This is a copy of an email which was sent by Mr Rafiz, the person who brought the removal of the herb garden in Yishun, to TOC’s attention. In it, Mr Rafiz gives an account of the meeting he had with the MP for the area, Ms Lee Bee Wah, on Thursday, Oct 30.
Rafiz Mohyi Hapipi / Yishun resident
I attended the meeting with Ms Lee Bee Wah, about 5 reps from the TC and a couple more from the RC (not sure who is who as we weren’t formally introduced). The meeting was apparently called off as the senior residents have declined a replacement garden but the cancellation was not notified. Nevertheless, Ms Lee had accomodated a short discussion in the midst of her Meet the People Session.
At the meeting, Ms Lee did mentioned to her staff that the situation could have been better handled. She clarified that the TC had taken action without notifying the RC (who are volunteers) and herself. No objections to the statements were made by others who were present.
I was offered to look at the press statement (in English) that was already issued to the channel 8, the chinese newspaper that covered the story and TOC. I read the press release and in response had categorically explained that the issue was simply about removal of the garden, an alternative garden or the replacement of the garden.
I explained that to suggest the senior citizens to utilise the Community in Bloom Garden at block 830 is a reflection of ignorance of the people’s history. The micro community in question are senior citizens of Blk 817, 819, 820 & 821. These blocks along with blk 816 are somewhat isolated from the main cluster of NSS Zone D (due to the Stadium and several plots of empty land). As I showed the TOC team, the removal were not limited to the garden patch surrounding 819. Other patches at block 821 has also been removed.
I had spoken with the senior residents prior to the meeting and they are in consensus to discontinue their gardening activity. The main reasons cited were:
1) They are now old and even if a new garden is started, it will not be the same.
2) They would have continued before it was ‘thrown away’ but now that it has been ‘thrown away’ they do not see the point as they may not survive to see the results.
However, in the meeting, I stressed the point that the reactions of residents interviewed by both Mediacorp and TOC as well as the evening chinese newspaper indicated that the Town Council’s notice were not well comprehended and they were generally upset by the episode. In the meeting, I disclosed that in my professional area, I function at the policy level in a Self Help Group and that I am very aware of the processes towards policy fomulation. I stressed that there are higher order policies such as the Active Ageing message that is on going that cannot be ignored in attempting to solve micro issues. The episode of removal of the garden as well as the reply doesn’t reflect any consideration of such message.
My wife, who is a social worker by profession was there to explain on the concept of acitve ageing as well as testify to the activities of the Senior Citizens prior to the garden’s removal.
I explained that in a society where 1 in 12 are seniors (approaching 1 in 10), creating senior citizens’ corner for afternoon get together and chess games does not facilitate active ageing. My wife explianed that self initiated garden contributes to the empowerment of the senior citizens which is closer to the Active Ageing message.
Ms Lee stressed again to her staff that the process could have been better handled and had thanked me for raising the issue up otherwise she wouldn’t have been informed of the Town Council’s actions.
I have requested that a visit to the senior residents there is most appropriate and she has indicated that the visit has already been scheduled for the 9th Nov 2008.
I accept that Ms Lee and the RC was not in the know of the issue. I am glad that a visit to meet the senior residents where they are has been scheduled. However, I wish to stress that such hindsight recovery actions would not have been necessary had a more humane centric prior considerations been made.
As indicated in my earlier email reply to you (Andrew Loh for an earlier correspondence), a resident has passed away two days back and the wake is on going at my block. The senior residents here have decided to step away from the limelight and get back to the quiet and tranquil community life we have had prior to this incident.
As much as I am prepared to disect the TC’s General Manager’s response point by point, I feel that it would exacerbate the pain of the senior residents here. As indicated in my first few posts, my objective is to see the senior citizens here happy again. I’ll continue to bring my children to play with them and will see if after Ms Lee and the RC’s visit on 9th Nov can bring about an understanding for closure.
TOC’s support to this issue has been outstanding. It had definitely contributed to the development of civic participation. I wish to thank TOC’s contributors for the emphaty showered. I sincerely applaud my neighbours who have unreservedly spoken up to share the sentiments of many.
For my town councillors, and community leaders, I wish to request that a social impact assessment be included as part of the process flow. Hopefully, we can build a nation that goes beyong performativity and efficiency but a Nation that is high is Civic Awareness and profound in its Civility, a Nation in the true sense of the word.
Thank You and With Best Regards,
Rafiz Mohyi Hapipi
Resident Blk 819, Yishun St 81
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
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You are a gentleman.
Rafiz,
Are u formally from a school around strathsmore ave?
Anyway good work, keep speaking up for our elderly!
Well, well . . . . Lee Bee Wah . . . . you won’t be getting into so much trouble if you could just take some time to be ‘aware’ of what is going on around you, would you? It’s easy to feign ignorance but that does not absolve you of the crime, does it?
