Why there is no homeless people in Spore?
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"You go down New York, Broadway. You will see the beggars, people of the streets... Where are the beggars in Singapore? Show me." MM Lee Kuan Yew.
ALL Singapore is interested in is to SHOW THE WORLD AT LARGE what a beautiful place it is AT THE EXPENSE of the poor and homeless.
Joshua Chiang / Andrew Loh
They have been camped out there for months, but no one from the government agencies seem to have known about them – perhaps until The Online Citizen’s report on 13 January.
TOC had reported that some 15 homeless families were camped out in tents at Sembawang Park.
Three days after TOC’s revelation, on 16 January, Saturday, at around 10pm, officers from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), and NParks, together with some 10 policemen, swooped down on the park.
When TOC arrived at the scene at about 10.50pm, there were two police cars and a pick-up van. Some of the homeless were seen dismantling their tents. When queried about why they were being asked to do so, the NParks officers said the campers had broken “rules and regulations”, even though most of them still had valid camping permits. The summons referred to Section 9(1)(a) of the Parks and Trees Regulation Act 2005 which makes it an offence to conduct a barbeque without a permit, among other things. The camping permit does not include permission to barbeque, apparently.
The officers insisted repeatedly that this writer identified those among the campers who were homeless and that their names and particulars be given to the officers. This writer declined to do so.
TOC then asked if there were any representatives from MCYS. A female officer stepped forward. On being questioned, she would only say that those who were homeless would be brought to an “institution”. When TOC probed further on what this “institution” is, she disclosed that she was referring to Angsana Home, located at Buangkok Green, next to the Institute of Mental Health.
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_...el_site_89755/
The home is part of Pelangi Village, a purpose-built Social Welfare Complex and houses the elderly destitute and ex-drug addicts.
TOC understands from the campers that Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, minister in charge of MCYS, had visited the camping site last Thursday afternoon. In the evening of the same day, two of the families were told to pack up and were then effectively carted off to Angsana Home. When they arrived at the home, they had to pass through a security gate which could only be unlocked with a pass by one of the attending officers, who claimed to be from MCYS. Once they were brought to the room where they would stay, they were told that they could not leave the premises. To do so, they would have to make a request.
According to one of the families, when they requested for food, they were given two pieces of roti prata to be shared among the family of six persons. The mattresses they were provided were also in bad condition. Some of them had rashes the next morning after having slept on them.
Two of those locked in had to go to work in the morning and asked to be let out of the premises. Their request was denied. Eventually, one of them told TOC she lost her job because she was unable to show up for work. When TOC asked the officer about this, she said she “guarantees” that those who needed to go to work would be allowed to. Still, TOC told her, it isn’t quite right for the authorities to forceably keep these people behind locked gates and to confine them. After all, they have not committed any offence, neither are they criminals who deserved to be locked up. Further, the homeless do not seem to have been given a choice of deciding whether they wanted to be housed at Angsana Home.
According to the lady from MCYS, the stay at Angsana would be a temporary one, until MCYS finds a place for them. She said it would be “for a day or two”.
It is hard to persuade people you want to help with such complete lack of coordination and heavy-handedness, TOC told her. Not with police cars with lights flashing, officers from the government ordering tents to be dismantled and summons being issued. We suggested that there were two choices – one, the campers would be allowed to stay for another day or two while MCYS looked for a proper housing option for them; or two, if they were to be housed temporarily at Angsana, they have to be assured of freedom of movement. By this time, a senior female officer had taken over the discussion.
She agreed to let the campers stay at Sembawang Park until Monday, 18 January, when six of the campers will meet with her at the MCYS office for further discussions to resolve the situation. She said she will push for the HDB to issue “interim flats” to the campers in the meantime, or to see if any Voluntary Welfare Organisation could take them in temporarily.
TOC spoke to some of the homeless about a week earlier and we understand that some of them had applied for rental flats with the HDB. However, their applications were rejected for various reasons. Some have also paid repeated visits to the HDB to apply for these flats.
