The Christmas spirit of a Toa Payoh resident, Mr Martin Silva, has won.
For the past three years, the 57-year-old puts up makeshift Christmas lighting and decorations outside his HDB ground-floor unit. With glittering lights and even LED reindeers, his little Christmas wonder has been the joy of residents in his area. According to Straits Times, it has become a meeting point during the festive season, and some even queue to have their pictures taken there.
As a result of his unauthorised decorations in a public space, the Bishan-Toa Payoh town council has fined him several times, and ordered him to remove the decorations.
Mr Zainudin Nordin, Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, posted a statement on his Facebook in support of Martin Silva, and the decorated patio is here to stay this year.
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Post by Zainudin Nordin.
After being fined $400 on three separate occasions and $1,000 once over 3 years, Mr Silva had been concerned that he could no longer continue this Christmas tradition, that had over the past three years brought about the Christmas spirit in his neighbourhood.
With this new change, he is encouraged, remarking to the Straits Times that he believed the decision would help bring back the 'kampung spirit'.
“This is a fantastic breakthrough for families like mine who are just trying to bring people together, and opening their homes to everyone,” he said.
Photo: Chris Jones via Flickr
Story: Vulcan Post
The Christmas spirit of a Toa Payoh resident, Mr Martin Silva, has won.
For the past three years, the 57-year-old puts up makeshift Christmas lighting and decorations outside his HDB ground-floor unit. With glittering lights and even LED reindeers, his little Christmas wonder has been the joy of residents in his area. According to Straits Times, it has become a meeting point during the festive season, and some even queue to have their pictures taken there.
As a result of his unauthorised decorations in a public space, the Bishan-Toa Payoh town council has fined him several times, and ordered him to remove the decorations.
Mr Zainudin Nordin, Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, posted a statement on his Facebook in support of Martin Silva, and the decorated patio is here to stay this year.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
Post by Zainudin Nordin.
After being fined $400 on three separate occasions and $1,000 once over 3 years, Mr Silva had been concerned that he could no longer continue this Christmas tradition, that had over the past three years brought about the Christmas spirit in his neighbourhood.
With this new change, he is encouraged, remarking to the Straits Times that he believed the decision would help bring back the 'kampung spirit'.
“This is a fantastic breakthrough for families like mine who are just trying to bring people together, and opening their homes to everyone,” he said.
Photo: Chris Jones via Flickr
Story: Vulcan Post