I READ the report, ‘Uproar over new rental flats going up’ (Feb 9), with great concern. Although Singapore is a developed country, we have somehow created divisions in our cohesive society.
People are now more self-centred. Some look at the type of flats they live in and conclude that having rental flats around theirs will lower the value of their property. Some assume that people who live in rental flats are trouble makers.
I grew up in a rental flat in Hoy Fatt Road and later moved to the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) quarters. When my mother retired from PSA, we moved to Telok Blangah Drive, renting a one-room and one-hall flat in Block 45. Our doors were open most of the time. We knew our neighbours well and even exchanged gifts on festive occasions.
Today, many people live in large flats but the doors are closed and neighbours hardly know one another.
Smokers and drinkers are everywhere, but they should not be seen as an unwanted group. Foreign workers are here to help Singapore by doing jobs Singaporeans are not interested in. Without them, many jobs in the cleaning and construction sectors would remain unfilled.
We should not segregate fellow citizens with comments and undesirable attitudes.All Singaporeans should bond together to ensure a better living environment.
Now my family lives in a three-room flat in Tiong Bahru. But if one day we had to move to a rental flat, would we be regarded as potential trouble makers?
Since we are from the lower-income group, I am deeply concerned and distressed.
Dennis Lee
Source: Straits Times, 17 Feb 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment