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Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Forum: Budget meals must be full-sized portions
We thank Mr Li Wei Jun for his feedback ('Ensure that budget meal is still a proper meal', April 23). The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing & Development Board (HDB) introduced the budget meal initiative in March 2023, to ensure that residents have access to affordable food options in HDB estates. Under the initiative, all rental HDB coffee shops that have renewed their tenancies starting from May 2023, as well as privately owned HDB coffee shops purchased from the open market, are required to offer at least four budget meals and two budget drink options. Despite our efforts to reach Mr Li, we were unable to ascertain whether the budget meal mentioned is part of the budget meal initiative or was voluntarily offered by the coffee shop. Nonetheless, we agree with Mr Li that budget meals should be adequately portioned. Under our guidelines, the budget meals provided by participating coffee shops must be full-sized meals for adults, and not be kid's meals or half-portions. To this end, we work closely with coffee shop operators and stallholders, and conduct regular checks to ensure compliance with our budget meal requirements. While we aim to ensure affordable cooked options for Singaporeans, we are also mindful not to overburden stallholders. Hence, we are reviewing the Price-Quality Method framework to increase the weightage for quality and consider the charges that prospective coffee shop operators impose on stallholders. We welcome public feedback on budget meals and will follow up with the operators as appropriate. Members of the public may submit their feedback via HDB's website or the BudgetMealGoWhere portal. Chia I-Ling Director (Policy & Planning) Housing & Development Board More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Singapore GE2025: 82 per cent voter turnout recorded as of 5pm, says Election Department
A voter on a wheelchair at a polling station inside a Housing & Development Board (HDB) public housing estate in Singapore, on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Singaporeans began voting Saturday in the ruling party's biggest electoral test in decades amid concerns over global economic turmoil and high living costs in the Southeast Asian city-state. Photographer: Ore Huiying/Bloomberg SINGAPORE (Bernama): A total of 2,164,593 Singaporeans turned up to cast their votes for the country's General Election (GE2025) as of 5 pm, according to the Elections Department (ELD). "This is about 82 per cent of the 2,627,026 eligible electors in all contested electoral divisions,' it said in a statement on Saturday. A spokesperson for the department also encouraged voters to avoid any last-minute rush, as polling at all 1,240 stations will close at 8 pm. In addition to domestic polling, 10 overseas polling stations are operating from 8 am to 8 pm local time in their respective cities. These stations must close no later than the official closing time in Singapore. NOTE: (For more information on Singapore elections: the electoral maps -- ) The overseas polling stations are located in Dubai, London, Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, Canberra, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong cast his vote at the MOE (Evans) Sports Hall around noon, according to The Straits Times (ST). This marks his first election since taking office in May last year. Wong is leading the PAP team in the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, which they won in GE2020 with a 63.18 per cent share of the vote. - Bernama
Independent Singapore
24-04-2025
- Independent Singapore
'Why Indonesia?': Singaporean couple share 5 reasons why they moved after their HDB MOP
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean couple who love to travel recently shared why they moved to Indonesia after meeting the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of their Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat. On Instagram, they wrote, 'People often ask us, 'Huh? Why Indonesia?′ We can choose Australia or Canada, but wouldn't it be the same situation [as] Singapore?' Since September 2023, they've been travelling almost every month. They realised it didn't make sense to own a car in Singapore that they rarely used or hold on to a flat they hardly stayed in. So they made Indonesia their 'base', sharing five reasons why. 1. Slower pace of life and lower cost of living The couple said living in Indonesia gave them space to slow down and focus on themselves without the constant rush. 'We can go into our batcave mode to work on ourselves and not have distractions,' they shared. 2. Same experiences, but at half the cost Comparing the dining experience between the two countries, they pointed out that a date at Sky @57, by well-known chef Justin Quek, a restaurant once located on the 57th storey of Marina Bay Sands, used to cost over S$500 for two people. In Indonesia, they could have a similar meal for S$200—and for four people. 3. Affordable pet sitters instead of pet hotels When living in Singapore, their 'antisocial' cat Aurelia found pet hotels stressful, and they often relied on friends or family to care for her during long trips. In Indonesia, they now have someone who looks after her at home. 'Our cat has a personal butler,' they said—something they said 'wouldn't be possible' if they chose to be in Australia or Canada. 4. A condo with three bedrooms at 20% the price of an HDB flat While they admitted it's not always easy for foreigners to find housing in Indonesia, it was still more affordable than in other countries. They rented a three-bedroom condo at just 20% of the cost of a similar HDB flat in Singapore. They noted that even in Melbourne, rent for a house 40 minutes from the city was around S$2,500 per month. 