By Joshua Chiang
Imran sold his flat for a profit. With the money, he rented a bungalow in Johor Bahru and even bought a car. Two years later, his money was spent, and he was back in Singapore, homeless.
Imran could be what Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Masagos Zulkifli and Dr Ahmad Magad (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) had in mind when they spoke in parliament on Tuesday about a segment of the Malay population who became homeless as ‘living beyond their means’. [1]
“They do not think about buying a new flat or where their family is going to stay, even though they have young children,” said Dr Magad. Mr Masagos added, “We must not forget the real reasons as why they are stranded there and not be quick to point fingers.”
You can be forgiven too for thinking Imran an irresponsible man who has frittered away his savings. That is, until you probe deeper.
Imran’s Story
Imran, an ex-policeman, divorced in 2007. His ex-wife and he sold the flat they shared and made $40,000. Imran kept $20,000. He had custody of his three children so he needed somewhere to stay. He was told he had to wait two years before he is eligible for a HDB rental flat.
Around the same time, he started dating a fellow divorcee Shahida. They decided to get married, but there was the problem of accommodation – where can a family of four stay? They decided to rent a bungalow in Johor Bahru for 500 ringgit ($250).
“If I rent a room [in Singapore], it would already cost me $400 at least,” Imran tells me. “And renting a three room flat here would cost $1200.”
To Imran, it made more sense renting a place in Johor Bahru, and buying a car for the daily commute between Singapore and Malaysia than renting a room in Singapore and taking public transport. He reckoned he saves $1000 monthly this way.
He next pooled the money he made from selling his flat with Shahida’s savings and they opened a Western food stall at a coffeeshop. On a weekday, they would have to be awake by five in the morning so that they could be at the Malaysian Customs by six-thirty to beat the traffic jams. After dropping the kids off at school they would head to their stall and start work around 8 a.m. They would usually close after midnight. The children would come in the evening to help out so they could go home together.
“Yes it was very hard work, but it was also the happiest time in my life,” says Shahida.
But the business gradually took a turn for the worse, and eventually they had to give up the business. Unable to pay the rent for the Malaysian house, Imran sold his car and returned to Singapore with his family.
Imran’s children are now staying with his ex-wife’s parents. The taxi that Imran now drives is home for him and Shahida.
Imran sees his situation as a ‘genuine case’ of homelessness. No wonder he is upset with the explanations Dr Magad and Mr Masagos gave in Parliament.
“They should do a survey (on the homeless people) before they say such things,” he says. “Out of ten cases, maybe only two are like how they describe. What they said hurt people [who are] genuine cases like me.”
Individualizing a Social Problem
Dr Magad’s and Mr Masagos’s speech expressed the establishment’s view that the individual is the sole cause of his homelessness.
However, there is very little reason to be convinced of their conclusions that ‘many’ such families chose to live irresponsibly because they had sold of their flats and spent their money simply based on the cases they’ve handled.
Firstly, what are the exact figures? How ‘many’ is many? Unless they are the only MPs which homeless Malays go to, it is hard, going by the official figures (253 last year), to conclude that they have met a sizable number to be considered as ‘many’. And if there were indeed ‘many’, would it not be a real cause of concern?
Secondly, how long have they spent talking to each family to understand – non judgmentally – the choices they made, given the circumstances they were in? To know each case in depth takes more than the short time the typical resident is given to see the MP. (We spent on average one hour just getting the bare facts from the homeless people we spoke to, not counting the subsequent hours we spent getting to know them better.)
There is every reason to believe that a superficial understanding of individual cases leads one to the wrong conclusion, especially when one’s perception is often clouded by the dominant ideology, namely that people are homeless because they are lazy.
That is not to say the homeless are not to be ‘blamed’ for their situation. But one must recognize whether the choices they made were ill-informed, or were they ill-intended.
Neither does it mean that there won’t be those who would sell their flat for a quick buck. (There will always be people who expect others to take care of them, a group that’s not just limited to the lower class.)
