Government refutes allegations made on living density
The government explained that Dr Cheong’s 2018 lecture was on how the republic can continue to be a highly liveable city in the event Singapore’s living density increase to 13,700 persons per square kilometre by 2030.
The Singapore government has refuted the claims made by several Facebook posts by Singapore Democratic Party, Sin Rak Sin Party and Lim Tean of Peoples Voice as well as The Online Citizen Asia’s article on its website and Facebook against Dr Cheong Koon Hean.
The article and Facebook posts claimed that Dr Cheong Koon Hean, CEO of the Housing & Development Board (HDB), had confirmed that Singapore’s population would increase to 10 million by 2030. They cited Dr Cheong’s lecture in April 2018 at the IPS-Nathan Lectures.
Lim Tean’s Facebook Live video also claimed that the government plans, or intends, to move towards 10 million population by 2030.
“These allegations are false. Dr Cheong made no statement suggesting that our population would increase to 10 million by 2030. This is a continuation of falsehoods alleging that the government has a population target of 10 million, which the government has clarified,” said the government in a Factually article on 4 July.
The government explained that Dr Cheong’s 2018 lecture was on how the republic can continue to be a highly liveable city in the event Singapore’s living density increase to 13,700 persons per square kilometre by 2030.
It noted that Dr Cheong referred to living density, which considers only the land available for urban areas while excluding land used for airports, ports and defence, among others.
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As such, it is misleading and inaccurate to extrapolate a 10 million population size by applying the living density figure to Singapore’s total area.
The government also clarified that it has not proposed, planned nor targeted for Singapore to increase its population to 10 million.
In fact, Singapore’s population plans were laid out in Parliament in March 2018, when the government said that the city-state’s total population will likely be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030.
It also clarified its population plans in two Factually articles on 4 March and 1 July, in a media statement by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) and in another Factually article on 3 July.
In its media statement, NPTD said the publication of such falsehoods damages public interest by undermining honest and legitimate discussion. It added that appropriate action may also be taken against any further publication of such falsehoods.
“Despite the latest clarification, the falsehoods continue to be repeated.”
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Victor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email victorkang@propertyguru.com.sg
