Watch the exclusive video interview in 2 parts here:
http://singaporeenquirer.sg/?p=714
Prologue:
While Singaporeans are celebrating the festive season, 75 year
old Madam Chan (not her real name) does not know when her water
supply will be cut off again. She lives with her 69 year old
husband, Mr Chua (second husband, her first one whom she had her
children with passed away 20 years ago) in a one room rental flat.
Her 6 children have abandoned her and she have tried to find them
to no avail. Occasionally, they will drop by and give her a hundred
dollars or so to spend. Unable to find any work and not qualifying
for Public Assistance, she was left to fend on her own. Madam Chan
still owes PUB about S$2,000 in utility bills and her water supply
was once cut off for 2 weeks.
Excerpts of interview translated from Hokkien:
SG Enquirer: How many children do you have ?
Madam Chan: 6 , 3 sons and 3 daughters.
SG Enquirer: Do they still keep in touch with you ?
Madam Chan (sobbing): No, they simply vanish, I don't know where
they are. They didn't give me any numbers to contact them.
Madam Chan: Have you seek the help of your MP ?
SG Enquirer: Yes, they ask me to contact the Tribunal for
maintenance of parents. I dare not go as I do not know what to say.
If I say the wrong thing, I may be jailed.
SG Enquirer: Do you owe the PUB any money ?
Madam Chan: Yes, about S$2,000, only for the water, they didn't
charge me for the electricity.
SG Enquirer: Was your water supply ever cut ?
Madam Chan: Yes, not too long ago, it was cut for 2 weeks
because I cannot afford to pay the utility bills.
SG Enquirer: Oh gosh, how do you live without water for 2 weeks
?
Madam Chan: We leave the tap on for it to drip drop by drop into
a bucket which is filled up after a day. We use the water to
bathe.
SG Enquirer: How much is your water bills a month ?
Madam Chan: Sometimes S$20, sometimes S$30, we owe them for a
few months already.
SG Enquirer: Did you tell your MP that you cannot afford the
utility bills.
Madam Chan: Yes, but they did not take any action.
SG Enquirer: Did your chidren give you any money during Chinese
New Year ?
Madam Chan (crying): No....my life is really a tragedy.
