My Queenstown 我爱女皇镇

My Heritage, My Community, My Aspirations

Love @ MyQueenstown

Posted in PeepsTown | Monday, May 31, 2010|By my queenstown

Mei Ling Street Slasher

Posted in News in the Dump | Saturday, May 29, 2010|By my queenstown

Mention the name "Leong Kok Meng" or "the Slasher" and many Mei Ling Street residents will recall the widespread existence of Chinese secret societies in the 1980s and 1990s. This man, as reported by the New Paper yesterday, was "put behind bars 12 years ago for slashing two men with a chopper in the Mei Ling Street Area" and uncannily, he was involved in a similar attack of killing a man after brutally "setting on two acquaintances with a hunting knife in a drunken rage. Before we get our noses poking around for more information about the state of secret societies in Queenstown, let us do a little summary on what's reported on the newspapers!

The Mei ling Slasher on Newpaper

On August 2008, Leow Kok Meng stabbed two men, Karunagaran and Balan Krishnan on multiple counts. The 3 men knew each other as they lived in Mei Ling Street/Stirling View.They would usually disturb Queenstown residents when drunk. There's a resident at Block 154 who complained that these "gangsters" had been harrassing her family and her Indonesian maid. On the fateful day, Leow Kok Meng was having breakfast at a coffeeshop at Block 154 while Karunagaran and Balan were drinking alcohol. It was mentioned that Leow had become angry after drinking a can of beer and a small bottle of whisky and became "angry" and "violent. After walking past a fountain where Balan and Karunagaran were seated, he went home (Blk 157) and took out a hunting knife and approached them before lunging at Balan with the knife repeatedly. Leow Kok Meng would then stabbed at Karunagaran repeatedly as well. Karunagaran was found lying in a pool of blood and Balan Krishnan suffered multiple injuries.

Karunagaran was found dead at the scene

Mr Balan escaped with multiple injuries

According the Mrs Loh, owner of Thong Hoe Drug Store, there were many secret societies and gangs setting up their bases in Mei Ling Street in the 1970-1990s. There were many plain clothes police patrolling the area because of numerous cases. She recalled there were occasions where the gangsters would barge into her shop and ask for "protection money" and threaten to burn her shop. They would carry stools at her medical store with one hand fiercely. During an operation carried out by the Police to wipe out drug offenders, one of the druggies (age around 20s) was handcuffed onto the metal grille of her back door! Frightened, shocked and disgusted was how she will describe these gangsters...

Leow Kok Meng was arrested

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All the Memories, All the Happiness!

Posted in People | Wednesday, May 26, 2010|By my queenstown

Many of the residents have already moved out of Blk 39A when we decide to kaypoh this place so as to dig out some more precious memories about the residents residing in this iconic structure in Queenstown. Blk 39A was built in 1969 together with the various amenities such as shophouses, the cinemas and cooked food centre. At the tallest level, you can have a breathtaking view of the city, the port and other districts of Queenstown. However, the bulldozer approach continues in Singapore as most of these iconic buildings and food centres will disappear next year.

Today, we are fortunate to meet Mdm Ng who has stayed in this block for more than 20 years and witnessed the rise and decline in fortunes about the estate.

Mdm Ng and her grandson

When Tah Chung Emporium was demolished in 2000, she felt uneasy. She recalled the days where there were rows of shops beneath and opposite her block. They were shops selling shirts, spectacles and clinics! Then, it was so convenient because she could get whatever she need in the shortest possible time. There were 4 schools opposite her flat, namely Strathmore Primary, Queenstown Primary, Huayi Primary and Margaret Drive Primary when she moved into her house. She would bring her children to the school and get the groceries after that. The canal linear park was not yet covered and it was a linear drain that leads to the Singapore river, she mentioned. She would return to Strathmore periodically to see her former flat at Blk 56!

Like most of the residents in Blk 39A, Blk 6C and Blk 27A, she would be receiving her keys to her Dawson apartment in the coming weeks. Though, she had to leave a familiar environment for a new and unexpected one, she felt she was lucky to be still in Queenstown. "All the memories and all the happiness," she commented, "cannot be erased with time." Living in Queenstown was a choice that she made in the past and a choice that she will never regret because Queenstown is in her heart and in her soul...

