May 25, 2008
YOUR PERSONAL ADVISER: FINANCE
Trustee should distribute sale proceeds according to terms
Q I read your advice on how to claim a share of an estate, and I have some queries.
If there is a piece of land in the name of a trustee:
· Is it possible for the trustee to sell it without the knowledge of the descendants of the person who entrusted it to him?
· And if so, does the trustee get to keep all the proceeds?
· How can we check if a transaction has been made and if the proceeds have been paid out?
A A trust is set up when a settlor gives an asset to a trustee on behalf of a beneficiary. The trust can be set up immediately, during the settlor's lifetime or, if it is stated in the settlor's will, it will take effect only upon the settlor's death.
The trustee holds the legal title to the asset, while the beneficiary will inherit the asset.
It is possible for the trustee to sell the asset (in this case, the land) without the knowledge of the beneficiary.
However, under the law, whatever the trustee does, he has to ensure that everything is done for the benefit of the beneficiary and according to the terms of the trust.
The trustee will, therefore, have to distribute the proceeds of the sale according to the terms of the trust and should not keep all the proceeds - unless he is one of the beneficiaries under the trust, in which case he is entitled to keep his share according to the terms of the trust.
You can check with the Singapore Land Authority to find out whether the piece of land has been sold and, if so, to whom and for how much.
Alternatively, you may wish to engage a lawyer to do the necessary searches for you.
Note also that the beneficiary has the right to ask the trustee for an account of the income and expenses of the trust to date.
Ang Kim Lan
Goodwins
Law Corporation
Advice provided in this column is not meant as a substitute for comprehensive professional advice. E-mail questions to lorna@sph.com.sg
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access
Monday, May 26, 2008
'Kitschy' Chinatown, authentic Little India
May 25, 2008
'Kitschy' Chinatown, authentic Little India
By Tan Dawn Wei , Becky Lo
CHINATOWN
The Singapore Tourism Board's latest numbers show that Chinatown ranks as Singapore's second most popular free attraction after Orchard Road, drawing 51 per cent of all visitors in 2006.
Little India was third with 36 per cent while Kampong Glam, Singapore's other Malay and Islamic enclave, drew 8 per cent.
While Chinatown is certainly more successful than the Malay Village, its critics have accused it of being too artificial following the nearly $100 million spent revitalising it in the late 1990s.
Famous architect Tay Kheng Soon, for instance, had described it as 'kitsch'.
While facades of pre-war shophouses from Mosque Street to Neil Road were preserved under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's conservation movement, many lament that the enclave has lost its original flavour and soul.
Today, souvenir shops and stands dot the focal areas in Pagoda Street and Trengganu Street while the other streets are filled with outlets like restaurants, antique shops and beauty parlours.
A Chinatown Heritage Centre, food street and night market are also frequented by mostly tourists.
Nearly all 10 shopkeepers interviewed agreed Chinatown no longer retains its character.
'It's too tailored for tourists. We go overseas, to Malaysia and China, to find the Chinese ambience,' said Mr Gary Kor, 33, who runs Isle boutique in Pagoda Street.
Tourists say that they do not get a sense of local Chinese heritage.
Said South African tourist Gus Greeff: 'The shops are too similar, and I don't think they are really helpful in improving my knowledge of the Chinese culture here.'
LITTLE INDIA
Keep the old trades, let businesses sprout on their own, cater to locals and tourists. That is its success formula as an ethnic enclave.
Mr A. Jothilingam, 30, owner of textile shop Nalli, said Little India works because of its variety of traditional trades and goods and its celebration of Indian festivals.
'The Indians will always have a reason to come back, to buy flowers and traditional textiles for weddings,' he said.
Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association chairman Rajakumar Chandra hopes to retain the area's buzz, while it is being spruced up with pedestrian streets and improved sidewalks. There are also plans for a heritage centre.
'We don't want it to become like Chinatown with those umbrella shops,' he said about plans to turn Campbell Lane into a pedestrian street.
Even without a heritage centre, Mr Rajakumar, in his late 40s, feels the area showcases local Indian culture.
He said: 'You still see the old Indian goldsmiths at work, merchants grinding spices...It looks untidy but it adds colour to the area.'
As for the $180 million Tekka Mall, touted as 'the jewel of Little India' by its owner DRB-Hicom, it has not lived up to expectations.
Businesses were supposed to have a distinctly ethnic flavour. Instead, Sheng Siong supermarket and Guardian Pharmacy are there.
Ms Sakunkhala Elizabeth, 51, who has run a beauty salon there since the mall opened in 2003, said business at her Buffalo Road outlet is brisker. 'There's nothing uniquely Indian about Tekka Mall.'
It is understood DRB-Hicom plans to spend between $4 million and $9 million to rebrand the six-storey mall located between Serangoon and Sungei roads.
'Kitschy' Chinatown, authentic Little India
By Tan Dawn Wei , Becky Lo
CHINATOWN
The Singapore Tourism Board's latest numbers show that Chinatown ranks as Singapore's second most popular free attraction after Orchard Road, drawing 51 per cent of all visitors in 2006.
Little India was third with 36 per cent while Kampong Glam, Singapore's other Malay and Islamic enclave, drew 8 per cent.
While Chinatown is certainly more successful than the Malay Village, its critics have accused it of being too artificial following the nearly $100 million spent revitalising it in the late 1990s.
Famous architect Tay Kheng Soon, for instance, had described it as 'kitsch'.
While facades of pre-war shophouses from Mosque Street to Neil Road were preserved under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's conservation movement, many lament that the enclave has lost its original flavour and soul.
Today, souvenir shops and stands dot the focal areas in Pagoda Street and Trengganu Street while the other streets are filled with outlets like restaurants, antique shops and beauty parlours.
A Chinatown Heritage Centre, food street and night market are also frequented by mostly tourists.
Nearly all 10 shopkeepers interviewed agreed Chinatown no longer retains its character.
'It's too tailored for tourists. We go overseas, to Malaysia and China, to find the Chinese ambience,' said Mr Gary Kor, 33, who runs Isle boutique in Pagoda Street.
Tourists say that they do not get a sense of local Chinese heritage.
Said South African tourist Gus Greeff: 'The shops are too similar, and I don't think they are really helpful in improving my knowledge of the Chinese culture here.'
LITTLE INDIA
Keep the old trades, let businesses sprout on their own, cater to locals and tourists. That is its success formula as an ethnic enclave.
Mr A. Jothilingam, 30, owner of textile shop Nalli, said Little India works because of its variety of traditional trades and goods and its celebration of Indian festivals.
'The Indians will always have a reason to come back, to buy flowers and traditional textiles for weddings,' he said.
Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association chairman Rajakumar Chandra hopes to retain the area's buzz, while it is being spruced up with pedestrian streets and improved sidewalks. There are also plans for a heritage centre.
'We don't want it to become like Chinatown with those umbrella shops,' he said about plans to turn Campbell Lane into a pedestrian street.
Even without a heritage centre, Mr Rajakumar, in his late 40s, feels the area showcases local Indian culture.
He said: 'You still see the old Indian goldsmiths at work, merchants grinding spices...It looks untidy but it adds colour to the area.'
As for the $180 million Tekka Mall, touted as 'the jewel of Little India' by its owner DRB-Hicom, it has not lived up to expectations.
Businesses were supposed to have a distinctly ethnic flavour. Instead, Sheng Siong supermarket and Guardian Pharmacy are there.
Ms Sakunkhala Elizabeth, 51, who has run a beauty salon there since the mall opened in 2003, said business at her Buffalo Road outlet is brisker. 'There's nothing uniquely Indian about Tekka Mall.'
It is understood DRB-Hicom plans to spend between $4 million and $9 million to rebrand the six-storey mall located between Serangoon and Sungei roads.
Foodies hail Thomson V
May 25, 2008
Foodies hail Thomson V
Lower rentals and good weekend crowds have turned a once-sleepy stretch of Upper Thomson into a restaurant row
By Tiffany Fumiko Tay
ALMOST everyone has heard of Holland V, but what about Thomson V? That's what foodies are calling a stretch of Upper Thomson Road that has become something of a restaurant row.
The once-sleepy stretch of shophouses between Thomson Plaza and Long House food centre now houses 34 eateries, eight of which opened up the last year.
They are Miss Clarity Cafe, Herbs & Spices The Euradian Restaurant, Barnsburry, Pho 24, Sari Indo, Cheeky Chocolates, Earth Cafe and Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice.
These savvy shop owners say they zoomed in on the area because of its laid- back feel and the throngs which descend on weekends.
More importantly, they say the rent is not as high as in Holland Village, or Holland V, as people like to call it.
Mr Richard Lu, 22, who helps his father run the six-month-old Indonesian restaurant Sari Indo, says the rent on the 2,500 sq ft unit is about $5,000 a month, less than the five-figure sums shopkeepers at Holland Village pay.
'We found that this place has the potential to be a food centre, and it's a good place to start a new business with the manageable rental,' he says.
Other entrepreneurs feel the same way.
Mr Jason Wong, 49, co-owner of the two-month-old Earth Cafe, says he scouted for locations with lots of pet owners for his eatery, which caters to people and their pets.
He decided on Upper Thomson after looking at places such as Holland Village and Bukit Timah.
It's proving to be a good decision as his business is doing well.
'While many of our customers are Thomson residents, we even have people driving here from as far as Woodlands,' he adds.
Another entrepreneur, Mr Augustine Koh, 35, opened what he calls an 'Euradian' restaurant, which serves a mix of European and Indian food, after hearing that the place was developing into a food hub.
Herbs & Spices The Euradian Restaurant opened six months ago.
Mr Koh says: 'I also liked the ambience, the fact that it's casual and not uptight fine-dining. It's unique in its own way - there is the old-world charm and the different cuisines.'
Recent New York University graduate Aaron Choy, 25, says setting up his first shop at Upper Thomson is a good opportunity to test the waters.
His cafe and chocolate shop Cheeky Chocolates opened barely a month ago.