Haven’t you learnt your lesson from the ping-pong saga?
How about sacking the TC manager like you did to the ping-pong manager? …….argh!!! ……….. speaking to 10 residents among 4 blocks of flats! ……. utterly lame ……..
“The MP, RC and residents are not aware of all these”, that is not a surprise.
First, I can’t image an MP will be able to know the TC operation at this level. I think in PAP TC, the MP leaves the manager to run the daily operation.
Second, I have seen enough needed repairs not done in my neighbourhood until I report to the TC. And I have seen enough changes in my neighbourhood done without being consulted. There is no communication with the residents on what the TC is planning to do and whether the residents think it is a good idea. One day you see some construction work started and you have no idea what is it able until it is finished.
Jurong GRC apparently can function with ONE less team member and be appropriately apprised of their residents’ concerns.
Makes you wonder how come a fully staffed GRC elsewhere cannot.
Maybe someone up there wants to remove my Bee Wah.. :P
How come the Mass media always publish bad news that is related to bee wah…
My poor bee wah…
Mass media..while you are at it, maybe you can always do something abt Wee in AMK GRC…..
Why can’t we have Rafiz as our MP instead of Lee Bee Wah, who seems to be better in handling table tennis….
Rafiz;
thank You very much for the Updates and much much more for your concerns for your neighbours and all Singaporeans, I believed.
Like to say to You and your sayang(wife), that You all have done a marvellous job and your raceblind integrations with the community deserve SPECIAL mention.
The Old Folks may get bored without the Garden and some may want to do planting again, do monitor them. And if they want to have a garden again, please do help them to get one officially sanctioned.
Yours Sincerely: patriot
then we will not have time to play shares or buy toxic products and see our retirement funds evaporate. Since the elderly in your estate have time, why not engage then to rebuild the herb garden? Time is on your side and this time round, I am sure “it will be better handled”. Maybe Ms. Lee put a scarecrow of “someone” there to scare future careless herb garden removers.
Community spirit is a lost treasure in Singapore.
Hmm… I’m not so sure if the title of the article was quite appropriate. The content is more on the outcome of the meeting and the resolution of the entire incident.
The fact that the MP wasn’t too aware of the removal is, in my opinion, tangential to the issue. In any case, I do not expect the MP to be aware or informed of such stuff. The RC, maybe, but I think it’s beyond the MP’s attention.
In any case, thank you, Rafiz, for being so proactive in highlighting the community’s concerns. Many of us (and I definitely) can learn much from you!
>>How come the Mass media always publish bad news that is related to bee wah…
>>My poor bee wah…
Your wish juz came true….today’s 147th (?) wrote her as an angel…
well..she’s probably busy white washing her image with a special “damage control” interview with our local shit papers…(go read today straits times)
Is the Town Council (TC) so bureacratic that internal communication from bottom to top can be cut off? The entire incident points out that there are over zealous middle managers in the system who undermine the transparency and responsiveness of the town council to its constitutents. I believe this is a systematic fault in how the TC is managed and how management values are interpreted and passed down.
Members of the Town Council should be elected.
Ironic
=====================
Singaporeans make a difference in society through gardening
By Ali Smith, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 31 October 2008 2121 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/386830/1/.html
SINGAPORE: Six of Singapore’s most passionate gardeners were honoured at the first-ever Community in Bloom Ambassadors Award 2008 ceremony on Friday.
One of the winners, Kamisah Bte Atan, has created six gardens for her community to enjoy, using a grant from the Southwest Community Development Council.
She said all six gardens are maintained by getting women of all ages involved.
“Some of the elderly have aches here and there, and since they started gardening, they have felt much better and they look forward to every gardening activity that we have,” Kamisah said, adding that her group aims to plant 100,000 plants in the next four years.
There are also others in Singapore who are using gardening to teach basic skills.
Less than a year ago, former chef Philip Li mobilised his students, who attend the Association for Persons with Special Needs, to create a garden using recycled plants and donated pots.
“Identification, observational skills and motor skills are involved because they need to identify what are the weeds, what are the plants and what are the things you are supposed to weed,” said Li.
In addition, he said gardening has paved the way for employment opportunities for the students. So far, three special needs graduates have landed jobs with landscaping companies in Singapore.
- CNA/so
transparency? Maybe we can find it in popular bookstore.
I thought herb gardens were meant for de-stressing, now even this is thrown in the political arena =)
Maybe the Sembawang Town Council people think that by removing the herb garden in Yishun, it would deprive Mas Selamat, who is still not recaptured, one additional place to play hide and seek lah.
Like that the Town Council Chairman can score points with his boss mah. Hahahahaha…….
Another idiotic action of unthinking men-in-white. Its happened, what to do?
Lets move on ….. but please give me another pay rise this December, okay?
Mother of all blunderers!!
Members of the Town Council should be elected. – red_dot (#15)
Uniquely Singapore. Town Councillors are democratically elected in the UK.