Residents never knew

March 21, 2007
The Electric New Paper

THE nine residents we spoke to had no idea that there was a memorial park in their midst.

A freelance draughtsman in his 40s, who gave his name only as MrJay, said he has been living in his second-storey Yishun flat for seven years.

The memorial park is directly opposite his flat. Even though it's partially blocked by the MRT tracks, the park is still visible from his living room window.
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He said: 'I've always thought it was only a plot of grass. I never paid much attention to it.'

Mr Shen Ni Gong, 62, a retiree, was walking on a dirt path under the MRT tracks when The New Paper approached him.

He had, in fact, just passed the exposed urns but had not noticed them.

'I don't really take this path often. I'm just visiting my friend today. I've lived here for 21 years. For 10 years, my flat directly overlooked this plot of land.

'I only know that Yishun Columbarium is nearby. But I didn't know that this land has remains buried underneath.'

Asked if he felt uneasy about staying in the neighbourhood now, Mr Shen said with a laugh. 'What's in the past is in the past.

'There's no point troubling yourself over it. It's okay, I don't really feel anything negative.'

Another resident, who wanted to be known only as Ms Yan, was not too concerned either.

She said: 'Frankly I don't really care about the ashes. What I want to know is what will they be doing about the landslide.'