Inauspicious or harmless? Bishan residents divided over funeral flyers left outside homes, Singapore News

‘Cursing me to die earlier’ 

One resident, who only gave her name as Xiu (transliteration), 21, said she felt as thought the flyers were “cursing me to die earlier”, making her feel uncomfortable.

Another resident, Fu (transliteration), 55, saw the flyer being dropped at his doorstep and assumed it was a regular advertisement, but was shocked when he realised its contents. 

Weng, a 65-year-old technician, said that such flyers have become increasingly common and did not see the need to make a big fuss over them. 

For Zhang, a 35-year-old administrator, who thinks that “everyone dies eventually”, pointed out that the flyers are just paper and that being informed about funeral processes is not necessarily bad.

Flyers meant to help people ‘plan ahead’

Raymond Png, a service director at Fu Gui Services – an authorised agency of Nirvana Memorial Garden – explained that the trips and flyers are meant to help people have a better understanding of funeral processes so they can “plan ahead” and make arrangements in advance. 

He added that the company has not received complaints about the flyers and that the funeral home has organised such trips for almost a decade with around 50 to 60 participants per session. 

Regarding the concerns raised by residents in Bishan, Png told Stomp he understands that it is a sensitive topic and respects the taboos surrounding it. 

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esther.lam@asiaone.com