Mr. Wu Taiping, a stateless man, has been living in Singapore since the 1950s, earning a living by selling tissue packets. He remains largely unknown among the populace of Singapore.

Born in Malaysia in 1947, Mr. Wu moved to Singapore at the tender age of five. He attended school until he was eight, leaving to perform Hokkien opera at the insistence of his parents.

Despite trying twice to gain Singaporean citizenship at ages 13 and 20, Mr. Wu's applications were unsuccessful due to his lack of proficiency in English and Malay.

At 25, he lost his Malaysian citizenship under unclear circumstances, rendering him stateless in Singapore. Consequently, he remained in the country where he initially pursued a career in Hokkien opera and later worked as a rag-and-bone man.

Living with his girlfriend for 28 years, Mr. Wu faced the tragedy of her passing from cancer several years ago. He has no children and has severed ties with his siblings due to financial disputes.

Due to his stateless status and lacking a passport, Mr. Wu cannot leave Singapore. For the last decade, he has been selling tissue near Paya Lebar MRT station, earning inconsistently between S$30 (roughly RM105) and S$70 (roughly RM245) daily, occasionally reaching S$100 (roughly RM300).

To assist him, he now receives S$410 (roughly RM1436) monthly through a special pass obtained in 2022, yet rising costs have forced him to reduce meals to just one per day.

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While he maintained good health until a car accident in March 2023, recent eye issues left him in discomfort. However, Mr. Wu cannot afford the hospital expenses, expressing fear of accumulating bills beyond his means. He grimly shared that in such dire situations, he would only wait for the inevitable.