SING A POR E R A N DOM at
Also in this series:
How many hours do Singaporeans work in a week?
Malaysia at Random
What is Singapore foot? Just how much is the prime minister of Singapore paid in a year? When was the first Starbucks café in Singapore opened?
EDITIONS DIDIER MILLET
How many ways can you have yusheng? How many calories are there in a serving of nasi briyani with chicken? What is Singapore’s most unwelcome tree? Where is the most heavily populated cemetery in Singapore? Who was the designer behind the uniform of the SIA Singapore Girl? How many Merlion statues are there in Singapore?
Singapore at Random provides the answers to these and many other fun and fascinating questions about the country.
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trivia, Singapore at Random is filled with anecdotes, statistics, quotes, diagrams, facts, useful tidbits. This veritable treasure trove of information on Singapore is arranged, as the title suggests, randomly, so that readers will come to expect the unexpected on each and every page. Designed in a charmingly classic style and peppered with attractive illustrations, Singapore at Random is a quirky and irresistible celebration of everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about this diverse and multi-cultural country.
Facts, figures, quotes and anecdotes on Singapore
US$16.00
Cover image courtesy of Graham Byfield.
An illustrated collection of Singapore
advice, folklore and other unusual and often
Facts, figures, quotes and anecdotes on Singapore
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WHY WE DON’T KNOW THE LYRICS OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM “Here in Singapore, we can’t even speak one language properly, and you expect people who don’t speak Malay to understand our national anthem?” – Marc Khoo, 26, Self-employed
“I don’t know the meaning. Maybe because I have not sung it for so long. Majulah... means lion?” – Xu Yan Qing, 26, Business Analyst
“We are all busy with our work, so how can we remember so many things? It’s more of the feeling when we sing it, as opposed to getting every word correct.” – Bob Tan, 33, Executive Engineer Source: The Sunday Times, 4 Oct 2009
The National Anthem was written and composed by the late Encik Zubir Said in the context of rising nationalist sentiment in the 1950s. It was launched together with the National Flag and State Crest on 3 September 1959 at the installation of the new head of state, the Yang diPertuan Negara. These three items form the symbols of state. The lyrics of the National Anthem and its translation are reproduced below.
National Anthem Majulah Singapura
Mari kita rakyat Singapura Sama-sama menuju bahagia Cita-cita kita yang mulia Berjaya Singapura Marilah kita bersatu Dengan semangat yang baru Semua kita berseru Majulah Singapura Majulah Singapura
Onward Singapore
Come, fellow Singaporeans Let us progress towards happiness together May our noble aspiration bring Singapore success Come, let us unite In a new spirit Let our voices soar as one Onward Singapore Onward Singapore
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MEET THE LOCALS
S
ingapore is often referred to as a multiracial and multicultural society, but in reality, there are more divisions within the ubiquitous Chinese, Malay, Indian and “Others”. Local terms for residents of the island show the range of people and its stereotypes. The following terms are commonly used and sometimes derogatory: •
Ah Beng – unsophisticated Chinese ruffian, who usually speaks the Hokkien dialect. He tends to follow fashion trends but is often lacking taste. (Beng is a common Hokkien name).
•
Ah Lian/Ah Huay – female version of Ah Beng.
• • • • • • • • • •
Ah Seng – perjorative term for anybody (therefore connotes a “nobody”).
Ah Kong – Hokkien for Grandpa. Used to address any old person who is too old to be called “uncle” . Ah Mm (pronounced “mmm”) – female version of Ah Kong.
Ah Pui – a generic name for a fat person. Hokkien equivalent of “Fatty”. Ah Qua – an offensive term for an effeminate or homosexual man.
Ya-ya papaya – an arrogant person. “Ya ya” is a slang term for arrogant, while papaya just happens to rhyme. Keng Chio Kia – Hokkien for “Banana Child”, ie “yellow on the outside, white on the inside”. In short, a Chinese who takes on Western affectations. Mat Rocker – a young Malay male who loves heavy metal music, motorcycles and leather jackets.
