SINGAPORE: In the wake of recent neighbourhood disputes turning ugly, three Members of Parliament from the Workers’ Party are set to raise questions regarding whether more can be done to resolve tensions between people living in the same area.
Problems between neighbours are not new to Singapore, especially since people live so close to one another in the space-scarce city-state. Rarely, however, do they turn deadly.
On Sept 25, 66-year-old Koh Ah Hwee was charged with the murder of Nguyen Phuong Tra, 30, in the corridor of the Yishun block where they both lived. The Police said that they had got into a fight on the previous day over a noise complaint.
Last November, amendments to the Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill were passed, which included the formation of a Community Relations Unit. The CRU, now being tested in Tampines, may deploy noise sensors and issue abatement orders, and hand out directives requiring residents to attend mediation meetings.
People who do not attend mediation may be fined up to up to S$1,500 and those who do not comply with abatement orders face fines of up to S$10,000.
WP MPs Gerald Giam (Aljunied), Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied), and Abdul Muhaimin (Sengkang) will be raising questions on the effectiveness of the CRU when Parliament meets this week from October 14 to 17. These include the severity of cases of neighborhood disputes before the CRU steps in, the impact of the programme since its implementation six months ago, and the need to expand the pilot beyond Tampines, especially in light of the recent incidents.
“The recent cases in Yishun and Bukit Batok show how unresolved tensions can take a heavy toll, or even turn tragic.
“The Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill and the new Community Relations Unit (CRU) are important steps forward in the right direction. But as the pilot is underway, there’s room to refine how these powers and tools are applied — so all affected residents can get help earlier and more effectively,” wrote Mr Tiong in a Facebook post over the weekend.
Aside from the recent murder at Yishun, he referred to a similar incident in 2024 when a man in Bukit Batok killed his neighbour. The two had argued often concerning the neighbours noisy riser cabinets.
“I will be asking questions in Parliament on whether our neighborhood dispute framework works as intended, and to explore how early intervention measures can be enhanced to prevent escalation,” Mr Tiong added. /TISG
