Reflections- My Jurong East

For the first 4 years of my life, I was brought up in China by my grandparents and after that time, I came to Singapore, where I then lived in the Western region for the next 6 years. When I was young, back in the times when Jurong Regional Library had not yet been renovated and Jurong Entertainment Centre existed, I would visit Jurong East Central every weekend to borrow books, have tuition and eat frog-leg porridge in a hawker centre with my family. This period of time was a very fond one for me and no doubt I still have an emotional attachment to that place. I made many good friends at tuition there and it played a major part in making me feel that Singapore was a wonderful place, and that living in the West was a privilege.

When I went there to complete this AA, it was the first in a very long while (I have since moved away to Clementi), and the first time after JCube had been completed. I was shocked at the increased traffic to the area, how crowded it now was and how unfamiliar it seemed. It was comforting to visit my old tuition centres and Jurong East Town Centre, which had remained largely unchanged.

I do feel that the changes made are positive, have made the area more convenient for its residents and is a step in making Singapore a more vibrant place. However, should all traces of the old (e.g. Jurong Town Centre) be erased due to development, I would feel a great sense of pity and sadness because all the things that made Jurong East unique and 'old-Singaporean' would be gone. The emotional attachment I felt with the place would disappear- Jurong East Central, to me, would become just another shopping place, like Orchard Road.

Should this sentiment be felt by most residents, my suggestion of not modifying Jurong Town Centre may help to preserve the identity the residents associate with the area and its culture. By prolonging the existence of common spaces, providing the old and new, modern and traditional, residents of all ages can find a place in Jurong East and in the long term, create a more inclusive community. Jurong Town Centre is a relatively small parcel of land: it will not be that large an impediment to the development of the Jurong Gateway.

If I were still a resident living in Jurong East, I would want to be thoroughly informed of such plans, be involved or at least have my feedback heard. Although not much may be changed, this involvement will make them feel part of a community, with a stake over their own homes. This would strengthen their sense of commonality and identity of a resident of Jurong East, indirectly their sense of belonging to Singapore as well. This, and other actions such as this, would in the long-term contribute to the development of Singapore into a more inclusive, participative and civil society.