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Our Poor Kampong Ayer
By Ignatius Stephen

I normally wouldn't like looking back.

Why? It's quite obvious: In repeating things you risk sounding like a nagging old wife. And little else could be worse in the world than that. Besides, it could bore you to tears. But yesterday morning I met this man. And he got me thinking. Moreover, he led me to gamble and risk it a bit.

Now I am taking the chance with you in returning to a subject I mentioned just a couple of weeks or so ago. And you can easily guess what it's going to be.

Anyway, I went to his office to get some business data and we got talking about family. He is still quite young and a successful man who has gone up the company ladder and now he occupies a vital post. He said: "You know, I took my children out fishing in Kampong Ayer last weekend.

 I wanted to go there because as a young boy Fused to spend so much time there. Those were happy, carefree days. "I used to bring fish home to my mother. We would have a feast. She was always delighted to see such fresh catch," he recalled. Fish was plentiful in those days.

"But recently, as my children cast our line from the river bank, I noticed the horrible condition of the water. That got me thinking. Even if we caught something, it would not be fit to eat. "Filth just floated by.

The tangle of plastic bags, bits of Styrofoam boxes, trash from sewers, countless flotsam and jetsam are not at all pretty and the site made my stomach turn and fishing in this flowing muck was not at all pleasurable.

"I felt so sad indeed. I thought the outing would be so pleasant. I wanted to capture the delights of old. But it turned out to be somewhat of a nightmare. "Then my daughter pulled something out.

There was general excitement. I was happy for a while. Even though we would not eat the fish at least we had caught something. "But alas, it was not to be so. Because at the end of the line there dangled a single stinking boot, revolting and rotting.

"After that, my seven-year-old daughter did not want to stay there any longer. In fact, she did not even want the fishing line. As she looked at it she shuddered. And so we ended our outing and headed home."

As the man related this, you could detect the trace of distress on his face. He looked very sad indeed. "How could we save our national heritage?" he asked. He could feel the pity because he had seen Kampong Ayer and Sungai Brunei in better days. But now all seem lost.

"No one seemed to be seriously interested in saving the river. Yes half-hearted efforts are there. "But then more and more trash are dumped. A mountain of plastic bags and such like are choking up everything," he said. The situation seems to be beyond control.

Then he took out a newspaper clipping. He looked at it and sighed. He was about to put it back when I asked to look. This is what it said: Long long time ago, Singapore River was dirty and stinking...

The Singapore River has been associated with busy trading and business activities for more than a hundred years. In the 1970s, the river was badly polluted with sewage, domestic refuse, industrial waste as well as animal and farm waste.

The same problem of river pollution was also found at Kallang River, Whampoa River, Rochor River, Pelton Canal and Geylang River. In February 1977, the former PM Lee Kuan Yew suggested the project of cleaning up the rivers in Singapore. He said: "It should be a way of life to keep the river clean.

To keep every rivulet free from pollution. In 10 years, let us have fishing in Singapore River and Kallang River. It can be done." Sources of pollution were identified. They were: River boats Squatters Cottage Industry Farms Street Hawkers Market Activities Riverine Activities Unsewered premises.

The clean rivers project included: Relocating street hawkers to food centres Relocating farms to agro-technology parks Relocating fruit and vegetable wholesalers to wholesale markets Relocating lighters and boat repair yards to lighters' wharves Phasing out pig and duck farms Dredging the refuse deposited on the river bed and banks Clearing the demolished and abandoned squatter huts after the resettlement of the squatters Improving the riverbanks and river environment Returning of aquatic life Treated sewage water The river cleaning project was very successful.

As the former PM Lee Kuan Yew commented in 1987: "Ten years ago, our rivers were like sewers. Smelly, dirty and devoid of fish or any aquatic life. This year marks the restoration of the Singapore, Rochor, Geylang and Kallang Rivers into clean watercourses. "We now have pleasant landscapes. We can walk along the riversides and fish, boat, ski or swim.

All unthinkable only a few years ago. It is an achievement many societies dream of, but few achieve."

The cleaning of the six rivers was completed in 1987 at a cost of $200 million. He then looked at me and said: "No, I am not suggesting Mr Lee to come here and clean up our Sungai Brunei.

But I am sure if we set our mind to it we too can do it." 

I personally believe that there should be laws against cutting down of trees or anything that are associated with the environment.

However, I don't think laying down the laws and just telling them literally that the law states that and so on is enough but enforcing them through different ways and approaches should be done. It's also important to consider the kind of people we are dealing with, as everyone has different views and perceptions on the environment. It does take time to figure this out.

The good news is, our younger generation is learning to appreciate the environment, but its never too late for the rest, esp. those who are so against the trees and all, to realise the importance of having trees around us. Once they learn to appreciate little things in life, its easier to see the bigger picture, how we are all actually dependent on one another. "Ecologically" speaking.

Its better late than never.

Name: Me

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I remember about 40 years ago our Forestry Dept started importing the Acacia or Gum trees (Kayu Jati) from Australia to be planted here as part of their reforestation project.

One of the site at that time was at the Berakas Forest Reserve and the new Berakas Camp where the whole area had been 'clean cut' to build the new army camp. Later on these trees were planted at other forest reserves and burnt out sites after forest fires around the country.

They adapted very well to our climate and soil and grew very fast to a great height. It can also disperse easily as the seeds could be carried by winds as well as by birds. They are even planted along roads, public areas and public dwellings to provide shades and landscaping.

However we are now beginning to realise that these trees are costing the government and the public a lot of expenses in trimming, keeping them under control as well as disposing of the leaves. As they could multiply and grew very fast it is now causing a nuisance.

The leaves do not rot easily, they litter our lawns and streets and are also blocking our gutters and drains. If you look around the country the Acacia trees can be seen as far as Labi and the Temburong jungles.

In Singapore these Acacia trees are now declared as a pest and are banned from being grown there due to the havoc and expense it caused in keeping them under control. However in Indonesia they were grown as a good source of income as its timber are lumbered for house construction and making of furniture for export.

I therefore suggest that our Forestry Dept should stop planting them here and to revert to the planting of our local variety of hardwood trees as well as fruit trees and coconuts. All the existing Acacias around the country should be lumbered for their timber.

They could then be used in various forms such as for construction and furniture, plywood and pressboards, in paper making as well as other hand crafts products. The leaves could be shredded to be used in the making of composts.

Name: Maria Abdullah
Email: M Abdu@hotmail.com

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