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Another sad story of a young S'porean

makapaaa

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<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Another sad story of a young S'porean</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:56 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 9) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>28 year old Singapore teacher burdened by hefty mortgage loan for HDB flat before marriage

March 24, 2010 by admin
Filed under Life Stories, Opinion

Leave a comment
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/03/24/singapore-teacher-burdened-by-hefty-mortgage-loan-for-hdb-flat-before-marriage/


Dear TR,
Thanks for publishing the article by Ms Judy Eng. (read article here) It really strikes a chord in my heart as I am in the same situation as her too. I am 28 this year now working as a teacher in a secondary school.
My fiancee just found a job in a GLC as an engineer after six months of looking for one. The pay isn’t fantastic as there is an abundance of foreign engineers in Singapore. He considered himself lucky to finally secure a full-time job after months of being on contract.
We are planning to get married in July and just bought a 4-room resale flat at Sin Ming. Guess how much it costs? You won’t believe it, we bought it at almost $500,000. No kidding, it’s true! All the flats in the vicinity cost above $500K. After paying about $30,000 in COV partially paid for by our parents, we do not have a single cent left for our wedding which we will have a simple afternoon tea buffet at our church instead of the traditional 8-course Chinese dinner.
I am really worried about our future. We earn barely $5,000 together and the mortgage loan already took up 30 percent of our income. We still have to cough out some cash after using up the entire CPFs. The moment I think of this, I lost all the mood already.
People used to say that marriage is the happiest moment in a girl’s life, but I am not looking forward to it. I feel very heavy, like a burden placeed on my chest, sometimes choking me, it is so suffocating. Can we buy a new flat? I do not wish to wait for another 3 to 4 years, anything can happen to our relationship during this period of time. It is a risk I cannot afford to take.
My hubby-to-be is burnt out everyday from work – OT, OT and OT and he is not paid for it. For me, my weekends are either burnt in school CCAs or marking the homeworks of my students. We hardly meet each other at all, sometimes just enough time to have a meal or catch a movie. Somehow I feel apprehensive startinig life together with another person, am I ready for it? I don’t think we can start a family, at least for the next three years or so. How to have children when we are not financially stable?
I will pay the loan mostly on my own as my hubby still have to pay for his student loan and car loan. I have only a few thousand dollars in my savings now and I wonder how long they can last me. What happens when there is an emergency? Or if we are retrenched? I dread to think of the worst…but women being women, they always think alot.
Every month, my pay gets used up almost immediately after it’s deposited into my POSB account – living expenses, allowances for parents, and now with housing loan, I really don’t know how far we can continue like this. Did we do our Maths before we make the purchase? Yes, but what can we do, the flats are expensive everywhere and we want to stay near our parents. Even 4-room flats in Jurong are calling above $400,000 nowadays! The prices are really going crazy, the agents told us that they will only go up in the future as the govt will never allow them to come down.
Sorry for the ramblings. There are so many things on my mind now, I can’t think or type clearly…..Thanks for providing me an outlet to vent my frustrations, who can understand what we are going through? Sigh, maybe I am one of those few unlucky souls.
Please edit and publish this rant of mine as you see fit. Thanks again for listening.

Melissa Quek
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A bit of hard work never killed anyone

I have to wake up real early to get my food supplies and restaurant opens until late night

I sleep 2 hours between closing and early morning, another 2 hours late morning and maybe a short nap in the afternoon

all these youngsters love to complain

that s why we must import more PRCs

singaporeans have grown too soft too soft and useless, especially graduates
 
Why didn't she consider 'cohabitation' as an option ?

It's so rampant in Taiwan and Thailand.
 
<TABLE class=msgtablealt cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:56 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (2 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.2 in reply to 30554.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98735 class=alt>Weil on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 4:13 pm
3577c288fa3173d7011e16be826a7a49

Its a common tale for heartlanders these days.
Used to feel sad when I hear of such tales. Nowadays its so common that we are more or less resigned to such fate….many thanks to poor planning and mindless strategies set by our elite government.


