other Ministers have rented out their personal properties and are staying in State owned properties.
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Ha! Ha!..
You have to be kidding..
All too busy trying to pay for mortgages, car loans, domestic help and mother’s medical bills, and kids
No one has time to gamble on a new regime.
They may be intelligent and not idiots but they sure have no balls to gamble on anything except that their property price will go up. They have zero interest for the politics.
They might say anti Gov things.. but I will bet that at the polling station the ‘X’ goes to PAP… I am 70% sure…
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To borrow from master Card- RidoutGate : Priceless, for everthing else you have IR ( in parliament)
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You nailed it! The so-called “Sinkies” ethos towards the daily life and world they have inherited, a world of inescapable media onslaught, advertising, and being told what to think and like by unimaginably huge and invincible corporate forces out to make them into good consumer. FEAR is, unfortunately, another powerful motivator by govt, and an even greater censor to vital public discourse; so I agree.
The fact that though many are graduates; some even from Ivy League universities did not and probably still don’t know how to choose-and-focus is simply a manifestation of an innate desire to “want it all”. Aka, confusion combined with selfishness. Unfortunately, there will never be a solution to the conundrum. Unless, that is, any given individual takes matters into his or her own hands. This involves finding an anchor, a true resting place within ones own mind. I fear them, for I don’t understand why their generation has turned their collective backs on the wisdom of their fore-fathers.
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No balls Singgies:
September 27, 2023 at 9:18 pm (Quote)
NotMyProblem:
In Sg, 7 out of 10 working adults are graduates of all kinds, some from the Ivy League universities (soon it would be 8 out of 10). But our PAP thinks these are all idiots. Ball-less, yes, definitely not idiots.
In the next general election, they will show the PAP how smart they are! They will let their parents know the money and resources spent on them are not wasted.
The next GE, they will take back the country for themselves and for their children.
Ha! Ha!..
You have to be kidding..
All too busy trying to pay for mortgages, car loans, domestic help and mother’s medical bills, and kids
No one has time to gamble on a new regime.
They may be intelligent and not idiots but they sure have no balls to gamble on anything except that their property price will go up. They have zero interest for the politics.
They might say anti Gov things.. but I will bet that at the polling station the ‘X’ goes to PAP… I am 70% sure…
Response: Well said. REALITY AND THE MOTHER OF ALL HARD TRUTHS, PERIOD!
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Well said.
I would opine that this is not only about graduates. It is about every adult who is educated to at least GCE ‘O’ and has enough education to know what is going on. But still prefer to stay ballsless, which translates to them becoming Grab delivery or unemployed.
There is no such thing as a free lunch, so said one of the Regime. That is wrong. The voters keep giving the Regime our lunch. Everytime.
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A new regime might make a difference between living and surviving. If education has not taught the difference, the so called educated are in fact tertiary fools. The lesser academically achieved may have better survival instincts.
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Can someone find out who was staying at 55 Cluny Park Road. Amazing SLA bungalow.
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Maybe all Ministers have GCBs.
Some may be renting it out at $200,000 per month.
”“It’s the Chinese who are renting GCBs at such levels,” says Jacqueline Wong, executive director, Savills Private Office. “
”Chinese national rents Good Class Bungalow at Queen Astrid Park for $200k a month
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@SINGAROAR:……”There is no reason for SLA to keep State owned properties in disrepair and not in tenantable condition for four over years. It is the failure of the Minister in his fiduciary duty to the State. He still continued to cash in on his failure at State level to gain at personal level.”
”’A TAX on vacant residential properties in Singapore may incentivise landlords to lease out their empty homes, increasing the supply in the rental market, an Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies (Ireus) article said.
This may potentially encourage landlords to find a tenant to avoid being taxed while investors may abstain from acquiring these properties altogether. ”’BT
”’HDB probing cases of BTO flats listed for sale after being left ‘vacant’ during minimum occupation period”23 DEC 2022, ‘–no sound, no picture
Many, many BTO flats are left EMPTY during MOP.
HDB look the other way.
B and W bungalows left empty, SLA pretend not to know..
Fujian Gang MLaundering condos left empty, govt pretend do not know.
Very easy to find out—use data analytics, if they want to know.
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