Change Agent

@HEART
SINGAPORE
Conversation with a
Change Agent
INSIDE PAGES:
50 Cheers for
50 Years
Future Perfect
ISSUE 1 • 2015
1
2
Welcome Note
CONTENTS
As Singapore celebrates its 50th
birthday this year, it’s fitting to reflect
on what makes us a nation and what
unites us as a people. A nation’s identity
is very much rooted in the hearts
and minds of its people — and this is
certainly true of multicultural Singapore.
03. URBAN EXPLORER
The Kopitiam
In this issue, we attempt to show the
intangibles — achievements, hopes,
dreams, values, challenges, shared
passions — the building blocks, as it
were, that became the cornerstones
of our society.
We pride ourselves for our sense
of community, on being rooted in
this tiny island we call home. Hence,
we champion the ways in which we
connect with each other, whether it’s
experiencing and sharing our public
spaces (Your Space, My Space, p35),
through our culinary history (The
Original Foodies, p39) or even just
catching up over a cup of local kopi
and toast at the neighbourhood
kopitiam (The Kopitiam, p3).
But more than the shared spaces
and experiences, we forge hopes
and dreams as individuals and as a
people (Future Perfect, p10). As a
society of people from different races
and religions, we value our sense of
unity and harmony, while cherishing
our individualism. It’s everyone’s
responsibility to maintain this balance
and cohesion — heartening notes from
our youngsters (All for One, One for
All, p15).
A nation’s greatest resource is its
people, something that Tong Yee of
The Thought Collective knows only too
well. In this issue, this man on a mission
talks about strengthening the social and
February 2015
05. GLOBAL CITY LIFE
Safety First
The Building
Blocks of Life
emotional capacity of Singaporeans,
which he believes will create a more
resilient society (Conversation with a
Change Agent, p23).
In commemoration of Total Defence
Day on 15 February, we also explore
Singapore’s reputation as one of the
safest countries in the world (Safety
First, p5). This date marks the fall of
Singapore to the Japanese Army during
World War II. We have come a long way
since then. Now, Singapore has one
of the most well-equipped and besttrained armed forces in the world. We
take a look at how this was achieved and
how we keep Singapore safe from within
as well, by involving the community
in civil defence and by being on top
of technological innovations (Wired
and Ready, p19) that make living here
comfortable and convenient.
10. KOPITALK
Future Perfect
15. YOUTHSPEAK
All for One, One for All
It’s Singapore’s 50th birthday this year.
Singapore has done much in its short
history. In 50 Cheers for 50 Years (p29),
we list some of the things that we have
achieved and celebrated as a nation.
19. URBAN LIVING
Wired and Ready
Here’s to the next 50 years!
29. FLASHBACK/
FASTFORWARD
50 Cheers for 50 Years
23. COVER PROFILE
Conversation with a Change Agent
– The Singapore Global Network
PHOTO CREDITS: boiDukot; Civil Aviation Authority of
Singapore Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of
Singapore; Charlie Kwan; chooyutshing; DanielFoodDiary.
com; deslee74; Infocomm Development Authority of
Singapore; Home Team News; jackichen; Jon Siegel;
Khube; Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection,
Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore; MINDEF;
National Environment Agency of Singapore; onepeople.
sg; photodokyumentaryo; Razor512; Singapore Tourism
Board; Sun Guangwei; stefan aigner; Tan Shi Min; Urban
Redevelopment Authority; wikimedia commons (ASEAN
flag on pg 29); Yip Pin Xiu; zephyrous
35. HIDDEN GEMS
Your Space, My Space
39. FOODIE PARADISE
The Original Foodies
Singapore@Heart
3
4
Urban Explorer
The Kopitiam
Where do Singaporeans young
and old gather to eat, drink,
chat and exchange news? Then
as now, Singaporeans gather at
the ubiquitous kopitiam.
Q
uintessentially Singaporean even
in its name, the kopitiam, which
is an amalgamation of the Malay
and Hokkien words for coffee and
shop respectively, was the centre of
social life back in the day. The café of
yesteryear, these simple coffee shops
were where people would stop to
have a quick bite and their favourite
beverage, or just relax and enjoy the
hustle and bustle of life happening
around them with a cuppa.
Today, despite the proliferation of
other gathering places, the kopitiam
remains relevant to Singaporeans.
It’s the place in your neighbourhood
to go for local coffee and toast, or
a takeaway lunch or dinner. Even as
older kopitiams get a makeover and
become modernised eateries, with
new amenities and updated food
offerings to cater to today’s clientele,
one can still see a vestige of days past
in the old folks who can be found chitchatting at any local kopitiam.
February 2015
(Clockwise from top) Coffeeshops
are still favourite hangouts, to
read the papers, exchange news or
have a meal
(Bottom two photos)
The past is present in
coffeeshops like Heap
Seng Leong where
kopi gu you (coffee
with melted butter) is
still served by owner
Shi Pong Hsu, 74
Singapore@Heart
5
6
Global City Life
to national defence by serving in the
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the
Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
As a measure to future-proof the country’s
defence initiatives, the Committee to
Strengthen NS (CSNS) was set up in
March 2013 to find ways to improve the
NS system. Following conversations with
more than 40,000 Singaporeans on the
topic, a key recommendation by the CSNS
resulted in the formation of
the SAF Volunteer Corps (SAFVC),
which commenced recruitment from
October 2014. The scheme allows more
Singaporeans and PRs — such
as female Singaporeans, first-generation
PRs and new citizens — an opportunity
to contribute towards Singapore’s
national defence.
Safety First
Despite its small size, Singapore is big on national security,
having one of the best trained and most well equipped armed
forces in the world. Let’s take a look at how this tiny island
transformed into a force to reckon with.
Cultivating Positive Multilateral
Relations
– Wong Casandra
Maintaining peace and security in a
country is no easy feat, especially for
Singapore, a small country situated
in a region of fervent trade activity
and geopolitical tensions, where it is a
necessity to stay vigilant in the dynamic
and fluid social-political environment.
Starting
’em young:
A young
Singaporean
tries on a
soldier’s
helmet
during Total
Defence Day
celebrations
February 2015
Readying Its People
Given its small population, military
readiness is achieved through the
implementation of a mandatory twoyear National Service (NS). During this
period, young men who are Singapore
citizens and second-generation
Permanent Residents (PR) contribute
Working closely with ASEAN countries
through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’
Meeting (ADMM) since 2006, Singapore
aims to foster regional cooperation
through the sharing of experiences
and collaborative training exercises.
As a major arm for strengthening
defence diplomacy, the SAF often
partakes in joint overseas exercises
as well as regional and international
humanitarian assistance disaster relief
missions. The SCDF also maintains a
76-member contingent codenamed
Operation Lionheart, a unit trained and
tasked to facilitate search and rescue
operations for overseas humanitarian
missions. (This is different from the
Civil Defence (CD) Lionhearters, which
is a co-curricular group for postsecondary students to be more involved
in civil defence. For more on the CD
Lionhearters, please turn to All for One,
Singapore@Heart
7
8
Global City Life
A police officer
demonstrates
safe gun
handling at a
community event
(PHOTO: Heather
Leong)
The SCDF
conducts
exercises to
prepare the
community for
emergencies
(PHOTO: Fong
Chui Choo)
Upholding Law and Order
Maintaining Singapore’s reputation as
one of the safest countries in the world
is, however, not just the job of the SPF.
Introduced in 1981, the Neighbourhood
Watch Scheme encourages every
Singaporean to play an integral part in
keeping their community safe, simply
by keeping an eye out for suspicious
characters and activities.
February 2015
Nationwide initiatives such as the
Community Engagement Programme
(CEP) also ensure that Singaporeans
stay vigilant and united as one, even
in a crisis. The CEP’s core function is
to strengthen inter-communal bonds
Singaporeans share their personal NS experiences.
— Satish Kumar, 25, Student
Equipping and Protecting the
Community
Keeping the community well prepared
for emergencies is equally important.
Mainly tasked to provide fire fighting,
rescue and emergency medical
services, as well as tackle issues
regarding fire safety and civil defence
shelter matters, the SCDF plays a major
role in ensuring Singapore’s readiness
and preparedness in handling any crisis.
The responsibility of preparing the local
community for national emergencies
also falls squarely on the SCDF’s
shoulders. This includes providing the
between citizens from various religious
and racial communities. As such, it is
tasked with preparing and activating
response plans to ease potential
tensions that might surface in the
aftermath of an undesirable incident,
such as a terrorist attack. (For more on
the CEP and our youngsters’ views on
social harmony, please turn to All for
One, One for All, p15.)
PROTECTING THE NATION
“Going from free and easy
civilian life to regimental
NS life took some getting
used to. But it has made
me more mature in my
way of living and conduct.
It has also allowed me to
meet people from different
walks of life and to learn how
to effectively communicate with and
understand them. Take an exchange
trip to Thailand for example; despite
the obvious language barrier, I had an
enjoyable time working alongside the
Thai soldiers.”
One for All, p15) For a small country in
the international arena, the cultivation of
positive multilateral relations is one way
to safeguard the interest of its people.
To uphold security and safety in
Singapore at all times, it is imperative to
maintain a competent taskforce to deal
with crime and criminal activities within
our borders. The SPF, the nation’s oldest
government organisation, was founded
in 1819 for this very purpose — to protect
citizens from crime and criminal harm.
From its early beginnings as a small
15-man unit, it has since grown into a
well-equipped body of professionals
comprising 13 staff departments, three
specialist staff departments, and 14
specialist and line units.
masses with educational programmes
on first aid, resource management and
basic emergency measures.
“NS has definitely honed both
my mental and physical
faculties as training
activities often require
military personnel to
remain awake for long
periods of time or keep
erratic hours. You have to
stay alert, while listening to
and carrying out orders with equipment
weighing you down. The various military
exercises have also given me an insight
into the realities of war and violence
in troubled regions in the world. Now,
after serving NS, I no longer wonder why
Singapore, with its decades of peace,
mandates military service for male
citizens; I have realised that Singapore
is very lucky to be located in a region of
relative stability.”
— Jonathan Chou, 28, Sports Editor
“During my time back in
the early 1990s, it was
mandatory to serve two
and a half years of NS.
While I personally feel
that it was physically
tougher and less lenient
back then as compared to
now, there were similarities
as well. For instance, new recruits
are still at the bottom of the regimental
food chain: You must follow your platoon
sergeant’s orders absolutely and properly.
Even after so many years, I vividly recall a
particular 20km road march under the hot
sun with my full backpack on, an exercise
that was part of my first three months of
Basic Military Training in [Pulau] Tekong.
As a young recruit not quite fully exposed
to the physical demands of army life, it was
a harrowing yet memorable experience.”
— Sam Tan, 44, Solution Engagement
Manager
Singapore@Heart
9
10
Global City Life
FIVE PILLARS OF TOTAL DEFENCE
Every Singaporean has a role to play in ensuring security and stability
in Singapore. This responsibility is part and parcel of Total Defence, our
nation’s multi-pronged approach to overcoming threats and challenges
via five key aspects — military, civil, economic, social and psychological
defence. Here’s a broad overview.
The SAF, which includes
the Army, the Navy and
the Air Force, forms
Singapore’s Military
Defence. Strong
emphasis is placed on
being operationally ready
at all times, so as to be well
prepared for any military
operations.
It also involves building
a workforce that is
productive, resilient
and well-equipped to
stay competitive in
today’s economy.
Civil Defence pertains to
preparing every civilian with
the necessary know-how in
dealing with nationwide
emergencies. The SCDF
fronts this aspect of Total
Defence and regularly trains
civilian volunteers.
Social Defence is
defined as keeping
social stability through
respecting and accepting
diversity, regardless of
race and religion. Living
in harmony is especially
crucial in Singapore’s
multi-faceted society
and also contributes to a
healthy climate for further
economic growth.
Economic Defence is
about sustaining the
economy and cultivating
measures to see the country
through tough times.
Having the Government,
employers and trade
unions work together to
provide a solid economic
infrastructure plays a
huge role in this aspect.
Psychological
Defence refers to
having the willpower and
resilience to overcome
any crisis together. United
in the resolve to defend
and protect the country is
key to ensuring a secure
future for Singapore,
even in the face of
unexpected threats.
Do you know that Total Defence Day falls on 15 February every year? It marks the day
Singapore fell to the invading Japanese army during the Second World War. Listen for
the “Important Message” signal at 6.20 pm on Total Defence Day, sounded by the SCDF
through the island-wide Public Warning System (PWS) sirens. Local radio stations will also
simultaneously sound the signal and detail the appropriate measures corresponding to the
three different types of PWS signals.
February 2015
Kopi Talk
Future
Perfect
With Singapore fast approaching its
50th birthday and rapidly growing
as a nation, there’s no better time
than now for Singaporeans to reflect
upon the past and contemplate the
country’s future. What’s in store for
the tiny red dot with big ambitions,
in the years to come?
– Wong Casandra
Singapore has undoubtedly come
a long way since its independence
in 1965. From a developing nation
struggling to survive on its own,
the fishing village-turned-free
entrepôt has since evolved into
an internationally renowned and
prosperous garden city-state with
the latest in amenities.
Now at 50, Singapore has reached a
significant milestone in its history, and
faces an important question: What’s in
store for the near future, one that would
be shaped by the millennials — those
born between 1981 and 1995? We ask
young Singaporean professionals in their
respective fields to share with us their
stories of today and visions for tomorrow.
Singapore@Heart
11
12
Kopi Talk
“The F&B industry in Singapore has
been facing several challenges recently,
primarily in terms of manpower issues,
rising rental charges and food costs.
However, despite these pressing problems,
the local F&B scene is heading out to
be one of the better ones in the region,
especially when we compare it to 10 years
ago. As a professional in this industry, I can
confidently say that we are on par with the
more popular food cities in Asia — such as
Hong Kong and Bangkok — especially in
terms of having big-name restaurants and
unique local street food.
“Government policies and execution
by the teachers have a positive
impact on the education scene
in Singapore. In my opinion, what
remains to be changed would be
the mindsets of both parents and
students — the education landscape
is changing with the times, including
what it means to receive formal
education. They should not expect
rote learning, drills or formulae
for success; rather, students must
be proactive in their learning, and
parents must cultivate critical
thinking in their children and equip
them with a desire to learn.
At our patisserie Pantler, we try to set the
example by constantly experimenting
and featuring distinctive products you
will never find anywhere else. By striving
to improve local standards, we hope to
expand Singapore’s F&B scene in the
years to come — one baby step at a time.”
— MATTHIAS PHUA, 29, Owner, Pantler
“Technology has allowed
Singapore to provide quality
media content for multiple
international platforms in recent
years. As the industry continues
to practise greater relaxation and
flexibility in broadcasting, I am
certain we will be able to
provide even more insightful
programmes covering a greater
variety of issues.
Shalini coaches a youngster
through his lines before
filming a scene
February 2015
As an educator, I am eager to
impart my vision to my colleagues
by creating policies and planning
curriculum materials that are forward
thinking. I hope to achieve this all
while keeping sight of what education
personally means to me: To ignite
a desire to learn and grow; to help
students see that they can find their
passion and excel in life, whatever
one’s definition of success may be.”
— ESTHER VINCENT, 28, Education Officer
“Singapore has attracted many experts
from all around the world to help grow
different industries in specialised fields,
such as biotechnology and engineering.
With Singaporeans gaining expertise
and skills from them, we will soon have
more of our own local experts available
to spearhead these different businesses.
In particular for the R&D sector, I’m
hopeful of the myriad opportunities to
nurture the next generation and help
the industry grow.
My core ambition is to push the
envelope in the local media scene
so that my colleagues and I can
provide fellow Singaporeans
with better programmes on local
channels. Hopefully, in time to
come, local media companies
will have a bigger presence in
the global scene.”
I can see Singapore growing into
a busier city in 50 years, one
that’s equipped with cutting-edge
technologies, leading local big-name
brands and companies with worldwide
presence. These will further cement
our position as a strategic hub for
investment, one capable of providing
ample job opportunities for locals
from all walks of life as well as gaining
a significantly stronger foothold in the
global arena.”
— SHALINI SELLIAH, 28, TV Producer
— MELVIN CHIA, 25, R&D Researcher
Singapore@Heart
13
14
Kopi Talk
PARKROYAL on
Pickering was
awarded the
Building and
Construction
Authority
Green Mark
Platinum
Award for its
eco-friendly
features
“I believe that Singapore will
continue to have a firm leg in the
shipping industry in the next 50
years, due to its advantageous
geographical location and the
amenities it provides for vessels
passing through here. Why so?
With Singapore’s safe maritime
environment and Government tax
incentives, many foreign shipping
companies have understandably
moved their base of operations here.
However, despite the industry’s
lucrative future, I’m concerned
that the next generation doesn’t
seem quite as interested in joining
the shipping business, which will
eventually result in an ageing
workforce in this line. How do we
entice them to join the industry?
That’s something we, as insiders in the
business, need to figure out fast.”
— LIM HONG YEW, 29, Shipping Executive
One of Singapore’s many claims to
fame is its busy and efficient port
“Recently, there has been greater
awareness on going green and
sustaining the environment in
Singapore, with the Government
working on ecofriendly projects such
as creating more green parks, and
clean-energy and green-cooling
buildings. As a rapidly growing
country with an increasingly bigger
carbon footprint, it is imperative
for Singaporeans and companies
here to take the initiative to educate
themselves about the importance
of eco-friendliness. Hopefully, the
Government’s green projects will
continue to grow in numbers and in
influence, as the current generation
focuses on researching new
technologies and alternative sources
of fuels to reduce pollution for a
greener future.”
— KIMBERLY TAN, 24, Business Management
Degree Graduate (with Diploma in Clean Energy)
February 2015
Singapore@Heart
15
16
Youthspeak
All for One,
One for All
“Although Singapore [is not]
especially vulnerable now, it
is important to [be vigilant
and prepared] for any
incident, here and abroad
that can affect our society.”
half-century. It is up to them to continue
strengthening the Singapore spirit that
has been cultivated in the last 50 years.
“What unites us as a people?” is
a simple question with a myriad
of answers, depending on who
you ask. To get the perspective of
the generation who will be leading
this country in the next 50
years, we ask youngsters for their
thoughts on what it means to be
one people, one country.
– Allie Tan
February 2015
What binds a nation together is often
the intangible experiences, dreams
and struggles that people go through
together, and Singapore is no exception.
We polled some youths for their
thoughts on what unites Singaporeans,
and found that a tacit understanding of
the importance of peace and harmony
in our society was a common thread in
all their answers even though they came
from different backgrounds.
harmony: “While we think that our good
communal relations built up over the
years would stand us in good stead, we
also realised that this is not to be taken
for granted.” This comment resonated
with 17-year-old Chew Xinyi, who finds
that most of her peers take Singapore’s
peace for granted, which she thinks
stems from an ignorance of world
events whose repercussions can even
be felt on Singapore’s shores.
In 2007, then Deputy Prime Minister
Wong Kan Seng made a poignant
statement about maintaining national
Stepping into the Future
Singaporean youths will play a major
role in shaping this country in the next
All the youths interviewed emphasised
personal responsibility in keeping
Singapore harmonious, with residents
embracing each other regardless
of religion, ethnicity and cultural
background. Nicole Koo, 14, states
that everyone should “be sensitive
about their actions and words”. Her
sister, 12-year-old Kordelia, who is in
her final year of primary school, adds
that her words and actions play a
critical role in whether she promotes
harmony or discord.
As an advanced and peaceful nation
made up of different cultures, our
multiculturalism is a point of pride for
many Singaporeans. However, this
characteristic also means that we have
to be extra-vigilant in maintaining social
harmony. Zheng Jie, 15, believes, “It is
important for us Singaporeans to bond
together [in order] to have a peaceful
nation.” He finds it important that he and
his peers celebrate events such as Racial
Harmony Day and cultural celebrations
like Deepavali together.
Singapore@Heart
17
18
“Common practices and mutual
understanding are what binds us
together,” states 18-year-old Chris
Sim, who has just finished junior
college. Like the others, he believes
that it is important for Singaporeans
to learn about other people and their
cultures. Although he does not think
that Singapore is especially vulnerable
now, he and Nicole both emphasise
the importance of staying vigilant and
being prepared for any incident, here or
abroad, that can affect our society.
Bonding Across Cultures
These youths raise concerns and ideas
that are addressed in the Community
Engagement Programme (CEP).
While many youths instinctively feel
the importance of bonding with their
peers from other ethnic groups, they
may lack regular opportunities to
do so. This multifaceted programme
organises fun activities for the
community to participate in and
provides educational workshops that
train youths in emergency response.
“It was interesting to see how people
can stand as one despite not knowing
one another,” shares Xinyi, on her
experience of the CEP.
One example of such efforts
is CampTeen 2014, a four-day,
three-night camp organised
by OnePeople.sg, which aimed
at enhancing inter-cultural
understanding among students.
Over 200 multiracial youth leaders
and students from various schools
came together to participate in social
activities, games and excursions.
Such events are important for students
like Henzl Franz P. Valerio, who is
from the Philippines and attends the
February 2015
Youthspeak
Young students get to interact with peers from
different cultural and racial backgrounds in
programmes like CampTeen
Chinese International School. She does
not have a chance to mix much with
peers of other backgrounds, besides
her mostly Chinese and Caucasian
schoolmates. “I really liked this as I got
to learn more about Malay and Indian
cultures,” she professed in an interview
from the CEP website.
During the camp, one participant
shared, “I got closer to my friends by
playing games and discussing about
religion. I realised that some of them
shared similar views despite being
different from me.” Building crosscultural understanding and developing
lasting friendships through these
events will improve unity among
Singaporeans, which will be tested in
times of tension and conflict. However,
this is not enough to keep Singapore
resilient if tragedy strikes. In order for
Singapore to react swiftly during an
emergency, citizens need to be trained
and prepared.
