It was heartwarming to read about Ms. Sng Mui Hong's stand on her refusal to sell her kampong land for $33M. Soon after an article was written about her, curious readers and property agents flock to her kampong. Ms. Sng has also been sought after in the past for many thought her to be a rich heiress.
Yet this lady prefers the simple and serene life in the kampong. Where rents have gone up skyhigh, it is heartening that this landlord is not moved by greed to increase her tenants' rents. Her rents are from $6.50 to $30.00 a month. I can imagine many people saying, "Sell lah the land..take the $33M and move to a modern bunglow. Why bother to collect such paltry rents!". When landlords have been pushing up rents, these kampong tenants are indeed lucky to have a landlady who is not mercenary. In her own words, "I take after my father in my philosophy of life. As long as I have enough to eat, I don't hunger after money or to be rich."
I can emphathise with Miss Sng's feelings. Having been brought up in the kampong, I also enjoyed my years of upbringing until I went to Canada to further my studies. In the kampong, everyone knows everyone....and when tragedy struck, nearly all the kampong folks would turn up to help. The kampong was our playground, where we raced each other on bicycles, caught fish in the rivers, and played "robber and policemen". Our rent to the landlord was MR9.00 a month. (About S$4.20). Now it is MR23.00 a month. Our attap house is built on about 5,000 sq. ft. land, and we could grow so many fruit trees - rambutans, guavas, papayas, chikus and bananas. We always felt so rich and happy.
It is also heart warming to read that though Ms. Sng's siblings have married and bought their own apartments in the city, they allow their sister to remain in the kampong as they know she loves living there, and can continue to preserve the land in memory of their parents. What a sharp contrast to some families who fight tooth and nail over properties left by their ancestors. Miss Sng proudly declares, "My family ties are not for sale".
I am sure we have much to learn from this spunky and unique lady...Miss Sng... indeed she is a lady in a million!
Gan Chau
Sunday, August 19, 2007
A Lady in A Million
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2 comments:
Yes, I like her too. Her behaviour sort of messes up economic theory as I learned it in Economics 200, and as you say few are like her, but there's something very likeable about her.
James Dunlap
Hong Kong
It may be heartwarming to read about Ms. Sng Mui Hong but she is a dying breed in Singapore. Her refusal to sell her kampong land for $33M made the news because most Singaporeans can't begin to understand why someone will forego all that money. Just look at all the court cases recently about property sales. Ms. Sng is truly a lady in a million, cause most Singaporeans are not as noble as her.
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