Tag: Elections

HDB Can Learn From Swedish House Of Clicks Experiment

Known as the House of Clicks, this Swedish house was the brainchild of Hemnet, a property-listing website based in Sweden.

Between January and October 2014, this was what Hemnet did with data gathered from two million Hemnet users:

200 million clicks. 86 000 residential properties. That’s the foundation that the Hemnet Home is built on. This is data from visits and properties that were for sale on Hemnet between January and October 2014. In addition to this data, we conducted an image analysis of the most clicked properties over a six week period. Each week the images from the 50 most clicked properties were analysed to gather additional data about the interiors. For example: the colours of the walls, floor types or kitchen countertop materials.

Hemnet then took the results to architects Tham & Videgård who then designed a house which Hemnet calls ‘Sweden’s most sought after home’.

Here’s the result:

The exterior is in a Falu red reminiscent of classic Swedish wooden cottages and the house is in a ‘functionalist box’ shape – two popular traits voted by the Swedes.

Before we see the interior, the specifications of the house are as follows:

Kitchen:

57% of respondents wanted an open-concept kitchen. The architects added that what people want is a ‘social kitchen’ where the living room is in the kitchen and not the other way round. The kitchen with its double-height 5.6m ceiling is the heart of the home.

Living area:

Gray sofas, hardwood floors and fireplaces are some of the features Swedes wanted the most.

Toilet with skylight:

A white theme for the toilets to match its deep red terracotta tiled floors.

Bedroom connected to partially enclosed rooftop terrace:

The rooftop terrace can be converted into an extra room to meet future needs.

Floorplan:

Are you taking notes already, HDB?

Will we see HDB replicate the House of Clicks – two-storied goodness complete with a rooftop terrace? Highly doubtful as it caters to Swedish taste.

However, the manner in which the house was designed is worth a study. Using big data to aggregate preferences is something HDB should consider since it builds homes for more than 80% of the population here.

If HDB were to conduct such a study, the first thing to go in all HDB flats would probably be the ~~over-packed steel-lined store room~~ bomb shelter.

Source: http://mothership.sg

August 3, 2015
Sitoh Yih Pin Unveils Lift Upgrading Program For Potong Pasir

Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin yesterday had good news for residents of eight low-rise blocks of flats which previously did not qualify for lift upgrading as there were too few units to share the cost.

The Housing Board has given in-principle approval to select their blocks for the national programme, he said in letters to 32 households that will get lift access, which he delivered in the evening.

Mr Sitoh told reporters that he “had been working very hard” to get the blocks included and hopes construction work can begin in the first six months of next year.

He also hoped residents would continue to give him a mandate to do more for them.

“I went to take a look at our manifesto in 2011,” he said. “We can put a tick to every box, we have fulfilled all the promises we have made.”

Lift upgrading was a key platform of Mr Sitoh’s campaign to spruce up the ageing ward in the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) bid to wrest the seat from veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong.

Mr Sitoh won the seat on his third attempt in the 2011 General Election, when Mr Chiam left the ward he held since 1984 to contest neighbouring Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Mr Sitoh had a majority of just 114 votes against Mr Chiam’s wife – Mrs Lina Chiam of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) – who intends to contest again in the next general election.

Yesterday, Mr Sitoh ran into Mr and Mrs Chiam and over 20 SPP activists at a coffee shop during their respective walkabouts, and they met up like old friends over peanut pancakes and coffee.

Mr Sitoh said he respected Mr Chiam enormously, and disclosed that for many neighbourhood renewal projects that were being carried out, he had given instructions to retain plaques that bear Mr Chiam’s name beside the facilities.

“As much as possible, even if we are to open a new amenity, at best our plaque will be side-by-side with his. His 27 years of legacy in Potong Pasir are intact,” he added.

Mr Sitoh has expanded the neighbourhood’s community club and brought in FairPrice and a POSB outlet to Potong Pasir in the four years since he took over as MP.

Yesterday, he asked residents for a chance to embark on “the next chapter” of his 10-year plan, which includes a project to cover up all the drains and install more surveillance cameras in the estate.

“We know exactly what we need to do, and our manifesto is ready. We will unveil it when the hustings come,” he said.

