[HDB News]PAP Desmond Choo:'I understand how the poor feel'.He stayed in 4-room flat

[ysyap]

The article put it quite clearly staying in 4 room HDB flat was part of the 'poor period' for him.

He moved from a maisonette to 4 room flat.

Actually the article is rather misleading...

First the title whoever posted it, reads .... how the poor feel'. He stayed in 4-room flat. This inevitably shaped our thoughts before we even read the article.

Second, the article actually records that the poor period is when they had to borrow to eat. Next paragraph, it recorded, 'later', is it after poor period or after they lived in massionette? Not clear so stir up discussion for us...

Third, many replies seem to suggest that the MP is out of poverty and is now well off therefore many people are unhappy that he's insensitive by calling those who stay in 4 room HDB flat as poor. The article clearly states that he is still living in the 4 room flat the last 15 years so technically, based on the same argument, he is still poor, isn't he? He is not rich, like many people quoted.

[hopeful]

The article put it quite clearly staying in 4 room HDB flat was part of the 'poor period' for him.

He moved from a maisonette to 4 room flat.

SINGAPORE - As a child, Mr Desmond Choo lived in a maisonette and made annual trips to Hong Kong to visit his father who was working there.
.................... recounted Mr Choo, 33. He added that his father had to borrow money to put food on the table.
Mr Choo's family later moved to a four-room flat where they have stayed for the last 15 years.

what can you calculate?
Mr Choo 33 yo, stay 4room for 15 year, so he moved to 4 room when he was 18yo. Is 18yo still considered a child?
There are gaps in the article.
During the poor period, does it mean the family still stay in maisonette but father has to borrow money to put food on the table?
or he move someplace else (which was not mentioned in the article) and at 18yo moved to 4 room flat?

[wenqing]

SINGAPORE - As a child, Mr Desmond Choo lived in a maisonette and made annual trips to Hong Kong to visit his father who was working there.
.................... recounted Mr Choo, 33. He added that his father had to borrow money to put food on the table.
Mr Choo's family later moved to a four-room flat where they have stayed for the last 15 years.

what can you calculate?
Mr Choo 33 yo, stay 4room for 15 year, so he moved to 4 room when he was 18yo. Is 18yo still considered a child?
There are gaps in the article.
During the poor period, does it mean the family still stay in maisonette but father has to borrow money to put food on the table?
or he move someplace else (which was not mentioned in the article) and at 18yo moved to 4 room flat?

??????

18 years old cannot be poor and stay in 4 room flat ??

I hope you can read plain English and be more direct.

Nobody is saying staying in 4 room flat is poor.

But to this PAP candidate, he thinks staying in a 4 room flat from maisonette is considered poor to him, that is how he relates to being poor.

He use a bad example to connect to the poor.

[devilplate]

the whole thread is damn boliao la.....tats y i got annoyed last nite!

no valued added at all! duno wats the purpose of bringing in this article and post it under this thread somemore!!!

testing whos english standard better? comprehension test???

aso duno whether the writer of the article misinterpret anot....mabe wrong choice of words? mabe tat guy meant it to be another way but the article turns out to be like dat? jus read it with pinch of salt....and y nid to create a big hoo ha and bother to post it here!

[hopeful]

??????

18 years old cannot be poor and stay in 4 room flat ??

I hope you can read plain English and be more direct.

Nobody is saying staying in 4 room flat is poor.

But to this PAP candidate, he thinks staying in a 4 room flat from maisonette is considered poor to him, that is how he relates to being poor.

He use a bad example to connect to the poor.

obviously your comprehension is poor.
18yo cannot be considered a child anymore.
when he as a child, make HK trip and then couldn't anymore, he is still a child, that was his poor period, when he has pocket money problem and father has to borrow money to put food on the table.

So during the intervening years, from child to 18yo. it didn't mention anything about where they stay. They continue staying in maisonette? asset rich but cash poor? hence father borrow to put food on table.

where exactly in the article do you get that idea from?