Electro Minah or Minah Rock – Mat Rocker’s girlfriend; female version of Mat Rocker. Sua Koo – a yokel. Hokkien for “country bumpkin”.
•
Buaya – a lothario or a skirt- chaser. Based on the Malay word for “crocodile”.
•
Mat Salleh or Ang Moh – Malay and Hokkien slang respectively for a “Caucasian”.
•
•
Helicopter – a Chinese-educated person.
Sarong Party Girl – a local girl who only dates Caucasian men, often abbreviated to SPG.
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CLOSE CONTEST
T
he most recent presidential election held on 27 August 2011 was, for the first time, a fourcornered fight, the most hard-fought in Singapore’s history. The candidates were former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Dr Tony Tan, former Member of Parliament Dr Tan Cheng Bock, former CEO of insurance cooperative NTUC Income Mr Tan Kin Lian, and former senior civil servant and investment manager Mr Tan Jee Say. It had been touted as a “contest of the four Tan’s” as all candidates share the same surname Tan. Dr Tony Tan emerged the winner with 35.2 per cent of the votes cast to become the nation’s seventh president. There was only one other presidential election – in 1993, when former DPM Ong Teng Cheong defeated former Accountant-General Chua Kim Yeow to become the nation’s first popularly elected president from Sep 1993 to Aug 1999. The next two elections were actually walkovers, as the last president S R Nathan was the sole candidate qualified to run for his first term (Sep 1999–Aug 2006) and was unchallenged for his second term (Sep 2006–Aug 2011).
MILES AND MILES…
A
s of 2010, there are 3,355 kilometres of road in Singapore, of which 161 kilometres are expressways.
Source: Land Transport Authority
MOST COMMON TREES IN SINGAPORE
S
ingapore has a land area of 710 square kilometres, with over 2,000 recorded native plant species. There are about two million trees planted along roadsides, in parks and protected nature reserves. In an effort to introduce the local population to the most common trees in Singapore, the National Parks Board launched the “Know Ten Trees” campaign. •
Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea)
•
Sea Apple (Syzygium grande)
•
•
Yellow Flame (Peltophorum pterocarpum)
•
Tembusu (Fagraea fragrans)
• •
Angsana (Pterocarpus indicus)
Source: National Parks Board
Saga (Adenanthera pavonina)
•
Senegal Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis)
•
Rain Tree (Samanea saman)
•
Sea Almond (Terminalia catappa)
Broad-leafed Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
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Rickshaws in Singapore
R
ickshaws were introduced in Singapore on 16 February 1880. Originally from Japan, they became the hand-drawn taxi-cabs of early Singapore, a major form of public transport and a primary source of income for thousands of Chinese immigrants in Singapore from the 1880s to the 1930s. Invented in Japan in 1869, the name jinrickshaw is an anglicisation of jinrikisha, the Japanese name for the vehicle which literally means “man-powered carriage”. Unlike the single-seaters in Hong Kong, Singapore’s rickshaws were double-seaters, feasible only because the roads here were less steep. It was only in 1904 that first-class single-seaters were introduced. These had “English wooden furniture” and “Indian rubber-cushion-tyre wheels”. Rickshaw pullers could thus earn more and their loads were lessened. By 1919, the iron-wheeled double-seater rickshaws could no longer be found in Singapore. The traditional rickshaw was eventually banned in 1947 and replaced by the trishaw (three-wheeled vehicle with pedals).
All Souls’ Day
Q
ing Ming Jie (also Cheng Meng) is All Souls’ Day for the Chinese. Qing Ming means “clear and bright”, probably a reference to the weather at the time of the year during which the festival occurs, in the third lunar month or early spring, usually on 5 April or 106 days after the Winter Solstice. It is a time to remember the dearly departed and to pay respect to one’s deceased ancestors and family members. Qing Ming is a major Chinese festival because it reinforces the value of filial piety, during which many Chinese visit the cemeteries of their passed relatives. Offerings of food and drink are made, often joss sticks and hell money, paper mansions, cars, servants and treasure chests are burnt at the graveside to ensure that the deceased have all they need in the other world. After the prayers, the food is gathered together and taken home to be consumed by the family. Source: National Library Board Infopedia Talk
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AGRICULTURAL CROPS OF OLD SINGAPORE
A
lthough Singapore is a small island, agriculture was a significant industry for much of its early history. A great deal of the original forest cover was destroyed to make way for crops. Needless to say, none of the farms can be found in urban Singapore today. • Nutmeg – one of the first crops planted by the British East India Company in an attempt to break Dutch monopoly of the spice. Nutmeg production in Singapore peaked in the middle of the 19th century, but declined due to an outbreak of disease and falling prices because of oversupply.
• Gambier – grown by Chinese farmers even before Raffles founded Singapore. Also known as catechu, this is a common ingredient used by Asians in chewing betel nut. Besides having to clear forest to plant the crop, more forest had to be cut down to boil the gambier leaves to extract tannin for tanning leather and dyeing cotton. The plant also exhausted the land after a few harvests. The planting of gambier stopped only when synthetic compounds were invented. • Pepper – this spice was grown together with gambier, and created a few “pepper and gambier kings”. It was also hard on the forest, as wood was needed to provide poles on which the pepper plant could climb. • Pineapple – this fruit replaced pepper and gambier when the international prices of both commodities fell in 1897. By 1901, pineapple was the main crop grown in Singapore.
• Rubber – seeds were brought to Singapore in 1877 from the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, England. Henry Ridley, botanist and director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens from 1888 to 1911, invented the tapping method that made planting rubber viable, and this technique is still used today. Rubber gained importance as a cash crop, and by 1935, covered about 40 per cent of the island. Source: National Parks Board
Nutmeg
Gambier
Pepper
Pineapple
Rubber
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SINGAPORE’s robin hood
H
abib Noh bin Mohamad Al-Habshi, aka Syed Noh bin Mohamad Alhabshee, is believed to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. He arrived in Singapore as a missionary shortly after the British founded a settlement there. Most of the tales of Habib Noh centred around his kindness and miraculous powers. He is said to have walked through the rain, from his home in Telok Blangah to heal a sick child in Paya Lebar, without getting wet. He acted like a Robin Hood of sorts, often walking into shops, taking all the money and distributing the cash to children, with whom he is said to have a strong affinity. Strangely, some shopkeepers did not mind his act. Habib Noh is also said to have been able to appear in several places simultaneously, faithfully going to Mecca to pray every Friday. The British tried to put him in jail several times, but gave up as he would disappear from his cell. After a lifetime of caring for the poor and destitute, he passed away in 1866. It is said that his coffin could not be lifted until someone remembered his wish to be laid to rest at the peak of Mount Palmer, where he used to meditate. The Parsi who was said to own Mount Palmer and was reluctant to have a tomb on it, demanded a huge fee to allow Habib Noh’s maqam (tomb) there. The money was raised speedily, but the Parsi died three days later. The piece of land was bought over and Habib Noh was buried there as he had wished. In 1890, a mausoleum with 49 steps was built by Syed Mohammed bin Ahmad Alsagoff to commemorate him.
SINGAPORE’S CHIEF JUSTICES
O
nly three Chief Justices have sat in office since the last British Chief Justice stepped down in 1962. Chief Justice
Start of Term
End of Term
Wee Chong Jin
5 Jan 1963
27 Sep 1990
Yong Pung How
28 Sep 1990
10 Apr 2006
Chan Sek Keong
11 Apr 2006
(Incumbent)
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Tapioca stories
T
wo generations of Singaporeans who were born after the Japanese Occupation (1942–1945) have heard their fair share of “tapioca stories”. These are tales about the hardships people had to endure during the years when Singapore was known as Syonan-to, literally meaning “Island of the Light of the South” in Japanese. Unfortunately, life was anything but bright, and the main preoccupation at the time was how to remain under the Japanese radar, and to find food. So scarce were edibles that people used to grow tapioca, which had the virtue of being easy to plant – just shove a tapioca stick into the ground (doesn’t have to be good ground) and wait for a decent interval before pulling it up, hopefully with a few little tubers on the end. Tapioca stories are usually told to teach young listeners how fortunate they are, or to persuade finicky young eaters to consume their food. Source: Wartime Kitchen – Food and Eating in Singapore 1942–1950
FIRST SINGAPOREAN AIDS VICTIM COMEs OUT
P
addy Chew (29 March 1960–21 August 1999) was the first Singaporean to admit to being HIV-positive. Chew, who also declared himself bisexual, made the announcement on 12 December 1998 at the First National AIDS Conference in Singapore. The former flight attendant also wrote and acted in an autobiographical play, Completely With/Out Character, the proceeds of which went to Action for AIDS, a voluntary, community-based organisation committed to AIDS prevention. To those who criticised him as a publicity seeker, he said: “I do not mind being famous for winning the Miss Universe crown, or as a singer, or a beautiful face, you know? Who wants to be famous for having AIDS? For goodness’ sake!”
