ST Letters : Build 'skywalk' mall as national icon

20 Feb 2011,
Build 'skywalk' mall as national icon

Having successfully completed the two integrated resorts and with the Gardens by the Bay soon to be completed ('Giant dome to play home to cool plants'; last Wednesday), Singapore will have to consider building the next icon to stay on top of the increasing competition for the tourist dollar.

I propose that the authorities consider building a 5km-long, three-storey-high, open-air 'skywalk' pedestrian mall running above the existing Orchard/Bras Basah roads and stretching to the Marina Bay area as our next national project.

Based on the Oriental concepts of the five elements - earth, water, wood, fire and metal - the overhead pedestrian mall can start at the Botanic Gardens/Tanglin area.

The first part of the skywalk can be based on the earth theme, with the corresponding landscaping and designs based on that element.

The rest of the skywalk can be landscaped and outfitted based on the remaining elements.

The skywalk, when completed, will provide much-needed breathing and resting space for tourists and locals alike, as the current ground space in Orchard Road becomes more congested.

Shoppers and strollers will find walking along the skywalk a breeze, as it will be directly connected to the many buildings and facilities at the third and fourth levels.

Lifts, ramps for the handicapped, escalators and staircases will all help to connect the skywalk to the ground and existing modes of transport.

Retailers will also find the skywalk a boon, as pedestrian traffic can be directed to their otherwise less-frequented shops on the higher levels.

As the skywalk starts at the Tanglin area, space can be further reserved there for the staging of various public events, such as Chingay processions, marathons and other parades. Selected sections of the skywalk which run over the Formula One (F1) racing track can also be cordoned off to provide additional seating capacity during the F1 season.

While the technical feasibility of such a project may be challenging, now could be the best time to seriously consider building Singapore's next icon that can outclass other world-renowned shopping districts.

Harry Tong



-- ST FILE PHOTO

ST Letters : En bloc issue raises many questions

20 Feb 2011,
En bloc issue raises many questions

I felt sad on reading the special report on those who sold their apartments en bloc ('For better or for worse'; Feb6).

As expected, there were positive and negative stories. This is to be expected in any collective sale, when not all agree to the deal.

Nevertheless, the issue again raises many questions. For example:

· What is a home? To some, it is not just a house but a place where one can put down roots and bond with one's neighbours, or where one was brought up.

· Does money matter so much that financial gains become more important than everything else?

· Does the right of those who support the sales rank higher than the right of those who do not want to make the change? Should an 80per cent level of consent be the deciding figure? Should it be 100per cent?

· Is Singapore so land-scarce that we need so many collective sales?

· Do such sales improve the quality of life in Singapore?

· Government-built HUDC housing allows people to have a good home at an affordable price. Why do we allow this to be taken away from some people?

My view is that collective sales have created part of the liquidity problem as well as the housing problem here.

People should have the right to remain in their homes until the buildings are no longer suitable to live in.

Ang Miah Boon

ST Letter : No benefit from collective sales

20 Feb 2011,
No benefit from collective sales

I refer to the special report on the experiences of former Gillman Heights residents ('For better or for worse'; Feb6).

The five residents interviewed have all suffered financial or emotional losses from the collective sale of their homes.

As a resident from a condominium unit about to vote on such a sale, I too have been told by the agents trying to sell my condo that I will have to downgrade from my 1,700 sq ft apartment to a 1,300sq ft one if I wish to buy a new property.

My current apartment has three bedrooms plus a maid's room. I will have to downsize to a two-bedroom unit (with no maid's room) or buy an HDB flat - and still be out of pocket after the sale. If I wish to buy a new apartment in the area, I will have to pay about $1million more than what I am selling for.

Whom does a collective sale benefit? Would it not be better to upgrade our existing apartments (I am told it would be about $30,000 per resident) rather than move?

The economics simply do not make sense - and many residents realise this only too late.

If a collective sale pays 30per cent above the market rate, which is the current rule of thumb for developers, it would be better to be prudent and hold off the sale, or face a loss.

In fact, I have friends from Gillman Heights who were out of pocket by more than half a million dollars when they had to move to a similar location. The market continued to move up in the two years before they got their money - as is the case for practically every collective sale I know of.

Harry Tham

ST : Online scams on the rise

20 Feb 2011,
Online scams on the rise

Ploys include dangling fake lottery wins and making appeals from hacked accounts
By Irene Tham , Daryl Chin

It seemed too good to be true: A two-bedroom unit near posh Emerald Hill was being advertised on popular website Craigslist for a monthly rental of $2,000.

Such a unit there can command up to $10,000.

Ms Faith Pang had chanced upon the ad in Craigslist, a popular online classified ad site.

But her sharp eye and a good dose of scepticism saved her from the scam.

The online photo of the living room showed a two-pin European power socket, not the three-pin socket used in Singapore.

Ms Pang, a recent graduate, called the supposed home-owner, Steve Mccoy, on his Britain-based number, to find out more.

Speaking in a strong South African accent, he insisted she remit the money to him in Britain before he would send her the keys to the unit. But as soon as she said 'not so fast', he hung up.

'I was lucky,' said Ms Pang, who was looking to rent a flat with her boyfriend.

Over the past four years, more people have fallen prey to online classified ad and e-mail scams.

Just last year, more than 300 people were cheated online, thrice the number in 2009, said the police. This is a spike from the 64 cases in 2008.

In December last year, Yeo Poh Kwee, 39, a former sales executive, received an 11-month jail sentence for criminal breach of trust. He cheated people of $3,870 on eBay for iPhones and Jay Chou concert tickets which he did not have.

In the case of rental scams, latest police figures show a 21 per cent jump - both online and offline - from about 190 cases in 2009 to more than 230 last year.

There are common tell-tale giveaways in the scams. For one thing, the fraudsters will ask for an advance fee or deposit with the promise of a larger gain later.

A scam may begin with an e-mail with the subject heading 'Your assistance is needed'. The usual storyline: A person knows of a large sum of unclaimed money or gold.

But he cannot access it directly. This person may claim he is a relative of a deposed African leader who has amassed a fortune, or he works in a bank and knows of a terminally ill rich person without relatives.

Another ploy is a 'lottery win'. To claim the winnings, the intended victim has to transfer upfront payments for taxes and bank charges.

There have been victims here.

The largest sum lost to scammers was more than $650,000 in a fake-lottery scam in April last year. The 53-year-old Singaporean man had received a phone call from a bogus company in Hong Kong.

There are also 'reverse' scams in which people posting genuine online ads are targeted by the scam artists.

