‘Please save the forests’: Opposition leaders attend Maju Rally at Hong Lim Park

SINGAPORE:  Among the more than 2,000 people who attended the Maju For The People Rally at Hong Lim Park on Sunday (August 16) were a number of familiar faces from opposition parties, including current Members of Parliament from the Workers’ Party.

The event, organised by SG Climate Rally, called for the protection of Singapore’s nature areas, for greater transparency and a say in decisions concerning related issues, and redefining progress in terms of wellbeing and fairness, and not merely as economic progress.

Last month, it was announced that Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way were slated for development for housing, with around 15 hectares of  Maju Forest and at least 10 hectares of forest at Gillman Barracks.

Since then, however, concerns have been raised by residents and Members of Parliament over deforestation.

As Sengkang MP He Ting Ru (Workers’ Party) said, “The real question should be: how do we deliver the homes we need while avoiding the destruction of natural spaces that, once lost, cannot be replaced?”

While Ms He was not at the rally, several of her fellow WP MPs attended, including Aljunied’s Kenneth Tiong and Fadli Fawzi, Hougang’s Dennis Tan, Sengkang’s Jamus Lim, and Non-Constituency MP Eileen Chong.

“I hope that this will not be the end point. I hope this will be the beginning for more Singaporeans to voice their concern on preserving the green spaces in Singapore, which is already very limited,” Mr Tan told Mothership.

On a photo posted by the WP of the MPs attending the event, commenters commended the Members of Parliament, with some asking them to help save Singapore’s forests.

Present as well was Singapore Democratic Party chair Paul Tambyah, who called the rally “inspiring” in a social media post, especially since it was attended by many young people, including members of SDP’s youth wing, the Young Democrats.

Dr Tambyah noted that the rallygoers “took a stand for the health of our city, refusing to be squeezed into false dichotomies. Instead, they offered a range of constructive solutions for building homes while preserving the wellbeing of our people and the non-human fellow inhabitants of our nation.”

Facebook screengrab/ Paul Tambyah

Former NCMP Leong Mun Wai, who heads Progress Singapore Party, was present as well. This should come as no surprise, as the PSP has been vocal on the issue.

On Aug 7, the party wrote in a Facebook post, “The debate over Gillman Barracks and Maju Forest should not be framed as trees versus public housing. The real question is: have we exhausted better land-use options before clearing our forests?”

“If Singapore has under-utilised buildings and land for more private developments, have we truly run out of land for public housing?” PSP added.

Former NMP Anthea Ong was at the rally as well, and wrote in a post that, like Dr Tambyah, she was inspired by the passion she saw in the young people who were present.

FB screengrab/ Anthea Ong

While she was “[d]elighted to see familiar faces and meet new friends,” Ms Ong was “mostly so energised by the leadership and conviction of young Singaporeans who refuse to give up hope – or action.” /TISG

Read also: 5 WP MPs attend SG Climate Rally at Hong Lim Park