| http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,166717,00.html The New Paper, June 6, 2008 Bedok shopkeeper to estate management: Why cut down a healthy 17-year-old-tree? By Tan May Ping FOR 17 years, the mango tree grew undisturbed.
But now, it is at the centre of a conflict between a shopowner and the Management Corporation (MC) of an estate in Simpang Bedok. Mr Gabriel Tan, 52, is trying to prevent the MC of Bedok Shopping Complex from cutting down the tree. He feels they have not given a good reason to do so. The MC's lawyers recently sent a letter to Mr Tan demanding that he 'immediately cease and desist from hindering or otherwise obstructing' the contractor from felling the tree. The MC is made up of owners - elected at the annual general meeting (AGM) - who run the estate, while Kenwood Property Consultants is the estate's managing agent. On 17 May, Mr Tan said a worker approached him in his shop and asked him to remove his pickup, which was parked under the tree. He said he saw some workers with a chainsaw, and it then dawned on him that they wanted to cut down the tree. 'When I realised what they were going to do, I refused to move my vehicle,' said Mr Tan, who is authorised to speak and act on behalf of his father, who is the owner. Mr Tan has run his audio equipment business there for 12 years. He said he was told by the MC that the owner of the private house next to the tree had complained that the leaves were falling into his backyard.
The police were called in, and it was decided that the tree should not be cut down until clarification was sought from the National Parks Board (NParks). The contractors left after an hour, said Mr Tan. He then went on the Internet and found Mr Joseph Lai, who is actively involved in the conservation of trees. He contacted Mr Lai to ask for advice on how to handle the issue. Mr Lai, a trained botanist, told The New Paper he inspected the tree and found that it was 'perfectly healthy' and posed no danger. Mr Tan sent faxes to the managing agent appealing to them not to cut down the tree. Then, on 31 May, he got a shock when he received a lawyer's letter threatening legal action if he continued to hinder the removal of the tree. The letter said the MC had approved the felling of the tree by a majority vote, and had obtained the necessary clearance from NParks. But when contacted, an NParks spokesman said its approval is not required as the tree is in a private compound, and not within a tree conservation area or on vacant land. When contacted by The New Paper, the MC chairman declined comment. The estate, which is also known as Bedok Market Place, consists of shophouses and a central marketplace. The owner of the private house next to the tree said he was surprised that the management had decided to remove the tree. The retiree, who declined to be named, said the tree had not been pruned for three years and was getting 'heavy on top'. He said he had not asked for the tree to be cut down, adding: 'Last October, I asked the MC to prune the tree. That's not the same as felling the tree. 'We have overhead electricity cables and if the branches fall on the cables, we would have no electricity until they are repaired.' Mr Tan said several businesses do not want to get involved, but gave him their support. One of them, a restaurant owner in his 40s who did not want to give his name, said it would be a waste to cut the tree down. He said: 'It gives joy to many people. During our breaks, we like to sit outside under the shade of the tree. 'The tree also bears so much fruit and you can see the smile on people's faces when they pluck the fruits.' Mr Tan said he would bring the matter up at an upcoming AGM. |
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Tree pruning requires consistent effort, but it's worth it.
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Bedok Simpang is a sleepy little neighbourhood shopping area. Would have been interesting too except there's no bookshops.
ReplyDelete17 years seems a long time, but oh my, that is only a couple of years or so before I joined my present company. I only learned of this neighbourhood because I used to take buses from Tanah Merah MRT station to my workplace, and subsequently, visited it during lunch time for
1. Makan,
2. Replace car battery,
3. Buy munchies from the Shop & Save, or
4. Do some banking at the POSB which is no longer there.
Haven't been back for years.
I don't know what is the cost to contractor for pruning versus cutting, but really, a tree is a living thing and there isn't enough in the world left.
A tree like the mango tree does make a difference in reducing the heat on hot sunny days, not to mention absorbing Carbon Dioxide.
I am just glad there are still people like Gabriel Tan around who stands up instead of passively and unquestioning allow things to happen.
Hear, Hear!
ReplyDeleteLatest update: after 6 weeks standoff, the tree was fell on Friday, 4 July 2008.
ReplyDeletehttp://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,170013-1215381540,00.html?
The Electric New Paper :
Mango tree goes but bears fruit -friendship
A SMALL stump was all that was left of the 17-year-old mango tree outside
06 July 2008
A SMALL stump was all that was left of the 17-year-old mango tree outside
Mr Gabriel Tan's shop last evening.
That, and a few mangoes that Mr Tan took as a last offering from the tree he tried to save.
It marked the end of a long-running fight between the Simpang Bedok shopkeeper and the management committee (MC) of Bedok Shopping Complex, which run the estate.
Mr Tan, 52, wanted to save the tree but the MC wanted to cut it after a complaint from a nearby private house owner that the tree's leaves were falling into his backyard.
For about six weeks, there was tension between the parties, and the police had to be called in more than once to try to mediate.
Mr Tan's stand was that the MC - made up of owners elected at the annual general meeting - had not given a good reason to cut the tree.
But after three unsuccessful attempts to fell the tree, the MC was back to get the job done the fourth time.
Around 2.30pm yesterday, a contractor arrived with four workers. Immediately, Mr Tan and his faithful supporter Mr Kwek Khan Che, 53, who owns a drink stall in the area, stepped past the barricades, which had reportedly been erected on Wednesday night, and stood beneath the tree side by side.
They held determined looks on their faces that indicated that they were not budging.
But the work began, despite their presence.
A worker climbed up the tree and began sawing the higher branches, which tumbled in all directions around Mr Tan and Mr Kwek.
Almost immediately, the home owner who had complained about the falling leaves - retiree Peter Syddall, 73 - came out to stand under the tree as well.
Mr Syddall, a resident there for four years, did not want the tree cut, and said he was worried about how the cutting was being done.
He said: 'The branches are near the power line. What happens if the branches fall on my roof or the power lines?' he asked.
Seeing the three men under the tree, the estate's managing agent known only as
Mr Samy, who had appeared shortly after the workers started work, was visibly upset.
Mr Samy, who declined to speak to The New Paper, repeatedly demanded that the men step outside the barricades.
He warned them that he would not be liable for anything that may happen to them while they were below the tree.
Even as the worker was sawing away, Mr Tan was still trying to defend the tree by asking for the minutes of the MC meeting during which the cutting of the tree was decided.
He called the police when his request was ignored.
At 2.45pm, three police officers arrived and the cutting stopped for a while. They managed to coax the men to leave the foot of the tree.
Mr Syddall went home, but was looking out from his second-floor window.
Acting as mediators, the policemen listened to what Mr Samy and Mr Tan had to say.
Mr Samy showed Mr Tan some documents and told him not to challenge the management on technicalities. Shortly after, he walked away and Mr Tan turned to a policeman and said: 'He has not given me the proper answers'.
To that, Mr Samy said: 'His (Mr Tan's) intention is not to cooperate with us.'
Then, as parts of the tree came down in loud heavy thuds, tenants, customers and domestic helpers from the neighbouring homes started searching through the fallen leaves and branches for fruit. There were enough mangoes on the ground to fill a supermarket basket.