Singapore ‘McRefugee’ in Hong Kong

[Jman888]

actually there are many McRefugee around the world, even in singapore.

 

FA offers assistance to Singapore ‘McRefugee’ in Hong Kong

By Bryan Huang | Yahoo Newsroom – Mon, Nov 16, 2015

 

The Singapore Consulate-General in Hong Kong has located  and offered assistance to Mary Seow, the Singapore “McRefugee” who was interviewed in an Associated Press story on working poor and homeless people spending their nights in McDonald’s outlets in the territory.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also in touch with her family in Singapore, a MFA spokesman said on Saturday (14 November).

 

Seow’s plight was highlighted after another woman, a 56-year-old identified by Hong Kong police by her surname Lai, died in one outlet and went unnoticed until the next morning.

 

According to the AP, Seow said she had been swindled by mainland Chinese “friends” she met in a Singapore church.

 

The 60-year-old widow sold her house and followed them to China to invest the money, which she claimed was depleted in five years.

 

She began sleeping in a McDonald’s outlet a few weeks ago and had been previously spent her nights in a park.

 

Seow said she was not ready to return to Singapore because she did not want to “lose face” with friends. She has been living off meagre savings and working as a “parallel trader” who brings goods from Hong Kong across the border to mainland China.

 

The MFA urges Singaporeans in need of consular assistance overseas to approach the nearest Singapore Embassy or Consulate-General for assistance, or to call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' 24-hour Duty Office hotline at + 65 6379 8800.

 

 

 

[Mustank]

probably took family money to invest

family tell her don't go but she insist

that's why cannot come back

heard a few cases like that

[Ender]

I believe the mcdonald near AMK have. Everytime if I go in the morning always see a woman sitting at a corner with her barang barang. Sometime she is has a coffee on the table.

[Jman888]

I believe the mcdonald near AMK have. Everytime if I go in the morning always see a woman sitting at a corner with her barang barang. Sometime she is has a coffee on the table.

 

 

i saw 1 or 2 at airport, not necessary McD, changi airport is too comfortable with all the lodging facilities 

[Pinobii]

Haiz...quite sad to read about such news....& church again.....

 

Hope people wise up and dont be conned anymore

[Jman888]

assuming the guy was not married at 24, where is he going to stay when the mum sold the house and disappear?

MCREFUGEE S’POREAN MUM HOMELESS IN HK AFTER LOSING SAVINGS

MAN REALISES S'POREAN MCREFUGEE IS ESTRANGED MUM, WANTS TO BRING HER BACK

 

Nov 18, 2015 6:00am

BY HOE PEI SHAN

 

For years, her son had feared the worst. Had his missing mother been kidnapped? Murdered?

 

Ms Mary Seow had disappeared more than four years ago, abandoning her only child, Mr Edward Goh, then aged 24.

 

She had suddenly sold their home, a four-room flat in Boon Keng.

 

But after years of silence and a missing person's police report, a surprise: Ms Seow has been living on the streets of Hong Kong as a "McRefugee", Mr Goh learnt from news reports over the weekend.

 

A McRefugee is a term used to describe homeless individuals who seek overnight shelter at 24-hour McDonald's outlets in Hong Kong.

 

An Associated Press report had mentioned the 60-year-old Ms Seow in a feature on McRefugees that appeared online on Friday.

 

The New Paper followed up with a confirmation by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Ms Seow had been located.

 

An emotional Mr Goh said over the phone yesterday: "I was like, okay, this is real, this is my mother - the age, the situation, the name, they fit what I know.

 

"I was relieved that she is alive but sad at the same time because of her situation."

 

Now, with news that his mother has been found, all Mr Goh wants is to bring her home.

 

Read the full report in our print edition, Nov 18. 

 

Subscribe to The New Paper, now available in print and digital, at http://bit.ly/tnpeshop

 

 

 

[Icedbs]

 

assuming the guy was not married at 24, where is he going to stay when the mum sold the house and disappear?

 

 

Rental first then get married and buy HDB?

 

[Ender]

She could have comeback, she has a son who is looking for her. But she rather suffer as a homeless and cut contact with her family than 'lose' face infront of her friends. Sometimes I wonder if I should show sympathy to these people who place face value above anything else..

