In the spirit of GE, I have decided to share my story and experiences. As a first time voter, I know that every vote counts, and I want to make sure my vote goes to someone I can trust my next 5 years with as a Singaporean. I have never been shy about politics, and I have friends who know my stance about it. But my experience has made me think twice about whether Mr. Murali Pillai is empathetic enough to be my MP.
Back story: I live with my mum (in her 60s) in a one room rental flat in Bukit Batok and she is separated from my dad (late 70s). Complicated story, but they were never married. As my parents start to get older, it became more clear to me that no matter what they have done in the past, I have to care for them as their only child. For years, right after I graduated from poly, I worked hard to climb the corporate ladder, with hopes of being able to look after my parents.
When Mr. Pillai was my MP, I went to his Meet-The-People session (MPS), hoping he could help to appeal to HDB to enable me to purchase a flat to house my elderly parents, my grand aunt (late 80s, staying in another rental flat), and myself. I understand that I was not eligible under the joint single scheme as I'm in my early twenties, and my parents do not have sufficient income/cpf and are too old. I was even willing to pay with my CPF, and have my mum co-own the flat. I knew if given the assistance, I just have to continue to work hard to provide for my 3 elderly loved ones. They are old, and they deserve the best from me.
Mr. Pillai asked me why my parents are not married. I explained to him that that is my parents' affairs and I just want to provide a big enough space for me to care for my elderly loved ones. My parents have had purchased flats before but they have lost the flats for some unfortunate reasons in the past (retrenchment and scammed), which is why my mum and I landed up in a rental.
He told me right in the face that I can only blame my parents for not planning properly, and for putting me, as a child, in this situation. I was shocked, and so was the volunteer on duty who was helping me during MPS. I was close to tears and tried to beg him to hear me out and justify my situation.
He told me (someone in her early twenties) to get married, as that was the only solution.
He then told the volunteer to escort me out because "this young lady is clearly emotional".
I did seek help from Housing & Development Board on my own. Things got hard without an MP's appeal because I was told to prove that my mum didn’t own her past purchase or to provide proof that she was scammed. But, how do I reach out to the scammer to provide proof to HDB? I was at wits end, and gave up entirely.
Back story 2: Last November, the rental unit directly below mine caught fire, and my neighbour passed on because she was trapped in her flat (https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...atok-blaze-where-fire-hose-reels-could-not-be). The fire hose was locked and SCDF could not access the water source. Jurong-Clementi Town Council stated that the locked hose reel was a fault of an external contractor.
The fire burnt through my drain cover and caused my pipe to leak. The corridor of the units surrounding the burnt flat remained grey, no matter how hard we try to wash away the soot. Mr. Pillai came over and told us he will have people look into it. Nothing was done weeks after the fire, and we had to constantly reach out to the town council to follow up on the painting of the walls. It is now end of Jun. More than half a year later, and my pipe is still leaking. I did call HDB to follow up on this recently, and am still waiting for a response.
Please, tell me how I should feel, as a resident in this SMC, where Mr. Murali Pillai is representing us. I felt hurt, because I respected him as a community leader. I remember teenage me promoting him to my mum during the last by-elections. But these experiences showed me that he did not empathise with us, and only deliver empty promises.
(Disclaimer: I know of MPs whom I have previously encountered and have served during MPS who are empathetic, and I am really grateful that they listen to the people. This post is not to get HDB to expedite or look into my request, nor to flame any political party/government agencies, but to share my own experience with one of the candidates running for my SMC, and to hear what others have to say.)
Back story: I live with my mum (in her 60s) in a one room rental flat in Bukit Batok and she is separated from my dad (late 70s). Complicated story, but they were never married. As my parents start to get older, it became more clear to me that no matter what they have done in the past, I have to care for them as their only child. For years, right after I graduated from poly, I worked hard to climb the corporate ladder, with hopes of being able to look after my parents.
When Mr. Pillai was my MP, I went to his Meet-The-People session (MPS), hoping he could help to appeal to HDB to enable me to purchase a flat to house my elderly parents, my grand aunt (late 80s, staying in another rental flat), and myself. I understand that I was not eligible under the joint single scheme as I'm in my early twenties, and my parents do not have sufficient income/cpf and are too old. I was even willing to pay with my CPF, and have my mum co-own the flat. I knew if given the assistance, I just have to continue to work hard to provide for my 3 elderly loved ones. They are old, and they deserve the best from me.
Mr. Pillai asked me why my parents are not married. I explained to him that that is my parents' affairs and I just want to provide a big enough space for me to care for my elderly loved ones. My parents have had purchased flats before but they have lost the flats for some unfortunate reasons in the past (retrenchment and scammed), which is why my mum and I landed up in a rental.
He told me right in the face that I can only blame my parents for not planning properly, and for putting me, as a child, in this situation. I was shocked, and so was the volunteer on duty who was helping me during MPS. I was close to tears and tried to beg him to hear me out and justify my situation.
He told me (someone in her early twenties) to get married, as that was the only solution.
He then told the volunteer to escort me out because "this young lady is clearly emotional".
I did seek help from Housing & Development Board on my own. Things got hard without an MP's appeal because I was told to prove that my mum didn’t own her past purchase or to provide proof that she was scammed. But, how do I reach out to the scammer to provide proof to HDB? I was at wits end, and gave up entirely.
Back story 2: Last November, the rental unit directly below mine caught fire, and my neighbour passed on because she was trapped in her flat (https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...atok-blaze-where-fire-hose-reels-could-not-be). The fire hose was locked and SCDF could not access the water source. Jurong-Clementi Town Council stated that the locked hose reel was a fault of an external contractor.
The fire burnt through my drain cover and caused my pipe to leak. The corridor of the units surrounding the burnt flat remained grey, no matter how hard we try to wash away the soot. Mr. Pillai came over and told us he will have people look into it. Nothing was done weeks after the fire, and we had to constantly reach out to the town council to follow up on the painting of the walls. It is now end of Jun. More than half a year later, and my pipe is still leaking. I did call HDB to follow up on this recently, and am still waiting for a response.
Please, tell me how I should feel, as a resident in this SMC, where Mr. Murali Pillai is representing us. I felt hurt, because I respected him as a community leader. I remember teenage me promoting him to my mum during the last by-elections. But these experiences showed me that he did not empathise with us, and only deliver empty promises.
(Disclaimer: I know of MPs whom I have previously encountered and have served during MPS who are empathetic, and I am really grateful that they listen to the people. This post is not to get HDB to expedite or look into my request, nor to flame any political party/government agencies, but to share my own experience with one of the candidates running for my SMC, and to hear what others have to say.)
