Bukit Brown: Room for some flexibility

Some requests can be accommodated but country's needs must prevail: Tan Chuan-Jin

Yen Feng Straits Times 6 Nov 11;

Bukit Brown will not be spared the bulldozers, but dismayed heritage groups and fans of the 89-year-old cemetery have at least some reason to cheer up now.

The good news: the promise of more room to manoeuvre when it comes to documenting the estimated 5,000 graves that will likely give way to a new road.

In an interview last week, Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin said he would do his part to ensure that the affected graves would be documented in a thorough manner, even as the roadworks - slated to begin in 2013 - would proceed as planned.

'Dr Hui and his team will take the lead and work out the details, and we will support that,' said Mr Tan, referring to Dr Hui Yew- Foong, an anthropologist at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, who has been tasked by the Government to lead the cemetery's preservation effort.

There had been criticism that the Government should have consulted heritage groups before announcing the road plans. To that, Mr Tan said: 'We could have done better, a bit more of these conversations and briefings when we announced some of these things, maybe get more stakeholders, and earlier.'

The crux of his message - in his first media interview about Bukit Brown since the roadworks were announced on Sept 12 - appeared to be one of compromise. 'Going forward, we can do a bit more. I think that's quite doable,' he said.

Although Mr Tan, who is also Minister of State for Manpower, did not commit to specifics, heritage groups have in recent weeks made their wish list known publicly.

Top on the list is a re-alignment of the road, and more time for historians to document the graves; others include the storage, or relocation, of certain tombstones, and clusters of green areas to be kept as 'cemetery-parks'.

To these, Mr Tan was reluctant to say yes but he left the questions hanging, adding that he would consult Dr Hui on these matters.

On whether the road alignment could be altered if important graves are found to be in the way, Mr Tan said there would be 'some flexibility'.

He said that while he understood the public's desire to preserve what is historically meaningful, that desire must square with reality - that Singapore simply cannot afford to be overly sentimental when it comes to land.

Unlike countries like the United States, all of Singapore's needs - defence, housing, water catchment - have to be 'squeezed' into this tiny island.

'If I give up this space for this, it will be one piece of land less for something else... That's the reality that we need to contend with.

'The point is, how do we develop (land) sensitively,' he added.

It had taken the authorities three years to decide on the road at Bukit Brown, after throwing out more costly and complex alternatives such as tunnels and viaducts, he said. Plans to build the road were finalised only this August, and it was a decision not taken lightly, he emphasised.

In the coming months, Mr Tan said, he hoped the buzz about Bukit Brown will develop in constructive ways. For its part, the Government would also work harder to engage the public sooner, and on more issues - although not on so many projects that policymaking 'grinds to a halt', he added.

'You can't always consult, but there is a lot of space that we can,' said Mr Tan, who has led talks with stakeholders of the Rail Corridor project.

'It will take longer... but I think you will get better-quality policies.'

He encouraged more people to come forward and work with the authorities in striking a balance between development and conservation for Bukit Brown, although he did not elaborate. 'I don't just want to listen, I am able to do something about it. Not everything, but quite a number of areas, I can.

'I think it will work out. I think it will work out okay.'

Road through cemetery 'least impactful option'
Royston Sim Straits Times 6 Nov 11;

The Government could not consult the public on its road-building plans for Bukit Brown because it could lead to price speculation on local properties, said Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin.

And it was a decision that took the authorities three years to arrive at, as it sought to find the least impactful way of dealing with increasing traffic congestion in Lornie Road, said Mr Tan.

One option was to expand Lornie Road, but that was ruled out, as cutting away trees for the widening would disrupt the ecological balance of MacRitchie nature reserve, he said.

Tunnels were a no-go as well, as building one using a cut-and-cover method would cause more damage than a surface road.

And tunnel-boring, the method used to construct MRT tunnels, has never been done on such a large scale here.

As for a viaduct, a stable platform would have to be built below before the structure could be constructed.

The cemetery would thus still be affected even if a viaduct was constructed in place of a new road.

The widening of Lornie Road in 2009 was a temporary measure before the authorities settled on a more permanent solution, Mr Tan said.

He noted that apart from Lornie Road, which has seven lanes, all other roads on the Outer Ring Road, a network around the city, have been expanded to dual four-lane carriageways.

The Land Transport Authority said there are between 6,000 and 7,000 vehicles an hour now using Lornie Road during peak hours. Traffic is expected to increase by between 20 and 30 per cent by 2020.

