http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,200169,00.html?
Is his grandpa buried under park pavement?
He wants to exhume remains, but authorities say no graves are in area
By Crystal Chan
April 27, 2009
MOUNT FABER PARK: Visitors look on curiously as the Kohs prepare to pray at the spot where their grandfather is supposedly buried.
JOGGERS gawked as Mr Henry Koh prayed and scattered joss paper in the middle of a paved walkway leading to Henderson Waves.
But Mr Koh, 46, a sales executive, and his three siblings were not making any early offerings for Hungry Ghosts' Festival at Mount Faber Park.
He told The New Paper on Sunday that he was praying for his late grandfather, Mr Koh Eng Chang.
Mr Henry Koh thinks his grandfather is buried under the pavement there, though this could not be verified.
A pre-construction survey was carried out before the area was developed and there were no graves in the area, the authorities said, when contacted by The New Paper.
Mr Koh said his grandfather used to live in nearby Radin Mas and was shot dead by invading Japanese troops in February 1942.
He said: 'My grandmother said he was sweeping the ground on the first day of Chinese New Year when he was killed.
'From then on, my family made it a point never to sweep the floor on the first day of Chinese New Year.'
The Chinese believe that sweeping the floor on the first day of Chinese New Year would bring bad luck, as one would be sweeping all the good fortune away from the house.
FAMLY: Mr Henry Koh (right) with his sisters and brother. --TNP PICTURES: GAVIN FOO
Mr Koh's grandfather, who was then in his 40s, was buried outside his hut.
Mr Koh's elder brother, David, 50, claimed the war-time authorities were not fussy about burials.
He said: 'In those days, there were no rules on where to bury people so my relatives buried my grandfather in the ground outside their attap hut. The chaotic situation meant we had no time to run around to buy a coffin for a proper funeral.'
In 1973, Mr Koh's paternal grandmother, Madam Tan Guay Keow, died and after cremation, her ashes were placed in Bright Hill Columbarium, off Sin Ming Drive.
At the same time, the Kohs commissioned a tablet for their grandfather and placed it with the tablet for Madam Tan.
The Kohs lived in the attap hut until 1978, when the Government acquired the land for redevelopment.
They moved to a Housing Board flat in nearby Telok Blangah and continued visiting the grave during the Qing Ming Festival.
Fengshui
Why didn't they exhume and cremate the remains then?
Mr Koh said: 'From a fengshui view, the grave was in a good spot as it's on high ground. It meant good fortune for descendants of the Koh family.
'I even erected a new tombstone in 1997 and we continued going up the hill to clean the tomb during Qing Ming.'
Then in 2005, the authorities closed off the surrounding area, which was earmarked for the development of Henderson Waves, a 1.6km elevated walkway above Henderson Road.
It is part of a series of pedestrian links that make up the 9km Southern Ridges, stretching from Mount Faber to Kent Ridge.
Mr Koh claimed the authorities did not write to ask the family to exhume the remains. And the family didn't check.
'We would have acted if we were asked to exhume the remains. We would have cremated the bones and placed the ashes in Bright Hill.'
Mr Koh agreed it would be difficult for the authorities to trace the grave to his family, especially when there were no burial records.
He said: 'Even when we saw all the construction, we didn't think my grandpa's grave would be affected. Perhaps we should have done something then.'
The family kept away while the construction was going on.
It was only when the bridges were completed in April last year that the family decided to visit the site again.
And that was when they found that their grandfather's tomb was missing.
Were Mr Koh Eng Chang's remains exhumed?
The family believes the remains are still buried below the pavement that was constructed with the bridges.
Mr Koh said: 'We consulted a gravedigger, but he said he couldn't do anything as the land belongs to the Government and we need the relevant statutory board to help us.
'We really hope to exhume my grandfather's remains so he can rest in peace.'
National Parks, which manages the Henderson Waves, said it found out about the claim only after it was contacted by the The New Paper on Sunday.
Its assistant director (HortPark and Southern Ridges), Ms Wendy Seah, said: 'We're unable to comment on the veracity of the claim because a pre-construction survey was carried out before building the bridge and there were no graves in the area.
'We are in touch with Mr Henry Koh to see how we can assist him on this matter.'
Mr Koh said he has been dreaming of his grandfather of late and he hopes he'll find an answer to the mystery.
