November-December 2013
Published by Ang Mo Kio Town Council
宏茂桥市镇理事会出版
MICA(P) 130/04/2012
Our Kediaman
Home
Kita
家园 ¿ÁÐ
þøÄõ
Beach volleyball,
downstairs?
AMKTC brings all kinds of sports to your doorstep
– pages 10-11
What a laugh
市内相声
page 9
Renewing
Nature
恢复大自然
page 13
Prawn noodle
hero
虾面大侠
page 14
2
Our Home November-December 2013
Diwali
Delight
Our Home
Publicity &
Communications
Committee
Chairman:
Ang Hin Kee
Vice-Chairmen:
David Ng Siew Cheong, PBM
Don Chen Jiaqing
Secretary
Marvin Poh
Members:
Choo Yong Guan
Steven Fok Koon Sang, PBM
Vairappan Tamilselvam
Peter Leow Glensong
Bob Lau Yong Xing
Leong Wai Ling
Chew Thiam Kwee, BBM
Kabirdas Perumal, PBM, PBS
Wong Chun Yin
Sabaria Bte Umar, PBM
Pragash s/o Kulasagar
Lim Chee Kong
Ion Danker
Ang Mo Kio
Town Council
Offices:
Avenue 1 Office
Blk 342, Ang Mo Kio Ave 1,
#01-1561, Singapore 560342
Tel: 6453 0511 Fax: 6453 0122
Avenue 10 Office
Blk 528, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10,
#01-2385, Singapore 560528
Tel: 6456 1633 Fax: 6456 1225
Sengkang West Office
Blk 410, Fernvale Road (opp
Fernvale Point), #01-01,
Singapore 790410
Tel: 6634 9215 Fax: 6634 9219
Avenue 4 Service Centre
Blk 161, Ang Mo Kio Ave 4,
#01-500, Singapore 560161
Tel: 6457 3500 Fax: 6453 6733
Ang Mo Kio – Hougang
Service Centre
Blk 662, Hougang Ave 4,
#01-415, Singapore 530662
Tel: 6385 1631 Fax: 6387 4052
Website:
www.amktc.org.sg
E-mail
Ang Mo Kio Town Council:
[email protected]
General Enquiries:
6453 0511
Printed by Image Printers Pte Ltd
T
he Hindu celebration of Diwali, or
Deepavali, as we know it, is known
as the Festival of Lights.
You might have noticed that the day
of Deepavali is sometimes changed
closer to its celebration. That’s because
Deepavali falls on the the darkest night
of the new moon in the month of Kartik
in the Hindu calendar – usually between
mid-October and mid-November. The
precise date, however, needs to be
calculated each year!
Those familiar with the customs
of Chinese New Year will find many
similarities in the celebration of Diwali.
Before Diwali night, Hindus clean and
decorate their homes. On the night
itself, diyas, which are lamps and
candles, are lit, prayers offered to the
goddess of wealth, and everyone sits
down to a good meal.
Diwali is traditionally celebrated
across five days. In our Town, we held
celebrations over a month! All our
celebrations involved the lighting of
diyas, good food, good company, and
an appreciation for all our friends and
neighbours.
November-December 2013
Our Home
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AMK-Hougang
Cheng San-Seletar
Teck Ghee
Sengkang West
Kebun Baru
Jalan Kayu
Yio Chu Kang
3
Our Home November-December 2013
4
Sixth in a “Share It” series:
I
f you were an Aedes mosquito,
where would you lay your eggs?
The answers might surprise you.
Mosquitoes need only a few
drops of stagnant water to breed.
This could be right underfoot,
in a clogged drain, in a toilet
that hasn’t been used for a few
days – or even in a small puddle
of drips below your kitchen sink.
Over a hundred students from
Anderson Secondary took home
valuable knowledge – and a new
respect for mozzies – on a tour
with the NEA in November.
Learning how to
keep our homes
clean and safe
L
eaving rubbish behind at the
void deck. Blowing your nose
and then tossing the tissue on the
floor. Emptying your ashtray out
the window. No one’s looking.
And it’s all so easy, so convenient – and so very wrong.
Dozens of girls from CHIJ St.
Nicholas Girls’ School picked up some
good community habits in a Valuesin-Action project. Picking up litter,
speaking with people and handing out
flyers, they appreciated the effort that
goes into keeping our homes clean –
and how hard it is to keep it that way.
The girls wrote down what they
learned during the exercise, and you’d
be glad to hear their new perspectives.
“
It is very important since everyone is part of a
community – rich or poor. Helping out, even if
it seems to be a small effort, will help towards
becoming a greater good. - Rachel Pang
Every person makes a difference. If everyone
would stop littering, imagine how much
wastage of time and harm can be avoided.
- Natasha Tan
I have learnt how hard a cleaner’s job is to
keep the neighbourhood clean, so we should
play a huge part in helping to keep it clean.
I have learnt to pick up rubbish – even if it’s
not mine. - Cheryl
”
November-December 2013
Our Home
Our Home,
Our Songs
I
t was a night of music and magic we
had on 8 December at the central
auditorium of ITE College Central.
Some 1,500 of us came from all across
the town to sing, dance and laugh our
hearts out. There was something for
everyone’s tastes, from Chinese, Malay
and Tamil classics to recent hits like
Rolling in the Deep. Though not all of
us understood all the songs, nor knew
what the deep was and why we had
to roll in it, the lyrics were on-screen,
so we all could take part. And we did!
We
came
and
we
gave
W
hen it comes to generosity, we give.
That was the loud message sent by
the heaps of donated goods occupying
a void deck in Hougang Street 91, over a
week in November.
The Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling
Buddhist Association had organised
a donation drive for the victims of
Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines,
and the word spread quickly. Each
evening, the collection truck from the
association overflowed with the food,
blankets, clothes and other provisions
donated by the neighbourhood.
5
6
Our Home November-December 2013
Active
Ageing
Y
ou can dance, you can jive, and
indeed have the time of your life,
no matter how old you are. That was
the message of the day at our Active
Ageing Carnival, held at the Teck Ghee
CC on 9 November.
With some 1,200 of us watching, our
seniors danced, gamed and generally
lit up the night. The younger ones could
but watch in awe as the seniors’ lion
dance troupe put on amazing moves.
PM Lee, no green shoot himself, was
the perfect example of how growing
older doesn’t mean slowing down.
Everyone was glad to shake his hand as
he worked his way across the carnival.
Some, of course, indulged in nostalgia with the themed performances. It
seems everyone did think yellow pants
were a good idea in the 60s.
November-December 2013
Our Home
This stamp celebrated
Singapore’s first year as
an independent nation. It
shows industry and how
we work together to build
our home. That hasn’t
changed.
This stamp, from the
days when a cent meant
something, shows
Queen Elizabeth as a
striking young lady.
Though not as old as
some of the others,
this stamp was no less
special. It was released
to commemorate the
opening of the museum
we visted.
Please,
Mr
Postman,
look and
see
W
hen was the last time you wrote
or received a postcard? The
younger ones might scoff – an email
is instant, and an “LOL” typed on your
phone will reach any corner of the world
in seconds.
They’ll never know what it feels like,
waiting for the postman in the morning.
Waiting for simple words of reassurance from a loved one. “I’m ok. Found
a room. Looking for work tomorrow.
Remember to water plant.” Less than
half a Tweet, those words would have
meant the world to a mother waiting for
word from her son. And it would have
taken two weeks to arrive.
Dozens of us felt the weight of the
written word through the only means of
delivery back then – the postal service
– at a tour to the Singapore Philatelic
Museum organised by the Sengkang
West grassroots on 17 November. They
certainly delivered.
7
8
Our Home November-December 2013
A
ng Mo Kio Central is always busy,
but on 1 December, there seemed
no end to the bustle and activity.
It was the day our Prime Minister
came to visit, and you wouldn’t believe the welcome we had for him. He
first visited Central Stage, where hundreds of seniors were gathered for a
carnival. After a chat with the Kopi
Kaki Club, a social group that gets
together for chats, Mr Lee watched a
Rummy-O game, and enjoyed a skit
on how to avoid tempting thieves.
After the carnival, the group toured
the town centre, saying hello to shoppers, shopkeepers and in particular
a little girl trying her best to take a
picture of Mr Lee.
The visit ended with Mr Lee literally
lighting up Central, when he officiated
at the launch of Christmas decorations just outside AMK Hub.
Lighting up
AMK Central
November-December 2013
Our Home
Wondrous
Weekend Wit
This will probably be the last thing on your mind,
when you’re done reading this story.
“S
o I went to an Antisocials
Anonymous meeting. No one
else showed up. I guess I don’t really
have a problem.
