Singapore's housing plan to clear forests triggers rare public protests

Singapore’s Housing and Development Board disclosed a scheme to convert roughly 15 of the 23 hectares of Maju Forest and at least 10 hectares of Gillman Forest into public housing, sparking an unusually vocal backlash in a country where planning decisions are rarely contested. Long-time resident Joanne Teoh, who has chronicled the forest’s wildlife, joined neighbours in a petition that has attracted more than 60,000 signatures and a rally of over 2,000 participants at Speakers’ Corner.

Environmental assessments show the sites support dozens of species, including the critically endangered straw-headed bulbul and the Sunda pangolin, and activists argue the government’s framing of an inevitable trade-off is misleading. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s recent National Day Rally also unveiled plans for large-scale island reclamation, heightening concerns over habitat loss. Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan defended the development, citing severe housing demand, but pledged to retain a greater proportion of green space than initially planned, which will cut the number of homes built. Groups such as SG Climate Rally see the episode as evidence of growing civic engagement around Singapore’s "City in Nature" identity.