AILING RESIDENT IN OPPOSITION ALJUNIED GRC DENIED SOCIAL SERVICE ASSISTANCE

Dear Mr Goh,

I am writing to you as I have failed in my bid to appeal for financial assistance for my aged and ailing mother from my MP of Aljunied who then refer me to CDC.

I visited him on October 1, 2014 for help as I am the sole breadwinner of the family and finding it very hard to make ends meet. My elder brother has been unable to work as he has had to supervise and look/clean after my mum.

My household is surviving only on my gross salary of $1,400 excluding my mum’s hefty medical expenses.

Our application for the blue CHAS Card has also not met any response ever since I applied for it early last year. I myself too am suffering from blood in the stools but really cannot afford the medical costs from CGH or Bedok Polyclinic.

The SSO (from CDC) deemed that my family is “well to do” as we have paid off our Bedok Reservoir 4 room flat of 1985.

Hence, they hastened to reject our application accordingly, leaving us in the lurch to fend for ourselves as per the policy of MSF – more so for opposition wards.

They have even refused to issue a letter for me to open a penalty-free POSB Account, considering that I do not have one.

My family also does not have a functioning water heater required for my mum and the tiles in her room has worn off rendering her prone to cuts and injuries.

The staff of Eunos CC which is aware of my plea, has rudely snubbed a proposed house visit and stated that I have to possess a full set of documents that I do not have first before they can commence anything.

I do not know who else I can turn to hence a colleague of mine suggested I approach you after learning about your work from media reports.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Hon
Bedok Reservoir Rd

Transitioning Editor’s note: SSO refers to social service officers who work with Ministry of Social and Family Development and usually sit in our Community Development Council (CDC) when helping clients.