Singapore Faces Rare Public Protest Over Plan to Clear Forests for Housing
Singapore is facing a rare public protest after the government announced plans to open up part of a forested area for housing development. The plan has sparked a major debate over the future of green space in the city-state.
Sunset Way resident Joanne Teoh, 68, has become one of the most vocal opponents of the plan. For more than three decades, she has enjoyed the green canopy of Maju Forest from her apartment and has documented the flora and fauna of the area since 2021.
“Even if you build houses in this part of the forest, as my children told me, we do not want to live next to a dry ecosystem graveyard,” Teoh told Al Jazeera.
Last month, Singapore’s Housing and Development Board announced plans to clear approximately 15 hectares of the 23-hectare Maju Forest for housing construction. The government also plans to open up at least 10 hectares of Gillman Forest, located about 6 kilometres from the area.
The plan has triggered widespread opposition. A petition urging the government to cancel or revise the project has gathered more than 60,000 signatures, while residents have formed discussion groups and carried out various actions to push for transparency in development planning.
More than 2,000 people gathered at Speakers’ Corner to protest the development project. Rachel Tan from the advocacy group SG Climate Rally said the increasing public participation reflects a shift in societal attitudes.
“We are slowly maturing as a society in general, in terms of our civic capital, our political knowledge, and our courage in voicing these political opinions,” she said.
Residents’ concerns are reinforced by environmental impact assessment findings. Gillman Forest is recorded as a habitat for 178 animal species, while Maju Forest supports 113 species, including the endangered straw-headed bulbul and the Sunda pangolin.
On the other hand, the Singapore government has stated that land constraints make housing development difficult to avoid. Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan said land supply must be utilised as effectively as possible.
“Our options are narrower than those faced by larger countries. Therefore, we must make the best possible use of our limited land,” Tan said in parliament.
The government has since sought to allay concerns by promising that more green space will be preserved, although the consequence is that fewer homes will be built.
However, for Teoh and other residents, this debate is not simply about houses or forests. “You only grieve when you have loved so deeply,” she said.