Members of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC --- Minister Teo Chee Hean, Mr Charles Chong and Mr Michael Palmer,
Grassroots leaders,
Residents,
Ladies and gentleman,

I am very happy to be here with you today. The main purpose of this party is to welcome you as residents to this new precinct. It is also an opportunity for you to mingle and get to know your neighbours better.

Build-to-Order System
2. This welcome party is especially significant because this is the first HDB project offered for sale under the Build-to-Order system, or BTO.

3. HDB used to sell new flats under the Registration for Flat System. Flats were built based on the number of people in the queue for flats. Unfortunately, after the flats were built, some of those who registered changed their mind and did not take up the flats. This resulted in a large number of flats left unsold. To better respond to the changing demand patterns for new flats over the years, HDB introduced the BTO system in 2001. Under this system, flat buyers need to apply only when HDB launches new flats for sale at their preferred location. The indicative prices and preliminary designs are made known upfront, so that short-listed applicants can choose their preferred flat when they come forward for booking.

4. Since the pilot BTO launch of this precinct in April 2001, HDB has successfully launched 15 other sites at various locations in Sengkang, Punggol and the Central Area. About 8,000 households have bought new homes under the BTO system. As the number of unsold flats has been reduced, HDB is offering about 3,000 BTO flats this year, and will offer another 3,000 to 4,000 BTO flats in 2007.

Building HDB Communities
5. HDB has come a long way from its early days in the 1960s, where the objective was to build as many flats as cheaply and quickly as possible to solve the severe housing shortage. Today, HDB flats are well designed with quality finishing, and still affordable. But HDB’s role in shaping the Singaporean living experience has not changed. Since its humble beginning, HDB’s mission is more than just providing a roof over our heads. It is also to build cohesive and vibrant communities. For example, the many communal facilities like senior citizens corners, playgrounds, fitness parks, Residents’ Committee (RC) Centres etc. within our HDB estates help foster social integration and community bonding. They bring people down from their flats -- residents of different races, income and social profiles -- to gather together, to interact.

6. Today, with 84% of Singaporeans living in our public housing estates, the HDB landscape is a common point of emotional reference for many of us. Our children learn and grow up in the schools and playgrounds of HDB estates. We take evening strolls in neighbourhood parks. Our families take meals together in the coffee shops and hawker centres.

7. The collective experience of HDB living is one that we share, regardless of race, language or religion. With this in mind, I encourage you to make special efforts to build up an inclusive community, not only amongst your existing neighbours, but also new ones that may join you in time to come. Some of them may be new immigrants who come here to work and add value and strength to our economy. Some of them would like to make this place their new home, just as many of our forefathers did. I hope that you can help them to feel at home here and help them to better appreciate our multicultural society and values.

Fostering the Sengkang Spirit
8. For residents of this new precinct, today marks the beginning of your journey of interacting, living and building a community together. This party will be the first of many opportunities for you to get to know your neighbours and community better. Use this time too to meet your Members of Parliament, your grassroots leaders, Town Council and HDB branch office staff, as well as the officers from the other agencies present here.

9. In time to come, you will grow as a community – not just a group of residents who happen to live alongside one another, but neighbours who do things together, help to look out for one another, and actively share and contribute to the community.

10. You would have noticed that there are various communal facilities located in your neighbourhood, such as the precinct pavilion, playgrounds for children, and a basketball court. There is also a rooftop garden at your multi-storey car park at Block 156A, which has been set aside as a community garden for residents. I encourage residents to work closely with RC members to make it a success.

11. Through the provision of these communal facilities, I hope that residents will become friends as they interact and enjoy themselves. Over time, a sense of belonging to the community and ownership of the neighbourhood will develop.

12. To foster this spirit, HDB has specially commissioned the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) to create a sculpture for your precinct. It is situated between Blocks 152 and 153, and is called “The Flow of Harmony”. Water was chosen as a theme for this sculpture, given Sengkang’s history as a fishing village. I hope that this sculpture will inspire a spirit of harmony and friendship amongst the residents of this precinct.

Conclusion
13. In conclusion, I would like to encourage residents to make this precinct a home and community that you can be proud of. It is up to you make this the best living environment for you and your family, together with your neighbours and new found friends. Let me wish you all the best, as you embark on this journey together. Thank you.

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