Singapore Democrats
The SDP stands in solidarity with the merchants of Sungei Road and call on the PAP Government to rethink its decision to evict the vendors there.
The flea market is an iconic spot with a rich history going back many decades. It has become very much a part of Singapore and it will be a tragic loss of our heritage.
The place is also a venue for the vendors, many of whom are elderly and have plied their trade there for their entire lives, to eke out a living in their remaining years. To pull the economic rug from under them at this stage of their lives is a unimaginably cruel act.
This is where Singapore can be innovative and think out of the box. Instead of closing down the historic venue, if it is really necessary, for economic reasons, we could allow foodstalls there and turn it into a world famous market like the ones in Sydney, London, Taipei, and Tokyo.
If the PAP insists on taking back the venue, the least it can do is to source for an alternative spot where the vendors can continue to hawk their wares.
Not every thing in Singapore must be turned into profit. We cannot put a price tag on memories and our sense of belonging. Let us treasure the last piece of heritage of our nation.