hougang by-election – “the role of mainstream media again being the political tool”

there is a lot of sweat blood and tears that go on behind the scenes in the backdrop of such an outcome.

however, why should the sweat, blood and tears be relegated behind scenes and not foregrounded by national news channels? in fact, workers’ party secretary-general low thia kiang had this to say about local news coverage in the press conference following the announcement of the by-election results:

“It also saddens me to see the role of mainstream media again being the political tool of the PAP in their election campaign. This by-election is evidence that PAP has decided to harden its position, whilst appearing to be receptive, responsive and open. An independent media is a cornerstone for the first world parliament because only with an independent media that presents fair and accurate information can the people make an informed choice to vote for their Member of Parliament to represent them.”

in more recent times though, unquestioning compliance is increasingly being challenged by the accessibility of information offered outside the confines of mainstream media. such avenues are often referred to as social media. however, i find this a strange dichotomy because isn’t broadsheet / mainstream / traditional media meant to have an element of being social too? for whom does traditional media publish articles and from whom does traditional media receive forum letters?

therefore, the crux of the matter is not the mode of delivery or consumption – online or in print – but who forms the gatekeepers of information. the cop-out defense that such gatekeepers take is to discredit the “unsanctioned” sources as noise, irrational or uninformed.

this is not a singapore specific phenomenon. google for yourself the impact social media played in the arab uprising and the subsequent discrediting of the social media by mainstream media as well as the anxiety of authoritarian powers to quell political stirrings in tibet by restricting the flow of information and (tele)communications.

i attended the second workers’ party rally for the hougang by-elections on 22 may 2012 – also known as the rally that rained, torrential rain. on this weekday, a multitude assembled and the numbers continued to swell. the air was very still and thick with humidity and anticipation for speakers to take their stand at the podium.

in the nearing distance, the rumbling thunder sounded with streaks of lightning. even so, the crowd remained spontaneous, animated and just as engaging as the rally speakers. with every mention of png eng huat, the crowd rapturously resounded with “huat ah!”

just as low thia kiang took to the stand, cool drafts of wind began to swirl amongst the crowd, followed by the first rain drops. the crowd was actually pleased by this because it cooled the climate. soon, the rain drops increased in size and accelerated in speed, a full blown deluge poured from above. at times the falling sheets of rain were so loud and incessant that parts of low thia kiang’s speech was drowned out. some of the rally attendants took shelter in the nearby HDB walkways, others opened their umbrellas and unreservedly shared them with those standing nearby. it didn’t matter what words blared from the sound system anymore. the solidarity between singaporeans with a common vision was cemented by the common experience of braving, and in fact, embracing the rain.

after low thia kiang, sylvia lim took the stand and continued to speak through the rain. at which point, i hoped that people watching from a vantage point of nearby HDB flats would take and circulate photos of the ariel view of the field that has now blossomed with blue umbrellas. i also wondered how this turn of events would be reported in the news the next day, it was dramatic and uplifting. png eng huat was the last speaker of that day’s rally. i managed to hear him say, “give me a minute, my script is all wet.” although paper and clothes were drenched, the people’s morale was far from dampened.

the rally cry of “worker’s party! workers’ party!” continued in ernest as the crowd dispersed after low thia kiang officially concluded the rally. even so, the chanting carried on unabated all the way toward hougang mrt station and only ceased as i descended the escalators.

the atmosphere was electrifying. the next day however, the straits times featured an anti-climatic photograph and damning headline that had little to do with the mood or contents shared during the rally.

although traditional media failed to report on a fraction of the events that night, the wider public did not take that at face value and seemed to have searched for alternative sources for information. i am quite sure the workers’ party website that hosts all recorded rally speeches would be a popular option. my flickr album appeared to be another.

within days, my 18 photos of that second rally garnered more than 5800 views (and counting). this one photo in particular seems to be very popular with more than 1000 views within 5 days. besides sharing my photos with my small circle of contacts, i did not publicise the pictures nor had any means to.

i’m glad that with both the more inquisitive and questioning nature of the electorate and the ubiquitousness of smart phones and social media, people can ourselves be the eyes and ears of what we witness. and by this, i do not mean citizenship journalism as defined by stomp, which i personally think is straits times’s sneaky way of sullying and discrediting citizenship journalism by promoting their brand of citizenship journalism.

