TR EMERITUS

A massive outcry has erupted in Singapore cyberspace over the rental of a resale HDB flat by YPAP leader and new citizen from India Mr Sinha Shekhar. Mr Sinha Shekhar made the admission unwittingly on the REACH Facebook two days ago: [Source: REACH Facebook] In the above exchange, Mr Sinha Shekhar, who works as a speech therapist at Thye Hua Kwan Hospital, wrote that he paid “really high” for a resale HDB flat and the rent he is collecting is not enough to pay for the bank instalments. Mr Sinha also revealed that he owns a private property, implying that he bought the resale HDB flat NOT for staying but for renting and making money. Though Mr Sinha has since deleted his comments, its snapshot continues to be circulated and reposted on many Singapore internet chatrooms such as Hardwarezone, Channel News Asia and the 3in1 kopitiam. Our first article on the story garnered more than 100 comments in less than a day. Many netizens question if Mr Sinha has broken HDB regulations by renting his HDB flat while staying in a private property at the same time, prompting a few to lodge a complaint to HDB as well as YPAP Chairman Teo Ser Luck. Under HDB rules, owners of private properties are allowed to purchase resale flats in the open market, but they have to stay in the flat. The issue is a contentious one among Singaporeans who are increasingly priced out of the public housing market by the relentless increase in price caused partly by the influx of foreigners like Mr Sinha Shekhar. PRs make up some 20 percent of buyers of resale HDB flats and they often have the financial means to pay higher than market rates for choice flats in premier locations. In the meantime, Mr Sinha Shekhar and Mr Teo Ser Luck continue to maintain a "dignified" silence over the controversy surrounding the YPAP. Not too long, YPAP member Eric How caused a similar stir by calling Singaporeans derogatory names. He was advised to make a police report later by Mr Teo that he has been "impersonated" on Facebook. The comments are indeed posted by Mr Sinha Shekhar who has more than 660 friends on his Facebook including some PAP MPs like Mr Teo himself. Surely the YPAP will not be so stupid to use the same excuse again to wriggle themselves out of the situation.     Related articles: 1. YPAP leader Sinha Shekhar complains about low rent of his resale HDB flat 2. YPAP leader Sinha Shekhar described PAP critics as “DOGS” 3. YPAP leader Sinha Shekhar urged CDCs to reach out to immigrants 4. Indian new citizen Sinha Shekhar scolds unemployed Singapore NSman   Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

By Lu Yu Bin [Original article in Chinese published on Lianhe Zaobao here. Translation by Andrew Neo] Recently, the first of 16 town council's management report was released showing that the constituencies of the Prime Minister, Senior Minister and Minister Mentor have performed the best with the opposition behind. Assessment of key indicators including the HDB area cleanliness, maintenance, elevator, and the situation of arrears of charges. Hougang Town Council performed poorly in the number of households owing S&C arrears. Mr Low Thia Khiang said Hougang Town Council allowed the residents to pay by instalments out of compassion. I think the practice of Hougang Town Council has a human touch. Last month, my brother was arrested by the police in his home for arrears owed to Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council.  Over the past few years, due to the economic downturn and fierce competition coupld with the gradual worsening of my brother's hand and foot function, his hawker business has gone from bad to worse.  He has children in school, his wife works part-time and both earns less than $1,500 in total. As they do not know how to apply for financial assistance, they end up owing the Town Council S&C charges. However, the Town Council did not close the case on compassionate grounds, and regardless of whether the residents can read the warning in English letters or summons. Two days before my brother attended court, my family helped him repay some of the arrears including the $420 administrative fees, the remaining arrears, interest and service charges. He has to repay the sum first before the Town Council will allow him to pay $150 monthly in five instalments. The Town Council also charge the total amount of administrative fees and fines as high as nearly $600, equivalent to one and a half of the charges! No wonder my brother can never settle the outstanding S&C charges completely.  Some people may say needy residents should seek their MP for help, but a MP meet their constituents only once week. How much time one must wait to see their MP? Furthermore, one must queue up to see the MP and may not necessarily reach his turn.   Two days later, I accompanied my brother to the court to report. The court staff gave us a document, asking us to return for trial in accordance with the report, before sending us away. It is only after the inquiry that I learn that my brother need not go and I can attend the proceedings on his behalf. My brother has to close his stall for one day, losing hundreds of dollars of income and taxi fares. The court papers show that if a settlement agreement is reached with the Town Council, the Town Council may apply for exemption of court appearance, but many are brought to court because they are English illiterate and cannot comprehend the letters sent to them. The working language of the Singapore government is English. Singaporeans who owe the government money and do not understand English at the same time will suffer a big loss.  Read More →

PAP minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has lashed out at critics of the PAP's "FT sports policy" in an unusual outburst during a youth forum yesterday. He was responding to a question posed by a Singapore Institute of Management student who asked for his views on the need to engage foreign talent in local sports. Dr Vivian appeared to be provoked by the seemingly innocuous question by launching a tirade against his critics by calling them names such as "small-minded", "unfair" and "very, very selfish." "I believe that the survival and prosperity of Singapore depend on our remaining an open society - a society able to attract and absorb and integrate talent of all shapes, sizes, races, languages, religions, countries. In other words, do not judge people simply on where they are born," he was quoted as saying in the Straits Times. The PAP's policy of spending taxpayers' monies to lure foreign sportsmen and women to represent Singapore at international competitions has not gone down well with many Singaporeans who feel that the money should be better spent to nurture local talents. Though the Singapore women table-tennis team beat China at the recent World Championship, the response from the ground has been lukewarm as the three players are all born in China and became Singapore citizens only lately. Many netizens poured scorn on the "hollow" victory with some describing the match as between "China Team A versus Team B" and expressing their disgust at the PAP using money to "buy trophies". The pro-foreigner Dr Vivian was quick to defend the China players by claiming that some of the table-tennis players "have spent more than half their lives in Singapore." 'To deny them the right to call themselves Singaporean is very, very selfish. It's very unsportsmanlike... They have made great sacrifices to be here," he added. However, a quick check on Wikipedia revealed that the trio who representated Singapore at the World Championships - Sun BeiBei, Wang Yuegu and Feng Tianwei obtained their Singapore citizenship only in the last five years with Feng obtaining hers in 2008 just before the Beijing Olympic games. While Singapore should remain open to foreigners, Dr Vivian seems to forget that it is the duty of the elected government of the day to take care of the citizens first and NOT foreigners and immigrants. Dr Vivian unveiled a mega $10-million Community Integration Fund last year to make the immigrants feel welcomed, accepted and happy in Singapore and yet when he was asked by a fellow PAP MP Dr Lily Neo to increase the monthly allowance for destitute Singaporeans on Public Assistance Scheme in 2007, he retorted: "How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?" Such callous comments coming from a multi-millionaire minister being paid for by Singapore taxpayers is not only small-minded, but very unfair and selfish as well.     Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →