The first issue of MQ Leaks attracted over 6,550 page views from all walks of life and attracted negative criticism on the way the article was being posted and discussed. The editors of MyQueenstown Leaks would like to take this opportunity to clarify one or two finer points in these emails, photographs and other "materials" sent by residents to allegedly pinpoint at certain flaws within some organisations and anti-social behaviour displayed by residents.
First of all, all of these pictures and emails were sent by residents and people living and working in Queenstown. Our editorial team would only delete contact or personal information of these residents. Secondly, the idea of MQ Leaks was not intended to mark down anyone in Queenstown. However, these leaks are published to highlight the micro aspects of dysfunctional organisations and systems currently in place in Queenstown, which concerned bodies may wish to take note so as to provide residents with a higher quality of service or make our living environment a more desired one.
Today, a resident, Mr C, emailed us his correspondence with the Town Council (feedback), which he had intended to seek assistance from, to remove bulky items in his place. However, the Town Council did not reply to his requests.
An email that is "not replied"?
Despite our earnest requests to urge the Town Council in doing more to engage the residents, it is unfortunate that such emails are continuously ignored or not properly replied. (You may wish to read here). MyQueenstown Team does not intend to comment further, because the Chinese saying goes, "A leopard never change its spots."
Besides Mr C, there were other residents who sent us a photos of unattended maintenance faults within Queenstown. These residents either sms or emailed us their correspondence with the Town Council but received unsatisfactory or nonexistent service. Well, let the pictures do the talking.
Undisposed rubbish bin at Blk 89 Tanglin Halt (Occurrence: during weekends)
Stirling Road Thrash Lane (Opposite Queenstown Swimming Complex)
Occurrence: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays
Did the resident switched off the lights on the corridor? No.. Because the Town Council staff "promised" to look into the matter - for 3 long weeks
Location: Blk 168A Queensway (Upper levels) a.k.a Butterfly Block
Holes with "undesired creatures" at night at Stirling View's NTUC Block (It's there for years!)
Falling concrete! Are they going to fix it? Perhaps not... Probably after the falling concrete hurt somebody (Stirling View's NTUC Block)
Yucks! Dried Pee... Not Cleaned or Washed? Maybe the Town Council Cleaners find them dirty too
While the Town Council may be less than capable in dealing all these maintenance issues in Queenstown, every resident in Queenstown must be responsible for our community too. =)
Disclaimer:
It must be highlighted that MyQueenstown Blog is a subsidiary of registered society, My Community. It is a civic portal where residents can come together and contribute fervently on our history and persistent issues of our community. There will be zero censorship. Our credibility can be judged by the materials published. The views of the contributor and writer may not represent the views of the MyQueenstown Team. MyQueenstown Team will not reveal the full intricate length of the leak provided by the contributors and writers.
Close-circuit television (CCTVs) cameras were installed in Commonwealth Close earlier this year in a bid to nab high-rise litterbugs. These cameras were placed at the rooftop of a block opposite the one under surveillance. According to the statistical report released by the Straits Times today, there were 4,449 complaints of high rise littering, up from 3,475 from 2009. Over the same period, 9 people were prosecuted and were served with Corrective Work Order (CWO) or fined. While nabbing high rise litterbugs is labour intensive where environmental officers have to stake out affected places for long hours, the effectiveness of the present regulations in tackling the problem of high-rise litterbugs underreflected the seriousness of the problem. This can be seen in Queenstown, where the problem of high-rise litterbugs is on a rise.
The problem of High-rise Litter In Stirling Road (reflected in our earlier post)
Once again, MyQueenstown Team stationed at various spots believed to be plagued with high-rise litter bugs on a rainy afternoon earlier today. During the two hours at Blk 49 Stirling Road, there was not a "high-rise" toto. Perhaps litterbugs strike under cover of night. However, a resident who would like to be named as Joe, in Stirling Road sent us a video a few months ago, describing the extent of high-rise litter in the area, which prompted our repeated investigation.
The disgusting composition of trash
It was mentioned in the mail that there were a few residents in Blk 49 who would disposed their leftover food every afternoon from around 12pm-3pm for the hungry crows. Other items that were thrown previously included curry sauce, sanitary pads and used condoms.
After a futile trip, MyQueenstown Team decided to approach the residents directly for an insight on the problem of littering in Blk 49 Stirling Road. Many residents denied that they were the culprits, though they acknowledged that there was a problem of high rise littering.
Blk 155/156 Mei Ling Street is another "popular" location for high rise litter. Once again, our team members stationed at the slope across the rental apartment blocks and witnessed for ourselves the self centred behaviour of the residents living in the 5th or 6th storey in the block.