Mr Choy says: 'I wanted to build a customer base and get the feel of what they like and dislike before expanding my business and fighting with the big boys.'
People may also be getting too jaded with the town area, he adds.
'I think people are looking for a different experience,' he says.
Even restaurant chains are seeing the market potential.
Vietnamese noodle chain Pho 24, with over 60 outlets in Vietnam, opened its second one in Singapore along Upper Thomson five months ago. It has an outlet at Millenia Walk.
Its Singapore franchise owner Paul Tan, 39, says: 'People are starting to draw comparisons between places like Holland Village, Upper Serangoon Road and here.
'Upper Thomson is no less exciting or titillating than these areas, and we're giving them a run for their money.'
Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, with five outlets in Singapore, opened its newest one at Upper Thomson just three weeks ago.
Mr Ethan Lee, in his 20s, who helps to run the family business, says: 'The draw here is the cosiness. We've just opened and already we're packed on weekends.'
And restaurateurs are not the only ones who are happy.
Business from the eateries is spilling over into the non-food businesses, such as Al-Salam Malay Barber.
Owner Haji Salam, 68, says: 'There are a lot of people here, especially on weekends, so when the restaurants next to me have business, I also have business. I welcome the restaurants.'
One major bane though, is parking or the lack of it. Restaurateurs say that if Upper Thomson is to become a food haven, more parking spaces must be created.
Earth Cafe's Mr Wong says that he, along with many of his customers, sometimes gets fined for parking illegally.
'The nearest place is Thomson Plaza, which is a 10-minute walk away. I'm planning to write a letter to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to work out a plan to serve the businesses in this area,' he says.
Sari Indo's Mr Lu suggests the construction of a multi-storey carpark nearby.
'We can't reach the larger market because customers from other areas might not find it convenient to park so far away,' he says.
A spokesman for the URA says it cannot justify building new carparks when the two facilities nearby are not fully utilised.
These would be the basement carpark at Thomson Plaza and an open air carpark next to Long House, a food centre.
The spokesman said: 'It's not that there isn't enough parking, it's just a matter of convenience for people.'
Ms Devagi Sanmugam, 54, chef-owner of Devagi's Restaurant, says that fine-dining restaurants will not be able to survive if parking spaces are not available nearby.
'Most of their customers will be driving, and won't want to walk a long way from the carpark to get to the restaurant,' she says.
For now, non-residents of Thomson will have to be content with walking, but it's well worth it, according to computer engineer David Lai, who lives in Marsiling.
He goes there at least once a fortnight to try out the new restaurants, and parks at Thomson Plaza.
'It is a bit of a long walk and the parking's not great, but Singaporeans will go to any length for good food, me included,' he says.
Upper Thomson residents seem resigned to the fact that their neighbourhood is drawing more people.
Copywriter Nicholina Chua, 25, who lives in Thomson Ridge, says: 'The jams can get quite annoying, but the noise isn't really an issue. I'm used to it.
'While I hope it won't get overrun with crowds, I'm just appreciative of the fact that I don't have to go far for a good meal or to chill out.'
tiffanyt@sph.com.sg
Foodies hail Thomson V
Lower rentals and good weekend crowds have turned a once-sleepy stretch of Upper Thomson into a restaurant row
By Tiffany Fumiko Tay
ALMOST everyone has heard of Holland V, but what about Thomson V? That's what foodies are calling a stretch of Upper Thomson Road that has become something of a restaurant row.
The once-sleepy stretch of shophouses between Thomson Plaza and Long House food centre now houses 34 eateries, eight of which opened up the last year.
They are Miss Clarity Cafe, Herbs & Spices The Euradian Restaurant, Barnsburry, Pho 24, Sari Indo, Cheeky Chocolates, Earth Cafe and Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice.
These savvy shop owners say they zoomed in on the area because of its laid- back feel and the throngs which descend on weekends.
More importantly, they say the rent is not as high as in Holland Village, or Holland V, as people like to call it.
Mr Richard Lu, 22, who helps his father run the six-month-old Indonesian restaurant Sari Indo, says the rent on the 2,500 sq ft unit is about $5,000 a month, less than the five-figure sums shopkeepers at Holland Village pay.
'We found that this place has the potential to be a food centre, and it's a good place to start a new business with the manageable rental,' he says.
Other entrepreneurs feel the same way.
Mr Jason Wong, 49, co-owner of the two-month-old Earth Cafe, says he scouted for locations with lots of pet owners for his eatery, which caters to people and their pets.
He decided on Upper Thomson after looking at places such as Holland Village and Bukit Timah.
It's proving to be a good decision as his business is doing well.
'While many of our customers are Thomson residents, we even have people driving here from as far as Woodlands,' he adds.
Another entrepreneur, Mr Augustine Koh, 35, opened what he calls an 'Euradian' restaurant, which serves a mix of European and Indian food, after hearing that the place was developing into a food hub.
Herbs & Spices The Euradian Restaurant opened six months ago.
Mr Koh says: 'I also liked the ambience, the fact that it's casual and not uptight fine-dining. It's unique in its own way - there is the old-world charm and the different cuisines.'
