Money Never Sleeps – A Brief History of Banking in Singapore

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Remember Singapore

As a well-known international financial hub, there are over 100 banks in Singapore, including six local banks, 24 foreign banks, 40 wholesale banks and 42 offshore banks. Since the liberalisation of the banking sector by the Singapore government in 2001, local banks underwent a series of merging and acquisitions in order to compete with the foreign banks.

Today, most Singaporeans are familiar with the Big Three. However, the former and current home-grown local banks had played a far more important role in the past 100 years of Singapore’s banking history.

The Big Three

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) was started as United Chinese Bank (UCB) by Sarawak-born Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang in 1935. The bank, in the effort to open its first branch in Hong Kong in 1965, renamed itself as UOB due to a similar name of another bank in Hong Kong. It, however, retained its Chinese name as “Tye Hwa”.

The logo, which symbolized security and unity, was introduced in 1971 and was designed based on “five-barred gate”, the traditional Chinese way of counting in fives.

As it grew, UOB acquired a number of other local banks, such as Chung Khiaw Bank Limited (CKB) in 1971, Lee Wah Bank Limited in 1973, Fast Eastern Bank Limited (FEB) in 1984, Industrial & Commercial Bank Limited (ICB) in 1987 and Overseas Union Bank (OUB) in 2001.

The Development Bank of Singapore Limited (DBS) was established in 1968 as Singapore’s development bank, in order to help the nation develop its economy during the difficult times after independence. It also played an important financial role in Singapore’s direction towards industrialisation.

It merged with Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) in 1998 to become the bank with the widest coverage in Singapore, with as many as 737 automated teller machines (ATM) located in most parts of the island. In 2007, DBS launched The Islamic Bank of Asia (IB Asia) to tap into oil-rich Middle East.

Oversea-Chinese Bank Corporation Limited (OCBC) was the product of the merging of three Hokkien banks in 1932, namely Chinese Commercial Bank Limited (which was set up by local businessman Lee Choon Guan in 1912), Ho Hong Bank Limited and Oversea-Chinese Bank Limited.

Under the leadership of Dato Lee Kong Chian and Tan Sri Tan Chin Tuan, OCBC developed into one of the largest banks in Singapore and Malaysia after WWII. It is also the first Singapore bank to open branches in China, and also one of the first to venture into the Asian dollar market in the sixties.

In 1948, OCBC introduced an innovative night safe system to allow customers to make deposits at night.

In the early sixties, it increased its business through a mobile bank system by reaching out to those who lived in the suburban areas.

The OCBC Centre has been an iconic building in Singapore’s city skyline. At 198m tall, it was briefly the tallest building in Southeast Asia when it was completed in 1976.

Singapore’s Central Bank

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) acts as the central bank of Singapore. It came into effect on the first day of 1971, in order to regulate the banking and financial sectors.

Over time, MAS was given more important responsibilities in securing stability in the exchange rates, currency strength and credit liquidity. The regulation of the insurance industry was brought under its wings in 1977, and in 1984, it was also given the control of the regulation of the securities on Singapore Exchange.

The People’s Bank

The British colonial government set up Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) on 1st January 1877 at the General Post Office Building. Hugely popular prior the fifties, it was however experiencing a decline after 1955.

After the independence of Singapore, the then-struggling bank was transferred from the Postal Department to the Ministry of Communication in 1972, and then to Ministry of Finance two years later, as it underwent a restructuring to become a deposit bank in order to promote domestic savings by the public.

By 1976, POSB received its one millionth account through a series of successful campaigning. Its name was switched to POSBank in 1990 to emphasize its banking role, before it was fully acquired by DBS in November 1998.

The Vanished Number Four

Overseas Union Bank Limited (OUB) was set up by local entrepreneur George Lien Ying Chow (1907–2004) in 1947. His former bank was Overseas Chinese Union Bank (OCUB), which mainly dealt with the Chinese in China. The bank could not survive the political turmoil of China after WWII, so Lien returned to Singapore to establish another bank OUB, which began operation on 5th February 1949.

At its beginning, the bank had a paid-up capital of S$2 million and 27 staff. Despite the difficulties at the start, the bank grew rapidly and by the mid-fifties, OUB was already expanding overseas in Hong Kong, Tokyo and London. In 1973, OUB became the first Singapore bank to establish its branch in New York.

In the nineties, OUB grew to become Singapore’s fourth largest bank. UOB bid S$10 billion against rival DBS for a takeover in 2001, and by 2003, OUB was fully merged with UOB.

Early Banks

Foreign banks dominated the island of Singapore in the 19th century. In 1840, The Union Bank of Calcutta became the first bank ever to operate in this British colony. Soon, other foreign banks followed, and over the years, the colony attracted the likes of Mercantile Bank (established in Singapore in 1856), The Chartered Bank (1861) (former body of current Standard Chartered Bank), Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank (1877), Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (1883) (former body of current ABN Amro Bank), First National City Bank of New York (1902) (former body of current Citibank) and the Banque de L’Indochine (1905).

First Local Bank – Kwong Yik Bank

It was not until 16th December 1903 that the first local bank was founded by Cantonese Wong Ah Fook (well-known businessman in Singapore and Malaysia, with Johor street Jalan Wong Ah Fook named after him) with a paid-up capital of S$850,000. It was known as Kwong Yik Bank (literally means “Cantonese profiting bank”), but it did not last long as it collapsed a decade later due to financial difficulties, resulting in a bank run.

Lee Wah Bank was another Cantonese bank set up in 1920 to serve the Cantonese community. It was acquired by UOB in 1973, after 53 years of service.

Early Teochew Bank

Just three years later after the founding of Kwong Yik Bank, in 1906, Sze Hai Tong Banking & Insurance Company Limited was established by Ng Song Teng, Liaw Chia Heng, Tan Teck Joon and other Teochew businessmen.

Blessed with good reputation due to its reliability during financial crisis, the Teochew-styled bank expanded into Thailand and Hong Kong in its early days. Respectable Teochew community leader Lee Wee Nam (1881–1964) (right) was once its chairman in 1932. Another Teochew leader Tan Siak Kew (1903–1977) (left), also Singapore’s first ambassador to Thailand, was Sze Hai Tong’s chairman in 1962.

The bank underwent changes in 1964, with its name changed to Four Seas Communications Bank Limited. It was acquired by OCBC in 1972, but enjoyed autonomy for more than two decades. In 1990, its name was simplified to Four Seas Bank (FSB). After 92 years in operation, the bank finally ceased operation in 1998 after its full merger with OCBC.

Emerging Hokkien Banks

Three Hokkien banks, namely Chinese Commercial Bank, Ho Hong Bank and Oversea-Chinese Bank, emerged from 1912 to 1919. In order to compete against the bigger rivals, the three banks merged to form Oversea-Chinese Bank Corporation in 1932 (see OCBC above).

Local Banks after WWII

After the Second World War, a number of local banks sprung up quickly as a war-torn Singapore started itself to pick up. With the rapid growth of the post-war economy, opportunities were aplenty.