When asked where these homeless people would go if they were chased away, a senior officer from NParks said, “We will help.” One of the campers retorted, “By putting us in Angsana?” The officer looked away and replied, “That is the help.”
TOC understands that a summon for overstaying could mean a $200 fine, something which the homeless can hardly afford. Campers are only allowed to camp for a maximum of eight days in a month, with consecutive-days camping fixed at a maximum of five days.
We asked if the authorities would consider waiving the fines from the summons issued to the homeless campers. The MCYS senior officer said she would speak to NParks as, she said, it was not in her power to decide.
It was almost midnight before the situation was finally resolved – at least for now. Only five out of the 20 or so tents were left standing – and none of the homeless was carted off to Angsana Home. -
Homeless in the parks – a symptom of flawed housing policies?
Monday, 18 January 2010
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/01/homeless-in-the-parks-a-symptom-of-flawed-housing-policies/
Raiding the homeless – in the middle of the night
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/01/raiding-the-homeless-in-the-middle-of-the-night/
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At least we got nice park to camp out, lakeview and seaview too, and at nite, can BBQ and most important, very peaceful, you go New York or europe, you go central park or Gorky park and live, you better watch your ass, may end up being rape and robbed or ass frozen up...Singaporean, life is too good to be true. Still go complex built for them. 3 meals provided. In other countries, your are totally on your own.
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wake up - buzz off
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hip hop
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He cannot be bothered to walk the whole of Singapore before he made such a sweeping statement. So silly! I have seen homeless people sleep in the HDB flats void deck, park , chinatown.
Please don't come tell us there are no beggars in Singapore. Who does he want to fool????
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Just get those homeless people to camp outside his house at Oxley Rise.
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I think i have to building my mega ark
so that can start renting out to local ppl
at a cheaper rate..
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Originally posted by noahnoah:
I think i have to building my mega ark
so that can start renting out to local ppl
at a cheaper rate..
Count me out, I not interested to live in ark
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his eyesight failing?
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Originally posted by GHoST_18:
his eyesight failing?
senile?? selective vision??
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Is that true mm lee say that?
Aiyo, I walk to queen street already can see a few.
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Originally posted by GHoST_18:
his eyesight failing?
are you sure??? let me get a chio PRC gal to meet him, see whether his eyesight failing or not? -
Originally posted by Fantagf:
Just get those homeless people to camp outside his house at Oxley Rise.
the gurkhas would brutalise them -
Originally posted by the Bear:
the gurkhas would brutalise them
Let the gurkhas brutalise them, die in the hand of gurkhas is better than on the street of Singapore -
Originally posted by homer28:"You go down New York, Broadway. You will see the beggars, people of the streets... Where are the beggars in Singapore? Show me." MM Lee Kuan Yew.
ALL Singapore is interested in is to SHOW THE WORLD AT LARGE what a beautiful place it is AT THE EXPENSE of the poor and homeless.
Joshua Chiang / Andrew Loh
They have been camped out there for months, but no one from the government agencies seem to have known about them – perhaps until The Online Citizen’s report on 13 January.
TOC had reported that some 15 homeless families were camped out in tents at Sembawang Park.
Three days after TOC’s revelation, on 16 January, Saturday, at around 10pm, officers from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), and NParks, together with some 10 policemen, swooped down on the park.
When TOC arrived at the scene at about 10.50pm, there were two police cars and a pick-up van. Some of the homeless were seen dismantling their tents. When queried about why they were being asked to do so, the NParks officers said the campers had broken “rules and regulations”, even though most of them still had valid camping permits. The summons referred to Section 9(1)(a) of the Parks and Trees Regulation Act 2005 which makes it an offence to conduct a barbeque without a permit, among other things. The camping permit does not include permission to barbeque, apparently.
The officers insisted repeatedly that this writer identified those among the campers who were homeless and that their names and particulars be given to the officers. This writer declined to do so.