Recent New York University graduate Aaron Choy, 25, says setting up his first shop at Upper Thomson is a good opportunity to test the waters.
His cafe and chocolate shop Cheeky Chocolates opened barely a month ago.
Mr Choy says: 'I wanted to build a customer base and get the feel of what they like and dislike before expanding my business and fighting with the big boys.'
People may also be getting too jaded with the town area, he adds.
'I think people are looking for a different experience,' he says.
Even restaurant chains are seeing the market potential.
Vietnamese noodle chain Pho 24, with over 60 outlets in Vietnam, opened its second one in Singapore along Upper Thomson five months ago. It has an outlet at Millenia Walk.
Its Singapore franchise owner Paul Tan, 39, says: 'People are starting to draw comparisons between places like Holland Village, Upper Serangoon Road and here.
'Upper Thomson is no less exciting or titillating than these areas, and we're giving them a run for their money.'
Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, with five outlets in Singapore, opened its newest one at Upper Thomson just three weeks ago.
Mr Ethan Lee, in his 20s, who helps to run the family business, says: 'The draw here is the cosiness. We've just opened and already we're packed on weekends.'
And restaurateurs are not the only ones who are happy.
Business from the eateries is spilling over into the non-food businesses, such as Al-Salam Malay Barber.
Owner Haji Salam, 68, says: 'There are a lot of people here, especially on weekends, so when the restaurants next to me have business, I also have business. I welcome the restaurants.'
One major bane though, is parking or the lack of it. Restaurateurs say that if Upper Thomson is to become a food haven, more parking spaces must be created.
Earth Cafe's Mr Wong says that he, along with many of his customers, sometimes gets fined for parking illegally.
'The nearest place is Thomson Plaza, which is a 10-minute walk away. I'm planning to write a letter to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to work out a plan to serve the businesses in this area,' he says.
Sari Indo's Mr Lu suggests the construction of a multi-storey carpark nearby.
'We can't reach the larger market because customers from other areas might not find it convenient to park so far away,' he says.
A spokesman for the URA says it cannot justify building new carparks when the two facilities nearby are not fully utilised.
These would be the basement carpark at Thomson Plaza and an open air carpark next to Long House, a food centre.
The spokesman said: 'It's not that there isn't enough parking, it's just a matter of convenience for people.'
Ms Devagi Sanmugam, 54, chef-owner of Devagi's Restaurant, says that fine-dining restaurants will not be able to survive if parking spaces are not available nearby.
'Most of their customers will be driving, and won't want to walk a long way from the carpark to get to the restaurant,' she says.
For now, non-residents of Thomson will have to be content with walking, but it's well worth it, according to computer engineer David Lai, who lives in Marsiling.
He goes there at least once a fortnight to try out the new restaurants, and parks at Thomson Plaza.
'It is a bit of a long walk and the parking's not great, but Singaporeans will go to any length for good food, me included,' he says.
Upper Thomson residents seem resigned to the fact that their neighbourhood is drawing more people.
Copywriter Nicholina Chua, 25, who lives in Thomson Ridge, says: 'The jams can get quite annoying, but the noise isn't really an issue. I'm used to it.
'While I hope it won't get overrun with crowds, I'm just appreciative of the fact that I don't have to go far for a good meal or to chill out.'
tiffanyt@sph.com.sg
Malay Village's demise: 'It's time'
May 25, 2008
Malay Village's demise: 'It's time'
Community says place has seen its best days, but hopes redevelopments will retain area's traditions
By Tan Dawn Wei , Nur Dianah Suhaimi
After years of being branded a 'white elephant', the death knell has finally sounded for the Malay Village in Geylang Serai.
No one seems particularly upset to see it go - not even those who mooted the idea or some of its current tenants.
'There's no point keeping it if we're not able to sustain it. It has become an eyesore. Each time I pass by the place, I feel my heart breaking,' said Major Ibrahim Bulat, 63, who was one of five members of the Malay Village advisory committee set up in 1992.
Since the 2.2ha development - about the size of two football fields - was first approved by the Ministry of National Development in 1981 to showcase Malay traditional kampung living, it has been plagued with problems and never lived up to its billing.
Of the 80 shop units, fewer than 10 are open daily even though Malay Village Pte Ltd, its current management company, said 70 of them are leased out.
Many of them are used as storage facilities by businesses.
About 1,800 tourists visited its museum last year, said Malay Village. But when The Sunday Times dropped in on Friday, its doors were shut. A security guard appeared after we told him over an intercom that we wanted to tour it.
Visitors who step into the two- storey museum, are often greeted by a whiff of cat urine and bat droppings on the floorboards as they pass dusty artefacts such as old musical instruments, cooking appliances, traditional games and a replica of a Malay wedding hall.
The guard, who doubles as the museum's guide, said the place is kept locked unless a visitor drops in. Visitors have to pay an entrance fee of $5 and a tour of the museum takes about an hour.
Mr Dai Foh Chin, 80, one of the village's few tenants who stay open, lamented: 'People call this the Malay Village; I call this place a holiday resort. I open my shop from 7am to 7pm daily, but there are hardly any customers,'
The provision shop owner, who has been there for a year and pays under $3,000 in rent, said he has been making a loss of $1,000 a month.
