CE looks to Singapore housing model for urban renewal

[Photo: Yuki Lei]

Singapore’s public housing and “old-for-new” renewal model could offer lessons for Macau, Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai said after visiting housing projects during his Southeast Asia tour.

During his eight-day visit to Singapore, Sam toured several public housing projects and noted that the city-state’s housing system and its “old-for-new” replacement policy for aging flats could provide useful references for Macau’s urban renewal efforts.

Sam’s delegation toured a public housing redevelopment project in Singapore’s Queenstown district. The CE said Macau must accelerate urban renewal as its buildings age, adding that Singapore’s public housing system offered valuable lessons in planning and design.

Sam observed that public housing in Singapore not only addresses residents’ housing needs but also serves as a key pillar of social stability. He particularly noted that Singapore’s recently introduced “old-for-new” replacement policy for aging flats warrants further study in Macau, adding that his government would adapt the model to local conditions, improve the allocation of subsidized housing resources and explore a replacement system that meets the needs of Macau residents.

Describing urban renewal as both a vital livelihood project and a cornerstone of the “Happy Macau” vision, Sam said it was a key priority under the government’s Third Five-Year Plan. He noted that the visit had enhanced his understanding of Singapore’s urban renewal philosophy and practices, and that the insights gained would serve as references for Macau’s own urban renewal and community governance.

He reaffirmed that his government would continue to draw on international best practices while taking local conditions into account to steadily advance urban renewal and ensure that residents benefit from urban development.

The delegation also toured Sentosa and Gardens by the Bay for tourism references and held talks with Singapore business leaders and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Gan Siow Huang on trade, tourism and industry ties. Sam said he aimed to use the “joint overseas expansion” model to build a platform for Macau, Hengqin and mainland businesses, leveraging Macau’s connectivity to deepen cooperation with Singapore.

Deeper ties in trade, tourism and innovation

The Macau government held a reception in Singapore yesterday, with Sam using the occasion to reaffirm Macau’s commitment to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with Singapore at both official and grassroots levels.

He invited Singaporean businesses and institutions to explore opportunities in mainland China, Macau and the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, particularly in trade, tourism, culture, higher education and technological innovation.

Sam noted that Macau’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the first half of this year stood at MOP209.9 billion, representing real growth of 3.7% year over year, while visitor arrivals reached nearly 21 million. International visitors totaled 1.42 million, including 53,000 from Singapore, highlighting the economic and people-to-people ties between the two places.

According to public broadcaster TDM’s livestream, Sam also underscored the importance of the government’s newly unveiled Third Five-Year Plan, which centers on four flagship projects to drive economic diversification, strengthen Macau-Hengqin integration, accelerate development of the cooperation zone and advance urban renewal, while maintaining Macau’s appeal to foreign investors.

Singapore’s Minister of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Gan Siow Huang, said in her address that about 40 Singaporean companies have invested in Macau, while more than 50 Macau firms have established a presence in Singapore.

She noted that both economies share similarities as small, open economies and regional gateways, and pointed to digitalization, innovation, sustainability and health care as promising areas for deeper collaboration.