Assalamua'laikum.

WEST SIDE STORY.

I live in the western part of Singapore. If you place your compass on the floor, where the needle points to the west, that's where I, my la familia and my friends reside in. How do you get to this mystical part of Singapore? Easy. Walk all the way straight through the Pan Island Expressway till the you reach the end of it. That's where Jurong is. Statistical point of Singapore : a span of 24 kilometres length from Changi to Jurong. Some might want to contest of its length as being 25 kilometres far, inclusive of land reclamations on both eastern and western tips. Whichever is greater, it doesn't project a big difference. Size does matters?

Jurong has been an industrial town since the start of organic life on its soils. It was a land mainly due for the manifestation of farm crops and produce. It was filled with industrial toils, it still is right till this present day. The development of modern housing habitat has still yet to outnumber the available land in the northwestern part. High-rise dwellings in new Jurong towns only started to flourish in the early 80's, by which many old type houses were still to be seen at Taman Jurong that time. It was said that Jurong used to be cemetary grounds during the Japanese Occupation era. I have yet to find out, but that's what the old folks were saying. The history of my estate has gone far, far back. It is a town for the old and new.

When I first moved in, the only connector to downtown Orchard was bus number 7. From anywhere to Jurong, it takes one hell of a ride. I remembered how every driving trip ends up sleepy for everyone in my family. Gradually, as the mass rapid transit entered our estate, the joys of travelling took a new light. Bus services remained reliable till now.

My 21 years spent in Jurong, so far it has been fine. Through this eyes, a number of developments took place, serving the residents of this estate to the fullest. The common drainage canal which my schoolmates and me congregated during our adolescent years has been added extra touch-ups eversince. Alongside it now is the superb swimming pool and sports complex. There is now three major shopping and entertainment areas in all of Jurong, plus one 'out-of-town' shopping ville at Taman Jurong. Even the library had been given the extra-added value these recent months. I guessed the guild of our national library has finally reached a point where they know there is a need to upgrade its library facilites. Speaking of which, do check out the newly renovated four-storeyed library at Jurong East, it's simply modern and fresh.

To be factual, there are quite a number of interesting features of Jurong. This estate may not excel as one of those upscale towns, much less of it being a 'Champs Elysees' or 'Rodeo Drive', Jurong has its own essence and unique in its own ways. If you've been adventurous enough to venture out into places some less travelled, you might know what I mean.

Wassalam.