~ By C C Y ~

Central to the discussion surrounding the maintenance of Bukit Brown in its unspoilt state is the question of how to best use space in Singapore, particularly one that is not high-rise steel and concrete. Skeptics of maintaining Bukit Brown in its natural condition argue that the land can be put to better use. Such positions clearly underplay the fact that a green Bukit Brown benefits Singapore by retaining rainwater, lowering ambient temperature, and preserving biodiversity. Bukit Brown does so much better than the twenty-two golf courses that take up 2.2 percent of our land and 88 percent of all recreational space in Singapore ever can.[1]

But leaving aside environmental issues for a moment, I believe that conserving Bukit Brown can serve to celebrate and promote Singapore to both Singaporeans and visitors alike. A Bukit Brown in its natural glory can connect Singaporeans to the spirit that shaped who we are as a nation and introduce visitors to a Singapore that is much more than simply steel-reinforced concrete, asphalt, and glass. Of course, many may wonder who in their right mind would visit a cemetery. Here, I would like to suggest that having a cemetery as a major site of historical — and potentially tourist — interest is very common internationally, even in cities that otherwise clamour for space.

Strong precedent to preserve cemeteries

Just north of the causeway, Malacca is proud of its Bukit Cina and Penang, its Jewish and Protestant cemeteries, just as Tokyo openly extols its Aoyama and Yanaka cemeteries. Few would think to destroy the catacombs in Rome or Paris, just as most would not consider constructing roads through and buildings over Pere-Lachaise, Montparnasse, Montmatre, Brompton, Highgate, or Kensal Green. Los Angeles has Hollywood Forever Cemetery, New Orleans has Lafayette and St. Louis, while New York City keeps Marble Cemetery, Trinity Church Cemetery, and the African Burial Ground National Monument on Manhattan. Even land-starved Hong Kong Island has its Happy Valley Cemetery and Stanley Military Cemetery. The list can go on and on.

Pere-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris
 

Lafayette Cemetery in New Orleans

These spaces help define the urban and social landscape in which they belong, and help shape the character of their cities. Locals go to these cemeteries for walks and to physically connect with the past, children visit these places as part of school tours to learn about where their cities and even countries came from. Visitors from out of town make special effort to see these cemeteries because they are an indelible part of the experience of visiting these cities. From “Interview with a Vampire” to “Easy Rider” and “The Da Vinci Code”, many of these cemeteries have been immortalised on the silver screen. Aoyama Cemetery is even a traditional location for Japanese families to picnic and view the cherry blossoms each spring.

Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo
 

Inside of Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris
 

Land price argument is flawed

If prices are an indicator of the relative scarcity of land, then many of the cities mentioned earlier have as much a concern for the availability of space as Singapore, if not more. According to the credit-/debt analysis firm Credit Sesame, land in Singapore cost an average of US$1,561 per square foot as of 2011.[2] This is less than the US$3,287 per square foot in Paris and the US$1,590 per square foot in London, but more than the US$1,090 in New York City for the same year. The same study lists a square foot in the middle income Taikoo Shing area in Hong Kong as going for US$1,118. In comparison, average land prices in Tokyo stood at US$2,080 per square foot in 2008, the year of the Global Financial Crisis.[3] In none of these other urban areas were there calls to pave over their historic cemeteries.

Offering a cheaper attraction

That Singapore is able to spend substantial funds on creating spaces for recreation strongly suggests that we can well afford Bukit Brown. Gardens-by-the-Bay cost S$800 million to construct, while Marina Bay Sands took S$8 billion to erect and Resorts World Singapore, S$6.59 billion.[4] The collection from the Belitung Shipwreck came at a price of US$32 million.[5] The purchase and exhibition of a dinosaur family from the United States by the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research has a tag of at least S$46 million.[6] Bukit Brown may prove no less an attraction for visitors than these other locations. It can even offer a more accommodating and affordable to place visit as an open, public space.

Has a unique selling point

Among Bukit Brown’s draws is the fact that it is one of the largest Chinese burial grounds in the world outside China. It is unique in featuring Overseas Chinese, including members of Sun Yat-sen’s Tongmenghui and prominent individuals in the modern history of Southeast Asia. The intricate tomb designs found at Bukit Brown are particular to this part of the world. Bukit Brown also includes the communal graves of many who perished during the Second World War and the Japanese Occupation, possibly including some killed during the Japanese Imperial Army’s brutal Operation Sook Ching. Compared against Singapore’s other expenditures on new recreational facilities, protecting Bukit Brown costs almost nothing. Its cultural and historical significance as well as natural beauty provides an extra texture to Singapore that buildings and artificial landscapes just cannot.

Saving Bukit Brown simply makes sense. Beyond its importance to the natural environment and biodiversity in Singapore, Bukit Brown may be a key to sustainable development on our increasingly urbanised nation. This comes together with its significance to Singapore history and heritage, which can help bind future generations to our shared past and root them in Singapore, supplementing longstanding efforts at national education and nation-building. Doing so with generic modern buildings and artificial landscaping tends to be much more difficult. In addition, a natural and protected Bukit Brown can prove inviting to visitors, giving them an experience that is different from what is available elsewhere on the island — it is truly and uniquely Singapore.

Conserving Bukit Brown is neither difficult nor expensive to accomplish. Do the right thing. Push to protect Bukit Brown.

