My Queenstown 我爱女皇镇

For the past thirty years, Mdm Wong, 69, has been climbing that flight of stairs from Block 81 Commonwealth Close to the bus stop along Queensway. Each year, it appears harder and harder for her to complete that routine without a rest. Every two to three flight of stairs, she has to cling onto the pillars for support, catch her breathe, before scaling the rest of the staircases. Mdm's Wong experiences must be familiar for many Queenstown residents living in Mei Ling and Commonwealth Close. While Brickworks residents can enjoy the comforts of two elevators which connect ABC Market to the upper ridges of Rumah Tinggi, it puzzles many grey-haired residents in Mei Ling and Commonwealth Close why they are not given the opportunity of having an elevator to reduce their discomfort and inconvenience? Is there a lack of political will?

Life is not rosy for many residents at Strathmore and Dawson. Despite living in one of Singapore's premier district where Orchard, Shenton Way, Marina Bay and Harbourfront Front are stone's throw away, many folks at Dawson and Strathmore have feedback to our facebook sites and email, complaining about the atrocity in getting a simple meal, boarding a public bus or getting groceries.
The decision to close down the iconic and influential Margaret Drive Hawker Centre must be extremely ill-informed. (Besides our HDB flats, what is more important than a food centre/court/market?) Besides aggravating residents and ex-residents on the lack of political will to preserve the unique heritage and community identity, residents are deprived of a fully functioning food centre. Although the community leader had sincerely asked the residents to wait patiently for new amenities through his facebook (Read here), one resident named Shirley Wong commented, "I can wait patiently for more train trips, new parks or sheltered connectors, but I can't wait for five years (For Dawson to be ready) without eating."

From this blog post, MyQueenstown will embark on an extensive coverage on the elections within our community. Unlike the traditional media and alternative media, this site will focus on residents' opinions, community's aspirations (aka what residents want) and the straw polls we have collected through our extensive network of volunteers and contributors in Queenstown. There will be no coverage on any political party as our team decides to stay neutral. The purpose of this site is to keep residents updated on the electoral process as well as to explore the main areas of concerns within our estate.

为了鼓励更多女皇镇的青少年阅读华文新闻，《我爱女皇镇》将推出全新单元 《女皇镇1周新闻快讯》，把这个星期观于女皇镇的主要新闻简略的描述。
杀害六岁男童后，将他装在行李袋中弃尸加冷河畔，32岁男子昨天在控方将罪名从谋杀修改为误杀后认罪。案件展期本月28日让被告律师求情。调查指出，被告在把男童带走两天后，男童阿姨曾经联络被告说如果他不在12个小时内把男童送回家就要报警。
　　被告指男童跟着对他说“活该”，又问“现在你被骂了，什么时候回家”，还把游戏机的控制器扔在地上，惹得他（被告）往男童颈项或胸部踢去，并踹了男童五六下。男童之后一动也不动。被告莫哈末佐罕（32岁）面对的控状，指他在2009年11月20日，在女皇镇美岭街第151座组屋7楼一个单位内，踢和踹男童莫哈末拉莎帝（小名艾迪），造成他死亡，犯下误杀罪。被告一旦罪成，可被判坐牢最长20年，或终身监禁。
　　主控官邱金龙副检察司指出，被告在2009年中认识男童阿姨的男友。之后，被告和女友就常到加冷峇鲁组屋探望男童阿姨的男友。同年9月，阿丝玛要求被告和女友帮忙照顾家中的孩童。11月17日，被告和女友在男童家过夜。隔天下午，被告带男童出外。
　　同天傍晚6时，阿丝玛拨电给被告问起行踪，并通知他肃毒局到家中搜查，逮捕了他的女友。被告告诉阿丝玛不必担心，他会照顾男童。被告把男童带到女友在女皇镇美岭街第151座组屋7楼的租赁单位。18日晚上和隔天上午，阿丝玛两次联络到被告，要求他把男童送回家。之后，阿丝玛又多次拨电给被告，但被告没有接听。阿丝玛于是叫女儿诺勒雅娜传手机简讯给被告，告诉被告说如果他不在12个小时内把男童送回家，就要报警。被告接到简讯，感到生气。这时，男童突然说他不冲凉就要回家。被告听了掌掴男童两边脸颊，直到他看到男童的嘴唇流血才停手。男童被打后对被告说：“坏叔叔、坏叔叔，你打我。” 被告过后拨电给男童阿姨质问她，后者再提报警之事，让被告感到烦躁。在一旁观察被告的男童见状说“活该”。
　　挂电后，男童又问被告“现在你被骂了，什么时候回家”，然后还把游戏机的控制器扔在地上。此举惹得被告踢向他颈项或胸部，跟着又在他身上踹了五六下。男童之后一动也不动。不久，被告发现男童“死了”，为男童做了三四次的心肺复苏法，但是无法把他救活。被告把男童装入行李袋中，然后乘搭德士，把行李袋弃置在明地迷亚路第44座组屋后加冷河畔的树丛里。
首个一站式园艺中心 开始向公众免费开放 
首个一站式园艺中心 开始向公众免费开放 阳台添盆栽或是为花园铺石子路或装个小喷泉?再过六个月到一年,女皇镇图书馆后面一块8公顷大的土地将披上绿衣,公众将可在本地首个一站式园艺中心内,购买...甚至还有机会向专家讨教如何种植烹饪草药或香料。 业者更预计,这个毗邻女皇镇地铁站、在惹兰本查拉(Jalan Penjara)的园艺中心(Garden Hub),将与日后建成的杜生区。
新公民＝新移民？ 招聘广告惹争议 

