Are some here homeless by choice?
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While they deliberate...
Govt says even with 3 options available, some prefer to be homeless. Not always the case, say MPs By Peh Shing Huei
EVERY now and then, the media reports on cases of Singaporeans who live in void decks, or on the beach.
Yesterday, their plight was raised in Parliament, with different views on how they came to be homeless.
They are sometimes 'homeless by choice', said Parliamentary Secretary (National Development) Mohd Maliki Osman.
But four MPs rose to their feet to argue that some people were forced out of their homes and had no choice but to sleep in void decks.
The debate arose from a question filed by Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Marine Parade GRC).
Referring to two homeless cases cited by Dr Faishal which were featured in Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian in November and last month, Dr Maliki said that in both cases, the people were 'homeless by choice rather than due to circumstances beyond their control'.
The first person, said Dr Maliki, made substantial profits through the sale of two subsidised flats. When he applied for a subsidised Housing Board rental flat, he was rejected because he could not meet the eligibility conditions.
The second person, added Dr Maliki, defaulted on the mortgage payments on his flat, which he had purchased from the open market with a housing grant.
When the bank repossessed his flat, he applied to HDB for a subsidised rental flat, but was also rejected because he could not meet the eligibility conditions.
HDB advised him to consider buying a smaller flat or to live with his siblings, or to stay at temporary shelters run by volunteer organisations, but he declined all these suggestions.
Dr Maliki highlighted three options for families who have trouble finding a roof over their heads: subsidised rental flats, open-market rental flats, and living with extended families.
Mr Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) asked: 'Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that there are also many cases of residents who are in negative equity and, as a result of that, the banks are forcing a sale and therefore they actually don't have excess cash to help them rent a flat, buy a flat?
'And that these cases are increasing because of the policy change of allowing banks to handle HDB mortgages?'
Families planning to take up a bank loan should understand the implications of taking on this responsibility, said Dr Maliki.
Mr Sin Boon Ann (Tampines GRC) noted: 'When they apply for an HDB loan and they get turned down and the only alternative to getting financing for the house is to turn to the banks...it is not as if they have a choice.'
Both Ms Irene Ng (Tampines GRC) and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied GRC) also questioned if housing options are affordable to those from the lower-income group.
Dr Maliki assured them that the Government will try to help individuals who need shelter.
He said: 'If they do merit consideration, we will try to help them.'
NO MEANS TO RENT OR BUY
'Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that there are also residents who are in negative equity and...they actually don't have excess cash to help them rent a flat, buy a flat?'
MR INDERJIT SINGH (Ang Mo Kio GRC)
BANK LOAN IS ONLY OPTION
'When they apply for an HDB loan and they get turned down and the only alternative to getting financing for the house is to turn to the banks...it is not as if they have a choice.'
MR SIN BOON ANN (Tampines GRC) -
HDB = Homeless, Destitute & Bummed Out
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That is where loan sharks comes in
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Ok yes, I agree som eof the problems are created by people due to their wrong choices, so are they going to be condemned in a vicious cycle forever cos of these financial errors and is the govt not going to help but watch?
So, if someone decides stupidly to swim in a river and get drowned. Is that Maliki going to say they they drowned by choice??
Come on use common sense...who with any decent and right mind choose to be homeless.
See this is the kind of ELITES in parliament we are overpaying for. Disgusting -
this is the problem with the govt...they're so afraid to help.....homeless by choice? i think not....it's an oft repeated excuse by the uncaring elites to help themselves sleep better at night.....why reject people who need a cheap place to stay in? criteria are inflexible, it does not take into account of many other factors...they only assume that since you are earning $x amount, you should be able to afford a hdb....how out of touch these people are.....
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Pathetic and lame government..
I've run out of breath to say anything about them lah...!