I WANT MY BAG AND I WANT IT NOW
T
he first luggage bag at Changi Airport is apparently on the baggage-claim belt by the 12th minute from when the plane docks, and the last bag has to be on the belt by the 29th minute.
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Principal Causes of Death 2007
2008
2009
17,140
17,222
17,101
Cancer
27.7
29.3
29.3
Ischaemic Heart Disease
19.8
20.1
19.2
Pneumonia
13.9
13.9
15.3
Cerebrovascular Disease (including Stroke)
8.7
8.3
8.0
Accidents, Poisoning & Violence
6.0
5.8
5.7
Other Heart Diseases
4.3
4.0
4.4
Diabetes Mellitus
3.6
2.7
1.7
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
2.6
2.5
2.4
Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome & Nephrosis
2.0
2.1
2.3
Urinary Tract Infection
2.2
2.1
2.5
Total Number of Deaths
Percentage of Total Deaths
Source: Ministry of Health
RECIPE for “MADRAS CHUNAM”
M
adras chunam was a plaster used in the construction of some old buildings, like the St Andrew’s Cathedral. It was also used to make the ornamental façades of some old shophouses. Ingredients
egg-white sugar coconut husk shell lime
Method
Mix well with water, then apply to walls. When dry, polish smooth with stones.
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death by jaywalking
T
he elderly are the most vulnerable pedestrians in Singapore. More than 40 per cent of those killed in traffic accidents in 2009 were aged 60 and above. Some 65 per cent of these fatalities were jaywalkers. It is believed that either old people found using overhead bridges a chore because of the stairs, or they overestimated their physical capabilities. Source: The Straits Times, 6 Feb 2010
A Toilet-Trained Nation
A
sk any Singaporean who has lived in public housing in the 1970s and ’80s and they will tell you that it was common for people at the time to mistake lifts for toilets. But Singapore’s civil servants found a solution to the problem. Lifts identified as frequently abused were equipped with high-tech urine detectors and labelled with a sign that caricatured a young boy with pants at his ankles and his wrists cuffed. When the gadget sensed the offending liquid, it would be activated and the lift jammed in mid-journey. The culprit would be trapped within until the lift doors were opened by the Area Office staff. This scheme seemed effective, but some people suspect that many urine detectors alleged to have been installed are merely imitation models (much like the dummy speed cameras positioned at some traffic junctions in Singapore). Whatever the case, few people nowadays would risk being caught with their pants down. Source: Insight City Guide Singapore
the price of Golfing
T
he first game of golf was played in Singapore in 1891 at the race course in Farrer Park. An avid golfer, Justice Goldney persuaded like-minded members of the Sporting Club to join him in setting up a golf club. The entrance fee to the club at the time was a mere $2, and the annual subscription was $6. In 1924, the Singapore Golf Club moved to Bukit Timah and in 1938, changed its name to the Royal Singapore Golf Club. Golf in Singapore is usually seen as an elite sport because of its high membership prices. At its peak, membership to the Singapore Island Country Club was sold for $200,000. Source: Singapore the Encyclopedia
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Raffles’ statue fast facts Height: Cast by: Cost: Mounting: Site: Date unveiled: Unveiled by: Inscription (1919) by: Inscription reads: During Japanese Occupation: Post-war:
2.43 metres (8 feet) Thomas Woolner $20,446.10 (Straits dollars) Granite The Esplanade, with Raffles facing the sea 27 June 1887 Sir Frederick Weld, Governor of the Straits Settlements Lim Koon Tye (who won $25 in the inscription competition) This tablet to the memory of Sir Stamford Raffles to whose foresight and genius Singapore owes its existence and prosperity unveiled on February 6th, 1919 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Settlement. Kept in Raffles Museum (then renamed Syonan Museum) The monument was re-installed at Empress Place in 1946.
