Latest news with #XHS
Online Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- Online Citizen
Xiaohongshu users share tips on applying for BTO while retaining overseas properties
On social media platforms, particularly Xiaohongshu (XHS), numerous posts are sharing detailed advice on how individuals can apply for Singapore's Build-To-Order (BTO) public housing while retaining ownership of overseas properties. These guides appear to target new Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs), addressing the demand from applicants who wish to keep overseas properties, particularly in neighbouring Malaysia, while securing a new HDB flat in Singapore. Several users provide specific strategies for applicants who are reluctant to part with their Malaysian properties. One commonly suggested method involves transferring the ownership of the overseas property to family members, typically parents, while the original owner continues to service the existing mortgage. Paid services offered on XHS to help applicants navigate BTO rules and retain overseas properties Some XHS users have openly claimed that they offer professional services to facilitate these processes. These services allegedly include assisting families in retaining overseas properties, shortening waiting periods of 15 to 30 months, and securing housing loans and grants in Singapore. XHS user details lengthy nine-month process to obtain HDB approval for property retention A user documented her nine-month journey navigating HDB's policies. The user explained that she applied to retain their Malaysian private residential property with HDB in June 2023. Over the following months, she consistently followed up via email and repeatedly submitted supporting documents. Eventually, in March 2024, HDB approved the application. In response to queries in the comment section, the user revealed that her elderly, unemployed parents were residing in the Malaysian property, which may have contributed to HDB's approval of their retention application. However, the complexities of the policy have led to further questions and debates among users. Some raised concerns about potential contradictions with Singapore's public housing rules if, after transferring ownership to parents, the property is later reclaimed by the original owner. A property agent on the platform addressed these concerns, stating that after fulfilling the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of their HDB flat, the original owners could transfer ownership of the Malaysian property back to themselves. The agent further promoted his services, offering assistance with ownership transfer processes, will drafting, and legal advice for new citizens regarding their overseas properties. User reminds strict enforcement of HDB's rules on overseas property ownership Nonetheless, not all experiences shared on XHS have been positive. Some users highlighted the strict enforcement of overseas property policies by HDB. One user recounted his friend's predicament. According to the user, the friend had declared ownership of a Malaysian apartment during the HDB flat application process two years ago. Due to a decline in property value, selling the Malaysian apartment would not cover the outstanding loan. The friend delayed selling the property, assuming that declaring it would suffice. However, HDB later issued a final notice, instructing the friend to dispose of the Malaysian apartment within six months or face repossession of the HDB flat. The user mentioned that the friend regretted declaring the property initially, as it might have triggered the stringent review. Further, the same user shared that he was assisting another client with a property ownership transfer, prompted by the client's relative having their HDB flat confiscated after HDB discovered undeclared overseas property ownership. In his post, the user cautioned others against assuming that undeclared properties would go unnoticed, emphasising that declaring overseas assets triggers a review period, while failing to declare carries its own risks. Some comments on the platform advised that it would be more prudent to resolve overseas property ownership matters before converting to Singapore citizenship, to avoid complications during HDB applications. Under existing HDB regulations, applicants for BTO flats, resale Plus or Prime flats with CPF housing grants, or HDB housing loans, must not own private residential property overseas or locally within 30 months before the application for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter. The 30-month period is counted from the legal completion date of the property sale. Public housing as a fallback? Reddit questions BTO access for new citizens with no long-term plans Earlier, on 9 June 2025, a Reddit thread reignited public discourse about the accessibility of BTO flats for new citizens. The original poster alleged that a Malaysian colleague, who had recently become a Singaporean citizen, was applying for a BTO flat with a partner holding PR status. The couple, both in their late 20s, reportedly admitted that they had no long-term plans to reside in Singapore, instead viewing the BTO flat as an investment or a fallback option. The Reddit post criticised the lack of policies requiring a minimum citizenship tenure before BTO eligibility and the absence of checks to verify applicants' intentions to settle in Singapore. The poster contrasted the situation with that of native Singaporeans who have completed national service, paid taxes, and demonstrated long-term commitment, yet face difficulties securing affordable housing. While some comments described the couple's approach as financially astute, others deemed it ethically questionable. Additional voices pointed out that certain Singaporeans similarly maintain PR status for their Malaysian spouses to optimise housing and tax benefits in both countries. Several comments proposed policy reforms to tighten BTO eligibility criteria, such as introducing a longer citizenship period before application eligibility and stricter assessments of applicants' long-term settlement intentions.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Tourist fined ₹13,000 for bringing durian into Singapore hotel room
