A letter to the MP

To MP of XXX GRC

Please allow me to bring your attention to the following pointers:

1) Replacement of burnt dustbin
Sometime ago, the one and only dustbin placed next to the letterbox at Block XXX was burnt completely. I believe it has been two or three months and up to now, there is no replacement for a new dustbin. Litters were seen placed or lying around the corner of the letterbox. And when the strong wind blows, papers, boxes, plastic bags can be seen lying around everywhere at void deck. May I request the relevant dept to replace a new dustbin at our block?

2) Loitering foreign workers
There has been an increase of foreign workers loitering around at the void deck of my block. Many times during the late evenings, they were seen appearing suddenly from the back of the lift lobby, adjusting their sarongs or zippers which I believe, they have just urinated at the dark corner behind the lift lobby.

Once, I was sitting at the void deck waiting for my friend to pick me up, there was one foreign worker who walked passed me and stared at me. Then he was on the phone talking to someone. Minutes later, another foreign worker came down from the lift and walked slowly and near me to have a closer look, and then chatted with the 1st foreign worker who had earlier stared at me. It was about 9pm on a week day. This has post some fear and disgusted me a lot. At that time, it was just me and there were about three or four foreign workers at the void deck. This is only one of the encounters.

I have also seen some of them, drinking bottles of beer, chatted loudly at the void deck using their mobile phones and because their loud voice has echoed, this has caused disturbance to the neighbors staying at 2nd level onwards.

There is this mini playground between Block XXX and XXX which were usually in total pitch darkness after 10:00/11:00pm onwards. There were times when I walked back home from that direction and got a fright when I suddenly saw dark shadowed figurines from the playground. The foreign workers have been sitting at the playground under the circumstances of total pitch darkness, drinking their bottles of beers.

There were also some early evenings when I see some young children playing at the playground and the group of foreign workers scattered around chatting, drinking, and watching. This, has not once, but a few times worries me of the safety of the young children, women and even myself who are staying around this neighborhood.

3) Urination in the lifts
There has been an increase in the un-cleanliness of the lifts for the past 6 months. We either see spats of saliva or phlegm, pool of water, or dried up urination which gives off bad smell in the lifts.

While I trust that the town council has always been faithfully taking care of the cleanliness of our living environment in the estate, I agree these bad habits come from the inconsiderate residents who are my neighbors. May I suggest increasing the frequency of mopping or cleaning of the lifts since it’s a common area shared by all the residents?

4) Block signage for Block XXX
If you can, please send someone to take a look at the signage of Block XXX. This signage is placed facing the PIE expressway, somewhere behind the lift lobby. The purpose of block signage is for visitors to easily identify the blocks of flats in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

From the carpark entrance turning in into my block, you can see clearly the brightly lit block signage for Block XXX and XXX in the days or evenings.

But there were times, when I have visitors or has called for cab, they always miss my block simply because the block signage for my block is placed facing the expressway instead of anywhere visible to vehicles turning in from the entrance car park. No one can see that except the driving pass vehicles along the expressway.

May I suggest that the signage to be placed somewhere visible to the turning in vehicle from the view of the car park entrance?

5) Central (the area near Prime Super mart)
There is this common walking space directly outside Prime Super Mart which was renovated during the recent years which I believe, with the interest to make a better neighborhood for the residents.

But, over the years, I have also seen that these facilities have been “taken over” and occupied by the many foreign workers who simply can sit there for the whole night away instead of giving it up to the more needy (old people, small children, pregnant ladies or residents with heavy bulky groceries who needs to rest their feet). Many of them stood around or sit on the ground in clutters outside the open space in front of Prime Super Mart chatting, watching and drinking.

I have since stop going to the central since a few years back after the place seems to be overwhelmed with these groups of workers because besides being stared at, there was once when a group of them walked passed me and I felt an arm brushed against my back. The space outside Prime Super Mart was not brightly lit as well. May I suggest to installing more lampposts around the dark spots in the neighborhood areas?

6) The walking paths between Sports Stadium and Caltex Station
I jog around my estate around 7:30pm to 8pm on some week days and my route usually starts from XXX Primary to XXX. Through my journey, I will run pass this playground near the Caltex Petrol Station and again, I will see groups of workers loitering around in the badly lit playground. Sometimes, I may even see one or two of them zipping down their flies and releasing their urine near a bush in the public. It is quite a common sight sad to say.

Over the years, I have seen the efforts from the town council in making our neighborhood a convenient and homely place to stay in through successful upgrading projects but I regret to say, the cleanliness of the neighborhood and efforts to upholding a safe environment, seems to have downgraded.

Because of all these social issues, my family members and I have since restricted our movements around the estates for fear of our own safety and in order to avoid unnecessary troubles. I can’t imagine every few meters around me, were pools of dried up urines (imagine the stench of smell), and constantly living in doubts that whether there will be any fights around me after they got drunk in the public.

While I am fine with sharing a common environment with my neighbors (whether they are foreign workers or not) my point is, it’s all our responsibility to keep a clean living environment and everyone has a fair share and rights to enjoy the neighborhood we live in don't you agree?

May I suggest to the Town Council, to look into these pointers that I have raised and assist us to making our living environment a better place to stay. Probably more policing patrols, giving out of pamphlets what are the do’s and don’ts in the public and more posters to be pasted around the void decks?

Singapore is after all, a fine city and rules should be abided by all. Thank you.