Citizen Training and Preparedness
Initiated by the Singapore Civil
Defence Force (SCDF) in 2009, the
Civil Defence (CD) Lionhearters is
a co-curricular activity that allows
post-secondary students to be more
involved in civil defence.
With a presence in all three Institutes
of Technical Education and the four
polytechnics, these young Lionhearters
are trained in valuable lifesaving skills.
Besides performing drills regularly on
campus, they have exercised their skills
in eight overseas humanitarian missions
since their inception. A Junior CD
Lionhearters club was also launched in
selected primary schools in 2013.
The Singaporean community can also
bond through culturally themed events
with food and games. In September
2014, Tampines West Community
Club introduced primary school
students to the Malay culture through
culturally themed games. Anwar Datt
Rahim, Chairman of the Malay Activity
Executive Committee, believes strongly
in teaching young Singaporeans
about diversity and culture, so that
“when they grow up, they know, and
they respect each other”, he said in
an interview with Home Team News.
Such community outreach activities
serve as a fun and effective way of
creating a climate of understanding
and appreciation for the major cultures
in Singapore.
A Strong Sense of Community
While Singapore has been able to avoid
volatile situations arising from cultural
conflicts like those prevalent in many
parts of the world, we remain vulnerable
to interracial and religious tension that
may worsen in the absence of a strong
sense of community. Youths also share
these concerns, and are aware of how
important racial harmony and unity are
in shaping Singapore’s future. In the
words of young Nicole Koo, “I am very
lucky to live in a nation where there is
racial harmony. I should play my part to
keep it this way.”
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
Started by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Community Engagement
Programme (CEP) aims to answer this by ensuring that Singapore is equipped
to maintain social cohesiveness and unity in times of crises.
Under the CEP, Singaporeans are
encouraged to:
• Understand the need for the CEP
in Singapore
• Increase their understanding of
individual races and religions and
enjoy the diversity and richness a
multicultural society brings
• G et trained in emergency
procedures (e.g. by getting quick
safety tips and signing up for
workshops on www.scdf.gov.sg)
• Be resilient and prepared (e.g. being
ready with emergency supplies)
Singapore@Heart
19
20
Urban Living
Wired and Ready
Revolutionising
classroom learning
via the IDA Lab on
Wheels
The future is digital, and so is Singapore’s vision of
a Smart Nation. Find out how Singapore is gearing
up to make our lives better through technology.
– Victoria Cheong
Many of us rely on smart devices like
smartphones and laptops for a great
number of things, from checking bus
arrival times and holding group chats,
to checking emails, holding video calls,
and storing documents online in the
“cloud”. All these are made possible
with top-class information technology
(IT) infrastructure.
Just imagine if IT could be applied to
even more areas of our lives, such as
driverless vehicles or maintaining the
cleanliness of public areas. The good
news: It’s already happening right
here in Singapore. We are on track
to becoming the world’s first Smart
Nation, one that integrates IT in our
daily lives to enhance the way we work,
live and play.
Since 2005, the Singapore
Government has ramped up efforts
to enrich citizens’ lives with IT through
the Intelligent Nation Masterplan
2015 (iN2015). The iN2015 outlined
February 2015
strategies for building up the
infocomm sector and establishing
infocomm infrastructure, with the
Infocomm Development Authority
(IDA) being the main government
agency driving these changes.
Building on iN2015’s achievements, the
Government has now come up with the
Integrated Infocomm Media Masterplan
that charts our progress from 2015
all the way to 2025. This begins with
the development of the Smart Nation
Platform (SNP) which will improve
our communication infrastructure to
facilitate “always-on” connectivity as
well as analyse trends to create better
services for citizens.
Connecting Everyone
Thanks to the iN2015, Internet access
is easily available to all. Today, 95
per cent of homes and businesses
are wired up to the Next Generation
Nationwide Broadband Network
(Next Gen NBN), an ultra high-speed
Singapore@Heart
21
22
Urban Living
By connecting
with one another
through online
social platforms like
BlockPooling.sg,
Singaporeans can
forge closer real-life
connections in their
neighbourhoods
optical fibre network. Since 2006,
Singaporeans have also enjoyed free
broadband access on the go through
the Wireless@SG programme,
which provides island-wide wireless
broadband with speeds of up to
2Mbps through Wi-Fi hotspots in
many public areas.
Plans for a new Heterogeneous
Network (HetNet) in the SNP will allow
devices to roam seamlessly between
networks, no matter which service
provider one is subscribed to. It’s a winwin situation for all: service providers
can share resources and manage traffic
in their networks better, while mobile
users enjoy uninterrupted access
without lag.
With better connectivity come greater
opportunities for collaboration among
the Government, the private sector
and the public. For one, individuals and
companies can easily access publicly
available data from the Government
through data.gov.sg for their research
and development of applications such
as local map and travel app Gothere.sg.
Currently, the Singapore Land Authority
and IDA are also working on Virtual
February 2015
Singapore, a 3D map of the island that
incorporates data about buildings, land
and the environment, to help people
share information more easily.
What’s more, this has fostered a greater
sense of community, as Singaporeans
use the Internet to connect with one
another on a more personal level. For
instance, some have created online
platforms, such as BlockPooling.sg
and Nearcircles, on which people in a
neighbourhood can organise group
activities and offer help to one another.
Others play citizen journalists, sharing
heart-warming stories of praise for taxi
and bus drivers, or their insights on the
lives of fellow Singaporeans through
popular social media channels like
Facebook and Twitter.
“There are at least 15
Smart Nation projects
being tested in the Jurong
Lake District, including
driverless buggies
and a smart queue
monitoring system.”
and technological companies. There are
at least 15 such projects being tested
in JLD, including driverless buggies,
traffic light controls and a smart queue
monitoring system.
and multi-storey car parks across the
island to improve surveillance and aid in
crime-fighting.
In the home, smart devices and
sensors could also come into play
under IDA’s IoT@Home initiative,
which promotes the interconnectivity
of devices (known as the Internet of
Things, or IoT) within a home network.
One promising application is the HDB’s
Smart Elderly Monitoring and Alert
System, in which sensors are installed
in apartments of elderly people who
live alone. These sensors monitor the
well-being of the elders and trigger an
alert to their next-of-kin and caregivers
should an emergency happen.
The IDA will also be installing up to
1,000 data sensors in the Jurong Lake
District (JLD) to gather information
for various initiatives being codeveloped by government agencies
All these herald exciting changes
for the near future, as we look
forward to closer communities, safer
neighbourhoods and smart spaces
enabled in a Smart Nation.
Making Life Safer and Easier
Government agencies are already
relying on smart devices to boost their
work capabilities to better cater to
the needs of the public. For instance,
under the Singapore Police Force’s
Police Camera (PolCam) project which
started in 2012, about 18,000 cameras
have been installed in Housing and
Development Board (HDB) blocks
Technology can
greatly enhance the
way we live at home
Singapore@Heart
23
24
Conversation with
a Change Agent
The Thought Collective’s co-founder Tong Yee is a man on
a mission – to help transform Singapore’s youth and society
from the inside out.