Senthil Nayagam, 39, lives with his wife and teenage son in Stirling Road Blk 170. They have been in Singapore for the past 2 years and now call Stirling Road their new home. 
Senthil and his wife
His wife and himself frequently visit Meiling market for their groceries and meals, and have also familiarize themselves with the NTUC branch located just below their flat. Since their family are vegetarians, they prefer home cooked meals but they still do enjoy the occasional Chinese vegetarian dishes such as 'Mock Chicken' and Fried Bee Hoon.

Mr. Phoon Hon Sun, 64, and his family started selling barbeque pork from a pushcart at the terminal for Hock Lee bus service no.9 some 53 years ago. The bus terminal was located next to Blocks 6B and 7 along Margaret Close, a cluster of flats which were demolished during the 1990s.
A familiar sight no more
Every afternoon, residents who lived in the seven storey apartment flats at Margaret Close would holler their orders and lower a basket with money. Thereafter, Mr. Phoon’s father would place their food and change in the basket before the resident start winching his meal up. The empty plates of noodles were then left by the door for collection in the evening.

The Point Blocks, along with 5 other blocks at Mei Ling Street were given a new coat of paint over the past week. The familiar combination of blue, yellow and orange was a thing of the past as these foreign workers toiled day and night, rain or shine to make Mei Ling Street "attractive again." White seems to be the "in" thing in Queenstown lately. Ten-storey flats along Commonwealth Drive were painted white (mainly) too.
Block 162 in the evening sun

Strong scents of food spices greeted MyQueenstown Team when we chanced upon Mohd Murshid's apartment at Blk 27A. At 42 years of age, Murshid has 3 young children and has purchased his current and first apartment 10 years ago. Today, Blk 27A has been vacated under SERS and Murshid is the last family to be leaving the block.
Reminising on old times, Murshid recalls all the hustle and bustle living just beside the Queenstown MRT station over the decade. He would never hear the daily morning siren from Remand Prison again. Used to the Margaret Drive NTUC branch, Murshid and his wife had already started to miss it only 1 week after its closure. The decades old shophouses under his block have also cease operations a few weeks ago. Even the trusty Margaret Drive hawker centre where Murshid would bring his family for supper at, has also been closed down.