High Rise Littering at Block 155/156 Mei Ling Street
Although it did not take long for the culprits to strike, we were simply unable to capture the swift onslaught of rubbish disposed. It seems to be trash, trash and trash everywhere, despite the best efforts of Bangladeshi workers. Residents who SMS 91769891 to alert our team on the languishing problem of high rise litterbugs did not get wrong.
High Rise Litterbugs continue to strike at Strathmore
MyQueenstown Team will not describe in detail on the dire consequences of high rise litter where one lady was innocently crushed by another falling woman in Bishan a few days ago. While the privacy of residents may be curtailed, CCTVs seem to be the most effective deterrence for these annoying culprits. Nevertheless, it must be clearly ingrained in every resident's mind that Queenstown is a home for over 55,000 residents and not a backyard for trash.
It's 4am in the morning and many of us are sleeping snugly under our cozy blankets. Even if a Santa Claus has chosen to give us a thousand dollars, we may not want to drag ourselves up for an early breakfast, not to mention, a morning run. When MyQueenstown Team visited the dim-lit Queenstown stadium early this morning, it was already busking with activities. Hence, it is not surprising we discover who are the avid runners within our community!
Queenstown Stadium at 3.30am
Sporting enthusiasts begin streaming in at 4am, around 30 minutes after we station ourselves at the stadium. Mr Ong, 65, is one such avid runner who comes every to the stadium every morning from his home at Blk 28 in Tanglin Halt. As he is a patient with heart problems, his doctors advise him to exercise every morning. Hence, he would complete 10 rounds in the stadium.
Mr Ong doing warm ups
When asked about why he come to the stadium so early in the morning, he says, " The air is fresher in the morning and the place is quieter. Moreover, I have make some friends who are exercising in the morning too!"
Sushila, an accountant, is one friend whom Mr Ong has made while exercising at the stadium every morning! She lives at Blk 184 Stirling Road and wakes up every morning at 4am for her 1 hour long brisk walking at the stadium. Like Mr Ong, Sushila would exercise with her friends. Her family members will join her at around 6am.
Sporting enthusiast - Sushila!
She explains that going to the stadium for a jog at 6pm will be tiring for her, especially after a long day at work. She will prepare breakfast for her family after her walk!
Are you game enough to wake up at 4am for an exercise?
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。
华源会走入社区 东陵福广场迎新年
中国新移民总会华源会走入社区,与女皇镇区公民咨询委员会携手,在东陵福社区广场举办“爱满心(新)中庆...选区议员马延庆莅临现场,与近千名华源会会员,女皇镇社区民众,中国留学生总会,以及17所学校校友会。华源会还将于2月12日中午11点至下午3点,在女皇镇区印度国际学校举行“LOVE6000”大型活动。
德士装笔形相机 偷拍女生裙底 好色司机认罪
案情显示,被告是在前年(09年)4月开始驾德士,只做了两个多月,就在发现他偷拍。 捉狼女生在09年6月30日上午9时,从东陵福坐被告的德士往加冷道途中,发现被告驾车有点心不在焉,用手耍弄司机座旁扶手的某样东西。 她跟着发现有支笔竖立在司机座扶手那里,仔细一看,发现那支笔不但有个微小的相机。
There is a connection problem with our server. Blog posts in Saturday and Sunday will be restored in the next few hours.
It wasn't exactly a popular decision among our contributors to stay awake until late night to do a coverage on activities around Queenstown before daybreak. Sacrificing sleep and battling drooping eyelids seemed torturous especially when most of us have work the day after.
Gorgeous Stirling Road
Stirling Road sparkles beautifully under the night sky. The orange street lights accompanied by the cool, calming night breeze did provide a soothing and serene environment to appreciate Queenstown's beauty and heritage. This period of quietness was occasionally broken by the tweaking sound of the crickets. The pedestrian pathways was empty.
Commonwealth Avenue Cooked Food Centre - at 4am
Across the 2-storey terraces at Stirling Road was Commonwealth Avenue Cooked Food Centre. At 4am, the lights remained switched on and the fans continued to swirl around the pivot stick. There was not a single soul at the food centre. Perhaps this would be a common sight for all of us when the last hawker stall shut its doors at the end of February. Who doesn't feel sad about the demise of one of the most iconic landmarks in Queenstown and probably, in Singapore? There were hopes that the energy and the enthusiasm of Queenstown would be restored.