THE SAGA

May 30: The Straits Times (ST) reports that Bukit Brown has been earmarked for housing.

June 11: Responding to ST Forum writers expressing dismay, URA says Bukit Brown is needed for future housing, and that many such 'difficult trade-off decisions' are made in land-scarce Singapore.

Sept 12: URA announces dual four-lane road for Bukit Brown in 2013. Heritage groups say they need more time to document the graves.

Sept 27: Following more letters in ST, the LTA says the new road is needed to ease traffic in Lornie Road and serve the area's future road plans.

Oct 19: ST publishes a letter by descendants of famous pioneers, including Chew Boon Lay and Tan Tock Seng, who want Bukit Brown left alone.

Oct 21: Singapore Heritage Society issues a statement on how the group was not consulted over whether Bukit Brown should be developed.

Oct 24: Officials meet privately with heritage groups to explain the Government's reasons for developing a new road, and reaffirm plans to go ahead.

Oct 26: Heritage groups and the preservation project leader, appointed by the Government, raise concerns over insufficient time given to document the graves.

Nov 3: Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin explains the reasons for developing Bukit Brown in a media interview.

Many step forward to join project
Straits Times 6 Nov 11;

More than 150 people have signed up to help document the Bukit Brown graves since the team leading the effort put out a call for volunteers last month.

Comprising volunteers and paid workers, the majority are Chinese and under 40, with women outnumbering men by about two to one. A quarter are students.

Dr Hui Yew-Foong, who is leading the documentation effort, said he was overwhelmed by the response.

'Many are motivated by a monumental sense of our common heritage,' said the anthropologist at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Both volunteers and paid field workers will be involved in documenting around 5,000 graves likely to be affected by the roadworks. They will use writing and visual tools, such as cameras and geographic information system technology.

Starting later this month, teams of two will be sent out daily to cover a set number of graves, said Dr Hui.

One member will take photographs, while the other will copy Chinese inscriptions that do not photograph well.

Dr Hui said a workshop will be held in a few weeks' time to prepare those working on the project.

'Field workers should also be prepared to work through uneven terrain, and endure the sun, rain and mosquitoes,' he said.

Encouraged by the healthy response so far, Dr Hui, who had expressed reservations earlier about completing the work in time, told The Sunday Times: 'I am now more confident we'll get the job done.'

To be part of the Bukit Brown project, go to http://www.snipurl.com/bukitbrown, or e-mail kopisua@gmail.com

Ancestors found at Bukit Brown
Buzz over road-building plans for the cemetery hastens descendants of famous Singapore pioneers to locate their loved ones' graves
Natasha Ann Zachariah Straits Times 6 Nov 11;

Housewife Victoria Tan knows Kheam Hock Road well. After all, it was named after her great-grandfather, a businessman born in 1862.

But she had no idea he was buried at the Bukit Brown Cemetery, whose entrance is by Kheam Hock Road, until she saw photos of his tombstone online. Ms Tan, who is in her 40s, says: 'When I saw the picture of his grave, I was very surprised because I was told by my elders that he was not buried there.'

Last Saturday, she set out on her own, braving wet weather and the hilly, forested conditions of the cemetery, to hunt for his grave from a map she found online drawn up by tombstone hunters, brothers Raymond and Charles Goh.

She says: 'After all these years of not knowing where he is, I just had to visit him to pay my respects even though I have never met him before.'

Her interest comes after the Government last month confirmed plans to build a dual four-lane road through Bukit Brown Cemetery from 2013. About 5 per cent of the more than 100,000 graves will be exhumed.

This has sparked controversy, with some wishing to conserve the cemetery.

After news of the road plans were announced, many families have approached the Goh brothers for help in finding the resting places of their famous ancestors. They had been unable to find the graves on their own in the vast cemetery spanning 86ha.

Mr Charles Goh, 43, who is a construction company safety manager, says: 'Before news about the new road, we got very few calls from people who wanted to find their ancestors. Now, we get at least 10 calls a week.'

One such person is Madam M. Ong, the great-granddaughter of Cheang Hong Lim, who is known for Hong Lim Park. Together with her husband, the 69-year-old retiree will head to the cemetery soon when the weather lets up to visit her relatives' graves - her grandfather, Cheang Jim Chuan, is also buried there - for the first time.