BOMBINGS THAT HAVE CAUSED CASUALTIES IN SINGAPORE 1. Aerial bombing of Singapore Town by the Japanese, 8 December 1941: 61 killed, more than 700 injured 2. “Mad Bomber” bombings, 9 December 1963: 2 killed, part of five explosions in 3 months 3. Telephone booth bombing, 16 April 1964: 5 injured when booth exploded off Jalan Eunos 4. MacDonald House bombing, 10 March 1965: 2 killed, at least 33 injured when bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurs exploded 5. Letter bomb, 21 March 1973: 1 injured, post office worker’s left hand was blown off when the parcel he was holding exploded 6. Car bomb, 30 March 1992: 1 pregnant woman killed, her husband being the believed target for the bomb due to illegal money-lending
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a tropical Wasteland In 2008, 5.97 million tonnes of waste was generated by Singaporeans. 1.26 million tonnes of paper and cardboard 48 per cent recycled
0.68 million tonnes of plastics 8 per cent recycled
0.57 million tonnes of food waste 12 per cent recycled
Source: The Straits Times, 28 Dec 2009
What digs!
T
he most extravagant grave in Singapore can be found at the Bukit Brown cemetery. Ong Sam Leong was the main contractor employing labourers to work in the phosphate mines on Christmas Island. His other businesses included brickworks, sawmills and plantations, and a road off Jalan Besar bears his name – Sam Leong Road. The tycoon, who lived from 1857 to 1918, was buried at Bukit Brown, which at that time was owned by a Hokkien clan association, and reserved only for those with the surname Ong. (The colonial government was to take over the cemetery in 1919 and turn it into a municipal Chinese cemetery, which was finally closed in the 1970s.) The tomb of Ong Sam Leong and his wife is a giant among the 100,000 tombs at Bukit Brown, covering 600 square metres. It has all the traditional Chinese tomb features, but carried out on a much grander scale – the symbolic moat, which is little more than a groove in other tombs, is 15 metres (50 feet) long in Ong’s grave. Besides the lion guardians on Chinese tombs, there are also statues of two Sikh watchmen, complete with rifles. The huge tomb got “lost” for a few years as the old cemetery became neglected and overgrown with weeds. It was rediscovered in 2006. Source: Discover Singapore
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No place like home
I
n 2009, HSBC bank surveyed 3,100 expats in 50 countries to rank countries which they thought offered the best standards of living in the world. Participants were asked to vote on 25 different criteria pertaining to food, social life, accommodation, healthcare, working hours, family life, ability to make friends and so on. Singapore came within the top 10 places.
Rank
Location
1 ......................................................... Canada 2.......................................................... Australia 3.......................................................... Thailand 4.......................................................... Singapore 5.......................................................... Bahrain 6.......................................................... South Africa 7.......................................................... France 8.......................................................... United States 9.......................................................... Spain 10.......................................................... Hong Kong
origins of Roti John
A
ccording to local legend, sometime in the 1960s, an Englishman asked a Malay hawker in Sembawang for a hamburger. Hamburgers were not part of the local cuisine, so the ingenious hawker concocted a substitute: he spread minced mutton and slices of onion between slices of French loaf (baguette), dipped the whole thing in beaten eggs and fried it on a hot griddle. The name of the dish is attributed to this anonymous hawker, who was overheard saying to the customer, “Silakan makan roti, John” which literally translates as “Please eat this bread, John”. Foreigners were often referred to by the generic name John back then, and since the dish was made for a foreigner, it is believed that the hawker christened it Roti John ( John’s bread).
