8/17/2010

Vandalism or littering allowed?

Inserting flyers into people’s doors and gates is not vandalism and not littering. Ok, I accept that. Is it trespassing when they are not wanted? It is public nuisance when the owners would have to make the effort to throw them away? Is it a fire hazard when too many are left around and a lighted cigarette could set them ablaze? Is it a security risk to the owners when the flyers are a tell tale sign that the owners are not in for a long duration? Who should be responsible if someone slips on the fliers and get hurt? But it is so complicated and confusing an issue that our top talents in Parliament could not come out with a clear position. The fliers’ owners claimed that they have to do it to generate business. And some jokers even agree to it, saying that they cannot prevent people from doing business. What kind of bullshit is that? Why are the nasi lemak and kalipok boys and girls and small time hawkers not allowed to peddle their wares? Oh they got no licence, never pay protection money is it? Why should flat owners be troubled by the fliers and have to clear them away? What if the owners opened their doors and the fliers drop onto the floor, and left there? Is it littering on the part of the owners? The fliers are litters and will litter the whole corridor. When have littering been allowed? What happen to the $500 fine for littering? This looks like another serious and complex problem, like loan sharks and motor insurance scam, no one is able to solve. It’s not elementary, Watson. So the people should continue to be harassed and bombarded by fliers and they can do nothing about it. And Parliament too cannot do anything about it. It is just doing business. Did I see a big bull somewhere? Shall someone engage a prominent lawyer to clarify the legal position on this? There must be a position, black or white. Of shall it stay grey forever, impossible to solve?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow ! Redbean seems to imply that he is living in a lawless society. With many complaints in the newspapers and broadcasters, Mr Redbean should be right in his readings. Agree with him that the parliament is complacent.

Wally Buffet said...

I was visiting a friend's HDB when I saw countless stickers on PUB meters, pipes advertising locksmith services. When I asked how his house front was so pasted up, he said the pests pasted their stickers on PUB property because these are not HDB's or Town Council's responsibility and so the latter two don't care a hoot.

WTF!

Everyone is trying to push away the problem and we have these nitwits being paid obscene salaries and bestowed with State honours? Give me a break! Now, I am beginning to think that despite all the glitz and razmataz, we are really a banana republic still. Simple problem like this also cannot solve. Just arrests the bloody pests and throw the keys away. That will stop all these nonsense. HDB tenants have rights too!

And some donks come out with the comment that they must be allowed to distribute flyers and other trash right to the HDB doorsteps because they need to advertise their products or services in order to garner some business. Yeah right, as if only they have rights, as if the whole world owes them a living. What conceited pricks!

And the cruelest blow to our intelligence was dealt by an MP who said that what the pests did was neither vandalism nor littering and that the issue was a "tricky" one.

Indeed.

I recommend to all the Ah Long runners next time not to splash paint on debtors' door. Leave a pile of horse shit instead. There's a 50-50 % chance that you will not get into trouble with the law because a good mouthpiece will tell the court it's neither vandalism or littering quoting parliamentary sources!

I tell you. We are done for.

Truly Horse shit.

Anonymous said...

Hi Frens;

if only the call girls know that nobody cares a damn, they might as well go door to door soliciting saving their customers the journeys to visit them as well as the hotel charges.

patriot

Anonymous said...

When the situation gets worse, and they resort to fines for flyers littering outside the doors of flats, I suppose they will say that flatowners are responsible for the littering.

Anonymous said...

Me pity the cleaners.

For all You know, the Residents will call the Town Councils and complain that the cleaners are not doing their jobs.

What the Fish!

patriot

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Ya man. The anti littering squads should patrol HDB flats and sure can collect a lot of fines from the flat owners. This will make sure that the flat owners clean up the mess left behind by the flyers' owners.

If not, HDB corridors would soon become third world paradise when it is nobody's business or responsibility to remove the litters. Oh sorry, they are business flyers.

Anonymous said...

Is it going to lead to another money making scheme, or another excuse for increasing conservancy charges?

So, business flyers means leaving the problem to flatowners because they cannot do anything about it, right?

Think of it. When the littering becomes epidemic, the cleaners will complain to the Town Councils. The Town councils will say they needed more manpower to deal with the litter problem. Now, this will be a perfect excuse for another round of increases in conservancy charges.

In the end, it will go back to using the same old solution of making Singaporeans pay more to solve problems, even if it is not their fault.

Anonymous said...

Redbean, you have raised all the relevant questions, but their reply is going to be:

It is the law!

Lim Hock Siew found that out decades ago. They had only one answer for him, and that is, it is the law.

Anonymous said...

I do agree though that not all blame should be laid on the doors of the government. I do however agree that this problem of flyers being inserted into letter boxes and doors has been an old problem. No action has been taken for donkey years and it is time some thing is done about it.

I would also like to point out that some HDB dwellers has not one but two dogs and many are very large breeds. Some inconsiderate dog owners allow their dogs to run free and not on a leash. They also use the grounds below the flats as toilets for their animals to shit without picking up the poo. It is not surprising that there are lots of such selfish Singaporeans (FTs too). Why there are residents' committee and what are the reasons for their presence? Who should be responsible to talk to such selfish people?

In the early hours of the morning there are many people checking the rubbish bins for empty drink cans and other stuff. There are a few that just empty the bins, take out those wanted items and leave the rubbish strewn all over. The poor FT has to clean the place later. This is a big problem don't you all agree?

Anonymous said...

See the heaps of problems the people have to endure!

Why? Because the officials are complacent when doing their duties.

patriot

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

We have so many expert lawyers in Parliament but none could find a law to stop this littering. There is no law against this anti social act!

Anonymous said...

Expert lawyers only?

Sin has a law expert heading the Law Ministry leh!

patriot

Wally Buffet said...

Hello uncle,

This law expert is very busy leh.

You think he wants to crack his head over such a teeny weeny matter as some pests littering HDB estates?

Hehe.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

The way you do it is this:

Put a sign on your letter box: "No Junk Mail or advertising material please"

Collect the paper that recalcitrant offenders have shoved in your box ignoring your polite request.

Go to the offices of the offending companies and dump their shit (junk mail) in their foyer, make a fuss and sully the reputation of the firm involved.

Forget about legislation. It won't be coming.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

My suggestion is to collect the flyers and post them back, one copy in one envelope, with no postage stamp.

Let them go and pay for it.