Farewell MyQueenstown

Farewell MyQueenstown #7 - Farewell KTM Tracks

On 30 Jun 2011 | 6 Comments

Much has been written about KTM Tracks lately. A simple search on Google and Yahoo will bring you to numerous websites such as this and this. After all, this cantankerous relic was Singapore's brave new world in the early 20th century.  I have always been a believer of my secondary school's motto, "Rooted in Tradition, Equipped for the Future."

永别了!女皇镇!#7 一摊油条传三代

On 30 Apr 2011 | 1 Comments

一摊油条传三代 在玛格列熟食中心,“生活公市”说得上是个客至如云的摊子。这个小摊子,不售卖任何煮炒;摊子主人则一年三百六十五天,天天在摊内起个炉炸上一条条的油条。 “生活公市”摊主李马才先生(58岁)是这家油条摊的第三代。 祖父自中国南来便炸油条为业,后来其父亦继承了祖父的业务。“生活公市”自1969年起,正式迁入玛格列熟食中心营业。李先生从小便跟随父亲学手艺,在油锅边打转。 李先生的油条,以香脆爽口闻名。在80年代初,李先生每一日几乎可炸近200条油条。李家一家五人总要齐齐上阵来应付顾客的需要。 如今,虽然李先生的摊子已搬迁到亚历山大村熟食中心,但他对玛格列熟食中心仍然十分怀念。再见了,玛格列熟食中心!

Farewell MyQueenstown #6 - The Taste of Wanton Noodle Lingers...

On 24 Mar 2011 | 18 Comments

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

Home Sweet Home @ MyQueenstown

Home Sweet Home #15 - A New Day Has Come =)

On 24 Apr 2011 | 11 Comments

Last week, MyQueenstown team interviewed Mdm Chan about her life in Blk 15 Holland Drive. Under SERS, she was assigned a new apartment in the newly developed blocks just a stone throw sway. Today, we visit Hisham Suni, 38, who moved over from Blk 17 to his new apartment in Blk 18C Holland Drive. Hisham Suni and his son =) Hisham is delighted by his new ap

Home Sweet Home #14 - Farewell Holland Drive

On 17 Apr 2011 | 3 Comments

Blk 15, Holland Drive looked vacant and cold when MyQueenstown team visited this morning. The shop houses under the apartment block were all covered with card boards and all that was left were traces of glass panels, which could possibly be a beauty parlor in its place before. The lift was still working. Mdm Chan - a long time resident at Holland Drive A c

Home Sweet Home #13 - Commonwealth 10! Here I Come!

On 10 Apr 2011 | 3 Comments

The front door was wide open when MyQueenstown team visited Mr Lee, 78, at his apartment in Blk 74 Commonwealth Drive. Feeling curious, we knocked onto the door and was greeted by a sleepy looking Mr Lee. Mr Lee who lives alone at Block 74 Retired more than a decade ago, Mr Lee is living alone as he prefers being independent to tagging along with his chi

News@MyQueenstown

Response to Straits Times Forum: "Active Citizenry Needs Space to Find Its Feet"

On 26 Aug 2011 | 25 Comments

A week ago, Mr. Eric Tan, Director of the National Archives of Singapore, explained that the archives have generously acceded to our requests for photographs to be published in our website, upcoming book and newsletter. This was not the full story. Last year, we wrote in to the National Archives of Singapore, requesting them to sponsor photographs of the ol

MyQueenstown Celebrates: Consecration Ceremony at Sri Muneeswaran Temple!

On 10 Jul 2011 | 1 Comments

Tanglin Halt residents are wokened up by the vociferous wailing of nadaswaram and thavil ensemble at Sri Muneeswaran Temple this morning. More than 15,000 residents and devotees have gathered at the Southeast Asia's largest Hindu temple worshiping the Muneeswaran god to witness the consecration ceremony. A consecration ceremony is a festive occasion done on

女皇镇1周新闻快讯 - 第二十五期

On 08 Jul 2011 | 6 Comments

女皇弄组屋 同一垃圾糟 两年3纵火  女皇弄组屋走廊垃圾糟,三度起火,居民人心惶惶,警列恶作剧纵火处理。 位于女皇镇一带的女皇弄第21座组屋8楼的电梯口,今早7时15分左右发生大火。 一名住在事发地点附近的居民,惊见滚滚黑烟从该处冒出 最高74万5000元 最低40多万 女皇镇 四房转售价 相差近37万  在热门组屋区女皇镇里,有四房式组屋最近以74万5000元的最高价转售,但也有37万8000元。 组屋溢价回升之际,热门地点如女皇镇的组屋转售价也持续攀升。今年4月,一间位于女皇镇史达拉摩道(Strathmore Ave)的四房式高楼单位,以74万5000元售出。 最后一次乘搭火车北上  火车开动了!该各就各位了吧。经过女皇镇、武吉知马、武吉班让时看到铁路旁站着许

