A petition has been started urging the government to waive electricity fees for elderly persons living in rented flats.
The petition was started by the social group Happy People Helping People Foundation.
So far over 600 persons have signed the petition.
The group says it surveyed elderly living in rented flats and discovered that many are from the low-income group and hence even with the current Pay-as-You-Use scheme might still get their power cut as they can’t afford to pay for it.
The group is appealing for the Ministry of Social and Family Development to waive the bills of these elderly persons so they won’t have to live in darkness.
“Recently our group, Happy People Helping People Foundation did a survey to find out more about the problems our senior citizens living in rented HDB flats are facing and we found out that many of them are having difficulty paying their bills. There are many among them who are using the PAYU (Pay-As-You-Use) System in their homes because they are not able to fulfill their monthly commitment of paying bills. There are also many that owes Singapore Powers a great sum for not paying their bills for months. While there are many who seeks help through SSO & MP, results often do not come immediately and many end up living in the darkness of their small flat. This can be especially dangerous for elderlies because of their failing eyesight.
Many of these elderlies are either staying alone or with another person who is also an elderly. We hope that our government may consider, waiving electricity charges for our senior citizens especially those who are staying in rented flats because many of them are no long working and a handful of them are earning very little by selling tissue paper, selling recycled cans and cardboard boxes. Growing old without support and care from children can be very difficult for many of these seniors. Imagine all the possible accidents that can occur if they continue to live in the dark. It is also not uncommon for seniors staying alone to meet with accidents in the house and passed away without anyone knowing until a few days later when the body starts to rot and smell. With electricity, we can cut down the risk of such accidents.
If you agree that it is dangerous for senior citizens to stay in a flat without electricity, please help us sign this petition. Please also share this petition and urge friends to do the same.
Together we can change the future for our seniors. One day we will all be one.”
Edward Ang
April 25, 2017 at 7:25 pm
Although we all know that if this is to be implemented, the (working class and) younger generations will have to bear the extra cost to the government, but this is the right way to help the elders who have contributed their lives to the society and economic.