Flyers advertising funeral planning services placed outside homes in Bishan have split residents, with some calling them inauspicious while others say they are harmless.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, a resident from Block 173 Bishan Street 13 said they received flyers from funeral service provider Nirvana Memorial Garden a few days ago but found them inappropriate and uncomfortable<\/a>.<\/p>\n One flyer promoted a \u201cRelaxing and Free Day Trip\u201d, where participants visit a Buddhist temple and a vegetable wholesale market before making their way to Nirvana Memorial Garden.<\/p>\n Located at 950 Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Nirvana Memorial Garden houses a columbarium and offers funeral and exhumation services.<\/p>\n Another flyer listed the company\u2019s funeral planning services, describing itself as a one-stop provider for bereavement arrangements.<\/p>\n Many residents Shin Min spoke to said they had received the flyers, with some expressing discomfort.<\/p>\n Ms Xiu (transliteration), 21, said she felt uneasy upon seeing the flyers outside her home as she was still young and planning for her future. <\/p>\n \u201cThe flyers feel like they\u2019re cursing me to die earlier. I felt uncomfortable seeing them,\u201d the student said.<\/p>\n Another resident, Mr Fu (transliteration), 55, said he saw the flyer slipped into the gap of his gate when he opened his door in the morning. He initially thought it was a regular advertisement, but was shocked by its contents upon closer inspection.<\/p>\n While he acknowledged that funeral services may have limited advertising channels, he felt placing such flyers outside residents\u2019 homes was excessive.<\/p>\n Shin Min understands that the flyers were also distributed at nearby malls and train stations.<\/p>\n Others, however, did not see an issue.<\/p>\n Mr Weng, 65, a technician, told Shin Min that flyers of similar nature are increasingly common and there was no need to make a fuss over them.<\/p>\n Others felt that end-of-life planning should be normalised, since death is inevitable.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone dies eventually,\u201d said Madam Zhang, 35, an administrator. She added that advertisements are just a piece of paper, and understanding funeral processes is not necessarily a bad thing.<\/p>\n Speaking to Stomp, Desiree, 40, a media professional, said she found the flyers somewhat amusing, but understood why the company might target the area.<\/p>\n \u201cBishan is an older neighbourhood with many elderly residents who have lived here for decades, so perhaps they feel more people here may need their services in time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n While she does not see it as a major issue, she acknowledged why some might feel unsettled. \u201cNobody likes to be reminded of their eventual mortality. It\u2019s a scary thing to have to prepare for.\u201d<\/p>\n Nirvana Singapore\u2019s service director, Raymond Png, told Shin Min that the company has been organising such day trips for nearly 10 years, with each session attracting about 50 to 60 participants.<\/p>\n Speaking to Stomp, Mr Png said Nirvana conducts four day trips a month, with flyers distributed across different parts of Singapore for each session. Participants range from those in their 30s bringing their parents along to seniors looking to make their own arrangements. <\/p>\n He added that he has seen some in their 30s choosing to secure funeral packages early to hedge against rising costs.<\/p>\n Such outreach efforts aim to educate the public about funeral planning and encourage early preparation, he said.<\/p>\n Participants are given an hour to tour Nirvana Memorial Garden\u2019s facilities, with staff present to answer questions, but the likelihood of a package being bought during the tour is \u201cvery low\u201d, Mr Png said.<\/p>\n In his experience, children are often \u201cdismissive\u201d when their parents mention afterlife planning. <\/p>\n \u201cPeople will get tense or worked up when such issues are being raised. Everyone has one mother and father so it\u2019s a sensitive topic. They only face this issue twice, so we\u2019ll help them do the planning,\u201d Mr Png said, adding that seniors often already have preferences, though their children may be reluctant to discuss them.<\/p>\n Despite the resistance, he noted that children often feel \u201crelieved\u201d and \u201cthankful\u201d when they discover their parents had already made arrangements and paid off the costs.<\/p>\n According to Shin Min, the company has not received complaints about the flyers. <\/p>\n Responding to the concerns raised by some Bishan residents, Mr Png told Stomp such reactions are understandable, adding that it is up to individuals to decide whether to find out more or discard the flyer if they are not interested.<\/p>\n He also noted that funeral service providers have limited advertising channels. In addition to flyers, Nirvana uses social media to showcase its services.<\/p>\n As such, there are no plans to halt flyer distribution.<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n\u2018Feel like they are cursing me\u2019<\/h2>\n
\u2018Everyone dies eventually\u2019<\/h2>\n
Outreach efforts facilitate early planning<\/h2>\n
Distribution of flyers will continue<\/h2>\n
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