A 39-year-old manager who wanted to be known only as Miss Tan said she had posted an ad in Craigslist to sell a pair of Yves Saint Laurent rings for $720 in November last year.

She received an e-mail message from someone who did not bother to bargain.

The buyer said that he was paying her an extra $1,000 via PayPal, an online payment service, as he had other goods to be shipped from Singapore. He asked her to wire the $1,000 on his behalf to his shipper in Britain.

That was when Ms Tan smelt a rat.

Meanwhile, security software maker Symantec is seeing more cyber cheats shift to social networking sites by impersonating someone whose account they had hacked.

They figure that people are more likely to respond to e-mail or instant messages sent by a 'familiar' contact.

Another scam involves mining sensitive data such as user names and passwords through e-mail messages that purportedly come from legitimate sources like banks or government agencies.

A month ago, student Chan Xue Wei, 18, received an e-mail message which, at first glance, seemed to be from the Ministry of Education.

She was told to click on a link to update her e-mail account. But, wisely, she did not do that as the URL pointed to 'moe.edu.sg' instead of 'moe.gov.sg'.

itham@sph.com.sg

darylc@sph.com.sg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to avoid being cheated

· Deal with people you can meet face to face.

· Never wire funds via money transfer agencies such as Western Union or MoneyGram to someone unknown to you.

· Do not accept cashier's cheques and money orders when selling online. Banks will honour them but will hold you responsible if these turn out to be fakes.

· Do not give out personal information like bank account number, identity number or eBay/PayPal account details.

· Avoid deals involving shipping or escrow services. An escrow agent is a neutral third party that holds documents, money or securities in a transaction until certain conditions, set out as previously agreed, are fulfilled.

· Do not rent properties or pay for costly items without viewing them.

· Do not comply with credit or background checks for a job or property until you have met the interviewer, landlord or housing agent.

· Always submit the rental deposit in a cheque payable to the landlord, not the agent.

· For a fee of $2.50, you can use the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore's website (www.iras.gov.sg) to check whether a property seller is the rightful owner.

ST : HK clamps down on misleading show-flats

20 Feb 2011,
HK clamps down on misleading show-flats

It is tightening rules to ensure features on display are replicated in actual apartments
By Diego Laje & Eudora Wong

Hong Kong: Like Singapore, Hong Kong is clamping down on property developers and agents who mislead buyers by presenting show-flats that do not accurately reflect the real thing.

It is looking at tightening existing rules to make sure features seen in show-flats, which developers build to attract buyers before a residential project is completed, are replicated in the actual homes.

It hopes that this could help prevent unscrupulous developers from putting in fancy bay windows that do not appear in the actual flats, for instance, or removing boundary walls to make certain rooms in the show-flats look bigger.

Both Hong Kong and Singapore, where property prices are perennially on the rise, are grappling with this problem.

In Singapore, the Government is looking at introducing new rules to ensure buyers are not misled by interior design work that appears in show-flats but not in the actual homes.

Among other things, the rules could stop developers from removing structural walls and columns and raising ceilings to make the flats look bigger, and ensure they show accurately the presence of bomb shelters.

Hong Kong already has such laws, but home buyers say they still see instances of inaccurate advertising.

Ms Wong Soo Lai, 52, a civil servant, recalls checking out a condominium in Sai Kung district in 2009.

The developer had used expensive materials and decorated the show-flats attractively, she told The Sunday Times, but the experienced investor knew what to look out for.

'Developers put part of the bed in the bay window area deliberately to free up more space in the room,' she said. 'And I think they put in smaller pieces of furniture to make the place seem bigger.'

So the cautious buyer waited until the property was actually built, and went to check out the real thing. The ceilings in the actual flats looked lower, she said.

Last year, new measures were added to the Estate Agents Ordinance, which empowers the Estate Agents Authority to handle cases of unlawful practices, after buyers complained about show-flats made to look bigger or nicer than the real thing.

In some of those show-flats, structural partitions that the actual flats would have were moved aside to present a larger-looking space. In others, common areas such as clubhouses and facilities were factored into the flat area in promotional brochures.

The new rules, which apply to first-hand flats, state that show units must be of actual size and contain the same partitioning, fittings and finishes as the actual ones.

The area and dimensions of the actual flats must also be the same as those given in the promotional material, and prospective buyers must be allowed to take their own measurements.

Real estate agents who flout the rules can have their licences suspended or revoked, or be subject to lawsuits.

The strict rules, however, have not stopped some developers from taking liberties with their show-flats, hence prompting the latest moves to beef up the law.

According to the chief publicity manager of the Transport and Housing Bureau, Mr Leo Law, the bureau has set up a committee to look into 'specific issues' on the regulation of the sale of first-hand flats.

So far, the committee has come up with some recommendations, including making specific provisions relating to accurate boundary walls and features like bay windows. It is due to complete its final report in October, said the bureau.

contact@diegolaje.com

ST : Bukit Timah condo installs flood barriers

20 Feb 2011,
Bukit Timah condo installs flood barriers

Residents of The Tessarina condominium at Bukit Timah still remember vividly how their cars were submerged in their underground carpark when flash floods hit last July.

But there will be no repeat of such a nasty episode for the condo - one of the worst-hit - or so the residents hope.

They now have six new flood barriers at the condo's exits, a closed-circuit television camera to monitor the nearby Bukit Timah Canal and a raised road - all by the residents' own efforts.

After the floods, the 400 households there got together and put in $90,000 to install the barriers, which will stave off rain water flowing down from the 190m-long Wilby Road, where the condo is located. Also new is a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera for the security guards to observe the water level of a nearby section of the canal: When it reaches too high a level, the flood barriers will be activated.

Driving the efforts was resident Audrey Tan, 39, a dermatologist who filmed the rising flood waters last year and approached her MP, Mr Christopher de Souza, and national water agency PUB for help.

Mr de Souza then called for meetings with PUB and the Land Transport Authority (LTA). One idea was to raise Wilby Road, which LTA did.

After three months of construction work at a cost of $840,000, borne by the authority, the road is now higher by half a metre.

Yesterday, Mr de Souza surveyed the new barriers, which took about 20 days to be completed. They were installed by German-based environmental engineering company Blobel.

This is the company's first foray into flood mitigation in Singapore, said its managing director Norbert Blobel. He said other residences have approached it for similar flood-control work, and there are about six upcoming projects being discussed.

Residents such as manager James Gwee, 41, are happy with the new measures. 'We don't have to wake up in the middle of the night when it rains any more.'