My Father and I

Former Tanglin Halt Industrial Estate

On 14 May 2011 | 2 Comments

The industrialisation programme took off in Queenstown when the Tanglin Halt Industrial Estate was established to generate employment in the neighbourhood. Initially, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) planned a small industrial estate at Tanglin Halt to provide employment for the new residents. Measuring some 20 acres of land consisting of 38 factories

Queenstown Baptist Church

On 03 May 2011 | 1 Comments

The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) set aside seven sites for religious use and advertised for religious organisations to ballot in the 1950s. Of the ten enquiries received, four withdrew, leaving six Christian organisations. These went on to build the first churches of Queenstown; Queenstown Baptist Church, Queenstown Lutheran Church, Faith Methodist Ch

Archipelago Brewery Company (Anchorpoint)

On 22 Apr 2011 | 3 Comments

Established in 1931 by German businessmen, Archipelago Brewery Company was the first commercial brewery in Singapore. It was located next to the Malayan Railway, which provided convenient transportation for exporting the beer in Tanjong Pagar. Archipelago Brewery Company One of the more popular beer produced at Archipelago Brewery Company was Anchor Beer.

Makan Shiok!

Snacks Attack #13 - Ah Luck Bean Curd

On 23 Dec 2010 | 2 Comments

Mr Chua, 25, runs Ah Luck Beancurd in Tanglin Halt market for more than 2 years. He is renting the stall from the original owner who has based his stall in the same area for more than 40 years. Ah Luck Bean Curd offers drinks and deserts such as soya bean drink, grass jelly and the residents' favorite soya bean curd (60 cents). A Delicious Bowl of Bean Curd

Snacks Attack #12 - Satay Mad in Tanglin Halt!

On 16 Dec 2010 | 7 Comments

 Ann, 46 runs the family food stall for over 10 years in Tanglin Halt hawker centre. Serving halal food for over a decade in the same place, Ann has integrated her dishes to suit the taste buds of Queenstown residents, especially the Malay community. The simple food stall offers snacks such as satay, otah and seafood dishes. As a family styled bus

Snacks Attack #11 - Almond & Peanut Paste!

On 09 Dec 2010 | 0 Comments

DessertStory, located in Anchorpoint basement one, has been serving residents tasty snacks and deserts for the past four years. Wendy, the supervisor of the cafe, introduced the various homemade desserts that they offer. A bowl of Almond Paste Hot desserts are mainly the favourite choice among Queenstown residents. Firstly, they have almond paste which is m

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown #9 - 7 Funerals in 2 weeks

On 22 May 2011 | 0 Comments

7 funerals in 2 weeks. There is a flurry of "activity" these two weeks for correspondents from My Queenstown. We did not leave our traces in photographs as a mark of respect for the deceased. We did leave our sincere prayers and heartfelt condolences for those present. Quietly and fleetingly, we made our way to some of the funerals and understood that all o

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown #8 - Block 39A No More (The Removal of Block 39A Part I)

On 05 Apr 2011 | 8 Comments

On a Friday afternoon three weeks ago, several Bangladeshi workers, presumably from the Town Council, took their tool boxes to the lift lobby of Block 39A. In less than half an hour, they carried a metallic frame on their shoulders and placed it on a lorry parked in front of the apartment block. Farewell Block 39A The letterboxes The stretch of corrid

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown #7 - A New Coat of Paint

On 22 Mar 2011 | 1 Comments

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-store

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MyQueenstown Votes #6 - Only a Fool Believes HDB Flats are Affordable!

By my queenstown on Thursday, April 21, 2011 with 6 comments

Shameless! Treacherous! Plain Stupidity! A certain "leader" uses the the state media as his "official media" to explain his flawed ideas this morning about public housing. While ideas from the other group of representatives may not be the best, it is plain stupidity for this leader to be persistent about his policies claiming that the HDB flats are affordable!


Examples of High Prices of HDB flats
The latest BTO flat introduced in Dawson, Queenstown, costs $550,000 between $650,000 for a five-room flat. This translates to 33 years of housing loan and the couple is required to pay slightly more than $2,100 each month. (Figures quoted from the resident). 


For another couple who preferred to stay close to their ill and aged parents in Mei Ling Street, they had originally intended to purchase a BTO flat. Since they earned slightly above $8,000, which was the threshold limit to own a BTO flat, they had to go into the resale market. However, they were deterred by the fact that a 4-room flat in Mei Ling cost nearly $650,000 in the resale market. They had initially wanted their children to stay with their aged grandmother who was terminally ill. Unfortunately, their mother (their children's grandma) had passed away last year. 


Beautiful HDB Flats at a Price




HDB - A near-complete failure in today's perspective
Flats from the Housing and Development Board are built to serve the national building purposes. First, it aims to bring Singaporeans together, regardless of race and religion. Second, it aims to allow Singaporeans to "purchase a stake in the country." Third, it aims to give Singaporeans a "shelter" so that they will always have a place to call "home." Fourth, it aims to motivate Singaporeans to seek for a regular employment to pay the housing loan. 


For many Singaporeans, owning a HDB flat equates to fulfilling the "Singapore Dream." What is more important than providing shelter and a home for your loved ones?


However, policies changes in the past few years resulting in escalating home prices have gone against these original intentions. Housing loans in the past could have been repaid within 10 to 15 years. In search for a better living condition, Singaporeans will aim for a bigger and better flat or a private apartment. This "dream has been shattered" because Singaporeans have to "pay and pay" to their deathbed for a "smaller and smaller" apartment flat.


HDB had failed terribly in serving the national building purpose in these areas.
1) The introduction of "privacy" blocks reduce interactions among neighbours, defeating the purpose of point 1.
2) The escalating housing prices have created a notion that "only the rich and educated" can afford HDB flats although generous grants were given to the poor
3) Escalating housing prices will become Singapore's "Time-bomb" one day when the children needs to assist their parents in paying off their housing loan mortgages. Remember Japan in the 1990s? Remember Hong Kong in the late 1990s?



Plain excuses to divert attention of the REAL ISSUE
Seriously, our efficient government has ensured that billions are be earned from the investments in overseas to cover the reduction in land prices for HDB flats. It is a national joke to see that this "stupid" leader was trying to claim that a deliberate reduction in prices of land is equivalent to "robbing the national reserves" when the ruling party had engaged in numerous flawed investments during the financial crisis. 


Whether the measures offered by the alternative group of representatives are effective or not, it must be clear that the issues of "robbing national reserves by reducing land prices," "upgrading" and "ensuring that home prices will continue to appreciate" are not as significant as the "affordability of public housing."


In short, who cares about national reserves, upgrading and whether home prices will appreciate if they can't even afford a HDB flat? 


This just shows how disconnected is this leader from reality.

POST COMMENT

6 comments:

Anonymous said...
April 21, 2011 at 7:54 AM

It is also shame to tear down perfectly good housing to make way for the new ones. These new BTO high rise HDB flats will surely be priced out of reach for young Singaporean, and what happens is yes, we'll still have ethic integration policy, but these flats will ONLY be affordable to new citizens i.e. newly converted Singapore Citizen, richer (income ceiling equal or close to $8,000) older, ex-citizens from China, India. True blue young Singaporean will not be able to enjoy living in a place in Queenstown anymore.

yeecheng said...
April 21, 2011 at 10:26 AM

HDB flat prices has inflated >90% within 5 years! a 5-rm unit that was $365k in '06 can now fetch at least $600+k. how is it justifiable to peg public housing with market price except being monetary-driven?

That minister's only concern is whether he is bringing in enough money for his organization. No wonder he has no qualms when making lame remarks at opposition's suggestions.

To add salt to wounds - look at the materials, workmanship and layout of the new flats, we are paying so much for so little quality.

Anonymous said...
April 21, 2011 at 4:06 PM

A 4-rm flat, at Forfar Height as pictured, is valued by HDB itself(not even with COV) at $640K, selling at $740k (with $100 COV). This is outrageous. How could young Singaporean afford to live with their parents at QT? Would the CPF 1st time grand/near parents of $40K even help?
http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listing/hdb-for-sale-blk-48-strathmore-avenue-3708949

These are all SNAPPED UP by rich PRs in a day. How could the new HDB flats be much lower, since this is market price?

Anonymous said...
April 23, 2011 at 11:06 PM

Be it cheap or expensive. All residents here would want their neighbourhood to be nice and clean.

Recently, there has been a lot of dog poo along Mei Ling Street especially the stretch of pavement and roadside near block 156 and 160. The owner is really irresponsible and should be punished. But I am not sure what we can do to catch or report him/her.

If the MP sees this, please do something about it.

Thanks.

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