The famous Aw family (owner of Tiger Balm and Haw Par Villa) was the first to set up a bank after the war. Its Chung Khiaw Bank (CKB), opened in 1947, targeted ordinary folks and the middle-class families, and its innovative introduction of “piggy coin banks” was hugely popular during that era. It also transformed the culture of local Chinese banks, where they usually catered for a certain dialect group, to a more broad-based multiracial clientele.

Other local banks started to join in the competition, such as Overseas Union Bank (OUB) which was established in 1947, Industrial & Commercial Bank (ICB) (1953), Bank of Singapore (1954), Far Eastern Bank (FEB) (1958) and Asia Commercial Bank (1959).

Many of these local banks were later acquired by OUB in the seventies and eighties.

Stiff Competition in the Seventies

Since the early seventies, the Singapore government began to relax the rules to allow foreign banks to set up their offices, enhancing Singapore’s growing reputation as a regional financial and investment hub. The new Banking Act was passed in 1970, laying down the the strict capital and other requirements for foreign banks to establish full banking operations in Singapore.

As a result, reputable banks from various countries, such Italy (Banco di Roma), France (Credit Lyonnais), Germany (Commerzbank), Australia (National Bank of Australasia), Russia (Moscow Naroday Bank), the United States (First National Bank of Chicago) and Switzerland (Swiss National Bank, Credit Suisse, Union Bank of Switzerland), swarmed to Singapore.

Establishments and Mergers

Tat Lee Bank (TLB) was founded by Goh Tjoei Kok (1905–1994) with the co-operation of DBS in November 1973. Fujian-born Goh left China at an age of 15 for Indonesia in search of a better life. Initial venture into textile business did not work out well, but a switch to rubber trading helped build his fortune. Goh Tjoei Kok would then move to Singapore after the Second World War to set up a trading firm called Tat Lee to be involved heavily in iron and steel industry.

In 1973, Goh Tjoei Kok realised his dream with an investment of $36 million to set up Tat Lee Bank. It was officially opened in February 1975 to be in line with the government’s promotion of Singapore as a regional and international financial hub.

Tat Lee Bank in 1998 merged with Keppel Bank to form Keppel TatLee Bank, which was later acquired by OCBC in 2001. A year later, Keppel TatLee Bank ceased its operations to be fully integrated into OCBC. Meanwhile, Keppel Bank was a diversified business owned by Keppel Corporation, rebranded from the corporation’s acquisition of Asia Commercial Bank (founded by a Chinese migrant in 1959) in 1990.

The rapid development of Singapore’s banking sector also saw the rise of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). The machines started to appear in many parts of Singapore, providing convenience for workers to draw their salaries which were credited to their bank accounts. In 1987, the General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO) system was introduced, and regular payments to agencies and organisations were made easier through electronic arrangements.

Published: 07 October 2011

Updated: 16 December 2017

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Singapore’s Favourite Mascots.. How Many Do You Remember?

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Remember Singapore

For many years, mascots are being designed as representative spokesperson for products, campaigns or competitions. Most mascots are fun-looking, even cute to some extent, and aim to broadcast their messages to the intended audience.

There were many mascots created by different organisations and agencies since the seventies. How many do you recognise and remember?

Name: Bobo the Water Saving Elephant
Active Years: 1973 to late seventies
Mission: To encourage the water conservation
Owner: Public Utilities Board (PUB)
Description: Pink in colour, Bobo the Elephant was introduced by PUB as a mascot to raise awareness for water conservation, especially among the children. It featured in the newspapers, television advertisements and even had its cartoon series.

Name: Smiley Squirrel
Active Years: 1970s to 1998, 2008
Mission: To encourage children to save
Owner: Post Office Saving Bank (POSB)
Description: Smiley Squirrel was a hit among children when it was first used as a marketing tool by POSB to encourage opening of saving accounts at a young age. It retired in 1998 after POSB was taken over by The Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), but made a comeback in 2008 as the image of the “People’s Bank” campaign by DBS.

Name: Singa the Courtesy Lion
Active Years: 1982 to 2001
Mission: To encourage the public to be polite and kind
Creator: Basskaran Nair
Owner: Ministry of Culture (former)
Description: Singa is a happy looking lion, a symbolic animal of Singapore, with a smiley printed on his red shirt. It is perhaps the most well-known mascot in Singapore. Singa was joined by his female companion and three little cubs in 1987. In 2009, Singa was given a new outlook in the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM).


Name: Teamy the Productivity Bee
Active Years: 1982 to 1999
Mission: To inspire the workforce to be efficient, productive and innovative
Owner: National Productivity Board (NPB)
Description: Teamy was introduced four months after the success of Singa. As a hardworking member in a team, the bee was a natural choice for the mascot. Teamy retired in 1999, replaced by an “i” icon in the continuing campaign for productivity.

Name: Sharity Elephant
Active Years: 1984 to Present
Mission: To encourage donation, sharing and caring
Owner: National Council of Social Service
Description: Sharity the Elephant was used as a mascot for fund-raising programs to charities. The creator even designed a story to explain its origin: Since young, Sharity was bullied by his peers because he was pink and not gray. His parents Momba and Bubba took him away in search of a new home. They managed to find Sharityland, a land of caring and sharing. Whenever Sharity was happy, his heart grew and lifted him high into the blue sky.

Name: Bookworm
Active Years: 1984 to early-2000s
Mission: To encourage reading
Owner: The Bookworm Club
Description: The bespectacled worm was the representation of the bookclub which introduced many popular storybooks to the primary school students in the eighties. However, the company experienced decline at the end of the nineties and eventually closed down.

Name: Captain Green
Active Years: 1990 to 1997
Mission: To encourage a clean and green lifestyle
Creator: Ogilvy & Mather
Owner: Ministry of Environment
Description: As the nation progressed, the awareness to protect the environment grew stronger, and thus a frog was used as a mascot for the “Green For Life” slogan. Captain Green had a new image in 1997 as a humanised frog in his “defending of the environment”.

Name: Singa the Lion
Active Years: 1993
Owner: Singapore Sports Council (SSC)
Description: Singa the Lion made a brief cameo, at a different design, in the 17th Southeast Asian Games in 1993 held in Singapore. The Games lasted 9 days from 12th June to 20th June 1993, and 4611 athletes from nine Southeast Asian Countries participated. Indonesia was the eventual winner with 88 golds, while Singapore came in fourth with 50 golds.

Name: Marine Castle Dolphin
Active Years: 1998 to 2006
Owner: Marine Castle United Football Club
Description: Marine Castle United was formed as early as 1981 and first participated in the S-League in 1998. It was also the first local club to adopt a marine animal as a mascot, ie a dolphin, which is a representation of skillfulness, swift and determined. The club merged with Paya Lebar Punggol FC to become Sengkang Punggol FC in 2006. Other S-League clubs’  mascots were made up of dragon, tiger, rhino, eagle and other animals.

Name: Water Wally
Active Years: 2005 to 2009
Mission: To promote conservation of water
Owner: Public Utilities Board (PUB)
Description: Wally’s design was based on a water droplet, and had been used intensively in the promotion of water conservation and usage. It also featured in the production of NEWater in 2007 and appeared in a 9-episode cartoon series on okto channel.

Name: Lyo the Lion Cub & Merly the Merlion
Active Years: 2010
Mission: To promote the Olympic Values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect
Owner: Singapore National Olympic Council
Description: The pair were used for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), first held in Singapore from 14th to 26th August 2010. 3600 athletes between 14 to 18 years old took part in the 12-day international event.