– Terrie Gutierrez and Victoria Cheong
Cover Profile
I
t’s not easy being a trailblazer, to
go where no one has gone before,
especially when you don’t see
yourself as someone who can make a
difference in society. But sometimes
circumstances make you see things
differently and explore avenues that
others have not explored before. And
that was what happened to Tong Yee
and The Thought Collective.
Tong Yee, 41, says that The Thought
Collective, a group of social enterprises
that “offers possibilities to the way we
think, live and serve as a community”,
did not set out to be a trailblazer — in
fact, “serendipitous” is how he describes
its inception and subsequent journey.
“It would be very arrogant of us to say
that we had all these in mind when
we started,” he reflects. “You must
understand, no one builds an empire
with an empire in mind. No one builds
a body of work with it in mind. You do
it step by step.” He offers candidly. “I
don’t think Steve Jobs knew he was
going to set up Apple when he started.
I don’t think people really know where
they are headed. Life takes you a
certain way lah. Things happen.”
Yes, things happen. And it just so
happened that Tong Yee was at the
right place and at the right time, with
the right sort of mentality to make
them happen.
Thought into Action
Nothing was planned, true. But
perhaps the seeds for The Thought
Collective were sowed at the beginning
in 2002, when the School of Thought,
the first social enterprise of the group,
was “just a tuition programme”, as
Yee recalls. The tuition programme, a
February 2015
crash course for students to prepare
for General Paper (or GP in short, an
English-based subject offered under
the “A” Level curriculum), soon proved
to be very much in demand. “It was
just to help repeat students, because
I was a repeat student, twice. When
students had to repeat their exams,
we wouldn’t charge them. And then
what was interesting was that the
commercial programme grew slower
than the repeat programme. There
were a lot of people coming in who
said, we cannot afford this but we
really need your help… And that was
where the empathy came in. We said,
okay, we will help you.”
Empathy — it would not be the
first time that word came up in the
conversation, nor would it be the last.
Working with young people put Yee
and his group in a good position to
actually talk and — even more crucial
— listen to their students. It proved
to be a turning point in the way they
interacted with their students. “It was
the first time we began listening to
young people. And they explained why
they were not learning, why they were
struggling in the classroom, why they
didn’t understand what [the teacher is]
talking about.”
On hindsight, just like the
developments at the School of
Thought, the establishment of the
different enterprises under The
Thought Collective progressed
organically. The second company,
Think Tank Publishing’s first magazine
Broader Perspectives was the solution
to problems that the School of
Thought faced. In 2007, they were
interested in finding a way to bring the
School of Thought’s GP curriculum and
Singapore@Heart
25
26
skills beyond the students who were
enrolled in the tuition programme,
and found that creating their own
magazine was the best way to do that.
This also allowed them to advertise for
the School of Thought.
That same year, Food for Thought
“grew as a random proposition”
because a space below their tuition
centre became vacant. “We had long
joked about opening our own bubble
tea stall as the bubble tea prices
increased! So we thought we should
try something. We thought it would be
a waste for it to become a classroom,
so it became a café.”
Thinkscape was born in 2009 out of
a market need. “A general thing we
believe in is that, if people complain,
there’s a need that isn’t being fulfilled.”
Looking at the heritage tours that school
children take, Yee and his team saw
potential beyond the way such tours
were conventionally run as learning
journeys, and started Thinkscape, which
designs and brings students on trails and
workshops that encourage deeper and
more insightful learning.
Starting off with the usual Chinatown–
Little India–Kampong Glam trail, Yee
and his group found that the topic
base was dead; these areas belong to
the history books, with little fodder
February 2015
Cover Profile
for in-depth discussions in the context
of today’s Singapore. The group then
changed its focus. “We began to look
for tension — and the trails became
more interesting. So we designed these
trails to look at communities, leadership,
social innovation…Things that force an
emotional response.” One example is
the trail on Jalan Besar, which looks
at a community shared by low-skilled
foreign workers and low-income
Singaporeans living in one-room flats,
juxtaposed against the financial district
of Marina Bay in the background.
Action into Conviction
It seems like much of The Thought
Collective’s work involves youth, and
that is because the youth are more open
to new things, and new ways of doing
things — “they are seeking,” as Yee calls
it. But the Collective’s work actually
goes beyond that.
The organisation is rooted within a
larger context of the community. “If
what we’re doing impacts the youth,
but doesn’t impact anything else,
then it’s also pointless. There was one
young person who came in early in our
development. She said, ‘Everything
I learnt over here is so inspiring and
powerful, but once I go into the real
world, it all becomes [meaningless].’
So what if [they] learn that all this
is possible, but outside there is no
evidence that this is really true?” That’s
when Yee and the people behind The
Thought Collective realised that they
had to work harder to extend their
reach beyond just the youths.
So what did The Thought Collective set
out to do? It would be hard to explain
in a few words but in essence, they
are all about building emotional and
social capital among Singaporeans. As
Yee puts it, “When we talk about why
certain things happen, it’s always from
an emotional perspective. So when
children learn in class that gratitude is
important, we create an environment
for them to experience how powerful
gratitude can be. It’s about the impact
of emotional development.”
disposition they’re coming from? Who
are they? And what kind of emotions do
they have?” So it would seem that once
people rediscover who they are, they
would be able to draw on their own
strengths to extend beyond their own
personal spheres, and be able to reach
out and influence a change.
Strengthening the Community
Yee goes on to explain, “Social capital
primarily means trust. If we look
at say, economic transactions, one
fundamental of a healthy economy
is trust. If you buy noodles and pay
$2.50 for them, certain assumptions
are made: One assumption is that the
auntie [who sells noodles] will give you
noodles. Auntie believes that when
you give her $2.50, it is in our currency.
When you give five dollars, you assume
she’ll return you the $2.50 change.
There are parts of the world where you
cannot make these assumptions.
“Once that trust is gone, things break
down. Everything is fundamentally
founded on trust. The question
therefore is, ‘What exactly is it that
builds trust?’ The Thought Collective is
in the work of learning that.”
So where does the emotional part
come into play? “Emotional capital
means having the emotion that allows
us to produce something else.” For The
Thought Collective, emotional capacity,
or maybe maturity, if you will, is a
resource, a capital. “Capital is what you
must first possess in order to produce
something else, right? So emotion is a
capital, courage is a capital, gratitude
is a capital. These are what motivate
you to do things. So think about this as
what we’re showing the young people.
We have to understand: What is the
Going from the individual to the
community is a trajectory that
comes up often in the work that The
Thought Collective does. It is perhaps
inevitable that the conversation turns
to Singapore and building a more
resilient society.
Yee expounds on this, “Let’s talk
about resilience first. In childhood
development, they’ve done a lot
of research just to find out what
contributes to making a child resilient,
and three main things came up:
Ascending narratives, descending
narratives, and oscillating narratives.
When a family only tells kids good
stories, tells them how they are
successful, that they’re good, etc…
Those are ascending narratives. Certain
families only talk about negative stories,
about how stupid you are and how
much harder you have to work and
suffer, that is a descending narrative.
“It was found that children exposed
to either an ascending or descending
narrative are very non-resilient. Because
at any point in time, when they fail, they
don’t know how to pick themselves up.
They have found that the families of the
most resilient children tell oscillating
narratives. At the times when the family
is doing well, parents talk about staying
humble, and when they are down, they
will share their problems with their
Singapore@Heart
27
28
Cover Profile
When you work on this end, you tend
to have more players who will join in. I’m
quite confident that the few hundred
whom we have impacted so far will
eventually work with us.”