'My mother knew that they were in Bukit Brown but she had no idea how to find the burial plot. The place is too big,' she says.

The mother-of-two says she started searching for their resting place after hearing the Goh brothers had found the grave sites because she wanted to fulfil her late mother's wishes of paying respect to their elders.

She says: 'The people who knew where the graves are are no longer around. As the present generation, we have to continue to search for them and let our future generations know, so they, too, can discover their history.'

Descendants say it is better late than never to find where their ancestors are buried as those folk contributed significantly to Singapore's development.

Mr Roney Tan has been visiting the grave of his grandfather Tan Wi Yan, grandson of philanthropist Tan Tock Seng, since he was young. His grandfather was a philanthropist himself and was active in the local community.

He feels this last piece of Singapore's history should be preserved and alternatives could be found to the proposed development plan.

The 64-year-old, who owns a furniture business, says: 'We don't learn history just for fun or only because it's interesting. The more we know about our past, the more we'll sink our roots here.'

Arguments aside, one descendant is glad to have found a grave he has been looking for for a while. Mr Peter Wee, who is the great-grandson of Tan Keong Saik, finally found the grave a few weeks ago. The 65-year-old says that searching for it was like looking for 'a needle in a haystack'.

He finally found it with help from Mr Raymond Goh. He brought along bunga rampai, a mix of potpourri and pandan leaves, to place at the grave and burnt some incense as well.

His great-grandfather's grave site is overrun with weeds, is partially hidden by shrubbery and has a tree growing on it. But Mr Wee, who is unmarried and runs Katong Antique House in East Coast Road, is delighted at the find.

He says: 'I am so happy to find him. There is that sense of awe, knowing what he did to help others during his time. By doing this, I'm fulfilling my filial piety to my great-grandfather.'

Pioneers buried at Bukit Brown

CHEANG HONG LIM

His name is familiar to activists who go to Hong Lim Park to be heard at Speakers' Corner.

Cheang, who was a wealthy Hokkien businessman, paid $3,000 to turn the space in front of Central Police Station into a public garden and hired two gardeners to maintain the plot.

He made his money running opium farms, which were popular in the 1800s. He also had a private fire brigade of 37 firemen.

The man, who died at age 52 in 1893, donated a piece of land for the rebuilding of the Fook Tet Soo Khek Temple in Tanjong Pagar.

TAN KEONG SAIK

The former red-light district near Chinatown turned chic destination of new restaurants and pubs was named after the Malaccan-born Tan, who died in 1909 at age 60, after having battled kidney problems.

Well-respected by both the local Chinese and European community at the time, he was involved in public affairs, such as the setting up of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in 1906. He was one of the first Chinese to have an English-speaking household and had his children learn the language.

He was a director of shipping company Straits Steamship, a member of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Board and a Justice of Peace, a title bestowed upon him when he retired.

TAN KHEAM HOCK

The road to Bukit Brown was named in honour of Tan, after he lobbied hard as Municipal Commissioner for a cemetery for the Chinese.

The Penang-born businessman was involved in the opium and spirit trade and also supplied coolies to the docks. He was also known for supporting the cause of education for girls. He was said to have donated generously to causes he supported and was a member of the Society of Arts in London.

He died in 1922, leaving behind six sons and four daughters.

ANG SEAH IM

The famous Seah Im Road next to Harbourfront MRT was named after Ang, who was a Hokkien immigrant from Tong Ann, Quanzhou prefecture, in Fujian. He had business interests in mining, rice, rubber and trading and owned land in Malaysia and Singapore. Many of his properties were along Telok Blangah Road, which is why the road there is named after him.

The Chinese community leader was reported to have become bankrupt in 1922, having overspent on his three wives and six children. He died in 1927.

TAN EAN KIAM

This managing director of Oversea Chinese Bank and later the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, was born in 1881 in a village in Amoy, near Fujian province in China.

He was known as a successful rubber magnate who was smart about his investments and made money by buying and selling his shares in the rubber business. He was also part of a group of businessmen who acquired the Sun Yat Sen villa in Singapore in 1937, which was later donated to the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce to be preserved. The historic villa reopened last month after a $5.6-million revamp.

He died of a heart attack in 1943 and left instructions to set up the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation, which donates to charities and supports educational projects.

Sources: www.bukitbrown.org, www.classicfengshuimastery.com/bukit_brown_cemetery.htm