Poon Chian Hui



At The Tessarina, one of the places worst-hit by floods last July, security guards can now monitor the water level at the nearby canal using a CCTV camera (above), and activate the condo's flood barriers (top) when necessary. -- ST PHOTOS: CAROLINE CHIA

ST : Shrink from shoebox apartments

20 Feb 2011,
Shrink from shoebox apartments
By Dennis Chan

There is a Foochow fishball noodle stall at a Zion Road coffee shop that I used to patronise regularly as it was near my office. While the noodles lacked the springiness of, say, the Pontian version, the fabulous fishballs - stuffed with minced cuttlefish and fish fillings - more than made up for it. For $3 a bowl, you got a decent serving of noodles plus six fishballs of various varieties.

My patronage dropped sharply in 2002 when my office moved from Kim Seng Road to Toa Payoh North. There were the occasional visits when I needed to satisfy my pangs for Foochow fishballs but over time, they grew less frequent. After a while, they stopped.

A few months ago, I dropped by for a meal as I was in the vicinity. The taste was as good as I remembered it and the price remained the same. But to my dismay, the portion had shrunk visibly and I got two fewer fishballs than before. And this was before the recent hike in the prices of key ingredients like wheat flour. Does the proprietor now serve one fewer fishball, I wonder?

The shrinking fishball conundrum reminds me of the state of our residential market.

It never fails to amaze me how popular shoebox units have become with home buyers.

Shoebox units are generally defined as apartments below 500 sq ft but in today's market, many are significantly smaller.

The smallest apartments in Singapore can be found at the Suites@Guillemard, a boutique development. The smallest unit is all of 258 sq ft, the size of a hotel room. Nonetheless, the project was a sell-out.

Do the buyers and others who bought similarly small units elsewhere know what they are getting into? Perhaps not.

I believe the over-exuberance over shoebox apartments is one reason for the recent push, by the authority that oversees private housing, for greater transparency among developers in depicting their showrooms when selling uncompleted homes.

For the uninitiated, new homes in Singapore are sold off the plan. But unless you are an architect or skilled in technical drawing, it is hard to visualise the house from merely looking at a floor plan. Hence, developers build showrooms to help prospective buyers see the unit in the right perspective.

However, some developers and their interior decorators have resorted to smoke and mirrors in making their showrooms seem larger than their actual sizes.

This usually involves removing structural walls and pillars, raising ceiling heights and straddling furniture between living room and balcony.

If the Urban Redevelopment Authority's drive towards greater transparency is realised, buyers can then see for themselves the actual layout of the apartment at the showroom.

This is important as more and more greenhorns enter the market.

According to a recent Savills findings reported in The Business Times last week, an increasing number of Housing Board dwellers are buying shoebox apartments.

These buyers have grown exponentially, from caveats for 59 units lodged in 2006 to 1,016 last year, exceeding the 857 shoebox units bought by those who live in private homes.

I am not debating the merits of shoebox homes.

Indeed they may become one of the mainstays of future living as households shrink and a rising number of people choose to live alone.

But I urge caution against passively accepting smaller and smaller space. At what point do we say enough is enough? Must we accept cramped housing as the de rigueur of modern living with nary a peep?

At my favourite Foochow fishball stall, it used to be six fishballs in a bowl of noodles. Today it's four. Will it become two tomorrow?

Will a day come when the noodles are served with no fishball at all and the signage is changed to Foochow noodles instead of Foochow fishball noodles? I would rather he increase the price than cut further.

Many developers these days are like the noodle seller. Some have gone further. Not only have they reduced the size of homes but they have also increased prices.

An acquaintance who bought a shoebox unit in a new project somewhere in Serangoon Road was taken aback when he saw the size of his flat after getting his keys early last year.

He bought it as an investment but has since found it hard to rent it out as potential tenants were put off once they stepped into the claustrophobic space. Last I heard, the unit has remained vacant.

As more and more such sub-sized shoebox units are completed, there is some concern that a similar fate awaits them. If ordinary tenants don't find such housing conducive for long-term stay, will the owners resort to renting out to all and sundry on short leases? What kind of tenants might these be?

On the other side of the coin, some people have argued that Singapore is heading the way of Hong Kong and New York, where people generally have accepted cramped quarters of as little as 200 sq ft to 300 sq ft as a way of life.

Furthermore, who am I to question sub-sized units when the market positively demands it?

Thanks to their affordable price quantum and good profit record, studio units tend to be the first to be sold out in most projects.

Even the much-criticised small units at Suites@Guillemard have made profits for their buyers.

A check of some recent caveats showed that some initial buyers have already pocketed profits in the sub-sale market. For instance, a third-floor unit bought in November 2009 at $1,475 per sq ft (psf) was resold in January this year at $1,637 psf, earning the investor a gross profit of $41,796.

Assuming he had paid 40 per cent of the purchase price of $380,550 (payment schedule is based on stages of completion of the project), this works out to a return of 27 per cent in little more than a year.

But with the introduction of the latest cooling measures in the form of heftier sellers' stamp duty and bigger down payment, the sub-sale game is all but over.

So if you are still bent on investing in a shoebox unit based on its floor plan, I suggest that you lower your expectations. And when you are handed the keys, lower them further.

dennis@sph.com.sg



Thanks to the affordable prices and good profit record, studio units tend to be the first to be sold out in most projects. One of the shoebox units which have fetched high prices is a 484 sq ft one at the Optima@Tanah Merah which sold for $1,280 per sq ft, or $620, 000, last September. -- ST FILE PHOTO

ST : Joo Chiat is first Heritage Town

20 Feb 2011,
Joo Chiat is first Heritage Town

Judges' unanimous decision nets town $100,000 to develop heritage activities
By Melissa Lin

Joo Chiat has become Singapore's first Heritage Town, beating competitors like Chinatown, Tiong Bahru, Upper Serangoon and Moulmein by a wide margin.

Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew presented the National Heritage Board's (NHB) inaugural Heritage Town Award to the winning town at the Joo Chiat Community Club yesterday.

For coming in tops, Joo Chiat will also receive $100,000 as funding to develop heritage activities for the year.

In his speech, Mr Lui said that the judging panel's decision was unanimous.

Mr Alvin Tan, director of heritage institutions and industry development at NHB, said: 'Their submission was much more comprehensive. It showcased the multicultural side of Joo Chiat, while managing to tease out the Eurasian and Peranakan elements.'

The judging panel of five included the chief executives of NHB and the People's Association, Mr Michael Koh and Mr Yam Ah Mee, respectively.

With the funding, Joo Chiat residents can look forward to a line-up of heritage activities this year, such as Peranakan Heritage Month in July and Eurasian Heritage Month in December.

Miss Sandra Helen Vatsaloo, who was part of the team that put together Joo Chiat's submission, hopes that residents will learn more about the place through these activities.

