Odd Curiosity of a Singapore Public Housing (HDB)
Sports, Dance, Celebration and a Funeral
It has been 7 years since I have moved into this neighbourhood.
Initially, I do not like the neighbourhood because it is busy and noisy. There is a primary school in every direction and every weekday morning, every crossing seems like a mad rush to school.
Soon, I have grown to love it. The bustle and hustle in the morning makes it a great neighbourhood to wake up to.
The Singapore public housing or commonly known as HDB is an odd mix where
every race is carefully allowed and represented within each and every block
a common lift access meant that there is ample chance to meet everyone in the block unless you work on odd hours
a common corridor to really give you a chance to meet your neighbour
the playground provide a place for every kid from every race will get to play with one another
an exercise area where the more mature people will get to have some peace and quiet and
a void deck1
The void deck is where everyone in the neighbourhood were “emancipated” from the their daily shackle of life.
The day usually starts with a bunch of “aunties” practicing their latest dance moves.
After school this is the place for kids above a certain age2 to bond over football
For the girls on skate, they have a racing track which goes around the neighbourhood blocks before ending there.
For the badminton champion wannabe, this is the place where they could have uninterrupted play till the late wee of the night
The space is also also used by the pre-school kindergarten for their annual celebration, the once a year Halloween scare and trick or treat, the year end Christmas party for the kids and the mandarin orange giving during the Chinese New Year.
For me, this happens to be also a space for grieving.
My grandma passed on the 2nd Jan 2025 and once again the void deck came into the play.
The prayers are held for 7 days at the void deck and I wrote a short letter to my neighbours.
“Dear Residents,
My name is Ong Wee Hiang.
I am currently holding my beloved grandmother's funeral at the Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH). The wake will conclude on the morning of 8th January. The funeral period is longer than usual (7 days) as we are awaiting the arrival of overseas relatives and guests in Singapore.
I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the extended use of the MPH. I understand this may disrupt regular activities such as soccer practice, skating sessions, and dance gatherings. I deeply appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.
In addition to Buddhist rites, we will be conducting Taoist rites on the evening of 7th January (Tuesday). This will involve the burning of incense paper and offerings. For residents whose units face the exercise facilities, kindly keep your windows closed that evening to minimize any discomfort caused by smoke or odors.
Thank you for your kind understanding and support during this period.
Warm regards,
Ong Wee Hiang,
The morning I am penning this article, my Malay neighbour (the friendly muscle guy who says hi to everyone in the lift) dropped by to offer his condolences. A few more neighbours who lived on my floor and below me drop by too.
Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore often interferes in the private lives of Singaporeans, such as the language they spoke and the neighbours they have…
But this policy on mixing everyone ensures that every Singaporean has ample chance to see each race as a fellow human and allowing every busy Singaporean to have a chance to build friendship and goodwill.
Other than that the void deck has also become a contesting ground for politics. The political parties are also trying to make their presence felt during the funeral.
I guess the Void Deck is not so void after all.
I guess it is known as a void deck because it is … there is this big empty space on the first floor. This is situated usually at the bottom of the public housing estate but it could be under a big multi-storey carpark too.
above the playground age but still enjoys the occasional hide and seek and usually a game of football