The writer is a botanist by profession. He also volunteers as a nature guide during his free time to schools, nature groups and friends. He believes that the few nature areas in Singapore should be kept for our children and has been campaigning for the preservation of Chek Jawa. After the National Development Ministry announced that reclamation would be put off to preserve Chek Jawa, he wrote a letter to thank National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan for the decision.
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.
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 of caring people. I am very happy to say that Chek Jawa has brought out the best of these caring people in Singapore.
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 “l(fā)anded” 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.
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.
Cheers,
Joseph Lai
16 Jan 2002
致馬寶山部長的信● 葉琦保譯
作者從事植物研究工作,在工余時間義務為學校、自然組織和朋友充當向導,帶領他們參觀自然生態(tài)區(qū)。他向來大力呼吁保留仄爪哇灣,認為我們應該為后代保留所剩無幾的自然生態(tài)區(qū)。國家發(fā)展部在1月14日發(fā)出文告,表示烏敏島長期不填土,仄爪哇灣將保留現(xiàn)狀后,作者寫了這封信,向國家發(fā)展部長馬寶山致謝。
敬愛的馬寶山部長：
感謝您珍貴的禮物——仄爪哇灣。您的宣布讓我感動得流淚,特別是您提到,不論我們做什么決定,都是為了下一代。對我來說,您的談話就像是動聽的副歌,最終構成一首完美的歌曲。
烏敏島仄爪哇灣。
孩子,特別是我的孩子,是促使我在去年五月的一個公眾對話會上直率發(fā)言的原因。您在總結問題時也提到孩子,這對我來說有著特別的意義。
我肯定仄爪哇灣會成為一首百聽不厭的金曲；您無限期展延填土工程的決定,也會受到世世代代的歌頌。
孩子是我們的希望和未來,像仄爪哇灣這樣的生態(tài)地區(qū),提供他們一個奇妙的游樂場所,讓他們在父母的陪伴下成長。父母和孩子可以在那里創(chuàng)造美好的回憶。
在一片大家喜愛的土地或海灘,我們共同建立的根,最終將成為建立大家互相關懷的家庭和社會的基礎。我很高興看到仄爪哇灣讓許多人表現(xiàn)出他們對社會的關心。
我還記得,當我在仄爪哇灣找到一只半埋在紅樹林的殘余船只時的感受。船的引擎已經(jīng)生銹,剩下的只有主干和一些支架。我聽說,一些越南難民好多年前在這里登陸,為了避免被遣回海域,便急急忙忙把船只燒毀。
故事讓我非常感動。我領悟到因為我們的關懷,我們也已經(jīng)“登陸”了。我們也已經(jīng)“把船只燒毀”,把仄爪哇灣當成我們的家。我們將確保仄爪哇灣永遠是我們生活的一部分。
那只船也象征了許多關心仄爪哇灣的人們,手拉著孩子,心里存著希望,一同走過的不平凡“航程”。我們每一個人都可以告訴我們的孩子,一個有關仄爪哇灣的獨特故事。
再一次謝謝馬寶山部長和國家發(fā)展部所有官員,也衷心感謝其他不計其數(shù),用種種方式為仄爪哇灣出一分力的人們。
黎德光 2002年1月16日
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.
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 of caring people. I am very happy to say that Chek Jawa has brought out the best of these caring people in Singapore.
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 “l(fā)anded” 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.
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.
Cheers,
Joseph Lai
16 Jan 2002
致馬寶山部長的信● 葉琦保譯
作者從事植物研究工作,在工余時間義務為學校、自然組織和朋友充當向導,帶領他們參觀自然生態(tài)區(qū)。他向來大力呼吁保留仄爪哇灣,認為我們應該為后代保留所剩無幾的自然生態(tài)區(qū)。國家發(fā)展部在1月14日發(fā)出文告,表示烏敏島長期不填土,仄爪哇灣將保留現(xiàn)狀后,作者寫了這封信,向國家發(fā)展部長馬寶山致謝。
敬愛的馬寶山部長：
感謝您珍貴的禮物——仄爪哇灣。您的宣布讓我感動得流淚,特別是您提到,不論我們做什么決定,都是為了下一代。對我來說,您的談話就像是動聽的副歌,最終構成一首完美的歌曲。
烏敏島仄爪哇灣。
孩子,特別是我的孩子,是促使我在去年五月的一個公眾對話會上直率發(fā)言的原因。您在總結問題時也提到孩子,這對我來說有著特別的意義。
我肯定仄爪哇灣會成為一首百聽不厭的金曲；您無限期展延填土工程的決定,也會受到世世代代的歌頌。
孩子是我們的希望和未來,像仄爪哇灣這樣的生態(tài)地區(qū),提供他們一個奇妙的游樂場所,讓他們在父母的陪伴下成長。父母和孩子可以在那里創(chuàng)造美好的回憶。
在一片大家喜愛的土地或海灘,我們共同建立的根,最終將成為建立大家互相關懷的家庭和社會的基礎。我很高興看到仄爪哇灣讓許多人表現(xiàn)出他們對社會的關心。
我還記得,當我在仄爪哇灣找到一只半埋在紅樹林的殘余船只時的感受。船的引擎已經(jīng)生銹,剩下的只有主干和一些支架。我聽說,一些越南難民好多年前在這里登陸,為了避免被遣回海域,便急急忙忙把船只燒毀。
故事讓我非常感動。我領悟到因為我們的關懷,我們也已經(jīng)“登陸”了。我們也已經(jīng)“把船只燒毀”,把仄爪哇灣當成我們的家。我們將確保仄爪哇灣永遠是我們生活的一部分。
那只船也象征了許多關心仄爪哇灣的人們,手拉著孩子,心里存著希望,一同走過的不平凡“航程”。我們每一個人都可以告訴我們的孩子,一個有關仄爪哇灣的獨特故事。
再一次謝謝馬寶山部長和國家發(fā)展部所有官員,也衷心感謝其他不計其數(shù),用種種方式為仄爪哇灣出一分力的人們。
黎德光 2002年1月16日