But before we hasten to label such people as freeloaders, perhaps it is time to do some soul-searching. Has the doctrine of ‘flats-as-assets’ created such opportunism? Why blame the low-income earner who has never had the chance to be responsible with huge sums of money for his greed when he realizes that his flat is suddenly worth so much more than when he first bought it? Should the poor be expected to be less greedy and more fiscally responsible than the average person? Why should we expect the poor to be angels when we ourselves are not?
By casting homelessness solely as a product of individual culpability rather than one out of many factors, the MPs have demonstrated an unwillingness to engage in a serious discussion on the issue. They have done no favors to Singaporeans, least of all the homeless.
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References:
[1] Straits Times, “Life’s not a ball for beach communities“, 03 March 2010.
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Related posts:
- Asia Calling – Singapore homelessness
- HDB: Homelessness due to policies? BTS better than BTO? 31,000 flats unsold, but nobody knows?
- From political party member to homelessness
- The TCMR finger-pointing farce
- 50 years of HDB – homelessness is its biggest challenge
“Why blame the low-income earner who has never had the chance to be responsible with huge sums of money for his greed when he realizes there his flat is suddenly worth so much more than when he first bought it? Should the poor be expected to be less greedy and more fiscally responsible than the average person? Why should we expect the poor to be angels when we are often not?”
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This is not a question of morality, it’s a question of having the logic and intelligence to know what one’s means are. Poor people should be more fiscally responsible than average or rich people simply because the money they have to ‘play around with’ is less.
If a rich guy splashes 1k on a plasma tv, it’s fine because it’s well within his means. If a poor guy does the same, it’s stupidity and drives him deeper into the poverty cycle, in turn creating a bigger burden on society. There have been studies in the US that show that poor people are often poor because they can’t handle money. Black people in the ghetto have very nice cars and big TVs but no savings or even food.
If the PAP has a bad habit of always blaming the individual, I’d say that liberals have a bad habit of always blaming ‘the Man’ and ‘the System’. Many rich people started out dirt poor and made something of themselves. I don’t see how ‘the System’ is at fault for failure.
MPs should not give excuses, solving the problem is more important. No solutions from PAP millionaires. If they are not part of the solution then they are part of the problem.
Well done TOC and Joshua Chang for bringing us the facts.
The PAP is full of LKY wannabes. Each of them so quick to write off anyone that does not make the grade. They think they are the chosen ones and that all others are just lesser mortals that should be “trained” like circus animals. It appears that they think it is their God given right to rule over us lesser mortals. Their arrogance is only surpassed by their self conceit. I ofter marvel at how they claim at every opportunity that they have the interest of the people at heart. They make so much noise about how they work for the welfare of the people. If they really did, then Dr Magad and Mr Masagos would have bothered to learn the true facts behind Imran’s story. Dr Magad and Mr Masagos are really the lazy and incompetent ones. They are in their positions simply because they toe the PAP line. Shame on them that TOC could get the facts straight and all they could do was to condemn the unfortunate man.
My fellow Singaporeans, at the next elections, please, teach these arrogant elites a good lesson and vote them out.
so? that is the reason why leekuanyew setup the GRCs committees? it for the minorities MPs to solve the issues not to just stand there to collect the monthLEE $13,500 salary hor…
and please lark for ALLAH’s sake..we do know how the minor simpleton malays are…
now please share with us which part we reaLLEE don’t know?
Shows how detached the MPs are from reality. The truth hurts and it is likely because that they are afraid to acknowledge their incompetencies and lack of empathy, that they come up with prosposterous and damaging defences such as the ones given.
We shall not shed a thought for you, Mr Masagos and Dr Magad, when you are voted out, or fall out of favor from the party leadership, whichever earlier.
“His ex-wife and he sold the flat they shared and made $40,000. Imran kept $20,000.”
Made implies profits, what about returns from the original sale of the flat? His situation sounds a lot more dire when the proceeds from the flat sale (as opposed to solely profits) are not stated fully.
Some MPs nowadays just shoot from the hips, they dont bother to find out more.
Some oso dont help the poor, needy n handicap.
Examples.
