GE2025: PSP makes assertions with ‘little regard for facts', says PAP's Desmond Lee on claims that he remained silent on housing issues
SINGAPORE: Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said it was concerning that the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) is making assertions with 'little regard for facts', after the opposition party's chief Leong Mun Wai claimed that Mr Lee had remained silent on housing issues.
In a statement on Wednesday (Apr 30), Mr Lee said: 'It is indeed a matter of concern when the PSP makes assertions with little regard for facts. I would like to urge the public to consider the facts and concrete plans that each side has presented when making their choice during this General Election.'
On Wednesday morning, Mr Leong spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout at Jurong West Street 91, claiming that Mr Lee – who is the anchor candidate of the People's Action Party (PAP) team contesting in West Coast-Jurong West GRC – had yet to respond to several policy questions raised by the party.
Among other housing issues raised, Mr Leong said he did not address concerns about the rising cost of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, lease decay and the lack of lift upgrading for certain flats in Singapore.
On Wednesday, Mr Lee said these claims were 'untrue' and urged the public to consider the facts from both sides, adding that he had addressed national housing issues on 'multiple occasions' throughout the campaigning period.
These included the launch of the West Coast-Jurong West GRC manifesto on Apr 23, another occasion when he spoke to the media last Friday, and his rally speech last Sunday.
At the launch of the West Coast-Jurong West manifesto on Nomination Day, Mr Lee and his team outlined their achievements, including converting roads into Silver Zones and Friendly Streets to enhance safety for seniors, as well as implementing the Home Improvement Programme for public housing.
Speaking to the media on Apr 25, Mr Lee had highlighted efforts to reduce the non-selection rate among home buyers, and said there was a 'determination' to support different groups of Singaporeans in achieving home ownership.
Mr Lee said on Wednesday: 'Prior to the election campaign, the topic of housing has also been extensively debated in parliament.'
He added that during his rally speech on Apr 27, he acknowledged concerns that Singaporeans have about housing, noting that the pandemic had caused the 'worst construction crisis' in decades, leading to high demand in flats and, in turn, higher housing prices.
During the rally, Mr Lee said his team had spoken to residents over the past five years and had heard their aspirations for good jobs and homes as well as concerns over cost of living.
'I assured Singaporeans that we have completed building all the homes that had been delayed and significantly ramped up the supply of new housing,' said Mr Lee.
He added that the housing market 'will stabilise', and that the government will be able to offer more affordable homes under the Standard, Prime and Plus framework.
Mr Lee noted that the government is also exploring more public housing options for higher-income young couples and singles.
'These are topics that PM Lawrence Wong has spoken about, and public housing is a part of the PAP National Manifesto,' said Mr Lee.
The PAP manifesto outlines plans to build 50,000 new flats over the next three years and increase the supply of homes with shorter waiting times.
It also sets out to keep flats in prime locations such as Kallang-Whampoa, Bayshore and Mount Pleasant accessible to more applicants, while rejuvenating older HDB towns through the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme, or VERS.
Mr Lee's teammates in West Coast-Jurong West GRC are Mr Shawn Huang, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Ms Cassandra Lee and Dr Hamid Razak.
Come May 3, the team will go head-to-head with a PSP slate made up of the party's chairman Tan Cheng Bock, secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa, as well as Mr Sani Ismail and Mr Sumarleki Amjah.
'We are clear about our commitment to keeping housing affordable and accessible for Singaporeans, through the ramping up of supply and cooling measures where necessary,' said Mr Lee.
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