Is his grandpa buried under park pavement?
He wants to exhume remains, but authorities say no graves are in area
By Crystal Chan
April 27, 2009
MOUNT FABER PARK: Visitors look on curiously as the Kohs prepare to pray at the spot where their grandfather is supposedly buried.
JOGGERS gawked as Mr Henry Koh prayed and scattered joss paper in the middle of a paved walkway leading to Henderson Waves.
But Mr Koh, 46, a sales executive, and his three siblings were not making any early offerings for Hungry Ghosts' Festival at Mount Faber Park.
He told The New Paper on Sunday that he was praying for his late grandfather, Mr Koh Eng Chang.
Mr Henry Koh thinks his grandfather is buried under the pavement there, though this could not be verified.
A pre-construction survey was carried out before the area was developed and there were no graves in the area, the authorities said, when contacted by The New Paper.
Mr Koh said his grandfather used to live in nearby Radin Mas and was shot dead by invading Japanese troops in February 1942.
He said: 'My grandmother said he was sweeping the ground on the first day of Chinese New Year when he was killed.
'From then on, my family made it a point never to sweep the floor on the first day of Chinese New Year.'
The Chinese believe that sweeping the floor on the first day of Chinese New Year would bring bad luck, as one would be sweeping all the good fortune away from the house.
FAMLY: Mr Henry Koh (right) with his sisters and brother. --TNP PICTURES: GAVIN FOO
Mr Koh's grandfather, who was then in his 40s, was buried outside his hut.
Mr Koh's elder brother, David, 50, claimed the war-time authorities were not fussy about burials.
He said: 'In those days, there were no rules on where to bury people so my relatives buried my grandfather in the ground outside their attap hut. The chaotic situation meant we had no time to run around to buy a coffin for a proper funeral.'
In 1973, Mr Koh's paternal grandmother, Madam Tan Guay Keow, died and after cremation, her ashes were placed in Bright Hill Columbarium, off Sin Ming Drive.
At the same time, the Kohs commissioned a tablet for their grandfather and placed it with the tablet for Madam Tan.
The Kohs lived in the attap hut until 1978, when the Government acquired the land for redevelopment.
They moved to a Housing Board flat in nearby Telok Blangah and continued visiting the grave during the Qing Ming Festival.
Fengshui
Why didn't they exhume and cremate the remains then?
Mr Koh said: 'From a fengshui view, the grave was in a good spot as it's on high ground. It meant good fortune for descendants of the Koh family.
'I even erected a new tombstone in 1997 and we continued going up the hill to clean the tomb during Qing Ming.'
Then in 2005, the authorities closed off the surrounding area, which was earmarked for the development of Henderson Waves, a 1.6km elevated walkway above Henderson Road.
It is part of a series of pedestrian links that make up the 9km Southern Ridges, stretching from Mount Faber to Kent Ridge.
Mr Koh claimed the authorities did not write to ask the family to exhume the remains. And the family didn't check.
'We would have acted if we were asked to exhume the remains. We would have cremated the bones and placed the ashes in Bright Hill.'
Mr Koh agreed it would be difficult for the authorities to trace the grave to his family, especially when there were no burial records.
He said: 'Even when we saw all the construction, we didn't think my grandpa's grave would be affected. Perhaps we should have done something then.'
The family kept away while the construction was going on.
It was only when the bridges were completed in April last year that the family decided to visit the site again.
And that was when they found that their grandfather's tomb was missing.
Were Mr Koh Eng Chang's remains exhumed?
The family believes the remains are still buried below the pavement that was constructed with the bridges.
Mr Koh said: 'We consulted a gravedigger, but he said he couldn't do anything as the land belongs to the Government and we need the relevant statutory board to help us.
'We really hope to exhume my grandfather's remains so he can rest in peace.'
National Parks, which manages the Henderson Waves, said it found out about the claim only after it was contacted by the The New Paper on Sunday.
Its assistant director (HortPark and Southern Ridges), Ms Wendy Seah, said: 'We're unable to comment on the veracity of the claim because a pre-construction survey was carried out before building the bridge and there were no graves in the area.
'We are in touch with Mr Henry Koh to see how we can assist him on this matter.'
Mr Koh said he has been dreaming of his grandfather of late and he hopes he'll find an answer to the mystery.
