Tiong Bahru residents to vote on new colour scheme for blocks after purple was selected to reflect bougainvillea
Isabelle Liew
The Straits Times
May 17, 2025
Residents in 14 Housing Board blocks in Tiong Bahru will get to vote to decide what colour the buildings will be repainted.
The buildings were initially set to undergo a purple makeover, which upset residents as they said their views were not sought.
The exterior of one storey in Block 9A Boon Tiong Road had already been painted several shades of purple, including a dark plum which some residents said looked gaudy.
On May 17, Tanjong Pagar GRC new MP Foo Cexiang took media questions for the first time since news of the incident broke on May 13.
He said he has spoken to over 200 Boon Tiong Road residents over the last few days and will give them a choice over the colour.
"It is also an opportunity to bring together residents and build a community," he said of the poll. But he has not decided when the poll, which will take place outside two residents' committee centres in Boon Tiong Road, will be held.
Two options are confirmed: the purple-coloured theme, or maintain the current off-white and light orange shades with some modifications. There will be other colour options, but these have yet to be confirmed.
Mr Foo, who oversees the Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru division of Tanjong Pagar GRC, also explained why purple was initially selected.
"The purple colour scheme was not one that was selected without thought or heart," he said.
Noting that residents had in 2015, as part of a community event, planted rows of purple-blossomed bougainvillea along Boon Tiong Road, he added: "The idea was to have a colour scheme that reflects the purple bougainvillea."
The idea came from a discussion between Ms Indranee Rajah - who was previously adviser to Tanjong Pagar GRC Grassroots Organisations - as well as residents and architects, he added.
Ms Indranee was MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC from 2001 to 2025 before moving to anchor the PAP's team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, which won in the 2025 General Election.
So far, the paint job has been completed for one block, 2A Boon Tiong Road, which sported shades of lilac. Another 11 blocks in Boon Tiong Road were set to undergo repainting, with gondolas set up and some external portions painted purple.
The dark purple portion at Block 9A, which sparked concern among residents, was a mock-up and not the colour that the architect envisioned, he added.
"We will not have that level of darkness for the proposed purple scheme," he said.
Asked why voting was not done earlier, Mr Foo said that there is no protocol on how advisers should conduct the repainting process.
Mr Foo said he had spoken to Ms Indranee about the incident. "She encouraged me to work with the residents and architects, and if there are changes that should be made, to please do so," he said.
Mr Foo said he hopes to minimise any delays. It will take around three to four weeks to start painting after the colour scheme is chosen.
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