Town Council took unemployed man to court for S&C arrears
-
Town Council took unemployed man to court for S&C arrears
From our Correspondent
Jalan Besar Town Council had took an unemployed man to court for arrears S&C arrears of $432!
In a letter written to the Straits Times Forum, Mr Lim Beo Thiam, a 52 year old who has been unemployed for 18 months and lost part of a leg through diabetes relates his unhappy experience with his Town Council. (read letter here)
He claimed that this is the first time he did not pay the S&C charges due to financial difficulties and he was taken to court by Jalan Besar Town Council.
His new debts now ballooned to more than $1,000 which included court penalties and late payment charges.
“When I tried to settle subsequent S&C charges to avoid a fresh spiral of hefty penalties for non-payment, I was rejected. The town council ruled that I had to settle the old debt before I could pay the new charges. Naturally, this led to more penalties as my fresh S&C arrears spiked. So, I am now some $3,000 in debt to my town council,” he added.
Mr Lim wrote that he has appealed to his Member of Parliament for help many times but the final reply invariably remained unchanged: pay up.
He lampooned the Town Councils for hoarding extra revenue collected instead of helping needy residents like himself:
“Town councils shouldn’t be surprised if residents like myself, who face tough times, wonder why we aren’t being helped via the excess revenue collected; revenue which is instead ploughed into loss-making investments. Shouldn’t any excess revenue be refunded to residents via rebates? If town councils are keen to invest, set up a fund offering soft loans to residents to tide them over tough times and pay service and conservancy charges.”
His letter attracted a fresh barrage of criticisms at the government with many netizens expressing their support and sympathy for him.
Wrote between777:
“seems the govt is pushing the buck and trying to get town councils to make more money as it focuses even on getting town councils to recover arrears – which in these times, there are a fair number who cant barely afford to pay – but yet this is on the agenda – whereas Investments by town councils are NOT graded – and this is especially impt bec the town councils LOST some nearly $20 million in the lehman fiasco! And the govt can spent $100 million just to host a 3-day APEC Summit! which is more to a ego trip – as in all honesty such APEC or even ASEAN have all along been making alot of talk but never walk their talk – and in fact even within ASEAN there are many issues yet to be even worked on and the many barriers to free trade within the group.”
Added anlibeth2000:
“Having a report card to monitor the town council’s performance is a good ideal but collecting of the outstanding arrears is otherwise. Whoever owes the town council are likely to be the poor of the poor. Fancy writing off 16 millions in lost of investment and here they are squeezing your poor citizen till the last drop of blood. Not only that , if for any reason you happen to owe them they will impose penalties, late payment charges, court charges, so that they are quite similar to the loan shark charges.
12 months outstanding of $36 x 12 = $432. Penalties $561 plus $50 legal fees. Total to claim $1043. If these don’t work they will get a court action to seize your household items until you have nowhere to run. Yes I had personally experienced it. Forget about seeking your MP’s help because they are of the same office. (N/B The MP take charges of the town council) After auctioning your item that will not be enough they will start the proceduring all over again. One would have been better off if they borrowed from a loan shark to pay them off. However the SPF had cleared a lot from their business and seeking a loan shark is not easy nowaday.”
iamgoondu wants the Town Councils to accout for the fees collected and sent:
“I doubt that there are residents would want to assess their town councils based on the arrears collections. We are more interested in the fees collected and spent (dollars and cents). If Holland-Bukit Timah TC can afford to lose big in their investments, they should be capable to waive the arrears as well.”Stevewu77 wondered why S&C penalities are so high:“Why should the S&C penalties be so high in these times of need when the bank interest rates are at rock bottom levels. I have personally witnessed the large number of residents taken to night court to recover the S&C charges. Surely, the majority must have been hardship cases and they must be addressed sensibly. Mr Lim’s letter is a poignant reminder that the policy failure at the town councils has already caused irreparable sufferings.This situation becomes even more unthinkable when the People realize the huge reserves that the town councils have amassed, enough to write off large investment losses. It means that the town councils have collected too much S&C fees. Where is the promise by the MND to address accountability in the aftermath of the investment fiasco now? The People are not so forgetful.
I challenge the town councils to provide more complete statistics on this matter. Maybe then, the PAP government shall be less quick to proclaim the job credit scheme a success when it is obviously NOT and faces squarely the root issue, i.e. the structural unemployment problem which has escalated over the years.”