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/09/handicapped-resident-applies-for-aid-with-mp-but-faces-difficulties/
http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/09/30/town-council-took-unemployed-man-to-court-for-sc-arrears/
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2579980&page=7
honestly the MPs and Ministers dont dare to speak up for citizens or against the party, either they are demoted or shipped out. We had seen in the past, minister to be being demoted after speaking up too much for citizens and i think he would be shipped out by this election.
the truth is the bunch of 82 is there to play defence and support, i have yet to hear any good things from them. it is basically a good part time pay of $13,000 with very little work (meet the people session) and campaigning during election. the promises of big career jumps in GLC or affliatiates promoted these people to join. they are basically a bunch self purpose and interest and you expect them to speak for us?
come on..
What imran did was that instead of buying a property, he used it to invest in a business that failed. It could happen even to a private property owner who mortgaged his house for a business loan and the business failed. Then homelessness happened but why does it affect the Malays more?
The problem is that Imran cannot earn enough to pay the rental for his family. His family is also unwilling or unable to help him. His future wife and her family also cannot help. Why can’t he rely on the support of his family and friends?
What is the main cause of homelessness/bankruptcy? From my knowledge of human beings esp. the Malays, then most probably, 8 out of 10 is due to overspending and 2 out of 10 is is due to business failure or hard luck cases.
Yes, great article Joshua.
I am touched over your concern for the plight of the homeless.
Hi critical thinking,
Where do you think the sale proceeds go? HDB takes 10% as some kind of administrative fee, while majority the remainder goes to repay mortgage loans. Only a tiny fraction goes into the couple’s pocket.
These 2 dumb dumbs uttered without probing the depth of the situation - but when confronted with the true proven facts to dispel these cruel and irresponsible comments – we can guess that they would do like their frock on a herd instinct basis : taichi away and and silently carpets over this and banishing this into oblivion – their typical pontificate and pretension tactic .
To utter such comment sound hurtful. But there’re some genuine cases. What have the MP done to help these ppl?
Have we been to KL or even Jakarta?
My business takes me there and around the region.
1 or 2 Imran is nothing compared to what you will see at the outskirts of the city. Hundreds of thousands; in fact millions of homeless squatters squat on makeshift rain unproof shelters often of corrugated zinc or even cardboards in what is known as SLUMS!
These are urban dwellers not ruralites. They make an informal living within the cities hawking, laboring, etc. Their “homes” have no utilities whatsoever. Not even proper latrines.
Singaporeans are indeed a blessed lot. People must take ownership of their lives and not think the government as their safety net. The government safeguards the security of the nation and can only provide a conducive environment for people to opportunise. If we want to bring others into the world we can’t leave them to the government (taxpayers) to look after. Endless . . . . .
HK is a very good example. To each his own. It’s a jungle out there. There is no safety net in Hong Kong and virtually nothing is free or state subsidied. And where are the homeless like those in say KL or Jakarta, both resource rich countries?
Reflect . . . . we don’t want to encourage the likes of more Imrans by sending the wrong message.
I dumbfounded and aghast as to what the Minister had to say about his own race. Didn’t he realise he’s painting with his own face with charcoal. (To borrow a Malay saying). Never in my years living in Singapore have I seen a Malay minister walk the ground and see with his own eyes the situation hi race is in. Failed marriages, teenage pregnancies, school drop-outs, drug abuse and gang violence. This is to name just a few problems the Malay race in Singapore is facing. It’s easy to point the finger at the his own people without looking at himself. He is suppose to lead the community, and obviously the Malay ministers are too busy trying to butt up with the PM in every aspect to advance their own ambitions, they left their own community behind. It’s no point to go to mosques for community events and such, the problems doesn’t lie there. The problems are on the streets and dark alleys, behind closed doors in parks and night clubs where young Malay boys and girls live a lifestyle which they think is cool and hip. Sacrificing education for a quick buck.
Stop pointing fingers cos everyone can do that, and for you the Minister to do the same is an insult to your position. You are the mirror for the community, if the community are put in a bad light, it puts you in a spotlight. So stop accusing your own race and do what you are suppose to do. Before I get up there and knock you Malay ass down form that ivory tower.
Both MPs toe the PAP Party line by tainting the homeless people as an irresponsible lot;very much like their MM used to do.