Tong Yee with his
ex-students (from
left) Ong Wei Lin,
Bryan Cresswell,
Tan Jie Ling,
Ervin Lam and
Shakespeare Sim
at his restaurant,
Food for Thought
at the National
Museum
children, who learn how their parents
pick themselves up.”
shape us; we are basically a collection
of stories.”
How does this relate to Singapore? “It’s
the same with Singapore,” he says. “How
do we become a more resilient society?
In its 50-year history, Singapore has
largely crafted an ascending narrative.
[When you compare Singapore to older
countries,] older societies tend to be a
bit more resilient, because they have a
whole trajectory of history [filled with
ups and downs].”
From the time School of Thought
was established, there has been a
tremendous shift in people’s thinking.
Back then, the idea of a social enterprise
— a sustainable business with a social
mission — was somewhat of a rarity,
and it is largely through the work of The
Thought Collective and others of its kind
that it’s now more commonplace.
Then again, Singapore is a relatively
young country and it would take
years for it to develop an oscillating
narrative like that of older countries.
What Yee and The Thought Collective
are doing is trying to change the
emotional makeup of Singaporeans,
by developing common narratives and
stories that bind people. “We were
working towards ideas of emotional
as well as social capital. The work that
we are dealing with, [is to help build]
the kind of narrative that will allow
us to see [different perspectives]…
I believe that human beings are all
about narratives. Stories are what
February 2015
From scepticism and outright disbelief
when they started out — “Surely this is
just marketing, you’re just telling a good
story so we would come and buy your
product” were just some of the early
reactions — to acceptance and even
encouragement, the scene has changed.
Many social enterprises have sprouted
and transformed society as a whole. For
Yee, it is still about balancing business
orientation and social objectives. “There’s
a place for an employment model for
the disengaged or disadvantaged.
But there’s also a place for upstream
work with society in general. ‘How do I
handle apathy, or no connection to the
community?’ — this is just as important.
From helping his students, engaging
participants in his trails, and working
in community projects, to sharing
freely his own vulnerabilities in public
lectures, Yee and The Thought
Collective are slowly but surely,
changing the individual’s mental and
emotional makeup one at a time. And
going by Yee’s optimism, The Thought
Collective will not be alone — those
who are touched will progress forward
as agents of change themselves.
A CHAT WITH YOUNGSTERS
It’s one thing to talk about change in the community through changing the
mindsets of young people; it’s quite another to talk to the people whose
lives have been changed. We ask some youngsters about the things they’ve
learned at The Thought Collective.
On responsibility
“Mr Tong presented responsibility from
an interesting perspective. Given all the
knowledge we have in this century, what
is stopping us from being responsible
for everything around the world? I saw
things differently after that. I felt like as
an individual I have a bigger role to play
in Singapore and this world. Everything I
learn can translate into responsibility, into
what I can do with my own life, to impact
the people around me.” — Tan Jie Ling, 19
On contributing
“During my internship, there was this
moment when Mr Tong just looked at me
and went, ‘There’s no point being gifted
or intelligent or talented if you don’t
contribute.’ I realised then, the definition of
any gift does not lie in ability, but in the will
[to contribute].” — Ong Wei Lin, 22
On being authentic
“At first it’s scary that Mr Tong can see so
much that I have not been showing, or
have been intentionally hiding. Through
interactions with him, I started to become
more real as a person, to stop hiding
like I did before. That’s something that
he creates in his community — people
becoming more authentic, and just
showing up as who they really are.”
— Shakespeare Sim, 20
On discovering his potential
“The first time Mr Tong spoke to me, he
told me that I had a lot of talent, but I kept
downplaying it. He told me that when
I was his student in 2012, and when he
interviewed me for an internship position in
2014, he told me the same thing. And that
really made me see myself in a new light. He
shows you how other people see you so that
you can be a better person.”
— Bryan Cresswell, 20
On focus
“Something Mr Tong said stuck with me:
‘It’s my vision and commitment that dictate
my action, not my feelings, assessments or
evaluations.’ So if I was feeling angry or
sad about something, not dwelling over it
will let me focus on my vision [to help the
community]. When I’m working at the
Family Service Centre, and I’m upset with
a kid, [I remind myself] what the ultimate
goal is: It’s to benefit them, to get them
connected.” — Ervin Lam, 22
Singapore@Heart
29
30
Flashback / Fast Forward
50 Cheers
for 50 Years
Singapore has come a long way, because
we, as one people, are not afraid to push
the boundaries to achieve greater goals.
In this first of a two-part series, we take
a peek at 50 of our nation’s proudest
achievements in our 50-year history.
1965
A nation is born —
Singapore became
independent on 9 August
1965, becoming the
Republic of Singapore.
February 2015
1967
1970
On 8 August 1967, Singapore
became one of the five
founding members of the
Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) to
promote regional peace
and intergovernmental
cooperation.
The Housing Development Board’s (HDB)
aggressive construction efforts and attractive
home ownership schemes for public housing
resolved Singapore’s housing shortage
problem issues, a decade after its formation.
Today, more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans
live in clean, spacious and affordable flats, with
nine in 10 owning their own flat.
1977
Singapore’s waterways
were once heavily polluted,
but after a massive 10-year
transformation that started
in 1977, they are now clean
and beautiful.
1965
1967
1972
On 21 September
1965, Singapore
joined the United
Nations as its 117th
member.
The cornerstone of
Singapore’s strong
defence force lies in
National Service (NS),
introduced in 1967,
four years before
the British withdrew
from Singapore. NS
has since become a
rite of passage for
Singaporean men,
who bond over the
rigours of basic military
training.
Founded in 1972,
Singapore Airlines
brought smiles to
air travellers, and
today holds the title of
being the world’s most
awarded airline.
1979
Singapore became the
world’s second busiest
port in terms of shipping
tonnage.
Singapore@Heart
31
32
Flashback / Fast Forward
1989
1992
Personal computers (PC) did not
use to play music, until Singapore
company Creative Technology
launched its PC sound card,
allowing users to play and record
speech and music.
Singapore releases its first Singapore
Green Plan and has since made great
strides in environmental initiatives,
such as protecting nature areas like
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and
building eco-towns that integrate ecofriendly housing features.
1995
1981
The National Library Board
was set up to manage the
existing National Library
and public libraries. It gives
people easy access to
books, CD-ROMs, magazines
and various media in all
four of Singapore’s official
languages.
Since its opening,
Singapore’s Changi Airport
has established itself as
one of the top international
airports in the world.
1987
1991
1994
Zipping around our
little island became
much easier when the
Mass Rapid Transit
(MRT) system started
operating.
Famous writers like Rudyard
Kipling and Ernest Hemingway
have stayed at the Raffles
Hotel, the birthplace of the
iconic Singapore Sling cocktail.
It re-opened in 1991 after a
major facelift.
Singapore’s Night
Safari, the world’s first
nocturnal nature park,
opened.
1989
The world’s first baby
conceived by means of
MIST (micro-insemination
sperm transfer) was born
in Singapore’s National
University Hospital.
February 2015
Singapore@Heart
33
34
Flashback / Fast Forward
2000
2004
Singapore company
Trek 2000 International
launched its USB flash
drive, which took the
world by storm as
it became the most
popular medium for
data storage.