2009Lembut gave a sarcastic reply to the writer:“Mr Lim, after this letter is publish, you can expect a swift response from the town council. The reaction is typically defensive. They will probably state how they had tried to help but you were not coorperative or that you have not come clean on some of the points……..”While the Town Councils are taking poor and needy Singapore citizens to court for S&C arrears, the PAP constituencies are splurging money to make the new citizens and PRs feel welcomed including organizing HDB tea parties, treasure hunts and offering free language courses to them. A $10 million community fund will be set up at taxpayers’ expense to help the newcomers “integrate”.Though the PAP town councils had lost more than $10 million in credit-linked investments last year, they claim it is only a small percentage their total sinking funds. In fact, investments will not even be featured as an indicator of their performance meaning that they will not be held accountable for further losses.Listing S&C arrears as one of the criteria for good performance will only motivate the Town Councils to go after residents who are unable to pay the S&C charges due to financial reasons. Since the Town Councils have millions in reserves, why waive off the arrears altogether? After all, the arrears are “peanuts” compared to the millions of dollars they have lost so far. -
Aljunied Town Council – Taking the easy way out?
Posted by theonlinecitizen on May 7, 2008
Leong Sze Hian & Andrew Loh
All 14 town councils run by the People’s Action Party (PAP) will not be increasing their Service and Conservancy (S&C) charges this year.
- Channel NewsAsia, “PAP town councils to freeze S&C charges this year” (February 28, 2008)
Barely two and a half months later, on May 5 2008, this is what ‘officials’ at the PAP-run Aljunied Town Council (TC) said:
Officials also said they will consider raising the conservancy charges for the dirtiest precincts to cover the extra work that goes into maintaining them …
- “Aljunied trash index aims to wipe out litterbugs.” (Straits Times, May 5, 2008)
The Finance Minister had called for all town councils to freeze their fees during the recent Budget debate in Parliament when he announced the extension of a one-year freeze on fee increases for government-provided services till the end of 2008.
And indeed, as the Channel NewsAsia report said, all 14 PAP TCs declared that they will not increase S&CC for 2008.
However, it seems that PAP town councils, and Aljunied GRC TC in particular, are already looking for ways to increase S&C charges next year – Aljunied TC citing “hardcore litterbugs” in the “dirtiest precincts” as its reason for doing so.
With inflation hitting 26-year highs, isn’t this proposed increase in fees for “the dirtiest precincts” a breach of the PAP town councils’ promise to Singaporeans?
Aljunied GRC Town Council
The fact of the matter is that Aljunied TC, along with all PAP-run TCs, have enough funds to address the “hardcore litterbugs” problem. (Read here for TOC’s earlier article on town councils’ funds.)
According to Aljunied Town Council’s Annual Reports, it had $84 million in its Sinking Fund, an increase of 5 per cent over it’s $80 million in 2005/2006.
Its accumulated surpluses as at 31 March 2007 was $5 million.
Its funds invested with fund managers was $44 million, an increase of about 33 per cent over the $30 million in 2005/2006.
In an earlier article, TOC reported:
According to the Straits Times’ report of March 25, 2006, “The gathering storm”:
Taking into account all the grants from the Government, the Aljunied Town Council, for example, gets $560 per household for the financial year ending March 2005.
The grants include funds from the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC), which is controlled by the Ministry of National Development.
In contrast, government grants came up to just $113 per household in Potong Pasir.
In another report on the same day, “Hougang’s Low may be ‘heart’ to beat”, the Straits Times reported:
Government grants came up to about $111 per household in Hougang in 2004-05. By contrast, neighbouring Aljunied Town Council, which has access to funds such as the government-controlled Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC), got $560 per household for the same period.
One therefore will have to question why the Aljunied Town Council charges more for S&CC than Potong Pasir and Hougang, across the board – from 2 rooms to executive flats – when the Aljunied TC is getting more government grants than the two opposition wards.
In one instant, a one-roomer’s S&CC in Aljunied Crescent rose from $3.50 to $18.50 from 1994 to 2005 – an increase of about 428 per cent.
Raising fees, penalties, legal cost, jail, lose your home!
Instead of charging more, how about reducing S & CC for the cleaner precincts instead?
Instead of using penalties almost all the time, how about incentives to motivate people, for a change?
By the way, we understand that if you couldn’t pay your S & CC, the penalty used to be just 50 cents or a dollar or so.
Now, we believe it is 2 per cent per month of the amount owed or a fixed penalty of a few dollars, whichever is the higher.
2 per cent is the highest charge for all financial transactions allowed in Singapore, and only credit cards charge such a high rate.
If you can’t pay your S & CC, you are slapped with penalties. If you still can’t pay, you get a legal letter for which you have to pay the legal cost. As it’s a standard letter for which thousands are sent every month, why charge $20 as the legal fee for such a letter?
If you still can’t pay, you are charged in court, and slapped with a fine.
Well, here’s the paradox – if you can’t pay for your S & CC, how can you afford to pay the fine?
If you can’t pay the fine, you may end up in jail.
By the way, how many people in Singapore have been to jail?
The Town Council Act also empowers the Town Council to sell your HDB flat to recover unpaid S & CC.