[peterng8]

look in another perspective, wenqing views is also very diverse in terms of politics and others..and also the way he looks at various secenerio....Some of the points he mentions I dont even think about it and I am more aware...

He could made a fine opposition party, has he ever considered joining this camp and voice out in parliament...I think alot of people resided here would like to see intellectual debate on this instead of present situation where I seldom see (if any) in Parlllament...as mybe no one want to rock the boat(sorry borrow our freind phasre from other thread)...


one thing for sure...with inflation up and up...alot of people dread to pay more what happen if GST MAY increase again(GST increases always have a cascading effect in price increases...eg fishball noodle at S$3 will jump to S$3.50 even GST increase is 10% for eg)...

[devilplate]

he is simply spreading political virus here lah...

there r other forum like hardwarezone....and there r many 'hidden heroes' there who can tok and debate better

me not keen at all and tats y nvr visit those forums....only come here for ppty discussions.....but now flooded with such stuff....really sian man!

[wenqing]

obviously your comprehension is poor.
18yo cannot be considered a child anymore.
when he as a child, make HK trip and then couldn't anymore, he is still a child, that was his poor period, when he has pocket money problem and father has to borrow money to put food on the table.

So during the intervening years, from child to 18yo. it didn't mention anything about where they stay. They continue staying in maisonette? asset rich but cash poor? hence father borrow to put food on table.

where exactly in the article do you get that idea from?

Who is talking about child here or not ?

What is moving in 4 room flat from maisonette connected whether he is child or not ?

You mean from 18 years old until 33 years old, where he still feel poor because he stay in 4 room flat and making statement out of it is considered different ??

He is comparing his years in maisonette, pocket money and travel to 4 room flat, less pocket money and no travel to relate to poor.

Does he know what poor really means in Singapore ??

[hopeful]

l......
He could made a fine opposition party, has he ever considered joining this camp and voice out in parliament...I think alot of people resided here would like to see intellectual debate on this instead of present situation where I seldom see (if any) in Parlllament...as mybe no one want to rock the boat(sorry borrow our freind phasre from other thread)...
...

Yup, if & when Wenqing becomes an MP, during debates, he will point out articles from Temasekreview, Hardwarezone, to support his arguments
This article from Temasekreview say this.
That article from Hardwarezone will back this article from Temasekreview.
this article says government make bad investment in Citibank.

[devilplate]

??????

18 years old cannot be poor and stay in 4 room flat ??

I hope you can read plain English and be more direct.

Nobody is saying staying in 4 room flat is poor.

But to this PAP candidate, he thinks staying in a 4 room flat from maisonette is considered poor to him, that is how he relates to being poor.

He use a bad example to connect to the poor.

the whole thread is damn boliao la.....tats y i got annoyed last nite!

no valued added at all! duno wats the purpose of bringing in this article and post it under this thread somemore!!!

testing whos english standard better? comprehension test???

aso duno whether the writer of the article misinterpret anot....mabe wrong choice of words? mabe tat guy meant it to be another way but the article turns out to be like dat? jus read it with pinch of salt....and y nid to create a big hoo ha and bother to post it here!

[wenqing]

look in another perspective, wenqing views is also very diverse in terms of politics and others..and also the way he looks at various secenerio....Some of the points he mentions I dont even think about it and I am more aware...

He could made a fine opposition party, has he ever considered joining this camp and voice out in parliament...I think alot of people resided here would like to see intellectual debate on this instead of present situation where I seldom see (if any) in Parlllament...as mybe no one want to rock the boat(sorry borrow our freind phasre from other thread)...


one thing for sure...with inflation up and up...alot of people dread to pay more what happen if GST MAY increase again(GST increases always have a cascading effect in price increases...eg fishball noodle at S$3 will jump to S$3.50 even GST increase is 10% for eg)...

Errr...this is not politics.

This is current affairs affecting our daily lives.

If you take time to think about what our leaders says, most are gaffes.

It is just that the MSM help shield them with better headlines.

[devilplate]

Who is talking about child here or not ?