The Corridor where she planted bonsais

Blk 39A

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Point Block Fever

Posted in People | Monday, May 24, 2010|By my queenstown

The "demand" for more privacy in the late 1960s have led to the construction of Singapore's very first point block flats at Mei Ling Street. The structure of the housing apartments was constructed in a way where occupants need to walk less than 5 steps and they could use the lifts. It enhances convenience greatly. So how does it feel like to live in an environment of enhanced privacy and convenience?

Mr and Mrs Zheng

Mr and Mrs Zheng was having dinner when we disturbed them in the evening! They would then gladly bring their photo albums along and and describe to us their experiences of living in the beautiful point block flats. A father of a son and 3 daughters, and a grandfather of 11, Mr and Mrs Zheng used to live in the hazardous and unhygienic squatters of Chinatown where 8 or more residents would live in small corners. He explained that communal living can be cleaner and more conducive for living if the occupants take note of their personal hygiene and bother to clean their small corners on a regular basis.

In 1969, he understood from his friends that the authorities have decided to build more districts in Queenstown, including the 2 point block flats at Mei Ling Street. Mrs Zheng and him applied for them, hoping to live in a brand new environment and provide a better living environment for their young children. Queenstown was pretty lively then, with young kids playing at the slope (the present Car Park) and hawkers selling their farm produce before the construction of the Mei Ling Market. It was a very different situation today, although he prefers the serene and quiet environment today that is very suitable "for his age" to relax. Every morning, Mr and Mrs Zheng would climb to the top of the multi storey carpark, where the sky garden is located and do "taichi" with a group of friends. Occasionally, he would visit places in China such as Beijing and Shanghai for holidays.

Blk 160 where Mr Zheng and his family live for 41 years.

The Sky Garden where Mr and Mrs Zheng exercise every morning

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The Suicide Block 181

Posted in News in the Dump , People | Saturday, May 22, 2010|By my queenstown

Our coverage on the Stirling Road murder in 2007 and subsequent legal proceedings in 2009 has evoke impressions of the Blk 181 in Stirling Road as a "suicide" or "haunted" block. Residents have responded to our threads in the Facebook last month that many suicide cases have occurred there. Being the No.1 Kaypoh group of residents and friends in the district, MyQueenstown has decided to explore this block of flats to discover first hand why Blk 181 is termed as such. We managed to approach Mr Lim, a bachelor, who has lived in Queenstown for over thirty years.

'Suicide' Block 181

Hi Mr Lim, it's nice to meet you. How long have you stayed in Queenstown?

I have stayed in Queenstown for almost 40 years. I stayed in Forfar House in Strathmore Avenue before moving to this current flat after it was announced that Forfar will be demolished and make way for new developments. Previously, I live in attap houses in Zion during the 1960s.

We have heard about Block 181 as a "suicide" and "murder" block where there are many instances in the past where many lives are "taken" because of this place is haunted. Are there any truths about the rumours?

Absolutely not! There's only one suicide case that I've known. It is about an old man who have several medical issues and become blind. He feels useless for being a burden to his family and become very depressed. So he has decided to end his life. With regards to the murder in 2007, the murderer and the victim resides in Block 182. If the stories about voodoo is true, those "evil spirits" should reside there, not Block 181!

Are you at home when the tragic murder took place?

No, I'm not at home. I am working night shift at that time! When I returned home the following morning, the police has cordoned off the entire lift lobby.

So may I ask if it's safe here in Blk 181?

Of course! We lived directly opposite the MRT Station! If there are crimes going on in this block, the commuters at the MRT Station will be able to see it. No thief or robber will be so stupid to commit crime under a broad daylight! However, there are some cases of sicko stealing female undergarments at night in the past.

Phew!

