Neem tree planted this month by PM Lee among latest in a tradition started by MM Lee in 1963
Shuli Sudderuddin, Straits Times 25 Nov 09;
THERE are trees, and there are 'VIP trees'.
A neem tree, planted earlier this month by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, is among the latest, joining a tradition here that is over 40 years old.
PM Lee was at his Constituency Tree Planting Day held at Lorong Tanggam Park, off Jalan Kayu.
The first tree planting campaign was launched in 1963 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, now the Minister Mentor.
MM Lee has planted a tree here every year since. This year, he planted a tree sapling at Henderson Heights for Tanjong Pagar GRC's Tree Planting Day.
The evergreen neem tree planted by PM Lee is among the more than 350 trees that will be planted this year in conjunction with the Clean and Green Singapore campaign.
Said a National Parks Board spokesman: 'The symbolism of planting a tree can take on several diverse meanings. When tree planting is done by our leaders, it shows their commitment to the Government's Garden City vision.'
Each town council also holds tree planting day activities with its own MPs.
A spokesman for Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council said its tree planting day was held earlier this month, when five trees were planted by its five MPs.
Some VIP trees are protected, even when everything around them changes.
The 50-storey Pinnacle@Duxton is being built on the same site as an earlier generation of 12-storey public housing flats. Two trees on the site were planted many years ago by MM Lee.
A Housing Board spokesman said that the trees were transplanted from the construction site into a nursery for temporary care.
They will be replanted at the sitewhen Pinnacle@Duxton is completed at the end of this year.
There are also areas where foreign VIPs get to plant trees.
Two parks in Jurong, both owned by JTC Corporation, have gardens of fame boasting about 50 trees planted by foreign VIPs over the years as part of visits to the JTC's amenities and facilities.
The first, Jurong Hilltop Park, built in 1974, has tembusu and pong pong trees planted by VIPs such as Sir William McMahon, Australia's prime minister in 1971.
The second, at Jurong Town Hall, built in 1979, has trees like the tembusu planted by VIPs like Mr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, president of the Maldives until last year.
Tree planting for foreign VIPs has since been replaced by visits to sites like the Fusionopolis and One North.
Said a JTC spokesman: 'The existing trees in the gardens of fame are maintained each month by us. It includes weeding, fertilising and pruning if necessary.'
Trees planted by local VIPs get the same care as other trees, town councils said.
A spokesman for Jurong Town Council said: 'The trees are taken care of by our horticulture department. In general, saplings need additional care as they are more vulnerable during the beginning of their lifespans.'
Two parks in Jurong have gardens of fame boasting about 50 trees planted by foreign VIPs over the years. Above, the VIP trees in Jurong Hilltop Park. MM Lee has planted a tree in Singapore every year since the first tree planting campaign was launched in 1963.