I just look forward to the day when they get 33.3% in votes... -
the govt should let citizens rent flat at subsidized rates.
we dont need to own flats. it is killing us. -
Well, perhaps THEY think that if they listen to us, we'd kill them...Originally posted by dragg:the govt should let citizens rent flat at subsidized rates.
we dont need to own flats. it is killing us.
financially that is... -
Have they ever seen themselves as having a direct relationship to the success or failure of the people they work for (represent)?
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can i be stateless by choice?
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Maybe the rich can donate money to build houses for them like what they do for the Indonesian tsunami victims
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Yeah man.. clever at manipulating numbers to justify their fat paychecks... but when we ask them where the results are, they stick their hands up in the air and go "That's your fault not ours."Originally posted by Mid9Sun:See this is the kind of ELITES in parliament we are overpaying for. Disgusting
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Govt says even with 3 options available, some prefer to be homeless. Not always the case, say MPs By Peh Shing Huei
They are sometimes 'homeless by choice', said Parliamentary Secretary (National Development) Mohd Maliki Osman.
But four MPs rose to their feet to argue that some people were forced out of their homes and had no choice but to sleep in void decks.
Just look how out of touch MP have we "voted in"
The debate arose from a question filed by Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Marine Parade GRC).
Referring to two homeless cases cited by Dr Faishal which were featured in Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian in November and last month, Dr Maliki said that in both cases, the people were 'homeless by choice rather than due to circumstances beyond their control'.
The first person, said Dr Maliki, made substantial profits through the sale of two subsidised flats. When he applied for a subsidised Housing Board rental flat, he was rejected because he could not meet the eligibility conditions.
The second person, added Dr Maliki, defaulted on the mortgage payments on his flat, which he had purchased from the open market with a housing grant. -
Wah the dumb government never think that sekali his family also don't want him then how siah... they always never think out of the book one leh. The bloody elites always think the world is so rosy and so beautiful and all people are kind and gentle... frk you.
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Life is hard
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Mr Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) asked: 'Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that there are also many cases of residents who are in negative equity and, as a result of that, the banks are forcing a sale and therefore they actually don't have excess cash to help them rent a flat, buy a flat?
'And that these cases are increasing because of the policy change of allowing banks to handle HDB mortgages?'
Families planning to take up a bank loan should understand the implications of taking on this responsibility, said Dr Maliki.
Mr Sin Boon Ann (Tampines GRC) noted: 'When they apply for an HDB loan and they get turned down and the only alternative to getting financing for the house is to turn to the banks...it is not as if they have a choice.'>
this dr maliki either has his brain in his arse or is entirely out of touch with the realities in singapore. -
EVERYTHING IS IS 'BY CHOICE' SEEMS TO BE THE EASIEST EXCUSE THE GAFMEN CAN THINK OF FOR ANY DEBATE..
homeless by choice...
jobless by choice...
wat next? -
After crap hits the fan, the cleaning up only just started..
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Target help at those who need it
By Leong Wee Keat , TODAY | Posted: 29 January 2007 1312 hrs
Michael Palmer said he will look into what can be done for students to offset the upcoming GST hike
Identify those who have defaulted on their HDB loan repayments or have not been able to pay their utilities bills — when deciding who should get a bigger slice of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) offset package — instead of sticking to stark criteria of personal income or flat size as in the past.
This unorthodox suggestion of how to allocate Government relief came from economist Tan Khee Giap, who was speaking at a People's Association Youth Movement (Paym) policy forum yesterday,
He suggested a "country-wide record", monitored by a centralised agency, be set up to monitor those people who regularly turn to agencies for aid and, hence, are likely to be in real need of help.
"I suggest that you look at people and how many months they do not pay their PUB bills; the number of people who default on their HDB rental or HDB instalments," said the Nanyang Technological University don. "These are all valid indicators that (they) cannot make it in day to day (life) Â… and ought to be helped."
Going beyond the offset package, Associate Professor Tan said that while there are many social assistance schemes to help the poor, the problem is to improve their access to such help.
