Many non-genuine new HDB flat's applicants.

For a non-refundable administration fee of S$10.00, any applicant/s which met the criteria for purchasing a market-subsidised public flat from HDB can try their luck in a computerised ballotiing to book for one.

Contrary to the primary aim of the government's policies in offering these public housing to those who can only afford them, many applicants who don't need these public flats are involved in this roulette game at each new development launch to make a profit. These "enterprising" applicants are adding into the long queue of genuine buyers who are buying a new public HDB flat for the first time.

These same "enterprising" buyers of new flats are taking advantage of the loophole in this particular policy, and in a parallel action, after taking delivery of their newly acquired property, sub-leased out the whole unit (illegally) at a good rental rate after doing a partial renovation or otherwise.

Many of them violated more than three rules in public housing policies.
1) The primary lessees never lived in the purchased public flat.
2) The primary lessees sub-leased the flat without authorisation.
3) The flat was sold after 5-years when the lessees didn't meet the MOP.

They are "enterprising", and they made good easy money from their investment because of the original loophole. Today, the average price of a new 4-room HDB flat is about S$200K, the rental is about S$1,300 per month. When it is time for these "enterprising" investors to rip their profit in 5 years time, the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), the flat can be sold for as much as S$450K. Taking into account the rents collected, the "enterprising" investor can pocket anywhere more than S$300K in 5 years.

Because of these prevalent malpractises by many "enterprising" investors who are well-to-do applicants that don't need public housing, the genuine lot of applicants were inconvenienced to wait much longer for their first public flat.

Every time a new development is launched, the applications are many times over-subscribed. The S$10.00 is a cheapo sum as compared to the 6 figures profit to be made in a few years time. This is even easier than striking 4D or TOTO.