'Many people who live in Joo Chiat do not know about its landmarks and history. I have to tell them that Telok Kurau was where (Minister Mentor) Lee Kuan Yew lived and studied at,' said Miss Vatsaloo. She is the chairman of Frankel Neighbourhood Committee and the assistant secretary of Joo Chiat Citizens' Consultative Committee.

The 49-year-old, who was 'born and bred' in Joo Chiat, added: 'People have an idea that Joo Chiat is sleazy. Nobody seems to see the culture and heritage of the place.'

With the award, she hopes that perception can be changed.

In his speech, Mr Lui said heritage could come in many forms.

'Heritage could exist physically, like the monuments, institutions and parks that we have built, heirlooms that we pass on from generation to generation, and more so, in the intangible - the shared memories, experiences, culture and lifestyle of the people in the community,' he said.

He also said that NHB attracted a record 8.8 million participants in its outreach activities last year, doubling the number of participants in 2008.

It will work with selected schools and the Singapore Heritage Society to engage students and residents in activities such as heritage trails and walks.

The Preservation of Monuments Board is currently working with the owners of some national monuments to organise guided tours and festive activities at these places. The search for the next Heritage Town will take place in 2013.

mellinjm@sph.com.sg



Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew (in green) touring the Joo Chiat Heritage Exhibition at the town's community club with MrChung Sang Hong (right, in white), assistant director for community outreach from the NHB's Education and Outreach Division. MP for Joo Chiat Constituency Chan Soo Sen (in red) and MP for East Coast GRC Lee Yi Shyan (third from left, in yellow) were the host MPs. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING

ST : Housing Board estates to get $10b boost

19 Feb 2011,
Housing Board estates to get $10b boost
By Cheryl Lim

A FUND of $10 billion has been earmarked for the upgrading of flats and estates over the next 10 years to try to preserve the value of Housing Board homes.

Up to $55,000 will be spent on each flat under the Home Improvement, Neighbourhood Renewal and Lift Upgrading programmes.

These initiatives cover a wide range of works, including repairing spalling concrete and leaky ceilings, upgrading toilets and lifts, and improving housing blocks and precinct facilities.

Around 50,000 flat owners will benefit this year, and a further 300,000 owners from next year to 2016.

Meanwhile, the second phase of the Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) initiative that was announced last month will improve estates in Jurong Lake, East Coast and Hougang, home to around 700,000 residents in total.

Some of these residents will also benefit from the Home Improvement and Neighbourhood Renewal programmes.

The three mature estates will receive a $1 billion makeover phased in over the next five years as part of the second part of the ROH programme.

Detailed upgrading plans have been unveiled over the past few weeks.

Jurong Lake will see the creation of a new commercial hub spanning an area the size of 70 football fields.

Hougang town will host riverfront public housing and an integrated transport hub with a bus interchange, shops and private apartments.

East Coast's Bedok town centre will get a new mall and an air-conditioned bus interchange.

The ROH programme was unveiled in the 2007 National Day Rally.

The first phase covered Punggol, Yishun and Dawson precincts, where waterfront parks, cycling paths and designer Housing Board blocks are currently being developed.

ST : Housing grant for low-income first-timers

19 Feb 2011,
Housing grant for low-income first-timers

New special grant for households earning up to $2,250 a month
By Esther Teo

FIRST-TIME home hunters on low incomes struggling to get a foothold in the market will soon be given a helping hand to put a permanent roof over their heads.

The Government will bring in a special housing grant designed for this group, earning up to $2,250 a month in household income.

A total of $175 million a year in grants will be rolled out under the new Special Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant (SHG) unveiled in the Budget.

First-time home buyers purchasing build-to-order (BTO) flats from the Housing Board will be eligible for the grant. BTO homes are built in line with demand. The specific grant sum was not disclosed yesterday.

However, it will come on top of the subsidised loan and the existing Additional CPF Housing Grant of up to $40,000 for those earning not more than $5,000.

'Even among the lowest 20 per cent of our households, the home ownership rate is about 85 per cent. No other society comes close. But we will do even more,' Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said in his Budget speech.

He added that the SHG, together with the other subsidies, will allow more low-income families to own their homes so that 'they too can see their assets grow as Singapore progresses'.

The grant was just one of the many measures to lessen the sting of the rising cost of living for poorer Singaporeans.

Mr Tharman emphasised that the Government's approach must remain centred on opportunities, not entitlements. 'This is why we are focusing on helping the low-income group through education, employment and home ownership.'

Experts say BTO prices have risen in tandem with HDB resale prices and the special grant - regardless of the amount - would enhance the ability of poorer Singaporeans to own their own place.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said BTO prices have risen about 20 per cent in the past two years. He added the $2,250 income cap was also fair as the subsidy was public money and needed to be distributed in a targeted manner.

HDB resale prices skyrocketed 14.1 per cent last year although price gains moderated after cooling measures were introduced. This follows an 8.2 per cent rise in 2009 as the economy reeled from the financial crisis, a 14.5 per cent jump in 2008 and a 17.5 per cent surge in 2007.

Mr David Kan, executive director and co-founder of the Family Life Centre, said the grant was welcome and would definitely provide some financial relief for poorer families. 'Everyone needs a roof over his head and the special grant may even spur some lower-income families to work towards buying a home so they can qualify for the grant,' he said.

Mr Muhammad Siddiq Mohd Eunos, 22, may benefit from the grant. He and his wife live in his parents' home in Yishun and recently applied for a BTO flat at the Orchard Spring project in Yishun.

The couple, married in December 2009, earn less than $2,000 combined. Mr Muhammad is a full-time soccer player and his wife works as a shipping clerk.

'We're happy with these new rules. We're not sure how much it is but the money we save with the grant can be used for renovation,' he added.

Property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle said households with an income of up to $2,250 can typically qualify for flat sizes of up to three rooms.

More details of the grant will be announced soon by the Minister for National Development.

esthert@sph.com.sg

ST Forum : Wrong to base property tax on land size

18 Feb 2011,
Wrong to base property tax on land size

MR GOH Ching Soon pointed out that landed property should be taxed according to the land area that the property occupied ("Make property tax more equitable"; Wednesday).

He gave an example of a bungalow that sits on a 10,000 sq m plot of land versus 40 three-room flats in the same plot area and concluded that the 40 three-room flat dwellers collectively pay a higher amount of tax than a landed property dweller.

However, properties are taxed based on their annual value, which is the estimated amount of rental they would fetch if they were to be rented out. How much rental a property can command depends on many factors, and size is just one of them.