“I’ve never been able to enjoy
clubbing. Yes, there are pretty girls all
around, but you’re supposed to dance
with them. When I dance, concerned
people come up to me and ask if I’m
having a seizure. Other people bring
sexy back. I just take the taxi back.
“Hawker food is a lot of things –
cheap, good, and a night out with the
family. It has no pretentiousness. When
the drinks lady comes by, you don’t ask
her what wine she would recommend
to go with your chicken rice.”
Those could have been snippets
from our Humorous Speech Challenge
Cup, held on 23 November at the
Cheng San CC. Jointly organised by
the Cheng San and Nee Soon South
CCMCs for the tenth year running,
contestants from 12 CCs competed to
see who was the most confident, and
of course, hilarious speaker.
“We should be able to
laugh at ourselves – be
it at times of difficulties or
when confronted with tough
challenges. Laughter gives us
the strength to stay optimistic
and focused. A laugh or smile
can make one feel better
almost instantaneously.”
- Mr Ang Hin Kee.
9
Our Home November-December 2013
10
You can book the beach volleyball court at the Ci Yuan Green park, near Block 648A Hougang Avenue
8, by phoning the CC at 6386 3717. 9am-9pm Mondays to Fridays, 1pm-9pm weekends.
Get your game on
in AMK Town!
F
rom lightning-fast street soccer to
an afternoon’s leisurely gateball
tournament, the Town Council has
built sports facilities to suit every age,
all across our Town. And, though the
Council takes a little less credit for
building the river, those of us near the
Anchorvale CC in Sengkang West can
even sign up for kayaking lessons.
You’ll find many of the facilities
free to use, like several street soccer
courts. Others, like beach volleyball
and gateball, might need you to pay a
small fee. Almost negligible, when you
split it with the group. With some basic
equpment, a regular weekend series
can be right downstairs.
If your friends live too far away, ditch
them. Well, you don’t have to, but the
odds are you can make some new ones
if you just ask if you can join a game.
Need an introduction? Your CC will be
happy to hook you up with an interest
group. Just call.
(Above and below) At Block 564 Ang Mo Kio
Avenue 3, the Buangkok Sports Hub has facilities
for basketball, tennis, street soccer and volleyball.
Next to Blocks 523 and 524, there is a playground,
fitness corner, jogging track, badminton court and
elderly fitness corner – there’s truly something
for everyone.
November-December 2013
Our Home
This street soccer court at Block 413 Ang Mo Kio
Avenue 10 is free to use – and popular.
The gateball field between Blocks 121 and 122
(street) is perfect for an afternoon’s play.
The street soccer court between Blocks 180 and 181 Ang Mo Kio Abenue 5 is more than a decade
old – and it’s as well maintained as it is popular. You’ll have to book in advance - email the RC at
[email protected]
Learn to kayak at the Anchorvale CC for just $18. Call 6489 4959 to find out the details.
11
Our Home November-December 2013
12
A visit to our
last kampong
A
t Gerald Drive, off Yio Chu Kang
Road, is a place where chickens
wander, rain plays a steady tune on zinc
roofs, and where neighbours leave their
doors open. Welcome to Kampong
Lorong Buangkok.
The kampong began in 1956, when
Mr Sng Teow Koon bought the land
upon which it sits and moved into the
village with his family. One of his daughters, Ms Sng Mui Hong, still lives there
today, together with some 30 families.
On 24 November, the quiet town
saw no small excitement when Mr Lee
Hsien Loong paid a visit, accompanied
by other MPs and grassroots leaders.
They helped re-pave the kampong
paths, and also held a birthday celebration for Mdm Absnah Binte Yarman,
who had just turned 81.
Lawatan ke kampung
kita yang terakhir
K
awasan di Gerald Drive, dekat Yio
Chu Kang Road, adalah sebuah
tempat di mana ayam merayau-rayau,
derauan hujan kedengaran pada
bumbung zink, dan jiran-jiran sentiasa
membiarkan pintu rumah mereka
terbuka. Selamat datang ke Kampung
Lorong Buangkok.
Pada 24 November, Encik Lee Hsien
Loong menjunjungi tempat tersebut,
dengan diiringi Anggota-anggota
Parlimen lain dan para pemimpim akar
umbi. Mereka membantu menurap
semula lorong-lorong kampung, dan
juga mengadakan majlis hari lahir buat
Puan Absnah Binte Yarman, yang baru
mencapai usia 81 tahun.
