Gilbert Goh's xenophobic post

I have read the Gilbert Goh article since it has gone viral and simply do not see what the big hoo-haa is about. No I'm not going to add the link to it, it easy enough to find if you really want to read it. Let it be warned that it is really nothing sensational although it has smeared the otherwise good name of the protest at Hong Lim Park. It seemed like an ill conceived, tongue-in-cheek gone wrong. But hey,  that points more to his lousy command of the English language and inapt writing skills when it comes to such articles rather than his supposed maliciousness towards foreigners.

Do I find it racist? Yes, possibly. Do I think he realised  he was being racist? Probably not. Racism is so ingrained in Singapore society, people don't even realise they are being racist sometimes. Even before the influx of foreigners, Singaporeans have always been cautioned to walk the straight and narrow on the topic of race since we started school. We are told to keep the topic of race  from polite public conversations.  Somehow this lack of freedom to talk about race openly have made us obsessed with it. Just look at our local stand up comedians, take a sampling, most of the jokes are about race. In fact, many Singaporeans enjoy these racist jokes. Ever went to a Kumar show? However, being able to enjoy a good joke rarely mean that we can tell one in a tasteful or funny way. We enjoy them but often do not have the skills to add humour to a topic which  have been repeatedly drilled into the public  mind that it is not PC to mention. Now we have the PRC, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Burmese to add into the mix. Singaporeans can now pretend (or at least put aside difference for a while) we are united as one amongst Chinese, Malay and Indian in the face of the common enemy, all other foreigners. 

Some have said that what Gilbert Goh wrote was just public sentiment of the men on the street. Frankly if you ask me, sentiments on the street are much worse than anything Gilbert Goh wrote. The mob has been activated though and Gilbert Goh's name has been scandalised because of his article and bringing along Hong Lim Park Protest in the tarnished reputation. What an untimely scandal to break. In a bid to rescue the event, many speakers have repeatedly spoken out that is event is not xenophobic in nature and the protest is not against foreigners. Even then, out ingrained racism reared it's ugly head.

In a brilliant face palm moment, the emcee of the event tried to dispel notions that the event is xenophobic by making it much worse.  He said he had many Malay friends when he was young and he EVEN had an Indian friend as if the very idea of a Chinese having an Indian as a friend is so unthinkable. Personally, I found this statement so much more racist than anything Gilbert Goh wrote in that article. And remember, this emcee said this in an attempt to distance himself and the event from Gilbert Goh's scandal that broke and dragged the event through the mud with it.  It just goes to show how much more education is needed on the topic of racism in Singapore is when people say such thing in an effort to prove  that they are not racist. 

So no, I don't think that the article Gilbert Goh wrote came from a place of hatred towards foreigners.  It is stereotyping, bad stereotyping at that if you've read the article but that is not xenophobia. In a tongue- in-cheeks way that many have come to embraced, Singaporeans are typically described/stereotyped as Kiasu, Kiasi & materialistic as well. We are fine with it and I have heard people refer to this stereotype about Singaporeans rather endearingly. It seemed Gilbert's article was trying to do they same to some of our larger groups of foreigners. In fact maybe we can go as far to say he was trying to sooth feelings towards foreigners with his attempt at humour. Due to his writing style, or lack thereof, we don't really know what he's trying to convey. I think he's trying for humour and not hatred but who can tell.

 To me, the biggest faux pas in this incident is that the organiser of such a prominent and possibly landmark event does not have they ability to convey his thoughts clearly. Now that is sad and embarrassing.

Wonders of the HDB enbloc scheme

My parents’ flat has been selected for the HDB enbloc scheme. This is a scheme where HDB (Housing Development Board) buys over your existing flat in return for a new flat at a newly developed estate. HDB flats, where 80% of Singapore’s population lives, are 99yrs leasehold properties. The enbloc scheme ensure that the government can take back older HDB flats before the flats get so old their value dips to almost zero.

