ST : Housing remains a hot election issue, says Mah

31 Jan 2011,
Housing remains a hot election issue, says Mah

HOUSING will be a hot topic in the next general election even though property prices could come down, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

The opposition is likely to zero in on the issue, he said in the last of a three-part interview published yesterday in the Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao.

The topic will surface during the next election, which must be held by February next year, because 'prices are high and young people are unhappy', he said.

'Prices could come down, but I think they (the opposition) will try to stir it up, which is fine,' said Mr Mah, who described his current portfolio as his most challenging one so far.

The opposition's argument will always have some traction among some people, he added, but most Singaporeans would understand that 'certain things can be done, certain things cannot be done'.

'You cannot expect that in a situation where the economy is growing at 14 per cent, that you know housing prices will not go up. But we try to make sure it doesn't get overheated,' he said.