allowing for thoughtful and sincere blogposts and photos to be searched for and circulated online increases the chance for others to find information to corroborate against traditional and any form of media. evaluating the reliability of any piece of information and its provenance is only responsible as a consumer in any case.

i did not expect for any of my text or photos to find its way back to traditional media, but it did.

photos i took in the duration leading up to the general election of 2011, were found on flickr and included in the book, after my permission was sought, voting in change: politics of singapore’s 2011 general election.

so perhaps, the authenticity of the material between traditional and social media isn’t a great chasm, and therefore there isn’t anything in the least anarchist about trying to corroborate what is issued by the gatekeepers of traditional forms of media and less mainstream ones. afterall, it is up to a democratic people to decide if low thia kiang was using a combative tone or speaking plainly or if hougang speaks, but for itself, or has it inspired the nation to stand unwaveringly against a goliath.

State Land

boundaries. things in singapore tend to be so clearly defined by the powers that be that it leaves little space for maneuver or alternatives. the use of state land is one such example.

very near where i live is the old jurong line. i have seen it morph over time; from railway tracks, to trodden paths, overgrown foliage, removal of tracks, and to cultivated land. in recent times,  i had the opportunity to walk through a stretch of 3km along the old jurong line from teban gardens to sunset way led by the supporters of the green corridor and saw for myself the community gardens currently in the spotlight.

during the walk, we were told that these green-thumbed folks living in the area always had the culture of cultivating land, a way of life before the relocation of residents from kampong to hdb flats. they were used to having backyards and space for growing and gardening and i do not imagine them to be finicky about drawing lines of division or second-guessing where sanctioned use of land begins or ends.

map of community gardens or informal plantations at a URA exhibition

community gardens at teban gardens

community gardens at clementi

recently, Singapore Land Authority issued an eviction notice for the community gardens at clementi avenue four to dismantle and disband. the farmers have one week from now to do so. these are SLA’s reasons for the call for eviction in response to an inquiry by supporters of the green corridor.

[Letter to SLA dated 8 Mar]

Request for SLA to Explain Planned Eviction of Community Gardens Along the Jurong Line

Dear Mr Hoong

I refer to the planned eviction of the community gardens along the Jurong Line near Clementi Ave 4.

2.  I would like to understand the reasons for the planned eviction by 20 Mar, and whether there would be plans to demolish and remove the existing gardens and railway tracks. Is there a possibility of retaining the community gardens and allowing the residents there to continue their gardening (for free or pay a license fee).

3.   For your necessary action, please. Thank you.

[Reply from SLA dated 13 Mar]

 Dear Mr Tay

 1            I refer to your 9 Mar 2012 emails. Please note that this email supersedes our email of 9 March (7:25pm).

 2             SLA makes available vacant State land, pending their development, for interim use by the community for recreational activities. Over the years, SLA has upgraded vacant State land for such uses.  There are today 270 community use sites in various parts of Singapore for the community to use and enjoy.

 3          However, State land is a precious resource and must be maintained and managed responsibly. An important principle that we uphold without exception is that individuals or groups of them are not allowed to encroach and lay claim on State land for their private use.  Where State land is allowed for community use, it is important that it does not cause disamenities for the neighbourhood, and does not adversely affect the land and the environment, such as causing ground contamination or mosquito breeding.

 4          In this case, some individuals have not only encroached on State land for their private purposes but several of them have also fenced up parcels of land as their “own” and padlocked them for their exclusive use. There are also illegally erected make-shift sheds and even an outdoor toilet (photos attached). During our inspection, we found several ponds with stagnant water which are potential mosquito breeding grounds if left unchecked. We have also received feedback of the burning of branches and leaves which affects the air quality for the residents nearby and are a potential fire hazard.

 5          In the interest of all residents living in the vicinity, SLA’s immediate priority is to stop the burning of leaves and commence vector control measures. We will also give those responsible for the encroachment a reasonable period of time to dismantle and remove the enclosed areas and illegally erected structures, failing which we will have to take action to remove them.

 6          The land is zoned as “Reserve” under the Master Plan 2008 and there are no immediate plans for the site at this point in time. In the interim, SLA will seek and consider the views of the grassroots organisations whether the land can be put to some form of community use for the enjoyment of the residents in the vicinity. However, any such use is interim and will have to cease when the land is required for future development.