A check on some property websites indicates that the estimated rental for bungalows of land areas up to 10,000 sq m is in the region of $30,000. The median rents of a three-room HDB flat in the fourth quarter of last year was $1,700, which means 40 flats would fetch $68,000 collectively in rental.

Clearly, it is not equitable to peg property tax according to land size.

Tan Yong Sang

ST Forum : Govt has legal option to tax based on land size

18 Feb 2011,
Govt has legal option to tax based on land size

I REFER to the letter from Mr Goh Ching Soon ("Make property tax more equitable"; Wednesday).

The current law gives the option to the authorities to tax the land if the situation calls for it.

Our Master Plan controls the plot ratio of lands, so a bungalow plot may not house that many apartments.

The Government introduced a progressive property tax regime which perhaps can address some of the issues raised by Mr Goh.

Patrick Sio

ST : Outgoing MediaCorp CEO to join Far East

18 Feb 2011,
Outgoing MediaCorp CEO to join Far East

By Cheryl Lim

OUTGOING MediaCorp chief executive Lucas Chow is taking the leap into the property sector after being appointed as an executive director at developer Far East Organization.

Mr Chow, 57, whose background is in media and technology, announced he was quitting the broadcaster earlier this month after five years.

In his new role, he will be advising Far East's CEO Philip Ng on new business growth and brand development across the company's diverse real estate portfolio. Mr Chow will take up the new post on Aug 1.

In a statement issued yesterday, Mr Ng said: 'Lucas brings an excellent record of accomplishments in developing people, businesses and customers across the dynamic fields of technology, infocomm and media.'

He said he was confident Mr Chow will add value to Far East's efforts to expand the scope of its business platform. 'His sharp business acumen and strong customer orientation have been recognised as key assets in managing change and identifying market opportunities,' said Mr Ng.

Mr Chow said he was excited to participate in building a home-grown enterprise and expanding it beyond Singapore.

He said: 'I look forward to working with Philip and the management team at Far East Organization to continue nurturing enterprising leaders and harnessing their collective vision to take the business to a new level.'

In his MediaCorp role, Mr Chow launched various digital initiatives.

It is not yet known if he will continue his practice of handing out ice cream cones to employees when the company performs well, as he did at MediaCorp.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Aston in Birmingham, England, Mr Chow started his career at Hewlett-Packard where he held several senior positions.

In 1998, he moved on to SingTel, where he took on responsibilities as CEO of SingTel Mobile, executive vice-president of consumer business and executive vice-president of corporate business.

He took on the key role of lifting SingTel's broadband market share and driving regional expansion in the mobile business. Mr Chow is a director of Orchard Parade Holdings and a member of the Far East Organization branding executive committee.



Mr Chow is leaving MediaCorp to join the property sector after five years with the broadcaster. -- PHOTO: MEDIACORP

ST : No better place to call home for tycoon

18 Feb 2011,
No better place to call home for tycoon

He came, he saw, he decided to make Singapore his home. Last month, Mr Zhong Sheng Jian became the first China-born new immigrant to be elected vice-president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The head of Yanlord Land group tells why he was inspired to serve the community.
By Leong Weng Kam

CHINA-BORN property tycoon Zhong Sheng Jian has built thousands of houses and condominium units in at least 10 cities around China.

But ask him where his home is, and his immediate answer is: Singapore.

As the developer tells it, from the moment he set foot on the island 23 years ago, he decided to sink his roots here.

Then, he was a budding 30-year-old entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. He was calling on Mr Alan Wong of Molins Far East, a tobacco machinery trading house for a British manufacturer, with whom he had dealings for more than five years but had never met.

Call it instinct, gut feel or snap judgment, but his decision to move to Singapore changed his life and his family's forever.

Today, he is chairman and chief executive officer of Yanlord Land, a developer of high-end residential and commercial projects, mainly in China.

Recounting that first visit to Singapore, Mr Zhong, now 52, says: 'My business associate Mr Wong took me to the public housing estates and I marvelled at how well they were built and maintained.'

Like any astute businessman, he acted swiftly, and applied for permanent residency right away before he returned to Hong Kong.

Mr Wong, now 68, who retired from Molins several years ago, remains a close friend. He recalls Mr Zhong as one of his company's top 10 customers then.

'I was probably the first Singaporean whom he met. I remember even sponsoring his PR application. He was so excited about coming here that he gave up his original plan to move to Australia.'

Mr Zhong moved here with his family the following year when he set up his first Singapore-registered business, a trading company called Yanlord Enterprise. He became a Singapore citizen three years later in 1992.

Their first home here was a large, upmarket condominium unit in Balmoral Park. Later, they moved to their present bungalow at Binjai Hill where his five children, three girls and two boys now aged between 20 and 25, grew up.

Speaking in his Teochew-accented Mandarin in an interview at his 36th-floor office at Suntec City Tower overlooking Marina Bay earlier this week, Mr Zhong lists two main reasons for settling here.

'First, Singapore is a beautiful city with a cosy living environment and social stability, and it is very near to China. And for Chinese immigrants like ourselves, we face no language or cultural barriers as Chinese (dialects) and Mandarin are widely used here too.

'Second, from the perspective of a businessman, this is a good place because of its stable government, the practice of the rule of law and good infrastructure and communications systems which link Singapore to any part of the world.'

To him, Singapore is indeed an ideal place both to live and work.

'Many leading business and government leaders in China I know have sent their children here for education because of the excellent education system and facilities,' he adds.

His decision to move here has paid off bountifully as his company's fortunes grew in tandem with Singapore's economic development over the past two decades.

As he notes, Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) grew from a mere $53 billion in 1988, the year he arrived, to $303 billion last year, a nearly sixfold increase. Annual per capita income during the same period rose from $18,000 to $57,000.

He plunged into property development in China in a big way in the early 1990s when private home ownership was allowed and land was still affordable there, he says, because of inspiration from the quality, upmarket private housing in Singapore, such as his first home in Balmoral Park.

Two decades ago, living conditions were still very poor in China. So when his company rolled out China's first high-end residential developments in Shanghai in 1993, they became a big hit with the growing affluent population, especially among the younger generation.

Yanlord's brand name and popularity soon spread to the other cities where the company quickly built similar high-end residential projects and shopping malls, one after another.

Such was his affinity with Singapore that he succeeded in persuading about 40 of his family members and their offspring to move here from Lufeng city in Guangdong province over the years. Mr Zhong comes from a family of eight siblings.

One of his nephews, Siliang, 32, sits on the board of Yanlord Land. Mr Zhong's mother came to live with him in Singapore and died about six years ago, aged 88.

