Find alternative site for Sungei Road market

It was announced recently that Sungei Road’s well-known Thieves’ Market, which surely even tourists are aware of, must make way for development (Sungei Road Thieves’ Market to shut for good on July 10; Feb 15).

Yes, progress is a must, but we must try to maintain a balance with heritage. Let us consider what happened to the old National Theatre and Van Cleef Aquarium. They could have been converted into museums, et cetera.

Those pieces of land are now just part of Fort Canning Park instead. Likewise, our old National Library was demolished to make way for a road.

Our planners should provide an alternative area for Thieves’ Market. Roadside stalls with minimal rental would be a draw to stallholders and many Singaporeans.