What is moving in 4 room flat from maisonette connected whether he is child or not ?

You mean from 18 years old until 33 years old, where he still feel poor because he stay in 4 room flat and making statement out of it is considered different ??

He is comparing his years in maisonette, pocket money and travel to 4 room flat, less pocket money and no travel to relate to poor.

Does he know what poor really means in Singapore ??

the whole thread is damn boliao la.....tats y i got annoyed last nite!

no valued added at all! duno wats the purpose of bringing in this article and post it under this thread somemore!!!

testing whos english standard better? comprehension test???

aso duno whether the writer of the article misinterpret anot....mabe wrong choice of words? mabe tat guy meant it to be another way but the article turns out to be like dat? jus read it with pinch of salt....and y nid to create a big hoo ha and bother to post it here!

[wenqing]

Yup, if & when Wenqing becomes an MP, during debates, he will point out articles from Temasekreview, Hardwarezone, to support his arguments
This article from Temasekreview say this.
That article from Hardwarezone will back this article from Temasekreview.
this article says government make bad investment in Citibank.

I think you are babbling nonsense.

Most root sources are from MSM itself.

[extremme]

Stay in 4 room flat poor? I grew up in a 3 room flat so I'm poorer? What an immature statement made by dis candidate. Instead of trying to empathize with e real poor he has distanced himself from them by not being able to tell and demonstrate wat is real poor. This just goes to show bulk of pap candidates are rich. If not how will they be able to attend harvard, Cambridge etc how can these rich people born with silver spoon in their mouth ever be able to have e same goals n dreams as e average Joe in the street?

[devilplate]

Stay in 4 room flat poor? I grew up in a 3 room flat so I'm poorer? What an immature statement made by dis candidate. Instead of trying to empathize with e real poor he has distanced himself from them by not being able to tell and demonstrate wat is real poor. This just goes to show bulk of pap candidates are rich. If not how will they be able to attend harvard, Cambridge etc how can these rich people born with silver spoon in their mouth ever be able to have e same goals n dreams as e average Joe in the street?

actually the title is: i understand how the poor feel.......but duno y smbody added in 'he stayed in 4rm flat'

different definition of poor.....some say they poor bcoz they stayed in 1rm flat....barely make ends meet blah blah....but when compared to those african kids.....who is poorer....? so some will interpret, hey u like dat call urself poor? u duno wat is poor!?!

another group will interpret: hey i stay in 4rm flat while driving S class merc....poor? its a matter of choice....they will feel insulted...

wrong choice of words? mabe its better for him to say: i stay in HDB before for 15yrs and i can understand the various needs of the heartlanders better....

haha....politics damn sian one.....say one word wrongly....kena left right centre...smtimes they dun say anything better den they tok too much? haha

[howgozit]

Finally this thread in proper place at Coffeeshop Talk for Wenqing to pursue his boliao agenda here.

You are full of self-righteous arrogance. Your born loser mentality is pitiful....

[westman]

Stay in 4 room flat poor? I grew up in a 3 room flat so I'm poorer? What an immature statement made by dis candidate. Instead of trying to empathize with e real poor he has distanced himself from them by not being able to tell and demonstrate wat is real poor. This just goes to show bulk of pap candidates are rich. If not how will they be able to attend harvard, Cambridge etc how can these rich people born with silver spoon in their mouth ever be able to have e same goals n dreams as e average Joe in the street?

KNN, Not really poor but pretend to be poor ...

Me lagi poor as ever living in rented flat with family for 20++ years.
During these twenty over years, PUB terminated power supply numerous time due to unpaid PUB bills. Dinner was plain rice with beef stock only.