He suggested that a one-stop centre, providing information on government and welfare groups' assistance schemes, be set up.
Currently doing research on how easily Singaporeans tap such help, Prof Tan noted that those in the lower-income group could easily double, or even triple, their monthly source of funds — if only they were able to tap into all the schemes available to them.
Yesterday's forum was attended by about 80 youths between the ages of 19 and 35, who felt the young should not be left out of the offset package for the 2-percentage-point GST hike.
Temasek Polytechnic student Faris Basharahil pointed out that students are consumers, too. Yet, unlike adults who receive offset package benefits, students receive little direct help, said the 19-year-old.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency Michael Palmer agreed with his concerns. Speaking to reporters later, Mr Palmer said he would look into what could be done for the students.
"Yes, we do a lot in terms of indirect investment in them, education, transport, it's all subsidised ... But, directly, the students feel, 'Hey what am I getting? Everybody is getting a Progress Package, an offset package, what am I getting?'" he said.
Noting the previous GST increases, industry development manager Ricky Ng also asked during the forum whether the impending increase was "the end of the road" for GST hikes.
And, if there is to be a future increase, Mr Ng, 33, said: "Why take your medication once or twice? Why don't we just take an injection and call it a day?"
In reply, Mr Palmer said he would need a crystal ball to predict any further GST hikes, and these would depend on the added expenditure needed for the development of services and the physical infrastructure. - TODAY/sh -
Yah...
Why denied the poor from renting a subsidised flat. The purchase of a 3-4 or 5 room should rest on the liberty of ppl if they wanted to purchase it or not. Why set this kind of policy where u earn 2.5k /mth then u must buy a 4 or 5 rm flat.
They thot the flat very cheap.. 200+k, ppls no need to pay bills, settle some red ang pows.. these and that. What if they are out of job? Childrens, wife?
Nevertheless, they still managed to secure all seats and the ratio remains with 2 opposition voices. I am not supporting of the current parties or opposition. But we really need to seriously consider what we are doing and saying, it just doesn't tally. -
He is the MP of Sembawang GRC. NB!!!Originally posted by lotus999:this dr maliki either has his brain in his arse or is entirely out of touch with the realities in singapore. -
Let's face it lah. You dun BUY the flat, you RENT it for 99 years.
Frankly speaking, I rather rent the flat officially from HDB rather than pay peanuts (puns intended) to "buy" one. -
You vote the PAP by choice. Its democracy for the people, to the people and by the people.Originally posted by 4getmenot:EVERYTHING IS IS 'BY CHOICE' SEEMS TO BE THE EASIEST EXCUSE THE GAFMEN CAN THINK OF FOR ANY DEBATE..
homeless by choice...
jobless by choice...
wat next? -
but not everyone gets to vote leh.Originally posted by shade343:You vote the PAP by choice. Its democracy for the people, to the people and by the people. -
Originally posted by Ito_^:but not everyone gets to vote leh.
During a focus group discussion hosted by Mr Alvin Yeo in my poly last year on how we can improve Social studies, I suggested having a topic to educate our youngster on our political system in a more in depth manner and at the same time lower the voting age to 18. I recommended publishing basic info on all political parties in singapore in the Textbook.
Many students disagreed with me on the lowering of the voting age citing reasons such as "not mature", "not ready" ect ect ect. This goes to show some people are just not interested in voting. -
canot argue with u n dat. i noe some ppl who dare not make any decisions in their lives one, den suddenly hell break lose.Originally posted by shade343:
During a focus group discussion hosted by Mr Alvin Yeo in my poly last year on how we can improve Social studies, I suggested having a topic to educate our youngster on our political system in a more in depth manner and at the same time lower the voting age to 18. I recommended publishing basic info on all political parties in singapore in the Textbook.
Many students disagreed with me on the lowering of the voting age citing reasons such as "not mature", "not ready" ect ect ect. This goes to show some people are just not interested in voting. 