Yesterday, Mr Chiam was fondly greeted by Potong Pasir residents. Mrs Chiam told reporters later that she and the SPP will speak up on issues such as rising medical costs, housing and transport if elected, and try to “bring the kampung spirit back” to Potong Pasir, “of course with modern facilities”.

“The needs of the residents come first, not the facade of a constituency,” she added before visiting Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Mountbatten where SPP also plans to contest.

Also working the ground in Potong Pasir yesterday was former National Solidarity Party (NSP) secretary-general Tan Lam Siong, who handed out rations to residents a day after he said he would contest there as an independent.

The Democratic Progressive Party is also interested in the ward .

Asked about such a contest, Mr Sitoh said: “That’s interesting, isn’t it? (But) our attention and our focus must be on the residents here.”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 3, 2015
Reform Party: Giving a Voice To Singaporeans

As election fever heats up let’s all remember why Reform Party is here.

We are here to stand up for Singaporeans and give you a voice. That includes those who have become victims of our heartless system.

Here you can see Madam L with our Sec Gen looking like a million dollars compared to when she first approached KJ – as we had been successful in getting her some maintenance allowance and then we got it renewed for another six months.

Source: Kenneth Jeyaretnam

August 3, 2015
Walid J. Abdullah: If I Were A Politician…

As a political science major, I get the following question whenever i tell people what i study: ‘so you want to be a politician?’ I don’t. But if i was one, this is how my first press conference would sound like.

Walid: Hello everyone (while carrying a random baby of some resident). I am Walid, a son of simei (‪#‎sonofsimei‬, since every politician needs a hashtag). I have stayed here for the most part of my life and know the place very well.

Reporter: So what is your plan for Simei?

Walid: I intend to build a mega mall here! This will serve the needs of the residents here, young and old.

Reporter: Erm, but residents of Simei do not need another mall. They already have Eastpoint.

Walid: Good leadership is not about doing what the people want; it is about doing what is right. I am
not a populist.

Reporter: How much would it cost?

Walid: Around $100 million. But the eventual expenses may even triple and be in the range of $300 million.

Reporter: What???? In any other job, a person who exceeds the budget three times over would be sacked!

Walid: You must not look at the tangibles only. Look at the intangibles.

Reporter: Erm, ok. So what is your stance on political participation?

Walid: I am a firm believer in freedom of expression. Everyone should be able to state their opinions on anything. There are no sacred cows.

Reporter: How would you respond to some claims of racial discrimination by some residents?

Walid: That is a provocative question that can disrupt our social harmony. If you want to ask such questions, please drop your pen and paper, and join politics to contest against us.

Reporter: But you just said we must be free to express ourselves.

Walid: Not unconditionally. These Western notions of freedom are not applicable to societies like ours. And you journalists have a part to play; don’t just write everything. Make sure Singaporeans read the ‘right’ thing.

Reporter: What are some of the concerns that have been raised by residents?

Walid: We understand that the residents have many concerns. We will continue to seek ways to address them. Meanwhile, we will continue to have dialogues with the relevant stakeholders.

Reporter: Are there mistakes that your predecessors have made?

Walid: Let us not harp on the past. Let us move on.

Reporter: Final question Walid, as a son of Simei, will you be contesting here?

Walid: It does not really matter where I contest. Let us look at the bigger picture.

#sonofsimei

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

August 3, 2015
Lim Swee Say To Contest In East Coast GRC

Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say has confirmed he will continue to contest East Coast GRC in the coming elections. Mr Lim was speaking to reporters on Saturday (Aug 1) at the sidelines of a PassionArts event, organised by the People’s Association.

The event, held at Bedok Reservoir in the opposition Aljunied GRC, initially raised questions that he might be fielded there. After all, during the 2011 election, Mr Lim had been deployed at the last minute to East Coast GRC, from his Buona Vista ward in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

But Mr Lim dismissed the speculation, saying he was there simply to lend support to the event, which is part of Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations. He added that he has secured Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong’s agreement to remain in his current ward of Bedok in East Coast GRC.

Said Mr Lim: “I appealed to PM to please let me continue serving the residents in East Coast. PM has agreed, so therefore I will be surprised if, in the coming GE, I am not deployed to contest in East Coast.”

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

August 2, 2015