Singapore — A letter to TISG, which we published on Monday (Dec 20), was resonant with many netizens, hundreds of whom have left comments on The Independent Singapore’s Facebook page.
The letter, which we published under the title ‘Repossession of Apartments owned by Singaporeans in Batam,’ has since gone viral with over one thousand shares.
It was written to us by a reader named Ian, and is about the condition at the Indah Puri resort in Batam. A number of Singaporeans, as well as other foreigners, own holiday apartments at the resort, which had once promised luxurious living but have fallen into a sorry state of disrepair.
To make matters worse, “these apartments are now being repossessed illegally by a mafia-type company from Medan who has cut electricity and water and removed the roofs of apartment blocks whilst people are still in residence,” wrote Ian.
He underlined that “Singaporeans are the target market for thousands of newly built apartments in Batam currently sitting empty,” which is why he wanted attention to be brought to the matter.
“If the situation at Indah Puri is allowed to proceed, then the same fate potentially awaits unsuspecting buyers of holiday apartments in Batam,” warned Ian.
A discussion of Indah Puri’s state may be seen on social media on such pages as the Facebook group Expat Living in Batam.
Commenters on the letter did not seem very surprised, and they also did not have a very positive outlook concerning buying property in Indonesia, unfortunately.
One wrote that they would rather buy “an expensive 3-room HDB in Singapore…no…high crime rates.”
A woman asked what the buyers “was…thinking???!!!!”
Another opined that investing in Indonesia, as well as Malaysia, is not worth it, to which many others disagreed.
Others agreed that buying property in Indonesia, and particularly in Batam, is not the wisest of choices.
One netizen wrote, “More often than not, it’s thug law…
To mg (my) dear fellow Singaporeans, stay out of Indonesia unless you have honest, reliable and influential backups
I have lived there over 8 years. Its a totally different world.”
Others agreed that investing in any property overseas is simply too risky.
Another called Batam the “vice activity province of Indonesia.”
Read also: Repossession of Apartments owned by Singaporeans in Batam