Mr Koh Cher Siang James, Chairman HDB

Mr. Tay Kim Poh, CEO HDB

HDB Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

HDB wins the 2008 UN Public Service Award

     It is truly my pleasure to be here this morning to congratulate HDB for winning the 2008 UN Public Service Award for the “Home Ownership Programme”.

2   The United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) is a prestigious international award in recognition of excellence in public service. Chairman and CEO of HDB will be at the United Nations to receive the award on behalf of HDB on 23 June 2008. HDB has done Singapore proud. The Award is a tribute not just to HDB, but also to the Singapore people because the home ownership programme is very much a part of our lives today.

3   Our public housing programme is not simply about a roof over your head. It is a hallmark of Singapore society. Our housing estates are where 8 in 10 Singaporeans live and interact with their fellow citizens. Public housing in Singapore has defined our collective experience as Singaporeans.

4   Our home ownership policy is the cornerstone of Singapore’s public housing programme. As Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew explains in his memoirs, he had mooted the idea of home ownership back in 1964 because and I quote: “I had seen the contrast between low-cost rental flats, badly misused and poorly maintained, and those of house-proud owners, and was convinced that if every family owned its home, the country would be more stable.” Unquote. Home ownership provides a strong incentive for Singaporeans to work hard to earn their flat, and to defend it as well. The Home Ownership Programme has therefore played a key role in our nation building from the early days of our independence right through till today.

The Role Played by HDB Staff in Home Ownership

5   HDB was born under very different circumstances from today. When Singapore gained self-government from Britain in 1959, the majority of Singaporeans were living in crowded squatter colonies which lacked proper sanitation and were fire hazards. The population was growing rapidly, with immigration adding further stress on the housing shortage. The Government’s immediate priority was to build as many flats as possible in the quickest time possible to solve this crisis. The Housing & Development Board was set up in 1960 to tackle the problem. In the first 5 years of its existence, the HDB built 50,000 flats. This was a remarkable feat, considering that the previous colonial Government had taken 30 years to build 23,000 flats. Within 10 years, the housing shortage was largely solved.

6   These successes did not happen easily. It was the result of persistent hard work and commitment by everyone in the HDB team – from the management who was bold, capable and dedicated, the creative architects and engineers who planned and built homes quickly and cost-effectively, to the officers who handled the sale transaction and mortgage loans. In particular, the first HDB Chairman, the late Mr Lim Kim San, through his vision and leadership, laid a strong foundation for HDB. We must also not forget the thousands of ground staff who spent many hours interacting with residents and explaining the housing policies. Some of the older staff here will recall the excitement of on-site balloting of flats in the early days, and the visible joy seen on the faces of grateful residents when they succeeded in securing an HDB flat. With the introduction of computers, HDB has ceased conducting on-site balloting. However, I am sure it is no less rewarding for all of you to know that you continue to play a vital role in housing our nation. While processes have changed over the years, the purchase of an HDB flat as a rite of passage for most Singaporeans has not. In a recent Marriage & Parenthood survey by MCYS, 89% of the single respondents preferred to live in their own homes after marriage. For most, this would mean setting up their first home in a new or resale HDB flat.

7   Today, there are 900,000 flats in Singapore housing over 80% of Singapore’s population. The challenges for public housing today are different, but no less formidable than what we faced in the early days. Today’s environment is far more complex, with a more diverse group of flat buyers that have varying aspirations and income levels. In response, HDB builds flats to suit different budgets and preferences, with a range of flat types, designs, and locations to choose from. HDB staff have also moved beyond just building the bricks and mortar to providing the software necessary to ensure the continued success of our home ownership programme, for example financial counseling so that buyers are better able to make this major commitment only when they are ready to do so. All of this ensures owning an HDB flat continues to be affordable for 90% of the population, in keeping with the Government’s commitment.

Future Challenges

8   The road ahead will continue to be challenging, as we keep striving to meet the housing needs of a growing population with increasingly different needs and aspirations.

Meeting the housing needs of a larger and more diverse population

9   Our population continues to grow, both naturally and as a result of immigration. As we welcome a larger and more diverse population into our fold, the challenge for HDB is to find innovative ways to accommodate everyone in a comfortable way, without compromising our living environment and social cohesion.

10   Globalization and the changing economic environment have also led to such issues as structural unemployment and a widening income gap. We will need to ensure that public housing can help achieve the twin objectives of meeting the housing needs of the majority of the population, as well as providing a social safety net for lower income Singaporeans.

11   At the same time, Singapore is also seeing a rapidly ageing population. Hence, HDB will need to focus on meeting the housing needs of the more vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and the lower-income, so that they can level up with the rest of the population.

12   At the other end of the spectrum, we will also have to make HDB flats attractive for the more educated and more well-off Singaporeans, so that they too can go through the HDB experience. This shared experience of HDB living will become all the more important, as we strive to develop a collective Singapore identity.

Aging Flats in Old Estates

13   Another key challenge is the need to upgrade and rejuvenate our older housing estates. Nearly one-third of our flats were built before the 1980s. There will be more flats reaching 40 to 50 years old within the next 10 years. Estate renewal will therefore be given even greater emphasis so that we can maintain the quality of living in our older housing estates and the value of our homes.

14   Under HDB’s "Remaking Our Heartland" programme, we will transform new, middle-aged and old HDB estates into vibrant homes for Singaporeans. Giving our HDB heartlands a major makeover is a key part of the Government’s plan to develop and reshape the Singapore of tomorrow. In the next 10 to 20 years, HDB will be embarking on plans to build a new generation of public housing. The urban regeneration of HDB estates will go beyond the current upgrading programmes in terms of scale and scope. It will transform the existing public housing estates and mark a new milestone in Singapore’s public housing programme.

Conclusion

15   I commend all of you for your commitment over the last 48 years to helping Singaporeans attain their dream homes, whether you are manning the counters dealing with enquiries, or processing loans and purchase or rental of flats, or planning the estates of tomorrow or formulating housing policies. All of you have contributed to the success of HDB. The UN Public Service Award is a recognition of the work of all HDB staff. There is a lot of work to be done. I know HDB will not rest on its laurels. I look forward to HDB reaching new heights in better serving the housing needs of Singaporeans.

16   Thank you.

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