Name: Oscar the Asian Otter
Active Years: 2010 to Present
Mission: To promote food safety
Owner: Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA)
Description: Oscar was chosen as the food safety mascot of AVA because the Asian otter eats many different types of food and it always washes its food before consuming. Oscar’s message to the public is “Together, let’s keep food safe”.

Name: Durian Boy
Active Years: 2010
Mission: The representative of Singapore Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010
Owner: Singapore Tourism Board
Description: Durian Boy was created with a story: He is a five-year-old boy whose parents are well-respected musicians and always bring him to travel around the world. He loves to wear his red clothes with a Merlion image and his durian-shaped cap.

Published: 20 September 2011

Updated: 07 November 2011

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Prominent Singapore Landmarks that should be Conserved

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Below is a list of prominent local landmarks or buildings (not in any order) that had either left deep impressions on many Singaporeans, or occupied special places in our hearts. It is pity that they were gone forever…

National Library

The red-bricked British-styled public library at Stamford Road was a familiar ground for many students and book-lovers for 40 years. Built in 1960 through donation by prominent local businessman and philanthropist Lee Kong Chian (1893 – 1967), National Library succeeded Raffles Library (renamed as Shonan Library during the Japanese Occupation) as Singapore’s main collection centre of valuable books and reading materials.
The library underwent upgrading and renovation in 1997, but just eight years later, the 45-year-old library was torn down despite public dissent. In its place was the construction of Fort Canning Tunnel. The new state-of-the-art new National Library was moved to Victoria Street in 2005, but many still harbour fond memories of the old one.

Marco Polo Hotel

One of the most famous hotels in Singapore in the seventies, Marco Polo Hotel was built in 1968 at Tanglin Road. Originally called Hotel Malaysia, the 10-storey glamorous hotel won several architectural awards and was named one of the top hotels in the world in the eighties.
However, the hotel’s fortune declined rapidly in the nineties, with the Asian Currency crisis of 1997/8 delivered the final blow. It was shut down and demolished in 1999, and a condominium called Grange Residences now stands in its place.

National Theatre

Located at the junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Avenue, the National Theatre, at a cost of $2.2 million, was completed in 1963. The most prominent features of this iconic building were the five diamond facades, which represented the five stars of the national flag, and the front crescent-shaped fountain.
With a capacity of 3420 seats, the National Theatre hosted many concerts and performances in the sixties and seventies until it was demolished in 1986, after it was deemed to be structurally unsafe.

Van Kleef Aquarium

Housing a variety of marine creatures such as sharks, piranhas and eels, Van Kleef Aquarium was built through the donation of local Dutch businessman Karl Willem Benjamin Van Kleef. The air-conditional building, a rarity during that era, was completed in 1955 at Fort Canning Park.
The aquarium’s visitorship peaked in the seventies, but by the mid-eighties, there was an obvious decline in the number of visitors which sealed its fate. With the opening of the Underwater World at Sentosa, Van Kleef Aquarium was closed in 1991 and demolished six years later.

Sentosa Monorail

Built in 1982, the old Sentosa Monorail was a joy of ride for many students during their school excursions, even though it was hot, slow and bumpy. Looping through seven station around the island, the sleepy ride was a stark contrast to the rapid pace on mainland Singapore.
The construction of the 1.6-km monorail system cost $14 million, and after almost thirty years of service, it was clear that it could not catch up with the modernisation of the island and its increasing visitorship. It made way to a new Sentosa Express in 2005.

Tang Dynasty City

Occupying a vast land-size equaled to 18 football fields, and a hefty cost of $100 million, Jurong’s Tang Dynasty City was a replica of Chang-An, the ancient capital of Tang dynasty. Displaying Chinese-styled structures and Terracotta Army-alike warrior statues, the theme park, however, struggled to attract visitors and tourists with its high entrance fees and lacklustre marketing.
The money-losing business also failed in getting a new owner, and like Marco Polo Hotel, the 1997 Asian financial crisis put the last nail in its coffin. It lasted only 7 years, from 1992 to 1999, before being torn down for good by 2009.

New 7th Storey Hotel

It was nine storeys tall, but it was named New 7th Storey Hotel. When it was built by Wee Thiam Siew in 1953, it was the tallest building at Beach Road area. Guests were able to have clear views of the Kallang Basin without any obstruction.
Rated a five-star hotel, it was popular among the British officers and rich overseas businessmen from India and Indonesia. It even had the retro cage lift, one of the few left in Singapore. The hotel, however, saw its decline in the nineties and was restructured to become more of a budget hotel for backpackers.
It was demolished in 2009 to make way for the Downtown Line’s new Bugis MRT Station.

Historical – Dragon’s Teeth Gate

Also known as Longyamen in Chinese and Batu Berlayar in Malaya, the prominent rock outcrops were recorded in books as early as the 14th century. Located at the water passageway to the current Keppel Harbour, the protruding rocks resembled the gigantic teeth of a dragon.
When the British arrived at Singapore, they found the area to be extremely suitable for a harbour with its excellent location and deep water. The rocks, however, proved to be a hindrance to large vessels entering the harbour. Thus it was blown up in 1848 by Straits Settlement Surveyor John Thomson (1821 – 1884).

Historical – Changi Tree

It is said Changi was named after this legendary tree. At about 76m tall, it was used as a prominent landmark in maps as early as 1888. The dark brown timber tree with a round green top, about the height of a typical 20-storey HDB flat, was of the species Sindora Wallichii, named after Danish botanist N. Wallich (1786 – 1854).
The British decided to cut down the tree in 1942 to prevent it from being used as a focal point by the invading Japanese. Using explosives at its base, the giant tree finally collapsed, along with the fall of Singapore, after surviving for hundreds of years on this island.

Published: 06 September 2011

Updated: 25 October 2011

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Taking an Old Bus Ride

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Bus 178 of Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) is the oldest public bus in Singapore, taking the daily route to and fro Woodlands and Boon Lay.

The Nissan U31RCN bus, running on diesel and has a body made by Fuji Heavy Industries, was introduced in 1993. Buses of this model in the fleet have been phased out by 2004, but a few were retained for suburban routes. Bus 178 and 853 are the two survivors, while others are used as training buses.

The Nissan U31RCN bus fleet is formerly owned by Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS), hence they carry TIB as their registration number plates.

The pale yellow interior of the bus gives a nostalgic feeling, as if it is bringing me back to my schooling days. While this Nissan U31RCN bus is originally fitted with aircon, some Nissan U31RCN buses are converted from non-aircon. Their windows are the sliding types with latches, which I remember it took quite an effort to close them whenever it rained.

Nowadays, almost all 4200 public buses (3000 owned by Singapore Bus Service (SBS) and 1200 owned by SMRT) in Singapore are fitted with aircon, thanks to the hot weather. Only about 100 SBS buses are non-aircon, and are all due to retire in 2011.

There are no ergonomically designed seats, and the bell, when pressed, does not give out pleasant music. Instead, what remain are those familiar old fashioned benches with blue or orange cushions. The bells respond with loud buzz sounds.