<LI id=comment-98750 class=alt>x12831 on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 4:30 pm
0dc96ba574793083d2f3c2c4c1c8879c

Melissa, you are not alone. There are countless other couples in a similar situation like; some are worse, with either one partner unemployed or both. You and your partner has to rely on each other for support, keep your expenses to the minimum and delay your parenthood. Working overseas may be an option that is worth considering. God bless!

</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"> </TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap> Options</TD><TD class=msgrde width="50%" noWrap align=middle> Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:58 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (3 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.3 in reply to 30554.2 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98760 class=alt>Sawdust on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 4:39 pm
113b7990c7b38cedc7e40a5826e82630

I am a single parent who bought a BTO 4 room in 1999 @ $146,300, when my annual pay was close to $50k per annum. I was forced to resign in 2004, after working for a little over 14 years. It was comfortable for me to pay $622/mth from my CPF. I had to re schedule my instalment as I had anticipating zero income later. I tried driving the taxi for 6 months but proved that it was not my cup of tea. I was even offerred cleaner position or retail sales at the CDC but I know I will not survive on that pay. Now I am over 50yo, and earning about 55% less than my peak. On top of that, my CPF from my employer is reduced on my 50th birthday. What a birthday present PAP gave me. If it’s not for my only child’s repayment of the education loan. I will not be able to pay for the instalment of $418/m. I had taken the PAP’s slogan “More good years!” seriously, I am now spitting at them! Imagine I am to pay the instalment until I reach 62yo. I don’t know if I will survive working until then.
My virgin vote had gone to the opposition in 2006 as I had the luck of walkovers before. Please vote for a change!
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Really sad indeed. The couple got no money, no strength and no mood to make babies. All thanks to Mabok Tan and the posse of blood suckers.
 
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:59 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (4 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.4 in reply to 30554.3 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98761 class=alt>Protoss on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 4:39 pm
14deeea5fa6a6b8e0095fe124141702e

after reading so many articles, i realise how lucky i am and how so many common singaporeans are suffering. i don’t have to pay for home or car, meals at home are provided for by family. home is a gcb, much different from what most singaporeans are accustomed to. when younger, i used to be chauffeured around.
but here, the differences end. unlike my siblings and cousins, i was educated locally—because my A level grades were good enough(straight As, special papers etc) for nus.
i started work a few years ago, and am working in a glc. some weeks, i can hit over 100 hrs a week working.
whatever i do, i seriously do not see how i can afford much more than a hdb flat to stay even if i hit hours upon hours of overtime.
on top of that, i have already served 2.5 years of NS, done a few years of reservist and need to take IPPT yearly.
simply put, the situation is frustrating to say the least.
time and again, my friends/neighbours some of whom are enjoying life without needing to lift a finger to do work, have told me that there is no point in working so hard, that i should enjoy life like them.
work is also frustrating oftentimes. there are more foreigners than singaporeans in the department where i work, almost in a 2:1 ratio. frankly, i think the best days of singapore are over—it is in a decline.
and the curious investments of GIC/Temasek in 2006-2007 certainly didn’t seem to help.
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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"></TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>5:01 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (5 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.5 in reply to 30554.4 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98807 class=alt>Orange Oracle on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 5:19 pm
921b89f1b2cd7fcc7563c9735aaa0eea

Dear Melissa,
From the Govt standpoint, they will tell you why do you want to commit to such an expensive HDB flat in the first place ?? It’s your own doing. There are cheaper ones lying outskirt, like in Bt Panjang, Bt Batok/Gombak etc. besides, you will get some govt subsidies for 1st timer. right ?
From an individual standpoint, I can emphatize with your situation. Whatever your reasons, I believe it is valid & genuine. It’s a fact that HDB prices are creeping higher & higher by the year, to a point of becoming unrealistic as public housing.
The ppl in power doesn’t give a damn anymore. They get 8.8% pay increment this year while most of us got pay-cut or even lost our jobs…They can afford to lose billions but we can’t afford to lose our jobs…
Time for change, time for change…
</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"> </TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap> Options</TD><TD class=msgrde width="50%" noWrap align=middle> Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"></TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>5:02 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (6 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.6 in reply to 30554.5 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98817 class=alt>Concerned on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 5:28 pm
5f21eee2211cda24d5373c0f8e7650a8

