Elderly man sleeps outdoors as Bedok flat overflows with junk
An elderly man living alone in a rental flat in Bedok Reservoir has been sleeping on a chair at the void deck every night - because his home is so packed with clutter there's no room for him inside.
The 78-year-old, known only as Mr Lin, is believed to have a hoarding habit. He reportedly also uses the nearby coffee shop to shower, as his own bathroom is inaccessible.
Non-profit organisation Helping Joy highlighted Mr Lin's situation in a recent Facebook post, describing his unit at Block 704 Bedok Reservoir Road, as being filled "floor to ceiling" with all kinds of miscellaneous items.
The kitchen passageway was completely obstructed, and the living room was the only space left with some standing room.
The group added that there were cockroaches in the home, raising concerns about hygiene and fire safety - not just for Mr Lin, but also for his neighbours.
When Shin Min Daily News visited the flat, the front door could barely open. Debris blocked the entrance, forcing people to step directly onto the clutter to get inside.
Speaking to the paper, Mr Lin said he began picking up discarded items during the Covid-19 pandemic after he lost his job.
"It started with a few things I thought I could sell. Over time it just piled up. Some items I couldn't bear to part with," he said.
He acknowledged that his neighbours had complained about the clutter, especially items left outside his door.
"Eventually, the authorities sent people to clear the area. They threw away four large bins of stuff - even the things I had hanging outside," he recalled.
Volunteers from Helping Joy were scheduled to help him clean up his unit on June 8, but Mr Lin admitted he had wanted to postpone the clean-up.
"I'm worried they'll throw everything away. I need time to sort through it. I'm afraid I'll be left with nothing. What if I throw something out and later realise I need it?"
Neighbour Mr Peng, 78, said that while Mr Lin lives alone, he does have family. He once saw Mr Lin's daughter-in-law and grandson visit briefly during Chinese New Year - they stood outside the flat to greet him before leaving.
Mr Pang and a coffee shop employee both confirmed seeing Mr Lin using the coffee shop toilet to shower and relieve himself.
"He's in there for over 10 minutes each time," said Mr Pang.
The coffee shop employee did not report the matter, as he sympathised with Mr Lin's situation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
Field trip held to attract more donations to environmental and climate causes in S'pore
A lecturer and trainee at the automated seeding station in ITE College East's in HortiTech Hub. PHOTO: ST FILE Field trip held to attract more donations to environmental and climate causes in S'pore SINGAPORE - Donations to environmental causes in Singapore have lagged behind areas like social service and welfare, accounting for 4 per cent of giving here in 2023. Giving to environmental causes accounted for just $510,000, or about 1.78 per cent of grants dispersed between April 2024 and March 2025 by the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), which pools and facilitates donations. Noting the low support, CFS on June 10 held its first trip for donors to learn – occasionally hands-on – about efforts in the environmental and climate space, in a bid to accelerate giving to these areas. More than 30 people comprising private and corporate donors , as well as CFS's partners, participated in the visit to ITE College East in Simei, where they attended talks and a tour of the campus' sustainability initiatives. Addressing current and prospective donors on the visit , NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions deputy director Adrian Loo said : 'I think the environment is like planting a tree. 'You don't plant it for this generation, you plant it for the next generation.' The former National Parks Board director recalled how visitors would take refuge in the coolness of Singapore's forests during the Covid-19 pandemic, instead of parks . It was a demonstration of the key role that nature can play for people. Dr Loo called on donors to support the centre's 'active work', which goes beyond research to help other communities in South-east Asia take stock of their biodiversity and earn revenue from biodiversity credits. Also among those looking to raise funds is chief executive of Waterways Watch Society, Mr Eugene Heng, who heads the volunteer group that patrols waterways in Kallang, Punggol and Jurong to ensure that they remain clean. Showing donors images of rubbish floating in these channels, Mr Heng said the non-profit's efforts to organise litter-picking programmes help people of all ages take ownership of Singapore's waters. He noted that pre-schools have in recent years subscribed to the group's activities more often than primary and secondary schools, even though they tend to lack the budget for these programmes. Mr Heng added: 'What we're looking for is sustainable donors, because it's very hard for us to plan for three to five years.' The non-profit, which has benefitted from CFS' grants, hopes to raise $147,700 for its waterways clean-up and learning trail, which teaches students about water conservation. As part of the June 10 trip, participants visited the campus' automated farming facility, solar panel farm and wormery. There, they had the opportunity to remove worms from nutritious compost converted from the cafeteria's food waste, and return the creatures to their artificial homes. These initiatives are part of ITE's environmental stewardship programme, which the foundation aims to fund. The programme's chairperson, Ms Catherine Soh, told participants that an interest in climate and environment typically ranks among the lowest priorities for students choosing extracurricular activities , as compared to other interests like sports and dancing. She said: 'Honestly, if I don't share about the environment and sustainability, v ery few will come (to these programmes).' CFS' chief executive Paul Tan said he sees potential in driving momentum in the climate and environment space, as while small, interest appears to be growing. He cited studies by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, which showed that 4 per cent of donations in Singapore went to environmental organisations in 2023, double the 2 per cent in 2021. Religious organisations received the most donations at 37 per cent. Said Mr Tan: 'Through (the trip), we