A beautiful community garden at the Chempaka housing estate has been forced to be destroyed. In a Facebook post a few days ago, a resident of the estate said that the Prime Minister's Office had rejected his appeal to retain the garden. As a result, the residents there have only a week or two to vacate the place.
The heartbroken uncle wrote another letter to Lee Hsien Loong to ask for his understanding. He feels that it is unfair for the government to remove the garden because of a petty dispute that happened some time ago due to a hit and run accident nearby.
He said that none of the residents have complained about the garden for being an obstruction. On the contrary, many neighbours in the Chempaka estate have been helping to spruce up the garden for the past 12 years. Many of them are retirees who just want to keep the kampung spirit alive. It is really unfair that so much time and community effort go to waste.
"Many neighbours and I live here for many years. I live here for 26 years and we all are like one big family. Everything was so peaceful and we work together compromising each other at times to create harmonious, Kampong spirit and neighbourliness in our estate.
Your government encourage your humble citizens to create community garden, sharing to create neighbourliness and Kampong spirit but you make us think THRICE and we will consider very hard before we want to do anything further in future."
If the government continues to be indifferent about it, the residents will start raising funds to pay off their summons.
"We are arranging resources this Sunday and next Sunday to destroy and remove everything that we had put in our hard work, efforts and creativity over the years and to close this chapter on our community work and move on with life. After all, we seniors has limited time left in this mortal life but we believe WE HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT. WE HAVE FINISHED THE RACE. WE KEEP OUR FAITH."
Those who want to have a last look at the Chempaka garden are encouraged to pay a visit this weekend. Before it is too late.