A billion dollars in funds, yet…
In the spirit of keeping one’s promise, this new idea to increase S & CC should be nipped in the bud, before we waste anymore of taxpayers’ money and time to figure out how to implement it.
Perhaps our MPs may have rather short memories, as the promise was made just about 2 months ago.
By the way, with more than a billion dollars in PAP town councils’ sinking funds, as well as operating surpluses – does Aljunied Town Council still need to charge more “to cover the extra work that goes into maintaining them”, as officials at the TC claimed?
It is high time that PAP-run Town Councils stop taking the easy way out.
-
sad sad
Why they accumulate so much surplus every year for what? -
ministers need money to buy
exp christmas gifts .
so need money urgently ?
-
Originally posted by 4sg:
sad sad
Why they accumulate so much surplus every year for what?To buy minibonds.
Really.
-
cham liao
somemore wrote a letter and complain
about thunder party or govt..
To live in sg..if want to have a peaceful life
Best is to suffer in silence...
LoL
-
Keep an open mind on this article. If these people that we voted are so heartless I would be really surprise they are not booted out from governing.Singaporean are known to regid and go by the book when doing their work, I feel it may be couple of junior clerk in the twon council that became numb on this case.
If MP are appeal and do nothing with this situation...ask him to speak in public and make his comment known.
-
Originally posted by Wmyongj:
Keep an open mind on this article. If these people that we voted are so heartless I would be really surprise they are not booted out from governing.Singaporean are known to regid and go by the book when doing their work, I feel it may be couple of junior clerk in the twon council that became numb on this case.
If MP are appeal and do nothing with this situation...ask him to speak in public and make his comment known.
Mr Lim wrote that he has appealed to his Member of Parliament for help many times but the final reply invariably remained unchanged: pay up.Wmyongj
Hope you don't me saying. You seem never been to your MP before. This guy has appealed to his MP before. (see quote)
If you have (like I did), you will find that MPs are good at 'siam-ing'
Voted out of power? never, be assured that they will come up better electoral merrygendering. -
this type of news appear in Lain He Zao Bao - forums
2 cases had been published
-
Yep, I am out of touch with Singapore as I am living in China for the past 3 years.
Even in this communist country, the press and TVs continue to report of these heartless incidents and boot its 'government official 'out!
What really wrong with these MPs???
-
Originally posted by Wmyongj:
Yep, I am out of touch with Singapore as I am living in China for the past 3 years.
Even in this communist country, the press and TVs continue to report of these heartless incidents and boot its 'government official 'out!
What really wrong with these MPs???
There is more than meets the eye over the case. Consider the facts before making a judgement.
1. What was the exact amount owed -$400++. $1000++, or $3000++?
2. He is an unemployed man - did he lost the job before or after he lost a leg to diabetes?
3. Did he have any insurance coverage?
4. What about his marital status - married with kids to take care of him or not?
5. Did he apply for social welfare schemes provided by our generous society for his disabilities?
6. Did he consider selling his flat for a smaller unit instead ( if viable), or seek low rental units to support himself if he is single and alone?
7. Please take note:- the funds collected belongs to the constituents but to be managed by the town councils to ensure there is enough for future expansion or upgrading works, either thru placing it in banks for savings or guaranteed returns type investments almost EVERYONE now with better hindsight realized 'guaranteed returns' had been false.
Such funds are NOT for the town councils to use as they please, for anyone they presume needs it. Best they go thru the proper channels for applicants, so that they may be assessed correctly or directed to the right places for help instead.
There are many who may need help, and help we as a society will readily offer, but our funds are not unlimited over time, as well as other causes or social needs that must be funded as well.
Otherwise, allegations of favoritism or impropieties would be heaped upon the council managers.
I sympathise with the crippled old man and will not hesitate to contribute my share towards his welfare. However, let it be done efficiently and rationally, after listening to both sides, and not let emotions rule us instead or he be used for other political manipulation purposes.
May you consider the points raised before making judgements, as is fully within your right. Cheers!
-
Originally posted by 4sg:
Wmyongj
Hope you don't me saying. You seem never been to your MP before. This guy has appealed to his MP before. (see quote)
If you have (like I did), you will find that MPs are good at 'siam-ing'
Voted out of power? never, be assured that they will come up better electoral merrygendering.
You are probably right.I was not aware of it until I read it in another forum that Braddel Heights, which is in the middle of Serangoon area, is a part of Marine Parade GRC.
What will the PAP come up with next ??
Jurong West becoming a part of Tampines GRC ??
Don't be surprise if it becomes a reality when they unveil the new electoral boundaries.
http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/2009/11/gerrymandering-and-election.html
-
Is the resident X-rated Fraud attempting to be serious in posting its reply, or has it an agenda that is "more than meets the eye" ?
Originally posted by xtreyier:There is more than meets the eye over the case. Consider the facts before making a judgement.
