Singapore defends harsh stance on high-rise litter bugs

Asian Economic News, July 24, 2000

SINGAPORE, July 18 Kyodo

The Singapore government has said it will confiscate the homes of people who throw "killer-litter" from their high-rise government-built apartments despite an outcry from some quarters that the move is too harsh.

Local media reported Tuesday that Singaporean National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan has backed the move by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to confiscate the apartments of three killer-litter offenders, saying it will act as a deterrent to curb the rising spate of incidents.

Three people, aged between 17 and 65, were convicted and sent to jail in May this year for hurling things ranging from empty beer bottles to thorny durian husks out of their windows at different times last year and this year.

The housing board said they and their families will be evicted from the apartments they bought from the government. The harsh action was sparked by the death of a girl who was hit by a falling flower pot in May.

The move, however, has roused concern from some in Singapore who complain that it is unfair for members of an offender's family to suffer the consequences of the offender's action.

The majority of Singaporeans live in apartments bought from the government, which developed the apartments and sold them at a subsidized rates.

Only the most affluent of the population are able to afford to buy apartments or houses developed by the private sector in the land-scarce city-state.

Since 1986, the housing board has imposed the confiscation penalty on convicted killer-litter offenders. However, the law was only rarely applied, and only one rented apartment had been confiscated, in 1991.

Owners whose apartments are confiscated will be refunded the amount they originally paid for them. The refund could also be based on the current price of the apartments as assessed by the board, whichever is higher. They will then be barred from buying or renting government housing for five years.

Defending the government move, Mah said it is the duty of the family to educate its members not to throw things out the window.

However, he said the board may take into consideration the plight of those made homeless by confiscation by renting them ground-floor apartments.