He and his family members were among the early groups of new immigrants from China to move to Singapore following China's open-door policy in the early 1980s, when rules were relaxed for Chinese to live and work overseas.

Did he encounter any problems integrating and living in Singapore? No, he says, noting that Singaporeans generally welcomed foreigners who could help to improve both the size and quality of the population and contribute to the country's economic growth.

In his view, there is no better place than Singapore for new Chinese immigrants to integrate, live and work because of its developed 'social cells' or networking community groups which promote kinship and bonds through Chinese clan associations and trade associations.

Many grassroots organisations in Singapore, such as community centres and clubs, also help newcomers integrate into the mainstream society, he notes.

'Each of these organisations has a secretariat which provides good information on Singapore, its past and present and all you need to know,' he adds.

Another reason he cites for Singapore's success in attracting foreigners is the high expectations and requirements set for all would-be immigrants. 'You either have money to invest in viable business projects, or talent and skills to offer before you can come.'

In recent years, despite his heavy schedule, Mr Zhong has played a more active role in the Chinese community. He is the first China-born new immigrant to be elected vice-president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI). He is serving a second three-year term as board member of Business China and sits on the governing council of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA).

Asked why he became involved in community service, Mr Zhong says he was inspired by the many Singapore community and business leaders who are willing to spend time and money to serve the community in spite of their busy work schedule.

As examples, he singles out SCCCI president Teo Siong Seng and the president of SFCCA, Mr Chua Thian Poh.

'I am particularly impressed by the century-old SCCCI whose official seal was a gift from the Qing Emperor Guang Xu. Turning to the long history of the chamber and seeing the photographs of its past presidents, some with pigtails, I cannot but feel inspired to want to serve as well.

'I believe the growth and prosperity of any country are dependent on the continued hard work and contributions from one generation to another. The able must do their part to keep it going.'

Singapore business and community leaders who work with Mr Zhong speak highly of him.

SCCCI president Teo says: 'We are fortunate to have him serve in the chamber because he is a role model for other new Chinese immigrants.

'He is a successful entrepreneur and developer. His good network in China can also help our members who want to invest or seek partnerships in China.'

Business China chief executive and MP for Toa Payoh-Bishan GRC, Mrs Josephine Teo, says: 'He is successful and one of Singapore's richest men but remains humble and committed to serving the community. He listens attentively at our meetings and often comes up with very good viewpoints.'

What tip would Mr Zhong offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

His reply: 'The business environment and conditions change all the time and success is all about decisiveness in making the right decisions and sound judgment.'

wengkam@sph.com.sg


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HARD TO INTEGRATE? NOT IN S'PORE

'If your surname is Zhong or Chen, what you need to do upon arriving here is simply walk into a Chinese clan association for members who share your surname or native home in China. You will have a family there waiting for you.

Or if you are from a particular business or trade, you can similarly find an association representing the same business or trade to become a member. It is all up to you.

Nowhere in the world can you find integration made so easy for new immigrants, not even in China where community and business organisations are not as developed due to long-time government control.

There you cannot find similar clan or trade associations so easily as you move from one province to another to live and work.'

Mr Zhong Sheng Jian, on why there is no better place than Singapore for new Chinese immigrants to integrate, live and work


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From dropout to self-made billionaire

WHEN his name surfaced in Forbes Asia magazine's annual list of global billionaires in 2007 as the fourth-richest Singaporean, many people were baffled.

He was ranked only behind Far East Organisation's Ng Teng Fong, United Overseas Bank's Wee Cho Yaw and Hong Leong Group's Kwek Leng Beng.

At 49 then, he was also cited as Singapore's youngest billionaire.

Just who is Zhong Sheng Jian?

The China-born property tycoon was said to be worth $2.7 billion at that time, based mainly on his shareholdings in Yanlord Land, a public-listed property developer with mainly high-end residential and commercial projects in cities all over China. He founded the company here in 1992.

Yanlord Land, which employs a few thousand people, mainly in projects in China, collected $1.6 billion in revenue and more than $300 million in profits in 2009.

Besides property development, Mr Zhong's other business interests are in manufacturing, printing and finance, with offices in several places including Australia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Forbes Asia's latest list last year shows that his ranking has dropped to seventh place in Singapore. The report says his wealth has shrunk by about 10 per cent because of the Chinese government's efforts to cool the property market.

Last year, he was named Businessman of the Year at the Singapore Business Awards by The Business Times and DHL Express Singapore.

Born in a small Teochew city in Lufeng in Guangdong province to a hawker and his wife, Mr Zhong could not complete his secondary school education because of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which forced him to work.

'I took up many jobs, including working for the purchasing department of a canning factory. I started trading first by importing paper to China following the country's open-door policy in 1978,' he recalls.

But after the Cultural Revolution, many opportunities opened up in China for businesses as the country was facing a shortage in almost everything.

'What you needed were connections to bring in the goods to China and everything would sell,' he says.

He switched from importing to manufacturing and moved his business to Hong Kong by the early 1980s. Then he moved to Singapore in 1989.

Mr Zhong started helping Singapore companies to do business in China in 2003 when he became an adviser to International Enterprise Singapore.

This was followed by his participation in several China-Singapore joint initiatives such as the Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee, Singapore-Jiangsu Cooperation Council and Singapore-Tianjin Cooperation Council.

He was elected to the 55th council of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2009 and was appointed chairman of its International Affairs Committee. Last month, he was elected the chamber's vice-president for the 56th council.

He was re-appointed for a second three-year term as board member of Business China, a non-profit community organisation formed to promote better understanding and business between Singapore and China.

Mr Zhong, who is honorary president of the Hai Lu Feng Association, Singapore, became the first new Chinese immigrant to be elected to the council of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, an umbrella body for about 200 local Chinese clan groups, at its elections last October.



Mr Zhong first set foot on Singapore 23 years ago when he arrived on a business trip. As he tells it, he decided immediately that this was where he would sink his roots. He moved here with his family the following year and set up his first Singapore-registered business. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING

ST : Son and parents settle dispute over house

17 Feb 2011,
Son and parents settle dispute over house

THE son said he was not angry that his parents had sued him over the ownership of a terrace house in Langsat Road in Joo Chiat.

But speaking to reporters after both sides had reached an out-of-court settlement yesterday, the parents - Mr Ang Kim Sai and Madam Ang Gim Yen, both 86 - said they were disappointed with their younger son Ang Kok Beng, 57.

The terms of the settlement are confidential.

The parents had bought the double- storey corner house in 1974 for about $100,000. Their older son and daughter were initially registered as the owners because Housing Board regulations prohibited the couple, who already had a flat, from owning the property.

