If supporting a 6.9 million population is not a problem – why has land for public housing suddenly become a serious problem now?

I refer to the article “Government looking into lease issue of old HDB flats which involves ‘serious trade-offs’: Lawrence Wong” (Today, May 17).

It states that “One key matter is that despite the government’s best efforts at planning, “we are still severely constrained by space in Singapore”, he said in Parliament on Thursday.

“If there is no more land to recycle for future public housing, then what will happen to our children and grandchildren? How will they have access to subsidised housing in the future?” he said.”

In this connection – “The growth in the population to between 6.5 and 6.9 million by 2030 – from 5.3 million now – would involve persuading citizens to have more babies and handing out citizenship to more foreign-born professionals, the government said in a white paper” (Reuters, Jan 28, 2013).

So, is this not somewhat illogical and contradictory – telling us that we need to grow the population to 6.9 million (implying that land for housing is not a problem) – but now saying the opposite that land and housing is a big problem – and that’s why the HDB 99-year lease cannot be extended?

Non sequitur and Uniquely Singapore?

Leong Sze Hian