 |
| Not too sure if I could use this picture or not cause I know even he has to pay to use his own pictures.Anyway credits to yahoonews. |
Ex DJ, current Twelve Cupcakes Managing Director Daniel Ong sends complaint letter to neighbour regarding noisy renovation works.
Crazy? Childish? Whatever the case is, like I always say, there is two side to a coin and same thing for stories. Before it gets taken down here is Daniel's reply via his facebook page. In case it gets taken down, here it is: (It's a mega wall of text)
To whomever is reading this ,
There are 2 sides to every story. I wish I didn't have to tell you mine. I am not going to share EVERYTHING that transpired to make me write the letter to my neighbor…. But I will share some things to clear the air.
And though she started this online campaign toward me, I didn’t want to drag the family through dirt coz of 1 man’s actions.
But please know one thing
, I am not a person to retaliate…unless provoked.
To all our reporter friends, me n Jaime do not wish to add fuel to this mans fire. I’m just trying to set the record straight. We also do not wish for this to go to print.
I am writing this now, to state some facts…and to over throw some false accusations hurtled my way. Many people are here to “watch a show” have some “popcorn” as they say coz to them its entertainment. Its not, its my life and I’m living thru it everyday with my unpleasant neighbor. I would like to ask you to hear my side first before you continue insulting me or my business on cyberspace.
Yes, I sent him a frustration letter, and he sends 6 nasty reply letters to my whole entire family and business associates. I sent him a reply after.
He then tries to get a ST reporter to write about the story, but after talking to both sides…the reporter realizes there is no story. He is trying to blow this up as an act of aggression…he tries to intimidate with legal action… but there is nothing to act on.
To summarize everything up, I’ve overheard my neighbor threaten his contractors with violence if they didn’t finish work on time.
I’ve heard stories on him refusing compensation for damaging a neighbor’s wall, where water seeped through and damaged a mattress.
I’ve heard a scuffle that broke out between him and our neighbor and he picks something up to threaten our neighbor?
And his daughter wonders why I don’t speak to him … and only to the nice main contractor about anything?
Since my letter, I’ve endured numerous stare downs where he curses me under his breath.
Just last weekend, I step out of my house with a friend and upon seeing me, he shouts …
“WHAT THE FUCK? YOU WANNA FIGHT AH?? COME LAH!!!!”
I tell him …
“No I don’t wanna fight, I’m not scared of you, and if you touch me or my family, or get violent with me, I will report you .”
he says…“CALL THE POLICE LAH!!! “
I tried to make peace with him by saying…
“Look Siva, I don’t want war. I’ve written to you to express my displeasure and extreme frustration…you wrote 6 letters to my whole family with your nasty letter…we are even no?, lets stay out of each others way.”
To which he replies…
“NO! its not ! “
He obviously does not want peace, so I stopped trying.
He claims I insulted him coz I addressed him as Sivalingam num-style in my last letter…but I told him that I didn’t mean that and it’s the coolest thing around now.
He says he is Asian, and does not like that dance. ( I didn’t even try to explain that Psy is Asian too.)
We part ways, but I’m glad my friend, his friends and my wife were around to witness that unprovoked lash out at me, and the refusal of peace.
Anyhoo, here are the untruths circulating online now.
Untruth # 1- After talking to the family, according to the reporter his son says I stared/”shiong” at his him for over a minute as I drove past his car the other day. That’s crazy coz I didn’t even know that that was his son! It was a narrow road, and I was trying not to hit any cars…a man steps out of a parked car , and I glance up to see who it was…and I drive off. I later hear the story about my “Glare off” from the reporter. Amazing.
Untruth #2-Also, Charlene Sivalingam claims I came out of our house while she was on her roof and showed her the middle finger the other day, which is weird coz IVE NEVER SEEN HER ON THE FREAKING ROOF!!! Why in the hell would I do that?!?!?! Did I come out of my house and stretch? And in that moment…you deemed I was giving you the finger? OMG??? What??
Oh, and Charlene, you coming to my store at Millennia walk the other day to loudly exclaim…”HMPHHH…twelve cupcakes! “And snorting before walking away …What was that about? Is it coz we were sold out? Im sorry if we were.
Untruth #3- That this is a publicity stunt for Twelve cupcakes. From the start, they went to the press (with no results) …then they started an online campaign against me, Surely I have to defend myself now.
ANYHOO……
Here are the facts.
Renovations started in April, and just ended recently… Over 6 months of it. You would go mad too, if you lived through the pounding/drilling and hacking that gets EVEN LOUDER through walls. Sometimes, 3 pile drivers are at work at the same time. Its crazy loud. They use this as a torture technique in some countries. I’ve seen it on TV.
It starts at 815am sometimes earlier, even after I spoke to them about starting at 9am multiple times. Amazing thing is they hack from 8-9…then stop for an hour before continuing at 10. I spoke to the main contractor to start at 9 , who said he will change it. It changes for 2 days…and reverts to the 8am schedule. Btw, I have late nights…and only sleep at 2am.
