82-year-old man admits to living at Sin Ming void deck for a year, says his home's too stuffy
PHOTO: Shin Min Daily News
PUBLISHED ONApril 20, 2023 9:18 AMByAshwini BalanAn elderly man is getting plenty of attention online nowadays and no, it is not Uncle Raymond.
Yip Woon Cheong, a 82-year-old man who has been living at the void deck of a HDB block in Sin Ming for the past year, was recently featured in several YouTube videos.
And some of these videos sparked public concern for his well-being.
In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, he shared why he chose to sleep on a bench there.
Yip, who has three children, said: "I sold my house after my divorce and lived with my children for several years before moving out".
"I roamed the streets and also stayed at my friend's place... then my MP helped me to find a rental flat in this block four years ago."
The octogenarian, however, decided to move to the void deck after his fan broke down last year. His flat was too stuffy, he said.
A bench became his makeshift bed, and his clothing and several boxes of belongings are scattered in the surrounding area.
When asked if the void deck was too cold for him, the elderly man told Millennials of Singapore: "No, I am very healthy. I am not afraid of the cold".
He has had his fair share of unpleasant experiences, and complained about a resident throwing eggs on the wall and sprinkling sugar water under the bench where he sleeps, seemingly to attract ants.
For his daily needs, the retiree said that he has received biscuits and water from Good Samaritans, and he takes showers and washes his clothes at the public toilet.
But the block is now undergoing a relocation exercise which means all 300 or so residents have to move out by September.
With the help of volunteers, Yip has been allocated a new rental flat, and he's in the process of moving to his new home later this month.
When asked if he gets support from family, the elderly man told Shin Min: "My children are not doing well, I'm not counting on them to help me".