The Singapore government has acted quickly to end a programme that enables siblings whose parents live abroad to purchase Housing Development Board (HDB) flats, after discontent recently surfaced online over how it appeared to favour permanent residents (PRs) over citizens.
The Housing Board will terminate the scheme with immediate effect as it “is no longer necessary”, said Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu in Parliament yesterday.
Launched in 1990, the scheme allows unmarried Singaporean and PR siblings to purchase HDB flats. In order to qualify for the scheme, their parents cannot buy another HDB flat and must be living abroad.
“This was necessary then because the sublet market for HDB flats and rooms was limited and there were few viable housing options for these siblings,” said Ms. Fu in response to a question raised by Marine Parade GRC MP Lim Biow Chuan.
The programme allows Singaporean siblings to acquire new or resale flats, while PR siblings can purchase only resale flats.
Only around 300 such cases receive the green light every year, less than one percent of total flat transactions, said Ms. Fu.