Tears for the pet but none for homeless owner: why Hong Kong is so different from Singapore on housing

I refer to the report in your Thursday edition which channelled a lot of online outrage on behalf of a dog that was locked in a car while his owner, a homeless man forced to live in his car, delivered pizzas – a legitimate job he held down (“Four-week jail term for Hong Kong man who locked pet dog in car,” August 2).

So much outrage about the dog’s fate, but hardly any about the man? What does it say about Hong Kong that no one cares that a fellow human being is forced to live in his car?

I am utterly appalled at the self-righteous tone of Hong Kong society. Shame on those who don’t care that a human being has nowhere to live but are outraged that he had nowhere to leave the dog.

Watch: City of the McRefugees

I am a Singaporean and this is the main difference between Hong Kong and Singapore. My government provides clean, affordable, safe housing for all its people, not just the oligarchs and the wealthy.

I am glad that the poor man has been jailed. At least he will have a roof over his head and three square meals a day. In Hong Kong, it seems it’s better to break the law and be jailed than attempt to work honestly and suffer for it. The people of Hong Kong deserve better than this.

Anuradha Singh, Mid-Levels