November-December 2013
Our Home
Oriental
Melodies
P
ooling the talents of our cultural
dance, singing and intrumental
groups, the Kebun Baru Arts Troupe
held an Oriental Melodies concert on
30 November at ITE College Central.
Hundreds of us in the audience enjoyed
a night of light musical delight.
Reforesting
our reserves
P
lanting trees around our housing
estates is something we do every
November – but this year, more than a
thousand of us took it a step further.
Early in November, we gathered at
the Old Seletar Range together with
ours MPs for Ang Mo Kio GRC and
Sengkang West SMC. Reforestation
was our aim – as its name implies, the
area was used by the military for live
firing until 2009, and trees had been
cut down.
Together, we planted some 300
trees in a half-hectare area. It was
tiring but rewarding work. Especially for
those who found durians on the way.
13
Our Home November-December 2013
14
The Way You Play
W
hat’s your favourite sports facility in your neighbourhood, why do you like it and how do you use it? Tell
us about the way you play in the blank space to the right.
You have to write in English, but you can also draw, make a
small montage...be creative! Add your name and address (it
must be an HDB block in our Town!) and post your entry to:
Our Home Caption Contest,
Blk 342 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, #01-1561
Singapore 560342
Your entry must be delivered by 10 February, 2014. The three
best entries will each win NTUC vouchers worth $20.00. The
judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be
entertained.
My Name:
My NRIC No:
Phone No:
My Address:
Congratulations to the winners of the Quiz in the September-October 2013 issue of Our Home:
Eddie Tan Lee Chay (Sxxxx861J), Teo Chiew Lian (Sxxxx910B), and Tan Li Ping (Sxxxx928A).
Packed with
prawn power
C
laiming to be both traditional and
famous, the stall at Block 338
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 (at the Choice
eating house) is one of three that Mr
Eric Cheng operates. He started selling
prawn noodles twelve years ago, with
a recipe his wife learned as a little girl.
Mr Cheng’s prawns are delivered
live each day to his stalls, and you
can really taste the difference. The
noodles sit in a great blend of sweet
and savoury sauce, and you’ll feel the
crunch of fried pig’s skin with every
other bite.
Open 6am-3pm every day, closed on
the 1st and 15th of each lunar month.
November-December 2013
Our Home
Events coming up
Sengkang West
For further information, please call the
Anchorvale Community Club, 59 Anchorvale Road,
on 64894959
Lunar New Year Dinner
on Saturday, 8 February, 7-10pm
at open court opposite Anchorvale CC
Briskwalk
on Sunday, 9 February, 7.30-8.30am
starts at Anchorvale CC
w Year W
on Sunda
alk
y, 19 Janu
ary, 8.30-1 A Jog
at b-ball c
0 am
ourt besid
e Blk 548
Ang Mo K
io Ave 10
Chine
se New
Year W
on Sunda
at b-ball c
y, 26 Janu alk A Jog
ourt besid
ary, 8.30-1
e Blk 535
Lunar Ne
0 am
Serangoo
w
n Morth A
Y
e
a
r
on Saturd
D
in
v
e4
n
e
r
ay, 15 Feb
rua
at b-ball c
ourt besid ry, 7.30-10.30pm
e Blk 548
Ang Mo K
io Ave 10
AM K
-Houga
For furthe
ng
r informati
on, plea
Ci Yuan C
ommunity se call the
Blk 662 H
Centre,
ou
Lunar Ne gang Ave 4, on 63879012
wY
ear Dinn
on Thursd
er
ay, 6 Febru
ary, 7-10p
on the Blk
m
669 hardc
ourt
Lunar Ne
w
Ye
ar Dinne
on Friday,
r
7 February
deck of B
, 7-10pm
lk 601 Ho
Lunar Ne
ugang Av
w Year D
e1
on Sunda
inner
y, 9 Febru
a
ry, 7-10pm
at the Blk
938A com
munal hall
at the void
Jal
