tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40380054936041094352011-12-30T13:36:22.909+08:00Quote from Dr Martin Luther King, Jr: "There are two types of law: Just and Unjust". <i>[All rights reserved]</i>The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-12374710425264021202011-04-01T20:27:00.013+08:002011-04-04T01:27:57.826+08:00

What to do in an en bloc sale? First, you need wit. Second, you need wits. Here are some of the classic e-mail jokes that friends, acquaintances and strangers send me ... to keep me enthralled and sane, I guess. Since April is Month No. 4, I am enshrining four jokes for posterity on this April Fool's Day. 1. As 1 April 2011 is a Friday, I will start off with this story: It was Friday

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-47387835506141811762011-02-09T23:45:00.170+08:002011-03-10T16:40:41.722+08:00

9 Feb 2011 is symbolically significant to the Chinese because it is celebrated as "People's Day" - Day 7 of the traditional 15-day Spring Festival in this Year of the Rabbit. To celebrate "People's Day", friends and family gather to "Lo Hei" as we toss raw fish salad sky-high, calling upon the Wind, the Mountains and the Water to rise along with our Prosperity and Good Fortune ... if there are

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-21896990755793995122010-12-24T23:46:00.086+08:002011-01-04T13:19:22.877+08:00

NOT Wikileaks but Wikipeeks! And since it is Christmas, turkeys for these Wikipeeks are in order! 1st Wikipeek ... into how the Land Titles (Strata) Act (LTSA) is retrospective in effect, as further elaborated upon in paragraph 4 below. Singapore prides herself on the "rule of law". Legislation should be prospective, not retrospective, because it would otherwise undermine one of key

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-62480642787670988272010-11-30T14:30:00.088+08:002010-12-06T16:19:44.221+08:00

The Macroeconomic Surveillance Department's "Financial Stability Review" released by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on 25 Nov 2010 makes for interesting reading: Property-related extracts: http://www.scribd.com/doc/44214510/Financial-Stability-Review-25-Nov-2010 1. Heart-thumping or heart-stopping? From the above MAS chart using CEIC Data Company Ltd’s source data, it would appear

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-1277410357328059822010-11-13T23:48:00.060+08:002011-01-04T12:12:18.019+08:00

Who turned this little red dot into Casino Singapore? 1. Who is the idiot? On 4 Nov 2010, after giving a speech at the inaugural forum, "A Free Press for a Global Society" at the Columbia University, Minister for Law, Mr K Shangumam, said the following during the Q and A session: "The point is this, if you actually sit down and look at what is it that is needed for a healthy, robust debate in

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-6775928241044270262010-11-13T23:44:00.170+08:002011-01-05T12:46:50.173+08:00

In "Casino Singapore 1: Who's the idiot? Citizens/Gahmen lost Big Time", I set out how developers chalked up jaw-dropping increases in net profit of 666%, 417.9%, 262%, 188%, etc, for FY 2009/10, viz, two-three years after 2006-2007 en bloc frenzy (i) in the aftermath of 2008-09 Great Recession whilst (ii) in the midst of pay-outs under 2009-10 Resilience Package of S$20.5bn, causing us to

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-67379825048754303922010-11-13T23:44:00.168+08:002010-11-29T22:31:39.767+08:00

I continue my bleating ... In "Casino Singapore 1: Who's the idiot? Citizens/Gahmen lost Big Time", you would have heard my bleats on the exponential increases in developers' net profits of 666%, 417.9%, 262%, 188%, etc, for FY 2009/10: http://singaporeenbloc.blogspot.com/2010/11/casino-singapore-part-1-whos-idiot.html In "Casino Singapore 2: Who's the idiot?? No to gang robbery-cum-rape", you

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-32746288545498600832010-07-02T19:05:00.011+08:002010-12-18T00:17:38.194+08:00

By way of Government Gazette S360, S364 and S365, all dated 1 Jul 2010, and Acts Supplement No 14 dated 2 Jul 2010, the Land Titles (Strata) (Amendment) Act 2010 will come into operation on 15 Jul 2010 (corrections of LTSA Schedules come into effect on 16 Jul 2010). I just luv this National Geographic TV advertisement "Live Curious" for the spirit that it embodies. Its web-page has the above tag

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-42390250840412839442010-07-02T19:04:00.023+08:002010-08-22T15:32:32.768+08:00

CONTINUATION: Part 1 of this blog posting ended with Minister Lim Swee Say's anecdote in Parliament asserting that "we are like the little frog, we are deaf to all these criticisms". So it is only apt that Part 2 of this blog posting starts with an old Chinese saying: "官字有兩個口" (the Chinese character for 'government official' 官 has two mouths 口). For those of you who have read my previous blog

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-50256976716528652722010-06-11T12:09:00.058+08:002010-06-27T19:00:58.452+08:00

With the FIFA World Cup kicking off on 11 June 2010 in South Africa, it is only apt to draw an analogy with how LTSA 2010 e-football (ie, en-bloc football) game is being played in Singapore by people with no-balls! Here’s how: =  Defender recruits can hibernate for 12 months and ... As defenders in e-football, Sale Committee members are recruited but they don’t need to get into play pronto.

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-53761886258032109892010-04-01T11:49:00.201+08:002010-04-07T14:11:21.834+08:00

Let's commemorate April Fools' Day ... because throughout the past en bloc frenzies since 1999, owners have been outfoxed by corporate developers. In turn, corporate developers were outfoxed by Gahmen and that made them cry foul, as shown in the immediately preceding blog. The best antidote to prescribe on April Fools' Day is a potent dosage of a famous quote from Sūn Zǐ’s ( 孫子 ) “The Art of

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-26188825361575747562010-03-27T22:55:00.093+08:002010-03-30T16:51:46.249+08:00

In true Darwinian spirit, it is survival of the fittest. Big fish eat small fish. Small fish eat shrimps. So we shrimps (viz, we the "lesser mortals" as Singapore citizens) should heed the wise words of Greek historian, Polybius, who said: “There are two roads to the reformation for mankind — one through misfortunes of their own, the other through the misfortunes of others; the former is the

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-41115523779876458482010-03-24T19:12:00.011+08:002010-03-25T12:14:13.076+08:00

Place: Washington DC, USA Date: 22 Mar 2010 Time: nearly midnight (Eastern time) Please click on the video clip to listen to President Barack Obama's speech shortly after the healthcare bill was passed: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/22/obama-on-health-care-pass_n_507964.html To me: This is "Government FOR the people". This is "Leadership". This is "Doing the right thing". Other than

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-23819008473935815502010-03-18T01:54:00.016+08:002010-03-21T16:25:07.236+08:00

“Where laws end, tyranny begins” – This pithy quote is attributed to William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708-1788). More than 2 centuries on, it still resonates resoundingly. The presumption is that the laws are just. As I quote Dr Martin Luther King, Jr (1929-1968) in my blog banner: “There are two types of laws: Just and unjust”. Poser: Where unjust laws end, then what??? I can’t pit myself

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-7479033627596708732010-03-18T01:52:00.023+08:002010-03-21T16:35:37.140+08:00

How Time flies! Riding the mutant three-hump camel in my Oct 2010 blog entry, I marked the 11th anniversary of en bloc law in Singapore. Sobering thought, eh? A-1 Yesterday, Today, Another day. Cyber-nostalgically, I recently re-read my old blog entries. 2007: I first invoked the idea of “doing right”, as distinct from “being right”. I re-traced the etymology of “Dào Lǐ“– 道 理 about a month after

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-39110169713296740592010-03-18T01:46:00.066+08:002010-03-25T13:39:34.067+08:00

When the Prime Minister of Singapore speaks, we must take his words seriously to heart. More so if the PM is your direct boss, you'd think, eh? Instead of making our dear PM fret over how “to fix the opposition” in future, it may be more worthwhile for the PM to “fix his own ministers and parliamentary secretaries in MinLaw and MND” now. If one can't multi-task, then one must focus on one thing

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-48164722000201347252010-03-18T01:43:00.075+08:002010-08-16T16:21:38.231+08:00

What did PM Lee Hsien Loong say? Please do NOT click on the above cartoon!The birds may fly away if you do ... C-1  PM's speeches/comments.  In 2007. In 2008. In 2010. Our PM has been talking and talking. C-1.1 PM Lee Hsien Loong’s 2007 National Day Rally Speech. “I know many older Singaporeans worry about whether they can make ends meet. We are making changes to help you to work longer, earn

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-47121750382067371522009-11-07T18:32:00.037+08:002009-12-23T15:21:36.204+08:00

Things are getting "curiouser and curiouser", as Alice said in The Land of Oz ...But it may go some way to explain why we are "Hotel Singapore Inc" (no longer "Singapore Inc") ...why homes are commoditized for en bloc flipping ... why the law technically provides for en bloc sale immediately upon issuance of Temporary Occupation Permit (viz, when owners take possession of their spanking new

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-59257455624209868532009-10-07T15:10:00.043+08:002011-03-14T13:27:48.845+08:00

For those of us who haven't seen a mutant three-hump camel, this is what it looks like: 1. Mutant three-hump camel. On 12 Sep 2009, the following Forum Letter was published in The Straits Times about a mutant three-hump camel: http://lushhomemedia.com/2009/09/12/property-index-and-saga-of-the-three-hump-camel/camel/ QUOTE: Singapore‘s Private Property Market Index looks like a mutant three-hump

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-76759641379210408082009-08-12T18:16:00.049+08:002009-08-21T12:10:10.853+08:00

Update following PM Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally Speech on 16 Aug 2009: PM Lee said: "... it’s not just the hardware, but also the heartware, the memories which we are creating, which is what makes Singapore tick”. With such en bloc laws in place - what "heartware" is PM yabbing about when the "memories" are of neighbours forcing you to sell the roof over your head without your consent,

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-63264461562618348282009-07-13T17:21:00.052+08:002009-08-06T14:33:56.291+08:00

1. Ambulance chasers, en bloc chasers. In my previous blogs (Aug 2008 and Feb 2009), I commented that whilst we - as a society - have rejected ambulance-chasing lawyers, we have conveniently turned a blind eye to "no sale, no fee" structure in en bloc sales where marketing agents and lawyers would incur out-of-pocket costs and intense efforts for up to 12+12 = 24 months to collect signatures for

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-39486901363808279542009-03-15T13:21:00.109+08:002011-03-26T14:36:30.993+08:00

Update 2: Get this ... it turns out that Obama is an acronym for Originally Born in Africa to Manage America! "Born" is used under the purposive approach. Being mindful that we should NOT carry purposive interpretation too far, "born" should be technically "birthright" under the 1948 British Nationality Act and the 1963 Constitution of Kenya! http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-48325309705239341072009-02-24T23:00:00.020+08:002009-03-11T23:31:10.199+08:00

From adversity, comes opportunity – an opportunity to “do right” by the people, to re-balance. Here's a 9-part sojourn to reflect and inflect ... 1. TEASER: What is the point of Urban Renewal?2. MOCKTAIL (non-alcoholic cocktail): Have we left our people behind?3. APPETIZER: How to bring our people along in Singapore’s Re-Making?4. NUGGET: Why en bloc law was (and still is) needed?5. POSERS: What

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-3109243363261928952009-02-24T22:49:00.015+08:002009-02-28T08:43:21.129+08:00

In this new year of 2009, I would like to re-frame the question to ask: “What is the point of our Singapore laws to facilitate the national agenda of urban renewal and higher land-use intensity?” Just so as to have a brand new, gleaming all-glass 36-storey apartment block on Holland Road (instead of a 15-storey block that grossly under-utilized the existing plot ratio)???What is the point of

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-70132372337380289192009-02-24T22:04:00.036+08:002009-03-16T17:00:06.295+08:00

We are NOT bringing our people along with us in this quest of Re-making Singapore - NOT on this Trojan Horse of en blocs! Words and numbers say it all.2.1 Words from the horse’s mouth – When interviewed about en bloc sales, Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, was quoted in Sunday Times of 17 Jun 2007: “If you can’t buy an executive flat, buy a 5-room. If you can’t afford central

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-29881950846732223352009-02-24T21:35:00.026+08:002009-03-04T12:21:48.177+08:00

In my earlier blog entries, I have whined and harped ad nauseum about bringing our people along in the Re-making of Singapore. How? By adding one more settlement option for en bloc sales, viz, 1-4-1 exchange.Hence, as early as 1 Mar 2007 (two days before the then Minister for Law, Prof S Jayakumar’s parliamentary speech was reported in the press about upcoming legislative review of the Land

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-88042671261837870262009-02-24T21:01:00.013+08:002009-03-05T22:25:00.136+08:00

The introduction of the concept of “majority consent” to sell other people’s homes was seminal in abrogating private property rights of Minority Dissenters. It was NOT introduced lightly – it went through Select Committee review and parliamentary debates. It took more than a year before it became law. However, in my opinion, the law regrettably carried (and still carries) too light a touch –

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-17464219902213364752009-02-24T20:38:00.014+08:002009-02-28T13:17:06.335+08:00

What I have cited in the above blog entry entitled “NUGGET: Why en bloc law was (and still is) needed?” was in 1998. With the en bloc frenzy in 2006-7, large swathes have since gone en bloc. Coming to the 10th anniversary, it would be timely to get a statistical update in 2009 of what’s left standing (viz, ALL strata title developments that have NOT fully utilized current plot ratios).On top of

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-4399925215064240712009-02-24T20:18:00.024+08:002009-03-05T22:33:55.954+08:00

Despite understanding and agreeing (YES, "agreeing"!!!) with why en bloc law was (and still is) needed, my resentment simmers over the light touch of the finger of law in the pie AFTER the Gahmen interfered with market forces by introducing legislation that effectively wedged a big foot into other people’s main door. And I remain perturbed about the way the present law continues to be skewed

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-84756923551247925972009-02-24T19:24:00.027+08:002009-02-28T09:05:49.928+08:00

When mulling over en bloc issues vis-à-vis the current credit crisis, I get this sense of déjà vu. Failure by regulators. Failure by industry players. Failure by end-customers. Failure of the entire financial market! Sounds familiar, eh? How damning can it get, I ask you?Let’s draw just one parallel here, using the example of en bloc legal fees. Where Singapore has rejected ambulance-chasing

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-49411893201649231702009-02-24T18:39:00.020+08:002009-02-28T09:15:08.130+08:00

Gillman Heights en bloc offers a classic example of purportedly “selling high and buying low”. It also summarily debunked myths of “en bloc windfall” and “monetization of asset at a premium”! If “WINDFALL” and “PREMIUM” are defined along the lines of how “SEX” is defined by former President Bill Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky saga, then I am chokingly gagged!Carrot or lemon? You figure it out ...

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-10103428589015769092009-02-24T17:48:00.028+08:002010-07-20T16:36:10.214+08:00

[This is the concluding section of my 9-part series for Feb 2009.] The refrain of one of the hits of ABBA, a Swedish pop group, goes like this: “Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man's world. Money, money, money Always sunny In the rich man's world. Aha-ahaaa-aaa All the things I could do If I had a little money It's a rich man's world.” If economics is the be-all and

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-471231930289317682009-02-09T18:46:00.082+08:002009-02-24T16:22:59.113+08:00

On this Yuan Xiao Jie (first full moon of the first lunar month) of this Chinese New Year of the Ox, the Appellate Court ruled against the Minority Dissenters of Gillman Heights with Appellate Court costs borne by the respective litigants and 50% of the High Court costs borne by the Minority Dissenters.This group of Minority Dissenters stood united in their valiant bid to save their homes as they

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-16178671312094674432008-08-07T16:55:00.057+08:002010-06-28T22:24:52.095+08:00

This 7 Aug 2008 blog entry is the third part, continuing from the earlier two parts, both dated 6 Aug 2008, viz: - The SOURCE and Themis - IN-BETWEEN: Why en blocs are not right for Majority Consenters nor Minority Dissenters? - So what's the alternative in the END? ANSWER to Q: So what’s the alternative in the END? [Hint ... look to South Korea! The South Korean model even offers relief to

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-4655645030769417782008-08-06T22:35:00.051+08:002010-11-30T22:22:28.841+08:00

Having focussed on the SOURCE (ie, the en bloc legislation) in the 6 Aug 2008 posting below, let's now turn the spotlight on the IN-BETWEEN. Minority sues Majority, and vice-versa. Developer-buyer sues some Majority or threatens to sue all Majority. Majority sues Developer-buyer. Sue Strata Titles Boards (STB)? Sue Singapore Land Authority? Who’s next? Sue Sale Committee? Sue marketing agent,

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-18868886881221083832008-08-06T15:19:00.058+08:002009-11-01T18:30:17.942+08:00

Whether en bloc is a phenomenon or a disease, we need to identify the cause. Without a proper understanding of the cause, neither curative nor palliative measures would be effective. Thus far, the focus has been on consequences of en bloc. Let’s shift focus to the SOURCE of en bloc.En bloc is created by law. Hence, the source is the law. Can the law be finetuned to minimize the degeneration and

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-27598426626361203952008-01-09T10:05:00.000+08:002008-01-09T11:11:00.659+08:00

The en bloc topics are categorized according to "subject matter" which you can find on the right-hand column of this blog. Scroll down ... past the cartoon of a "wailing house" and you will see them.In the Straits Times Inactive Forum Page of 8 Jan 2008, reference was made to this blog in the discussion of "apportionment" or "distribution" of collective sales proceeds.http://www.straitstimes.com/