The HDB public flats were started in the 1970s as a way of efficient land use in land scarce Singapore. Most people back them stayed in settlements called kampongs.  So the oldest HDB flats by now are around 40+ years old. As most would know, properties on 99yrs leasehold drops in value as the lease decreases, exponentially in the later years eventually until the market value of that property is 0 when the lease is up and the government takes back the property.  So a HDB flat that is more than say 60yrs old, it will not logically be very sort after if you are young enough to outlive your property and want to take a mortgage on your flat. Banks in Singapore will stop giving loans to property older than 60yrs if it is on 99yrs leasehold. 

Current estate

Now my parents were pretty happy being selected for the scheme at first. They get a new flat and have heard that you usually will get some payout in cash. Because the buys back your flat at market price (usually much higher) and offer you the new flat at HDB new flat subsidized price (supposedly much lower price). The cash difference (CD) is usually used for the renovation purpose of the new flats. Those selected for enbloc will get a new flat with the 99yrs counter back at 0, while the government keeps things in a fine balance. All good.

Here is where the irony begins. HDB has full decision rights on which estate to enbloc. Doesn’t that make the HDB flat more like a rental than a property you actually own if the HDB can uproot you anytime? Thought public housing, HDB flats are anything but cheap and a few hundred thousands for pre-paid rental doesn’t seem like such a great deal.  Bought your flat to last your lifetime? Too bad! Done expensive designer renovation? Too bad again! Though HDB will pay you market rate so the renovation will be taken into account when evaluating compensation. Love you neighbourhood and conveniences of your matured township? Too bad as well! With the HDB enbloc and 99yrs leasehold scheme, you have no say on your property especially on the subject of uprooting you from said property.

However, the reason the residents of my parent’s estate are up in arms is none of those above.  It is because most of them will have to TOP UP cash if they want a new flat of the same size.  Because according to the HDB, the new estate they are moving these residents to is so valuable that even after the subsidies, it is more expensive then their current flat. Event with the sky-high open market resale price (my parents current flat is worth almost half a million in the market), the HDB feel the new flat should be even more expensive than that. What will most probably happen at my parents’ current estate is the HDB will tear the old flat, build new ones and sell at an even higher price than the news one my parents are moving to. Because the plot of land my parents’ flat sit on is so much better than the new one they will get. Already there are private developers mentioning how much they are willing to bid for that land to build DBSS flats.  Can’t the HDB just offer the residents of my parents’ estate at least a one to one flat since it is going to be at a lousier location? The HDB’s answer to an old neighbour who said she could not afford to top up any more cash? : Down grade to smaller flat. My parents stay in a mature estate and many of the residents are retirees. Most will have to dig into their retirement funds if they wish to live at the current standard of living in the new estate.  Now without the cash difference from HDB, they have to further dig into their retirement fund for renovation. Renovations are necessary for new HDB flats as they are bare. Meaning no electrical cabling, tiles, doors, basically everything.  So if they do not have much saving in cash, the will just have to make do with rather barren renovations

HDB will not engage or try to help these people but continues to publish articles showing the shining side of the enbloc scheme and telling everyone it is only in very rare instances where people are unhappy with it. Well try doing a survey at my parent’s estate. I’d really like to see how often the “really rare instance” shows up. HDB has no answer or compromised for the situation except to downgrade to a smaller flat. They compassionately told the old neighbour the new estate has really small flats especially catered for the elderly. Auntie replied,” So my children and grandchildren won’t even have a place for a proper weekend family gathering anymore. “

All these while, the HDB maintains incidences of unhappiness are rare. When the resident committee approached the HDB for help they were told that their case will be reviewed after the general elections. What’s that to mean? Don’t vote PAP and you will be left to die or what? Anyway, PAP won in the end. But the issue remains in limbo. The residents there will just have to suck it up and pay more a flat of the same size in a lousier plot of land because they are suay to kena chosen for this particular enbloc scheme. Or they can downgrade to a smaller flat and lousier quality of life. HDB won’t care about this one particular enbloc project in trouble; the majority of projects are alright. Did the government say everyone matter and no one left behind? Well residents at my parents’ estate aren’t feeling the love.