This used-ticket box is a remnant of those days when commuters were issued a little ticket by a red TransitLink machine after payment upon boarding the bus.

Before EZ-Link, commuters used magnetic TransitLink farecards to access SBS, SMRT and Trans-Island public transport. Below includes some of the common designs as well as a limited edition with the promotion of Vivian Chow’s concert in 1994.

The Nissan U31RCN buses are going to be decommissioned in early 2012, bringing down the curtains of its illustrious 20 years’ history.

Singapore Bus Service (SBS)

Before 1973, bus services in Singapore were largely operated by private companies. The government decided to merge the three largest private bus companies as one to become Singapore Bus Service (SBS), in order to regulate the bus transport system and improve its service standards.

Single deck buses were deployed in the early seventies. These non-aircon buses were short in length and relatively slow. Each bus was operated by a bus driver and a bus conductor.

Commuters paid their fares through bus conductors who would issue bus tickets of different values and punch them with holes to indicate which bus-stop the commuters had boarded.

This TMO (two men operation) system would be replaced by the payment of coins upon boarding in the eighties, when operation of buses gradually became OMO (one man operation). Bus conductors were out of business, who were replaced by bus inspectors for checking tickets in long distance bus routes.

In 1977, SBS launched its first double decker buses with 20 Leyland Atlantean. Then Senior Minister of State Ong Teng Cheong witnessed the historic event with double decker bus 86 making its debut at Tampines Way. However, during the initial weeks, the public had to be convinced that the buses would not topple during turning.

The 12m Volvo B57 was introduced by SBS in the eighties, which it was able to ferry more than 40 seated and 30 standing commuters.

By the early nineties, SBS started to purchase air-conditional buses. Some of their older buses were also refurbished and retrofitted with aircon.

Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS) and Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT)

Following an approval on a duopoly in public transport, Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS) was set up in May of 1982, and was given the right to operate in the northern parts of Singapore such as Yishun, Sembawang and Woodlands.

Their buses were easily recognisable by the orange and yellow horizontal stripes. TIBS became defunct in 2004 after being absorbed by SMRT Corporation.

Today, our bus transport system has progressed with time, adding more advanced features such as hybrid engines, solar panels, accessibility for wheelchairs and electronic displays of destinations and timings.

Also read the Old Bus Interchanges and Terminals in Singapore.

Published: 03 September 2011

Updated: 28 October 2012

Posted in Nostalgic | Tagged , , , , , , | 54 Comments

Best of Singlish Words and Phrases

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Why do our older generations address nurses as “bee see“? Why do we call someone without roles or assignments “lobo“? Find out more…

Arrow

  • Original Meaning: A type of shooting weapon (English)
  • Local Meaning: To order someone to do a task

A term probably first used in the military, it is now frequently used in local context to mean an order being directed at someone, like an arrow, to carry out a task, usually against his wishes.

Bao Toh

  • Original Meaning: Bun knife (Hokkien)
  • Alternate Meaning: To tattle

The phrase also refers to sabotage, to betray secrets or “tell” on others. The long bun knife is possibly used to describe the backstabbing.

Bee See

  • Original Meaning: Young ladies (Missy, English)
  • Local Meaning: Nurses

During the colonial days, young ladies were referred as Missy by the British, probably derived from “Miss”.

This applied to the young nurses working in hospitals, where the doctors would address them politely as “Missy” and the local patients, particularly the Malays, would pick it up and call them “Misi” as well.

The local Chinese, speaking mostly in dialects during that era, might have pronounced it in the Hokkien dialect and called the nurses, young or old, as “bisi” (pronounced “bee see“).

Catch No Ball

  • Original Meaning: Nil
  • Local Meaning: Don’t understand

Singaporeans like to use the phrase “catch no ball” or liak bo kiu (Hokkien) as a way to express his lack of understanding of certain topic.

It is another way of saying: The ball is in my court, but I fail to catch it (It has been explained to me, but I fail to understand it).

Calefare

  • Original Meaning: Free from anxiety or responsibility (carefree, English)
  • Local Meaning: Bit actors/Extras

Referring to bit actors and actresses, this unique local phrase is borrowed from Cantonese term of 咖喱啡, which is possibly derived from English word “carefree”, since these supporting roles in a film have few lines or little responsibilities.

The other meaning could be because these bit actors and actresses are usually provided with meals (curry rice and coffee), hence the Cantonese term.

Chop-chop

  • Original Meaning: Hurry up (English)
  • Local Meaning: Same as original meaning

Influenced by British seamen, who used “chop” or “chop-up” as a way of saying “hurried” or “quick”, the Cantonese also termed “chop-chop” as hurry up. The term appeared as early as 1834 in English newspaper articles in Canton.

When the westerners visited China in the 17th century, they were amazed by the nimbleness of chopsticks, thus they named them as “quick-sticks” which in turn became “chopsticks”.

The local usage of “chop-chop” goes one step further to become “chop-chop kali pok”, where kali pok is curry puff and has nothing to do with “hurry up” except that the rhymes make the whole phrase sounds phonetically, just like song-song gao Jurong (“happy-happy” “arrive at Jurong”) or ya-ya papaya (“arrogant”).

Claypot

  • Original Meaning: Earthenware pot used for cooking (English)
  • Alternate Meaning: Total loss

While many Singaporeans love claypot rice, the word claypot is intensively borrowed by football punters as a term for “losing everything”. It is viewed as a direct opposite of “jackpot”, or “winning all”.

The logical explanation, other than both words rhyme with each other, is that a claypot breaks into pieces easily and when that happens, it represents a total loss.

Di Gu

  • Original Meaning: Earthquake (Chinese)
  • Local Meaning: NEA inspector

At the peak of street-hawkers’ peddling in Singapore during the sixties to seventies, the hygiene was the biggest concern for the NEA (National Environment Agency). NEA inspectors would go around the streets to catch unlicensed hawkers, who would be fined or had their pushcarts confiscated.

Such chases after the guilty hawkers usually resulted in chaos with toppled pushcarts and knocked-down passers-by. The scenario was like a rumbling earthquake, thus the inspectors were called di gu in Hokkien (地牛 is an ancient Chinese name for earthquake).

The sights of several chasing inspectors were also likened to that of some uncontrolled wild bulls.

Eat Snake

  • Original Meaning: Skiving (jiak zua, Hokkien)
  • Alternate Meaning: Same as original meaning

Snake is viewed as a lazy animal by the Chinese, hence jiak zua or “eat snake” refers to the act of skiving.

Go Stun

  • Original Meaning: Reversing of a boat (go astern, English)
  • Local Meaning: Reversing of any vehicles

Go stun is a corrupted version of the English phrase “go astern” which means to move a boat backwards from the currents or winds.

The local borrowed it and described it to the reversing of any vehicles on the road.

The phrase might have evolved from “go astern” to “go stern” and finally “go stun”.

Goondu

  • Original Meaning: Marble, nut (gundu in Malay)/Fat, ball, bomb (kuntu in Tamil)
  • Local Meaning: Idiotic

“Goondu” is a Singlish word, derived either from Malay or Tamil to express something that is hard and heavy, which indirectly suggests a stupid person.

Goondu and guru, which sound alike, are regularly used in Singapore in referring to an idiot and expert.