an Kayu
For furthe
r informati
on, please
ommunity
call the
Centre, B
lk 535 Se
rangoon N
o
n
orth Ave 4
6
4
Chinese
840338
,
Ne
Hwi Yoh C
Teck Ghee
For further information, please call the
Teck Ghee Community Club, 861 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10,
on 64567124 or 64567123
or the Ang Mo Kio Community Centre,
795 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, on 64529644 or 64566536
Bursary Awards Presentation
on Saturday, 4 January, 7.30-10pm
at Townsville Primary School
Lunar New Year Dinner
on Saturday, 15 February, 6-10.30pm
at the field beside Blk 325 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3
Kebun Baru
For fur ther informa
tion, please call
Kebun Baru Comm
the
unity Club, 216 An
g Mo Kio Ave 4
on 64577379
Hongbao distri
bu
Kang ll the
Yio Chatuion,
please ca
form
For further in
ity Club,
ang Commun
K
hu
Yio C
on 64570414
io Street 61,
50 Ang Mo K
Dinner
Year
Lunar New y, 7.30-10.30pm
, 8 Februar
on Saturday
entral Stage
at the AMK C
t ar
n-Sealse
a
S
all the
g
c
e
n
Che information, ple
b,
er
unity Clu
For furth
95280
a n Co m m
22 or 645
C h e ng S
4
6
n 5882
o
3
5
t
e
e
Kio Str
tion
6 A ng M o
Celebra
r
New Yea
Chinese y, 25 January, 7-10pm
a
al
on Saturd heng San Market
C
st Festivpm
e
7
2
v
r
a
H
l
at Blk 5
Ponga January, 9am-1.30 C
C
y, 26
eng San
S
on unda
at the Ch
how
Variety S
&
r
a
e
Y
m
0p
ew
Lunar Nsday, 12 February, 7-12 and 505
e
s 50
on Wedn
tween Blk
r park be
a
c
e
th
t
a
tion
on Sunday, 5 Janu
ar y, 9.30am
at void deck of Bl
k 225 AMK Ave 1
Lunar New Year
Dinner & Presen
on Sunday, 19 Ja
tations
nuar y, 7.30pm
at the Kebun Baru
CC
15
s
e
S
h
t
t
e
e
M
s
n
sio
e
l
p
o
e
Kebun Baru eP
哥本峇鲁
MP Inderjit Singh
殷吉星议员
Ang Mo Kio-Hougang
宏茂桥-后港
MP Yeo Guat Kwang
杨木光议员
Blk 632, Hougang Ave 8, #01-28,
S(530632)
8pm, every Thursday*
后港8道第632座, #01-28, 邮区530632
每星期四, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6282 6567
Cheng San-Seletar
静山-实里达
MP Ang Hin Kee
洪鼎基议员
Blk 533 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, #01-4100,
S(560533)
8pm, every Thursday*
宏茂桥5道第533座, #01-4100, 邮区560533
每星期四, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6458 9560
Jalan Kayu
惹兰加由
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar
殷丹博士
Blk 522, Serangoon North Ave 4,
#01-154, S(550522)
8pm, every Thursday*
实龙岗北4道第522座, #01-154,邮区550522
每星期四, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6483 4341
* Closed on public holidays and the eve of major festivals, such as
Hari Raya Puasa, Christmas, Deepavali and the New Years.
+ On the first Thursday of every month, there will be a rotation of
MPs for Ang Mo Kio GRC. + Registration starts before 8pm.
＊公共假期休息 ＋ 宏茂桥集选区的国会议员将在每个月的第一个
星期四轮流到其他选区 ＋ 将在8时之前开始登记
Ang Mo Kio Town Council
Blk 109, Ang Mo Kio Ave 4,
#01-04, S(560109)
8pm, every Thursday*
宏茂桥4道第109座, #01-04, 邮区560109
每星期四, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6454 8792
Sengkang West
盛港西
Dr Lam Pin Min
蓝彬明医生
Blk 303A, Anchorvale Link,
#01-81, S(541303)
8pm, every Tuesday*
安谷连道第303A座, #01-81, 邮区541303
每星期二, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6312 2961
Teck Ghee
德义
PM Lee Hsien Loong
李显龙总理
Blk 322, Ang Mo Kio Ave 3,
#01-1928, S(560322)
8pm, every Wednesday*
宏茂桥3道第322座, #01-1928, 邮区560322
每星期三, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6552 6055
Yio Chu Kang
杨厝港
MP Seng Han Thong
成汉通议员
Blk 644, Ang Mo Kio Ave 4,
#01-850, S(560644)
8pm, every Thursday*
宏茂桥4道第644座, #01-850, 邮区560644
每星期四, 晚上8时＊
Tel/电话: 6458 7376
Visit our website!
www.amktc.org.sg