En Bloc Frenzy Threatens Fabric of the Nation

You've seen it in the Classifieds: Property agents selling 'hot properties' and 'en bloc potentials'. You've read it in the news: Neighbours separated into two camps - one for en bloc, other against en bloc sales. You might even have experienced it first hand, and depending on how you view it, en bloc sales are either a boon or a bane.

My personal view? As the title goes, my feelings are that the en bloc frenzy - if left unchecked by the government - will threaten the harmony of our nation. Already, friendly neighbours are split and unscrupulous methods of hearsay and gossip just to tarnish an estate is rife.

Whatever happened to the 'kampong days' of yore where community living, spirit, and cohesion were the unwritten rules of harmonious living? Not even the racial riots of the 60's could effectively break it, albeit tensed moments of brevity.

I've experienced property agents who want to nitpick on private estates, most of them matured estates with harmony built upon its very foundations. Finding fault in the process, inciting strife and unease amongst neighbours. It's bullshit and totally unethical.

Then there are the speculators - probably fueled by the very same agents who entice them with the supposed profitability of the potential sales of the estate. They buy property and expect to it to go en bloc within a year or so. On a wing and prayer, they hope the property might just fetch them a 10% profit. Idiots do idiot things to earn that extra buck. But these 'temporary owners' don't know the intangibles that are attached to the property: sentimental values, the 'kampong spirit', the size of each household, etc. They are only concerned about the dollars and cents. Myopic idiots.

The government should come up with policies that protect true owners and residents of private estates. Put aside 'property boom', generation of jobs, economic growth. There are other ways and means of achieving these. One thing that shouldn't be compromised is the already eroding harmonious living that we all share as Singaporeans. We ought to keep the spirit burning as one united people, and not a divided nation, thanks to loose laws on en bloc sales.

Speculation is a very dangerous tool, and if left unchecked, I'm very certain that we will become a nation of selfish bastards.