Latest news with #TEOKAIXIANG
Straits Times
2 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Every Sunday, they give back: Domestic workers who spend their days off helping others
Ms Mary Roja (left) is one of many domestic workers who have spent over a decade volunteering in Singapore. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG Every Sunday, they give back: Domestic workers who spend their days off helping others SINGAPORE – Every other Sunday, Ms Istriyanti can be found behind a help desk at shopping centre City Plaza from 11am to 6pm, providing advice and support to distressed domestic workers from Indonesia. The 45-year-old domestic worker, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, has spent the past 15 years living and working in Singapore. She has been volunteering with local migrant worker non-profit Home for 13 of those years. To her, volunteering is about giving back to a community that supported her through her lowest point in life. After she moved to Singapore in 2010 to become a domestic worker, physical abuse from her first employer meant spending 14 months at Home's crisis shelter for women, unable to work while her case was pending. 'My story's a bit sad because, to work here, I left my eight-month-old baby behind. Back then , I was not allowed to use a phone and I had no days off . 'I didn't know my baby had passed away because I couldn't contact my family for 18 months,' she says. She tears up as she recounts to The Straits Times how her only daughter died while in the care of her relatives. During her time at the shelter, she met other women struck by similar tragedies. 'That's when I thought, after my case is done, I promise to be a volunteer for Home.' Ms Istriyanti (left), a domestic worker, spends every other Sunday at Home's help desk for Indonesian domestic workers in City Plaza. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ISTRIYANTI Her volunteering now extends beyond Sundays. She was among the first to volunteer, even before Home set up the formal help desk for Indonesian domestic workers in 2011 at City Plaza in Geylang, a frequent hangout for these helpers. As such, her private number is one that other helpers can call whenever they need assistance. 'Whatever they need, we must be available 24 hours,' she says. Cases that require legal or more support are referred to Home's four full-time case workers. Ms Istriyanti recalls a helper calling her in 2017 after her employer had struck her in the face with a potato, causing her to bleed. The worker was worried about involving the authorities, but eventually won compensation from her employer. On alternate Sundays, when Ms Istriyanti is not behind the help desk, she organises volleyball tournaments at Sembawang Recreation Centre, bringing together more than 200 domestic workers to exercise on their day off. Why volleyball? It is easier to find venues for and includes more players , she explains. Ms Istriyanti (foreground, right) organises volleyball tournaments for domestic workers on alternate Sundays. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG It is an important source of community. She notes that too many domestic workers accept monetary compensation in lieu of time off, but volleyball can provide a reason to take that day off instead – to form new bonds and, if necessary, seek support from community organisations. Now a single divorcee without living parents , Ms Istriyanti says she often feels alone – and thinks of others in her predicament while volunteering. 'Here, my friends support me, and I'm happy that I can do this with Home,' she says, adding that her employer of two years supports her endeavours. 'Sometimes, we're not thinking about ourselves as long as others are happy.' Champions for others Ms Betty de Loreto (left) and Ms Leizle Menez are Filipino domestic workers who have spent more than a decade volunteering. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Ms Leizle Menez, 46, is another domestic worker using her weekly day off to give back. The Filipina has lived in Singapore for over 22 years and spent the past 17 volunteering with Home. 'I always look forward to Sundays,' she says. ' They keep me going because they mean talking to those in low spirits who need a listening ear.' She began volunteering in 2008 with Home's help desk at Orchard Road shopping centre Lucky Plaza. It was set up in 2006 to assist domestic workers from the Philippines where they hang out most. 'When they come to you, they can be so sad that they're crying. But once you talk to them, they feel they're not alone,' says Ms Menez, the eldest of seven children who is single and supports her parents back home in Bacolod City. 'There's someone who's the same as me. Because I am a domestic worker, what she feels, I feel as well.' In 2015, a distressed Filipina came to the help desk, declaring that she intended to jump to her death. 'I said to her, can you come sit down, have some water, and think about what your goal was when you came to Singapore,' she says. 'If your goal is your family, think about this. Even if you go home, I think your family will be happy.' The worker eventually returned home to Manila and is living there happily now, says Ms Menez. Beyond such crisis support, she also facilitates workshops for women's health and well-being with Home, which typically draw 20 to 50 attendees each and occur as often as twice a month. At a recent workshop, middle-aged domestic workers flagged menopause symptoms, such as having trouble with their sleep, asking volunteers in healthcare for advice on what they should do . They were concerned 'because if you are sick, you get sent home', says Ms Menez. 'I have been doing this volunteer work for 17 years. This is my life,' she adds. 'I know some people ask me, 'Why do you still do this, you don't have time for yourself', but for me, this is my happiness. To see all these girls, I think we are champions for them.' Engaged to her students On a Sunday at international school United World College's (UWC) campus in Tampines, an unusual classroom scene unfolds. A domestic worker practises moving an elderly patient into a wheelchair and out of the room, before she stops at a closed door. Uncertain of what to do next, she looks around for assistance from her peers. 'You're alone, nobody else is at home!' a fellow student calls out as she struggles to hold the door open while backing the patient out of the room. This lively caregiving class is one of many courses from Home Academy, the training arm of Home, and it is taught by a group of volunteer domestic helpers, including Ms Mary Roja. Ms Roja, a 52-year-old domestic worker from the Philippines, has been living in Singapore for 24 years, and volunteering for over a dozen years. 'Many of my students, after they finish their caregiving exam, they go on to Europe to work,' she says, 'Then after that, it's a matter of sending a simple message to me: Thank you. And my heart is like, 'Wow'. You're part of them and where they are now. I'm happy, whatever you achieve there. My heart is full also.' Home Academy's caregiving classes are in high demand because many domestic workers lack the skills to meet the increasingly complex caregiving needs in Singapore's fast-greying society – and because these offer a pathway to better pay and working conditions. The courses, conducted twice a month, cost $360 for 10 three-hour lessons and materials. In 2024, 506 students enrolled. Being a volunteer teacher is difficult, says Ms Roja, because of language barriers in diverse classrooms and the harsh feedback students sometimes give. The only material reward is a small honorarium to pay for transport and meals. In 2015, when Ms Roja told her class that she intended to stop volunteering after three years, a group of Myanmar students pooled together money to buy her a gold ring. 'They hugged me and told me: 'A lot of domestic workers still need you. Please continue because we love you.'' She tears up at the memory. This ring is still on her left fourth finger today. 'That's why people think I'm married, when I'm single,' she says. 'This is the engagement ring that shows I am engaged to my students. It was very touching, and I thought, this is the answer: I cannot just anyhow leave.' Ms Mesiati, a 47-year-old healthcare assistant from Indonesia who goes by one name, has a similar moving experience. Her students brought her to tears by sending her $200 while she was on umrah, a minor pilgrimage for Muslims . The former domestic worker used to spend Sundays attending caregiving classes taught by a nursing home, because her first employer was a bedridden and elderly Singaporean woman. 'As ah ma's condition got worse, I promised her I would take care of her until the end of her life,' she recalls. After her employer died in 2015, Ms Mesiati used her caregiving qualifications to become a stay-out caregiver for families in need of hospice care with local home care agency Active Global. She came to Singapore to work in 2010 after her husband died, leaving her the breadwinner for their two children. Her elder daughter, now 25, works in Singapore as a domestic helper. 'Sometimes, I come to volunteer after a 12-hour night shift, ' says Ms Mesiati, adding that she finds it rewarding to share her experience with others. What sisterhood looks like Ms Jetky Amores (right) teaches cooking classes, but says musical performances help to make new friends and are a lively atmosphere for learning. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG Home Academy is a ground-up initiative started by domestic workers themselves, says its Singaporean director Sisi Sukiato, 66. 'We didn't start it. They came to us and told us they wanted to do it.' Domestic workers approached Home in 2007 asking for opportunities to share their skills and talents with their community. One worker might have a certification in baking or caregiving from their home country, while another might have learnt important skills on the job here. Home Academy works with them by providing the facilities – such as classrooms rented from UWC and shopping centre Peninsula Plaza – and resources to make it possible, says Madam Sukiato. This began with English classes, then computer classes, before word travelled and it began soliciting more donations for a greater breadth of courses. 'This is sisterhood. Our mission is to make them dare to dream,' she says, adding that when the domestic workers eventually leave Singapore, she hopes they will be equipped with the skills necessary for their next stage in life. Home Academy now offers 12 types of courses, ranging from hairdressing to guitar to healthcare. Students are also groomed to become trainers of the courses they take up , a useful qualification for later in life. Filipina Jetky Amores, 52, is one such domestic worker. She has lived in Singapore for 20 years and spent 14 of those volunteering. 