SINGAPORE – With void decks in the limelight recently, netizens were riled up by a photo of a poster saying “No playing of chess at common areas” that went viral on Facebook today (March 13).
The photo was posted on Wake Up, Singapore’s Facebook page at about 1.30pm with the caption “Marine Parade Town Council, what is wrong with you? This is NOT Majulah.” and no further details of where and when the poster was found.
The photo has since been shared over 1,200 times and attracted close to 250 comments, with many questioning the ban on the “silent” game.
Marine Parade Town Council later clarified on its Facebook page that the poster was placed only at Block 11, Haig Road.
“We had received feedback from residents at the said block that the chess players are causing a nuisance and were playing till late night. In addition, the chess players and onlookers sometimes will block and obstruct the pathway of a covered linkway, causing inconveniences to others. As such, this poster seeks to advise and remind these chess players not to play their games there and to be considerate to others,” the town council wrote.
Late last month, a report of railings set up to stop football games at the void deck of a Queenstown Housing Board block became a talking point. One reader of The Straits Times urged the town council to leave void decks void, while another called the railings an eyesore. Azhar Kasman, the editor of citizen journalism website Stomp, said in an opinion piece that he was saddened by ‘slow death’ of void decks.
The Straits Times
huizhen@sph.com.sg
