First thought upon seeing the blue dormitories at the Muslim cemetery was for the labourers who are exhuming Blocks 1 and 2 Muslim graves at Pusara Aman for February next year. But that changed after I read an article on the Straits Times, regarding the relocating of foreign workers from Serangoon Garden to Chua Chu Kang. So, I begged dad to drive me to the Muslim cemetery in Chua Chu Kang. Blue colour dormitories only a few meters away from the cemetery. Hmm... it was rather disturbing.
The scenario now is different for my occasional visit to my extended family's resting place. A solemn environment as I always remember because of its surrounding, far from housing estates. But now, there are few a Nurseries and an army camp nearby. I called it the mini "Little India". Towels, shirts and pants hung to dry and few Banglas, sitting and chatting at the dormitory "balcony". They were there because Singaporeans felt disturbed to have them living in our housing estates.
They came here to help with our economic structure, and about 756,000 of them were here in 2006. With limited land and a five million popoulation cramped in a small island, vacant land needed to house them is scarce. We have limited manpower and high labour cost, the reasons why we still have to rely on these foreign workers.
My own experience, a neighbour above my flat, rented out theirs to Indian nationals. I could smell the aroma of dalcas and curries everyday...... yummy! They are not use to living in a high rise building and that has become our problem. They hung out dirty mop and dripping wet uniforms outside the kitchen window. Mom went up twice to inform them that their dirty wet mop dripped on to her laundry below.
The first incident was in late afternoon, mom's laundry were almost dry, but it got wet again as dirty water dripped on to her laundry. Mom went up to to inform them that dirty wet mop was not supposed to be hang outside the kitchen window. Mom was greeted by three Indian men in the house. While mom explained to them, one of the men nodded and said sorry to mom. But a week later the same incident happened again!. My youngest brother was at home and mom asked him to accompany her to go upstairs. She brought her own mop!..my brother was stunned and asked why did mom has mop with her. Mom was so furious and told my brother to keep quiet and just follow her. Mom knocked hard at the door and again three Indian men, but different men, again at the door to greet mom. My brother stood a distance from the flat just in case. Mom lifted her mop and explained slowly to them as not to hang their dripping wet mop outside the kitchen window. One of the men apologised and turned to his friends and he spoke in Tamil, maybe he was telling the rest what brought mom to their flat.
Thank God! Mom's second visit was the last.. Amin... But the sound of pounding and banging irritated us daily but we are a non complainer citizen to call up the Town Council. We put on a deaf ears as long as they did not dirty mom's laundry and make hole out of our ceilings.
I have seen them at their happiest hours, they drank samsu/ todi (liquor) at the void decks and left the empty bottles and dirtied the area with their urine too. It was an eyesore and I do not feel safe to take the lift alone when they were around. Not prejudice, but to some extend we have to be safe than sorry We "feel" them for leaving their hometown and families to work here as laboures but they are still foreigners.
I hope the MND would come up with better solution. Housing them in dormitories near the cemetery is not problem solving at long term cos of the limited land. I wonder how they feel living near the dead at night time especially for those facing the many tombstones.
Put me there for a day to stay, I will be restless because "everyone" there is resting in peace. Amin.
Or perhaps..... It is the only solution?
They came here to help with our economic structure, and about 756,000 of them were here in 2006. With limited land and a five million popoulation cramped in a small island, vacant land needed to house them is scarce. We have limited manpower and high labour cost, the reasons why we still have to rely on these foreign workers.
My own experience, a neighbour above my flat, rented out theirs to Indian nationals. I could smell the aroma of dalcas and curries everyday...... yummy! They are not use to living in a high rise building and that has become our problem. They hung out dirty mop and dripping wet uniforms outside the kitchen window. Mom went up twice to inform them that their dirty wet mop dripped on to her laundry below.
The first incident was in late afternoon, mom's laundry were almost dry, but it got wet again as dirty water dripped on to her laundry. Mom went up to to inform them that dirty wet mop was not supposed to be hang outside the kitchen window. Mom was greeted by three Indian men in the house. While mom explained to them, one of the men nodded and said sorry to mom. But a week later the same incident happened again!. My youngest brother was at home and mom asked him to accompany her to go upstairs. She brought her own mop!..my brother was stunned and asked why did mom has mop with her. Mom was so furious and told my brother to keep quiet and just follow her. Mom knocked hard at the door and again three Indian men, but different men, again at the door to greet mom. My brother stood a distance from the flat just in case. Mom lifted her mop and explained slowly to them as not to hang their dripping wet mop outside the kitchen window. One of the men apologised and turned to his friends and he spoke in Tamil, maybe he was telling the rest what brought mom to their flat.
Thank God! Mom's second visit was the last.. Amin... But the sound of pounding and banging irritated us daily but we are a non complainer citizen to call up the Town Council. We put on a deaf ears as long as they did not dirty mom's laundry and make hole out of our ceilings.
I have seen them at their happiest hours, they drank samsu/ todi (liquor) at the void decks and left the empty bottles and dirtied the area with their urine too. It was an eyesore and I do not feel safe to take the lift alone when they were around. Not prejudice, but to some extend we have to be safe than sorry We "feel" them for leaving their hometown and families to work here as laboures but they are still foreigners.
I hope the MND would come up with better solution. Housing them in dormitories near the cemetery is not problem solving at long term cos of the limited land. I wonder how they feel living near the dead at night time especially for those facing the many tombstones.
Put me there for a day to stay, I will be restless because "everyone" there is resting in peace. Amin.
Or perhaps..... It is the only solution?
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