In 1983, the ownership of the house was transferred to their younger son, who is a sub-contractor.

In their suit, the couple contended that they are the owners and that he was holding the house - valued at $2.5 million in 2009 - in trust for them. But the younger Mr Ang said it was a gift.

The hearing started on Monday but ended on Tuesday after Madam Ang, diagnosed with dementia in 2009, took the stand and seemed to have trouble recalling details.

Yesterday, both sides reached a settlement. Speaking to reporters, the younger Mr Ang said he felt 'not bad' about the settlement. He last saw his parents more than a year ago and hoped to see them soon.

'If we continue to fight, both sides lose,' he said.

Madam Ang told reporters their son was 'unfilial' while the father said he had 'no face' in having brought up such a son.

SELINA LUM

ST : Living under one roof: The more the merrier

17 Feb 2011,
Living under one roof: The more the merrier

Some families are bucking the trend of smaller households
By Cheryl Ong & Ng Kai Ling

LAST year's population census found that the average household size here has shrunk to a new low of 3.5, but some families - a declining minority - are bucking this trend.

These are large families who live together and look out for and help one another.

The four-room flat of the Yeos in Pasir Ris, for example, is home to 11 people: restaurant owner Nicholas Yeo, 32, his wife, 33, their three young children - aged five years to one month old - his sister, parents, grandparents and the family's maid.

Mr Yeo said he chose this living arrangement to teach his children about family values as well as to take care of his parents.

When they visited their relatives and friends during the Chinese New Year, organising the outing was a logistical challenge.

With Mr Yeo's two other sisters, who live elsewhere, and his brother-in-law joining in, they needed three cars, including a borrowed sedan with enough space in the boot for his grandparents' wheelchairs.

At home, having guests over is out of the question, said Mr Yeo, who takes up a bedroom with his wife and children.

'There's no more room,' he said emphatically, adding: 'There're only two bathrooms in the house, so we have to learn to be patient and take turns. I don't want to imagine the day we all get food poisoning!'

He said the best part about the living arrangement is having the family bond over dinner every night: 'The kids get to learn about traditions and the importance of family.'

His parents and grandparents keep an eye on the children while he and his wife are at work.

The census found that the average Chinese household size last year was 3.4 people, down from 3.6 in 2000. The average Indian household size also fell over the period from 3.7 to 3.6, while the number in Malay households held steady at 4.2.

Families like the Yeos, with more than six people under one roof, made up 11.1 per cent of the total number of households last year, down from 12 per cent in 2000.

The number of households with five or more people fell from 29.9 per cent in 2000 to 26.8 per cent last year, while one-person households rose from 8.2 per cent to 12.2 per cent over the same period.

Sociologists said the main reasons household sizes have shrunk are that attitudes towards the composition of a family have changed and parents no longer see children as a safety net of support for when they are old.

Sociologist Paulin Straughan said: 'The notion of filial piety has also been redefined. It no longer means that you have to be living in the same household - just visiting your parents regularly is enough.'

This was what primary school teacher Marion Chew, 35, had planned on doing when she got married in late 2002. She and her husband moved into their matrimonial home, a four-room HDB flat in Woodlands, and for about a year, they visited her parents and in-laws regularly.

Then she became pregnant with twins and her mother wanted to take care of her during the pregnancy, so the couple moved into her parents' landed property in Sembawang - and they have not moved out in the seven years since, even after the birth of their third child, now aged five.

Ms Chew said: 'My parents help to take care of the children while my husband and I are at work. It's the kind of care you can't get anywhere else.'

Their Woodlands flat is being rented out, while her parents' house is now also home to her sister and two maids.

Like Ms Chew, many who live with their parents do so for pragmatic reasons, especially when husband and wife work and have young children.

Take Madam Neo Geok Kuan, a 73-year-old retiree, who gladly plays the role of grandmother-cum-chauffeur.

Her eldest son, tour agency chief John Lew, his wife and two teenage daughters moved in with her and her husband in their semi-detached house in Hong Leong Garden in the West Coast.

She spends her weekdays picking up her two younger sons' children from school, cooking lunch for them and taking them to tuition classes.

In the evenings, her sons gather at her home for dinner.

She said: 'I like being around to help my children, so I don't mind being like the family driver.'

Mr Lew, 49, said the living arrangement is mutually beneficial: 'I feel more at ease knowing my mum is home to oversee the household, and my wife helps to care for my parents when I'm not around.'

kailing@sph.com.sg

ongyiern@sph.com.sg

ST Forum : Housing woes mar bundles of joy

16 Feb 2011,
Housing woes mar bundles of joy

MY HUSBAND and I welcomed our twin girls last year, and our brood doubled to four children, which forced us to hire a second maid.

Our 75 sq m flat, the smallest four-roomer in our area, could no longer accommodate what was effectively a family of eight, including the domestic help.

So we went through the usual HDB flat-hunting process, applying for build-to-order flats and balance flats, but we could not secure a ballot number.

We then went resale flat hunting, but the high cash-over-valuation and the lower loan amounts offered by the bank because of HDB's new rules meant that we had to fork out at least $80,000.

To meet the requirements of the new rules, we would have had to sell our current flat and move to a rental flat before we could go resale flat hunting. This would entail us moving house twice, with four young children in tow, in order to upgrade to a bigger flat. It proved too hard and we had to abandon the idea.

I then appealed to the HDB to sell us a flat on its list of leftover five-room flats in our vicinity, but it did not reply.

I sought the help of my MP to appeal on my family's behalf. After four letters of appeal, the Housing Board replied that it had only a limited number of returned five-room flats, and our case was not special enough to warrant HDB to look into it.

So while I would love to encourage Singaporeans to have more children, I am forced by my experience to advise them to think twice.

Our parents' generation enjoyed the possibility of upgrading to a bigger HDB flat to accommodate a bigger family.

That avenue does not appear to be available anymore for my husband and me, and our generation.

With limited supply of new flats and competition in the resale market, the HDB's priority is given to first-timers and not upgraders.

If we could have turned back the clock, my husband and I would have stopped at two, because having more children means less space at home.

Lim Yu Hong (Madam)

ST Forum : Relook price benchmark for first flats

16 Feb 2011,
Three Budget wishes

Relook price benchmark for first flats

AS THE father of a daughter who will be entering the market for a flat with her fiance for the first time, I wonder if the issue of housing affordability can be addressed if the Housing Board changes the way it sets prices.

Currently, new HDB flat prices are benchmarked against resale transaction prices. This approach worked well in the past because it was aimed at solving a simpler situation reflecting organic population growth and housing upgrading.

Today, while the first-time home market segment remains as robust as it was previously, the resale market has been hammered by a demand shock from a very sizeable segment of permanent residents.

Given that the resale market and first-time segments have different dynamics, and as the prime policy concern is aimed at helping first-time buyers, should we now decouple the benchmarking of new HDB flat prices from resale prices?

There may be alternative ways to set prices that can strongly couple with affordability - for instance, prices can be indexed to a multiple of, say, average starting salaries, or salaries of a percentile of taxpayers in the 25 to 30 age group.

I am not sure if the idea is coloured by my daughter's dilemma, but many of my friends have also confided that they were forced to fork out hefty sums to help their children buy their first flats.

I cannot see how this can be sustainable for future generations when our children's children come knocking.

Chiang Shao Soong

ST Forum : Make property tax more equitable

16 Feb 2011,
Make property tax more equitable

ACCORDING to Saturday's report ("Housing affordability of key concern"), the general sentiment is that the Government would be dishing out property, utility and service and conservancy rebates, upgrading old estates to increase the supply of HDB flats and providing larger housing grants for lower-income households in this year's Budget.

While these measures would be welcomed, they are just stop-gap measures and do not address the root of the problem: land scarcity in Singapore.

Land scarcity inevitably leads to high property prices as the supply of properties is insufficient to meet demand. Living in landed property is definitely a luxury and to ensure efficient and equitable allocation of resources, luxuries should be priced accordingly to reflect their scarcity. The current property tax policy in Singapore does not adhere to this principle of efficient allocation.

Currently, properties are taxed based on their annual value, which is the estimated amount of rental the properties would fetch if they were to be rented out. At first glance, one might be convinced that the landed property owner is paying a higher property tax and is thus paying a fair price for his luxury. However, the current tax rates fail to separate the concept of property from land.

Take, for example, a bungalow that sits on a 10,000 sq m plot of land could accommodate 40 three-room flats. Thus we can say that for the same size of land, HDB flat dwellers collectively pay a higher amount of tax than a landed property dweller.

Furthermore, the tax places a bigger financial burden on the lower-income group.

A property tax reform where the notions of land and property are separated is due. Property owners should still be taxed based on the estimated rental revenue, but at a lower rate. The balance should come from a land tax, where property owners are taxed based on the size of the plot they occupy and also the share of the plot which they occupy. Thus, the landed property owner would pay tax for the whole of his bungalow, while an HDB flat dweller living in a 20-storey block would pay 1/20 of the land tax. This new tax regime would be more equitable.

Goh Ching Soon

ST : Households smaller but more affluent

16 Feb 2011,
Households smaller but more affluent

Changes reflect social transformation in Singapore, says minister
By Andrea Ong

HOUSEHOLDS here have grown smaller over the last decade, while the proportion of families and individuals who now live in condominiums and private flats has nearly doubled in the same period.

These trends were revealed in the latest Census 2010 data on households and housing released yesterday.

And the picture it presented showed that the family unit here has shrunk and grown older - but is generally more affluent compared to 11 years ago.

According to the Census, there were 1.15 million resident households - Singaporeans and permanent residents - last year, a 25 per cent increase from 2000.

The average household size last year was 3.5 people, a drop from 3.7 in 2000.

Data showed that households comprising three or fewer family members made up more than half the total resident households here last year - an increase from 44.5 per cent in 2000.

Commenting yesterday, Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the changes reflected the 'long-term social transformation occurring in Singapore, lower fertility, an ageing population and more job opportunities in the region'.

'The result of all this is the household size will shrink,' he said. But efforts will continue to be made to ensure 'the family remains the centrepiece of our lives'.

Agreeing, analysts said matters have not been helped by married couples not having children or having fewer children. Singapore's total fertility rate hit a historic low of 1.16 last year.

Explaining the smaller household size, National University of Singapore (NUS) sociologist Tan Ern Ser said it could be due to a growing number of couples and singles across all age groups preferring and having the means to live alone: 'Sometimes, couples may prefer to live with their parents. But it may be more practical to live on their own near their workplace or school of choice.'

The drop in household size was most apparent among the Chinese, where the average size fell to 3.4 from 3.6 in 2000.

The average Indian household size fell to 3.6 from 3.7 in 2000, while it held steady for Malay households at 4.2.

Still, the experts say the smaller size is not cause for concern, unless it leads to social isolation and less support from other family members and caregivers.

'There should not be a problem if they are socially engaged or if they remain integral parts of their families,' said Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) demographer Yap Mui Teng.

The Census also showed a larger proportion of families and individuals lived in condominiums, private flats and landed property compared to 2000.

Last year, 16.9 per cent of households did so, compared to 11.4 per cent in 2000.

The sharpest rise was for those living in condominiums and private flats: 11.2 per cent were in such housing compared to 6.3 per cent in 2000.

While the proportion living in HDB flats declined by 5.3 percentage points to 82.4 per cent last year, five-room and executive flats comprised the only public housing category to see an increase.

The rise in the number living in private housing is possibly a sign of growing affluence, said Dr Yap. It could also be due to a larger supply of such housing types.

It is also part of 'the Singapore dream' to cross over from public to private housing, added Professor Tan.

Other signs of affluence were in the rise in household income among ethnic groups. The median monthly household income from work increased from $3,640 in 2000 to $5,000 last year.

Indians overtook the Chinese as the ethnic group earning the highest household income. Last year, Indian households earned a median monthly income of $5,370. This compares to $5,100 for Chinese and $3,844 for Malay households.

In 2000, Chinese households were the top earners with a median monthly income of $3,880. The shift is probably tied to the growth in the number of better-educated Indian immigrants, said Dr Yap.

Nearly half of married couples last year were also drawing a dual income, compared to 41 per cent in 2000.

The data also pointed to the rise of the professional, well-off single living alone.

One-person households saw the largest growth in percentage points among different household sizes: 12.2 per cent of households had one member last year, compared to 8.2 per cent in 2000.

More than half of them were single, and almost half lived in private housing or HDB flats with at least four rooms, compared to 30.3 per cent in 2000.

This group is likely to grow, said NUS sociologist Paulin Straughan.

Assessing the trends, she said they gave an indication of the future: 'In 20 to 30 years' time, there will be a big chunk of the elderly population living alone, and they will be quite happy to do so. But at some point, they will need support.'

This has implications on government support structures for the elderly, which are 'hinged very much on family'.

Both she and IPS research fellow Kang Soon Hock called for a change in the support strategies. These include more community support facilities for the elderly and more step-down care options such as retirement villages.

andreao@sph.com.sg