Yet another resident has committed suicide.
The devastating earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand have killed thousands and destroyed many homes. An explosion and feared meltdown at a Japanese nuclear plant on Saturday exposed the scale of the disaster facing the country.
More than 215,000 people were in emergency shelters in eastern and northern Japan on Saturday.  Thousands more were trapped in buildings surrounded by swirling floodwaters and there were threats of nuclear radiation. It was a humanity disaster.

为了鼓励更多女皇镇的青少年阅读华文新闻，《我爱女皇镇》将推出全新单元 《女皇镇1周新闻快讯》，把这个星期观于女皇镇的主要新闻简略的描述。
原以为不久人世 如今比妻子更健康 老翁获准取回送妻组屋权益 
申请在高庭进行审讯时,男子许强兴已经71岁,而跟他结婚40年的妻子何怡凤也69岁了。两人没有子女,他们目前都住在疗养院。 许强兴是在1972年7月买下史德林路(女皇镇一带)第168座组屋10楼的一个单位,并且是唯一的注册屋主。 1993年起,许强兴的身体欠佳,动了几次手术。他在2006年7月也因为受感染而留医两个月
警方捣毁位于女皇镇网上非法赌球集团 赌注近150万元
事侦查局与警察情报局的警员，于星期一（7日）分别到女皇镇的史德林路、史达拉摩道
结果在行动中，警员共逮捕12名男子及一名女子，他们年龄介于22至53岁之间。警方相信他们都是一个网上非法赌球集团的团伙。在突袭现场时，警员总共搜获39万元现金、21台手机、15台电脑，此外还有一些提款卡、支票及交易账目。

Merlene, 42, was preparing lunch with his son when MyQueenstown Team visited her apartment in Blk 157 Meiling Street. Being Permanent Residents in Singapore, this is their first home in a foreign land since they shifted from Philippines more than 4 years ago.
Marlene and Ferdind 
Merlene has 2 teenage children and both her husband and herself made a decision to emigrate here in seek of better jobs. The first impression of their new home is the general cleanliness of the neighborhood and the quiet surroundings in Meiling Street. In addition, both her husband and herself work near to town and thus living in Queenstown makes it very convenient commuting to and fro everyday.

为了鼓励更多女皇镇的青少年阅读华文新闻，《我爱女皇镇》将推出全新单元 《女皇镇1周新闻快讯》，把这个星期观于女皇镇的主要新闻简略的描述。
女皇镇游泳池 男更衣室有人抽烟 
黄兆丰 2月22日下午3时前往住家附近的女皇镇游泳池游泳。当步入男更衣室时,就嗅到一股浓浓的烟味,还看到弥漫的烟雾。四周查看了一下,发现竟然有人在此吞云吐雾,对更衣室内“严禁吸烟”的告示牌。
女皇道 七旬父儿子家坠楼死 
七旬老爸在儿子位于女皇道的家坠楼身亡! 死者据了解是陈英安(译音,72岁),昨晚6时于女皇道第168A座组屋10楼坠楼,6时25分宣告死亡。 记者在现场见到,2名身穿T恤、短裤的男子昨晚7时赶来认尸。
拍卖"手法转售组屋合理吗？ 
数月来伴随亲人在女皇镇区寻找转售组屋。其间除发现该区组屋的COV(Cash Over Value,溢价)未见...兵团式”和“拍卖式”销售手法,让人怀疑此类行为是否推高了溢价。 年前女皇镇区组屋转售价中位数由58万多,到第四季度上升到61万。
红白”出书的王国铭(60岁),因为左腿受伤而丢工作,付不起租金,担心会露宿街头。 王国铭告诉记者,他在前年11月,因为和妻子离婚,卖掉在联邦道一带的三房式组屋。卖屋利润当中,前妻分得3万2000元。他分得2万2000元,却在15个月内花完。 他说,离婚后心情沮丧,辞掉工作整天在牛车水。