Jia Lat

  • Original Meaning: Energy/Strength wasting (“eat strength” in Hokkien)
  • Local Meaning: In trouble

Originally meant to describe a job or task that consumes a lot of energy or strength, but over the time, it has evolved to mean “in trouble” or simply “oh no!”

Kaki

  • Original Meaning: Leg (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Buddy

Since “leg” in Chinese (脚) has the same pronunciation as 角 (角色, character), the local Chinese borrowed the Malay word to describe partner, buddy or close friend, such as mahjong kaki or lunch kaki.

Kantang

  • Original Meaning: Potato (kentang, Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Westernised Singaporeans

The term “kantang” is used to mock westernised Singaporeans who converses only in English and cannot speak their mother tongues properly.

It is probably derived from the view that potato is a staple food for westerners. Rice, on the other hand, is a staple food for East and Southeast Asians.

However, the actual Malay word for potato is kentang, and “kantang” is instead adopted by most local Chinese, probably due to mispronunciation.

Karung Guni

  • Original Meaning: Gunny Sack (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Rag and bone man

In the old days, the rag and bone man used gunny sacks to collect the used newspapers. Since they rarely use gunny sacks nowadays, the term karung guni is used to describe the rag and bone men instead.

Karung guni men, each equipped with a horn and cart, are familiar sights in old Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, going from floors to floors in the flats and shouting “garung guni, buay bor zua gu sa kor, ley lio dian si kee” (rag and bone, buy newspapers and old clothes, radios and televisions).

The residents will receive small amounts of payment in return of their unwanted old items.

Kayu

  • Original Meaning: Wood (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Blockhead/Buck up

Visit any football matches in Singapore and Malaysia and you’ll like hear some fans screaming “referee kayu!”. Kayu is a Malay word for “wood”, and fans like to criticise the referee as a wooden blockhead whenever he makes a controversial decision.

Jalan Kayu, which literally means wooden road, has a Chinese translation of 惹兰加由(油), which 加油 itself means “to buck up”, so “referee kayu” can also mean asking the pressurised referee to buck up.

Kelong

  • Original Meaning: Offshore platform for fishing (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Match-fixing

Fans in football-crazed countries of Singapore and Malaysia will often describe matches with dubious results as kelong. The term kelong is a Malay word which refers to a wooden offshore platform used by fishermen.

Knowing very well that fish will escape in faulty nets, the fishermen will carefully mend their nets before casting into the sea. Likewise, a bribed football player will attempt to throw the match away, and thus “kelong” is used locally to describe the guilty player or the dubious match.

Kiwi

  • Original Meaning: New Zealand wingless bird (English)
  • Local Meaning: To polish

Every National Service (NS) personnel will not be unfamiliar with the round polish container he receives in military training. Filled with black boot polish, the black container is easily recognised by a kiwi on its cover.

The trademark brand, established in 1906 by Scottish-Australian manufacturer William Ramsay, has since become the global brand in shoe polish.

Therefore, the term “Kiwi” is used locally as a substitute for polish.

Lobang

  • Original Meaning: Hole (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Opportunity

Originally the Malay word for hole, it is borrowed by the local Chinese to refer to an opportunity, usually in businesses or deals. It has been used so intensively that a person with many sources of business opportunities is called a lobang king.

“Kang tow” in Hokkien (工头) is similar to lobang. It refers to the supervisors working at the harbours or construction sites, where the Chinese labourers would ask him for jobs.

Lobo

  • Original Meaning: Left Out of Battle Order (English)
  • Alternate Meaning: Soldier without assignment/Lazy person

The term “lobo” is originated from the military, which stands for “left out of battle order”. It is likely to be derived from LOB, a concept in World War I, which referred to “left out of battle”. In order to prevent a complete wipeout by the enemies, the second-in-command and several officers and men were left behind as LOB.

However, the term is now a derogatory term to describe soldiers without posts or assignments, or simply, a lazy person.

Masak-masak

  • Original Meaning: Cooking (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Playing toys

Little girls love to pretend to cook with toys utensils, but over the time, “masak-masak” is generally used to describe children playing with their toys.

It can also be used as a reference to describe a serious matter, as in this is not “masak-masak” (this is not a play thing or this is no laughing matter).

Merlion

  • Original Meaning: Half-lion, half-fish mascot of Singapore
  • Alternate Meaning: Vomiting

Popularised in recent years, this word is now used to describe the vomiting of a drunk person, where his throwing up is similar to that of the water spouting by the actual Merlion at the Singapore River.

On The Ball

  • Original Meaning: Alert (English)
  • Local Meaning: Hardworking, enthusiastic

The phrase “on the ball” originated from baseball which it became popular in the 19th century. The batter has to be alert and keep his eyes on the ball in order to complete a successful strike.

The phrase is now used locally to describe a hardworking or even an over enthusiastic person, especially during the military training. “On” is also the short form for “on the ball”.

Or Bi

  • Original Meaning: Nil
  • Local Meaning: Deserving (in a mocking way)

“Or bi” is the short form for “or bi good”, which means very good in a sarcastic manner.

It is extracted from an old local nursery rhyme “or bi good, ang moh jiak choo loot”, where ang moh refers to a Caucasian, jiak is eat or chew and choo loot is cheroot or cigar. It is used to gloat at someone’s misfortune. Again, the “ang moh jiak choo loot” has no particular meaning except that “loot” rhymes with “good”.

Pakat

  • Original Meaning: Discussion (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Conspire

It means discussion or an agreement of a plan in Malay, but in Singlish, it is used to describe a conspiracy or a plot, in a more negative aspect.

Pang Buay Ki

  • Original Meaning: Being stood up (Hong Kong)
  • Local Meaning: Same as original meaning

This phrase (放飞机 in Chinese) is similar to 放鸽子, where the former literally means “put aeroplane” while the latter means “put pigeon”. Both refer as being stood up in an appointment or date.

“Put aeroplane” origins from Hong Kong during its first ever airplane show. The angry audience was disappointed after the event was postponed for three days, hence the phrase of being stood up.

As for “put pigeon”, it was a scam that was popular in old Shanghai, where female scammers would seduce their victims and got away with their valuables and belongings.

Pok Gai

  • Original Meaning: Go to hell (Hong Kong)
  • Local Meaning: Bankrupt

“Pok gai” is a curse used frequently during quarrels in Hong Kong. The Chinese translation 仆街 literally means die on the street.

This derogatory term, however, is used commonly in Singapore by hardcore gamblers as an indication that he has lost a lot of money.

Orh… Han Tze

  • Original Meaning: Nil
  • Local Meaning: Mocking at someone who doesn’t understand

“Han tze”, which means sweet potato in Hokkien, is used to mock at a person who doesn’t understand a topic but pretends to understand. When he goes “orh…”, the one mocking at him will reply “orh… han tze”.

“Orh” sounds like yam in Hokkien, hence sweet potato is used as a counter-argument.

Remisier

  • Original Meaning: Intermediary (French)
  • Local Meaning: Stockbroker

Although the origin of the word is French, and features in the historical Paris stock exchange, the common usage of this word now only restricts in the Singapore and Kuala Lumpur stock exchanges.

It first appeared in the rubber and tin trading sectors in Malaya during the colonial days.