Mr Lim declined to be photographed

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Living in Queens' Close

Posted in People | Wednesday, May 19, 2010|By my queenstown

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Mr Bird Man

Posted in People , Places | Monday, May 17, 2010|By my queenstown

Every morning on Thursdays and Saturdays, there will be a group of bird enthusiasts gathering at the void deck of Blk 39A with half dozen to a dozen cages of birds. Watching the birds dance and listening to their crisp and clear whistling, many Queenston residents found friends and soul mates here. It is believed that the low ceiling and many pillars around Blk 39A provide a conducive environment for birds to sing a melody gleefully. And many residents are captivated by the unique attraction at the void deck and join the group. Mr Lee Cheng Aik, 55, is one of them

Mr Lee and his prized asset

Mr Lee resides in Blk 90, Commonwealth Drive for the past 20 years. He is married with a son who serves the national service and another who studies in a polytechnic. Initially, his family members was apprehensive of his unusual hobby but adapt to it. He used to live in a kampung at Bukit Merah before shifting to Queenstown. Occasionally, he would visit Tiong Bahru during the weekends during his younger days to the bird shop with his friends. He found these birds cute and interesting and grew a liking for them. Now, he will bring his prized assets to a neighbourhood town garden in Ang Mo Kio for Birds Competition.

"I buy my bird food at Clementi. There is also one gigantic shop that sells all kinds of bird food and bird species at Serangoon. Once in a while, I will stock get there for some special food for my birds. A packet of birds can last for 3 weeks for my 6 birds."

Having birds can be a 'hazard' to the family or the neighbours but Mr Lee explained that these birds are inactive at night unless a slight disturbance that will make them "hyper" again! All these years, his neighbours did not complain about his hobby because he keep his birds inside his home instead of hanging along the corridor because that is unhygienic. He makes it a point to clean the cages every night.

"Listening to the birds can help me relieve stress and provide a source of get away from all my problems in life. I share a special relationship with these birds. They give me joy, give me inspiration and it's a pity I can't share this joy with my friends any longer once the building is demolished. I wonder if there's a possibility of setting up a bird garden nearby. There are certain aspects of Queenstown that makes this place unique. And Bird Watching is a part of this heritage."

The stretch of corridor where the bird watching takes place

Blk 39A

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The Cocoa, the TVs and the Textiles

Posted in Places | Saturday, May 15, 2010|By my queenstown

The smell of cocoa was unforgettable for Queenstown residents living in Tanglin Halt during the 60s and the 70s. Chocolate making factories such as Sheng Huo and Van Houten were two of the 38 factories that lined up Tanglin Halt Road. These factories were located conveniently for women so that they could join the workforce and support the industrialisation project in the 1960s. Tanglin Halt is also home to South East Asia's first assembly line producing television sets. Setron, which was opened in 1964, rolled out the first black and white television sets. It had a very special roof top that shaped like an inverted pyramid which navigated drivers into Tanglin Halt district. All of these would not be possible without one man-Dr Goh Keng Swee.

Inspection of the Tanglin Halt sites to built factories

MyQueenstown believes that the state media has more than appropriately described this wonderful man that contributed significantly to our economy. To a resident in Queenstown, his heartfelt contributions will always be remembered as one of the key factors which enable a satellite town to be self sufficient. From the pictorial archival records, we understand that Dr Goh was involved greatly in the construction of the factories in Tanglin Halt. Besides inspecting the suitability of the site meticulously for building light industries, he would go on and feature in almost every brick laying ceremonies, opening ceremonies and extension ceremonies in order to generate media coverage on the attractiveness of Tanglin Halt and Singapore as a whole for foreign investments.

For a Queenstown heartlander, the smells of cocoa and coffee in the estates was as memorable as consuming these luxury.

Kevin Tan, 42, pointed out, "The cocoa smell in Tanglin Halt was very distinct. It (the smell) is exceptionally strong in the evening when I come home from school. I would always ask my mom to buy me a bar of chocolate."

Mr Loh, a taxi driver and an ex-resident of Tanglin Halt, whom MyQueenstown team met coincidentally on a ride home, commented, "Some residents will sometime point to me at the (Setron) inverted pyramid to tell me that they have arrived at home."

Thank You for the Memories.

