// PSI reads 73 but I think it's like 150//

Recently, there is this highly publicised suicide case involving a man jumping off the platform at Chinese Gardens MRT.
Sad, I would say, when financial help begins to pour in only when a person dies.
This just brings attention to the issue whether the government is doing enough to help the poor.
Usually, only after a case garnered such media attention, community self-help groups or other agencies would come out to defend themselves, saying that they did not receive any application for help from the family.
Another case I would think of is the incident whereby an undergraduate resorted to robbery to pay his university school fees.

There are 2 good reasons I can think of why people are reluctant to approach the respective self-help groups.

1. They are too ashamed of their situation and do not want others to know.
Many articles on this particular suicide case have cited this reason. Doesn't it mean that there is no care in this society?
Everybody doing their own business do not even bother about other people. You have no idea what your neighbour is doing and you have never been to their home. As long as you have your leather sofa, LCD TVs, home theatre systems, who cares about what your neighbour has? Thus, I think the blame should not be blamed solely on the family who have failed to gather help. Instead of the government heaping more help on the poor, relationships between neighbours should be promoted. However this may be difficult as even the family unit may not be as closed-knit nowadays.

2. Singapore, as one of the world's most uncorrupted countries, values evidence and proofs.
However, there may be certain loop-holes as it would be hard to prove that you are so penniless that you have been surviving on instant noodles everyday for who knows how long. If i'm not wrong, there is certain regulations that make it easier for people to upgrade their homes, say for example, from a four-room to a five room flat, and harder for people to downgrade. Well, this sort of regulation probabbly exist for a good reason but it certainly would not do the poor any justice. Many financial helping schemes probabbly requires a look at the size of your home. In addition, there are so many requirements to meet, they probabbly serve to deter people from getting the approval, rather than to serve as a platform for the poor to receive help.