As usual, it had to be the X-ratef Fraud to be able to see more then anyone else - in its attempt to inflate a simple issue with its hot gas so as to obsfuscate it so much to allow the Dog to protect the 'Master's Tail that wags its body ".
What other issues can there be that perpetually flow from the pseudo-intellect of the resident X-rated Fraud ?
1. What was the exact amount owed -$400++. $1000++, or $3000++?
Obviously, the pseudo-intellect cannot read the simple words reported and will wish to obfuscate the separate issues into one that it cannot even hope to understand.
The report had stated already that -
(1.) the Town Council had taken the matter to court over "S&C arrears of $432".
(2.) Now the "new debts now ballooned to more than $1,000 which included court penalties and late payment charges"
(3.) "Naturally, this led to more penalties as my fresh S&C arrears spiked. So, I am now some $3,000 in debt to my town council"
It seems that the X-rated Fraud with a pseudo-intellect is not only poor in simpe Maths but cannot even read simple English.
2. He is an unemployed man - did he lost the job before or after he lost a leg to diabetes?
Does it make any difference if the unemployed man lost his job before losing his leg to diabete, or if the diabetes caused him to lose a leg which caused him to lose his job ?
Either way, the unemployed could not pay his "S&C arrears of $432" and it did not help matters to bring him to court and caused his debt to balloon to "some $3,000 in debt to my town council".
3. Did he have any insurance coverage?
Can a man unemployed for 18 months - be in a position to maintain a valid insurance ?
When he cannot even afford to pay his "S&C arrears of $432" - can he afford to even pay his insurance premiums to keep it valid through his 18 months of unemployment ?
4. What about his marital status - married with kids to take care of him or not?
Take care of him or the "S&C arrears of $432" -
Obviously it did not dawn on the dim wit of a X-rated Fraud with pseudo-intellect - to consider that if the other spouse can afford it, would the situation be allowed to spiral into a court case and worsen their predicament to balloon to a "$3000 debt to the Town Council".
5. Did he apply for social welfare schemes provided by our generous society for his disabilities?
What "social welfare schemes" - from which generous society ?
Why is the X-rated Fraud throwing this responsibility back to the over-taxed citizens, when the PAP Government has reported Billions in surplus collected from GST alone, and had to return paltry sums of $100 to $400 annually as "Economic Restructuring Shares" ?
6. Did he consider selling his flat for a smaller unit instead ( if viable), or seek low rental units to support himself if he is single and alone?
This is the characteristic traits of pseudo-intellect as seen in all the various fraudulent suggestions made here.
Can it have the interest of "fellow citizens" when it is ignorant to the experience with what 18 months of unemployment can be without any assistance from a heartless PAP Government ?
If the unemployed subject cannot even afford to pay the monthly "S&C arrears of $432" - can he be expected to cope with more financial commitments fo monthly rental payments ?
Even if he has an HDB unit for sale to allow him to downgrade, does he have any cash to pay for all the necessary cash outlays needed for such a transaction - which would have cost more then the "S&C arrears of $432".
7. Please take note:- the funds collected belongs to the constituents but to be managed by the town councils to ensure there is enough for future expansion or upgrading works, either thru placing it in banks for savings or guaranteed returns type investments almost EVERYONE now with better hindsight realized 'guaranteed returns' had been false.
Jalan Besar Town Council is part of a larger FIVE-Member Jalan Besar Group Representaive Constituency.
Five PAP Members of Parliament could not even take care of such a situation, and allow a simple issue of collecting "S&C arrears of $432" from a disabled constituent who has been unemployed for 18 months.
Obviously, none of the five Members of Parliament is aware of this situation.
Obviously the X-rated Fraud is attempting to 'white-wash' the stains on the MIW gorillas with its disingenious attempts to obfuscate the main controversy by injecting side issues concerning the funds.
In the first place, since "the funds collected belongs to the constituents" and "to be managed by the town councils to ensure there is enough for future expansion or upgrading works" - will the Town Council take responsibility for the losses due to their poor management decisions ?
Secondly, if the funds managed by the Town Council end up "either thru placing it in banks for savings or guaranteed returns type investments" - why should there be losses incurred since "Bank Savings" are always secure, and the money placed into the "guaranteed returns type investments" should have been safe ?
Were Singaporeans not told that the PAP Candidates offered to be elected to be MPs are the best from the limited talents available in Singapore ?
Why should these talents not have the diligence and foresight to manage the collected funds from the constituents, and require our hindsight to evaluate the losses made ?
Should there even be losses considering the financial plans made in "Bank Savings" and "guaranteed returns type investments"
How many more such losses have to be incurred before lessons can be drawn, and ensure that safeguards are followed ?
Such funds are NOT for the town councils to use as they please, for anyone they presume needs it. Best they go thru the proper channels for applicants, so that they may be assessed correctly or directed to the right places for help instead.
Is anyone asking for the S&C funds collected from the residents to be used to pay for this outstanding "S&C arrears of $432" ?
Or was the unemployed and disabled subject not asking for compassion and some form of assistance - instead of being dragged to court by the PAP Town Council for the Jalan Besar Constituency ?
There are many who may need help, and help we as a society will readily offer, but our funds are not unlimited over time, as well as other causes or social needs that must be funded as well.
The infamous X-rated Fraud is known for its abilites to Double-XX itself time and again, and this clearly shows the effortless X-rated acts again in debunking its hot gas idea in Point 5 above.
Where is "our generous society" ?
It will seem that the PAP had led the way by showing how generous Singapore can be - by losing US$100 BILLION to rescue foreign banks and financial institutions.
Unfortunately, the rescue money was used to pay the bonuses of the Executives that bankrupted these foreign banks and financial institutions, while not a cent from the annual surplus was spent to assist the unemployed Singaporeans - nor were the hard earned money locked into the CPF accounts allowed to be returned to Singaporean Account Holders who were unemployed.
Otherwise, allegations of favoritism or impropieties would be heaped upon the council managers.
Again the X-rated Fraud will Double-XX itself again to contradict its Point 7.
If the funds are "intended for future expansion or upgrading works" - and "NOT for the town councils to use as they please" - can there be any possibilities for such "allegations or improprieties would be heaped uponn the council managers" ?
I sympathise with the crippled old man and will not hesitate to contribute my share towards his welfare. However, let it be done efficiently and rationally, after listening to both sides, and not let emotions rule us instead or he be used for other political manipulation purposes.
"Mr Lim Beo Thiam" is only "a 52 year old who has been unemployed for 18 months and lost part of a leg" - does he deserve the insult from a X-rated Fraud to be addressed as "the crippled old man" ?
Is age 52 years considered to be old by anyone's standard ?
In its usual efforts to seek its own grand standing performance it will slyly slip in an underhand cut, and to be followed by its self-aggrandizing display at pseudo-charity.
The issues are clear and simple, only the X-rated Fraud will have its own interest to protect its Master's Tail that wag its X-rated canine body.
May you consider the points raised before making judgements, as is fully within your right. Cheers!
One should be asking what possibly could be the reasons behind the X-rated Fraud known for its pseudo-acts to pass insidious remarks on a helpless Singaporean, and to be so pathetically cheerful on a subject matter that burns in every household facing similar problems.
-
That's what Singaporeans get for voting in a money motivated government.
Maybe that's what MM stands for, money motivated.
The role of government should not be to exploit citizens and pay themselves big salaries.
-
Money money money $$$$$$$ is all they think about. Knowing the man is unemployed and brought the man to court is what the heartless govt will do, hahahah. Isn't this defeating their purpose of promoting community care they are publicizing, "advertising"?
Friends who stay in Tg pagar constituency receive reminders though they have already paid their conservancy and service charge. Sometimes they also receive reminders from TG Pagar town council though there is no overdue bills. What shitty town council is this???? oops, mm lee ky is in this constituency. Money money money.
-
A victim of bureaucratic red tape and inflexible policies
Wednesday, 8 April 2009, 2:33 pm | 2,048 views
Andrew Loh / Deborah Choo
Mr Wong Tai Phong was a secret society member in his younger days. “I was one of the Bugis Street terrors”, he tells us in his home. I can see why. He is burly, and speaks in a rather brusque manner. As a gang member, he involved himself in gang fights, rioting, selling illegal goods on the black market and worked in gambling dens. His activities landed him in jail once and he was put on probation for three years. He was only about 18.Having had enough of life in the gangs, he packed up his bags and became a seaman. “It’s an easy life,” he says in English. “I was a marine engineer.” He would be at sea for a few months at a time and found that it suited him. It paid him anything between $350 to $1,200, depending on the length of his voyages.
Mr Wong, who is 64, is finding life a little tougher now. He retired in 1996, and is living alone in a two-room flat in Aljunied Crescent. Since 2001, he spends a few hours each day collecting used clothings to sell to make ends meet.
“I only go out after midnight to collect clothes,” he explains in a softer tone. It brings him a measley $2 or $3 a week, he says. This is because Mr Wong has various ailments and cannot afford to exert himself more. He broke his arm some time ago when his kneecap gave way and he fell, he suffers from a corn infection, has diabetes and consults his doctor for his irregular heartbeats. In November last year, as he was getting up from his chair to fetch a drink, he toppled over and broke his right leg. He was also hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit in 2007 for five days because of a stomach ulcer. “They had to give me six packets of blood,” he told TOC. “I thought I was gone case already”.
He seeks medical treatment from
the polyclinic and Tan Tock Seng Hospital for his ailments. He used to visit the National University Hospital for his irregular heartbeat condition but has, since 2007, cancelled all his appointments. When asked why, he said it is because he can’t pay for the treatments. “Each visit cost $28.50 and I have to go four times a month,” he explains. “How to pay?”
To get by, he moonlights as a security guard once in a while – on the sly. He has a friend who works as one and Mr Wong would stand-in for him whenever his friend couldn’t be on duty. But such instances are not many.
Mr Wong is the eldest among seven siblings. One of his younger sisters died from diabetes in 2006. “It was the fourth day of Chinese New Year,” he says. He has lived alone for 20 years in his Aljunied Crescent flat. His younger brother used to help him with his medical, utilities and phone bill but has since stopped. When TOC visited him, a nephew of his had just brought him a packet of rice.
Bureaucratic wall
Running out of options and barely able to survive on his own, he turned to the Community Development Council (CDC) for help. The front desk officer there asked for records of his income, bank account and bank book. When he told them he had no income and no money, they took down his particulars and told him they would get back to him. Hearing nothing from the CDC for weeks, he paid them a second visit shortly before Chinese New Year this year. Again, they asked him for the same records. Upset with the situation, he left the office.
He chanced upon an event in his constituency and approached the Mayor, Mr Matthias Yao Chi, who is also the MP for MacPherson, the area where Mr Wong lives. He was referred to a clerk who registered his particulars. He has yet to hear from them.
He visits the polyclinic and receives his medication once every three months. His ECG test, which he used to undergo at NUH, is now free at the polyclinic. His Medisave deposits have all been used up and he has exhausted his CPF savings paying for his house.
I mentioned that the HDB now has a new scheme called the Lease Buy-back Scheme (LBS) which is targeted at the elderly who are not able to fend for themselves financially. “LBS is a special scheme that provides an additional option for low-income elderly Singaporeans in 3-room and smaller flats to cash out part of the money locked up in their HDB flats, for their old age,” the HDB website says. It allows elderly home owners to sell the remaining lease on their flats to the HDB. The owner of the flat can continue living in his flat while receiving “a lifelong stream of payout to supplement their retirement income.”
Mr Wong replies that he is aware of such a scheme and that he would gladly sell his lease to the HDB for some monthly income – if only he could. But he too faces some problems here.
The two-room flat he lives in was jointly-owned by Mr Wong and his uncle. However, his uncle had returned to China when he discovered he had liver cancer. His uncle died in China. The problem Mr Wong faces presently is that the Chinese authorities did not issue a death certificate for his uncle.
Because ownership of the house remains in both their names, Mr Wong is unable to sell his lease back to the HDB. He will need to obtain his uncle’s death certificate in order to do so. He is thus caught in a catch-22 – the Chinese authorities did not issue a death cert, and without it he cannot encash his flat.
This also presents problems for him in other areas.
Inflexible officers
Mr Wong’s brother had been helping him pay for the service and conservancy charges previously. His brother over-paid on one occasion and the town council sent Mr Wong a cheque for $40 for the excess. However, because the house was jointly-owned by Mr Wong and his uncle, the cheque was in both their names. It means he is not able to cash it. He informed the town council that his uncle has since passed away. They too asked for his uncle’s death certificate. Mr Wong told them that he does not have it as the authorities in China did not issue a death cert for his uncle’s death. In that case, they told him, they could not issue him a cheque in just his name and asked him to get the cert from the Chinese authorities.
“How do you expect me to do that?” he asked them. “Fly to China and get the cert and fly back here? If I can do that, I wouldn’t need the CDC’s help already,” he said. The cheque for $40 remains un-cashed. It may be a small amount, but to Mr Wong, it represents several daily meals.
“Did you apply for public assistance?” I asked. “What for?” came Mr Wong’s reply. “The more you bother them, the more trouble you get into.” He related how the grassroots people now shun him, treating him with apparent disdain.
Mr Wong now spends his time at home. “My place is here,” he tells me as he points to his sofa set. He spends most of his time reading, a far cry from his street gang adventures of his younger days. He reads anything he can get his hands on, from detective stories by James Patterson to educational booklets he gets from garang gunis.
“Sorry but I have an appointment,” he says apologetically. “Where are you going?” I ask. “I have to go see the doctor.” “You should eat the food first,” I urge, referring to the hamburger and drinks Deborah and I had bought him.
“It is ok. I will eat later,” he says as he picks up his bag of documents.
At the void deck, he bids us goodbye, as he carefully maneuvers himself down a slippery slope dampened by the rain.
—-
Opinion:
In a Straits Times report on 28 Feb 2008, on the Lease Buyback Scheme, it said:
First announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during last year’s National Day Rally, the scheme aims to help low-income, elderly households monetise their HDB flats to meet their retirement needs.
The LBS scheme will benefit such households that live in smaller flats need help, as they are unable to take advantage of existing schemes to monetise their HDB flats, such as downgrading to a smaller flat, buying a Studio Apartment or subletting a room.