Since 2004, Singapore has
consistently been ranked
among the top two of the World
Economic Forum’s Networked
Readiness Index for its savvy use
of infocomm technology to build
a highly connected society.
1995
Singapore doctors have
carried out world firsts in
successful transplants — a
peripheral blood stem cell
transplant from an unrelated
donor (1995) and cord blood
transplant from an unrelated
donor on a patient with
thalassaemia major (2001).
2002
2006
The SARS outbreak
revealed the courage
of Singaporeans.
Medical personnel put
their lives on the line to
tend to the sick, while
the public donated
funds to support
healthcare workers
and SARS victims.
For its efforts to conserve
heritage buildings, the Urban
Redevelopment Authority
(URA) received the 2006
Urban Land Institute Award
for Excellence: Asia-Pacific.
CONTINUE IN
NEXT ISSUE
2001
2003
2008
Toilet business is taken very
seriously here — Singaporean
Jack Sim founded the World
Toilet Organization, an
independent global body that
addresses sanitation issues.
The Public Utilities Board (PUB) opened
the first NEWater plant. Singapore’s highly
purified NEWater proves that properly
treated reclaimed water can be good enough
to drink. This innovative form of water
management has won awards such as the
Stockholm Industry Award in 2007.
Singapore athletes did us proud
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and
the 2008 Paralympic Games! The
Singapore Olympic women table
tennis team won a silver medal and
Paralympian swimmer Yip Pin Xiu
clinched gold and silver medals.
1995
Singapore broke new ground by
creating the world’s first offshore
landfill, Semakau Landfill, located on
the bioversity-rich Pulau Semakau.
The island’s flora and fauna continue
to thrive, thanks to conscientious
conservation efforts.
February 2015
Singapore@Heart
35
36
Hidden Gems
However, while public spaces serve a
primary purpose — a place for people
to gather — they also tell much more
about a city’s character and historical
journey. These are usually places that are
entwined with the history and culture of
the city — its soul, as it were. For instance,
for visitors and non-Singaporeans, the
Padang is simply a wide open space that
people gather for big activities like the
Singapore Grand Prix or to watch cricket
matches. But it is also an important
landmark where the British held their
victory parade when the Japanese
surrendered at the end of World War II;
it was where Singapore held the first of
many National Day Parades. As such, it is
part of the city’s history and its citizens’
collective memory.
Your Space, My Space
Ever wonder how public spaces
like parks, green spaces and even
communal places like void decks
are conceptualised and planned?
Here’s a peek.
– Terrie V Gutierrez
February 2015
Despite having one of the highest
population densities in the world,
Singapore doesn’t feel as if people are
living cheek by jowl. We actually have
space to move around, with many
parks, community places and common
spaces to gather and be part of a
larger community. Credit goes to the
ingenious urban master planners at the
Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
who see to it that space is maximised
and properly allocated.
Public spaces should ideally exist as
gathering places and focal points for a
city. Parks are a type of public space,
and so are void decks — wide groundfloor common spaces of the ubiquitous
public housing estates, which provide
residents with a venue for a variety of
activities that make them part of the
community, be it just sitting and chatting
with friends over tea or a chess game, or
for parties or even funerals. Most urban
planners and designers would say that
without public spaces, a city becomes
soul-less because there is no common
connection among city-dwellers. Public
spaces are blank canvases awaiting to
be injected with life by the communities
that live around them — they are all the
more important in city life.
“The idea of public spaces is not a
simple one, as any human geographer
will tell you. What counts as a public
space, how that public space is used,
who is included in or excluded from that
public space — these are all questions
that have wide-ranging implications
for citizenship,” said educator Shobha
Vadrevu in her essay on the online
magazine, www.medium.com. And
she’s right. It is not enough to clear
a space and declare it public. It also
needs to be planned and maintained.
The URA over the years has allocated
land throughout Singapore for use
as public spaces. The Public Spaces
and Urban Waterfront Master Plan
(for the city centre) and the Parks and
Waterbodies Plan launched back in 2003,
included plans for parks, open spaces
and waterbodies for recreation and as
The Familiarisation
and Bonding Party
(FAB!) party in the
Tampines East estate
brings its residents
closer together
Singapore@Heart
37
38
Hidden Gems
E
venues for social interaction. Gardens
by the Bay, the Marina Bay waterfront,
Punggol Waterway, the Southern Ridges
and Woodlands Waterfront were all
projects under these plans.
Ultimately, it is the residents themselves
who ascribe purpose and function to
a given public space. After all, they are
the end users. This is one reason why
the URA launched the “PubliCity: Your
Ideas for Public Spaces” contest in 2013,
partly to bring the public’s attention
to the PubliCity initiative and partly to
crowdsource ideas for four public spaces
— Marina Bay Lawn, the Promenade
Space at North Boat Quay, the open
space in Kampong Glam and the
Woodlands Civic Plaza. Eleven winning
ideas were eventually presented. These
ideas will serve as inspiration for future
improvements of these spaces.
“[Public spaces] serve as venues for
communities to gather and interact, and
help to strengthen social identity and
foster community bonding. Through this
project, we hope to invite the community
to celebrate public spaces, and at the
same time contribute ideas on how to
make them better,” said Ng Lang, Chief
Executive Officer, URA.
A part of the Draft Master Plan 2013,
PubliCity is an initiative that aims to
encourage the community to celebrate
public spaces and enliven them
through good design and programmes,
particularly of smaller-scale spaces,
which are more connected to the
community. In the next few years,
expect more parks, pocket spaces, a
revitalisation of certain streets as part
of the PubliCity initiative, which has six
components marked, fittingly enough,
by the acronym, PLACES:
February 2015
xcellence in design + Eye
for details + Engaging: It’s
all in the design details,
which can transform an
otherwise ordinary space into an
extraordinary one.
P
eople + Programme:
Development of public spaces
that are well used and loved
by people. This is done by
planning regular events and activities
that will attract people to visit the place
more often. Examples: The enhanced
Queen Street (pictured) has become a
delightful place to go for art exhibits
and events; Punggol Town Square will
feature a gallery and several plazas for
use as event spaces.
Named the “The To-gather Bench”,
this unique seating helps bond
people in a playful manner
A
ccessibility: People will not
use public spaces if they are not
easily accessible. To create more
people-friendly spaces, URA
has implemented car-free zones in popular
public spaces, increasing their accessibility.
Examples: Ann Siang Hill (pictured), Haji
Lane and Circular Road are now car-free
during weekends to encourage more
people to visit these places.
Dhoby Ghaut Green
Punggol Waterway
L
ush Landscaping: More
greenery and waterbodies
are incorporated in public
spaces. Example: The planned
Rochor Canal will be transformed into
a river under PUB’s Active, Beautiful,
Clean Waters programme to show how
waterbodies can be integrated into the
landscape to create interesting new
community spaces.
S
ense of delight + Sharing
of spaces: Great public
spaces allow people to share
the space and experience
it brings, be it through scenery,
greenery or artwork.
C
omfort: In Singapore’s
tropical climate, ample shade
is needed in public spaces.
Other considerations include
whether there are enough benches,
good lighting and a safe environment. To
make public spaces more comfortable,
the URA has instituted guidelines on the
provision of amenities for future public
space projects. Example: Coming soon
next to the proposed Tanjong Pagar
Centre development is the City Room,
a public space that is not just a resting
area, but serves as a place for art and
outdoor performances.