By adding insult to injury, both MPs are doing the underclass a disservice- – what more they and the person in plight are of the same race!
So does it make any sense to have the so-called “Minority representation” in a GRC??
This two ‘chapalan’ back-door entry MP was instructed by their boss to deliver the Malay problem message without knowing the real fact on the ground.Both of them and all others back-door Malay MP’s and Minister with doctorate and proffesor behind them are good for nothing,their voice ‘bohsia’.Their present undisputable only for formality and publicity purpose to fill in the GRC’s quota and to win Malay votes.Worst,MP Ahmad Mud-Guard sing productivity song during Parliament seating last week,he looks really like a clown to me.
its time to end the Lee dynasty…….
We have too many incompetent fools siting up there…
Chiper,
It’s not the Man or the System. It’s you. :)
Amusing . . . .
I thought the situation is worst over in Malaysia. All have eyes to see. Easy divorces, poligamy, zina, halwat, lopak, unemployment, drug addiction, crimes, etc.
Former PM Mamakthir has said even hasher things. It’s all on record. His interview abt Malaysia ever becoming a developed country in 2020 in the programme History said it all. He shook his head, upwelling of tears and look real disappointed despite the 45 years of discrimatory NEP against the minorites to uplift the majority.
How?
Sometimes the truth hurts but it’s good medicine.
Human Being
Mar 6, 2010 20:19
“ Before I get up there and knock you Malay ass down form that ivory tower.”
You want to knock down Dr Mahathir too. He said even more humilating things out of frustration during his term in office.
Go check it out.
Anyway, talking about “GREED” who started all these? who instigated that singaporeans will be richer owning a hdb flat? who ? answer me? f**king MIW!
All these papies dogs are already fed with corruption by the master who engineered the whole system that is solely for the one purpose, that is to made himself and his familees super rich while on the other hand bankrupting the lives of many on the street.
IMO, Imran, an ex-policeman, should buy another flat from the open market with his new wife instead of making a risky and bold move to setup his western food business.
God or Allah or whatever Almighty in whichever religion is fair to each and every one of us in only one aspect. He or She gives each of us 24 hours each day. No more and no less, whether you are rich or poor, young or old, healthy or not.
But what is not fair is that some people uses much of this time working and just earning a pittance, just to make ends meet. And yet there are people who hardly lift a finger to earn millions, which are far beyond what they need.
I can accept that the well educated and well connected deserves to earn more that the lesser mortal but how much more? 10X more, 50x more or what?
Just imagine, if a hard working manual worker physical slogging 8am to 8pm to earn $1000 per month. And a civil servant sitting in his office earning $200,000 to $300,000 per month. That is 200 to 300 times more!!!!
Is this income inequality reasonable?? Are they not each contributing to the well being of the nation????
i fail to see how and what these two MPs have done to help the malay community. they only seem to keep harping on how malays have fallen behind and blah blah blah – same old refrain. it’s boring.
but as leaders, what have THEY done to help? they are in the best position to make change, to start change. but have they actually reached out to these people or find out why their fellow malays are trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty? they are so far from the ground, all they can do is comment and lecture. talk is cheap.
i have little respect for such MPs. they are merely put there as token reps of the minority to placate the community. we’re better off without them since all they do is sit on their arses and criticise.
Rent bungalow for 250 $. Hey I can rent out my property here, and rent in KL and live on difference.
Thanks for this story TOC
To : Human Being
Quote from u :
“The problems are on the streets and dark alleys, behind closed doors in parks and night clubs where young Malay boys and girls live a lifestyle which they think is cool and hip. Sacrificing education for a quick buck.”
So u want the Malay MP to go to the dark alleys and knock on the closed doors in parks and night clubs???
I think that the Malay MP s must convince their young Malay boys and girls not to live a livestyle which they think is cool and hip. To concentrate on continuing their education.
Actually, if Imran had not make a mistake to marry, have kids. then divorce, then had failed business, then there will be no problems
Based on this article, I do not see why Imran shld think he was one of those people referred to by the PAP Malay MPs.
Biz went bad. Could happen to anyone. I mean if he partied until $ ran out, then he would fit the profile given by the PAP MPs.