Dear Melissa,
I so sorry to hear your plight…! You and your hubby-to-be are in esteem professions and yet caught up with the follies of our highly paid government. This again confirms the bleak future for our young generation. We must now make a strong resolve to reduce the hegemony of the current government.
We must unite as Singaporeans to show this government in the next elections that they are put there by the people for the people…literally !!! As highlighted in TR’s many articles and elsewhere, the present government is on high gear to “brainwash” the people again that are no credible people are out there to challenge them and that their policies are the best.
Singapore born citizens must show the government who are the bosses and not be afraid of the government’s scare tactics….after all we have already been moved into the second class citizen zone despite all contributions both of our parents and us….!!!!
Lets not just resign to fate but use all our avenues to push the government to listen to its TRUE Singaporeans…!! There has to be checks and balances in the government in the form of oppositions, for the voices of the citizens to be heard like many other countries.
Please share your story in many forums as I am sure there are many people in your same predicament.
</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"> </TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap> Options</TD><TD class=msgrde width="50%" noWrap align=middle> Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
<TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>5:03 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (7 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.7 in reply to 30554.6 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98821 class=alt>third-class_Singaporean on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 5:33 pm
01e8d688e9b2fc35ee0b608bcc5a35cb

Can understand how u feel.
Many years ago when I first bought my flat it was already $40000 COV. My relatives helped us with the COV. I thought it was expensive then. But we managed to pay off the loan after a while. Now i have to worry for my son. (luckily only one child). I think i must save some money for him to buy flat or else he may have problem buying.
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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>5:05 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (8 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.8 in reply to 30554.7 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98865 class=alt>Devoran on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 6:15 pm
3f009d72559f51e7e454b16e5d0687a1

Dear TR
After hearing the stories from Judy and Melissa, I hope my story can act as a counter-balance. In a way, I just want to show the difference of being born 5 years earlier than both Judy and Melissa blessed me with a little more luck. That since the last election many government policies have gone wrong, and we need strong, immediate change.
I am 32 now, and working in an MNC. My wife is of the same age, and an accountant with another foreign firm. We had graduated from the local university 9 years back, and had starting salaries of less than $2,000.
When I proposed to her in 2004, my situation was very similar to Melissa. We made less than $5,000 combined, but house hunting was really a fun process for us. We had our pick – from a condo in Hillview going for about $600,000 to a HDB executive condominium in the west at around $400,000 (which we almost bought). End of the day, we got very lucky and balloted a HDB flat, and chose a $300,000 unit. Our queue number then was about number 4,000 with only 1,800 units for the development, which meant that more than 2000 people had given up on their queue numbers before us, so it was really lucky.
The next 6 years of our lives were quite painful for me. As we didn’t have our own home yet, we had to stay with our in-laws which really inconvenienced them. We took the opportunity to drive our dingy OPC car whenever possible to pass by our building home, and yearned for it till crazy.
When we collected our keys last December, our income has more than doubled over the last 6 years, and I really count myself very lucky. I felt that the government policies had served me well, and that now I had a home that I could retire in, and leave as a legacy for my baby who’s 3 years old now.
Whilst a lot of my colleagues are FT, they are really here thanks to a warped government policy and by no fault of theirs. I enjoy a very cordial working relationship with them, and can’t see how anyone can detest working with colleagues from other countries just because they came from different roots.
I am looking to quit very soon to venture a bit with a small business, try to find a way to make a living whilst feeling fulfilled. My wife’s income will support us during this period. I promised her that if my venture fails, I’ll hang my head (in shame LoL) and find employment again. Even if as a taxi driver, I don’t think I’ll starve.
I never believe in “You reap what you sow”, and put my current situation as downright lucky – lucky to have been born just a hands worth of fingers earlier than Judy or Melissa.
———
With that, I want to say that I have benefited only at the lost that many of my fellow Singaporeans are suffering from today, for the sole reason that I was born earlier.
I empathize with the strain those who are very early in their working careers, and being subjected to an education system that did not allow them to understand any form of making a decent income other than as an employee.
We need change, else it can only get worse. I am content and happy for myself and my family. I hope people reading this will be too.
If you feel jealousy, then you know that there needs to be change. Maybe not in the form of a wholesale change in government, but at least a counterbalancing voice to show them that the policies currently being churned out are fallacies and hurting everyone who wants this country and it’s people to succeed.
TR, feel free to print this out too as you deem relevant.
Devoran
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<TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>5:14 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (9 of 11) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.9 in reply to 30554.8 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><LI id=comment-98919 class=alt>Not a Dad on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 7:10 pm
b34e98ebc240fe55a57c2f804cfd81fc