Business is so bad that he gets his children to take his goods to be sold elsewhere.
A more recent addition to the village is Ms Siti Suhaila Yahya, 30, who opened a foot spa there three weeks ago. She spent $250,000 to set it up, but was unperturbed by news that the place will be demolished.
'It is the norm in the retail industry for the tenancy period to be three years with no guarantee of subsequent renewal. The fact that I have until 2011 is already beyond the normal duration of tenancy,' said Ms Siti who is already shopping around for a new location within the Geylang Serai area.
Revamp in the works
Under a new draft Master Plan unveiled by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) last Friday, the Malay Village will make way for a new civic centre and plaza as part of the Government's efforts to rejuvenate the area while preserving its local character.
The civic centre - which could take on Malay design elements - will house a community club, Community Development Council offices and possibly a library and gallery showcasing the area's history.
Proposed pedestrian malls leading up to the Paya Lebar MRT station will also mean more space for bazaars and cultural performances.
Going too, will be Tanjong Katong Complex farther up from Malay Village.
The URA told The Sunday Times the development date for the complex, a state property managed by the Singapore Land Authority, has not been fixed but will take place after the current leases - all short-term - run out and when the land is needed.
Crucial to retain culture
But with village's demise, will a slice of Malay history also be lost?
At least one person spoke up for the beleaguered landmark.
Associate Professor Hadijah Rahmat, head of the Malay language department at the National Institute of Education, thinks the concept behind the Malay Village is still valid and the authorities may be too hasty in wanting to demolish it.
There is a need to show how rural Malays used to live and the Malay Village still fulfils the criteria, she said.
'But we should study how the place can be made more vibrant and dynamic. Heritage centres cannot be 100 per cent commercially run. Usually, the authorities will give a helping hand.'
The company behind the project, Malay Village Pte Ltd, still believes it can make a go of it and may appeal to have its lease extended beyond 2011.
General manager Jeffrey Chan, 35, said the company's plans for a $50 million revamp of the village are on hold until he sees the URA blueprint for the area.
He said he had submitted a draft proposal to the authorities last month to rebuild it with a similar 'kampung ambience' and with 20 per cent more retail space.
At least half of the 40 Geylang Serai residents, shopkeepers and hawkers The Sunday Times spoke to said they hoped to see some elements of Malay tradition preserved in the redevelopment.
Just as many, however, said they want a mall in its place, with a supermarket; even better if it comes with a movie theatre.
'The place was supposed to remind people of the kampung days so that our future generations will know what it was like in the old days,' said Malay grassroots group Majlis Pusat president and former MP, Mr Zulkifli Mohammed, 60. He was also was one of the MPs who supported the idea of setting up the Malay Village.
'Now, they will probably have to go to Malaysia or the Riau Islands to see what a kampung looks like.'
But he did agree that it is no longer viable to keep the Malay Village as it is.
'It has not achieved the objective of showcasing Malay culture. I think the Malay Heritage Centre in Kampong Glam has taken over that role,' said Mr Zulkifli.
He held out hope that the proposed gallery at the civic centre would offer a link to the area's history.
The MP for the area, Dr Fatimah Lateef, 42, said while redevelopment is necessary, new structures that will be introduced, be they malls or civic centres, should 'keep the Malay identity to a certain extent'.
Beyond incorporating Malay aesthetic elements into the designs, she hopes the new civic centre can exhibit Malay culture amid its other necessary functions, like a library and community club.
Referring to the Malay Heritage Centre, she said: 'People may not specifically go to look for it. But if you reach out to them at the civic centre where they go to for community services, you're bringing it out to the community rather than keeping it within four walls.'
Additional reporting by Stacey Chia and Becky Lo
dawntan@sph.com.sg
ndianah@sph.com.sg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An idea that didn't click
1970s: The idea of having a Malay village is mooted by Majlis Pusat, the umbrella body for Malay cultural groups. There are two aims: to showcase Malay culture to visitors and to provide a place for selling Malay souvenirs. The suggested location is Pasir Panjang, with its many beachfront kampungs.
August 1980: Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Ahmad Mattar announces plans for the village.
November 1981: Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan gives approval in principle. Dr Mattar suggests that the facility be run 100 per cent by Malays.
February 1984: The Government gives the official approval. Geylang Serai is now the chosen site.
1986: Construction begins. The Housing Board spends $10 million.
November 1989: The Malay Village is completed.
February 1991: HDB sets conditions on managing the village. Among them is a 25 per cent limit on the number of non-Malay tenants.
September 1991: Ananda group of companies, run by Hong Kong businessman Clarence Cheung, wins the tender to run the Malay Village. The tender is worth $3.8 million. It announces plans to build a high-tech Islamic cultural museum worth $10 million in the village. This never materialises.
February 1992: Tender for shops opens.
March 1992: Of the 70 shops, only eight open.
May 1992: Seven out of 45 successful bidders pull out.
June 1992: Advisory panel is formed.
June 1994: Plans for an aggressive promotion campaign with an estimated cost of $1 million are outlined.
November 1994: Ethnic ratio of tenants is removed.
April 2006: A new management, Malay Village Pte Ltd, takes over and makes a police report regarding the Malay Village's accounts. By then, it has only a few thousand dollars in its coffers and has chalked up a six-digit debt.
April 2008: Malay Village Pte Ltd announces plans to pump in as much as $100 million to revive the place.
May 2008: URA announces plans to demolish the Malay Village after its lease ends in 2011 and to build a civic centre there in its place.
Nur Dianah Suhaimi
Malay Village's demise: 'It's time'
Community says place has seen its best days, but hopes redevelopments will retain area's traditions
By Tan Dawn Wei , Nur Dianah Suhaimi
After years of being branded a 'white elephant', the death knell has finally sounded for the Malay Village in Geylang Serai.
No one seems particularly upset to see it go - not even those who mooted the idea or some of its current tenants.
'There's no point keeping it if we're not able to sustain it. It has become an eyesore. Each time I pass by the place, I feel my heart breaking,' said Major Ibrahim Bulat, 63, who was one of five members of the Malay Village advisory committee set up in 1992.
Since the 2.2ha development - about the size of two football fields - was first approved by the Ministry of National Development in 1981 to showcase Malay traditional kampung living, it has been plagued with problems and never lived up to its billing.
Of the 80 shop units, fewer than 10 are open daily even though Malay Village Pte Ltd, its current management company, said 70 of them are leased out.
Many of them are used as storage facilities by businesses.
About 1,800 tourists visited its museum last year, said Malay Village. But when The Sunday Times dropped in on Friday, its doors were shut. A security guard appeared after we told him over an intercom that we wanted to tour it.
Visitors who step into the two- storey museum, are often greeted by a whiff of cat urine and bat droppings on the floorboards as they pass dusty artefacts such as old musical instruments, cooking appliances, traditional games and a replica of a Malay wedding hall.
The guard, who doubles as the museum's guide, said the place is kept locked unless a visitor drops in. Visitors have to pay an entrance fee of $5 and a tour of the museum takes about an hour.
Mr Dai Foh Chin, 80, one of the village's few tenants who stay open, lamented: 'People call this the Malay Village; I call this place a holiday resort. I open my shop from 7am to 7pm daily, but there are hardly any customers,'
The provision shop owner, who has been there for a year and pays under $3,000 in rent, said he has been making a loss of $1,000 a month.
Business is so bad that he gets his children to take his goods to be sold elsewhere.
A more recent addition to the village is Ms Siti Suhaila Yahya, 30, who opened a foot spa there three weeks ago. She spent $250,000 to set it up, but was unperturbed by news that the place will be demolished.
'It is the norm in the retail industry for the tenancy period to be three years with no guarantee of subsequent renewal. The fact that I have until 2011 is already beyond the normal duration of tenancy,' said Ms Siti who is already shopping around for a new location within the Geylang Serai area.
Revamp in the works
Under a new draft Master Plan unveiled by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) last Friday, the Malay Village will make way for a new civic centre and plaza as part of the Government's efforts to rejuvenate the area while preserving its local character.
The civic centre - which could take on Malay design elements - will house a community club, Community Development Council offices and possibly a library and gallery showcasing the area's history.
Proposed pedestrian malls leading up to the Paya Lebar MRT station will also mean more space for bazaars and cultural performances.
Going too, will be Tanjong Katong Complex farther up from Malay Village.
The URA told The Sunday Times the development date for the complex, a state property managed by the Singapore Land Authority, has not been fixed but will take place after the current leases - all short-term - run out and when the land is needed.
Crucial to retain culture
But with village's demise, will a slice of Malay history also be lost?
At least one person spoke up for the beleaguered landmark.
Associate Professor Hadijah Rahmat, head of the Malay language department at the National Institute of Education, thinks the concept behind the Malay Village is still valid and the authorities may be too hasty in wanting to demolish it.
There is a need to show how rural Malays used to live and the Malay Village still fulfils the criteria, she said.
'But we should study how the place can be made more vibrant and dynamic. Heritage centres cannot be 100 per cent commercially run. Usually, the authorities will give a helping hand.'
The company behind the project, Malay Village Pte Ltd, still believes it can make a go of it and may appeal to have its lease extended beyond 2011.
General manager Jeffrey Chan, 35, said the company's plans for a $50 million revamp of the village are on hold until he sees the URA blueprint for the area.
He said he had submitted a draft proposal to the authorities last month to rebuild it with a similar 'kampung ambience' and with 20 per cent more retail space.
At least half of the 40 Geylang Serai residents, shopkeepers and hawkers The Sunday Times spoke to said they hoped to see some elements of Malay tradition preserved in the redevelopment.
Just as many, however, said they want a mall in its place, with a supermarket; even better if it comes with a movie theatre.
'The place was supposed to remind people of the kampung days so that our future generations will know what it was like in the old days,' said Malay grassroots group Majlis Pusat president and former MP, Mr Zulkifli Mohammed, 60. He was also was one of the MPs who supported the idea of setting up the Malay Village.
'Now, they will probably have to go to Malaysia or the Riau Islands to see what a kampung looks like.'
But he did agree that it is no longer viable to keep the Malay Village as it is.
'It has not achieved the objective of showcasing Malay culture. I think the Malay Heritage Centre in Kampong Glam has taken over that role,' said Mr Zulkifli.
He held out hope that the proposed gallery at the civic centre would offer a link to the area's history.
The MP for the area, Dr Fatimah Lateef, 42, said while redevelopment is necessary, new structures that will be introduced, be they malls or civic centres, should 'keep the Malay identity to a certain extent'.
Beyond incorporating Malay aesthetic elements into the designs, she hopes the new civic centre can exhibit Malay culture amid its other necessary functions, like a library and community club.
Referring to the Malay Heritage Centre, she said: 'People may not specifically go to look for it. But if you reach out to them at the civic centre where they go to for community services, you're bringing it out to the community rather than keeping it within four walls.'
Additional reporting by Stacey Chia and Becky Lo
dawntan@sph.com.sg
ndianah@sph.com.sg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An idea that didn't click
1970s: The idea of having a Malay village is mooted by Majlis Pusat, the umbrella body for Malay cultural groups. There are two aims: to showcase Malay culture to visitors and to provide a place for selling Malay souvenirs. The suggested location is Pasir Panjang, with its many beachfront kampungs.
August 1980: Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Ahmad Mattar announces plans for the village.
November 1981: Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan gives approval in principle. Dr Mattar suggests that the facility be run 100 per cent by Malays.
February 1984: The Government gives the official approval. Geylang Serai is now the chosen site.
1986: Construction begins. The Housing Board spends $10 million.
November 1989: The Malay Village is completed.
February 1991: HDB sets conditions on managing the village. Among them is a 25 per cent limit on the number of non-Malay tenants.
September 1991: Ananda group of companies, run by Hong Kong businessman Clarence Cheung, wins the tender to run the Malay Village. The tender is worth $3.8 million. It announces plans to build a high-tech Islamic cultural museum worth $10 million in the village. This never materialises.
February 1992: Tender for shops opens.
March 1992: Of the 70 shops, only eight open.
May 1992: Seven out of 45 successful bidders pull out.
June 1992: Advisory panel is formed.
June 1994: Plans for an aggressive promotion campaign with an estimated cost of $1 million are outlined.
November 1994: Ethnic ratio of tenants is removed.
April 2006: A new management, Malay Village Pte Ltd, takes over and makes a police report regarding the Malay Village's accounts. By then, it has only a few thousand dollars in its coffers and has chalked up a six-digit debt.
April 2008: Malay Village Pte Ltd announces plans to pump in as much as $100 million to revive the place.
May 2008: URA announces plans to demolish the Malay Village after its lease ends in 2011 and to build a civic centre there in its place.
Nur Dianah Suhaimi
HDB 'lab' paving the way for broadband vision
Business Times - 26 May 2008
HDB 'lab' paving the way for broadband vision
Government agencies linked up in low-key tests to study disruption
By WINSTON CHAI
(SINGAPORE) Sometime in the near future in a HDB heartland, housewives will be able to download an entire Korean movie in mere minutes , instead of hours. Researchers at Biopolis - a biomedical science research & development hub - will be able to perform complex calculations previously handled by supercomputers on their laptops.
All thanks to a new fibre optic network that is being built in Singapore.
And four inconspicuous public housing blocks at Boon Keng and Commonwealth may hold the key to realising Singapore's dream of upgrading to this new ultra-fast broadband highway.
Unknown to the public, the humble housing units collectively formed the centrepiece of a low-key, multi-agency trial to assess any disruption that could result from constructing the new Internet backbone.
BT understands the tests were initiated by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and that at least two other state agencies - the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) - were roped in.
The upcoming Next-Gen NBN (National Broadband Network) is a key part of the government's plan to lay a new technology foundation that will serve residents and businesses for the next 25 years or more.
When fully-completed in 2015, the network will deliver blazing access speed of 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) and beyond to power new e-commerce applications and other bandwidth-sapping services like biomedical research and tele-medicine.
The main aim of the tests in Boon Keng and Commonwealth - carried out mostly in the second half of 2007 - was to determine the most efficient way of extending high-speed fibre-optic cables from their current end-points to individual apartment blocks and office buildings. This will complete the so-called 'last mile' needed to achieve the huge broadband speed boost.
Singapore already has an extensive underground fibre-optic network in place - owned by companies such as Singapore Telecommunications, StarHub and even SMRT - but it ends some distance from most residential and commercial buildings.
Cheaper copper cables tend to be used thereafter to connect offices and homes to the Internet, but this 'last-mile' connection is set to be replaced with fibre-optic links, based on two proposals IDA has received for the new network.
'IDA worked together with fellow government agencies such as HDB and LTA and the trials involved the testing of innovative civil works techniques for Next-Gen NBN,' an IDA spokesperson confirmed.
'The trials were conducted by a contractor appointed by IDA and focused on the outside plant that did not include in-house rewiring. The intent of the trials was to explore innovative deployment techniques that could reduce inconvenience to the public and minimise disruption.'
This is an important consideration for the regulator, which wants to roll out the new network with minimal fuss. When StarHub first built its $600 million infrastructure to deliver cable TV and broadband services, road lane closures were common as laborious excavation was carried out to put the new cables in place.
IDA hopes advances in cabling techniques mean that people will have to put up with fewer disruptions this time around.
To achieve this, approaches that were tested included running cables and ducts through covered walkways and drainage systems rather than digging up roads, according to sources familiar with the project.
The trial results were shared with bidders for the new network. Feedback was positive and they felt that minimal disruption and inconvenience could be achieved, IDA said.
The eventual task of translating the experiments into real-life will rest on the shoulders of the winner of IDA's recently-concluded Network Company (NetCo) tender.
The battle to land this mammoth contract is now between two consortiums incorporating all three local telcos.
The winning NetCo will be helped by government subsidy of up to $750 million to offset the heavy cost of building the network, which some industry watchers estimate to be $1.5 billion or more.
SingTel has submitted a bid as part of OpenNet, a group led by Canada's Axia NetMedia, which includes two other members - Singapore Press Holdings and Singapore Power subsidiary SP Telecommunications.
StarHub has joined hands with MobileOne and Hong Kong's City Telecom to make up the rival Infinity Consortium.
IDA expects to pick the winning Netco by the third quarter of this year.
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
HDB 'lab' paving the way for broadband vision
Government agencies linked up in low-key tests to study disruption
By WINSTON CHAI
(SINGAPORE) Sometime in the near future in a HDB heartland, housewives will be able to download an entire Korean movie in mere minutes , instead of hours. Researchers at Biopolis - a biomedical science research & development hub - will be able to perform complex calculations previously handled by supercomputers on their laptops.
All thanks to a new fibre optic network that is being built in Singapore.
And four inconspicuous public housing blocks at Boon Keng and Commonwealth may hold the key to realising Singapore's dream of upgrading to this new ultra-fast broadband highway.
Unknown to the public, the humble housing units collectively formed the centrepiece of a low-key, multi-agency trial to assess any disruption that could result from constructing the new Internet backbone.
BT understands the tests were initiated by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and that at least two other state agencies - the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) - were roped in.
The upcoming Next-Gen NBN (National Broadband Network) is a key part of the government's plan to lay a new technology foundation that will serve residents and businesses for the next 25 years or more.
When fully-completed in 2015, the network will deliver blazing access speed of 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) and beyond to power new e-commerce applications and other bandwidth-sapping services like biomedical research and tele-medicine.
The main aim of the tests in Boon Keng and Commonwealth - carried out mostly in the second half of 2007 - was to determine the most efficient way of extending high-speed fibre-optic cables from their current end-points to individual apartment blocks and office buildings. This will complete the so-called 'last mile' needed to achieve the huge broadband speed boost.
Singapore already has an extensive underground fibre-optic network in place - owned by companies such as Singapore Telecommunications, StarHub and even SMRT - but it ends some distance from most residential and commercial buildings.
Cheaper copper cables tend to be used thereafter to connect offices and homes to the Internet, but this 'last-mile' connection is set to be replaced with fibre-optic links, based on two proposals IDA has received for the new network.
'IDA worked together with fellow government agencies such as HDB and LTA and the trials involved the testing of innovative civil works techniques for Next-Gen NBN,' an IDA spokesperson confirmed.
'The trials were conducted by a contractor appointed by IDA and focused on the outside plant that did not include in-house rewiring. The intent of the trials was to explore innovative deployment techniques that could reduce inconvenience to the public and minimise disruption.'
This is an important consideration for the regulator, which wants to roll out the new network with minimal fuss. When StarHub first built its $600 million infrastructure to deliver cable TV and broadband services, road lane closures were common as laborious excavation was carried out to put the new cables in place.
IDA hopes advances in cabling techniques mean that people will have to put up with fewer disruptions this time around.
To achieve this, approaches that were tested included running cables and ducts through covered walkways and drainage systems rather than digging up roads, according to sources familiar with the project.
The trial results were shared with bidders for the new network. Feedback was positive and they felt that minimal disruption and inconvenience could be achieved, IDA said.
The eventual task of translating the experiments into real-life will rest on the shoulders of the winner of IDA's recently-concluded Network Company (NetCo) tender.
The battle to land this mammoth contract is now between two consortiums incorporating all three local telcos.
The winning NetCo will be helped by government subsidy of up to $750 million to offset the heavy cost of building the network, which some industry watchers estimate to be $1.5 billion or more.
SingTel has submitted a bid as part of OpenNet, a group led by Canada's Axia NetMedia, which includes two other members - Singapore Press Holdings and Singapore Power subsidiary SP Telecommunications.
StarHub has joined hands with MobileOne and Hong Kong's City Telecom to make up the rival Infinity Consortium.
IDA expects to pick the winning Netco by the third quarter of this year.
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
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