[extremme]

Yup it definitely is a wrong choice of words there he should have put it across in a nicer tone. If this matter gets more attention n he loses at hougang bet we will never see dis candidate again . And there ate many rich people living in Hdbs too

actually the title is: i understand how the poor feel.......but duno y smbody added in 'he stayed in 4rm flat'

different definition of poor.....some say they poor bcoz they stayed in 1rm flat....barely make ends meet blah blah....but when compared to those african kids.....who is poorer....? so some will interpret, hey u like dat call urself poor? u duno wat is poor!?!

another group will interpret: hey i stay in 4rm flat while driving S class merc....poor? its a matter of choice....they will feel insulted...

wrong choice of words? mabe its better for him to say: i stay in HDB before for 15yrs and i can understand the various needs of the heartlanders better....

haha....politics damn sian one.....say one word wrongly....kena left right centre...smtimes they dun say anything better den they tok too much? haha

[westman]

actually the title is: i understand how the poor feel.......but duno y smbody added in 'he stayed in 4rm flat'

different definition of poor.....some say they poor bcoz they stayed in 1rm flat....barely make ends meet blah blah....but when compared to those african kids.....who is poorer....? so some will interpret, hey u like dat call urself poor? u duno wat is poor!?!

another group will interpret: hey i stay in 4rm flat while driving S class merc....poor? its a matter of choice....they will feel insulted...

wrong choice of words? mabe its better for him to say: i stay in HDB before for 15yrs and i can understand the various needs of the heartlanders better....

haha....politics damn sian one.....say one word wrongly....kena left right centre...smtimes they dun say anything better den they tok too much? haha

If politician cannot tahan L/R/C, than they better hide than coming out to contest.
So far, papees roll out 6 candidates (33% are FT turn citizen , Singaporeans very lousy meh? ), dun't really that impressive wor... maybe goood one come last...

[devilplate]

If politician cannot tahan L/R/C, than they better hide than coming out to contest.
So far, papees roll out 6 candidates (33% are FT turn citizen , Singaporeans very lousy meh? ), dun't really that impressive wor... maybe goood one come last...

latest figures: singaporeans only 74%(3771.7/5076.7) of the entire population....

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/the...hist/popn.html

[peterng8]

latest figures: singaporeans only 74%(3771.7/5076.7) of the entire population....

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/the...hist/popn.html

in future more and more converted singaporeans as birth rate going down...si meh jialat...singaporean children have to defend country full of converted singaporeans... must drag the converted singaporeans to serve NS (reservist too) ask them to become cook, driver, mechanices, IT personnel also good...

[peterng8]

If politician cannot tahan L/R/C, than they better hide than coming out to contest.
So far, papees roll out 6 candidates (33% are FT turn citizen , Singaporeans very lousy meh? ), dun't really that impressive wor... maybe goood one come last...

possibly converted singaporeans are sure 100% vote for the white mah...so if u want supporters who do you call? not ghost buster but converted singaporean

[westman]

latest figures: singaporeans only 74%(3771.7/5076.7) of the entire population....

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/the...hist/popn.html

Bro, if you read the fine print, 3771k refer to residents lah.
Singaporean only 3230K (63.63% only). PR is 541k. Also, I believe the 3230k should include at least 20% of those FT-turned- Citizen (many of them from malaysia and china wor) and I estimated local pure Singaporean to be around 2548k and that is just 50.91% only nia.

Garment allows more FT to come in maybe for the following reasons:

1) Instant income for garment, be it from tax or Permits
2) Dun't need to pay baby bonus
3) Dun't need to wait twenty years after paying baby bonus
4) Less expenses to invest in younglings.
5) Lower operations costs for businesses with influx of FT who asking lesser than SGrean.
6) Improve critical business masses for economics reasons.

- 10 year ago FT took away low wages job from us
- now Ft took away hawker stalls business from us as an example, they have upgraded wor...
- 10 years from now, do you think FT will take away our children's job?

With more FT turn-MP, do you expedct more pro-FT policy to come?

[devilplate]

Bro, if you read the fine print, 3771k refer to residents lah.
Singaporean only 3230K (63.63% only). PR is 541k. Also, I believe the 3230k should include at least 20% of those FT-turned- Citizen (many of them from malaysia and china wor) and I estimated local pure Singaporean to be around 2548k and that is just 50.91% only nia.

Garment allows more FT to come in maybe for the following reasons:

1) Instant income for garment, be it from tax or Permits
2) Dun't need to pay baby bonus
3) Dun't need to wait twenty years after paying baby bonus
4) Less expenses to invest in younglings.
5) Lower operations costs for businesses with influx of FT who asking lesser than SGrean.
6) Improve critical business masses for economics reasons.

- 10 year ago FT took away low wages job from us
- now Ft took away hawker stalls business from us as an example, they have upgraded wor...
- 10 years from now, do you think FT will take away our children's job?

With more FT turn-MP, do you expedct more pro-FT policy to come?

our unemployment rate about 2%....if dun allow FTs, there will be a wage war....gd for employees....hurt employer's pocket and ultimately tx the cost to end user....which in turn hurt the low income most? so i support productivity....abit too late....but better den nvr...

as for newly converted singka turn-MP, i tink shd be ok rite....as they oredi converted, they shd protect their interest?

i feel govt shd draw deeper lines between PR and citizen so as to attract more PR to convert

for me, i am ok with more converted singka.....but not ok with increasing % of PRs and FTs

[westman]

our unemployment rate about 2%....if dun allow FTs, there will be a wage war....gd for employees....hurt employer's pocket and ultimately tx the cost to end user....which in turn hurt the low income most? so i support productivity....abit too late....but better den nvr...

as for newly converted singka turn-MP, i tink shd be ok rite....as they oredi converted, they shd protect their interest?

i feel govt shd draw deeper lines between PR and citizen so as to attract more PR to convert

for me, i am ok with more converted singka.....but not ok with increasing % of PRs and FTs

I felt very sad yesterday evening after reading a news report about a 68 years old man was arrested for hitting people.

What happened was this old man has been working odd job for the past ten years. However, job was getting hard to get lately due to his age and poor health. Also, this old man has asthma, heart problem and weak limps.

With zero income, this old uncle turn to illegal food selling for survival. Law finally catch up on him yesterday and garment enforcers wanted to confiscate his tricycle and tools during a raid. The poor old uncle got agitated thus getting very defensive so as to propect his last asset for survival.

According to the report, police confirmed the old man was arrested becos he assualted someone and they are currently investigating the matter.

My heart was deepened becos why an old man have to turn to illgal food selling at 68 years old? What has happened to our society?

The old uncle can work as cleaner be it in HDB or Kopitiam but, unfortunately, those cleaner jobs were mostly taken up by FT if you observe carefully. I dun't mind more FT to come if everyone in SG is well taken care and their interests are protected before all else.

The issue here is not to argue whether this old man deserve to get caught but what happened to him may also happened to us too.

[hyenergix]

Where are his children?

[westman]

Where are his children?

This ah peh has been separated with him for 40+ years and his three kids stay with ex-wife. Never contact each other since.

Doubt that old man is good either. However, am very concern that we will have to work to keep our mouth feed when we reached that age.

[hopeful]

anybody called social services to check on him?
the police attempted to seize his tricycle sounds similar to the police seizing the poor Tunisian cart, which of course lead to the current unrest in the Middleeast.
I don't want the old man to immolate himself and cause instability in the region also.

Anywhere, I read of cases where people deliberately get themselves sent to prison because have free food.

[westman]

anybody called social services to check on him?
the police attempted to seize his tricycle sounds similar to the police seizing the poor Tunisian cart, which of course lead to the current unrest in the Middleeast.
I don't want the old man to immolate himself and cause instability in the region also.

Anywhere, I read of cases where people deliberately get themselves sent to prison because have free food.

Thanks. Good strategy to get food! Another retirement option for us.

[hopeful]

Thanks. Good strategy to get food! Another retirement option for us.

just remember to commit only soft crimes, not hard crimes.

Hard crimes like inflicting injury, rape, or anything that hurts a victim is a no no. If below 50 (60?) will be caned some more.
Soft crimes like littering, jaywalking and refusing to pay fine is ok.