Story and picture by Joshua Chiang
The campsite had a holiday feel to it. Clothes hung on makeshift clothes-line. Small stoves and barbeque pits occupy the floor around the park shelter. There were fishing rods, crab traps, guitars, styrofoam boxes, unwashed plates and utensils as well.
At one of the shelter, there was even a table on which were two containers of syrup. People – mostly Malays – sat in the shelter, chatting, laughing. A couple arrived with their kid pushing a small shopping cart of groceries. I counted 23 tents pitched on a grass patch about 50 meters long. The kampung spirit certainly lived on in these people, one would assume.
Except that most of them would rather not be here at Sembawang Park. They were here because they had nowhere else to go. You could say they are homeless, but you would be wrong. The homeless do not exist in Singapore. They are merely ‘temporarily displaced’.
Andrew (Chief Editor of TOC) and I spoke to a couple seated inside one of the shelters. The male – his name is Zazali – had a place to stay, but he came on weekends to see his friends staying here. He was a very friendly chap, but as he spoke about the people living here (he claimed there were about 15 households), you could sense the frustration in his voice.
When it rains, he said, the tents became flooded, even with the extra layer of canvas on top of almost every single one of them. (Next time you want to know if the campers are merely here for a day or two, or much longer, look at their tents). So what happened to the people inside the tents? I asked. They come to the shelter, Zazali replied.
I looked around at the open shelter and asked how would it stop them from getting wet in a heavy storm. “Like this,” said Zazali standing behind one of the pillars.
“And when there’s a strong wind, everything fly,” he continued, gesturing at the items around him. “Everything.”
I imagined a whole family huddled behind one such pillars, most likely with a huge plastic sheet wrapped around them, pelted by the rain with the wind billowing around them, and wondered how anyone could live like for months at a stretch.
But apparently they did.
Somehow living like that had become the norm for them. Every eight days, they would go to the nearby AXS machine to re-book the use of the grass patch for their tents. (Legally no-one can camp at the place for more than eight days a month, but they somehow managed to get around it by getting their friends or older family members to take turns registering) But there were a few who had smaller networks of friends and family members, and they were fined up to $200 when they couldn’t re-book the turf.
They showered and washed their laundry and dishes, and got their drinking water at the nearby toilet.
“At least here, it is free,” Zazali noted. “At East Coast (Park) you pay 20 cents per entry.”
They cook their meals on portable gas stoves. Sometimes visitors would offer them their leftover barbecued food.
Didn’t any organizations come to donate stuff, I asked. He shook his head. It appeared that the only people who visited them were the park rangers. And it was usually to ask to see their permits.
We were joined briefly by a young teenage boy who introduced himself as Sulaiman. His family of five – minus his father – had been staying here for four months ever since their uncle decided not to shelter them. His mother was in her 40s. Until recently, she was the only one in the family working. His eldest brother, who was sleeping in one of the tents, just found a job in the shipyard nearby.
They had tried applying for one of the HDB rental flats but were told the waiting period was 13 months (and even then it was on a case-by-case basis, and also subject to an income-cap regulation). They were told the same thing when they approached their MP, or more accurately, the MP’s assistant.
I forgot to ask if they had tried the open market (after all, if two people were working, they should be able to afford to pay the rental of $500 a month – which is the usual rate now), but I guessed having helped a friend find a room to rent before, most landlords would not want a family of five to share a room when they could offer the same room to a single person who is bound to be less of a hassle)
We found out later that Sulaiman and his siblings had stopped schooling. Whatever the reason, we made a mental note to find out more when we return. Poverty should not be an excuse for stopping people from getting a decent education if they want to. (We also found out much to our astonishment that Yanni – the girl with Zazali- had been suspended from school for seven months – an awfully long time for whatever offenses she had committed)
“You go talk to them ,” Zazali said, looking in the direction of the tents . “They get to know you more, then you will see them cry sometimes.”
