Leong Sze Hian
I refer to the article “Jailed for living in illegal tent” (ST, Aug 18).
It reported:
“Homeless and unemployed, Noor Mohammad Yassin Ismail pitched a canvas tent at East Coast Park in May, 2007, and lived there for almost a month – without a lease or licence to do so. He was discovered on June 26 of that year, after he was apprehended by park rangers.
In court on Tuesday, Noor was asked to produce his Identity Card or passport but he said that he had lost both items.
It prompted District Judge Mr Shaiffudin Saruwan to retort in jest: ‘I suggest you use a bicycle chain to tie yourself to a tree or you may lose yourself as well.’
Pleading for leniency, Noor, who is tanned and skinny, said that he seldom ate, only doing so if friends gave him food. He added that his mother is paralysed and looked after by a younger sibling, while an elder sister does not care about him. He was fined $800 but could not afford to pay the fine so he was jailed four days instead. He could have been fined up to $2,000.”
Is there any other country in the world that sends a homeless person to court because he has to sleep in a park – and then fines him $800? Of course, if you are homeless and hungry, how could you afford to pay the fine? So, you end up in jail, just as Noor did.
In October 2008, the National Parks Board fined a bus driver $200 for sleeping on a bench, saying he had “misused the park facility”. The man had dozed off while taking shelter from the rain.
In Noor’s case, he was told by the judge: “I suggest you use a bicycle chain to tie yourself to a tree or you may lose yourself as well”.
Where is the compassion? Why are our judges making callous and unfeeling remarks towards people who’re down and out?
There have been stories in the media of homeless people having their belongings stolen, while they were sleeping in the open.
The reality may be that if you lose your IC and passport, you will have to pay to get them replaced when you report the loss. So, if you have no money even for food, what do you do?
The homeless shelters in Singapore always have a long waiting list. What this means is that there are always homeless people in Singapore. Media reports have described people living on the beach, in the parks, canals, toilets, etc.
Are there any statistics of how many people are homeless?
Well, even if there are, I believe they have never been published. Maybe some member of parliament could ask?
In the New Paper on 15 August, 2009, there were three stories about people who lost their HDB flats because they could not pay their mortgage, and became homeless (sleeping in a van) or were about to be homeless.
Last year, HDB made 60,000 visits to HDB households who had problems paying for their flats.
How many people have lost their flats already, and how many may lose their flats in the future?
This very sad story got me thinking about the statistics. If there are no statistics on the homeless, what about statistics on how many have been charged with such offences like sleeping in the park without a licence, which I understand are called minor regulatory offences.
According to the article “Pay up promptly or court trouble” (Today, Jun 8), there were four million minor regulatory offences last year, and 90,000 were hauled to night courts for not paying on time.
I believe some of those charged in court were people who could not pay the composition for the offence, rather than deliberate late payers.
In the current economic downturn, I understand that hundreds are charged in court almost every week for Service and Conservancy Charges (S & CC).
I understand that these HDB flat owners are fined in court, and if they are unable to pay the fine, they are jailed for a day or two.
For those who cannot pay their S & CC arrears due to financial difficulties or for that matter offences like sleeping in the park, it is unlikely that they can pay the fine, and thus may be jailed.
How many people were jailed last year for such non-payment of regulatory offences, like this homeless man?
With about one million households in Singapore, does it mean that on the average, each household commits about four minor regulatory offences in a year?
How much is collected in a year from these four million regulatory offences?
Although I understand that Singapore’s “fine city” T-shirt is one of the most popular souvenirs for tourists, surely there ought to be a limit to this unhealthy trend of more and more fines and more people being ever sent to jail.
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everything is FINE, penalty… compassion? the judge should refer this man to social welfare. maybe his multi million dollar pay makes him too comfortable, a lot of people are at their wits’ end, what happen if he does something stupid e.g. jumping into Trains or MRT
there are rising number of homeless, some with 4 or 5 childrens, roaming streets. why? and these childrens dont go to school. when they grow up, they become bigger problems for society later on. why dont the government help them? take their children into welfare homes etc.
just donate 50% of their $6M pay, they would help 1000s of homeless and perhaps their children.
This is a nonsense country, this is a money face govt. If this is the case, those homeless in Mumbai, and many cities in India, New York, will be fine and govt can collect millions of dollars from them. Too many rules and regulations will make the people sick, no wonder many will want to migrate !!!
