LOUSY HDB EXPERIENCE... SINGAPOREANS!!!!!

I have had enough of it. Hdb flats in Singapore sucks. By that I do not mean the building or hdb unit is not good (HDB has earned world wide recognition for their home building efforts). What I have an issue with is the neighbours.

I have always heard about Singaporeans being complain king and queen but never really believed it until now. Why do I say they are Singaporeans? because they are easily over 60 years of age and the chances of them being PR is quite low.

Wouldn't it be understandable for people who just moved into a unit, to make some noise moving stuff, arranging furniture, fixing furniture? And in the modern day live, everyone will be working in the day so that only leaves the night free. (of course there is the weekend, but doing it over a period of weekends is just so weird). So anyway, the incident goes like this.

There is this big cupboard that needs to be set up. There are some parts that needs hammering and I did it during the day. At night, me and my brothers put the cupboard together (I cannot do it alone as it is heavy and bulky). While we were fixing the cupboard, we noticed that we left out a section that needs hammering so I proceed to fix it (the time was 9.30pm). Well, what else can we do? half way into fixing the cupboard, rationale will be to complete it rather then dismantle everything and wait for weekend. It was just three nails and took like 10 minutes. But that brought one of our neighbours to our door, asking us to stop. Even threatening to call police bla bla bla...... I so wanted to blast him for that as I was sweaty, tired, and irritated by him. But I wanted to complete the cupboard so I just apologize and close the door on him. (By the way, police will not even give a !@#% about his complaint at that time and when noise is for short period). This is the first incident and I do not feel so bad about it and keep telling myself that only minority is not understanding.

Then today another complaint came while I was happily eating my lunch feeling wonderful for the day. This time the next door neighbour came and ask me to remove the plants on the COMMON corridor, claiming that the corridor is his. The plants are not in anyway obstructive to the passage. Even if it is, the unit I stayed in is the corner unit and only me and my brothers use the corridor. The next thing, he threatened to make report to NEA or HDB if I do not remove it. His reason is that the plants will draw mosquitoes. Obviously he know nothing about plants. If he does, he will know that there is no way those plants can breed mosquitoes because 1. There is no plant tray at the bottom so there will not be collection of water. 2. plants are place at drainage area so all excess water will flow out instantly.

FRIENDLY Neighbours? YEAH RIGHT!!! that is the joke of the century. I cannot understand why they are so rude. The biggest issue I have is that they do not just talk nicely and give reasons. They use threat. Worse still, they use threat thinking that I know nothing about how things are done in Singapore.
Complain about noise at 9.30pm??
Report about plants that breed mosquitoes when there are no stagnant water????

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To Hell with them@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lucky? Unlucky?

Maybe luck has been with me for far too long and decided to take a well deserved break. It is all fine except that luck took a break when I am at a major phase of my life, the transition from studying to working.

Unfortunately, I graduate into a period of financial uncertainties. Companies are holding back employment because of such uncertainties. So I am stuck with no job and dwindling savings. If this continues, I may not be able to survive past august. Seems like a long time to go. But US seems to be heading into long depression comparable to Japan, so they say. While China has a host of its own problem to handle. Singapore does not seem to have a strong fence to lean on and grow. Even if it does, majority of financial companies are European or US companies and will be affected by the economy in their own region.

My future does not look too good now. I just hope I can get a job to tide this through.

Desperate Situation

Triple desperate. And no. I am not talking about desperation for opposite sex. I am desperate for money, for job, for a decent place to stay at reasonable price.

All of them seems to be making a good job of being invisible to me now. I am starting to feel the pinch of rising prices after much talk from other people.

The rental prices of HDB units in Singapore is really unaffordable. 3 working professionals in singapore (excluding me since I do not have a job yet), have been trying unsuccessfully to search for low cost hdb to stay in and cannot afford middle class hdb. This is outrageous since their pay is at worst average. If average wage worker have to find a place to stay in low cost hdb, I wonder where those who lives in low cost hdb should go. The most impossible thing is that low cost hdb prices are edging closer to middle class hdb. High end hdb on the other hand edging closer to condo prices.

Add to that is the existence of numerous desperate people seeking to rent a place. One viewing of a unit for rental easily draws more than 5 groups of people. The worst thing is that the condition is not acceptable with most noticeable defect in the toilet. And the same unit was posted for rental again after the viewing without any decrease in price. and there are more and more units up for rental for shorter period. Many people are taking the chance to go out station for holiday funded by the high rental income?

The poor working class have to suffer. Running around like clueless strays hoping for a affordable place to stay. While at the same time, prices of everything is rising making people poorer with same income. I suppose it is a global phenomena. I just wonder when, if ever, people will get a reprieve from this.