Why Supporters of The Green Corridor Should Support Bukit Brown Too

The Green Corridor is a former railway while Bukit Brown is a cemetery, so different yet so similar. The Green Corridor and Bukit Brown both connects the past and future, and both involves heritage and the environment. I hope that all of you can support the preservation of Bukit Brown, just as you have actively supported The Green Corridor so far.

I supported The Green Corridor proposal by NSS because I feel that it would improve Singapore’s long-term resilience. The biggest threat to Singapore is apathy, and when Singaporeans do not feel a sense of belonging and are not bothered with what goes on here, then Singapore is in trouble.

For Singapore to survive and prosper in the long term, it is necessary to have more opportunities in preserving our shared memories and creating our shared vision. And keeping the railway lands as a Green Corridor is one opportunity not to be wasted.

Similarly, I feel that Bukit Brown is another excellent opportunity that enables Singaporeans to feel they belong here by remembering our past and creating our future. Read more

Potential Campaign Strategy for Bukit Brown

What would a potential campaign strategy to save Bukit Brown look like? Here’s some thoughts:

1) Prepare a proposal reframing Bukit Brown away from a cemetery

The government already has development plans for Bukit Brown, including the current road construction and future housing development. To potentially reverse the decision already made, the alternative option must be of equal or higher value than existing plans (not necessary in monetary terms). In Singapore’s context, positioning or framing Bukit Brown as a cemetery is not persuasive enough.

One possible idea is to reframe Bukit Brown as Singapore’s first outdoor museum (inspired by Skansen, the popular open-air museum in Sweden – http://www.skansen.se/en). A proposal could be prepared to explain the value of turning Bukit Brown into an outdoor museum, which would provide insights on Singapore’s past heritage and natural history in an open-air natural setting. Visitors can explore the tombs of Singapore’s prominent pioneers, which would be combined with stories, customs, crafts, physical buildings, structures and objects that are relevant to understanding our past pre-1965. Biological diversity, especially live native plants and animals, or preserved species found in the past, could be highlighted in the outdoor museum. The outdoor museum would be an unique place for Singaporeans and visitors to understand more about pre-1965 Singapore. Read more