dfe.khaya.podcast

A neighborhood battle is brewing in Dairy Farm Estate, Singapore, over the potential removal of four kaya trees. The controversy raises concerns about transparency and decision-making in the community. Conflicting arborist reports and a potential conflict of interest with the company hired for the removal have sparked outrage among residents. The management corporation's actions and lack of transparency have further fueled suspicion. Residents are demanding answers and pushing for an independent arborist's opinion. This issue goes beyond the trees and highlights the importance of access to information and community trust. The upcoming annual general meeting will be crucial in determining the estate's future. Local activism is making a difference and inspiring others to stand up for what they believe in. It's about holding people accountable and ensuring that voices are heard. The outcome of this battle will have lasting effects. All right, so today we're really digging into this whole neighborhood battle in Dairy Farm Estate, Singapore. And it's over a few trees, right? You sent over some articles about this, and man, it sounds like people are really fired up about this whole thing. We're talking four kaya trees, they've been standing tall for over 35 years, and all of a sudden, they're facing, you know- Chops. Yeah, the possibility of being chopped down, so fill us in here. Why is everybody so riled up about this? Well, it's interesting when you think about it, it's more than just the trees themselves. This situation is really bringing up these concerns about transparency and how these decisions are made in a community, especially when it comes to shared spaces, right? Like sometimes you look at these local issues and it's like this microcosm of bigger societal issues, which I think is fascinating. Yeah, absolutely. So, we've got these trees, I mean, they've probably been around for generations. Right. I've seen kids grow up, you know, through the whole thing, and now they're potentially on death row. Yeah. What's the official reason, like why do they want to take them down? So the management corporation's strata title, the MCST, which is like the governing body of the estate, they're saying that this is all about safety. Okay. But, and here's where it gets a little, you know, a little murky, the timeline and all this conflicting information. Yeah. It's like trying to solve a puzzle, honestly. Okay. So, let's try to put this puzzle together. We have two different arborist reports. Right. And both of them are dated the exact same day, July 10th, 2024. Right. One of them says, just give the trees a little trim, they'll be fine. Prune them. And the other one is basically saying, bring in the chainsaws. Exactly. What, what is going on here? That is the million dollar question. Yes. This is, this is where it gets really, really interesting. Okay. This report that is recommending the removal. Yeah. That wasn't the arborist's initial assessment. Really? It was revised after he consulted with the MCST. Hold on. Are you saying that the MCST, the people in charge, might've influenced the arborist's professional opinion? A little bit like that. Yeah. That's a little, that's a little fishy. Don't you think? Yeah. And, and get this. Okay. The company that the MCST hired to potentially remove these trees. Yeah. Lovely landscape. Yeah. Guess what? What? Their arborist, Sean Moogham Karamaj, works for them. No way. Yes. You're kidding me. Lovely landscape. Yeah. Are you serious? That's, I mean, talk about a conflict of interest. Exactly. Oh my God. Right. So of course the community is not going to let that one slide. No. Of course not. So how did, how did this all come out? Did somebody, did somebody blow the whistle on this whole thing? Yeah. You can say that. It all came out in the town hall meeting on September 18th. Okay. The arborist himself admitted that he changed his recommendation under the MCST's instruction. Wow. And I can only imagine what the residents must've, you know, how they reacted when they heard that. You know, they were, they were furious. Yeah. This revelation sparked outrage, people demanding an immediate stop. Right. To any tree removal plan. And what did it up to? Well, they didn't respond to the request to halt the plan. Oh wow. They just kept going, which again, just raised even more suspicion. Yeah. Among these residents. So we've got conflicting reports. We've got a potentially pressured arborist. Yeah. We've got a questionable awarding of this removal contract. Correct. And it sounds like we've got a whole lot of unanswered questions here. A whole lot. It sounds like things are going to get even more complicated. You are right about that. Yeah. The MCST's actions after this town hall meeting added more fuel to the fire. So they're saying safety first, these trees gotta go. But then their actions don't exactly scream, you know. Right. We care about safety. It's kind of sus, right? Totally. And it's not just one thing. Right. Remember the smaller trees and plants around the big kaya trees? Yeah. Poof. Gone. Yeah. And they're like, oh yeah, we're just relocating them. No worries. But then these videos start popping up online showing them being chopped down. No. Seriously. They're like, where's the logic in that? Yeah. If they were really worried about safety, you'd think they'd try to protect the whole ecosystem there. Exactly. Right. Taking everything out just seems so... Yeah. It's counterproductive. Yeah. And then there's that whole cordon tape thing. Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Yeah. It's like they put it up and then... It just vanishes. They're trying to downplay the whole danger thing, but then it just ends up looking... It's like they think we won't notice. Exactly. Like, come on, guys. Yeah. It just raises more red flags. Totally. And so now the residents are like, okay, what's really going on here? Right. Like, are you being straight with us? Exactly. And this is a classic example of you try to hide stuff, you try to be sneaky, you try to not be transparent, and it just blows up in your face. Yeah. People can smell it a mile away. Especially in a small community. Exactly. Like, everyone knows what's going on. And the residents are saying, they're not just protesting for no reason, they just want answers. Right. They just want some transparency. Just tell us. Like, why did the arborist suddenly change his report? Why lovely landscape? Right. Why them with the conflict of interest and all? Right. And why not just be open and honest with us right from the get-go? Yeah. It almost seems like... Like, they thought no one was paying attention. Yeah. Like, they thought that no one would care enough to dig a little deeper. Totally. And this is such an important point. It really is. You know, it's like, this whole thing about access to information, even at the local level. Exactly. Who decides what we get to know and what we don't? And how does that affect the community's trust? Exactly. You know, the residents are also saying, hey, we want a second opinion. Okay. They're pushing for another arborist, someone independent. Yeah. No ties to the MCST. Right. No ties to lovely landscape. Right. Come in and take a look. Tell us what you think. It's like getting a second opinion from a doctor. Exactly. You want the full picture. It's not just about these four trees anymore, is it? No. Not anymore. This is about the MCST, their leadership. Are they accountable to the people that live in this estate? Their transparency. Yeah. Are they really representing us? And it's just amazing to me how this one little thing has blown up. The classic example of that. Yeah. One small thing exposing all these bigger issues. And the timing of this whole thing. Oh, tell me about it. It's almost perfect. Yeah. It's almost like someone hit the reset button, you know? Right. Everyone's paying attention now. Big time. And the annual general meeting, the AGM. Oh, yeah. It's coming up. Here it comes. It's in a few weeks, right? A few weeks, yeah. Less than three. Oh, wow. So that's going to be interesting. Talk about pressure. Yeah. I mean, you know, this whole kaya tree thing, that's a hot topic. Oh, for sure. In the estate. It's make or break time for dairy farm estate. Absolutely. What happened to it? This is a turning point for them, you know, with the trees and with the selection. Totally. What happens in these next few weeks could have ripple effects for years. Absolutely. And it really shows you the power of speaking up. Oh, yeah. You know? Like you can make a difference. Local activism, man. It can lead to real change. These residents, they're not messing around. No, they are fired up. They're shaping their community. They're making their voices heard. Yeah. You know? It's inspiring. It is inspiring. It is. And it really gets you thinking like- What do you think? What would I do? You know? What would you do? If I was in their shoes- Right. Would I just, you know, get my head down? Stay quiet. Or would I be out there on the front lines? Right. Would you just go with the flow? Or would you actually stand up for what you believe in? And I think that's the question we all got to ask ourselves, really. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about, right? It's not just about a few trees in some estate in Singapore. Nope. It's about are we going to stand up for what we believe in? Exactly. It's about protecting what we care about. Exactly. It's about holding people accountable. Yes. And it's about making sure that our voices are heard. It's about making our voices heard. Well said. Well said to you, too. This was a great conversation. I really appreciate your insight on this. Oh, always a pleasure. And, yeah, I can't wait to see what happens- I know. Me too. In Dairy Pharma State. Stay tuned, everybody. This one's not over yet. All right. That's it for this deep dive. We'll be back next time with more fascinating stories.