5. A helper at S$250 per month The couple now employ a full-time helper who cooks, does the groceries, and cares for both their home and cat—for just S$250 a month. 'We can travel at ease, work on our businesses, and have more time to sleep and do yoga,' they said. As a bonus, they use the rental income from their Singapore HDB flat to support their travelling lifestyle. 'If we make Indonesia our so-called base, it would be more cost-effective compared with places like Singapore, Canada, or Australia,' they added. /TISG Read also: 'You just have to count on yourself': Is this also true for Singaporeans who rely on the traditional retirement model of CPF, personal savings and gratuity? Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More options: HDB eases income assessment rules for young couples; Leong Mun Wai re-elected as PSP chief ahead of GE2025: Singapore live news
Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today. The Housing & Development Board (HDB) is easing the income assessment process for young couples who are buying a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat. From the next BTO exercise in July, couples can choose to delay their income assessment for a housing loan until just before they collect the keys to their flat, as long as one party is a full-time student or national serviceman. This move was announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Wednesday (26 March), who said that it'll help couples settle down earlier and a buy a four- or five-room flat if they plan to have children. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. The Housing & Development Board (HDB) is easing the income assessment process for young couples who are buying a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat. From the next BTO exercise in July, couples can choose to delay their income assessment for a housing loan until just before they collect the keys to their flat, as long as one party is a full-time student or national serviceman. This means it's easier for those who are still studying or just started working to buy their preferred units. Couples will be able to qualify for higher loan amount as they would have been working for some time by then. This move was announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Wednesday (26 March) during an public housing engagement session at the National University of Singapore. According to The Straits Times, Lee said the relaxed criteria will help couples settle down earlier and buy a four- or five-room flat if they plan to have children. Prior to the change, in order to qualify for the income deferment assessment, both parties would have to be either full-time students or national servicemen, or have completed their studies or national service in the 12 months before they applied for an HDB flat eligibility letter. At least one of them must be aged 30 and below. To show how the income deferment helps couples buy a bigger flat in the future, Lee raised an example of a couple where one is still studying while the other is working full-time. The monthly household income was assumed to be $3,500. Before the change, the couple can only buy a three-room BTO flat in Yishun. However, it might not be big enough if they plan to have kids. Under the new criteria, the couple can apply for a BTO flat first, and their HDB housing loan and assessment for the Enhanced Central Provident Fund Housing Grant will be deferred for about three years, nearer to the key collection. "At that point, both parties would have started working. With a combined income of, say, $7,500, they will qualify for a sufficient loan to buy a four- or five-room BTO flat," said Lee. The Housing & Development Board (HDB) is easing the income assessment process for young couples who are buying a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat. From the next BTO exercise in July, couples can choose to delay their income assessment for a housing loan until just before they collect the keys to their flat, as long as one party is a full-time student or national serviceman. This means it's easier for those who are still studying or just started working to buy their preferred units. Couples will be able to qualify for higher loan amount as they would have been working for some time by then. This move was announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Wednesday (26 March) during an public housing engagement session at the National University of Singapore. According to The Straits Times, Lee said the relaxed criteria will help couples settle down earlier and buy a four- or five-room flat if they plan to have children. Prior to the change, in order to qualify for the income deferment assessment, both parties would have to be either full-time students or national servicemen, or have completed their studies or national service in the 12 months before they applied for an HDB flat eligibility letter. At least one of them must be aged 30 and below. To show how the income deferment helps couples buy a bigger flat in the future, Lee raised an example of a couple where one is still studying while the other is working full-time. The monthly household income was assumed to be $3,500. Before the change, the couple can only buy a three-room BTO flat in Yishun. However, it might not be big enough if they plan to have kids. Under the new criteria, the couple can apply for a BTO flat first, and their HDB housing loan and assessment for the Enhanced Central Provident Fund Housing Grant will be deferred for about three years, nearer to the key collection. "At that point, both parties would have started working. With a combined income of, say, $7,500, they will qualify for a sufficient loan to buy a four- or five-room BTO flat," said Lee.
