Is this fair? Yishun gets own website detailing series of unfortunate events
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 07, 2017 4:18 AMByVictor Loh
Like the crime-plagued Gotham City in the Batman comic and movie franchise, Yishun has its fair share of villains who help make the media headlines in Singapore.
While many other heartland towns aren't exactly sqeaky clean, the Internet quickly picked up on Yishun's scent and continues to throw a fist-bump everytime something new or sensational about the area makes the news.
From neighbourly spats and animal abuses to gruesome crimes, the heartland town in the North has fast attracted an unintended notoriety that most residents would shun.
Is that being fair to Yishun though?
Probably not, but that didn't stop multimedia artist Lhu Wen Kai from starting a website called The Yishun Dream which showcases the issues plaguing the town.
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"I wanted to see if (reports of incidents in Yishun) was pure media hype or something that bears genuine concern, and while I still feel the town's notorious reputation was a classic case of over-representation in the alternative media, there are some incidents that really made me scratch my head in awe," Lhu wrote on his Facebook page.
Describing Yishun as one of 'Singapore's most dystopian societies masquerading as a sleepy heartland shopping district', Lhu centred on its main thoroughfare, Yishun Ring Road, dubbing it 'The Devil's Ring'.
"Over half of what grabbed the headlines in Yishun happened within that circle. The other notable spot is along Yishun Ave 2. That road is cursed, period," the 18-year-old added.
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Lhu pinned the incidents in an interactive map, neatly categorising them by the nature of the mishap, such as siao lang (crazies), mother nature, cursed luck, suicides and murders.
For the uninformed, the website has compiled and summarised notable incidents around the Yishun neighbourhood from as far back as 2008, and also accepts submissions from readers.
Lhu is not the first to chronicle the mishaps around Yishun. A forum thread on Hardware Zone's Eat-Drink-Man-Woman, entitled 'Why Yishun is the most problematic place in Singapore' had a map in 2016 detailing the various incidents in the town.
Some Yishun residents, who have been the brunt of jokes for a while, were not amused.
An Eva Tan wrote on Facebook: "Those people who were reported to have 'weird' behaviour might have mental troubles, or need help. Instead of coming together to help them, we poke fun at them and laugh at their expense. It's pretty rude."
"I've lived in Yishun my whole life and there's a certain charm to it. People who don't live here, link what they see on the news and think that Yishun is full of crime," she added.
Agreeing, another Facebook user who goes by the alias Tomato Soup noted that a few winning lottery tickets were bought from Yishun, refuting the idea that the neighbourhood is unlucky.
Thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom for residents of Yishun.
While there is no caped crusader to keep Yishun residents safe, there are some positive stories, which Lhu categorised as 'not all heroes wear capes', such as the recent daring rescue of a drowning cat.
Maybe it's time to bring back VR Man.
grongloh@sph.com.sg
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