'When I arrived in Singapore, I didn't know anyone, and I felt quite alone,' she says, adding that she saw fliers for Home Academy at Lucky Plaza and decided it was time to start going back to school. Since graduating from a series of cooking classes – which included mastery of international cuisines – she has spent the last 10 years using her Sundays to teach others what she picked up. She also volunteers with Home's dental service, assisting Singaporean dentists and nurses who provide subsidised care to migrant workers. 'I received a lot of help and kindness from others, especially those in support groups. Volunteering is my way of saying thank you,' says the divorced mother of three from Butuan City. Her classes are popular, including with employers who have exacting demands for meals and sign up their domestic workers. Ms Amores notes that many employers can be reluctant to allow domestic workers a day off – unless they know the helpers will be at a class – as worries about misbehaviour are commonplace . Ms Betty de Loreto (right) teaches hairdressing and cosmetology classes on a volunteer basis. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG Ms Betty de Loreto, a 51-year-old domestic worker from the Philippines, spends two Sundays a month teaching hairdressing and cosmetology classes on a volunteer basis. She says many of her students have used the skills gained to start businesses back home. She has been in Singapore for 23 years, spending 13 of those volunteering. It would not be possible without an employer that respects her time off and allows her to leave earlier in the morning so she can set up for her 9am classes. ' I can say I'm one of the lucky overseas Filipino workers in Singapore. My employer is supportive and understanding,' she says, adding that she returns home on Sundays after 9.30pm, usually after evening Catholic mass. However, she notes that before the pandemic, she used to volunteer every Sunday, before Home Academy had to cut back on some classes. This is the result of funding challenges. Madam Sukiato notes that post-pandemic, room rental – which makes up the bulk of the cost to Home Academy – has risen threefold, limiting the number of courses it can provide. Classes now cost between $120 and $375 – instead of up to $180 – for a semester of 10 three-hour classes, which can be difficult for many domestic workers to afford. Pre-pandemic, Home Academy had over 1,500 students a year. Enrolment has now dropped to about 1,000 . Importance of rest days Another hurdle stems from domestic workers' limited time off. Madam Sukiato says Home is pushing for greater awareness among employers about the importance of rest days. In Singapore, all domestic workers are entitled to one rest day a week, typically Sunday. However, domestic workers can be compensated with more pay to work on this day. At the minimum, a domestic worker must have at least one rest day a month which cannot be compensated away. Madam Sukiato notes that many employers compensate away the weekly rest days. Even when rest days are given, many domestic workers are expected to do chores before they leave the house and after they return. 'We encourage employers to give 24 hours off, ' says Madam Sukiato. 'When you give them a rest day, it should be 24 hours. If you don't give them a full recharge, they can't focus. They think about how they have to go home to cook dinner or do this or that.' Without the full day off, many workers are unable to attend Home Academy's classes . In Madam Sukiato's view, the issue comes down to employers' fears and anxieties . Many think of rest days as opportunities for their helpers to mingle with bad company or lose their security bond. There are also families with elderly members who require 24/7 support. As the migrant worker community in Singapore celebrates International Domestic Workers' Day on June 16, Madam Sukiato hopes Singaporeans will do more to make the country a more hospitable home for them. 'At Home, we create a venue for them, a community for them, all of these things are invisible,' she says. 'We need more Singaporeans and more employers to work with us, because we are not enough.' Domestic workers can contact the Home helpline on 9787-3122 (call and WhatsApp) and 1800-797-7977 (toll-free). Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
It's always election season somewhere in Singapore: Inside HDB's colour democracy
Every day, residents across Singapore are casting their vote on municipal-level issues like flat repainting. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG SINGAPORE – When the residents of a Teck Whye Avenue housing estate went to the polls in 2017, they were not choosing political candidates or parties. They were deciding on whether the exterior of their flats should be repainted in a Mondrian-inspired red, white, blue and yellow scheme or something more conventional. The unusual choice claimed a landslide victory. The design inspired by Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian won 75 per cent of the votes in the seven blocks that make up the Housing Board estate, beating two alternatives. It was an outcome lauded by both residents and netizens at the time. Mr Dhaval Bhate, a 36-year-old former resident of the estate, says the striking colours added to Teck Whye's uniqueness. The estate's 25-storey seventh block was among the tallest HDB flats in the west of Singapore at the time. 'One often needs to read the road signs just to know where you are in Singapore because most HDB blocks look almost the same, whether it's Bedok or Clementi,' says the tech start-up worker, a 'perpetual renter' who has moved house 13 times in 19 years. 'But that's the thing about those Teck Whye blocks. They stood out, they really had character .' What happened in Teck Whye happens almost every day in Singapore. Over 77 per cent of the island's resident population live in public housing blocks, which are typically repainted every seven years. This everyday democratic exercise has become a distinctive feature of urban life in the Republic. When purple goes wrong Some Tiong Bahru residents were upset by the purple scheme used in the repainting of their block. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG The stakes of these consultations bubbled to the surface during a public spat at an HDB estate in Tiong Bahru in May. Some residents expressed anger over a block in Boon Tiong Road being repainted a 'gaudy' purple without a vote. This prompted an intervention from Mr Foo Cexiang, a newly elected Member of Parliamen t , to organise a vote. He is an MP for the Tanjong Pagar GRC and oversees the estate's Boon Tiong area. The vote, held over three days in May, resulted in 40 per cent opting for a brown scheme. 'More than 200 residents of Boon Tiong took the time to attend our town hall sessions, and more than 550 households participated in the voting, showing how invested residents are in shaping their neighbourhood together,' Mr Foo tells The Straits Times. He notes that there is no protocol on how the repainting process should be conducted. 'From my recent experience, such consultations can strengthen the community spirit and deepen a sense of belonging,' he adds. A 'colour scheme survey form' box outside the Boon Tiong RC Centre. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO According to experts, this clamour around flat colours reflects a broader trend towards participatory governance. Referring to the backlash sparked by the Tiong Bahru purple-paint episode, Nanyang Technological University lecturer Felix Tan says: 'I believe that this episode demonstrates how important participatory governance is to Singaporeans.' The public policy lecturer adds : 'There is a general expectation that citizens – and residents – should be given the opportunity to have a voice in such matters.' Colour democracy in action There is no standard playbook for colour consultations, says Dr George Wong, an assistant professor of sociology at Singapore Management University, who studies such municipal issues and grassroots organisations. 'But I don't think it means there is no coordination or there is no consultation,' he adds. ST contacted HDB for comment, but it declined. In practice, the process varies widely across neighbourhoods. For one thing , a vote is not always required. Dr Wong notes that in most neighbourhoods he has studied , there exists some kind of deliberative process – but the extent of residents' involvement differs. 'In most cases, what MPs or grassroots advisers would do is at the very least include the residents' network and grassroots leaders,' he adds. While some MPs might believe it is important to understand what other residents think, others might be confident that their grassroots leaders know what residents want – especially if there is no feedback or complaint to indicate otherwise. At this Jurong East HDB estate, residents could choose from three colour schemes. PHOTO: DEVINDRAN JEYATHURAI When votes do occur, the process varies widely. Ms Mariel Loh, a 32-year-old research executive, says that during the consultation process at her Jurong West estate in 2023, around half of the residents voted. ST reported in 2016 that the turnout rate of residents voting in such colour consultations was between 30 and 40 per cent. Ms Loh voted for a maroon-grey scheme that lost to blue and yellow. 'I'm a ppalled at my neighbours' tastes,' she quips, though she admits the winning colours eventually grew on her. 'The colour options that we got weren't exactly awesome. The other option was a hospital green combination that was dead last in the votes.' While most residents speaking to ST are satisfied with the ease of voting – taking place either online or through physical ballots, depending on the neighbourhood – some complain about the limited choices on offer . Depending on where they live, residents could pick from as few as two options or as many as four. 'I'm not crazy about the choices,' says Mr Devindran Jeyathurai, a 54-year-old polytechnic lecturer, about the consultation at his Jurong East housing estate in June. 'It feels like these are the colours that Nippon Paint couldn't sell.' At this Tampines HDB estate, residents could pick between two colour schemes, with the current palette for comparison. PHOTO: MATTHEW WEE These are not trivial concerns. Flat repainting may seem like a minor maintenance issue, but it plays a major role in shaping the visual character of neighbourhoods, says Dr Lee Kwan Ok, professor of real estate at NUS Business School. In Singapore, public housing is not just a place to live, but also a defining element of the urban landscape. Repainting affects both the economic value of flats (through perceived upkeep and visual appeal) and their social value (as part of a shared community identity). 'Residents naturally care about how their blocks look – not only because they live there, but also because the aesthetics signal something about the status and cohesion of the community,' says Dr Lee. 'So, it makes sense that this process occasionally sparks outcry , especially if colour schemes feel imposed or disconnected from residents' preferences .' Why the differences in consultation? Teck Whye Avenue's distinctive look was the result of brainstorming and discussion between grassroots leaders and residents' committees. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG According to Dr Wong, unevenness in how consultation is done across neighbourhoods results from three main factors: the MP or grassroots advisers , neighbourhood-specific legacies and the role of street-level bureaucrats. O lder neighbourhoods tend to have a greater interest in preserving an established aesthetic appearance, while neighbourhoods with younger populations are more open to unconventional designs. Some MPs have a greater appetite for engaging residents. And civil servants from organisations with a local presence on the ground – such as HDB, National Environment Agency and National Parks Board – as well as town council property officers, also have some agency in shaping how stakeholders make sense of the consultation process. In the case of Teck Whye's multicoloured flats, the palette was the result of brainstorming and discussion by the town council, residents' committees and paint specialists. The area's MP, then health minister Gan Kim Yong, told ST in 2018 he was 'initially quite concerned' about the bold idea, 'but since the residents were supportive in trying it out, I supported it and it turned out well'. Towards participatory governance While Singapore has traditionally taken a top-down approach to urban development, there is a growing recognition that everyday users of a space should have a voice in shaping it, says Dr Lee. Flat repainting is one of the most visible examples, but there is a host of other micro-consultations taking place across Singapore today. These include the public feedback process around transport signage on the Circle Line, the Remaking Our Heartland initiative – where feedback is gathered on the redesign of precinct facilities – and the input sought by HDB on public murals and playground design. Though small in scale, these are signs of a larger movement towards a more responsive and participatory urban planning culture, says Dr Lee. 'It signals a recognition that design – whether at the scale of a building facade or a transport node – deeply influences lived experience.' For another example of what this looks like in practice: Ang Mo Kio resident Mr Tan, who declined to give his first name, points to his estate voting on the installation of netting as a solution for high-rise littering, alongside a vote on colour schemes. Such netting, installed on a building's facade, prevents litter from being thrown onto a flat's exterior ledges by residents on upper floors. PHOTOS: ST READER A majority of residents voted in favour in 2022. 'After the washing, repainting and installing of the nets, the littering problem was eradicated completely,' says the 29-year-old transportation worker. With a more educated population, there is a growing desire to have a say in matters that have direct and personal impact, says Dr Yeo Kang Shua, an associate professor of architectural history at SUTD. An artist's impression of an HDB estate. Under HDB's Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, 17 projects across the island will get a $165 million facelift tailored to residents' feedback. PHOTO: A D LAB This goes beyond municipal issues like sheltered walkways, and extends to broader, longer-term matters that influence Singapore's built environment. Dr Yeo believes increased public outreach has helped more Singaporeans recognise how the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Master Plan may eventually shape their daily lives. He now observes more people attending the draft Master Plan exhibitions organised by the URA and submitting feedback. Dr Wong says: 'In the past 10 to 15 years, the Government has become more invested in co-creative processes. I see that happening a lot on the local level, different kinds of experimentations going on and different ways of deliberating with residents. ' 'Ultimately, the political actors and street-level bureaucrats all want to find a sweet spot in which we can include both deliberation and decision-making,' he adds. Finding the sweet spot With participatory governance on the rise, why does dissatisfaction still occur? One reason could be a perceived lack of agency. Some residents say that in their experience, consultations at the municipal level can feel like voting yes or no on predetermined plans. Diversity of colour schemes on offer was a common complaint among residents speaking to ST. PHOTO: ELLIOT NAPIER 'It seems like the town council already has something in mind and j ust implements it with regards to neighbourhood infrastructure matters ,' says Jurong resident Ms Loh. On the other hand, NUS researcher Matthew Wee, 29 , is satisfied with the consultation process for the repainting of his Tampines HDB estate. He notes that it might be impractical to offer residents more of a say without bogging down proceedings. ' I think Singaporeans like to complain, but they are also quite forgetful,' he says. Crucially, participation may not equate to empowerment. Dr Wong notes that consultation is not an end in itself, but a means of ensuring that stakeholders feel the process has taken shape in a way that allows them to feel they have agency. Where this falls short can come down to Singapore's 'political culture of performance'. This means government agencies and grassroots bodies often feel they need to show they have done their work and research, and not present an ' unfinished product', says Dr Wong. This often means 80 per cent of the work is complete by the time residents are invited to provide feedback. D iscussions revolve around implementation, rather than ideation or more foundational aspects. Dr Nikhil Joshi, a senior lecturer at NUS' department of architecture, observes a similar trend in macro-level consultations. He says public feedback is often sought for high-profile and medium- to large-scale projects like the Rail Corridor or the revitalisation of Kampong Glam – in ways that may not feel empowering to communities involved. 'Community empowerment and involvement from inception to launch make the project more sustainable than mere 'consultation',' he says. Consultation nation or complaint nation? These underlying tensions partly explain why discussions of municipality-level issues can seem so complaint-centric to the public. Dr Wong notes that when things go well, the public will not hear of it. But when tensions spill over, complaints about municipal-level issues can go viral online and make national headlines. This occurs partly because most Singaporeans know the appropriate channels for raising their concerns , especially when compared with local governments elsewhere . 'In Singapore, the locality of your MP is so reduced that you can – if not meet them during a Meet-the-People Session – e-mail them and likely get a reply in the next few days,' says Dr Wong. Complaints are often the result of a breakdown in communication or an expression of frustration by groups who feel left out – and are usually met with a swift response by street-level bureaucrats and grassroots representatives . MP Baey Yam Keng told ST in 2023 that the red scheme in this Tampines estate might not have been appropriate and asked HDB to look into it. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS For instance, in 2023, complaints about the red-tiled lift lobbies at a Tampines Build-To-Order flat – described by some residents as 'scary' – led to a repainting process to make the lift lobbies look more like those of other HDB flats. S imilar s tories regarding frustrating street barriers, unintuitive designs for covered walkways and residents' displeasure over paint emerge every year, with similar patterns of resolution. In Dr Wong's view, harnessing the power of residents' complaints has become an integral part of Singapore's urban politics. Outspoken local residents are often pulled into grassroots organisations, he observes. ' Why do people end up becoming grassroots leaders? Often because they were complainers themselves in the first place .' Technology also plays a role. A total of 1.7 million municipal-level complaints are made each year, according to the Ministry of National Development in 2023. Of these complaints, 38 per cent were made through the OneService app. 'If you think about it, who's on the ground most of the time? It's the residents,' says Dr Wong , who adds that the app has created a new social dynamic where citizen surveillance highlight s p otential blind spots. ' Residents feel empowered because their complaint is solved – which they can see in real time – and someone sends them an e-mail saying, 'Thank you, you've been a great resident.'' Yet, between complaints and consultations, there is the indifferent middle. In Teck Whye Avenue, where the Mondrian-style experiment may soon reach an end, there is notable apathy among residents about the participatory process that created it. A Chua Chu Kang Town Council spokesperson says four new colour schemes for the estate's repainting are being shortlisted for a poll to be held in July . The current Mondrian style will be one of the options. Teck Whye residents were not certain of their colourful block's aesthetic future. ST PHOTO: TEO KAI XIANG While most long-time residents speaking to ST appreciate their estate's distinctive style, most are unaware that it had resulted from a vote. Most are also unaware of what would replace it , seven years on . Madam Rani, a 66-year-old retiree who has lived in the estate for 17 years, notes the area's increasing wear and tear as a concern, but adds that she does not find it troubling enough to speak to her representative about it. Another long-time resident, Irene, a 65-year-old retiree who declined to share her surname, expresses indifference about the process . 'It's okay. I won't say if I like or don't like it,' she says. 'I hope they do the repainting soon, though.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