This judge should tie a noose around his neck. People life so miserable already still talk so callously.
If I am down and out I will also not pay such stupid fines. At least they will give me food, shelter and medicine in prison. Plus got books to read also.
Maybe all homeless and poor people should do this to get back at this heartless govt of ours.
Whatever happened to the talk about euthanasia? I thought they want to implement it? Then we’ll be free of the homeless and beggars, and we can convert the old folks homes into holiday resorts, and don’t need hospices or prisons anymore. They also can dispense with the C class wards. Think how much they would save! Wah!
Dear Moe Gan Thai,Peple who can afford can migrate!!!. People can’t afford just wait to die. There’s many way U can die. Jump!!!!! for High Bldg. Band MRT. I”m from a poor family. During my school Days. No M to pay school fee. Whats my teacher told me! I don’t care either U go to Beg, Borrow or steal, Good Luck!
Take Care. God Bless U
I have to agree with this one. I think sometimes the District Court judges need to take a little detour away from their big cars and houses and visit the poorer quarters of Singapore. Then they’ll hopefully come down a bit from their ivory towers and realise that there are in fact many people in Singapore that honestly and seriously need help, yet have no idea where to go or how to get it, and they should try to help the person instead.
In fact, this case shouldn’t even have gone before a judge. The park rangers should have referred his case to the CDC or Town Council or someone for them to try and help him out first. Punitive measures aren’t wrong, but they shouldn’t be applied unthinkingly to all situations.
Someone lost USD40bil and still laughing away with golden award. Our president should query but he didn’t. I wonder, is the court under the umbrella of Temasek or is Singapore court part of GLCs? Apparently, all these “establishments” can’t wait to squeeze every drop of blood out of the citizens. It is quite an irony that we were made to recite our plege so many times and everyday but words in those pledge and reality practiced by our govt are different.
Another excellent piece of write up Mr Leong. Feel sad for the poor of poorest in our First World and very angry with the judge for making such callous comment.
Its like when one is at the edge of a cliff with nowhere to run, instead of offering a helping hand, you get a push and off you fall to your death!
Is this the kind of First World that MM feels proud to trumpet to the world? In the words of Dr Chee, First World for Whom?
Terrible to be in such a state in our First World and my heartfelt prayers with them. Not meant to preach the Gospel in this forum but felt compelled to share this meaningful bible verse, especially to the poor.
‘It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle, then for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God’.
To Pessimist,
Whatever happened to the talk about euthanasia? I thought they want to implement it?
They are one smart ass. With the voting citizens consisting of more than 50% Abraham faiths, i.e. Islam, Catholic and Christianity.
They won’t be so stupid to implement it even though the savings is siginificant.
Rather than haul homeless people to court for minor offences like illegal pitching, which they obviously committed due to the dire straits they were in and not out of wifulness, the Govt should invest in building more facilities and shelters for these people.
This is another example of the Govt refusing to provide adequate safety nets for those who have fallen through the cracks, and then using the strong arm of the law against these poor folks when they run afoul of minor rules. Uncaring, uncompassionate, unconscionable would be the words I use to describe this.
I have seen homeless people wondering about in Henderson n some of them seen sleeping on the benches.
Did that judge really make such a comment? That is really callous and unprofessional and he certainly justifies the contempt that lawyers and judges have for the singapore system that I have met overseas over the years. Unbelievable.
Aiyah…the judge probably said it in a “fatherly” manner like the female MP who “motherly” ask a resident’s son why he not working during Meet-the-Resident session….Sigh
Another evidence that our society is in deep trouble. With such a divided gap between the peasants and the elite, it is only a matter of time when riot will strike out.
Yo….Eric Brooks, are you reading this????? Now u know why no beggars in Singapore…….
“Yo….Eric Brooks, are you reading this????? Now u know why no beggars in Singapore…….”
and all the social problems are neatly and cleanly erased by laws.
add this one to the list – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isZfVhyKLsI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Ftheonlinecitizen%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded#t=27
Justice is blind – indeed!
Blind to the circumstances that can forced an innocent citizen to commit a minor offence such as pitching a tent on state land.
Blind to the misdemeanours of someone who can flagrantly throw away our reserves into the black hole of the American financial system, and get away scot-free with nary a slap on the wrist.
NOT TRUE THAT THERE IS NO COMPASSION LAH!
Just that compassion is not given to Singaporeans!
Indian National fined $2,000 for outraging the victim’s modesty. See how compassionate our courts are?
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC090818-0000080/Mistaken-identity-lands-IT-engineer-in-trouble
It is not compassion in this incident that matters.
It is why sleeping(or resting in a lying position?) in park an offence ?
Why pitching tent at the beach is an offence ?
Why smoking in many open(not indoor) places is an office ?
Why having a sweet in the mouth and drinking plain water whilst on public transports is an offence ?
And why fondling and groping in public IS NOT an offence ?
Why swearing and shouting vulgarities ARE NOT OFFENCES ??
Why students smoking in uniforms just outside their schools are common sights ?
patriot
I read somewhere that in Taiwan (or is it Japan?), some elderly people who are homeless and penniless deliberately commit crimes so that they they can be jailed. This will provide them shelter, food and even medical care.
and there is a word for this modus operandi:
Gentrification.
Gentrification of Singapore society.
This has been going on since decades in singapore…
and up till Obama’s democratic win in 2008, this process of “gentrification” is also begining to take place in the USA, with 8 years of republicans bushy rule! Introduced by the GOP (republicans), aka capitalist, free market economist, gilded golden age, elitist, meritocracy advocates.
operation clean up!
Social Security – such a waste of national wealth to spend on these scumbags! Consolidate social security (aka CPF, 401K), invest in financial markets & production facilities. Make full use of every dollar in this globalized economy.
Those who can, prosper. Those who can’t, what little you have will be taken away from you.
Sorry, i am just overcome with anger!
hi Patriot
U can add to the list
why non-candidates within 100 metres of the polling stattion in a GE is an offence but GCT shaking hands with voters inside polling station in Cheng san is not an offence.
He who has the gold makes the rules….
Is it a crime to be poor?
Read: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/opinion/09ehrenreich.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=gentrification&st=cse
what makes compkusory CPF contribution legal? :?
what makes compulsory CPF contribution legal? :?
Who is this judge who saying his remark to this poor old man. Any clues??? We should bring this matter up to the Chief judge to give us an explanation. Damn fool judge got no heart and useless. This fellow judge is looking down on poor citizens whom we give them the power.
I was told by PAP that GST is supposed to help the poor. Where is GST when you need him?
Some idiot wrote; less GST = less revenue =cannot help the poor.
I think its more like; more GST = more revenue + fine the poor & homeless $800 each = even more revenue = help the greedy (PAP)
The District Judge Mr Shaiffudin Saruwan’s remarks was uncalled for.
The remarks … ‘I suggest you use a bicycle chain to tie yourself to a tree or you may lose yourself as well.’ did not serve any purpose at all.
He is a judge, not a commentator.
thank you pap legal system,
u just created another criminal.
when the poor guy is unable to stand up for himself due to the criminal record, what do u think he will do?
who will be his victim and crime? rape? theft? or burn his mp?
well im sure there are many who would love the last to occur.
Hi Anakin # 23:
Thank You for the Addition !
Me likes to add another two:
Why is Gamblings legal and illegal, not the same gamblings meh ?
Why is illegal loan shark’s interest lower than legal loan killer whale’s(financial institutions Banks, Credit Card/ Cash Credit Companies and Finance Companies etc) ???
Where is Justice ???
patriot
no wonder the jail is filled to the brim these days. so much so that they have to send violent criminals on HOME DETENTION so as to free up space to jail these poor homeless people.
well done, PAP. I’m really starting to get ANGRY!
Don’t you know that that’s the culture and identity of Singapore?
It’s a very cold and heartless society, with values of greed amd materialism and very sadly, reinforced by the leaders over the years through.
The toxins of intelorence, disconnect and hardfeelings have poison the hearts of the elites. They cannot feel nor emphatize any more.
quick question, so is the judge saying it is legal to tie oneself & his/her belongings to any tree?
Hi Patriot,
Got another one for you
Employee don’t pay workers salary is not illegal but do not pay worker’s levy is illegal.
MR Tang was given 1 day jail and fine and sent back home because he has money
The judge is not kind and look down on this poor guys and give him 4 days jail because he is poor and also give scarstic remarks
The truth will be out eventually. The millions which the pap get will shame themselves forever. They are taking the money, boasting to everyone that they have deliver world class result. Look at the past one year, news after news of embarrassment appear to the public.
This remind me of a book called “Wild Swan” about China culture revolution.