TOC then asked if there were any representatives from MCYS. A female officer stepped forward. On being questioned, she would only say that those who were homeless would be brought to an “institution”. When TOC probed further on what this “institution” is, she disclosed that she was referring to Angsana Home, located at Buangkok Green, next to the Institute of Mental Health.
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_...el_site_89755/
The home is part of Pelangi Village, a purpose-built Social Welfare Complex and houses the elderly destitute and ex-drug addicts.
TOC understands from the campers that Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, minister in charge of MCYS, had visited the camping site last Thursday afternoon. In the evening of the same day, two of the families were told to pack up and were then effectively carted off to Angsana Home. When they arrived at the home, they had to pass through a security gate which could only be unlocked with a pass by one of the attending officers, who claimed to be from MCYS. Once they were brought to the room where they would stay, they were told that they could not leave the premises. To do so, they would have to make a request.
According to one of the families, when they requested for food, they were given two pieces of roti prata to be shared among the family of six persons. The mattresses they were provided were also in bad condition. Some of them had rashes the next morning after having slept on them.
Two of those locked in had to go to work in the morning and asked to be let out of the premises. Their request was denied. Eventually, one of them told TOC she lost her job because she was unable to show up for work. When TOC asked the officer about this, she said she “guarantees” that those who needed to go to work would be allowed to. Still, TOC told her, it isn’t quite right for the authorities to forceably keep these people behind locked gates and to confine them. After all, they have not committed any offence, neither are they criminals who deserved to be locked up. Further, the homeless do not seem to have been given a choice of deciding whether they wanted to be housed at Angsana Home.
According to the lady from MCYS, the stay at Angsana would be a temporary one, until MCYS finds a place for them. She said it would be “for a day or two”.
It is hard to persuade people you want to help with such complete lack of coordination and heavy-handedness, TOC told her. Not with police cars with lights flashing, officers from the government ordering tents to be dismantled and summons being issued. We suggested that there were two choices – one, the campers would be allowed to stay for another day or two while MCYS looked for a proper housing option for them; or two, if they were to be housed temporarily at Angsana, they have to be assured of freedom of movement. By this time, a senior female officer had taken over the discussion.
She agreed to let the campers stay at Sembawang Park until Monday, 18 January, when six of the campers will meet with her at the MCYS office for further discussions to resolve the situation. She said she will push for the HDB to issue “interim flats” to the campers in the meantime, or to see if any Voluntary Welfare Organisation could take them in temporarily.
TOC spoke to some of the homeless about a week earlier and we understand that some of them had applied for rental flats with the HDB. However, their applications were rejected for various reasons. Some have also paid repeated visits to the HDB to apply for these flats.
When asked where these homeless people would go if they were chased away, a senior officer from NParks said, “We will help.” One of the campers retorted, “By putting us in Angsana?” The officer looked away and replied, “That is the help.”
TOC understands that a summon for overstaying could mean a $200 fine, something which the homeless can hardly afford. Campers are only allowed to camp for a maximum of eight days in a month, with consecutive-days camping fixed at a maximum of five days.
We asked if the authorities would consider waiving the fines from the summons issued to the homeless campers. The MCYS senior officer said she would speak to NParks as, she said, it was not in her power to decide.
It was almost midnight before the situation was finally resolved – at least for now. Only five out of the 20 or so tents were left standing – and none of the homeless was carted off to Angsana Home.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->Singapore is exposed. Let's post this on an international forum, muahahaha
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the homeless is an eye sore in the clean and beautiful landscape of singapore
they should be carted away like the trash they are
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Originally posted by PedoBear:
the homeless is an eye sore in the clean and beautiful landscape of singapore
they should be carted away like the trash they are
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That explains why Singapore looks so clean
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http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117
/ptid/414/postid/81214/action/quote/forumtype/post/Default.aspx
Brainy Black Heart & Red Eyes (I am a Guest) said :
The onlinecitizen website always like to dig out this kind of things, which is actually nothing.
Onlinecitizen is VERY GOOD AT OVER-EXAGGERATING issues.
Dont have to bother with them. THEY HAVE A MOTIVE BEHIND ALL THEIR POSTINGS - TO FIND FAULT WITH THE GOVT AND TO BLAME THE GOVT FOR CITIZENS' OWN FAULT AND OWN PLIGHT.
If you are poor, go and do something to make more money.
Poor people every countries have. Not only Singapore.
Disable and poor old people need help, not poor people.
Poor people all have the same characteristics:
Idle, lazy (nice word is contented), inflexible, got brain but never use or never use.
Do these people deserve help? NO
The more you help, the more they become lazy.
Rice comes open mouth, Money comes stretch out hand.
Black Heart says, the govt should send their earth cow to chase these people out.
(Dont say I black heart)
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http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117
/ptid/414/page/38/totrecs/397/threadid/2427/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx
Posted : 16/01/2010 7:23 PM
No Joke said :
Dear HDB,
Has the queue for HDB rental flats ended?
If it still has a long queue then why they are not given priority for these flats (Blocks 32 and 33 Toa Payoh Lor 5) even these flats are being used for short-term rental? If the queue has ended then why HDB need to build 7,500 units of new rental flats in the next 3 years?
According to your reply at 11 Jan 2010, these flats will be demolished, they are less suitable for HDB's Public Rental Scheme as the tenants would then have to move in a few years time. Does it mean those currently waiting for a rental flat will no need to move from the place they are staying now when they get their new rental flat from HDB?
According to your reply for Mr Leong Sze Hian at
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC100113-0000022/Priority-given-to-truly-needy
(Subject: Priority given to truly needy, Date: 13 Jan 2010), the flats cited by Mr Leong are no different from flats available for open market rental. Any person, Singapore citizen or otherwise, can also rent similar flats from the open market without waiting. If this is true, then why HDB not asking the foreign workers rent similar flats from the open market and let the poor Singapore citizens to rent these two flats with rents as low as $26 per month?Regards
16/01/10==========================================================
Posted : 17/01/2010 12:12 AM
Brainy Black Heart & Red Eyes (I am a Guest) said :
Why HDB must rent the flat to you?
Who U?
You are so big shots, sio big mouth and so demanding. Serve you right for being poor and having to find tiny flat to stay.
Why so hopeless and useless? You should feel shameful of your behavours.
English can wirte until so good, still cannot find 3 meals and a roof?
Waste time finding faults.
Who gives you the right to QUESTION people?
So what if HDB doesnt want to rent the flat to you?
This type of no big no small, got eyes no see Tarzan, no IQ no EQ people all end up like you. hahaahaa......... Sky got eyes.
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http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117
/ptid/414/page/38/totrecs/397/threadid/2427/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx
Posted : 17/01/2010 12:19 AM
priority view (I am a Guest) said :
Don’t over use the term “priority”.
Next time, there will be someone claiming that Singaporean must have the priority to take a seat on the bus and MRT. -
Originally posted by Cook:
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117
/ptid/414/postid/81214/action/quote/forumtype/post/Default.aspx
Brainy Black Heart & Red Eyes (I am a Guest) said :
The onlinecitizen website always like to dig out this kind of things, which is actually nothing.
Onlinecitizen is VERY GOOD AT OVER-EXAGGERATING issues.
Dont have to bother with them. THEY HAVE A MOTIVE BEHIND ALL THEIR POSTINGS - TO FIND FAULT WITH THE GOVT AND TO BLAME THE GOVT FOR CITIZENS' OWN FAULT AND OWN PLIGHT.
If you are poor, go and do something to make more money.
Poor people every countries have. Not only Singapore.
Disable and poor old people need help, not poor people.
Poor people all have the same characteristics:
Idle, lazy (nice word is contented), inflexible, got brain but never use or never use.
Do these people deserve help? NO
The more you help, the more they become lazy.
Rice comes open mouth, Money comes stretch out hand.
Black Heart says, the govt should send their earth cow to chase these people out.
(Dont say I black heart)
Kuku bird.
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You would be fined if you are homeless. If no money to pay fine, you would be throw to changi hotel.
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Do you mind making executive summary?
Short one.