Pretty soon it was time to leave. We shook hands and gave our word that we would highlight this issue in whatever ways we can.
“Thank you for listening,” was Yanni’s parting words. I felt the urge to tell her that many times that was all we could do, but held back. I guessed she knew as much. But at the same time, that was what the tent people needed at the very least. For someone to listen. For people to know.
On our way out, we passed by a piece of land designated for the building of eighty houses. There is little doubt that there would be a mad rush for these units when they’re completed, even if each unit costs two millions. After all, it is next to a beautiful park, and faces the sea. If you’re lucky, your house might be the one getting the best view of the rising sun at dawn.
There is little doubt too that the tent people would trade all these for somewhere they can sleep without getting wet whenever it rains.
You can join this group to see more photos, or if you know people with similar stories to share: Happy Campers
to be fair,
there are unemployed migrant workers sleeping on the streets as well, and they dun even have tents.
This isn’t, and shouldn’t be a local born vs foreigner issue. We have to make good on our declaration that there are no homeless in SG, regardless of nationality.
macam,
“Give a man bread and feed him for a day, teach him to bake and feed him for a lifetime”
you are simply assuming that they want charity, that loaf of bread. However, some just want to gain the skill to enable survival.
To gemami:
No i am not one of the ‘older singaporeans’ who fear the authorities. Neither am I old. I am stating a fact. This isn’t about who is afraid of the govt.
In the past, any squatters on east coast or similar park areas have been evicted, some by force. Any courage the squatters have will be useless, because they’ll just be hauled away and possibly even charged for ‘interference with law enforcement’!
very soon i’ll be one of them too
No offence, but have you wonder why it is alwalys Malays when come to these social issues? Why not Chinese since they are the majority in this country? And have you seen the same situation in Malaysia?
It got nothing to do with PAP, it is the Malays culture & attitude towards their life.
For Malays, they seldom work for it, instead, they go along with what come along. If there is shleter, then good, if not, then so be it.
Problem appears to be not lack of available houses but lack of ability to pay the rent. Right? I know lots of people who pay cheap rent and stay – some of them share a flat. They are citizens, Singaporeans. Some of the flats are not in “prime” locations but a home is a home lah. If the tent families get together can they not rent flats they can afford? Why?
Bro Yamamoto,
“you are simply assuming that they want charity, that loaf of bread. However, some just want to gain the skill to enable survival.”
Let me reveal another dirty secret… these cheap FTs are affecting our Malay bros more so… We must stop more cheap FTs from coming in. Sure, employers love them but using cheap FTs is like using opium. It has a long term effect on our society!
Y U people care so much on this peope. They vote for PAP, at the End they end up in the tent. Serve U Right.
36) sad citizen on January 13th, 2010 7.58 pm
how not to feel sad when my wife wants to be homeless to save money on rent
If your wife really insists on camping outdoors, let her pitch a tent, neither at Sembawang Park nor East Coast Park – but at Hong Lim Park or just outside HDB Hub.
SK wee# 9
Thats because during the 60s & 70s, PAP policies were very socialist
and pro citizens.
My father worked as a labourer at PSA for S$5 a day, but everything
else was paid for, we had 3 room flat in Everton Park, later at Blair Plain
absolutely FOC, no rental, no utility bills. Whats more there was free cooked
rice, and bread from the Harbour Board.
All my siblings got bursaries at school and visiting the doctor cost only
50 cents using school chit
But ever since MIW became more capitalist than the capitalists, their attitude towards citizens is like what people say ” You die your business’
For those who have fallen behind, only charity and heaven can help us.
You’ll be deluded to really depend on this Govt
HDB flats are pegged to market rates, ever decreasing subsiides for education,
means testings for medical services and housing. Infact, almost every
service is run on a profit-oriented basis.
This Govt is more concern with doing business and competing with
private individuals for the pie than their welfare and people left behind like those at Sembawang Park are mostly left to private charities to be taken care of.