Sabo

  • Original Meaning: Sabotage (English)
  • Local Meaning: Same as original meaning

This English word originates from the French word sabot in the 19th century, which means poor quality work from an unskillful worker.

In Singlish, it is shortened to “sabo”, which can be used in playing a practical joke on others, deliberate harm and damage or intentional obstruction. It is frequently used in the military, and the one who likes to “sabo” is called the “sabo king”.

Shag or Shack

  • Original Meaning: Sexual intercourse (English)
  • Local Meaning: Tired

“Shag” is considered an offensive slang for sexual intercourse in British context, whereas in Singapore the word is being used without containing any sexual meaning. Many, especially military personnel, like to use “shag” or “shagged out” to express extreme fatigue.

Shiok

  • Original Meaning: Great (shauk, Punjabi)
  • Local Meaning: Pleasure

It is one of the most-used local phrases, which can be used to describe anything that provides extreme pleasure, especially food.

Sekali

  • Original Meaning: Once (Malay)
  • Alternate Meaning: Suddenly and unexpectedly

One of the favourite phrases used by Singaporeans, it is used to describe something that may happen unexpectedly. The term is often accompanied with a word of caution.

Taiko

  • Original Meaning: Leper (Hokkien)
  • Alternate Meaning: Lucky

“Taiko” is a Hokkien term to describe the condition of a person with leprosy. As medical advances, the chances of contracting the disease is lower, thus anyone who suffers from it is deemed extremely unlucky.

Hence, “taiko” in modern context is a sarcastic way of saying that a person is very lucky.

Talk Cock

  • Original Meaning: Fanciful story (a cock and bull story, English)
  • Local Meaning: Talk nonsense, rubbish

“A cock and bull story” was first used in England in the 18th century to describe fanciful stories told in the rivaling coaching inns The Cock and The Bull.

Locally, it means talking nonsense. A longer version “talk cock sing song” refers to get together for a casual chat.

Wah Kao

  • Original Meaning: My goodness (Hong Kong)
  • Local Meaning: Same as original meaning

Popularised in the mid-nineties by Stephen Chow’s comedies, this term (我靠 in Chinese translation) describes displeasure, surprise or heck care.

In local context, it is the same as “walau” or “wah piang”.

Wayang

  • Original Meaning: Theatre, Performance (Javanese)
  • Local Meaning: To pretend in front of others

Although the word originally means Indonesian shadow puppet performance, it is also being used to refer to local Chinese opera performance on stage.

In Singlish, “wayang” has a negative aspect, referring to a person who pretends to be hardworking, or a nice guy, in front of others.

Below is a list of the most common Singlish words and phrases that are influenced by Malay, Hokkien and Cantonese. Words with sexual, racist and vulgar meanings are not included from the list. Local food and beverages, and names of local places are also excluded.

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Published: 21 August 2011

Updated: 12 September 2016

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From Black & White to Colour…

Posted on August 13, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Just like radio, television broadcasting has come a long way in Singapore. There were plans to develop it as early as 1956, but they did not materialised until six years later.

It officially began in 1963 when Television Singapura was set up to offer an English-Malay Channel 5 and a Mandarin-Tamil Channel 8. A year later, advertisements were first telecast between programs as one of the alternate income sources for the subsidised station.

In 1965, the year of Singapore’s independence, the television station was able to screen the most defining moment of our nation as Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman announced the separation of Singapore and Malaysia.

Thousands in Singapore cramped into various community centres to watch former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on the national TV as he famously said with tears, “For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in merger and unity of the two territories.“

The new independent government of Singapore took control of both Television Singapura and Radio Singapura and combined them as Radio Television Singapura (RTS). A new station was built at Caldecott Hill at a cost of $3.6 million in 1966, and it has been the center of local media industry till today.

Another milestone was reached in 1974 when RTS started screening coloured telecasts; the 1974 World Cup Finals shown in live had attracted overwhelming responses.

In order to grant RTS with great autonomy so it could expand its operation and improve its efficiency, the parliament passed a bill to turn RTS into a statutory board. Hence, in 1980, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) was born.

Several interesting children series were introduced in 1982 but the most memorable one was perhaps Little DD (小DD) which told a story of a robot and its friendship with six children.

Moving ahead, the eighties represented the golden era of local Chinese dramas. The first drama, Seletar Robbery (实里达大劫案) of 1982, was made up of only one episode. The 6-episode Army Series (新兵小传), launched in early 1983, left a deep impression to the local audience with its interesting plot about the National Service (NS) life. The Flying Fish (小飞鱼) was introduced in August in conjunction with the National Day in 1983.

The Awakening (雾锁南洋) of 1984 was truly Singapore’s first local blockbuster drama. The storyline, which described the life of early Chinese immigrants, the resistance against Japanese Occupation and the difficulties of an independent Singapore, captured the imagination of countless Singaporean fans in front of their TVs. The drama and its sequels, as well as the soundtracks, became instant hits.

By the mid-to-late eighties, SBC was producing popular dramas with strong local flavours, such as Son of Pulau Tekong (亚答籽), The Coffee Shop (咖啡乌), Samsui Women (红头巾), Five Foot Way (五脚基), Teahouse in Chinatown (牛车水人家), The Last Applause (舞榭歌台) and Good Morning Sir! (早安老师).

Son of Pulau Tekong was the special one as it recorded the lives of the island’s natives and how they had moved to mainland Singapore before Pulau Tekong was redeveloped as a military base. NS personnel of yesteryears would be familiar with the large transportation ship RPL (Ramp Powered Launch) that appeared in the drama.

The various theme songs were also extremely popular among the local viewers.

Local Chinese dramas reached its peak in the nineties with several blockbusters such as The Unbeatables (双天至尊) in 1993, The Golden Pillow (金枕头) in 1995, Tofu Street (豆腐街) in 1996 and Stepping Out (出路) in 1999. With the influence of foreign dramas from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, the popularity of local dramas experienced a decline in the new millennium. The Little Nyonya (小娘惹) was one of the few recent ones that received rave reviews.

SBC was privatised in 1994 to become Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS). Within three years, between 1994 and 1997, TCS produced as many as 44 telemovies, some of which proved to be quite popular, such as Cupid Love (七月俏佳人) in 1995.

Among those who had watched SBC Channel 8 since its beginning, many would remember the various comedians that had dominated the Mandarin channel. Wang Sha and Ye Feng (王沙, 野峰) were the earliest pair to humour the audience with their dialect jokes. Hua Liang and Zhao Jing (华亮, 兆锦) followed in their footsteps and were the funny faces of the eighties, while Jack Neo and Moses Lim rose and helped sitcoms peak in the nineties.

Variety shows were also hugely popular on Channel 8, enjoying high viewership from Sharp Nite (声宝之夜) (1969-1981), Live from Studio One (缤纷83) (1983–1990), Perfect Match (金童玉女一线牵) (1985–1989), to the recent City Beat (城人新杂志) series.

Chen Shu Cheng (陈澍承), Zhou Ru Zhu (周如珠), Zhang Yong Quan (张永权), Wang Xiang Qing (王相钦) and Huang Yu Ling (黄毓玲) were the some of the most popular variety show hosts from the late eighties to early nineties. Evergreen artiste Chen Shu Cheng has been excelling in both hosting and dramas for decades.

