I Paid The HDB A Visit

Last Friday, I found the time to go to the HDB office to ask them a couple of questions I couldn't get answers for when I visited the CPF office. (See I Paid The CPF A Visit). I guess this is a part two.

Maybe because it was a Friday afternoon I didn't have to wait anytime at all to get served. The nice lady asked me how she could help and off I went/ranted.

1. Can someone pay off his HDB loan partially or in full? Yes! The HDB calls this redemption and it is possible without any issue.

2. What happens in the case of a partial redemption? The home owner can choose to reduce the loan tenure or reduce the amount to pay monthly. In either case the prevailing interest rate applies.

3. Can a HDB flat be passed on as inheritance? This is a little complicated and a few scenarios apply:

3a. If the flat is co-owned let's say between husband and wife (joint tenancy), and one of them passes away, then ownership defaults completely to the other co-owner.

3b. If there is one owner, and he/she passes away, then ownership of the HDB flat is subject to the presence of a will. If there is a will, then the stipulations in the will have to respected. Otherwise the flat goes into government mandated estate management. What this means is that the government will figure who the eligible next-of-kin are to inherit the deceased estate - "estate" here means possessions and monies.

3c. If the deceased has children who are all under 21 years of age, then the flat goes into a trust managed by an executor till one of the kids turns 21. The kids will be allowed to stay in the flat of course.

3d. If the kids are over 21 and do not own property, then the flat ownership goes to them with equal shares. They do not need to pay anything extra.

3e. If one of the children is over 21 and owns a HDB flat on his own, he cannot also receive the deceased's flat because no one can own more than one HDB flat. In all likelihood it would be simpler to sell off the deceased's flat and split the proceeds among all children. I think of one of kids is over 21 and doesn't own property, he can be a recipient of the flat if the other siblings agree or he can buy over their share of the property at prevailing prices.

3f. If a flat is held in a tenancy-in-common scenario where let's say owner A can hold 70% share and owner B has 30% share and owner A passes away, the 70% share could go to his next-of-kin or anyone other person according to a will or under estate management. In any case, any major shareholder still needs the permission of the other shareholders to sell or make changes to the flat.

4. What a single person buy? Under the Singles scheme, eligible participants must less than $5000 a month and be over 35. An applicant can seek  a BTO 2-room flat, or get a flat of any size from the resale market.

5. What can old friends buy? Under the Joint Singles scheme, up to 4 individuals over 35 years of age can buy a resale flat of any size, even a mansionette. No BTO flat. They can also get a HDB loan if they buy a 5-rm or smaller flat. Sounds like the making of a permanent party hub to me.

The HDB lady was extremely knowledgeable and I thanked her for that.  

Is Everyone Just Waiting For The Palestinian Drama To Play Out?

What does 50 years feel like? That's two generations. Fathers - sons and maybe grandfathers - grandchildren. It's a long time but time nonetheless. It's finite, a definite measure of ticks and tocks. Taken from a historical reference however it's perpetual. Ad infinitum.

Time has sort of stood still for Palestine since 1967. Palestinians are still searching for an identity and a home. Two generations have grown up in horrible conditions. Adults who don't know where food and water is going to come from. Kids who see no future but bodily sacrifice to blunt a mightier enemy. Mothers who have seen their children die. Fathers who wail at funerals. We've seen all this on TV and nothing has changed in almost 50 years.

Politics and terrorism have masked the vicious realities of life in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel seems to have the support of the West, Palestine took many years to even get a seat at the United Nations, not recognised as a viable state for decades. Yasser Arafat and the PLO had a very clear mission of terror against the Jewish state. The Arab community cheered him on as his stance seemed like the logical response to a new, aggressive non-Muslim power in the Middle East which has since humiliated its Arab neighbours in a few wars since 1948. Today Palestinians are split across the two areas, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, each with its own democratically elected government. The leadership of Mahmoud Abbas in the former is well, less belligerent than the rocket firing folks in the latter, perhaps ironically since he is now the leader of the PLO. The West likes Mahmoud Abbas because he is open to listening to everyone. Hamas on the other hand seems to have a shoot-first talk-later approach, compounded by the belief only the destruction of Israel will end their suffering. They have called on all Muslims to support this cause, making it a religious fight more than one for the freedom of an oppressed people. 

Israel has said that if Hamas doesn’t renounce its ultimate objective then there can be no bargaining. The West has also gone along with this line of thought. Meanwhile the Palestinians people get dragged along in this struggle. Hamas has also decided it is the job of every Palestinian to support their cause by their terms regardless if they like it or not. That’s why we keep hearing of Israel bombing civilian targets, because hides weapons and fires rockets from populated urban areas. So how can the Palestinians ever win?

Many influential people have come around to speak on the Palestinians. Mandela said something about we cannot be completely free until the Palestinians have their freedom. Gandhi said something along the lines of Palestine belonging to the Palestinians much like England belongs to the English and the French to France. Einstein said “It would be my greatest sadness to see Zionists do to Palestinian Arabs much of what Nazis did to Jews.” From the rules and restrictions that Israel have put around Gaza and the West Bank, the way Palestinians are accosted by Israeli military and the helplessness we see broadcast on TV, some may feel that Einstein’s fears have come true.

Regardless of Israel’s actions, what bothers me is that developed nations don’t seem to want to reprimand Israel. They’re all fearful of something or rather. The US administration has said it is deeply concerned. No one is quite sure what that means. If Israel launched a full scale invasion of Gaza, flattening the cities and scaring out Hamas of their hiding places, I’d bet the West would merely scream and shout but keep more than an arm’s length away from helping the Palestinians.

I don’t get why any other Arab nation, a fellow Muslim country, hasn’t simply come out to say it would carve out 1000 sq km of land for the Palestinians to start a better life. I’m sure many Palestinians would relish at the opportunity to start afresh. It’ been too long a struggle to win. I’d think about the children and their future. It would be so much easier to let it go and begin again.

I guess I am writing all this because it makes me sad and a little angry that we can’t all just along. I think it must be kind of craziness that the supreme beings of three major religions decided that common land to test the resolve and faith of their individual followers was a good idea. Sometimes I wish I could take it all away, make the whole thing, from Sinai to Golan, from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea, just disappear. Give everyone a month to run, then just let the whole thing disappear. Nothing to fight for means no fighting.

It’s stupid I know but it’s just pointless to see so many people unhappy and pissed off with one another. I’m not pro-anyone, just pro-happiness. Welcome to this human race. I wish more people stood up for one another as just people, not as members of a nation or group, for the pursuit of what's right and fair and for everyone's happiness, not politics or greed. Maybe it's a human farce instead, a dark comedy that'll go on for a long long time.

I'm Glad The World Cup Is Over

I'm glad the World Cup is over. I literally had a fever from watching the early morning matches and not getting enough sleep. I'd be fine till about 10am or so when my brain wanted to partially shut down but the position of the Sun in the sky and the clock on my computer screen advised it otherwise. The lack of rest would hit me again after lunch. The stomach busied with processing food would signal to the brain that it was perhaps time for a food coma. I love the Spanish have afternoon siestas. Alas we have to continue to slog at out desks or at least pretend. The afternoon onslaught of the Z monster is worse. The mind would easily wander, seeking all stimuli for staying conscious but at the same time, failing to grasp pertinent realities like a stapler can't be used for taking notes and that I was able to tie my shoelaces in the morning. It was madness and I was foolhardy that I could repeat feats of staying awake like a 20-something. 

I am also glad that Germany won. They played well against formidable opponents and eventually won with a marvellous Gotze chest-down and volley into the back of the Argentine net. It was going to be an even affair and it came down to mistakes and opportunities. Higuain is probably regrets the most, for not making full use of the defensive error early in the match. That would likely have settled affairs and the South Americans would have been champs again after 28 years. But nein. Personally I felt the older German batch - Lahm, Klose, Podolski, Schwiensteiger - deserved a world class prize for their years of dedication to their squad. Now they can celebrate and know they are truly worth their salt. The young players are brilliant too and now the whole planet knows that Germany is a football force to be reckoned with for at least a decade more. 

The WC also presented great surprises in the underdogs that made it past the group stages. Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia all made great impressions. Too bad for Netherlands but boy can Arjen Robben run and run! 

The 2018 rounds will be played in Russia and depending on whether the matches are played in Vladivostok or Moscow, I'll be skipping work in the afternoons or staying up just a little past midnight, all bearable circumstances. Now to the BPL and Liverpool winning this time. 

#BRAGER - Vocabulary Of The Day

These are some words you may have heard today - Beaten, ravaged, capitulated, steamrolled, brutalised, blitz, blitzkrieg, rout, humiliation, utter embarrassment, unimaginable, unfathomable, destroyed, pummelled, carpet bombed, annihilated, succumbed, defeated, merciless, pounded, eradicated, whacked, salvo, attacked, massacred, defiled, relentless, red faced, heart wrenching, whitewash, wipeout. 

Feel free to add more. 

I Was Born In 1974 When West Germany Won The World Cup

I was born in 1974 when West Germany won the World Cup. The Netherlands were second. Poland were third having edged out Brazil. East Germany also played in that finals and beat their democratic western brethren 1-0 in the group stage.

My first real foray into a World Cup was entrepreneurial. My family drank Ovalitine for breakfast and during the 1982 World Cup, Ovaltine put in World Cup teams photos as collectible stickers in their tins of chocolatey goodness. I wasn't that keen on football so I was selling the stickers off to the boys in school for 10 cents a piece. My friends were ecstatic - a sticker picture of their favourite team was a treasure. I made a good few dollars back then. I remember the blue shirted Azzuri line up and the green clad Honduran team. Tegucigalpa is the capital of Honduras, I learned.

On TV, all we had was the Bundesliga back then. I think were English league matches but I only remember the German ones. I wasn't that keen on the game and we wished the cartoons were on instead. I remember Solid Gold, the show with pop music and dancers.

We played football mostly after school. I wasn't good. I had these thick glasses on and once a ball hit my face, I'd be useful as a chewing gum solving an algebra problem. So I played in defence mostly. I wasn't half bad there I reckon. But mostly the glasses got in the way.

In university, we played midnight football on the volleyball courts next to Hall Six. We played mostly for laughs. Dim lighting, silly antics, the odd dislocated shoulder - we had fun. Half the games ended up with supper somewhere. Then we tried doing our homework after, hopelessly. In Uni, I also decided that I would support Liverpool. This happened as a result of some recognition of the club in my childhood and also because Man U supporters were being thoroughly arrogant pricks. They were justified to some degree but their arrogance needed some tempering. Fan is short for fanatic and sometimes we let our passions get to our heads. I forgive them and wish them every loss in the next BPL season.

In the last World Cup and European Cup, I saw an exciting German squad play football like they weren’t German. They were young, bold and courageous. Kosler, Mueller, Lahm, Schweinsteiger and Ozil are names that now synonymous with the rejuvenated national team. I remember the 4-2 win against Costa Rica in their 2006 World Cup campaign. I was thinking then it was sooner or later that if they kept this kind of play up, glory was just a matter of time. 

This morning I woke at 405am to watch Brazil and Germany decide their fates in the 2014 World Cup. Yesterday, knowing Neymar was out with a back injury, I predicted Brazil would succumb. Who would have guessed their back line would atrociously let in 7 goals by the end of 90 minutes? I was already jumping for joy when Mueller netted goal number 1 and hoped for some exciting football from the Brazilians. It never came till the start of the second half when Neuer was finally tested. He pulled off some great saves to prevent any hope creeping into the Brazilian squad. The icing on the cake/nails on the coffin was/were delivered two more. Oscar netted a literally last minute consolation. Too little way too late. I think Neuer was pissed at having let in one goal though, a man of exacting standards I guess. Brazil can weep, and move on.

So my bet is on Germany to lift the Jules Rimet trophy. I also secretly want Netherlands to win. Ever since I saw this Marco Van Basten goal. Stunning. 