A Chinese tourist visiting Singapore was taken aback when she received a S$200 (approx. ₹13,000) fine from her hotel — all because she brought a durian into her room, unaware that it was against the rules, reported MS News. The traveller took to the Chinese social networking and e-commerce platform. Xiaohongshu (XHS) and shared her experience to warn other visitors not to repeat her mistake She recalled on XHS that she and a friend had been exploring the city when they came across a roadside durian stall. With no seating available, they decided to pack the famously pungent fruit in a Styrofoam box and return to their hotel to enjoy it. During the cab ride back, her friend pointed out that the strong smell was already escaping the box. In an attempt to contain it, she wrapped the box tightly in cling film. 'I did so as I was afraid the driver would be bothered by the smell,' she said. 'But he didn't seem to react to our conversation.' Once in their room, the pair began eating the durian without giving it much thought. But after returning from sightseeing later that evening, she found a surprising note placed on her hotel bed. 'Once I saw that letter, I felt something was amiss,' she said. The note read: 'Please be informed that our Housekeeper found Durian smell in your room… SG200 will be imposed for a cleaning fee.' The fine came as a shock. 'I can't believe my eyes. S$200 is about 1,000 RMB,' she wrote. Also read: Chicago museum boss to keep $1 million job after getting drunk and stripping naked on flight Worried, she began looking through posts on XHS and realised that other travellers had experienced similar issues. 'Some were stopped by hotel staff at the entrance,' she wrote, 'while others managed to get the cleaning fee waived.' She contacted the hotel's front desk in hopes of appealing the fine. 'I argued with the staff,' she said. 'I confessed I was in the wrong and even asked if they could give me a little discount.' She explained that it was never her intention to break any rules. 'I wouldn't be so foolish as to come to another country and test the rules,' she said. However, the hotel did not budge. Staff explained that due to the strong odour left in the room, it would require professional cleaning and would be out of service for several days. Having learnt her lesson, the tourist signed off with a warning to others: never bring durian into your hotel room while in Singapore. Also read: US woman moved to India at 19 for a job: 'Didn't know my salary, didn't know anyone'
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Woman from China reconnects with long-lost Malaysian relatives after two decades in just 17 hours on Xiaohongshu
KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — In the hope of reconnecting with her long-lost Malaysian family, 27-year-old Cai Jiaru turned to the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu (XHS), sharing an old photo of her grandfather's Malaysian cousin. With just two clues — the name of her grandfather's cousin and Tanjong Malim — it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. Yet, just hours after posting in December, she successfully reconnected with her relatives after more than 20 years of lost contact. Jiaru's grandmother (left) and her grandfather's cousin are seen here in a photo taken during the latter's visit to mainland China in 1991. — Picture via Xiaohongshu In her lengthy post, Jiaru — who resides in San Francisco — shares her lifelong curiosity about her grandfather and her grandfather's cousin, Wang Deng Gao, who resided in Malaysia. She had often heard of her grandfather but never met him, as he died before she was born. In tracing his origins, Jiaru discovered that her grandfather, Cai Yanmo, who hailed from Yongchun County in Southern Fujian, China had migrated to Slim River, Perak (about 20km from Tanjong Malim) in the 1920s, when he was a teenager, to help out his aunt. He later returned to China after the outbreak of World War Two in the 1940s. He maintained long-distance correspondence with Wang in Malaysia over the years. The families lost contact eventually after Yanmo's death in 1991. Within hours of her post and hundreds of likes, an XHS user from Singapore replied, asking why Jiaru was looking for her father, while another user from Malaysia pointed out that the picture depicted their grandfather. A Xiaohongshu user from Singapore claiming to be Yanmo's daughter replied to Jiaru's posting, asking about her identity and why she was seeking out her father. — Picture via Xiaohongshu Another user from Malaysia expressed surprise at Jiaru's XHS post, saying that the photo was that of her grandfather. — Picture via Xiaohongshu After 20 years and one generation later, the two families successfully reunited when Jiaru's father visited Malaysia during the recent Chinese New Year celebrations and reconnected with Wang's descendants. A Chinese New Year reunion picture taken with Wang's descendants (ten out of 13 children) and Jiaru's family from China. — Picture via Xiaohongshu 'Over the past two years, the number of posts searching for relatives on Xiaohongshu has increased by five times, with a large portion of users' IP addresses located in Malaysia. 'From a tech perspective, it's a small example of how algorithms are capable of connecting people together in a good way, often forgotten about in today's sceptical environment,' a XHS Global spokesman said.
