Jessie Ong, 60
Book-keeper in a neighbourhood shop selling eggs
Jerelyn Au, 27
Events Executive
Da Paolo Group
Kelvin Ang, 37
Civil Servant
Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
When Kelvin Ang, a civil servant with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, returned to Singapore after several years of studies in London, he had very specific requirements for his future home.
”Coming back to Singapore, I wanted to live in a neighbourhood that feels like a neighbourhood - where there’s a street and where there’s a lot of potential to get to know people more intimately.”
A conserved flat in Tiong Bahru ranked high up on his list of criteria for a house.
“I already knew about the famous coffee shop here for a long time because my mom used to bring me here as a kid.”
“I was told that in the old days, Tiong Bahru was a place for the rich people,” the 37-year-old bachelor who lives alone elaborated. “And that when you go to Tiong Bahru, you will get to eat nice things like eggs.”
“When I was deciding whether or not to buy this flat, I visited it several times in the evenings and in the mornings, even though the flat-owner kept saying the flat was very nice.”
He stressed, “I wanted to see who lives around here.”
Soon after moving into his second storey pre-war flat, the extrovert started making a concerted effort to get to know his neighbours, starting with the family who shares an air-well with him.
“Jessie just said ‘Hello’ from her window and asked if I was moving in,” he recalled.
“Immediately, I introduced myself. And I think that was very important.”
“When Kelvin first moved in, my mother thought he was a police officer,” recalled Jerelyn Au, a former air-stewardess who is Jessie’s second daughter.
When they found out that he was an architect and a young man passionate about history, they were very impressed.
Kelvin, on the other hand, was quick to credit his neighbours, who have lived in Tiong Bahru for more than two decades, for helping him to adapt quickly to his new home.
“In some ways,” he said, ”I also learned more about the history of this area just by talking to Jessie.”
“Kelvin is really interested in conserved buildings,” the 27-year-old former air stewardess said. “And he has done a lot for our community.”
“My mom gets very excited whenever she sees Kelvin on television, and she would go like, ‘I saw Kelvin again!’”
“We think Kelvin is very interesting and very talented.”
Now an event/PR executive with the Da Paolo Group, Jerelyn added, “My mother always wanted to get to know our former neighbour more but she always kept to herself. So we had very little idea who she was or what she did for a living.”
They found in Kelvin a good friend and someone who was equally interested in getting to know them.
“Having good neighbours is very important to me because I’ve always had good ones growing up,” he said.
“My first 15 years were spent in Queenstown and with kids about my age. We grew up and played together, even though we didn’t necessarily attend the same schools.”
“And all our parents also knew each other.”
The fact that Kelvin is the ‘first man’ in their lives was also a very welcome change for Jerelyn, who lives with her 60-year-old mother, a younger sister and a domestic helper. Her older sister also lived there until she married and moved to Punggol.
She added, “My family is made up of women only. Before Kelvin, all our neighbours were also females. With a male neighbour now, it is so convenient if we have to shift anything.”
Jerelyn has lived in the same flat left behind by her maternal grandmother since she was three. And if she has her way, she wants to continue staying in the same neighbourhood.
“I grew up here and I hope to live here after I get married,” she said. “And if I can’t find something in this estate, I want to be at least near here.”
And Kelvin just could not resist volunteering himself to help her on hearing the word ‘marriage’.
‘I will definitely help you when you get married! I want to be the guy opening the door.’
But Jessie, who is a book-keeper at the neighbourhood store selling eggs, was quick to say, “Cannot, you are too old!”
“OK, I’ll leave that job to your nephew,” Kelvin replied quickly.
But there was no doubt in Jessie’s opinion that Kelvin was a very good neighbour.
“He is quiet but very helpful to everyone. And he is our bridge to the new faces in this area. Through him, we have met so many new residents.”
She added, “Yes, he is like half a son to me. Maybe Jerelyn should call him ‘big brother’ from now on.”
Kelvin is full of praise for them as well. “My neighbours are very generous.” “I lost my house keys twice and had to climb into my own flat via their balcony. I also had to search their place for my cat, who wandered into their home.”
“Kelvin is always on our minds,” said Jerelyn. “And we bring each other food once in a while.”
Although he has lived abroad for many years as a student, Kelvin said that he is sometimes still worried about living alone.
He said, “My parents used to worry about me in the past, but less so now, because they know I have good neighbours.”
Interestingly, Kelvin’s parents have known Jessie for many years but had never kept in touch. They reconnected with one another after visiting Kelvin at his new place.
Jerelyn could not stop her praise for her neighbourhood.
“It’s still like a mini kampong here. We say “hi” to each other, and we stop to make small talk. When I visit friends living in other HDB estates, I am shocked that some people don’t even know their neighbours’ names.”
She stressed, “Neighbours are so important; we can look out for each other. You often have to depend on them as well, like when you travel and need someone to watch over your place.”
Kelvin has his own take on why things are different these days.
“I think neighbours tended to be closer in the past because chances were high that they moved in together from the same village or because they worked for the same employer.”
Always interested in spaces, Kelvin has his own theory on why he and his neighbours get along so well.
“I think the air-well between our house really helped our relationship.”
“My neighbours really make me feel very safe here.”