Under the LBS, HDB will purchase the tail end of the flat lease from the elderly household.
On top of the housing equity unlocked, HDB will provide an additional $10,000 subsidy.
Out of the total amount, $5,000 will be given to the household as an upfront lump sum, while the remainder will be used to purchase a CPF LIFE Plan to provide the owner with a monthly stream of income for life.
The household continues to stay in their flat, which will be left with a 30-year lease.
Perhaps what is needed in the scheme is also a flexible policy and some common sense – as in the case of Mr Wong. Sticking resolutely to the letter of the policy means the elderly, who are in various and different situations, may not benefit from the scheme.
HDB – and for that matter, the CDC as well – should inform its officers to be more sensible and allow them some flexibility in decision-making.
TOC would like to thank the reader who alerted us to Mr Wong’s plight.
Source: The Temasek Review
-
Originally posted by xtreyier:
There is more than meets the eye over the case. Consider the facts before making a judgement.
1. What was the exact amount owed -$400++. $1000++, or $3000++?
2. He is an unemployed man - did he lost the job before or after he lost a leg to diabetes?
3. Did he have any insurance coverage?
4. What about his marital status - married with kids to take care of him or not?
5. Did he apply for social welfare schemes provided by our generous society for his disabilities?
6. Did he consider selling his flat for a smaller unit instead ( if viable), or seek low rental units to support himself if he is single and alone?
7. Please take note:- the funds collected belongs to the constituents but to be managed by the town councils to ensure there is enough for future expansion or upgrading works, either thru placing it in banks for savings or guaranteed returns type investments almost EVERYONE now with better hindsight realized 'guaranteed returns' had been false.
Such funds are NOT for the town councils to use as they please, for anyone they presume needs it. Best they go thru the proper channels for applicants, so that they may be assessed correctly or directed to the right places for help instead.
There are many who may need help, and help we as a society will readily offer, but our funds are not unlimited over time, as well as other causes or social needs that must be funded as well.
Otherwise, allegations of favoritism or impropieties would be heaped upon the council managers.
I sympathise with the crippled old man and will not hesitate to contribute my share towards his welfare. However, let it be done efficiently and rationally, after listening to both sides, and not let emotions rule us instead or he be used for other political manipulation purposes.
May you consider the points raised before making judgements, as is fully within your right. Cheers!
Ya, we do sympathise older poor people, but at 52, i dun think that is consider old, and we do not get the right picture of his status and condition, moreover, in Singapore, alots of rich people acted poor just to get that extra benefits, so dun fall into their trap, let the MP decide what to do, afterall, it is his consituency, his MP and his life.
-
Originally posted by angel7030:
Ya, we do sympathise older poor people, but at 52, i dun think that is consider old, and we do not get the right picture of his status and condition, moreover, in Singapore, alots of rich people acted poor just to get that extra benefits, so dun fall into their trap, let the MP decide what to do, afterall, it is his consituency, his MP and his life.
The Taiwanese 'hum' could have taken a piece of its imbecilic wisdom and remain silent or refuse itself to broadcast its ignorance with its daily insistence to publish its flippantly irrelevant and irrerevant replies in this Speaker's Corner.Is anyone 'interested in its position that wouldn't bring much new thoughts even as it attempt to hit the front page in some sensational ways' ?
If only the "Attention Seeking Whore" inside the Taiwanese 'hum' will learn to 'be careful' and take its own imbecilic advise and "Just SHUT UP".
-
Originally posted by Atobe:
The Taiwanese 'hum' could have taken a piece of its imbecilic wisdom and remain silent or refuse itself to broadcast its ignorance with its daily insistence to publish its flippantly irrelevant and irrerevant replies in this Speaker's Corner.Is anyone 'interested in its position that wouldn't bring much new thoughts even as it attempt to hit the front page in some sensational ways' ?
If only the "Attention Seeking Whore" inside the Taiwanese 'hum' will learn to 'be careful' and take its own imbecilic advise and "Just SHUT UP".
Telling someone to 'shut up' in Speaker's Corner????!!!
Freedom of speech is for all, regardless of its contents, for in their speeches lies a hope for others to discern, the rationality, logic and reasons, to determine the truth or the twisted lies of claims.
Lol! To tell someone to 'shut up' is the surest sign of fear. Worst of all, coming from one who advocates freedom of speech but allowed generously to regularly supplying consistant wall of gibberish with politics of twisted meanings and despair.
. Guess what is preached is never practised, and worst, if ever elected, would be the denial of whatever freedom that does not agree with their authoritarian ways.
But then of course, this is only comming from one who freely acknowledges herself as a piece of shit, the nick known as ATOBE. I am sure the other opposition supporters have no such fears or authoritarian ways or stoop to name calling and labelling.