FYI I didn’t report the ST reports.
If Mahathir can’t solve the problem with his 22 years in power who can?
The bohsia, lopak, drug addiction, divorces, unemployment, etc., so rampant in Malaysia.
Which sincere Malay MP can play god?
God helps those who help themselves.
Take this Imran guy who sleeps with his new wife & 3 kids on the beach. With help he will most likely have more babies (not uncommon) with his new wife and hold the taxpayers hostage. When the state looks after all his kids then he and his wife will also benefit. So the cycle goes on and on. And the problem multiplies. Monkeys see monkeys do.
I dare say Malaysia & Indonesia will never be able to solve their slum problem. Not unitl they follow HK’s style. Make people accountable & responsible for themselves. No one owes us a living but ourselves.
Maybe Human Being can suggests some viable solutions to solving this regional plight? Malaysia & Indonesia will be most grateful.
You people cannot be talking about “depth” if you are not doing community work yourselves.
This is a question of poor financial sense. If the home owners sell off their flat, make money then spend it on all kinds of things like debts, new girlfriend, setting up foodstall without considering where they and their kids are going to live, what can the government do about it? The MPs will help appeal for a rental flat etc etc but ultimately if you make a terrible decision like that yourself, without caring for the needs of your kids and family, you have to face the music yourself. Even if the HDB is able to provide a subsidized rental flat it takes time because of the long queues and other cases where people earn $800 and have two mouths to feed, and did not sell off their flats before and squandered all the money away.
The government can help but ultimately each one needs to help themselves. I don’t understand the paradox, some netizens say they feel molly-coddled when the government intervenes too much in their lives. And then when an individual spends his money thoughtlessly you want the govt to intervene? Do we not have any sense of personal responsibility?
Telly Mar 7, 2010 16:04
I think the PAP are holding the taxpayers hostage. Malaysia and Indonesia can solve their own problems if they wanted to. Mahathir would rather build a crooked bridge and Mrs Marcos would rather invest in shoes.
PAP would rather spend $10 Mil on parties and english lessons for foreigners, than give $30 to poor singaporeans. Imran and his wife will be sentenced to prison for the homeless and his 3 children will be assertively taken away by an Indian minister.
Soon the population will double and the PAP will also be asking for double pay. God bless those who bless others.
In MALAYSIA the shortterm(?) solution lies in state favoritism and subsidies for the majority voters i.e. malays to continue with their tidak apa lifestyle.
how to implement this in a resourceless tiny dot like singapore when the majority (taxpayers) are not malays. political suicide right?
some or limited help is ok but not longterm and a balloning situation. disaster for any nation. others will follow suit and ask for same treatment.
@Telly,
In Malaysia the majority are Malays, if they are not trying to help themselves that’s the reality of it. Please see it in context, Malays here are the minority and we still have these problems. Is it the Malay mentality? I don’t know, I accept the Malay community have been the underachievers all these years in Singapore, that is why the Malay Ministers need to work harder and double the effort to make sure the community excels. By pointing fingers who is wrong will not help. They need to ask the community why they are where they are now. Most probably they don’t have the answers or solutions because they never knew how it is on ground level. They focused too much on the most enterprising Malays or Malays that have potential to excel as the flag bearers of the community and totally forgot the rest who are in need of attention and direction. Why should I kick Mahathir ass, he’s not the leader of my community here in Singapore is he?
Not able to solve the problem means PAP incapable or unwilling.
PAP can help but don’t want to help, don’t say people irresponsible lah. Some banks irresponsible they also want to help until lost billions. PAP poor financial sense and irresponsible with money too. PAP favoritism to foreigner, tidak apa singaporean.
@Human Being
So presented with the same environment and circumstances, why is it that the majority can go on just fine? If it is because of us being the minority then why don’t we see similar statistics for Indians?
Are the Indian MPs doing something special to actually help the Indians? Or are the Indians themselves self-sufficient.
How can this not be a mentality issue? You seem to concede that it might be one and if so, how do you address a mentality issue? Shouldn’t we not give it any reason to perpetuate and point it out?
