acknowledgement to  Goh Hiap Leng from NTUC Media ,  《生活》月刊2013年7月号 (“Sheng Huo” Jul 2013).

(Source: 文章来自《生活》月刊一三年七月号) (“Sheng Huo” Jul 2013)

Abstract of feature, translated by Raymond Goh:

“Ever since the news that Bukit Brown is to give way to a new highway, many people are concerned that the cultural heritage in Bukit Brown would disappear in line with further developments. Thus, there are people who suggest that Bukit Brown should be developed into an alternative tourist attraction, in order to preserve this precious heritage.

Volunteer guide Walter Lim felt that Bukit Brown reflect the history of Singapore being at the cross roads of the East and West, the centre of Nanyang, and the mother of the Chinese revolution, and can be a very worthy historical attraction which encompass all these cultural artifacts.

Another guide Yik Han mentioned that the history of Singapore does not start after independence, but before that, Singapore was already a prosperous place. Bukit Brown provides an invaluable resource for the study of pre-independence Singapore, and how our early pioneers helped to build the current foundation.

Bukit Brown is a snapshot of Singapore history, visiting Bukit Brown is like undergoing a lesson in history. Not only does it help in the immersion of new immigrants, but it also helped its citizens understand more about their roots. It is like a vast living museum and one can never see enough, and will keep on surprising and enlightening us with new facts if this proposal is accepted by the authorities.