WE NEED HELP: Mr Lim Lian Huat, 40, lives with his wife, Madam Chee Lih Shyan, 41, and their two children, (left) Jasper, 11, and Prisca, 10, in a Choa Chu Kang executive flat. They regret buying the flat. -- KEITH LIN
THE LIM FAMILY
How they get by
Mr Lim Lian Huat, 40, earns $1,500 a month as a lorry driver, while his wife, Madam Chee Lih Shyan, 41, gets around $1,300 as an accounting technician. Both husband and wife held better-paying jobs in the past, receiving a combined monthly income of more than $5,000 a month, before the duo were retrenched in the late 90s.
Currently, their monthly expenditure include $1,360 spent on food, public transport and utilities, $400 to support their elderly parents, $350 on fees for skills upgrading courses and $300 on tuition fees for the children.
They have a surplus of $390 at the end of every month, which goes into their savings.
Help for 2003 GST hike
Mr Lim received $1,400 worth of ERS shares. Madam Chee did not get any shares as she's a Permanent Resident. Only Singapore Citizens are eligible for Economic Restructuring Shares (ERS).
Wishlist for next hike
Mr Lim wants rebates for service and conservancy charges for owners of executive flats. Currently, executive flat owners are excluded from such rebates.
Madam Chee hopes that basic household necessities will be exempted from GST. She said: 'We really regret buying our flat. If we sell our house now, we'll incur a paper loss of $80,000. There's no chance for us to turn back.'
