Best Public Housing in the World!

 

 

 

 

The above photos show the newly upgraded flats and landscaping at Toa Payoh

This will be the last month that I will be staying in the beautifully upgraded estate of Toa Payoh. The government had added an extra room and provided lifts on every floor. For the past 2 years, I have enjoyed walking Chelsea, taking in the lovely scenery and greenery. Often, I would release Chelsea so that she could give vent to her tremendous energy of running all over the estate. Even the cleaner was amazed by her intelligence and obedience. All I needed to do was to clap my hands and she would come running back to me.

Kudos to the government for having set up one of the best housing systems in the world. Perhaps many Singaporeans would take the Housing Development Board flats for granted. I came from a poor family. We were raised in Jelutong Village in Penang. Attap and wooden houses were built at random. Toilets too were set up in the fashion of what Americans will term as "outhouses". Recently I came across the video "Evil Toilets in China" in Harro, and I recalled sadly that the toilets in the villages in Penang four decades ago were also quite similar. There was no flushing system, and night soil carriers had to carry the buckets for disposal. My heart goes to these poor labourers - what a terrible job. I'd rather labour ten hours in the hot sun as a construction worker than to be a night soil carrier for one minute!

Recently, in Kuching, I asked a friend why Kuching develops so slowly. It was my umpteenth visit, and there has not been much development. My friend told me that developers are frustrated because there is so much corruption. Whenever a developer tries to build a high rise building or condominium, the authorities would make things very difficult, by demanding more "rewards" in the form of cash or ownership of the first two floors of the apartments! Sigh! I just cannot understand why people are not contented with what they have. After all, we cannot carry a single cent or possession to the next world! Worse, we have to answer to the Almighty Creator for our deeds on earth!

Next month I will be moving to my flat in Little India. There is not so much greenery there but I have noticed a nice plot of field where I will probably walk Chelsea. I want the convenience of living in the city, so that I can walk to my office. However, I heard that the government will spruce up Little India next year. Optimist that I am, I guess, I will be on the lookout for interesting things to see on my way to work. Little India is after all, quite a colorful place!

Whenever I hear my foreign guests praising Singapore, especially her housing system, I feel, oh, so ooo oooooo proud!