hope to help donors connect the dots, showing how their giving can support critical research, community-led solutions and education that complement national efforts.' This comes amid Singapore's efforts to position itself as a philanthropic hub, driven by its flourishing wealth management sector and attractive tax incentives. Privately held companies here that manage the wealth of ultra-rich families have grown over the past four years. From just 400 of such single family offices awarded tax incentives in Singapore in 2020, the number had shot up to more than 2,000 by the end of 2024. Some of the richest people in the world have also set up charities in Singapore in recent years, including American hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio, Indonesian coal king Low Tuck Kwong and Brazil-born Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. They will be joined by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who announced plans in May to set up an office for his philanthropic organisation in Singapore. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
'I will have nothing': Elderly hoarder in Bedok fears volunteers will throw away belongings, Singapore News
His home is choc-a-bloc with things he has collected over the years, but he does not want to part with them. The 78-year-old man, known as Lim, lives alone in a Bedok Reservoir flat and is worried that the charity trying to help him clean up his house may leave him with "nothing", according to Shin Min Daily News. He sells the stuff collected to earn a living. Lim told the Chinese daily that he was worried volunteers would "throw everything away". "If everything is thrown away, then I will have nothing," he said. "I don't want that, and I fear I won't be able to find the things I need." In a Facebook post on June 2, charity Helping Joy said that Lim has been living in a "heavily cluttered" flat with items accumulated over years, with no space to move. It has since cleared some of the belongings from his home following "12 hours of hard work and battling cockroaches" in a project that began on Sunday, according to multiple posts on Monday (June 9). The charity said Lim's home posed health risks and a fire hazard to both him and his neighbours. "We hope to help Uncle Lim declutter, paint and clean his house and provide him with new furniture and electrical appliances," the charity wrote before they cleaned the house. They added: "Let's come together to help Uncle Lim to have a better and cleaner living environment." Helping Joy is also seeking monetary donations for Lim as well as basic essentials and appliances, such as a bed and mattress, a shoe rack and a standing fan. Lim requires "long term care and support", Helping Joy said. Showering and using the toilet at coffee shop According to a Shin Min reporter who visited the home, the door could not be fully opened and guests would have to tread on the items to enter. Lim said he could not find a job during during Covid-19 and decided to collect items to sell. "Things accumulated little by little, and I couldn't bear to sell some of them," he told Shin Min. "I've had arguments with my neighbours because of the items outside my door." This resulted in authorities throwing away "four large buckets of things", he said of a clean-up that occurred prior to Helping Joy's assistance. A neighbour surnamed Peng (transliterated) told Shin Min that that Lim has children and grandchildren and that they visited him during the Chinese New Year. They stood outside the home to greet him before leaving. He also said that Lim goes to the coffee shop below the block to take a shower and use the washroom. AsiaOne has reached out to Helping Joy for more information. [[nid:683521]] khooyihang@
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Elderly man sleeps at void deck, showers at coffee shop -- as his Bedok flat is filled to the ceiling with rubbish
Elderly man sleeps at void deck, showers at coffee shop -- as his Bedok flat is filled to the ceiling with rubbish Teo Yan Ting TNP June 9, 2025 An elderly man living alone in a rental flat in Bedok Reservoir has been sleeping on a chair at the void deck every night - because his home is so packed with clutter there's no room for him inside. The 78-year-old, known only as Mr Lin, is believed to have a hoarding habit. He reportedly also uses the nearby coffee shop to shower, as his own bathroom is inaccessible. Non-profit organisation Helping Joy highlighted Mr Lin's situation in a recent Facebook post, describing his unit at Block 704 Bedok Reservoir Road, as being filled "floor to ceiling" with all kinds of miscellaneous items. The kitchen passageway was completely obstructed, and the living room was the only space left with some standing room. The group added that there were cockroaches in the home, raising concerns about hygiene and fire safety - not just for Mr Lin, but also for his neighbours. When Shin Min Daily News visited the flat, the front door could barely open. Debris blocked the entrance, forcing people to step directly onto the clutter to get inside. Speaking to the paper, Mr Lin said he began picking up discarded items during the Covid-19 pandemic after he lost his job. "It started with a few things I thought I could sell. Over time it just piled up. Some items I couldn't bear to part with," he said. He acknowledged that his neighbours had complained about the clutter, especially items left outside his door. "Eventually, the authorities sent people to clear the area. They threw away four large bins of stuff - even the things I had hanging outside," he recalled. Volunteers from Helping Joy were scheduled to help him clean up his unit on June 8, but Mr Lin admitted he had wanted to postpone the clean-up. "I'm worried they'll throw everything away. I need time to sort through it. I'm afraid I'll be left with nothing. What if I throw something out and later realise I need it?" Neighbour Mr Peng, 78, said that while Mr Lin lives alone, he does have family. He once saw Mr Lin's daughter-in-law and grandson visit briefly during Chinese New Year - they stood outside the flat to greet him before leaving. Mr Pang and a coffee shop employee both confirmed seeing Mr Lin using the coffee shop toilet to shower and relieve himself. "He's in there for over 10 minutes each time," said Mr Pang. The coffee shop employee did not report the matter, as he sympathised with Mr Lin's situation. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