SLA’s response to the inquiry is followed closely with a press release depicting SLA in more conciliatory disposition in the Straits Times but interestingly a lot more punitive in TODAY.

what is congruent in both articles is the fact that these cultivated plots of land have been in use for 30 years. and what is clearly evident is that these community gardens are flourishing and have been very well kept as far as how the farmers understand what a well maintained plantation should be. so it is perplexing that the drastic and absolute measures to clear all land can be viewed to be “for the greater community interest.” surely there are much better ways to address the issue of some burning of leaves and stagnant pools of water especially when SLA has made it clear in their response to the supporters of the green corridor that there “are no immediate plans for the site.”

i despair at the labeling of these farmers as “illegal” and to have “encroached” state land. i’m sure they do not understand what wrong they have done. it will be no wonder that they will not “own up.”

Update: 21 March 2012 (Today Online)

SLA extends deadline for ‘illegal farmers’ to vacate state land by Olivia Siong SINGAPORE – Residents who illegally used state land at Clementi Avenue for farming were given a reprieve yesterday as the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) granted a three-month extension to the 13 individuals who have identified themselves.The individuals, who were supposed to vacate the area by yesterday, will work with grassroots organisations towards an acceptable arrangement.The remaining residents will also be given a three-month grace period, if they step forward by April 3. Otherwise, the SLA said it will have “no choice but to dismantle and remove the enclosed areas and illegal structures”. The land was formerly occupied by Malaysia’s Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) but has since been returned to Singapore. Meanwhile, vector control has been carried out to prevent mosquito breeding and signs will be put up to warn the public of dangers such as potholes. Advisory notices will also be put up against the illegal burning of leaves. The SLA said it will step up surveillance and work with the grassroots organisations and residents to detect illegal activities. According to the SLA, the land has been reserved under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Master Plan 2008 but there are no immediate plans for the site. It will continue to consult grassroots organisations on possible interim use. The area’s Member of Parliament Sim Ann said the grassroots organisations will consider residents’ views and decide if they should apply for a license to use the land temporarily for community purposes. In a statement, Ms Sim said: “(It is) good of the SLA to offer an extension to users who have identified themselves.” The Nature Society (Singapore) (NSS) yesterday appealed to the SLA to allow the area – coined the Clementi Garden by the NSS – to continue to be used as a community fruit and vegetable garden, under the NParks’ Community in Bloom scheme. In a letter addressed to SLA chief executive Vincent Hoong, NSS president Shawn Lum pointed out that the area was part of the railway lands which the NSS had recommended to be retained as a Green Corridor and a community garden would be a “suitable development”. “Properly implemented, the Clementi Garden will be a place where the elderly residents can practice active ageing, where families and neighbours can bond over gardening and where the young can have hands-on science lessons and develop a sense of responsibility in caring for the garden,” he said. Dr Lum added that the NSS is ready to work with agencies and residents to maintain the area as part of the Green Corridor.

Update: 16 May 2012 (Straits Times)

By Grace Chua

A compromise has been reached between the Government and the people farming illegally in Clementi.

All 18 who had been tending to crops near Sungei Ulu Pandan will get to stay, but on a smaller plot of land. They will also pay $60 a year to continue farming there.

Member of Parliament Sim Ann said yesterday that when the farmers’ activity came to light in March this year, the Government’s task was to give them ‘a legitimate outlet for their passion for planting’. ‘The legal position is clear – whatever the background reason, encroachment on state land is illegal,’ said Ms Sim, who had been leading the talks between the gardeners and the various government agencies involved.

The land is mostly in the Bukit Timah ward of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, where Ms Sim is the MP.

‘But… we also recognised that these are just individuals and families who happen to love planting vegetables and crops. We knew that they meant no harm,’ she added.

Ms Sim, who is also Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Law, said that other people who want to join in may do so.

The new community garden is located near Block 301 in Clementi Avenue 4. It will be run by the Bukit Timah Citizens’ Consultative Committee, with support from Northwest Community Development Council and the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council.

The committee is applying for a temporary occupation licence from the Singapore Land Authority, renewable each year, and expects to be able to use the land for at least three years.

Covering an area about 50m by 25m, the community garden will be divided into 30 or so strips, each 8m by 4m. Each gardener gets just one strip.

For decades, several people – mostly the elderly – have been gardening and growing herbs, fruit and vegetables at the 1,800 sq m strip of state land sandwiched between the Sungei Ulu Pandan canal, the former Malayan Railway (KTM) track, Clementi Avenue 4 and Clementi Avenue 6.

In March, they faced eviction after residents complained about burning leaves and mosquitoes, and Ms Sim had helped secure a three-month respite and June 20 move-out date.

Kindergarten teacher Ng Ang Mui, 48, who had made some initial complaints about smoke from burning leaves, said of the new deal: ‘They need to have a proper way of handling the leaves, rubbish and the mosquitoes… If there’s a proper way to handle these, I think there should be no problem.’

Laboratory manager Lester Yeung, 35, whose father tends to a plot just past the Clementi Avenue 6 flyover, said there has been no more burning of leaves since March. Even if the new garden is not as large, he said, ‘at least the objective of having folks be able to continue with what they do is met’.

Bukit Brown Cemetery

the truth is, i wasn’t familiar with bukit brown cemetery before the news about plans for parts of it to be demolished for the highway expansion. since then, news articles and blog posts about its cultural and ecological importance have appeared in accelerated frequency in support for its demolition to be stalled and alternative arrangements to be made to spare this place.

an example of such a campaign is lead by SOS Bukit Brown – Save Our Singapore. they aim to collect 100,000 signatures to participate in the petition, one for each grave at the cemetery.

the tension between material progress at the expanse of the loss in heritage especially spatial heritage will always exist, and is made more acute in a place like singapore because of land scarcity. increasingly, there has been a heightened sense of awareness of significant cultural and ecological places and the advocacy to conserve them.

so what importance does bukit brown cemetery have? i made a trip there to have a look myself. and since its days are numbers, now is as a good time than later.

bukit brown cemetery is actually not too difficult to get to. its entrance is along lornie road and lies directly opposite singapore island country club. i took bus 52 from the west and alighted just outside the entrance at kheam hock road, leading onto lorong halwa.

bukit brown cemetery was officially opened in 1922 and closed in 1973. it was named after george henry brown, a shipowner, trader and broker who arrived in Singapore in the 1840s. although named after george henry brown, the area was originally owned by three wealthy hokkien entrepreneurs and eventually used as a cemetery to meet the increasing need for more public chinese burial grounds. more information can be found here.

it was fortunate that at the visit to bukit brown cc spotted this make-shift signpost attached to a tree trunk.

if not, i would have missed out on visiting the largest and most opulent resting place in the cemetery.

to find it, follow along the dirt track until it makes a bend behind some foliage…

…that leads you to a clearing…

…where the grave of ong sam leong and his family lies and guarded by sikh sentries.

surrounding the headstones are intricate engravings depicting stories of filial piety. i’m not familiar with the moralising chinese folk stories so i could not identify them.

 

however, you should check out oceanskies‘s post that does match some of the engravings to the stories including – which i missed noticing – lady tang feeding her mother-in-law from her breast and yu qianlou tasting his father’s feces to determine the severity of his illness. now i need to return to bukit brown to have a second look with this new knowledge.

of ong sam leong, infopedia says:

Ong’s early land transactions turned out profitably. He then became interested in timber concessions in Pahang and Kemaman. In 1899, Ong secured the contract with the Christmas Island Phosphate Company Limited to supply mining workers to Christmas Island, 400 kilometres south of Java. His company, Ong Sam Leong and Company, held the monopoly. They obtained the labour from coolie houses located along Pagoda Street in Singapore. Most of the labourers were from Guangdong or Guangxi, China. Ong also owned a sundry shop on Christmas Island. He made profits from supplying daily provisions to the coolies.

Ong also owned the brickworks in Batam, Indonesia. In addition, he held large interests in numerous sawmills in Singapore. He later became involved in the construction industry in and outside of Singapore.

Ong had two sons, Boon Tat and Peng Hock, and a daughter (Mrs. Khoo Peck Lock). His sons, referred to as the Ong Brothers, were better known as the co-owners of the New World Theme Park in Jalan Besar (the other owners were the Shaw Brothers), which they built in 1923. The park closed in 1987.

Both sons were educated at Raffles Institution and became prominent men among the Straits Chinese merchants. The elder son, Boon Tat, was born in 1888 and commenced his business training under Ong when he was 19 years old. Peng Hock was trained in the timber trade by Ong.

boon tat street at tanjong pagar and sam leong road at little india are named after this boon tat and sam leong.

considering that this grave belongs to an influential and wealthy family, i would have thought that it would have many descendants tending to it. however, that is not the case. ong sam leong’s grave was abandoned and left derelict until discovered by someone in 2006. since the discovery, NEA clears the tomb of weeds and foliage and National Archives documented it. i guess that goes to show how fleeting life and riches are. your legacy might not be remembered by your future generation. a location map of ong sam leong’s tomb can be found here.

not all the tombs however, are left unattended. during my visit, i did see a family bringing bags of provision to pay respects and another man maintaining a grave.

each tombstone has its own story to tell and they are all pioneers of singapore, whether well-known or not. and some, belong to mere children.

for now not all tombs need to be exhumed. only those that have been marked with a white stake with a serial number such as these.

this is because only 5% of bukit brown cemetery needs to be claimed for the highway expansion. however who is to say that the remaining parts of bukit brown are safe from future developments. it might be a matter of time before the entire plot of land succumbs to the pressing need for progress. so do visit while you still can.

a Today news report published on 4 February 2012 (Adjustments to reduce impact of Bukit Brown Cemetery for Roads) portends that,

While there are disagreements over this development, Minister for State for National Development, Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin said he is “keen to focus on the common ground and chart out what we can do”.

The current documentation effort, led by Dr Hui Yew-Foong from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, should yield lessons on how to proceed with the next phase, he said. said he is “keen to focus on the common ground and chart out what we can do”.

Acknowledging that “tensions over development and environment-history-heritage will become more acute” in years to come, Mr Tan noted that when developed, the Bukit Brown area could house 15,000 homes for about 50,000 residents.

“This is not meant to trivialise the heritage value of Bukit Brown Cemetery, which I truly appreciate, but to put on the table the choices we have to make,” he said.

the attraction of the cemetery is not only the resting places singapore’s pioneers. in fact, the route makes for a very nice morning stroll. it is frequented by caucasian families and their dogs and also horse riders from the nearby polo club.

view other pictures here.

Marginalised by the Marginalised

Home is tracing the familiar lines

Of the silhouetted horizon against the setting sun,

Like the assuring wrinkles of kind smiles.

 

Home is greeting the coffee shop Uncle in my Mother’s tongue

Jiat pa buay? Chek puay. Ta bao, Kam siah!

As he, in a sleight of hand, concocts my teh as only he knows how.

 

Home is using my native language that I have been proudly schooled in

Vehemently wrangled in, dreamt in, romanced and fell irrevocably in love in,

And understood by, without being patronised Oh! You speak such good English!

 

Home is sharing my commute with those who are making

their way home in a place they call Home.

 

But now I have to be constantly reacquainted with the morphing skyline

And question myself in shameful forgetfulness, What used to be here?

And hang up my ancestral dialect in an act of betrayal for the Stepmother’s Mandarin tongue,

While reeling from the slap by my own Country Of Origin

When being told that I am not acknowledged as a native English speaker,

But merely an illegitimate child born out of the wedlock of Commercialism and Materialism.

 

Therefore, I am not Home.

 

Therefore, I envy you for

You can go back to where you came from

But tell me,

Where am I to go?

The Green Corridor – Old Jurong Line

in support of The Green Corridor, i subscribe to the facebook page We Support The Green Corridor to follow updates of their activities especially walks organised for the public along the old railway track.

i did not manage to join in the walks along the better known bukit timah railway but jumped at the opportunity to attend the walk at the old jurong line. the old jurong line, i was told at the walk, begins at jurong shipyard at jurong industrial park, extends along teban gardens, sunset way and connects with the bukit timah line after ulu pandan.

the old jurong line is in purple (defunct for eleven years now)

i learnt at the walk that the old jurong line was meant to provide transport for goods disembarking at jurong shipyard into malaysia because the market of the malaysia of 1963 (merger with singapore) was expected to be large. this economic plan however fell through upon singapore’s separation from malaysia rendering old jurong line not as highly utilised as originally intended.

this except from the singapore heritage society website puts it much better:

