On Monday, we told you about Uncle Tan, a 73-year-old veteran herb grower who spent the past 14 years tending a herb garden at block 938, Jurong West Street 91.
His last day working on the garden was May 31, however, due to what he described as "irreconcilable differences" with the Nanyang Zone 2 Residents' Committee over how it should be run.
Chiefly, he mentioned a list of conditions they imposed that included one restricting volunteers at the garden to only residents who come under the Nanyang Zone 2 area.
On Sunday, June 4, the residents' committee shared a statement on their perspective of the issue, in response to questions they got from members of the public who came across Uncle Tan's story.
In their statement, they highlighted the fact that over the years of the garden's operation, many volunteers from outside the Nanyang area were attracted to volunteer and help Tan with his work, even though "the community garden is meant as a community space for our residents to gather and bond".
They also emphasised their wish to "bring the garden back to being a garden for (their) local residents", but noted that Tan opted to branch out to a larger plot of land in Kranji instead of continuing at the Block 938 plot despite the fact that they had asked him twice to reconsider his decision to do so.
Here's their statement:
"Dear residents, there has been quite a lot of query regarding our Nanyang Zone 2 RC community garden located at Blk 938 Jurong West st 91. The community garden is meant as a community space for our residents to gather and bond. It will continue to stay. The garden had been growing herbs for many years with the help of our volunteer Mr Tan. But over the years, it has attracted many non Nanyang residents to volunteer. The RC wanted to bring the garden back to being a garden for our local residents but Mr Tan instead chose to continue at a larger plot of land at Kranji and decided not to continue the RC garden, although RC had twice ask him to reconsider. Meanwhile, a group of residents has come forward to volunteer to plant fruits and vegetables at the garden. Any resident interested to do gardening may also approach the RC located at Blk 938. We would like to thank Mr Tan for helping at the garden all these years, and we wish him all the best for his new herb garden at Kranji."
Some others who commented on the post agreed with the RC's stance. One said, for instance, that it is fair for all spaces within the jurisdiction of a residents' committee should follow the conditions set out by them:
Another, Alan Tan, expressed his concern about the implications of Tan sharing herbs with people without having a licence to do so, also objecting to Tan receiving money from people whom he helps — because if a community garden like Tan's is allowed to continue, other Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners will certainly want to follow suit:
This fair point was also made — and so, naturally, Tan has to move on:
But one person alleged that they were chased away from the garden when they visited on an occasion when Tan was not around to receive them. Additionally, the person said "the RC has their rights to choose and let more of their own and local residents... to volunteer":
Following up on their statement was MP and grassroots advisor for the Nanyang Zone 2 RC, Yee Chia Hsing, who shared the statement above, adding his agreement with their decision: