See how Balestier
residents cope with foreign workers
Reader Edmund Lam suggests organised visits to
Balestier for Serangoon Gardens residents. -ST
Sat, Oct 11, 2008
The Straits Times
I READ, with increasing bewilderment, the series
of reports on the saga of the dormitory to house foreign workers in
Serangoon Gardens.The root of this saga is the irrational fear of
Serangoon Gardens residents - an unpleasant and strong emotion
caused by their wrongful anticipation of danger posed by these
unknown foreign workers.
I suggest that the MPs organise a group tour for the Serangoon
Gardens residents in the
evening to stroll along Balestier Road, which
I believe easily houses more than 600 foreign workers in the shop
units and old apartments.
The residents could then easily observe first-hand how the
foreign workers and Balestier residents co-exist peacefully and
comfortably with each other using common amenities like the NTUC
supermarket at Shaw Plaza or the nearby food centres and fast food
restaurants. Balestier, although a very small town, serves as the
ideal microcosm for Singapore on how the local and foreign
population can integrate and bond together.
Dr Edmund Lam
I agree with Dr Lam, that the MPs should make an evening stroll
in Balestier.
Because each evening I see:
a] Several new Fragrance and Hotel 81 hotels have been built.
Couples streaming into these hotels for their hourly rides.
Foreigners definitely among their customers.
b] Transvestites strolling out from their apartments grab their
taxi rides to their work places.
I am glad that my residence is not Balestier. It's becoming more
sleasy. It's still better than Geylang.