Singapore is having its own version of revolution. I hope that the founder father of singapore to realise that it is to nobody good if he continue to be so stubborn.
How i wish that his wife is around to advise him.
He was fined $800 but could not afford to pay the fine so he was jailed four days instead. He could have been fined up to $2,000.”
This is nothing new here in Singapore. Do you guys know that there are as many as thousands of those who defaulted their TCs fees and HDB arrears were being summoned to court and being slapped with additional fines, and even send to jail in the last few years back? dunno if this still continues.
funny thing in singapore is that when you are down and out, no money and penniless, you are automatically converted into criminals through the court process.
i just feel that our garmen is trying to find all ways to recover the losses caused by some loser!~ :( FINE! fine all u want!!! one fine day you will find that this island has no one else but FTs!
For me, the thing that came out with the strongest impression in this article, is the judge’s name. I don’t expect all judges of such cases to have such a big heart as to provide them with monetary means to go on in life, but to add sarcasm above everything is something else. By the time you have judges taking law into their own hands, you have lawlessness.
mgby.
I think so too.
BTW alot of them, FTs, thought this place is a gold mine until they came lol.
They mistook the FINE for MINE.
Spore govt has run out of ideas how to earn $$$. With the casinos delayed & investments gone to DUST, they just have to get small change from the poor.
Beside the poor, the taxi drivers, truck drivers through minor road offences….
ERP, GST…..all these will contribute to make PAP fatter.
As for the poor, ask your children to look after them (if not you can go JB homes).
The poor has CONTRIBUTED to s’pore economy one way or another but now govt treat them like eye sore……Not to be seen or heard.
Instead they have the Reluctant students to go around with the aluminium donation containers almost everyday (MOE will squeeze the schools and the schools will Squeeze the students). The govt is hoping these donation will help the poor instead of the govt.
Govt don’t give a damn about the poor…..PAP is for themselves.
A comment in jest? I fail to see the humour.
“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” ~ Mahatma Ghandi
FAIL
only sick people find sick jokes humourous? like racial, religious “jokes”…
Reading this makes me reflect on two things:
1. Somewhere in 2003~2004, there was a public uproar of MPs voting to give themselves a raise. That was the year, if I am not mistaken, when our PM got a huge bump on his paycheck and the public outcry (PM later announced that he would donate his increase to charity) was audible in every paper and the blogosphere was flooded with scorns of their already-exuberant pays. That was the same year the government increased GST by 2%. However, this voting shenanigan masked an earlier vote in parliament that same year (in February) on increasing the monthly benefits to the poor of Singapore – a supposed stipend/allowance to the needies and low-income family in subsidized housing. The motion was obviously voted down by the very same MPs, citing that the current level of subsidy is enough.
2. The Singapore Kindness campaign: so much resources have been poured into these campaign and we still have results illustrated in this blog story. With people in high places (like the MPs, SMs, MMs, PMs) showing us these forms, how do we expect the regular joe’s of Singapore to behave otherwise? I guess these campaigns are meant for “Singaporeans other than the judges, MPs, SMs, etc. who are (in cahoots) with PAP.” Whatever happened to the gracious city we are suppose to project?
Some of the gracious people you (I used “you” instead of “us” because I never gotten a chance to vote in my constituent) voted to “lead” Singapore.
I was told that our previous Chief Justice owned a luxurious apartment in one of the most upmarket districts of Shanghai that was developed by Capitaland.
Do you think they give a damn about the homeless ?
Judge Mr Shaiffudin Saruwan’s retort is unacceptable. It has done severe damage to the image of our judicial system. For the prosecution to take the case to court is beyond my understanding. And I wonder why the Singapore Law Society Criminal Legal Aid Scheme had failed to represent this poor man. The entire system has fallen apart.
The ruling elite and the government apparatus are geared toward enforcing the rules and law regardless of the circumstances. Those cases high lighted above were obviuosly due to poverty. Being poor is not a crime but sadly in Sinkapore it is. The entire system is truly rotten and with current recession the poor and disadvantaged beside financial worries had many more problems piled on them by the uncaring PAP regime. Obviously being the highest paid minister in the world do not make them any more human then say the “poorly” paid ministers in UK/Europe/USA. There is only one solution, vote them out but I had a suspicion that the PAP had already a solution in place to address this problem. They will make sure there is no opposition member available to stand in any ward. They will use the judicial system to bar potential candidates from standing.