Interview with 75 yr old granny abandoned by 6 children
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Watch the exclusive video interview in 2 parts here:
http://singaporeenquirer.sg/?p=714
Prologue:While Singaporeans are celebrating the festive season, 75 year old Madam Chan (not her real name) does not know when her water supply will be cut off again. She lives with her 69 year old husband, Mr Chua (second husband, her first one whom she had her children with passed away 20 years ago) in a one room rental flat. Her 6 children have abandoned her and she have tried to find them to no avail. Occasionally, they will drop by and give her a hundred dollars or so to spend. Unable to find any work and not qualifying for Public Assistance, she was left to fend on her own. Madam Chan still owes PUB about S$2,000 in utility bills and her water supply was once cut off for 2 weeks.
Excerpts of interview translated from Hokkien:SG Enquirer: How many children do you have ?
Madam Chan: 6 , 3 sons and 3 daughters.
SG Enquirer: Do they still keep in touch with you ?
Madam Chan (sobbing): No, they simply vanish, I don't know where they are. They didn't give me any numbers to contact them.
Madam Chan: Have you seek the help of your MP ?
SG Enquirer: Yes, they ask me to contact the Tribunal for maintenance of parents. I dare not go as I do not know what to say. If I say the wrong thing, I may be jailed.
SG Enquirer: Do you owe the PUB any money ?
Madam Chan: Yes, about S$2,000, only for the water, they didn't charge me for the electricity.
SG Enquirer: Was your water supply ever cut ?
Madam Chan: Yes, not too long ago, it was cut for 2 weeks because I cannot afford to pay the utility bills.
SG Enquirer: Oh gosh, how do you live without water for 2 weeks ?
Madam Chan: We leave the tap on for it to drip drop by drop into a bucket which is filled up after a day. We use the water to bathe.
SG Enquirer: How much is your water bills a month ?
Madam Chan: Sometimes S$20, sometimes S$30, we owe them for a few months already.
SG Enquirer: Did you tell your MP that you cannot afford the utility bills.
Madam Chan: Yes, but they did not take any action.
SG Enquirer: Did your chidren give you any money during Chinese New Year ?
Madam Chan (crying): No....my life is really a tragedy.
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poor lady and how terrible can these grandsons/daughters get..
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tragic..
this is y ppl say 1 mother can take care of 10 children but havent confirm if 10 children can take care of 1 mother..
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I feel sad for this lady...
but this is TOTALLY PWNAGE!
Madam Chan: Have you seek the help of your MP ?
SG Enquirer: Yes, they ask me to contact the Tribunal for maintenance of parents. I dare not go as I do not know what to say. If I say the wrong thing, I may be jailed.
I laughed at this only...
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Originally posted by ~N3RD~:
I feel sad for this lady...
but this is TOTALLY PWNAGE!
Madam Chan: Have you seek the help of your MP ?
SG Enquirer: Yes, they ask me to contact the Tribunal for maintenance of parents. I dare not go as I do not know what to say. If I say the wrong thing, I may be jailed.
I laughed at this only...
why will kena jail ?
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why is she not qualified for public assistance?
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Originally posted by Ed11790:
poor lady and how terrible can these grandsons/daughters get..
So is the MP.
SG Enquirer: Did you tell your MP that you cannot afford the utility bills.
Madam Chan: Yes, but they did not take any action.
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haix poor lady....
so next time muz be filial to our own parents, dun let them end up in this state..
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retribution lor.. maybe next time their kids will treat them lke this too..
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i can blame the MP at first who fail to take any appropriate action to help the immediate needy. My gosh , 2 weeks without water supply!!!
the children for whatever reason, should get together to pool in monet to support their elder parents. maybe they have financial difficulties of their own, but leaving the older parents to fend for themselves is not the way la.
sad la, even the older folks is leaving fate as it is as they know, the govt will never help them.
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Originally posted by dragg:
why is she not qualified for public assistance?
She does not qualify for PA because she still have children.
To qualify, you must prove the following:
1. You are ALONE in this world with no children, brothers, sisters, cousins or any relatives.
2. You have been certified by a specialist doctor that you are PERMANENTLY UNFIT to work.
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If you have to be permanently unfit and have no relatives in order to qualify for public assistance, you are better off dead.
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I'm sad for the old folks... but the children might hv their own difficulties too, every home have their own story. But the MP obvisouly are not doing a good job, not initiative at all.. They are more like meeting the resident for the sake of meeting and showing, they dun hv the heart like wat Chinese say: 'Ai ming ru zhi' Love the ppl like ur own..
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i feel so sad for them. their children should have children who treat them in the same manner.
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omg -.-
why are there such children? -
SG Enquirer: Did you tell your MP that you cannot afford the utility bills.
Madam Chan: Yes, but they did not take any action.
omg
why gt this kinda of mp draw so much money frpm public n do nth
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life can be v. depressing
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But she lives with her 69 year old second husband leh.
Isn't it that the spouse should be taking care of their spouse ?
Her second husband is a drug addict issit ? Or a gambler who gambles away her allowances ?
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double post.
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Originally posted by rebound:
omg
why gt this kinda of mp draw so much money frpm public n do nth
They cost taxpayers 13K a month and they do not attend every MPS hor, sometimes they go jiat hong, their kakis will take over. -
Actually, we don't have the full picture of what's happening. As outsiders, we don't have the right to comment the children so this and that.
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should put up the name of the GRC/SMC, the MPs only react when singled out
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Originally posted by yapmarcus:
if that is the case i guess only a damn small minority of people qualifies.then why increase gst? the increase is way more than those who eventually qualifies.
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cause your definition of poor who need help from the 2% increase, is different from the definition of poor who need help from the 2 % increase that our leader is refering to...