The 24km Jurong Branch line, conceived before merger with Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah to form the geobody of Malaysia, was intended in the third phase to imagine an economy of industrial production that was connected to the main line, but also to markets in the peninsula and in South Thailand, despite Singapore’s subsequent separation from it in 1965.

because of the starkly industrial nature of the jurong industrial area, dr lai chee kien of the department of architecture, nus said that it was a deliberate attempt to make the residential area in the vicinity more green and livable. such consideration resulted in the naming of the housing estates in the area pandan gardens, teban gardens and chinese garden (which is also an actual park unlike the former pseudo two). this is also why the jurong bird park is situated in this part of singapore. the choice of the bird park was made over a zoological gardens for the practical reason that birds are cheaper.

i have a vested interest in the part of the old jurong line where the walk coincidentally begins because i live here. in fact, with the inevitable relocation to newer flats in the same estate within a year or two due to enbloc, my family and i will be living within metres of the old jurong line. unlike the more popular bukit timah railway, there is no public support to re-imagine this part of the rail corridor for designated civic use.

therein lies the irony. if the jurong line is left alone as it is, the community gardens or informal plantations as referred to in the above map can continue to exist and be cared for by the residents in the area. This is a truly grassroots phenomenon because the creation of these informal plantations on (formerly) malaysian land along the old jurong line is spontaneous and carried out without applying for a permit. i was informed on the walk that the natural inclination to cultivate land for fruits and vegetables is an impetus carried on and forward by former kampung folks with innately green fingers. evidently, they have done an excellent job of it. these informal plantations have aided a flourishing organic regrowth over the rotting wood and rusting metal since the old jurong line ceased its operation.

it would be a shame if the authorities were to act on taking back the land on which these informal plantations thrive, cordon the area from the residents (with the infamous STATE LAND do not trespass sign) and leave it derelict.

the start of the walk. my new apartment block is towering on the right.

tall grass where the tracks used to be

wong kum seng of nature society (singapore) pointing out flora of note

i used to open these pods to let out the seeds. i hardly touch greenery these days.

of course we had to disregard this sign to continue on with the walk

the informal plantations are in fact rather systematic

squatter residence or the extension of the HDB backyard?

notice a man boiling a pot of something on the bottom right quarter of this montage

wolf spider on its web with some morning dew

entrance of a pitched black and very muddy tunnel

reaching the exit

exiting. do not try this alone.

navigating over and through the scaffolding

making it through and reaching for higher ground

to get to school, i’ve had to cross this bridge for ten years to get to the bus stop along the ayer raja expressway (AYE) and i’ve often stood here to wonder where this railway line comes from, where it leads to and what lies under this bridge. this part of the walk was therefore immensely surreal because the mystery unraveled with each step.

over the decades i’ve witness foliage and shrubbery encroach towards the railway line and finally completely engulf it like it has now.

continuing along the AYE which is parallel to the old jurong line heading towards sunset way

nature takes over

rejoining and walking along the old jurong line amongst lallang

cutting through more undergrowth

and behold, suddenly, a playground at faber crest condominium

continuing along the old jurong line along sungei ulu pandan

larger informal plantations near clementi avenue four

aunty drawing water from a well the old fashioned way to water the informal plantations
clusters of chinese shrines informally maintained in the background

a malay and chinese syncretised diety. the diety is adorned with the songkok and sarong. my mom told me that this diety is called datuk gong and common in the kampungs. read this article for more insight on the datuk gong.

trudging towards sunset way

the end of the line

this time, we really took heed of the signpost to keep out

although the section of the old jurong line that crosses sungei ulu pandan is closed off, the journey can be continued along the ulu pandan park connector. soon, this old jurong line will join up with the bukit timah line.

i’m glad for this opportunity to discover and travel long this historically and culturally rich three kilometre section of the old jurong line. as you can see, many portions of this walk is not safe to traverse alone or in the dark and has been closed off from the public for very good reasons. however, the closing off these parts also creates pockets of sanctuaries for nature to thrive independently or as informal plantations. even without official directives, residents do actually know how to make ingenious and productive use of the land around them. with the passing on of such older folks with first hand knowledge of cultivation however, it might not be too long before even such informal plantations are left to the elements or reclaimed by the state.

in the meantime, someone has left this pensive lone chair along sungei ulu pandan to mull this over.