Family ordered to go for mediation to settle housing dispute
By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 24 Apr 2013 9:14 PM
A High Court judge has ordered the family of late scouting pioneer Dennis Goh Chin Chye to go for mediation, to settle the row over a five-room HDB flat valued at S$800,000.
SINGAPORE : A High Court judge has ordered the family of late scouting pioneer Dennis Goh Chin Chye to go for mediation, to settle the row over a five-room HDB flat valued at S$800,000.
It is a last-ditch effort to resolve the long-running feud between Mr Goh's 91-year-old widow Eileen Chia Yoke Mui and her two daughters.
The mediation, which takes place on Thursday, will involve Madam Chia's two daughters and two sons.
Defence Counsel Alfred Dodwell, who is representing both daughters, Yvonne Goh Mei Ling and Yvette Goh Meich'ang, told Channel NewsAsia that "parties, having heard the Judge, have agreed to go for urgent mediation because after all, it is a family-related dispute".
The case came about after Madam Chia claimed she was coerced by her daughters into becoming a joint tenant for their Clementi flat in 2009.
She alleged that they had repeatedly harassed and badgered both herself and her late husband into doing so.
She also claimed that her daughters had "exploited" their old age, fragility, weak health and lack of resources.
But the daughters have refuted these allegations and denied placing their mother under "intense stress".
They claimed that there was no undue influence and that their mother had acted on her own will.
In addition, they claimed their mother had understood the implications of the transfer of the flat, and had not objected to it.
They added that the lawsuit was "forced upon them by third parties", who Channel NewsAsia understands are their brothers.
The case will go to trial on Friday if the mediation fails.
- CNA/ms
