En-bloc sales a menace to society

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BFor...ry_263156.html

Aug 1, 2008

En-bloc sales a menace to society


SOCIETY watches in disbelief at what is happening at Laguna Park. And now we hear of the ugliness in other condos too.

If collective property sales lead to gangsterism and bullying tactics in normally law- abiding Singapore, shouldn't the sales be stopped?

The ingredients of greed, dismissing neighbours' wishes, community strife and now criminal damage to cars - where will it end?

Perhaps it is time for the powers-that-be to realise that, once the en-bloc monster raised its ugly head, there are many hydra heads emanating from the problem because love of money is the root of all evil.

I worry what values we are teaching our children by example: that it is more important to make a profit from our homes and barter away our values of community and our memories than to have honour and discipline and respect for our neighbours.That it is okay to sell a condo like Gillman Heights and be part-buyer at the same time.

Collective sales, by their very nature, encourage us to disrespect our neighbour's wishes.

Not everyone understands the unhappiness caused by collective sales. To live in fear of reprisal in Singapore is against every vestige of social harmony we have achieved since our first National Day. Perhaps some live in bungalows and cannot understand how it feels to live in a condo and be 'evicted' by some rule of 80 per cent one didn't vote for? To live in fear and anxiety of losing one's home daily because there is never just one attempt on one's home sweet home?

It is clearly time to call for a referendum on collective sale rules.

Laguna Park is a symptom of the drastic unwanted social upheaval we condo owners are going through. Collective sales are divisive and cut to the very core of our sense of belonging and community.

Letty Aw (Mrs)