And orange is a nice colour. All warm and Vitamin C.

Tit For Tat Conflict, A Failure Of Humanity

Three Israeli teenage were found dead after going missing for some days. Their bodies were found in a ditch in a West Bank town, Haihul. They had apparently hitch hiked along a major road nearby and never showed up at home. There was a call made to the police where a voice was heard saying "We've been kidnapped" and another voice after saying "Keep your head down". The call was dismissed as a hoax and now proven to be real. 

The tragedy has gripped Israel. The sons slained, tears will be shed, cries will be heard but more importantly, there will be an eye for an eye. 

Today I read on the BBC, a Palestinian boy was killed in an apparent act of revenge. Tit for tat, the payment of an eye. 

Mothers and sisters are crying on both sides, nothing as great a misery as a son or brother lost so heinously.  Men and boys are angry on both sides, the glowing embers of emotion now raging bonfires stoked by revenge, religious fervour and honour for one's people. Another episode in the long suffering saga that is the intifada versus the might of the Israeli military. 

The rest of the world watching it unfold. State leaders are condemning both atrocities and urging restraint. Israel isn't good with restraint. After all the nation was borne of brute force and many guns pointed at a defenceless few. The Palestinians are a sad people. Landless, stateless and hope-less. Pushed out, they seek a way in, allowing themselves the ignominy of blatant oversight and control so that they can eke out a fair life. A day by day existence. 

I saw a documentary some time ago about the kids in Gaza who saw their families perish in ongoing conflict. They were as young as six. Their eyes were vacant, the faces joyless. It was like they knew their future was bleak, non-existent even. What more asking to be happy - they were living hand to mouth with little to call their own. The only permanent things were fear and rubble. Rubble rubble everywhere. Rock as hard as their hearts. It was heartbreaking watching this. The interviewer even asked a university undergrad what he would do after leaving school. The man replied he'd become a suicide bomber, because he felt that was the only way to make a difference. 

Last week, I caught an Australian TV programme (Four Corners) about life in the West Bank. The Israeli military deployed all around West Bank apparently arrests boys and teenagers for throwing stones, brings them in for questioning, checks up on them in the middle of the night, subjects them to military trials without a defence lawyer, and puts them behind bars. The video showed a 5 year old kid crying when soldiers tried to arrest him. He did get brought in and was released the same day later. Watch documentary here http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2014/02/10/3939266.htm

Arab kids walking to school get attacked with tear gas if a pebble is hurled at a soldier. A disproportionate response seemingly aimed at instilling fear and keeping an undesirable people in line. Some kids get attacked by Jewish settlers who want to drive them out, apparently with Israeli soldiers standing by and doing nothing. An Israeli man who volunteered to guide these kids on the way to school said it was sad that the Jewish people were subjecting others to the same way they were treated by the Nazis.

Added later - there's an astonishing number going around. Number of kids killed on both sides since the start of the second Intifada (Sep 2000). 129 Israeli deaths versus 1523 Palestinian deaths. The problem with this stat is the media is making it out to be 1 Palestinian kid killed every 3 days. That's not quite right and it severely skews perceptions. Graph below from http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stat/children.html shows the reality. 

Sigh. It feels like the world has given up on the Palestinian people. They're stuck in their 'assigned land', literally split by another country. Life is hard and no one is sure they'll have a positive future. Their Arab neighbours don't want them. The world isn't sure if they're friend or foe. One terrorist act makes them all terrorists. I don't know why I feel this way about this. It just makes me sad that they have no where to go and feel like they belong, no chance to develop as a country. I wonder if they could give up and leave, would they? Why doesn't a big country with lots of space just help them out and take them in? Australia? Malaysia? Kazakhstan? No one cares it seems. Happiness is defined by where you're born, and changing your circumstances is near impossible. That's what is going to be written about us in the history books. A failure of humanity that repeats itself time after time. It's just bloody depressing.

Added later -  I'm not pro-Palestinian, not pro-Israeli. I am pro-life and pro-give people a chance for happiness.