Over at Channel 5, locally-produced English dramas had been lagging behind their Mandarin counterparts. It was not until 1994 before the first English drama, Masters of the Sea, was produced. Triple Nine followed, but it was Growing Up, lasting a total of six seasons from 1996 to 2001, that successfully attracted the most local fans.

Channel 5 was also the prime channel for then free-to-air English Division One and Italian Serie A football, and National Basketball Association (NBA) games. Delighted football and basketball fans were glued to their TVs every week, watching the likes of Ian Rush, Marco Van Basten, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

When SBC began in 1984, it also launched Channel 12 catered for art and cultural program lovers. From the mid-nineties to the new millennium, the channel evolved into Malay channel Suria, Indian channel Vasantham and okto, the channel for global films, wildlife and arts documentaries.

When TCS was restructured to become MediaCorp TV in 2001, the Singapore Press Holdings joined in the media broadcasting industry with two free-to-air channels: Channel U and Channel i. However, the rivalry would last only three years as SPH MediaWorks merged with MediaCorp in 2004, a move that led to the cease of operation in Channel i.

MediaCorp was relocated to its new premises at one-north of Buona Vista in 2017, marking the end of its 50-plus year stay at Caldecott Hill.

Published: 13 August 2011

Updated: 01 January 2019

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Spirit of Radio Remains Strong After 75 Years

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Remember Singapore

This year, Singapore’s leading media company MediaCorp is celebrating 75 years of broadcasting of Radio since 1936 (and subsequently the launch of Television on 15th February 1963).

Radio Singapura, the first radio service in Singapore, was launched on 1st June 1936. During World War II, the service was forced to close down as all radio frequencies were under tight control. Radio broadcasting was resumed after the war and on 9th August 1965, the new independent government of Singapore took over the control of state-owned radio and formed a new body known as Radio Television Singapore (RTS), managing both the radio and television operations.

Another player in broadcasting came into prominence in 1949 when the crystal-clear sound of cable radio Rediffusion, first began in London in the thirties, attracted thousands of subscribers in Singapore. Their air-conditioned building and studio, a rarity during that era, was located at Tank Road and a $5 monthly subscription was offered to the public with programs spoken in English, Malay, six Chinese dialects and some Indian dialects.

Storytelling in Chinese dialects was a hit in the fifties and sixties, with the likes of Lee Dai Sor 李大傻 (Cantonese), Ng Chia Kheng 黄正经 (Teochew) and Ong Toh 王道 (Hokkien) became legendary master storytellers in martial arts, ghosts, mysteries and Chinese classics. By the late seventies, Rediffusion enjoyed more than 90,000 subscribers.

Lee Dai Sor (1913 – 1989) was perhaps the most famous of the trio. His real name was Lee Fook Hong and was born in Telok Blangah in a family of eight siblings. Lee took on various jobs before becoming a storyteller at Radio Television Malaya (RTM) in 1938, and later at Rediffusion. Well-known throughout Singapore and Malaysia, the mid-sixties represented the peak of Lee Dai Sor’s radio career.

The public housing boom in Singapore in the late sixties affected broadcasting as the high-rise flats caused interference on the AM (Amplitude Modulation) radio receptions. Thus in 1967, RTS introduced four FM (Frequency Modulation) radio stations that was able to reach two million citizens in the country.

Rediffusion groomed many local talents in the entertainment industry in the seventies. Two prominent artistes come to mind are Xiang Yun, who had worked at the radio station as a child artiste, and Chinese-Dutch deejay Mark van Cuylenberg (The Flying Dutchman).

With the Speak Mandarin Campaign launched in 1979, all dialect programs on Rediffusion were halted three years later. Also losing share in the Singapore market, Rediffusion went into a spiral of decline and did not recover even till this day.

The Singapore government gave autonomy to broadcasting in 1980 as RTS was reorganised to become a statutory board known as Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). SBC lasted until 1994 when the company was privatised into Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS) and Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS). RCS was then dissolved in 2002 and restructured as MediaCorp Radio.

Today, local free-to-air and cable radio broadcasting faces immerse competition from the expanding influence of internet radios and personal digit music. But the spirit of radio will never be diminished.

Published: 29 July 2011

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Fish Farms at Seletar West Farmways to be Relocated?

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Many local fish hobbyists are familiar with the locations of the clustered fish farms in Singapore, such as Lim Chu Kang, Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Pasir Ris Farmway and Seletar West Farmway.

At Seletar West Farmway 1, 2 and 3, there are as many as 18 fish farms cramped in a small area of 0.15 square km.

Located off Jalan Kayu Road, time seems to slow down in this little rural place, where its appearance changes little over the past few decades. One can still see old road name signs and old lamp posts with cables hanging between them.

The old road name sign even has a four-digit postal code printed on it. Four-digit postal code began in Singapore in 1979 and lasted until 1995 when they were replaced by the six-digit system. Before 1979, Singapore had 28 postal districts, and each was represented by a single- or double-digit code.

The sight of roosters and hens roaming around freely also gives a peaceful kampong feel to the visitors.

However, there are news that the leases of the fish farms at Seletar West Farmway are due this year and the land they occupied is likely to be taken back by the authority. With the area likely to be redeveloped or used for building dormitories for foreign workers, the owners of the fish farms may have no alternatives but to close down or move to other suitable places in an increasingly land-scarce Singapore. It will be a sad day for aquatic enthusiasts when that time comes.

Just a street away, the compound bounded by Seletar West Farmway 5 to 9 is already occupied by foreign workers’ dormitories, together with a nursery and an old folks’ home. Seletar East Farmway was replaced by the neighbourhood of Fernvale, Sengkang about a decade ago.

Published: 12 July 2011

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10 Most Popular Singapore Urban Legends

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Below are some of the most popular urban legends that charmed Singapore in the past few decades (not in any order).

With the progress of our society and improving level of knowledge, some urban legends died off over the years; a few, however, remains unsolved.

1. Kidnapping of Kids for Bridges

In the late seventies, during the construction of the great Benjamin Sheares Bridge, rumours of children being kidnapped for their heads to be served as the foundation of the bridge spread like wild fire.

The rumours might be due to frequent kidnappings in Singapore in the sixties/seventies, and people did not believe such a huge bridge could be built without any issues. The rumours even went to an extent that a dog-headed kidnapper was roaming in the neighbourhood looking for wandering kids at night.

There was no basis in the rumours but it was enough to stop the parents from allowing their children from going out after dark.

2. Underwater Tunnel to Sentosa

One of the biggest unsolved mysteries of Singapore: Is there a 600m underwater tunnel linking Labrador Park to Fort Siloso of Sentosa?

It is rumoured that when the British built the Labrador Battery in 1939, they also constructed a tunnel for easy access to Fort Siloso. However, the bunkers of Labrador was sealed in the fifties, while the interior of the tunnel has collapsed. The sealed entrance can still be found, but whether it is the door to the tunnel remains to be seen.

3. $1 Bagua & Road Tax Labels

It is said that when Singapore was building the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in the mid-eighties, the then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew consulted the highly respectable Venerable Hong Chuan about the plan. The latter warned that the tunnelings would severely damage the excellent fengshui of the island, and the only solution was to ensure all Singaporeans carry a bagua (octagon diagram) with them.

But this was impossible among the different races and religions, so PM Lee thought of an excellent idea: to design the new $1 coin with the shape of a bagua, so that it would be carried by all Singaporeans.

This urban legend was made believable due to the coincidence of the timings: The new $1 coin was launched in September 1987, just two months before MRT began its first operation. A further addition to the rumour was the road tax label, also in the shape of an octagon, which means every car on the roads of Singapore would be carrying a bagua too.

4. Satay Addiction

Forget about the dirty surroundings and endless touting, the old Satay Club at Esplanade used to offer delicious chicken, mutton and beef satay that lured customers return for more. The club had moved from Hoi How Road (Beach Road) to Esplanade in 1970, and the makan place of about 21 satay stalls was so popular that a rumour, out of nowhere, started to spread around, claiming that the hawkers put something “special” in their satay gravy so that the customers would be addicted. That “special” ingredients were soiled sanitary napkins.

However, after an operation of 25 years till 1995 when it was closed down, no one really found the evidence at the old Satay Club, not even the frequent spot checks conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA). After the closure, the stall owners moved their businesses to Lau Pa Sat, Clarke Quay, Pasir Panjang and Sembawang, and satay remains one of the favourite food for Singaporeans.

5. Hidden Treasure in MacRitchie

During the Japanese Occupation, it was rumoured that the Imperial Japanese Army hid an enormous amount of gold and treasure in the thick jungles of MacRitchie Reservoir. The treasure were looted and transported here from other countries in Southeast Asia, and its hidden location was marked by the Shinto Shrine of Syonan (Japanese name for Singapore, which means The Light of the South).

The Japanese did not move the treasure back to Japan when they retreated at the end of WWII, so that they can reclaim both the island and the treasure in possible future invasions.

The rumours prompted treasure hunting in the reservoir, but they were never found by eager treasure hunters; perhaps it never existed in the first place.

6. Marble-Playing Sounds in Flats

Many Singaporeans living in Housing Development Board (HDB) flats claim that they have somehow heard irritating marble dropping sounds above their units at night. When they try to investigate, it always turns out that their neighbours above have no children, or it is an empty unit, or simply children nowadays do not play marbles anymore.

Many try to come out with “scientific” explanations about this phenomenon; echoing sounds from the pipes, or sounds of expansion/contraction of the steels in the ceilings, but some will rather believe it is a young ghost dropping its marbles around, creating the tok tok tok sounds.

Another sound commonly heard is the dragging of furniture at the unit above.

7. The Sad and Smiley Face of $1 Coin

There are circulating emails that claim our $1 coins minted in 1990 had the Singapore crests’ banners, with the words “Majulah Singapura”, curved downwards, giving an impression of a sad face. Due to the Asian Currency Crisis in 1997, the banners were redesigned to curve upwards after fengshui experts were consulted. In this way, the coins present smiley faces.

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has rebutted this urban legend by stating the crest on newer coins is the actual one. The older ones were minted in that way due to the limitations of minting technology, where the 3D effect of the crest could not be displayed easily. The changes was made in 1992 instead of 1997, when the new minting method was introduced.

8. Restless Spirits of Bishan and Novena

When Bishan MRT Station was opened in November 1987, haunted stories were rife due to the underground station being built at a former cemetery called Pek San Teng. Sightings of headless figures and phantom passengers were reported, although none were confirmed. There were also rumours that some maintenance personnel, while doing their duties in the tunnels at night, were terrified by ghastly images of coffin bearers on the tracks.

Novena MRT Station, opened a month later than Bishan, also experienced the same rumours as it was also built at a former graveyard.

Today, the trains get so crowded that probably even the ghosts don’t feel like squeezing with the passengers.

9. Pointing Finger at the Moon

The older generations used to warn children not to point finger at the moon, or else their ears would be cut off. Offering little explanation, most obedient children heeded the advice anyway, whereas a few naughty ones still had their ears intact despite disobeying their mothers.

This urban legend somehow died off in the early nineties.

There is, however, a Buddhist teaching about pointing finger to the moon, where the moon is the truth and the finger represents words. Words and language are symbols that express the truth, just like the finger that points to the moon is not the moon itself.

10. Haunted Teletubby Dolls

The cute-but-weird-looking humanoid beings, created by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the late nineties, gained widespread popularity in the world, including Singapore. The talking dolls were snapped up like hot cakes, especially among the local students.

However, stories about how the teletubby dolls started to speak in the middle of the night soon emerged from nowhere; others claimed the dolls were satanic, evil and possessed.

The rumours ended after just a couple of years when the dolls were no longer popular.

Published: 05 July 2011

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A Forgotten Past – Vietnamese Boat People in Singapore

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Remember Singapore

Not many Singaporeans remember this history, but there was a Vietnamese refugee camp that had existed for almost two decades at 25 Hawkins Road of Sembawang .

In 1975, North Vietnam invaded the south and captured Saigon, reuniting the country under communist rule. It spelt the end of the Vietnam War, but it also caused hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese fleeing their homeland as refugees; many of them ventured desperately southwards by sea to other Southeast Asian countries.

vietnamese-refugees-1982

Being a small nation with limited space, Singapore had to restrict the inflow of the refugees. There were also fears that some of the hardline Vietnamese communists could disguise as refugees and entered Singapore illegally.

Hence, Singapore was the first country to stop the boat people from landing on its shores and coastlines, instead providing the refugees with food, water and fuel before turning them away. Dubbed the Operation Thunderstorm, the Singapore Army and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) worked together to carry out the mission.

Other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia soon followed suit. Many refugee boats were refused entry and were dragged out into the open sea, leading to the capsizing of the boats. Thousands perished, consumed by the huge waves. The remaining were either starved to death or attacked by pirates.

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Between 1975 and 1979, nearly 5000 Vietnamese refugees landed in Singapore through commercial ships that had picked them up in the open seas. In 1978, using the site of a former British army barrack at Sembawang’s Hawkins Road, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) established a Vietnamese Refugee Camp to accommodate the refugees.

The camp occupied a small area of only 0.055 km2 (5.5 hectare), but there was a dozen old houses in which the refugees could share and sleep in. The UNHCR also provided the refugees a daily allowance of $2.50 for purchase of food and other items. Many refugees had relatively short stays at the Hawkins Camp. The camp usually did not house more than 150 refugees as the refugees were quickly sent to other countries that accepted them. The population, however, did balloon to a thousand people in some cases.

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vietnamese-refugee-camp-hawkins-road2

Hawkins Road Camp was considered one of the better and more humane refugee camps in the region, where horrific stories about the treatment of the Vietnamese refugees, such as tortures, rapes and murders, in camps of other Southeast Asian countries were not unheard of.

By the end of June 1996, the Hawkins Road Camp was officially closed after seeing its last batch of about 100 boat people, living here since 1990, voluntarily repatriated to a more politically-stable Vietnam. Between 1978 and 1996, a total of 32,457 Vietnamese refugees had stayed at the Hawkins Road Camp. Most of them had since move on to become citizens in Europe, Australia and the United States.

Published: 01 July 2011

Updated: 25 January 2022

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