SINGAPORE — After a Facebook post of one netizen complaining about her estate looking “always mouldy” and like a haunted house, another netizen posted pictures of a housing block with similar conditions.
On the popular COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook group on Monday (Jan 9), a Facebook user, Mr James Ng described the estate’s appearance as “Another soon to be haunted HDB.” The estate in question is located at Block 233 Sumang Lane at Punggol West.
Mr Ng wrote that he stood inside the carpark of the block and “Took few photos of the moulds walls which I can see from here.” He added that the estate is only six years old and asked what went wrong with the paint HDB contractors are using.
Many netizens commented on Mr Ng’s post, including, surprisingly, Ms Sun Xueling, Member of Parliament for Punggol West SMC, as well as Minister of State for Home Affairs, Social and Family Development.
“Tender for Matilda Court R&R happening this year. Was in the workplan already. Thanks,” wrote Ms Sun almost immediately after Mr Ng put up his post.
Mr Ng thanked the MP but also had a follow-up question regarding the warranty period.
Other netizens endeavoured to explain the presence of the mould.
“It has to do with proximity to waters.. Singapore is extremely humid. This is something I hope the BCA will take note and not just pluck the building protocols and standards from European or other countries outside of tropical regions. Humidity will promote mould growth as well as metal corrosions,” wrote one.
Another netizen agreed with this assessment, writing, “Punggol Coastal plan!!! Sure corrode one. We are just opposite Johor petroleum plant plus Punggol sea waters.”
Yet another wrote, “Humidity , salinity and heat have always been with us. If this is not factored in at the very beginning then all blocks in Singapore facing the sea would have this problem. I am more of the opinion that something is not right with the paint application processes. Of course, the wrong type of paint could be selected due to human error.”
/TISG