In the afternoon, after lunch…same deal…I’ve had to move 2 year old Renee out from home for her afternoon naps coz of the BOOMING noise. You know kids, they need naps or they get real cranky.
About the car, I moved my car from the front of my house to the side of the road many times whenever they ask, sometimes ringing our bell at 830am to move, even before I’m awake or dressed. Imagine our frustration! Until one day, after moving it to the side again, my car is scratched with a penknife across BOTH sides. I’ve hence told them I will stop moving my car, coz my cameras cant catch the culprits.
Guys, I’ve lived through the dirt, dust and renovations. I Understand that there must be noise in renovations, and I empathized for months…But try it for 6 months… and you might understand why I was frustrated. I know sending the letter might not have been the best way to get through to him…but it sure beats talking to him straight up after hearing over the walls so much about him. I’m sure it would not have ended pretty if I approached him. I especially empathize with his workers and main contractor for what they have gone through, and for some of the family to having moved back even before the total renovations was done.
I have no wish for this to blow up, but many have taken to insulting me on cyberspace even before knowing all the facts.
I have decided not to publish the letter he sent to me, where he insults me, taunts my car being scratched, and boasts of his house being worth $6 million as compared to my smaller abode. But seriously, you would have a serious chuckle and wonder why such a person exists if you read it.
I have no wish for war, or to provoke my neighbor Mr Sivalingam . Who knows what will he do? Like what I told the ST reporter, I will only ignore him from now on, and if he picks a fight again…I will walk away. My mother said to me, “be respectful to the elderly… “ that’s good advice… Pat law says…”only pick on people your size”...that’s great advice too.
In short, I just want to live my life…free from an intimidating neighbor, free from people in cyberspace who attack me and my family without knowing the full story, and more importantly… this is exhausting.
Im uber thankful to my wife for being my beacon of love, wisdom and understanding through all this. And we are stronger everyday coz of trials like this. I’m also very thankful for everyone who has contributed to twelve cupcakes becoming the #1 cup cakery in Singapore . I would much rather focus my attention on making Singapore proud of another local brand to make it big overseas.
I thank you for reading this and would like to offer Mr Siva and his family an offering of peace again. There is no need for War, or hostility guys.
I wrote you an angry letter… you wrote 6 back…I guess we are even!( my math is pretty bad.)
Like it or not, even tho we may never interact.
It is what it is, we are neighbors.
Daniel Ong
PS: Sorry for the long post and does anyone know of any good car spraying companies?
To all our reporter friends, me n Jaime do not wish to add fuel to this mans fire. I’m just trying to set the record straight. We also do not wish for this to go to print.
I am writing this now, to state some facts…and to over throw some false accusations hurtled my way. Many people are here to “watch a show” have some “popcorn” as they say coz to them its entertainment. Its not, its my life and I’m living thru it everyday with my unpleasant neighbor. I would like to ask you to hear my side first before you continue insulting me or my business on cyberspace.
Yes, I sent him a frustration letter, and he sends 6 nasty reply letters to my whole entire family and business associates. I sent him a reply after.
He then tries to get a ST reporter to write about the story, but after talking to both sides…the reporter realizes there is no story. He is trying to blow this up as an act of aggression…he tries to intimidate with legal action… but there is nothing to act on.
To summarize everything up, I’ve overheard my neighbor threaten his contractors with violence if they didn’t finish work on time.
I’ve heard stories on him refusing compensation for damaging a neighbor’s wall, where water seeped through and damaged a mattress.
I’ve heard a scuffle that broke out between him and our neighbor and he picks something up to threaten our neighbor?
And his daughter wonders why I don’t speak to him … and only to the nice main contractor about anything?
Since my letter, I’ve endured numerous stare downs where he curses me under his breath.
Just last weekend, I step out of my house with a friend and upon seeing me, he shouts …
“WHAT THE FUCK? YOU WANNA FIGHT AH?? COME LAH!!!!”
I tell him …
“No I don’t wanna fight, I’m not scared of you, and if you touch me or my family, or get violent with me, I will report you .”
he says…“CALL THE POLICE LAH!!! “
I tried to make peace with him by saying…
“Look Siva, I don’t want war. I’ve written to you to express my displeasure and extreme frustration…you wrote 6 letters to my whole family with your nasty letter…we are even no?, lets stay out of each others way.”
To which he replies…
“NO! its not ! “
He obviously does not want peace, so I stopped trying.
He claims I insulted him coz I addressed him as Sivalingam num-style in my last letter…but I told him that I didn’t mean that and it’s the coolest thing around now.
He says he is Asian, and does not like that dance. ( I didn’t even try to explain that Psy is Asian too.)
We part ways, but I’m glad my friend, his friends and my wife were around to witness that unprovoked lash out at me, and the refusal of peace.
Anyhoo, here are the untruths circulating online now.
Untruth # 1- After talking to the family, according to the reporter his son says I stared/”shiong” at his him for over a minute as I drove past his car the other day. That’s crazy coz I didn’t even know that that was his son! It was a narrow road, and I was trying not to hit any cars…a man steps out of a parked car , and I glance up to see who it was…and I drive off. I later hear the story about my “Glare off” from the reporter. Amazing.
Untruth #2-Also, Charlene Sivalingam claims I came out of our house while she was on her roof and showed her the middle finger the other day, which is weird coz IVE NEVER SEEN HER ON THE FREAKING ROOF!!! Why in the hell would I do that?!?!?! Did I come out of my house and stretch? And in that moment…you deemed I was giving you the finger? OMG??? What??
Oh, and Charlene, you coming to my store at Millennia walk the other day to loudly exclaim…”HMPHHH…twelve cupcakes! “And snorting before walking away …What was that about? Is it coz we were sold out? Im sorry if we were.
Untruth #3- That this is a publicity stunt for Twelve cupcakes. From the start, they went to the press (with no results) …then they started an online campaign against me, Surely I have to defend myself now.
ANYHOO……
Here are the facts.
Renovations started in April, and just ended recently… Over 6 months of it. You would go mad too, if you lived through the pounding/drilling and hacking that gets EVEN LOUDER through walls. Sometimes, 3 pile drivers are at work at the same time. Its crazy loud. They use this as a torture technique in some countries. I’ve seen it on TV.
It starts at 815am sometimes earlier, even after I spoke to them about starting at 9am multiple times. Amazing thing is they hack from 8-9…then stop for an hour before continuing at 10. I spoke to the main contractor to start at 9 , who said he will change it. It changes for 2 days…and reverts to the 8am schedule. Btw, I have late nights…and only sleep at 2am.
In the afternoon, after lunch…same deal…I’ve had to move 2 year old Renee out from home for her afternoon naps coz of the BOOMING noise. You know kids, they need naps or they get real cranky.
About the car, I moved my car from the front of my house to the side of the road many times whenever they ask, sometimes ringing our bell at 830am to move, even before I’m awake or dressed. Imagine our frustration! Until one day, after moving it to the side again, my car is scratched with a penknife across BOTH sides. I’ve hence told them I will stop moving my car, coz my cameras cant catch the culprits.
Guys, I’ve lived through the dirt, dust and renovations. I Understand that there must be noise in renovations, and I empathized for months…But try it for 6 months… and you might understand why I was frustrated. I know sending the letter might not have been the best way to get through to him…but it sure beats talking to him straight up after hearing over the walls so much about him. I’m sure it would not have ended pretty if I approached him. I especially empathize with his workers and main contractor for what they have gone through, and for some of the family to having moved back even before the total renovations was done.
I have no wish for this to blow up, but many have taken to insulting me on cyberspace even before knowing all the facts.
I have decided not to publish the letter he sent to me, where he insults me, taunts my car being scratched, and boasts of his house being worth $6 million as compared to my smaller abode. But seriously, you would have a serious chuckle and wonder why such a person exists if you read it.
I have no wish for war, or to provoke my neighbor Mr Sivalingam . Who knows what will he do? Like what I told the ST reporter, I will only ignore him from now on, and if he picks a fight again…I will walk away. My mother said to me, “be respectful to the elderly… “ that’s good advice… Pat law says…”only pick on people your size”...that’s great advice too.
In short, I just want to live my life…free from an intimidating neighbor, free from people in cyberspace who attack me and my family without knowing the full story, and more importantly… this is exhausting.
Im uber thankful to my wife for being my beacon of love, wisdom and understanding through all this. And we are stronger everyday coz of trials like this. I’m also very thankful for everyone who has contributed to twelve cupcakes becoming the #1 cup cakery in Singapore . I would much rather focus my attention on making Singapore proud of another local brand to make it big overseas.
I thank you for reading this and would like to offer Mr Siva and his family an offering of peace again. There is no need for War, or hostility guys.
I wrote you an angry letter… you wrote 6 back…I guess we are even!( my math is pretty bad.)
Like it or not, even tho we may never interact.
It is what it is, we are neighbors.
Daniel Ong
PS: Sorry for the long post and does anyone know of any good car spraying companies?
I know you didn't ask but:
this is exactly what I mean by people abusing social media. Making something out of nothing and I realize many local readers take side with news like this. Such "domestic" issues spreading like wild fire within hours of it happening is just ridiculous isn't it?
Regardless if we know half the story or "full" story, the truth will always be which story you choose to believe. We really can't say who is right or wrong from such "news source".
I believe this ain't going to be the end of it but in fact this is going to be the start of it. This reminds me of the Joo Chiat family that goes on and on arguing and even hit national TV. I believe she was some polytechnic lecturer right?
It's never easy to have good neighbour relationship especially in Singapore where most people are too reserved and "can't be bothered" to build such relationship. We can be staying in an estate for 20 yrs and we have no idea what is the first name or my neighbour, well at least for Daniel they know each others' name pretty damn well by now. I myself is going to be in a new estate and I hope things will be better for us and nothing of this will happen to me.
Mr.Smith, eh, friend friend lah. Let me cook my pot of curry can?
0 comments:
Post a Comment