Reading this on a brand new day is a mistake because it totally spoils my mood now. I'll likely be brooding about this for days, even though brooding accomplishes nothing.
This is getting ridiculous. Why must they build a hawker centre right on the piece of green patch left in Yishun? And why must it be right in front of my house? This makes it hard to stomach, oh look, I make a pun.
Yishun is turning fast into a concrete jungle and is going to be no different from all the towns in Singapore. I loathe it for what it is becoming to be. There is no "special feeling" anymore. The sense of identity is gone.
While I am on this point, the large trees in Yishun Park were fell and along with them, down came the white-bellied sea eagles' nest. I lamented about it for days but what can I do? Write a letter when the matter was already done?
Yes, so the government do caters to what residents want. But, what about those that veto against this construction? Do we have no say at all? I doubt that all the residents are consulted before this decision is made.
I used to pride myself for being loyal to the leading party in Singapore because overall, they did do a great job. But, recently, the onslaught to kill what is left of Yishun makes me so angry and frustrated.
Does that mean that the opposing party will gain another follower? I'm afraid, no. Unless they can protect more greenlands and slow down the development, I see no reason to change sides. It is not as if they will have an alternative.
I understand that there will always be collateral damage. This leads me to another point, I admit having the NIMBY Syndrome. Don't most of us, if not all? Will you be happy if your backyard has to make way for the "greater good"? Can you be sure you will agree with the decision to build a nuclear plant right in front of your doorstep?
Am I having the defeatist attitude as well? Perhaps. You tend to have it in Singapore. What can you do but to accept the "greater good"? It's the same for Bukit Brown, isn't it? It is everything to do with progress, pragmatism and the need to rise to world stage. We can never afford something as simple and luxurious as a green patch of land without some development on it.
At the very least, it is not a twelve-storey HDB which will completely block any view. I shudder to think the thought of looking into another's bedroom. At the very least, it is probably just a one-storey building that will cause traffic problems, pest problems (roaches and rats!), noise pollution, hygiene problems and that nasty smell that will stick to your clothes.
The thought of moving away to the countryside suddenly seems so appealing. Perhaps, I need to get away from Singapore for a few months, if not years when I'm older just to get away from the urbanisation.