Putting in avenues of help will just perpetuate this mindset. What the ministers are saying might be over the top but it tells us that we need to self reflect. It is harsh but yes, it is true. We have to start letting go of this simple life mindset that has ingrained in us.
Look at Imran’s example, it shows a very simplistic mindset. Not wrong but just simplistic. If he had thought of all the “what-ifs” he might have chosen a different route.
Something inhibits most Malays from being meticulous and analytical. We don’t think too far, we focus on short term and sometimes pay the price for it. I have an idea of what that is but I shan’t bring it up because it will touch a very raw nerve.
I will just conclude by saying that Malays are not lazy or unimaginative. We just lack the analytical mindst which is critical in today’s cutthroat societies.
@ludwig
How do you suppose the malay MPs convince them if not by seeing and talking them in-person. You’ll not going to find them in mosques and schools. They are by the beaches, under HDB blocks, in rental houses and on the streets. I’m not talking only of the MPs but influential people, the MPs need to rope them in. Someone who they can connect with, or an MP that can lower themselves to their level, a famous Caliph once disguised himself as a peasant to find out the real truth about life under his rule. If he had not done that, he would not know what is really happening on the ground, because to the peasants, he is unreachable because of his stature. That is what is happening now, you need to make appointments, go to certain functions just to talk to the MPs. So what is wrong with knocking on doors, not just during festive seasons but on normal days. That is his duty anyways. Do we have to wait till it hit the headlines than react. More pro-active rather than reactive MPs is what we need. To convince someone to take a better route, you need to show them an alternative, at the moment there isn’t.
@critical thinking Mar 6, 2010 15:33
I believe you have to return whatever instalments you already paid back to your CPF.
After paying back to their CPF, they are left with 40K which represents only the capital growth in their flat. The figures make sense.
To those who “don’t understand the paradox” but has a lot of “sense of personal responsibility”: I say you lack empathy.
From my personal observations of the underclass in other countries: they are permitted to live in their despair. In Tokyo, the poor make portable cardboard homes to sleep in. No policemen chase them away; it is left to the municipal social welfare officers to sort it out. In Hong Kong, there is only few public housing but every resident make do in ’pigeon-hole’ home spaces.
But a government that boasts of providing 80% of housing for its population should not have the temerity to say housing cannot be provided because the homeless could not afford to pay their prices. Why is there nonchalance to and disdain of the problem of the homeless? If the government sees itself fit to solve the housing problem of 80% of its population from free-market forces. Why must the “charity” be only for those who can afford to pay the subsidised prices? It is very easy to decide who should not benefit if one is a monopoly supplier. Does this mean that the government is now the de facto monopolist seller, with no need to be an ’elected national ruler’ with the attendant responsibility of supplying to the ‘free-riders’ comprising the poor?
FaceTheFact : IMO, Imran, an ex-policeman, should buy another flat from the open market with his new wife instead of making a risky and bold move to setup his western food business.
And we wonder why the average Singaporean is not entrepreneurial. When they failed, other only like to comment about how ‘risky’ it is on hindsight.
FaceTheFact, you forgot to face-your-assumptions. He was an ex policeman, and I have no idea of his qualifications. Do I think he would have difficulty is finding a new job? yes, I do think so… since, even putting his qualifications aside, many job ads want foreigners or ‘chinese-speaking’ ones.
meesk: This is a question of poor financial sense.
Frankly, I don’t see how going into business equates poor financial sense.
Hi Lobo, you are right that most (not average) Singaporeans are not entrepreneur because in this small island, there is not social welfare for you to fall back when your business fail. If you are fully aware of the situation right now in Singapore, you can easily be jobless and difficult to get a job regardless of qualifications, be it under qualify or over qualify, that’s why many PMETs are driving TAXI. Perhaps your are a rare Singaporean who will take business risk even at the expense of making all your kids lost a home. Well you can LOBO around if business fail but can your kids?
While it is true that some hard-luck stories are self-inflicted. But there are many other true hard-luck people who are in that position through no fault of their own.