-
They need money for National Day banners and big big banners for all festive occasions.
Where got money for common pple?
-
Originally posted by eagle:
They need money for National Day banners and big big banners for all festive occasions.
Where got money for common pple?
and also those spectacular fireworks, therefore, in singapore, you have to be careful, dun wait until the red letter arrive then start to do the pleading, seek help as soon as possible. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
and also those spectacular fireworks, therefore, in singapore, you have to be careful, dun wait until the red letter arrive then start to do the pleading, seek help as soon as possible.
You are at your best when you talk with your clitoris as your tongue that wag uselessly in a 'hum' that serve as your mouth - all displayed to simply get your daily orgasmic fix as an "Attention Seeking Whore".Is it any surprise that the irrelevant stuff secreted in your Taiwanese 'hum' will flow so freely as you arouse yourself with your self-consuming vanity to attract attention ?
Try douching your Taiwanese 'hum' to clear your brain if you cannot learn to take your own advise to simply "SHUT UP" when you have nothing to say.
-
Originally posted by xtreyier:
Telling someone to 'shut up' in Speaker's Corner????!!!
Telling someone or reminding the Taiwanese 'hum' of its own imbecilic advise for others to "SHUT UP" when they have nothing to contribute ?
Obviously, the X-rated Fraud with a pseudo-intellect failed to even take the clear and simple instructions from a self-contradicting Taiwanese 'hum' with a self-consuming vanity as the X-rated Fraud waiting to give its grand performance to its wider audience in this Speaker's Corner.
Freedom of speech is for all, regardless of its contents, for in their speeches lies a hope for others to discern, the rationality, logic and reasons, to determine the truth or the twisted lies of claims.
"To determine the truth or the twisted lies of claims" ?
Your self-consuming imagination of your hoped for wider audience should be impressed that you have now been taught - by yours truly - about hazards with your habitual dependence with "half-truths' that you believe to sit between "Truths" and "Lies".
It is good that you have learn to absorb the word 'discern' that has been repeated several times by yours truly - but still, have you learn to be good at it ?
Can the X-rated Fraud have anything to offer that can be said to be hopeful for others to discern, when it has no skill to discern anything that is based on "rationality, logic and reasons" ?
With its eagerness to prove the prowess of its pseudo-intellect it will simply proved it by being good at nothing more then to plagiarize the ideas and statements of the gorrillas and passed it of as its own creation - in its insufferable efforts at its deluded grand standing performance to its imagined wider audience.
Lol! To tell someone to 'shut up' is the surest sign of fear. Worst of all, coming from one who advocates freedom of speech but allowed generously to regularly supplying consistant wall of gibberish with politics of twisted meanings and despair.
Yes, the X-rated Fraud should be laughing out loud, it will echo louder when it laugh into the Taiwanese 'hum' that is as cavernous as the cavities in the cranium space on top of its skeletal frame.
Afterall, in the eagerness of the X-rated Fraud to undercut the Big Tree, it certainly did not possess the "faculty to discern" that a huge branch overhang its pseudo-intellect, and to continue chopping on the tree dependent on its stupendous ability of reading what its eyes does not see, and allow its brains to interprete what is not printed.
. Guess what is preached is never practised, and worst, if ever elected, would be the denial of whatever freedom that does not agree with their authoritarian ways.
The X-rated Fraud is at its brilliant best when it contradicts itself in the characteristic Double-XX ways - when it will reveal the ways of the Stalinist-Autocrat even as it allow its pseudo-intellect to defend the performance of the Stalinist-Autocrat in its pseudo-democratic ways that disguised the Master Plan that will make Karl Marx proud
But then of course, this is only comming from one who freely acknowledges herself as a piece of shit, the nick known as ATOBE. I am sure the other opposition supporters have no such fears or authoritarian ways or stoop to name calling and labelling.
The self-consuming Taiwanese 'hum' certainly need a self-consumed X-rated Fraud to assist in the defense of its daily orgasmic fix - as both are great contributors of hot gassed irrelevant and irrerevant posts in the Speaker's Corner.
While the X-rated Fraud is hung up on its needs to satisfy its ego to be a recognised and accomplished champion of ordinary Singaporeans, it Double-XX itself to admit immodestly to being an insignificant nobody but will be qualified to be the champion.
Similarly, the Taiwanese 'hum' is as bad as the X-rated Fraud with its own needs to have its daily orgasmic fix to placate its desires as an "Attention Seeking Whore" .
It is not surprising that both are insufferable characters will offer hypocritical opinions that constantly double-cross their declared positions, as both are not here to contribute but to derail the thread with a common agenda.
It is not a surprise that one who knows about stooping will known so much about the fecal matters, and will constantly be infatuated with a piece of shit - afterall it has now also avoided to show itself as a Turd from a Turd World Country known as Turdistan.