When I was still schooling.
As my parents' business started failing, finances became the root of quarrels in my parents' marriage.
When I was aged 11-18, there were so many times that I would come home, after school, to either:
1. Electricity connection was cut off,
2. Water supply was disconnected,
3. Home phone line was disconnected,
4. Sometimes, all the utilities including the phone line were disconnected,
5. Creditors from the finance companies knocking at my house's door,
6. A big court warrant letter stuck on the main door
7. Or, once or twice, my home gate was locked with a big metal chain & giant padlock.
If it's no. 1-4, I would call my dad from home or a public phone.
If it's no. 5, I would pretend that was not my house, continue walking on, look from afar and then hurry back home, once the debt collectors leave.
If it's no. 6, I would tear away the paper so that the neighbours would not notice it. Mum is very conscious of gossip.
And when it was no. 7, I called my dad, who would come back with a giant cutter to cut the chain. Till now, I have no idea where he got it from.
You can see that I grew up among very gungho parents.
Eventually, both my parents were bankrupted. The family car was towed away. Once, the bank people came to our home suddenly on a Sunday, catching my parents by surprise and they wanted to take away everything that was valuable or anything that they can sell in the home. My mum shouted at me to go inside my room and I sat on my bed, feeling petrified, hoping that they would not take away my huge collection of soft toys .
I think at that time, there was no HDB ruling that bankrupts can still keep their HDB flat. So after the big metal chain incident, my parents went to meet the MP seeking help. I've lost count of how many times I sat at the centre, queueing up with my parents. Even back then, the queues to meet the MP were already quite long.
Over there, I saw people from really ALL walks of life, some obviously well-educated, while most were not. If they talked loudly, I could catch snippets of their issues. There were assistants on hand to help translate when the resident, especially older ones, spoke in Hokkien or other dialects.
Some residents would tear as they talked to the MP. Life was very tough for them. Some of the problems were so tricky & difficult that it sounded almost impossible to help them. But there were so many times that the MP would nod his head and said he would help. You can just imagine the glitter of hope that fleeted across the resident's face.
I thought to myself, gosh, no matter how well paid, I would never want to be a MP. It seemed so taxing to solve all these problems that your residents faced, day in day out. It's one thing to be sitting in parliamentary meetings among all the MPs, and another thing to have everyone's problems thrown at you & begging you to help them during the Meet-the-People sessions. Have you ever notice how so many MPs seem to age more rapidly & have more white hair after they become one?
With the MPs' help, HDB allowed my parents to keep their flat & continue paying off the housing loan in smaller installments. The bank creditors were not allowed to take anything from our home. Honestly, apart from a TV and a VCR, there was nothing valuable to take away.
We were allowed to pay PUB small amounts every month to prevent disconnection, despite owing almost a thousand dollar in utilities. This went on for many years. There was no cashcard system at that time.
My parents were unable to pay my school fees during JC, and definitely had no CPF savings to pay for my university education. Once, I owed my school so many months of school fees that I told my mum I didn't want to go to school anymore. But never once, did MOE forbid me to attend school.
All my textbooks from primary school to JC were handdowns, from the children of Mum's friends. I rarely had new clothes, which was very difficult when I went Uni.
Apart from holding 2-3 part-time jobs in Uni, I had bursaries and loans throughout to help me through since secondary school. In Singapore, as long as you are willing to study, I dare say the Government will never deny you the chance if finances are your constraint. They have helped me so much, and I am not even a straight-As kind of student.
It was very stressful & depressing growing up. I was always hoping that it would be over and done with quickly, so that I can earn more money to help my family. It took 15 very long years for my family to repay their debts.
On a fine afternoon in March this year, my home utilities were abruptly cut off. The Husband had been in & out of Singapore so often that the bill was not cleared promptly. I didn't realise till a stranger came knocking on my door. If I am home alone, I do not open the door to strangers. He knocked for at least 15 minutes. Then my fan suddenly stopped rotating.
I instinctively realised who the stranger was.
It was too late to call Mr SP back. I sat on the floor and burst into tears for 1-2 hours. It reminded me too much of the fearful childhood days.
I felt so indebted to the various MPs and ministries like MOE & HDB that I wanted to take up a job to serve the nation. In the public service sectors like police force or CPIB. Well, it never materialise.
I never remember the names of the MPs who have helped my family, except that they are all PAP members. I don't think my parents remembered either. All I recall is that they were very patient, kind and approachable. They never talked down to anyone who came to them with a problem, regardless of the person's social status. Even the assistants around them are the same way. I guess over the years, PAP had taught all these MPs and grassroots people how to care for the people that they are working for.
And at that time, elections were mainly walkovers. So it's not like they do it to gain your votes.
One MP at that time told me to study hard, because my parents had sloughed so much for me. I told him I would.
If I ever know who he is, I want to tell him that I have kept my word. Just like how he had kept his word that he would help my parents.
During this rally period, I have been wondering if anyone of them is now running for election. If they are, I hope they win on Saturday.
You would probably never see this, but thank you to all of you that have helped my family & I.
Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu
