Weekly exercise group faces backlash over loud music despite decades-long community practice.
A long-running seniors’ qigong group in Ang Mo Kio is at the center of a noise dispute after a resident took to social media to complain about loud music from their weekly evening sessions.
Facebook Complaint And Allegations
On April 15, a resident posted in Facebook group Complaint Singapore accusing a group of seniors of playing “extreme loud music” weekly from about 7.30pm to 10pm near Blocks 230 and 231 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, calling their actions selfish and disruptive to people who need to rest, study or work.
Seniors’ Perspective And Long History
Group organiser Yu Ziying, 78, told Shin Min Daily News that the seniors, who live nearby, have been practicing qigong together in the common area once a week for nearly 40 years without major issues until complaints began surfacing over the last four years.
Relocation After Fatal Accident
In 2025 the group shifted about 200 metres away to a courtyard, but they moved back to their original location after a January accident at that courtyard in which a 59-year-old pedestrian was killed; Yu said the group narrowly escaped harm, with a coconut tree blocking the car’s path.
Disputed Timings And Fatigue Concerns
Responding to claims that music runs until 10pm, Yu said sessions usually start around 8pm and end before 9.30pm, stressing that elderly participants do not have the stamina for such long workouts and must return home to bathe and care for grandchildren after their one hour of weekly exercise.
Seeking Compromise On Noise Levels
Yu said the group is exploring ways to reduce disturbance, such as angling loudspeakers toward the road, and insisted that qigong music is not excessively loud, appealing for greater understanding and space for seniors to maintain their health routines in shared neighbourhood areas.
The Ang Mo Kio dispute highlights the delicate balance between seniors’ need for communal exercise and residents’ expectations of quiet in dense HDB estates. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, it reflects broader tensions over how public spaces are shared, underscoring the value of dialogue, practical adjustments and community mediation so that health, rest and neighbourly respect can coexist.
Sources: Asia One (2026) , Stomp (2026)
Keywords: Qigong Group, Noise Dispute, HDB Estate, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, Senior Exercise
