Debated in Parliament on 20 Jan 2014.
Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for National Development (a) in the past two years, what is the number of Singaporeans with non-citizen spouses who applied to keep their sole overseas property after they purchased their flat from HDB or the resale market; (b) what is the number of applicants who are granted exemption to keep their overseas properties; (c) what are the main reasons for granting such exemptions; and (d) what is the breakdown by nationality of those given such exemptions.
Over the last two years, HDB received 737 appeals from Singaporeans with non-Singaporean spouses to keep their overseas property in their purchase of HDB flats. Of these, 482 were approved. The main reasons for granting such exemptions were that the overseas properties were not of substantial value, and were housing extended family members of the couple. The nationality of the non-Singaporean spouse is not a consideration in HDB's evaluation of an appeal.
Among the couples granted exemption, 74% have Malaysian spouses, 10% are Chinese, 4% are Indians and the rest from several other countries.
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