03/03/2010
Life's not a ball for 'beach communities' Singapore The Straits Times
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Mar 3, 2010
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BUDGET DEBATE
Life's not a ball for 'beach communities' By Nur Dianah Suhaimi
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Homeless families: Kids come first Nurture Your Child's Potential Exhibition & Seminar @ Suntec Singapore (Concourse) on Sat, 10 April 2010, 10am - 8pm
WHEN the Ministry of C ommunity Development, Youth and Sports (MC YS) comes across a homeless family, it will step in 'assertively' to protect the children's interests, said its minister Vivian Balakrishnan. MC YS will ensure the children have a roof over their heads, so they do not have to camp on the beach or stay at parks and void decks. 'They must continue to go to school. They must continue to get access to good food, good hygiene,' he added in his reply to Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC ). However, MC YS' priority is to keep homeless families intact, said Dr Balakrishnan. Hence, it
Many of the Malay families who live in tents by the beach (above) ended up homeless because they sold their flats and spent the cash, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Masagos Zulkifli, citing cases handled by the authorities. -- LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE PHOTO
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A SEGMENT of the Malay community has been likened to bankrupt English soccer club Portsmouth by Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Masagos Zulkifli. Both spend beyond their means, he said yesterday during the debate on the Government's proposed Budget. He drew the comparison w hen he and Dr Ahmad Magad (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) spoke on the issue of Malay families w ho live in tents by the beach, and explained how they came to be homeless. Going by the cases w hich they have handled, it was clear that many such families ended up homeless because they had sold off their flats and spent the cash. They used the proceeds to pay off the debts they had chalked up and, having frittered away the rest, they ended up not having enough to pay even the rent. 'They do not think about buying a new flat or w here their family is going to stay, even though they have young children,' said Dr Magad. Some stay w ith relatives, and others live in tents by the beach w hile w aiting for a rental flat. The appearance of these 'beach communities' has made the headlines in recent months. Mr Masagos noted that this 'is often linked by the media to the Malay community, w hich always faces challenges and w hich has been described as a community that has been left behind'. He added: 'Some people also link it quickly to the lack of ability among the leadership of the Government to solve the problem.' Even as he stressed that the Government and community leaders w ould strive to help such families, he noted that 'w e must not forget the real reasons as to w hy they are stranded there, and not be quick to point fingers'. Figures earlier this year showed an increase in the number of homeless people picked up by w elfare officers in housing
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03/03/2010
Life's not a ball for 'beach communities' estates, beaches and streets. According to the Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry, a total of 253 people w ere picked up by its officers last year, up from 123 in 2007. These people were from all the major races.
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