Melissa,
I am a engineer too and I am of the same age as you.
Ten years ago, LKY told us that the country needed engineers to service our manufacturing industry.
LKY and the PAP had more credibility than now, so I must be forgiven for my naivety. I went into NUS Engineering with straight As.
Into my 1st year in NUS, there was a FLOOD of foreigners into our faculty. Most were 3rd rate students from China, Malaysia and India brought by MOE here (Free education with $500 monthly allowance while I need to work part time and try to repay student loans…HAHAHAHHA!!!!!).
Innumerous engineers were given PRs and citizenships like toilet paper, even till now! The PAP told us to go into Engineering, BUT did not even BLOODY wait for us to graduate before MASS importing foreign trash!
-I served NS and forgone 2 years of work and pay. FARK!
-I need to risk my life to protect these idiots who deprive me of work, depress my pay, inflate housing prices. DOUBLE FARK!
-Many engineers around me, like your hubby, WORK OT with no OT pay. Why? Because the company will fire your ass if you dare to leave at 6pm!If you are unhappy with work conditions, then you can go. The company can replace you with cheap and slave-like engineers from Malaysia in less than a day, thanks to PAP! TRIPLE FARK!
-I want to get married and I really really love kids. But the financial burden weighs down on me as it does on you. To be secure to have kids, I need to scrimp and save till I am 40 (I am a miser who spends less than 25% of my income!).
A single retrenchment, or a few months without renewal of my engineering contract, or a disease could put my kids and us sleeping on the void decks. (Actually the HDB doesn’t even allow us to do that)
I can only look sadly at the kids of others and imagine the kids I can never have….(TEARS…)
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ah melissa ...

dat burger oredi said b4 ... u went in wif ur i's open ...
 
A bit of hard work never killed anyone

I have to wake up real early to get my food supplies and restaurant opens until late night

I sleep 2 hours between closing and early morning, another 2 hours late morning and maybe a short nap in the afternoon

all these youngsters love to complain

that s why we must import more PRCs

singaporeans have grown too soft too soft and useless, especially graduates

Hahaha Hey you, why dont you put your real name down and your restaurant name to be scrutinize. I'm in the f and b line too. With the tighter S pass rules, the shit gonna hit the fans soon enuff. The cashback thing that restaurant uses for their S pass thing will eventually bite you guys in the ass.
 
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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Another sad story of a young S'porean</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:56 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 9) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>30554.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>28 year old Singapore teacher burdened by hefty mortgage loan for HDB flat before marriage

March 24, 2010 by admin
Filed under Life Stories, Opinion

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http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/03/24/singapore-teacher-burdened-by-hefty-mortgage-loan-for-hdb-flat-before-marriage/


