Families that live in ‘tent village’ in East Coast Park don’t deserve pity

A Facebook user, Shiqi Lim, commenting on the report that “more than 10 families live in East Coast Park’s ‘Tent Village’,” said that these “people really don’t deserve pity.”

More than a dozen people have set up camp which is headed by a 29-year-old “village headman”. Most campers were forced into this “temporary shelter” while they wait for their rental HDB flat.

Shin Min Daily News which first reported about the ‘tent village’ said that among the families was a cleaner who moved into the “village” after returning from Tianjin, where she lived for five years with her Chinese husband whom she had divorced. The divorcee who refused to be identified said that she had fallen out with her immediate family after coming home and did not want to live in a rented house with others. She now lives with a male friend.

Another ‘villager’ is a 60-year-old man who lives in the ‘village’ with his wife. He ended up there after injuring himself at work. He plans to move out of the ‘village’ if he is allotted a rental flat.

Shiqi said that the families don’t deserve pity because they rejected proper shelter for fear of losing their freedom, and would rather pitch tent in a public area. She said that that if they lived within their means, they will not end up in such ‘tent villages’.

Just in case you can’t see her post, this is what she said.

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Sorry to say but these people really don’t deserve pity. Provide you with shelter you say you will lose your freedom, you rather pitch tent in public area. FREEDOM COMES WITH A PRICE. Live within your means and you will not end up like this. Keep complaining about rich people holding on to their HDB while owning private property. You know what? People can afford to own multiple properties because they worked hard for it. You think money drop from the sky? Stop complaining and blaming PAP for everything. Blame yourself for not making proper housing decision and end up homeless. Blame yourself for not seeking help from the correct channels. Blame yourself for your incapacity. What era already still want the government to spoon feed you.