The squatter farms bounded by former KTM railway tracks, Sungei Ulu Pandan canal and Clementi Avenues 4 and 6 yielded jackfruit, melons, bittergourd, chilli, sweet potatos and fish, a gotong-royong type enterprise that had gone on unperturbed for years. Until a spoilsport made a complaint about leaves being burnt at the plot. SLA promptly slapped eviction orders on the illegal sheds and structures, giving March 20 as the date line to cease and desist agricultural operations.
We are firmly reminded that under the State Lands Encroachment Act, it is an offence to unlawfully use the land by erecting buildings, cultivating, enclosing, clearing or residing at any part of it. Ms Poh, writing as SLA Head of Corporate Corporations, also alleged that "some individuals have not only encroached on state land for their private purposes, but several have also fenced up parcels of land as their own and padlocked them for their exclusive use." Apparently several ponds with stagnant water were also found, which means NEA can also be roped in to jointly prosecute the wanton law breakers for mosquito breeding.
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Sim Ann has called on those who have been using the 1,800 square metres site to come forward "so their views can be heard." So far, the owner of the fenced up vegetable patch has identified himself, one of those trusting souls who probably still believes compassion is not yet dead. The invite would be more assuring if the proposed discussions serve to explore the building of elder-care centres in idyllic Garden of Eden environs, complete with gardening and horticultural opportunities, until authorities firm up their profit generation plans for the vacant state land. Instead of locating them in built-up areas like Woodlands and Toh Yi.
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I am sure the authorities knew of such activities long long ago. They did not act earlier because the land does not belong to Singapore. Now that Malaysian has handed over the land, SLA is waiting for an excuse to move in. I do not believe the silly complaint like burning of leaves is the real reason. All SLA need is someone to complain and swift action would be taken. This way, it will not be SLA's initiative but the displeasure of residents. Very clever of SLA, I think.
ReplyDeleteA similar action took place where an old access road was used by residents for parking for 10 years until one new FT family occupying the house in front of the access road complain to LTA that they saw couples making love opposite their house!!. SLA immediately erected bollards.
ReplyDeleteI wonder about the guy who complained.
ReplyDeleteToo bad we don't know if he belongs to any particular political party.
If everybody starts growing their own food in the backyard, who's going to buy from NTUC and the shengshiong? If every hdb is installed with solar panels, who's going to pay for electricity bills? Revenue Revenue Revenue. This is a government that is not interested to just govern. They are interested to govern every aspect of the economy and run a damn profitable business. Only in Singapore, when the govtment and ruling party will change the demographics of the population, NEVER the other way round. You see what is wrong with this picture?
ReplyDeleteLOL..an invite for mass execution. The 3 million little pigs inviting the big bad wolves into their house. They don't even need to huff puff and bluff their way in...
DeleteI hope SLA could allow residents to continue with the farming unless they need to use the land. Agree that some structures may need to be pulled down but at the end of the day, the place actually look decently good.
ReplyDeleteLet the CC run the place for all residents and decide the best way to manage.
Why let the CC run the place "for the residents"? Why can't the residents run it for themselves? Why do we keep looking to the govt to run things? What's wrong with the residents being entreprenerial here? Why do you keep "inviting" the govt to do this do that instead? Why this default thinking? What's wrong with the people doing it? The govt should get out of their way in people's affair as much as possible. Until singaporeans start thinking this way, they will never GROW UP and WAKE UP!
DeleteI am sure nobody would have complained if not for the burning of leaves and breeding of mosquitos. Those freelance farmers might have push their luck a little too far, to the extend of building a toilet there. Do what you like but at least consider the situation of people around you.
ReplyDeleteWith the land now reverted to Singapore, I think it's a matter of time they will kick out those farms there. Quite a waste! Those places just need a bit of hygiene and proper management. If the government is kind enough, should grant those people short term leases until it has redevelopment plan on those places.
ReplyDeleteWill The Government Be That Kind?
I agree. The authority should grant them leases until they have further plans. Meantime, these is oppty to turn this into an organic farmland which is sorely lacking in urban singapore. Housing the elderlies there is also another great idea, love it!
ReplyDeleteWonder which Authority can 'take over' and run it almost-as-is for the benefit of the residents there? Town Council? The new NPP or NPC?
ReplyDeleteOk, wishful thinking only....
re anon at 9.03pm's comment tt there is no reason a CC should step in - Absolutely Agree. this place is so conditioned to the damned govt doing/running everything. the squattors didn't need the authorities before, why would they need them now? why cant sporeans handle things Themselves??? are we such Children that we need our hands held?! sometimes, one feels sorry for the govt having to deal with pple like us.
ReplyDeletere anon 7.57's call for consideration of others -consideration for others is Not the singaporean way. it hasn't been for years now. which is why so many of us bitch about behaviour and lack of manners here. which is why the edu ministry wants to offer kids Money to behave like human beings. by and large, there are a lot of pple with book learning who can hardly be considered educated in the real sense of the word. first world? god, we'r such an uncouth bunch.
neither is tolerance part of the sporean way of life any more. the burning of leaves, unless it's all day, every day, is hardly worth making a fuss about compared to the dust from construction and pollution from vehicles. we have become a bunch of self-righteous, petty-minded people now, who whine about all the wrong things.
Burning of leaves is an excuse, not the reason. SLA is waiting for opportunity like this to strike. This way, they are the good guy acting on behalf of the residents who complained. This kind of script has been replayed time and again.
ReplyDeleteSome Singaporean must've been cooking curry on the site
ReplyDeleteSome of the squatters may have a chance to remain there, unless the land on the former KTM Railway line is already slated for development. See below:
ReplyDeleteAbout HDB LAND Clearance Activities
Clearance of squatters from State Land
HDB Land Clearance Unit (LCU) is the principal clearance agency to clear squatters from State land on behalf of Government and other Statutory Boards for public development. As there are sites still not affected by any development, they are allowed to remain at the existing sites until their land is due for development.
Anon Mar 14 2012 05:25 AM
DeleteThe link for the above quote:
www.hdb.gov.sg/aa15/aa15001p.nsf/(PLDContentLand)/AA?opendocument