Getting flak after media report

WHEN the Australian media carried reports about their A$2m property lucky draw, the Eers thought it would help sales pick up. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.

Their plan attracted several negative comments online and e-mails from the public after an interview with the couple was published in The Mercury newspaper on 7 Jan.

Some questioned the motive behind the lucky draw and wondered if the trade promotion was a scam.

After all, if they managed to attract 48,000 entries, they would have collected more than A$10m, five times the value of their property.

Said Mrs Eer: "This is not a scam. This is a trade promotion to help us earn money to pay our mortgages and business debts. Our intention is to close our business and move back to Singapore.

"Of course we hope to make a profit, but the reality is we have debts, taxes to pay.

"We also need to factor in the cost of running our business," said Mrs Eer.

The Eers say they owe the bank nearly A$700,000 and also have to pay their business partner A$370,000 when they eventually wind up their business.

Mrs Eer also estimates the goods and services tax to come to about A$960,000 should they be able to hit the target of A$10.5m.

"We also have income tax to pay and other miscellaneous fees. If we could make a profit of A$800,000 , it would be ideal, as we need to start from scratch when we return to Singapore," she said.

Cancer mum separated from son for a decade

DESPITE not having seen her youngest son for 10 years, Mr Lemo Eer's mother didn't tell him that she had breast cancer until six months after her operation.

"I didn't want him to worry," his mother, who wanted to be known only as Madam Lee, told The New Paper.

"He has enough problems of his own. I know he doesn't tell me everything about his difficulties either because he does not want to worry me," she said.

And even though she is still battling the cancer, she remains upbeat and cheerful.

"To suffer sickness, grow old and die is a natural process of life. I'm not afraid of dying. My only regret would be not getting to see my son one last time," said Madam Lee, 66, in Mandarin.

Madam Lee was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer in December 2008 and underwent a mastectomy in January 2009.

Currently, she has to take medication and visit her doctor every month.

She has four married daughters and one other son. She lives with her husband and this son in a five-room HDB flat on Toh Yi Drive, near Bukit Batok. Mr Lemo Eer is her youngest son.

Although they have not visited each other, Madam Lee said Mr Eer had continued sending her money even after he moved to Australia.

"Only in the last two years, he kept apologising to me for not being able to send money home as often because he has a bank loan to pay," said Madam Lee.

"He is a filial son and I know he hasn't forgotten us. The money is not important. I miss my son. Which mother wouldn't? But his happiness is more important than my not being to see him."

hedykhoo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The New Paper.