Desmond Lee rebuts PSP's housing criticisms, says issues have been addressed repeatedly

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee has hit back against statements by PSP secretary-general Leong Mun Wai that he had "been silent on national housing issues throughout the campaign".

- Hariz Baharudin

Mr Lee, who is anchoring the PAP team against Mr Leong's line-up in West Coast-Jurong West GRC, said on April 30 that he has "addressed national housing issues on multiple occasions" over the ongoing election campaign.

The PAP candidate noted that Mr Leong had made the statement against him in a media interview that same morning, and pointed out that he had spoken on national housing issues at the launch of the constituency's manifesto on April 23.

He added that he also spoke on the topic in a media interview on April 25 and at the PAP rally two days after, and that some of these events were covered by the press.

Mr Leong said earlier on April 30 that Mr Lee had yet to respond to the PSP's queries on national issues, zooming in on housing policy and criticising rising public housing prices.

In response, Mr Lee said that in his rally speech, he had acknowledged housing concerns that many Singaporeans have, including how Covid-19 caused the "worst construction crisis in decades", leading to surging demand and higher prices.