__________________

[1]
Concept Plan Review, Focus Group Consultation, Final Report on Land Allocation – submitted to the Ministry of National Development on 22 December 2000

 

 

[2]
Colin Dobrin, “America’s Top Cities: Cheapest Real Estate in the World?” – 26 September 2011

 

 

[4]
Shibani Mahtani, “State-of-the-Art Gardening, Singapore-Style”, The Wall Street Journal, 10 March 2012
Las Vegas Sands says Singapore casino opening delayed”, AsiaOne Travel, 08 July 2009
Genting says integrated resorts bill could rise to S$6.59b”, Channel News Asia, 19 February 2009

 

 

[6]
Generous mystery donor makes $8 million dino deal possible”, AsiaOne, 07 September 2011

 

 


To find out more, you can visit SOS Bukit Brown (and its facebook page) and Bukit Brown Cemetery (and its facebook page). Information on weekend tours of Bukit Brown conducted by volunteers are available from All Things Bukit Brown (and its facebook page).

You can also join the petition to save Bukit Brown at the SOS Bukit Brown website and individually write to your MP asking to save Bukit Brown, or demand for the public release of details surrounding the LTA's road-building plans, hydrology studies, biodiversity impact assessment, and other related evaluations, none of which have been made fully available to the public.

_______________________________

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Dr Koh Poh Koon's social media fiasco: Picture of him carrying "32kg" worth of newspapers

Earlier last week, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Koh Poh Koon…

严抨扣押欠费清寒子弟成绩单之举 网上联署抗议放眼获千人支持

日前,清寒子弟欠费成绩单遭扣押一事闹得沸沸扬扬,事情被爆出后引起多人议论,大部分人批评教育部的做法,还有人发起联署,要求教育部改善措施。 三日前,网友Terence Tan在发起联署表示抗议教育部有关措施,联署表达了许多人也有同感,认为学校证书、成绩单和其他成就都足以见证了经营价值观,它们象征着个人的进步,对孩子们起了相当重要的作用。 对此,他们教育部在不追究欠费原因下而扣押成绩单的作法,表示不认同。联署表示,由于欠费并非巨款,对于国家开支并未有任何影响,但长久而言,它却表明了国家对于平等机会的信念。 因此,站在教育部的立场,联署反对教育部以此当作“教育”的理念,除了对孩子的自尊留下深刻印象,更是将他们的父母带来了没有能力或无法依赖的印象,这样的做法对子女的发展并没有太大帮助。 最后,联署认为孩子的教育并非只有知识和技能的展现,应包括他们的社会经验、与政府的关系等等的标准与期待,也是孩子教育发展重要的部分。教育部应将孩子的自我价值感、生活技能、身心发展与学术纳入教育的部分,因此欠费的判断不应单单由教育部来决定,更是容纳各项考量,将判断留给新加坡社会及家庭发展部(MSF)的政府机构,已作出正确的选择。 截至目前,已有363人响应,而且数目持续在上升中,发起人表示,对于公众的反映热烈表示感谢,并希望在明天之前能够达到1000人,并在这周前完成5000人的目标。 此前,针对清寒子弟在没有缴清学费的情况底下,将成绩单扣押一事,教育部的回应是指此举用意在于强化家长的责任,并呼吁家长共同承担和正视义务,不管这些费用多小。 对此,民主党主席淡玛亚也站出来质问教育部,父母的问题必须连带孩子受到惩罚,此举是否妥当。 失业者互助网站 Transitioning.org创办人吴家和更是致函至教育部长王乙康,敦促政府应尽早做好改善措施。  

We can keep the reserves intact for future Singaporeans while still using it to help the current generation, says NCMP Leong Mun Wai

First time Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai of the…

竞消委会称职总创优收购Kopitiam不违反竞争法令

新加坡竞争与消费者委员会今日宣布,职总创优企业合作社(NTUC Enterprise)收购Kopitiam集团的举动,不触犯竞争法令。 在文告中,竞消委会指经咨询利益相关者,评估所有相关讯息后,认为上述新加坡餐饮市场的竞争,会因为上述并购而大幅减少。 竞消委会认为,职总创优和Kopitiam都不算是最相近的竞争对手,仍有其他强大竞争者如口福集团、Food Junction、美食共和国、金味和大路(Broadway)等餐饮业巨头。 竞消委会也指出,在环境局的监督下,职总创优和Kopitiam个别管理着2011年后建设的其中四家小贩中心,但全国有114间小贩中心。 对此,竞消委会认为由两家合并公司管理的小贩中心对比全国小贩中心总数“相对较少”,故此削弱小贩中心摊位租赁市场竞价能力的“可能性微乎其微”。 竞消委会也不认为,两大集团合并后,有能力阻拦其他竞争对手进入市场,或者有能力强制其他业者或小贩,使用他们的中央厨房和供应链网络。 职总创优在今年9月21日,宣布拟议收购本地咖啡店和小贩中心运营商Kopitiam集团。竞消委会对此曾邀请公众对上述并购提供反馈,公共咨询活动直到10月12日结束。 至于职总创优也在今日发文告,欢迎竞消委会的裁定,并透露预料将再明年一月完成并购计划。 据了解,收购完成后,职总创优旗下的职总富食客和Kopitiam,将个别独立运营,现有管理团队和员工不会更动。Kopitiam客户也能继续在各分行使用优惠卡。 职总创优企业合作社也有意扩大禾园(Rice…