Press Statement

For Immediate Release (March 19, 2012)

The community of concerned groups over the future of Bukit Brown is formally calling for a moratorium on all plans for Bukit Brown. This moratorium should be in place until there is clarity over long-term plans for the area and discussions over alternatives have been exhausted. Given on-going national discussions over housing, transportation and immigration, there is room for policy adjustments. Plans to develop housing and transport infrastructure in the greater Bukit Brown area cannot be made when these discussions are underway and before the public has had an opportunity to fully consider the details surrounding such proposals.

In addition, there has not been sufficient time for a public conversation over plans by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Land Transport Authority for Bukit Brown, nor a discussion about the alternatives proposed by the Nature Society’s position paper issued in December. We are asking for more meaningful engagement than what we have experienced so far. Bukit Brown is important enough that all parties should be able to participate in discussions over its future reasonably as interested citizens, whether individually, as informal communities, or organised formally.

We enclose here a longer statement issued by the community to the Ministry of National Development after the end of a closed-door meeting today. We affirm that the level of engagement is wanting and insufficient consideration given to possible alternatives. We remain unconvinced that the ministry’s approach is the only viable plan for Bukit Brown.

We continue to seek fuller engagement over plans for Bukit Brown, and will explore other avenues to voice our concerns, including with the Prime Minister and the Minister for National Development.

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