[Vid]

She could have comeback, she has a son who is looking for her. But she rather suffer as a homeless and cut contact with her family than 'lose' face infront of her friends. Sometimes I wonder if I should show sympathy to these people who place face value above anything else..

I think it's more like guilt of losing other people's money than face.

 

Edit: read again. Seems like she sold everything to go China. Maybe she didn't lose other people's money

Edited November 18, 2015 by Vid

[Ender]

I think it's more like guilt of losing other people's money than face.

 

Base on the article, she said this..

eow said she was not ready to return to Singapore because she did not want to “lose face” with friends. 

 

[Pinobii]

She could have comeback, she has a son who is looking for her. But she rather suffer as a homeless and cut contact with her family than 'lose' face infront of her friends. Sometimes I wonder if I should show sympathy to these people who place face value above anything else..

The emo she faced could be quite unbearable, cant imagine to be cheated of so much money, like what bro vid mentioned, it's probably guilt and she does not know how to answer to her loved ones

 

Kinda poor thing.....back to my usual thoughts, many singaporeans are too gullible, people make honest living here and cheating is not that prevalent, people are protected hence lack the conscious level of being aware, suspicious of cheaters n scams

 

In China, cheats are everywhere, n people are highly suspicious and alert

 

One China lady who had been here for more than 10 yrs told my friend during a hair cut that she feels stupid when she returns to China for visiting, she has lost that alertness, having stayed here for too long

[Vid]

Base on the article, she said this..

Yup... Just read the article again. It hard to imagine that one will abandon their children because of failed investments. There's always a first I guess

[Ender]

The emo she faced could be quite unbearable, cant imagine to be cheated of so much money, like what bro vid mentioned, it's probably guilt and she does not know how to answer to her loved ones

 

Kinda poor thing.....back to my usual thoughts, many singaporeans are too gullible, people make honest living here and cheating is not that prevalent, people are protected hence lack the conscious level of being aware, suspicious of cheaters n scams

 

In China, cheats are everywhere, n people are highly suspicious and alert

 

One China lady who had been here for more than 10 yrs told my friend during a hair cut that she feels stupid when she returns to China for visiting, she has lost that alertness, having stayed here for too long

You are a hair stylist??

[Jman888]

The emo she faced could be quite unbearable, cant imagine to be cheated of so much money, like what bro vid mentioned, it's probably guilt and she does not know how to answer to her loved ones

 

Kinda poor thing.....back to my usual thoughts, many singaporeans are too gullible, people make honest living here and cheating is not that prevalent, people are protected hence lack the conscious level of being aware, suspicious of cheaters n scams

 

In China, cheats are everywhere, n people are highly suspicious and alert

 

One China lady who had been here for more than 10 yrs told my friend during a hair cut that she feels stupid when she returns to China for visiting, she has lost that alertness, having stayed here for too long

 

 

PRC people use very big words when they talk, everyone like doing big business, i took several train rides during the trip and many of them talk non stop on the business plan, budget proposal, etc etc .....    

 

maybe its just the wording they use and doesn't mean much   

[Wishcumstrue]

PRC people use very big words when they talk, everyone like doing big business, i took several train rides during the trip and many of them talk non stop on the business plan, budget proposal, etc etc .....    

 

maybe its just the wording they use and doesn't mean much   

 

Talk is always cheap when ca$h is the real king.

 

Be careful when going beyond our shores either as tourist, on working trip as the world is full of swindlers and cheats, especially when you are targeted as one of those gullible Singaporean..

[Lala81]

PRC people use very big words when they talk, everyone like doing big business, i took several train rides during the trip and many of them talk non stop on the business plan, budget proposal, etc etc .....    

 

maybe its just the wording they use and doesn't mean much   

 

Another very big populous country people also like that. But the words in english. 

[Pinobii]

You are a hair stylist??

Nope, the China lady is a hair stylist, my friend went to her salon for hair cut

[Wishcumstrue]

 

actually there are many McRefugee around the world, even in singapore.

 

 

 

 

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-lonely-mcdonalds-death-highlights-mcrefugees-080922537.html

 

Photos  from AP reporter: