Monkey menace in HDB estate

Straits Times Forum 24 May 09;

I have seen this monkey several times in the vicinity of Lorong 6, Toa Payoh. It sometimes helps itself to durians from the trash bin of a fruit stall at Block 211, Lorong 8, Toa Payoh.

Two weeks ago, the monkey trailed me while I was walking. When I took some photos, it started becoming hostile.

Last Saturday, I saw the monkey following me again. A passer-by said the monkey probably remembers me. I left quickly and called the police, who arrived shortly after. They told me I should be contacting the National Environment Agency instead.

I have seen other monkeys in the area as well. Late last year, my two sons spotted two monkeys near Beatty Secondary School.

Ong Siew Ling (Ms)

Heavy fine will deter monkey-feeding
Straits Times Forum 24 May 09;

We fully support the heavy penalty imposed by the authorities�on those who feed wild monkeys.

It�has been a long-drawn issue dating back many years, to a time when the penalty was a mere $200 fine.

At the time, even though monkey-feeding was prohibited and those who did so were fined, it did not stop such action as the fine was not enough of a deterrent.

The heavy penalty being imposed now - as in the case of the woman who was recently fined $3,000 for feeding wild monkeys at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve along the Old Upper Thomson access road - is indeed a good move to reinforce the seriousness of the matter.

Ben Lee
Founder/Head
Nature Trekker Singapore

Many offenders, so step up enforcement
Straits Times Forum 24 May 09;

A $3,000 fine for monkey-feeding is, of course, a startling figure.

However, the figure that seems to have gone unnoticed is, in fact, the real shocker: Only 31 persons have been fined so far in the first five months of this year.

On an average weekend, there are at least that many errant monkey feeders in Old Upper Thomson Road alone (the 2.5km stretch leading up to Upper Peirce Reservoir).

Anyone driving along this stretch on weekends can spot multiple monkey feeders at almost all times.

I imagine there must be a similar feeding frenzy in the other popular nature catchment areas.

We should be stepping up enforcement instead of highlighting the one person who was slapped with a $3,000 fine.

Liew Chee Yee
Related links

• Heavy fines a bid to stop feeding of monkeys If they get used to being fed, they may attack humans if denied food
  Teo Wan Gek , Kimberley Lim, Straits Times 17 May 09;
  
• $3,000 fine for feeding monkeys Straits Times 13 May 09;
  
• Please do not feed the monkeys more about why you should not, on the wildsingapore website.