I used to like the PAP when I was a kid but they have totally changed my sentiments about them
Hi John,
“I used to like the PAP when I was a kid but they have totally changed my sentiments about them”
You are right. The pap of today is a completely different party from the time it started. Gone were the altruistic old guards like Goh Keng Swee, Rajaratnam, Tony Tan, Hon Sui Sen, Lim Kim San etc. They joined PAP for a purpose. To serve the people and to ensure the people are taken care of.
Ever since the old guards were outmaneuvered and got kicked out one by one by the old fox, there is no one else senior enough in the party to challenge him or moderate his views. He essentially is free to do what he wants. Like all dynasties, the founding emperor after awhile started to feel invincible and that he did not need to listen to anyone anymore. That explains why in the 90s and beyond, PAP started to falter. It’s particularly bad in the last few years but these guys still think they are doing a good job. Nowadays, people seemed to join PAP for their own selfish interests (e.g. Sear Hock Rong)…
I think we have seen the peak of PAP already and it’s on its way down….
There is an unit in the HDB block where I live was left vacant for more than 8 years because the tenant who was living in that particular said flat is now living in old aged home. My question is, why HDB did not repossess the flat and rent out to other citizen in need of rental flat to live. If that flat is bought by the old man, HDB should advice the tenant to sell the flat to made way for others who need a flat flat badly.
Hi Realist & Angry One,
My apologies if I had misread both your intentions. I am heartened to hear that you guys are aware of the power you wield and would not hesitate to use it for the betterment of our poor fellow Singaporeans.
Zefly – you are absolutely spot on when you said this issue is not about Singaporeans vs Foreigners but about the making good of the declaration that there are no homeless people in Singapore.
I believe this is not the only declaration that is showing the present government up for its lack of management qualities. Still, it is voices of concern like yours and every commenter here allows us to cling to any hope still available.
#54 and #59
What i wanted to state is that the underclass Malays seems to want to find the easy way and not face up to reality. Growing up in the 60s where there were lots of big, poor Chinese families, people just want to get out from poverty and work hard at anything, to improve life, not to remain at ground zero. Older kids then have to drop out of school so that the younger siblings can continue school and hopefully pull the rest of the family along in future. No offense to the Malays, those who grew up in the 60s and 70s will now what I trying to stress, you just have to work hard at anything, no 2 ways about it. No point staring at the sea and hoping life will improve or even remain as it is.
Wee #4
We can’t fault the Malays. Maybe its part of their culture to live
one day at a time. The Chinese are more materialistic as a race,
taking risks in businesses or gambling, thats why they are
so successful even in countries where they are the minority.
But whatever race we are, those who have fallen behind should be
helped and it is this that I find the Govt wanting.
In those days, when the PAP Govt said that nobody would be left
behind, they meant it and you could hardly find people without
a roof over his head because of lack of money.
These days, when MIW says the same, we need to take it with
a whole load of salt
Hi All,
I just want to say that cheap FTs stealing all our low end jobs is affecting our Singapore Malay bros even more! The other day, I was shocked to see courier delivery being handled by a PRC!
There is a big scam going on in the cheap FT industry. Ask any FTs doing these low-end jobs and they will inevitably tell you that they have paid $8-10K just to get the job. They will tell you that the sum of money is being paid to the middlemen back in their home country. In reality, bros, this sum of money is being shared between the middleman and the local employer or HR person. It’s hard to prove but it exists. Hence, to the SME boss, hiring these FTs means he will get “rebates” from the middleman, resulting in even lower price he pays to hire FTs!
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117/ptid/414/page/38/totrecs/377/threadid/2427/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx
Posted : 16/01/2010 12:16 AM
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.
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.
Let Brainy tell you all lah.
That website full of craps. Only non-thinking brains would fall into their traps.
