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THANK
YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF CHEK JAWA
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Tanjong
Chek Jawa -
a
song written by
©Leong Kwok Peng 2002
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Dear
Minister Mah Bow Tan,
Thank you so much for this wonderful gift of Chek Jawa. Your announcement
moved me to tears, especially the focus on our children. To me, they
are like the same sweet refrain that had begun and then ended in a
song. |
| Children,
especially my child, had been my inspiration to speak up at the public
forum in May last year. It meant a lot to me that you ended this episode
on the same note. And I am sure Chek Jawa will become an evergreen
song. Your ministerial decision for long-term deferment of reclamation
will be sung by many generations to come. |
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| Children
are our hope and destiny. Nature areas like Chek Jawa, provide our
children with a most wonderful playground to grow up with us parents.
It is where we can build tangible and sweet memories with them. The
first roots that we build together at a beloved piece of land or sea
will ultimately become the foundation for a family and nation caring
people. I am very happy to say that Chek Jawa has brought out the
best of these caring people in Singapore. |
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| I
recalled my emotions of finding the remains of a boat half buried
near the mangrove at Chek Jawa one day. What was left of it were the
keel, the ribs and rusty engine parts. I was told that a group of
Vietnamese refugees came ashore a few years ago. To avoid being put
back to sea, they hastily burnt the boat upon landing. I was very
moved by the story. |
| It
dawned on me how we as caring people have ‘landed’ too. We too have
‘burnt our boat’, and called Chek Jawa our home. This is our pledge
for a place of permanence in our lives. The boat also signifies the
eventful ‘journey’ that many of us have embarked upon with our children
in our hands and with hope in our hearts. Each of us will have a unique
story to tell our children about Chek Jawa. |
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Thank you once
again Mr. Mah and all the officers in MND. And to all the countless
individuals who had helped Chek Jawa in one way or another -- thank
you from the bottom of my heart.
Yours sincerely,
Joseph Lai |
Read the Chinese
Translation |