They say
they've put up with chantings, smoke for nine years; URA says no
rules broken
Apr 22,
2007
NESTLED along Dunearn Road is a house that stands out among a row
of terrace houses.
Not for its architecture, but for the 15 statues of Buddha
measuring 1.2 to 2m tall in the front garden, and gold fabric
umbrellas that flank the front door.
Almost every night for the past nine years, neighbours have had to
put up with late-night chantings, ringing of bells, the strong
smell of incense and crowds of people who park their cars along the
pavements when they visit the house.
Until two months ago.
That's when one of the neighbours decided she had had enough and
called the police.
'The chantings, singing and bell ringing that stretch into the
middle of the night are frustrating especially when my husband and
I are tired and just want to get a good night's rest,' said the
neighbour, an expatriate who moved in a year ago.
The houses in that area are worth at least $2 million and some
neighbours are worried the late-night activities in the house might
devalue their properties.
The big question was whether the house was doubling as a place of
worship, something not allowed under Urban Redevelopment Authority
rules.
But the URA, which had received similar complaints in the past,
didn't think so - much to the surprise of residents in the
neighbourhood.
Seven neighbours spoke of massive amounts of joss sticks burning,
causing smoke to billow through the vicinity.
Retiree Peter Chin, 60, who lives a few doors away said: 'The smell
of incense is very strong, but I'm more concerned that the burning
of incense could pose a fire hazard as his house is next to a
petrol station.'
The problem gets worse during the Hungry Ghost Festival every
August. Another neighbour claimed to have seen the home owner,
jeweller Danny Loo, 45, in a trance before his 'followers'.
Mr Loo is disappointed his neighbours are kicking up a fuss. He
insists his house is not a place of worship.
'The people who gather here are my friends and family and we hold
parties where we enjoy each other's company and share life
experiences with each other,' he said.
He denied conducting any ritual and is puzzled that his neighbours
could hear the chants as he does not use a microphone.
When asked about a woman in a Buddhist nun's robe who was seen in
his house last week, he said she was there to seek a donation from
him and was not staying there.
He also finds it ironic that none of his neighbours have approached
him with their complaints before going to the police.
The neighbours' reply: They were either too afraid to approach him,
which is why they declined to be named, or did not think it would
make a difference.
One said that they had complained to the various authorities on
many occasions, but the problem persisted.
A neighbour once stormed over to the house when the level of noise
became unbearable, but stopped short as the porch was full of
people.
The parking problem improved after some neighbours started putting
potted plants outside their houses to prevent strangers from
parking there.
Mr Loo said: 'I've already cut my gatherings to twice a week, but
if I've really become a nuisance to the neighbourhood, I will stop
them.'
A gathering that was planned for last night was cancelled after the
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paid him a visit on
Friday.
Mr Loo said he was 'disheartened' by the latest visit although the
SCDF found no fault with him.
The URA receives about 55 complaints a year about houses that are
used as places of worship.
In another case three years ago, the resident of a house in Lange
Road, near Yio Chu Kang Road, was warned because it was used as a
place of worship.
The occupant, a monk, had a 2.4m tall statue of Buddha in his front
yard which he was asked to remove. Neighbours said the monk moved
out last month and the house is now empty.
A neighbour, undergraduate Shalini Raj, 23, said: 'The crowds
brought vibrancy to the neighbourhood and it's a pity about the
statue; it added a touch of quirkiness to our street.'