We will never know the true numbers of such people, as majority are turned away or the red tape imposed by the MIW is too confusing for such people to go through. My own cousin, a divorcee fell into hard times, when he husband left for greener pastures. Unable to pay the housing loans, her home was reposessed and she and her 3 school-going children had to stay with relatives. She asked for help, but ended up filling up countless forms and in queue for aid. But no aid was forthcoming, instead she was directed to get help from the NGOs.
The only organisations that helped her at that time was the non-profit NGOs. After close to 5 years, she finally was able allowed to rent a home, only after many interventions from the NGOs pleading on her behalf to the HDB.
Is has always been the MIW’s tactics to tell a one-sided story to prove their policies work, and Singaporeans largely are to blame if they are unable to take advantage of the MIW’s policies. But they have never provided any data, on how many actually did not benefit from their polices because of their indifference and red tape. Unfortunately, it saddens me to read from the posters comments, that there are people who actually believed the MIW.
Such posters’ ignorance or feign ignorance will ensure the MIW will continue to be in power.
TOC, should conduct an interview with the NGOs, and ask them how hard the NGOs had to fight for the rights of the underclass and the destitutes with the govt organsations. To enlighten the ignorant posters how soulles and out of touch the MIW really are.
For the ignorant posters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie9SzMSkq5k&feature=channel
1:35-2:35, how a single mum who was retrenched unable to get some leeway because of govt. red tape
4:20-5:45, the govt. policy supposedly to help us Singaporeans, but actually not helping at all.
6:00-6:25, another retrenched Singaporean, unable to get a job, because of our govt. policy to flood Singapore with cheap labour.
11:00-end, Tharman, extolling how they help Singaporeans with their pro-business policies, but yet no mention of policies to help Singaporeans directly.
I suggest the ignorant posters to try to get their news other than from the MSM, and do not fall for every MIW’s lies.
What really saddens me is I learnt about all this at University & even experienced it first hand as a volunteer in a homeless shelter…… 10 years ago in London. When I came back to work in Singapore I never thought it would ever happen here. But guess what, it has. If anything, what many developed countries have learnt is that it never helps to point fingers at anyone (governments, institutions or individuals) but start ACTING on homelessness, whether it’s policy-making, supporting homeless people & families through the tough times, or enabling them to get back on their feet. If there is 1 thing I learnt, it’s the fact that although every homeless person has a different story to tell, not a single one of them actually *chooses* to be homeless.
SocPol,
You can help :). Join this facebook group I’ve set up-
http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=243022663629&share_id=388929248464&comments=1#!/group.php?gid=243022663629&ref=ts
Apart from updating on news and articles, we some times also ask for donations, depending on the needs on the homeless individual. If you have anything to suggest, you can also write to me at nohappycampers@gmail.com
JoshC
@Najib
I understand where you are coming from. I think you know as well as I do, some of the short comings of the community is to do with the ‘Malay’ mentality. It is a conundrum that has faced the community for quite a long time. To a point that it is easy to put the common Malay into a stereotyped mould. As for Indians in Singapore, I cannot really explain or conclude as I do not have all the facts but assumptions. Maybe their support groups like Sinda plays a better role than Mendaki? Could it be the steep cultural influence makes the community a closer knit group? That would result in the community looking after themselves better, and more inclusive.
I agree with you that we need to self reflect, but who do we see in ourselves and where do we sit in the society and big economic plan. Unlike Malaysia which has big companies run by their locals, what do we have that would make our contributions to the economy relevant and crucial to the country’s growth. Are we deprived of the opportunities or are we truly underachievers who are content to always be a backstage handlers rather than performers in the global arena?
All I am asking from the Ministers are solutions for the community, there are difficult topics that needs to be brought up, but they are not willing to discuss it or bring forth the issue. Some problems cant’s be solve by the people or help groups, rules needs to be changed and choices needed to be made. For that very reason the Malay community will always be held back.
“TOC, should conduct an interview with the NGOs, and ask them how hard the NGOs had to fight for the rights of the underclass and the destitutes with the govt organsations,” Incredulous.
Agree with him.
i agree with jack..
hummm. pap is all about money. what the crap? no one wants to help? i wonder when LKY die.
but jack’s comments had been deleted!