Meticulous planning and creation of
public spaces are essential, especially in
densely populated Singapore. Keeping
this in mind, the URA has earmarked
land for the future development of
public spaces, ensuring that our little
island will remain bustling with life for
years to come.
Singapore@Heart
39
40
Foodie Paradise
The Original
Foodies
The Hainanese of Singapore
are a cornerstone of Singapore’s
foodie culture. We find out why.
Its citizens’ very sophisticated palate
can be credited to the fact that
Singapore, being a strategically
February 2015
— GAYNE LIM, fourth-generation Hainanese
industries that the latecomers had a
hard time getting into because they
didn’t have the guanxi (connections)
that these other groups had made.
– Terrie V Gutierrez
It is hardly an exaggeration to say that
Singapore is a nation obsessed with
food. This is a country where people
will travel across the island just to get
their fix of bak kut teh or argue the
merits of their favourite prata stall.
We endure long queues just to have
nasi lemak, rhapsodise about the best
chicken curry we’ve ever had and
discuss dinner options before lunch is
even over. It’s just how life is here — at
least, where food is concerned.
“The Hainanese have a common saying
‘Live to eat, not eat to live’.”
located port, has played host to
different cultures and cuisines.
However, while geography may have
something to do with it, immigrants
such as the Hainanese had a major
influence in shaping the country’s
culinary tradition.
Humble beginnings
By the time the Hainanese arrived in
Singapore around the 1850s, other
Chinese groups such as the Hokkien,
the Hakka and the Teochew had
already established themselves in
trade, agriculture and commerce
— lucrative and more “respectable”
So the Hainanese went into service,
working as waiters and “cookboys”
in hotels, eateries, bakeries and
even becoming servants in wealthy
Western and local households.
Many Hainanese also learnt their
trade working as cooks onboard
British ships. As with the other
Chinese groups, the Hainanese
soon established enclaves on the
island, claiming Middle Road, Beach
Road, Purvis Street and Seah Street,
where some traces remain today
(see Hainanese Eateries, p42). They
could also be found in the Tanglin
- Bukit Timah area and even all the
way from Changi to Nee Soon. The
Hainanese gradually became the
backbone of Singapore’s food and
services industries.
Perhaps this was a fortuitous turn
of events. Although the service
industry was far less glamorous back
then, it provided the Hainanese with
the experience and background to
advance in Singapore’s food and
beverage industry. In fact, says fourthgeneration Hainanese Gayne Lim
in an article on the history of Purvis
Street, the Hainanese can be called
Singapore’s “original food people”.
“The Hainanese have a common
saying, ‘Live to eat, not eat to live’ —
that is perhaps why the Hainanese
still take great pride in their food, a
disposition that now extends to the
Singaporean culture at large,” she said.
Creators of iconic dishes and
restaurant brands
Any leisure commentary of Singapore
in the international community would
inevitably include a mention about
its food. Mainstays like Hainanese
chicken rice, the breakfast trio of
kopi, kaya toast and soft-boiled
eggs, and the famous Singapore
Sling are often listed as the
trademarks of the quintessential
Singaporean culinary experience.
All three dishes were created by
none other than the Hainanese.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ask for this dish in Hainan, China, and
people will most likely give you blank
looks. That’s because it was created by
a Hainanese immigrant, Mok Fu Swee,
who made it famous at his eatery Swee
Kee Chicken Rice in Singapore. The
dish has since become synonymous
with Singapore.
Singapore@Heart
41
42
Foodie Paradise
Kopi, kaya
toast and
soft-boiled
eggs
Kopi, toast and soft-boiled eggs
The origin of this breakfast staple
is entwined with the history of the
kopitiam in Singapore (see The
Kopitiam Connection). But it was
believed that the Hainanese were
the purveyors of the best kopi on the
island, with each eatery roasting its
own beans in its own ways.
Singapore Sling
This cocktail is credited to Ngiam
Tong Boon, a Hainanese bartender at
the Raffles Hotel. Ingredients for the
drink served at Raffles Hotel include
gin, Cherry Heering, Cointreau liqueur,
Benedictine, pineapple and lime juices,
grenadine and bitters. Have it with a
handful of groundnuts and throw the
shells on the floor to round it up, as is
traditionally done in the Long Bar - the
birthplace of the cocktail.
THE KOPITIAM CONNECTION
Cafes and designer coffee are such a trend these days that we
tend to forget that Singapore’s own coffee culture started with the
humble kopitiam.
Two significant
backdrops marked
the rise of
the kopitiam:
One was the
Hainanese’s
exposure
to Western
cooking
and cuisines.
After working
in hotels,
restaurants and
British households, the
Hainanese adapted the Western rituals
of coffee- and tea-making and swiftly
learnt how to make desserts and pastries.
Another was Singapore’s economic
decline from the 1900s to around the
1930s. Around this time, many hotels in
February 2015
the Beach Road and Rochor area, which
were owned by Japanese businessmen,
closed down. The Hainanese took
over the vacant buildings and set up
kopitiams, local-style coffee shops that
catered to the working class. The setup
was very basic: An open space with the
now iconic marble-top tables and chairs,
ceiling fans and a display of creamed
cakes. To attract a loyal clientele, coffee
shop owners boasted secret recipes for
their cakes and pastries, and unique
methods for roasting their coffee beans.
The kopitiam became a neighbourhood
meeting place over food and drink,
especially since most had Rediffusion
service which provided news, music
and entertainment via a radio receiver.
Till this very day, the kopitiam retains
its strong foothold in the Singapore
neighbourhood to serve its residents.
The original
Singaporean
concoction —
the Singapore
Sling
HAINANESE EATERIES
Do you know that some of Singapore’s most established eateries are
Hainanese in origin? See how many you know.
Jack’s Place
Founder Say Lip Hai was a cookboy serving
the British troops before he started a catering
business at a pub on Killiney Road owned by
Jack Hunt, a British national. He took over the
kitchen operations of what eventually came
to be known as Jack’s Place Steak House. Jack
Hunt later sold the restaurant to Say in 1974
before returning to the United Kingdom.
Han’s
This popular chain eatery started out as
a side business, with Han Choon Fook, a
civil servant, selling his brother’s cakes to
colleagues and friends. He later set up a small
bakery with his siblings on Upper Thomson
Road. This led to the first Han’s café in 1980,
selling “quality food at budget prices”, such as
Hainanese pork chops, pastas and soups.
Killiney Kopitiam
This is the oldest Hainanese kopitiam in
Singapore, established in 1919. Previously
known as Kheng Hoe Heng Kopitiam, it was
owned by the Foo family. Then, as now, it
served popular staples like kopi, teh, kaya toast
and soft-boiled eggs. It is now available as a
franchise and has opened outlets in Malaysia
and Indonesia.
Shashlik
Established by the mostly-Hainanese former
staff of Singapore’s first Russian restaurant
Troika after it closed down, 30-year-old
Shashlik still serves the same hearty Russian
fare that made it famous, like its borsch soup,
the stone-grilled Shaslik steak, and bombe
Alaska, all still cooked and served in oldschool style.
Yet Con
Established in 1940, this no-frills
restaurant on Purvis Street serves
Hainanese chicken rice as it must
have been served back in the day —
at room temperature.
Singapore@Heart
A publication of the
WWW.SGN.SG
February 2015