A familiar sight after 28 February 2011
Time and tide waits for no man. The majestic future of Queenstown would captivate the younger generation and allure the affluent to this part of the island. The history and the heritage of Queenstown would play a second fiddle and be condemned into wilderness as the demolishing machines bulldoze the familiar structures of the past. We did have a choice, but we did not have a say. Because memories seemed to worthless in the eyes of pragmatism. Would Queenstown be a community without a heart and soul? I foresee this predicament and I fear the consequences...
Making his last rounds of delivery
Mr Ong was making his last few rounds of delivery to Commonwealth Avenue Cooked Food Centre. For the past few decades, he has been travelling the same road lined with tropical shady trees, parking at the car park with limited lots and placing similar quantities of noodles at the cornered stall in the food centre. For the past years, I have been going to the same food centre and tasting the same fishball noodles with lots of vinegar. The food centre has always been a part of our lives. I don't know where else to go for good food and good service. I'm resistant to change, not because I'm stubborn. I'm afraid to change simply because I don't know how to say goodbye to the familiar faces I've seen throughout the years.
Bags of noodles placed at the corner of the food centre
Time is ticking. And I feel so lost tonight =(
MyQueenstown Leaks is an all new segment which involves residents and friends of Queenstown providing emails, photographs and other "evidence" to allegedly pinpoint at certain flaws within some organisations and anti-social behaviour displayed by residents. MQ Leaks will depict a micro aspect of problems that frustrate individuals within Queenstown. Today, a volunteer at the Community Centre talks about an errant and irresponsible staff.
The community centre is a place where residents come together, mingle with fellow residents and do meaningful activities to benefit the community. However, such altruistic involvement can be affected by incompetent figures and irresponsible staff. Here is one:
The incident began when volunteers prepare for a performance for children from low-income families. This particular PAID staff, Ms P, was attached to the volunteers to assist them with the preparation. Emails was sent to Ms P, requesting her assistance to print "consent forms" and other relevant documents for the programme. This is Ms P's reply:
Click for finer print
This may not be something surprising. Not receiving attachment can be very common, considering some of us can be careless in the process of sending attachments in email. However, the same incident occurs three weeks later when the same team of volunteers requires Ms P's assistance in preparing forms of an education programme for children from low-income families. This time around, her excuse is: "there were problems with system compatibility with your files."
Same excuse again
It was understood that Ms P, a wellness manager at the CC, is infamous among the volunteers for her "excuses" during her failure in completing her tasks in assisting the residents to complete activities. Is she lazy? incompetent? or simply too "new"? Well, it's for you to judge.
Do you have a leak? email us at myqueenstown@gmail.com or leave a message at www.facebook.com/myqueenstown
Disclaimer: The views of the contributor and writer may not represent the views of the MyQueenstown Team. MyQueenstown Team will not reveal the full intricate length of the leak provided by the contributors and writers.
The layout is the same but we'll have entirely brand new content for the 1st quarter of this year. There would be more fun, more zest and more novelty in our interview approach, like what you've seen in the 3 brand new columns which have been already released!
Farewell MyQueenstown on Saturdays!
On Saturdays, a new feature Farewell MyQueenstown will capture the memories and the stories behind buildings and places within Queenstown which will be demolished. They include Commonwealth Avenue Cooked Food Centre, the NTUC Cooperatives, KTM tracks, individual food stalls at Margaret Drive and the surrounding HDB flats.
On Sundays, MyQueenstown Team will peek into the lives of Queenstown residents in a heartwarming feature, Home Sweet Home @ MyQueenstown. We'll see what residents do at home, in places of worships and community centres. I go to school at 6.30am every day!
Any idea what's going on in Queenstown from 12am to 7am every late night? Before Dawn @ MyQueenstown will feature all the sights and noises around Queenstown every Tuesdays!
Every Wednesdays from next week onwards, MyQueenstown Team will feature news stories around Queenstown from an "insight" angle. Our team of reporters will track the problem of foreign workers, the plight of single elderly and community issues such as killer litters from the mouth of our residents!
The most anticipated column, MyQueenstown (MQ) Leaks will debut tomorrow with secrets and emails revealed and sent to our emails. There will be leaks on anti-social behaviour of various characters, unhappy service received from various organisations. Readers can send in their STOMP or LEAKS photographs or emails to us at myqueenstown@gmail.com.
Starting this year, MyQueenstown Team will be the content provider for the grassroots magazine in Queenstown constituency with a circulation of 18,200. This involvement will extend our readership beyond social new media into print media. Expect a refreshing change to the constituency newsletter you receive every quarter! =)
