URA, don’t keep reviewing laws, enforce existing ones!

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Why is the Urban Redevelopment Authority upsetting home owners by reviewing laws governing short-term home rentals (“URA to seek feedback on short-term home rentals”; Dec 17)?

Some criminals bring in foreign sex workers, mainly women, and prefer to house them in shady hotels or illegitimate residences where genuine travel visas and reasons for staying in Singapore are not required.

The URA does not have sufficient manpower to prevent criminals from renting homes for short-term stays.

It would bring great shame to Singapore if it were proven that its housing laws could be circumvented under the guise of providing short homestays.

Existing housing laws are not effectively implemented, even with intervention by the URA. The 575 complaints the URA has received since last year involving alleged illegal short-term rentals are probably just the tip of the iceberg.

Do we really need a lightly regulated segment to be opened up for mass exploitation? Are home owners who seek peaceful living environments being forced to give way to a minority of business-minded individuals?

We are not insulated from extremists coming to Singapore to commit acts of terrorism. Singapore must give priority to homeland security, and the ban on short-term rentals is one way to prevent criminals from staying here illegally.

Our security forces should not have to face a threat from within.

Patrick Mowe

* Letter first appeared in ST Forum (27 Dec).


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