Dear TR,
Thanks for publishing the article by Ms Judy Eng. (read article here) It really strikes a chord in my heart as I am in the same situation as her too. I am 28 this year now working as a teacher in a secondary school.
My fiancee just found a job in a GLC as an engineer after six months of looking for one. The pay isn’t fantastic as there is an abundance of foreign engineers in Singapore. He considered himself lucky to finally secure a full-time job after months of being on contract.
We are planning to get married in July and just bought a 4-room resale flat at Sin Ming. Guess how much it costs? You won’t believe it, we bought it at almost $500,000. No kidding, it’s true! All the flats in the vicinity cost above $500K. After paying about $30,000 in COV partially paid for by our parents, we do not have a single cent left for our wedding which we will have a simple afternoon tea buffet at our church instead of the traditional 8-course Chinese dinner.
I am really worried about our future. We earn barely $5,000 together and the mortgage loan already took up 30 percent of our income. We still have to cough out some cash after using up the entire CPFs. The moment I think of this, I lost all the mood already.
People used to say that marriage is the happiest moment in a girl’s life, but I am not looking forward to it. I feel very heavy, like a burden placeed on my chest, sometimes choking me, it is so suffocating. Can we buy a new flat? I do not wish to wait for another 3 to 4 years, anything can happen to our relationship during this period of time. It is a risk I cannot afford to take.
My hubby-to-be is burnt out everyday from work – OT, OT and OT and he is not paid for it. For me, my weekends are either burnt in school CCAs or marking the homeworks of my students. We hardly meet each other at all, sometimes just enough time to have a meal or catch a movie. Somehow I feel apprehensive startinig life together with another person, am I ready for it? I don’t think we can start a family, at least for the next three years or so. How to have children when we are not financially stable?
I will pay the loan mostly on my own as my hubby still have to pay for his student loan and car loan. I have only a few thousand dollars in my savings now and I wonder how long they can last me. What happens when there is an emergency? Or if we are retrenched? I dread to think of the worst…but women being women, they always think alot.
Every month, my pay gets used up almost immediately after it’s deposited into my POSB account – living expenses, allowances for parents, and now with housing loan, I really don’t know how far we can continue like this. Did we do our Maths before we make the purchase? Yes, but what can we do, the flats are expensive everywhere and we want to stay near our parents. Even 4-room flats in Jurong are calling above $400,000 nowadays! The prices are really going crazy, the agents told us that they will only go up in the future as the govt will never allow them to come down.
Sorry for the ramblings. There are so many things on my mind now, I can’t think or type clearly…..Thanks for providing me an outlet to vent my frustrations, who can understand what we are going through? Sigh, maybe I am one of those few unlucky souls.
Please edit and publish this rant of mine as you see fit. Thanks again for listening.

Melissa Quek
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Bak Chor Mee Man



http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=lLIQ-yMgUx8&feature=related


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There are 3 types of FTs in SG -
1) blue-collar consrtuctions and mundane cleaner jobs
2) white-collar, (a) sales/retail and executives
3) white-collar, managerial positions AND high level positions

For (3), high level positions, We need them. End of story here.

For (3), managerial positions, we can do without 60-80% of them because Singaporeans can actually do their jobs as well if not better than them.

For (2) sales and retail< all of their jobs can be taken by Singaporeans easily. This is a no-brainer.

Why people like Judy exist is because they pay employment agencies to get a job here. The employment agency gets between 5K-8K from the FT to get employment here. The employment agency gives part of this to the hirer which includes company boss or HR, depending on the size of the company.

Singaporeans suffer because MOM and the garment in general does not do anything to ensure that FTs are hired only because they are needed WHEN Singaporeans can not be found.

Blame the lazy garment for allowing the influx of FTs. many actually pay their bosses to get employment here.

Just vote out the PAPies so that we can have a garment that ensures that REAL systems are in place to safeguard jobs for our citizens.

A garment, anywhere in the wold that cannot ensure affordable housing. responsive healthcare, job stability and pensions for old age should never be put in power. The PAP has been in power for nearly 50 years and all this whle the end_result is a pathetic account on housing, healthcare, job security and pensions.

You waiting for fark!??!

Vote them out! :oIo: We the 33% take it upon oursleves to strive to influence the 66% to make better decisions in the next GE. If all we do is to complain here and do nothing concrete to affect voters and their votes< then we are worse than the 66% who are blind.

MERDEKA!!!!!!!

MERDEKA from the PAP!!!

MERDEKA for SINGAPORE!!!!!!!!
 
Long live Singapore!!
Down with the traitorous PAPpy gahmen which does not put Sinkie peasants' interests before that of their foreigner pets!! It's NS for Sinkies and jobs for foreigners.

Remember to vote wisely at the coming GE, assuming of course you are allowed to vote at all.
 
Must buy that unit one meh? Got cheaper one don't want to take and must burden themselves with the loans. I remember when my wife and I were looking for flat, we looked for those at valuation level. No need to pay that much. And if the price is too ex, stay with parents first lah! What's with the people nowadays? Must have their own house when married?
 
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