**Moderating Editor: You are entitled to your opinion and we will defend your right to have one. We humbly disagree though as we do not have any agenda other than to highlight matters that affect Singaporeans as a community.**
///Poor people all have the same characteristics:
Idle, lazy (nice word is contented), inflexible, got brain but never.
Do these people deserve help? NO///
Strangely and if the above is true, why do we have charity shows aired on national TV to raise funds.
Why do we have (need) charitable organizations and hard working volunteers for the purpose of caring and providing the needs for the unfortunate souls.
///Only non-thinking brains would fall into their traps///
It definitely pales in comparison to the other side when it comes to some relatively costly endeavours which a lot of us are reluctant participants.
///That website full of craps.///
And apparently it still attracted the precious attention and resources of some people to bombard it with DDOS.
[i]iamapapgovernmentdoubleagent on January 13th, 2010 4.19 pm aiyoh yoh…you all har…tomorrow the env beach patrol will wayan wayan again chasin our malays homeless again..nothin to do with race issues..[/i]
see what happenned? today 10 polismen with shortpants from the swapped team with counterstrikes helmets just swoop on the homeless peasants lioa..
typical pap government regular smelly patterns…might as well rolled in the chieftian tanks and f18 hornet bombers…
is that why tonight have a RECALL excersise? just to make the homeless goes landless as well?
entire blocks dedicated to foreign workers, and NONE for these people??
[i]///Only non-thinking brains would fall into their traps///
now now…few months ago the malays channel were showin their skills to raise funds for the homeless OUTSIDE singapoor..
what happenned to the same mediacorps artists who DIDN’t lift a fingers to support the SAME malay HOMELESS in singapoor?
now what kind of traps you suggest?
the same rat mouse traps that were supposed to use in eunos market perhaps?
and where is ALL the MALAYs GRC MPs? preparin for hara raya BESAR or waitin for leehsienhloong chinese ANGPOWs?
Pointless to expect heartless zombies (MIW) to feel
Remove these heartless corpses.
Living humans cannot co-exist with living dead.
Case closed.
Vote in HUMANS with basic heart.
take a look at other parks in Singapore, and you will see the same thing… people sleep under the hut.
How can this be signs of a successful housing policy?
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourSay/YourDiscussionCorner/tabid/117/ptid/414/page/43/totrecs/423/threadid/2427/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx
No Joke Posted : 27/01/2010 8:13 PM
Dear HDB,
Does it mean Blk 28 Lor 6 Toa Payoh (only 1 block) 100% would be enough for all of the applicants in the long queue wating for HDB rental flats? If some of them in the long queue are not really need a rental flat then why they can join into the long queue?
And when will you reply for:
Will those currently waiting for a rental flat have to move from the place they are staying now when they get their new rental flat from HDB?
Will HDB ask foreign workers rent similar flats from the open market?
By the way, Blk 28 Lor 6 Toa Payoh has put on the internet for rent, is this a mistake made by the property agent or have some other reasons?
Thank you.
Regards
27/01/2010
The reply from HDB dated 16/01/2010:
I refer to your email dated 16 Jan 10.
2 As mentioned in our earlier reply, there is already a block of flats, i.e Blk 28 Lor 6 Toa Payoh, which has been set aside for the Interim Rental Housing. These flats, which would eventually be demolished, are offered to rental applicants who need interim accommodation while waiting for the allocation of a 1- or 2-room flat under the Public Rental Scheme.
3 We thank you for your feedback.
Yours sincerely,
SIM HWEE HUA (MS)
AG HEAD, RENTAL HOUSING POLICY & PLANNING UNIT
HOUSING ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
The enquiry to HDB QSM at 16/01/2001:
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?
Come to think of it, the foreign workers are better off than these malays sleeping in tents. At least they are given proper lodging in the dormitory, equipped with hot showers, thick beds and warm blankets, plus guaranteed jobs! Hmmm ….
There is only one type of people. Lazy people who dun work and waiting gov to give money.