We received this email
from Rafiz Mohyi Hapipi which he wrote to the
Ang
Mo
Kio-Yio
Chu
Kang
Town
Council.
I
am writing to express my deepest regret and unhappiness over the
sudden destruction of the herb garden surrounding block
819 Yishun Street
81.
I have been a resident of this
block and neighbourhod for the past 7 years. This was a
peaceful and happy neighbourhood with a good mix of multi-cutural
elderly, young adults and children. My two school-going children
enjoy the company of Chinese and Indian friends as well as the care
and concern of the eldery in the neighbourhood.
Since the day I moved into
this neighbourhood, I have seen the elderly here tending to the
herb garden that they have worked on for over twenty years. Others
who retire later joined in and the herb garden became a regular
routine activity that kept the elderly here active and cheerful. At
the same time, while they were working on the garden or having
their short rests in between, the elderly here lend their
watchful eyes over the children. My own children grew up with their
friendly smiles and hugs. They learnt the value of multiculturalism
through experience away from force-fed curriculum of National
Education taught in schools. My own parents who are themselves
retirees, although not staying with me, frequented my place and
enjoyed the company of people their age here.
The last few days have been
traumatic for the elderly here. With much grieve they saw the herb
garden that they have put their sweat and soul in for many years
being destroyed heartlessly. I saw tears and heard voices of
despair as some of the elderly tried to salvage whatever is left
from the plants into pots. Some had given up. An
elderly Chinese neighbour at the second floor shared with me,
“Sudah Dua Puluh Satu Tahun saya jaga ini pokok. Ini bukan pokok
bunga tapi semua ini pokok Ubat yang banyak gunanya. Siapa lagi
yang tahu? Kita (orang tua) saja yang tahu. Saya sedih. Macam saya
nak cakap suruh buang saja semua jadi saya tak nampak. Apa boleh
buat? Diorang boleh buat apa diorang suka. Dua puluh satu tahun
diorang takda peduli tapi sekarang semua buang.”
“It has been 21 years since I
cared for these plants. These are not flowers but all these are
herbs that have many uses. Who else would know (about the herbs)?
Only us (the aged) would know. I’m sad. I feel like telling them to
dispose of everything so that I can’t see (anything left behind -
note: some small plant in pots were left behind). What can I do?
They can do what they want. For 21 years nobody cared about this
area and now every they dispose.”)
I personally share my tears
and grieve with them. I find the whole episode appalling. It is an
outright contradiction to the messages of Active Aging that have
been sloganised over and over.
My own daughter who is
only a kindergarten student was upset when she saw the
workers grabbed and dumped the plants aside. I personally feel that
the actions in this episode is a reflection of heartless and
cold-hearted mechanical policies.
Twenty years of effort have
been destroyed. The pride of the aged here has been badly hurt.
This episode will definitely be part of my memory and the memory of
my children as well as the children in this
neighbourhood.
Please relay my message to the
Town Council Advisor.
Thank You.
In Utmost
Unhappiness,
Rafiz Mohyi
Hapipi
If they not heartless, how can be the govt??