Wish You Well,

MyQueenstown Team

Setron assembly line

Sheng Huo Enterprise which sold Chocolate

Note: All these photos were obtained from the National Archives of Singapore

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Tong Kee Chicken Rice

Posted in Makan Shiok | Wednesday, May 12, 2010|By my queenstown

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Ying Fo Fui Kun 应和会馆 Cemetery

Posted in Places | Monday, May 10, 2010|By my queenstown

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MyQueenstown Food Trail Part 1

Posted in PeepsTown | Saturday, May 8, 2010|By my queenstown

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2 Stories from Block 6C

Posted in People | Thursday, May 6, 2010|By my queenstown

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Stirling Road Murder (I)

Posted in News in the Dump | Monday, May 3, 2010|By my queenstown

"Dearest beloved wife Meera, you had a smiling face and a pleasant heart, it's a pleasure to recall the memories of you my beloved wife.You had a kind of love to me, lit my heart with your love on that special day which lit the light of love forever in my heart and soul. We had only five years together which we had two beautiful young ones.Time changed and destroyed our lives in many ways. You suffered violent and sad life, but you hoped and had faith for a bright future with us. But it left us with painful thoughts to bear as words can't describe the pain.
We had gone through, some how I hope to meet or hear your voice again and see your smiling face again which is my greatest wish.Even if we perish or the world come to an end, my love for you is eternal and I know the love for me dwells in your soul, which one day will reunite with my soul. May you remain in loving memories of loved ones.
Love you my dear till we meet."- As seen on the obituaries

The news article on the New Paper

Residents in Blk 181, Stirling Road are accustomed to the many controversial murders in the area but none has been so gruesome and disgusting.

One resident commented, "I heard screams and I opened my door then and saw somebody dashing over from the bus stop next to the MRT station."

Another resident from the same block 181 said, "The indian woman had her fists clenched tightly and there was lots of blood stains. Her leg was twisted and flipped over over the face... like she had fallen from a great height."

Mr Ang, a resident mentioned, "I was watching television when I heard a man and a woman squabbling loudly in a mixture of an Indian dialect and English near th bus stop. Soon after the piercing cries of a woman near the lift landing jolted me. A loud thud followed soon after and I thought it was a flower port. I went out of my flat to check and saw a woman with short hair lying unsconciously on the ground and there was blood on her face and her clothes were torn."

Goh Chin Hock who lives at Blk 182 said, "I was waiting for my colleague at the bus stop for a staff bus to ferry us to work. After the woman hit the ground, she moved a little before becoming still. I saw a dark complexioned man dressed in white shirt standing at the staircase near the ground floor lobby."

Gory footprints and the dead body

Madam Smaelmeeral Abdul Aziz's body was found on Sunday at the foot of Block 181, Stirling Road. It was reported that a trail of blood led to the 11th and the 13th floor of Blk 181. Her husband, Mr Tharema Vejayan Govindasamy, was convicted for murder leaving behind 2 young children of 4 and 2 years old.

The unrepentant Tharema would later defend himself on a trial 2 years later in May 2009 that he was suffering a paranoid delusion caused by his belief that he had been cursed by black magic by his in-laws who wanted to break up his marriage because he refused to convert to Islam. Not convinced, the High Court ruled that he was to be hanged.

It was a sad, sad murder case where the young children had lost both their parents. I wondered how they would grow up without the affection and care of their mother. I wondered what would they ask from their Auntie behind the truth. Life's unpredictable. Let us cherish each and everyone around us and treat them with respect and kindness.

My Queenstown 我爱女皇镇

Other Recent Articles

Love @ MyQueenstown

Mei Ling Street Slasher

All the Memories, All the Happiness!

Point Block Fever

The Suicide Block 181

Living in Queens' Close

Mr Bird Man

The Cocoa, the TVs and the Textiles

Tong Kee Chicken Rice

Ying Fo Fui Kun 应和会馆 Cemetery

MyQueenstown Food Trail Part 1

2 Stories from Block 6C

Stirling Road Murder (I)

Taiwanese Idol Drama, HK Soaps or Korean Melodrama...What Do You Like?

Farewell Margaret Drive Hawker Centre

MyQueenstown TV-Last KTM Train at Tanglin Halt

Farewell Block 39A

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