The governing capability of a govern-ment is put to the test when it comes to the question of whether social welfare housing can really benefit those in need.

This is not to say that those who cheat are not to blame for the rampant fraud in applications for both low-rent housing and affordable housing, and of course, anyone found to have provided false information to obtain such social welfare housing should be severely punished.

But what really matters is whether a system can be developed that will make it very difficult or almost impossible for applicants to cheat.

In the latest development, Shenzhen city government has amended its regulations about social welfare housing, which it introduced less than a year ago. The amended rules, which will be deliberated by the standing committee of its municipal people's congress on Thursday, has raised the fine for those caught cheating from the previous 5,000 yuan to at least 30,000 yuan and up to a maximum of 200,000 yuan.

But what may really act as a deterrent is that those caught cheating may be brought to court charged with committing fraud.

In the past 10 months, there have been a series of scandals involving unqualified applicants applying for low-rent or affordable houses. In the most prominent one, among the names of those who were examined and approved as qualifying for a social welfare house were those who already possessed luxury houses.

It is likely that some potential well-off cheats will give up applying as they will now consider it too risky to get a welfare apartment.

Yet, whether the severe penalties will really work depends on how many of those who cheat can be brought to justice. And that depends on whether the government can design an efficient system and whether government employees are capable of making the system operate exactly as it should.

If few cheats can be caught the severe penalties will be useless.

Which brings us back to the question: Why can't the government introduce an application system designed well enough and operated correctly so that it is impossible for unqualified applicants to apply for welfare housing?

Of course, the efforts by Shenzhen municipal government in this regard are worth encouragement. And its earnestness in trying to do a good job should not be questioned.

Bu what really matters is that efforts should be made in the right place - to design a better system and make sure it works exactly as it should. After all, it is a matter of governing capability.