31 'stayers' back en bloc resister
Tuesday • April 29, 2008
Ansley Ng
ansley@mediacorp.com.sg
A GROUP of 31 home-owners — most of them facing en bloc battles in condominium estates islandwide — have showed their support for one of their ilk, who was featured on the cover of Weekend Today.
Yesterday, representatives of the group, who call themselves the "Stayers", delivered an envelope containing a letter and $520 to Today's newsroom, in a symbolic show of support for business consultant Ken Lee.
Mr Lee, 52, had earlier got an en bloc application for his condominium, Airview Towers on River Valley Road, voided. But on Thursday, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's decision and Mr Lee — who represented himself — was ordered to pay his opponents' legal costs.
Today understands this amount, to be decided in court, could be anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000.
In the letter with 31 signatures, the group — residents from estates such as Bayshore Park, Horizon Towers and Mandarin Gardens — expressed their "admiration" for Mr Lee's fight and said they wanted to "start a fund to help him pay his efforts".
"We, in our own condos, are fighting against the en blocs affecting all of us and would like Mr Lee to know that we share his sentiments, and we too will oppose the sale of our homes even if we have to fight alone, like him, to do so," the group wrote.
A member of the group, sales director Augustine Cheah, who lives in Bayshore Park, said the en bloc issue needed to be told from the point of view of the resident.
"The case for en bloc is being presented by developers and agents and they are all profit motivated," he said.
Members of the group, who come from some 13 estates, had met each other online by word of mouth and share an interest in resisting en bloc attempts.
When shown the letter, Mr Lee said he was "touched by the gesture and appreciate the kind thoughts", but doesn't know what to do with the money yet.
He added that he would consult a lawyer on the issue of repaying the legal costs.
Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.
EastLiving.com.sg
Contact Stuart Chng: (65) 9691 9907
Email: stuart.chng@eastliving.com.sg
EastLiving - Singapore Property and Real Estate DB
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