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-89557620821079780012008-01-06T14:59:00.000+08:002008-12-11T17:54:58.887+08:00

Yes ... YOU ...... only you can make a difference! How, you ask??? In many ways ... (1) By clicking on a discussion thread in REACH Forum (formerly Feedback Unit): http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117/ptid/414/page/2147483647/threadid/652/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx(2) By participating in this survey by a NUS undergrad:http://www.scribd.com/doc/963382/

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-80372195401522446152007-12-24T00:40:00.001+08:002009-12-08T14:17:07.790+08:00

POSER FOR POLITICIANS:En blocs should push everybody up. Read on ... in my Nov 2007 blog update ...difference between Gahmen "being right" versus "doing right" ....and difference between Singapore's and South Korea's en bloc laws.Singapore is NOT the only country that needs urban renewal!"Uniquely Singapore" is in fact NOT that unique!En blocs should NOT pull everybody down! ... ending up as

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-50678487896160990452007-11-19T13:48:00.000+08:002008-12-11T17:55:08.901+08:00

Now that the dust has kind of settled down, it's time to mull and muse and muck ... about BLOC, BLOCK and BLOG [Hey, say it aloud three times and you will morph into a gleaming goldfish! To break the spell, just say CLOB, CLOCK AND GLOB once. If you are still a goldfish, that means your tongue got twisted real bad! Goldfish doesn't have tongue, does it? Gotcha!]OPENING MINISTERIAL SPEECH: When

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-10936395056995343852007-08-09T10:50:00.000+08:002007-12-03T23:30:20.809+08:00

Update on 29 Aug 2007: Oooo-la-lah ... Copy-and-paste the following link to MinLaw's announcement on 27 Aug 2007 relating to the upcoming legislative amendment of the Land Titles (Strata) (Amendment) Bill:http://notesapp.internet.gov.sg/__48256DF20015A167.nsf/LookupContentDocsByKey/GOVI-76GF93?OpenDocumentTo read the "FULL LIST OF AMENDMENTS": After you access the above First Link, do scroll all

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-78245475226094450942007-07-10T15:47:00.000+08:002007-07-18T17:04:13.422+08:00

Nope, you didn't read it wrong nor did I type it wrong ... 'tis The Holey Trinity and The Show Must Go On ... come what may! [The Show Must Go On - Do you know who said this? No, my friend, Shakespeare didn't say this. Queen sang it. Not dear old Queen Lizzie, but Queen the rock band - they are both of English pedigree no less! For those of you who have been following this blog, you will have

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-73033992527889843352007-05-29T23:02:00.000+08:002007-07-17T14:18:36.152+08:00

Update on 7 Jun 2007: As Shakespeare said: "Life is a stage ...". From the time the Ministry of Law announced in March 2007 about the upcoming legislative review of the Land Titles (Strata) Act and the commencement of MinLaw's Public Consultation in April 2007, it was interesting to observe various en bloc happenings and the evolution of "The Bagel Class" of Singaporeans: ACT 1 - Super-duper

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-426896639709834052007-04-26T01:13:00.000+08:002007-05-30T00:17:47.608+08:00

GENTLE REMINDER: The Ministry of Law's Public Consultation on the forthcoming legislative review of this law is ENDING SOON (Closing Date: 12 May 2007). Pls, pls, pls do your part and e-mail your views to: MLAW_enbloc@mlaw.gov.sg ___________________________________________________With the Gahmen's latest buzzword being "Sustainable Construction" following Indonesia's sand ban and granite chip

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-4292637879550322712007-04-17T11:50:00.000+08:002007-04-18T10:11:45.483+08:00

The "Today" newspaper, Weekend Edition of 14 April 2007, splashed a front-page article on en bloc sales. In this "Today" news article, a pre-eminent lawyer, Dr SK Phang, who specialises in en bloc / collective sales (in fact, Dr Phang is the pioneer in this arena), was quoted as saying that "a bona fide home owner should be offered an exchange ...". Yeh!!! I'm so, so heartened ... perhaps,

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-69329965478043473472007-04-02T10:48:00.000+08:002007-04-23T02:48:59.059+08:00

Thank you, Dr Minority from www.enblocsingapore.blogspot.com for your comment to my "Message for blog-site visitors". It's an excellent suggestion. Further to the Minister for Law's parliamentary speech on 2 Mar 2007, the Public Consultation for REVIEW of the present laws on Collective or En Bloc Sales has just started today, 2 Apr 2007 and will end on 12 May 2007. You could snail-mail or

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-35287631802980578112007-03-28T01:50:00.000+08:002007-03-28T13:46:03.974+08:00

Thank you for visiting this blog-site. En bloc / Collective Sales hits close to home (pun fully intended) for all private property owners. I have created this blog-site to share my thoughts and whatever little I know about this topic ... some of the inherent gaps and pitfalls that Dissenters to an en bloc / collective sale may want to be mindful of, especially if you are in the midst of one or

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-58746742031881289602007-03-27T22:18:00.000+08:002008-01-07T03:51:03.436+08:00

Update on 6 Jan 2007: As eloquently argued in a Straits Times Forum Letter published on 5 Jan 2008, there is another school of thought that postulates distribution of collective sales proceeds should be based only on area because "condo units are sold by area and not by share value" and "especially when the INTRINSIC VALUE of each square foot is computed as an aggregate of area, premium for high

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-1151733079906359802007-03-26T20:01:00.000+08:002008-01-06T14:59:22.771+08:00

UPDATE on 6 Jan 2008: Flurry of letters published in Today newspaper ... I am no clairvoyant when I posited in Mar 2007 (that's when I started this blog) that Owner-Occupiers with only 1 residential property would end up as Squatter, Refugee, Downgrader or Downsizer after an en bloc sale!In the Today newspaper (27 Dec 2007 edition), there was an "I say" commentary by Lucy Huang recounting her

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-53498407503957409252007-03-26T14:23:00.000+08:002007-04-01T16:33:09.155+08:00

1. Adverse impact on estate maintenance and urban landscape - Estate maintenance of a development with en bloc potential/risk is a Catch-22 issue. In Singapore's high-density high-rise living - if regulations are not sufficiently robust, high-class slums (in itself an oxymoron!) can evolve willy-nilly in our so-called Global City. The never-ending cycle of collective sales directly and adversely

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-16693146372276954002007-03-26T00:50:00.000+08:002008-01-09T12:02:16.757+08:00

Update on 30 May 2007, 23 July 2007 and post-Oct 2007: This page should be read in conjunction with MY OTHER COMMENTS UNDER "SALES PROCEEDS FORMULA; DISTRIBUTION". THE CURRENT "EN BLOC SCAM": How hundreds of thousands of dollars are being "short-changed" in the distribution of collective sales proceeds?(i) As explained in paras 1-7 below of my original posting on 26 March 2007, the self-appointed

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-83268768849615804572007-03-25T21:45:00.000+08:002007-06-13T12:35:12.447+08:00

UPDATE on 26 Apr 2007: Following Indonesia's sand ban and granite chip control, the Gahmen's new buzzword is "Sustainable Construction". I'd like to propose the flip-side of this coin: "Sustainable DE-Construction"! Home ownership in Singapore: 90.9% in 2006 (Dept of Statistics). Singaporeans in HDB flats: 86% in 2006 (Ministry of National Development). After discounting PRs in HDB flats and

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-36647264634676645702007-03-25T17:53:00.000+08:002007-04-06T02:03:20.477+08:00

1. What majority? - Labels of "majority" versus "minority" are misplaced. 2. Eminent domain/police power? - These collective sales are not the result of exercising "eminent domain" to serve larger public interests of, say, infrastructural projects or slum clearance. Nor are there structural weaknesses or public health/safety issues afflicting these private properties, thus invoking "police power

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-64381608307203941302007-03-25T17:17:00.000+08:002007-03-28T14:51:51.323+08:00

What is even more galling is that after passing this "innovative" piece of legislation in 1997, the Gahmen have conveniently left a huge void on everything else related to it.1. To sell the entire estate - There is NO regulation or legislation to govern the Sales Committee who dictates the terms of such collective sale and the apportionment method of sales proceeds that are binding on ALL owners

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4038005493604109435.post-9382683451646659622007-03-25T17:08:00.000+08:002008-01-04T14:37:57.759+08:00

UPDATE post-Oct 2007: ____________________________________________________1. Constitutional or not? - Is it even constitutional, I wonder? I hope I won't be hauled up for treason or something for merely asking. I seek your indulgence as I am a newbie at blogging.Perhaps, it is only in this little red dot where a legislative amendment to the Land Titles (Strata) Act (LTSA) could be passed in 1999

The Pariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725490396019425388noreply@blogger.com0