MOBILE IN 1988
T
he earliest mobile telephone service in Singapore was launched in 1988. The telephone sets weighed around 600–700 grams and were priced between $2,900 and $3,400.
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Streetside Art
I
t is often underappreciated that Singapore has been a rich repository of street art since the 19th century. Even after independence, Singapore was very earnest about its public art, building monuments and artworks that reflected national aspirations and struggles. By the 1970s and 1980s, such an approach seemed too intense, and subsequent public art was commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board, property developers and hotel owners, seeking instead to add a cosmopolitan gloss to the city. Here is a selection of public artworks in the Civic District: Title: Elephant Artist: Unknown Year: 1871 Location: The Arts House, side entrance facing the Padang
Title: Abundance III Artist: Sun Yu-Li Year: 1993 Location: intersection of Raffles Boulevard and Temasek Boulevard
Title: Sir Stamford Raffles Artist: Thomas Woolner Year: 1887 Location: In front of Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
Title: Six Brushstrokes Artist: Roy Lichtenstein Year: 1997 Location: Roy Lichtenstein Sculpture Plaza, Millenia Singapore
Title: Allegory of Justice Artist: Cavalieri Rodolfo Nolli Year: 1939 Location: Roof Pediment of the former Supreme Court
Title: Seed Series Artist: Han Sai Por Year: 1998 Location: Esplanade Waterfront
Title: Merlion Artist: Lim Nang Seng Year: 1972 Location: Merlion Park
Title: First Generation Artist: Chong Fah Cheong Year: 2000 Location: Along the Singapore River, next to The Fullerton Hotel
Title: Deva Artist: Emery Lin Year: 1986 Location: In front of the Pan Pacific Hotel
Title: Fishing by the River Artist: Chern Lian Shan Year: 2005 Location: Along the Singapore River, in front of The Riverwalk
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Olympian achievements
T
iny Singapore is not without her Olympians. On 9 Sep 1960, at the Palazzetto Dello Sport in Rome, Tan Howe Liang, 27, put Singapore on the world map when he lifted a record 380 kg in the lightweight (67.5 kg) category to beat 33 rivals (except Russia’s Viktor Busheuv) for the lightweight silver medal. His win remains Singapore’s only individual Olympic medal. Tan is also the only Singaporean who has won a medal at all the major international games – the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games, taking all Golds except for the Olympics. He was also the first weightlifter in history to be awarded the International Weightlifting Federation (national honour) Gold Award in 1984. Source: www.sportsmuseum.com.sg
Home to many
S
ingapore may be a highly urbanised country, but there is an abundance of nature and wildlife to be found.
2,900 species of plants
360 species of birds
250 species of hard corals.
Source: “A Lively and Liveable Singapore” in Strategies for Sustainable Growth published by the Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of National Development, 2009
well executed
M
ore than 400 prisoners have been hanged in Singapore since 1991, giving the small city state possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population of just over four million people (in 2004). Source: Amnesty International
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GHOST ISLAND
F
ans of pirate tales will love this. Pulau Hantu, literally meaning Ghost Island in Malay, is one of Singapore’s offshore islands. Thought to be haunted, legend has it that pirates hid loot on the island. In order to deter unwelcome visitors, they planted flickering lights that gave the illusion of floating spirits. Today, the island is a popular camping ground and boasts one of the cleanest beaches off the main island.
are you on time?
G
eographically, Singapore should only be 6 hours, 55 minutes and 25 seconds ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Currently the country runs on the Singapore Standard Time of GMT+8.
Thaipusam
T
haipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated every year in January or February, according to the full moon in the Tamil calendar. The word is derived from “Thai” meaning “10th” and “pusam” meaning “when the moon is at its brightest”. Dedicated to the Hindu God, Lord Subramaniam son of Lord Siva, also known as Lord Murugan, the deity of youth, power and virtue, this festival is a time for repentance for devotees with celebrations carried out mainly at the temple. Devotees prepare themselves spiritually with extensive prayer and fasting before performing acts of penance or thanksgiving through carrying a kavadi (burden) from one temple to another. The kavadi carriers often pierce sharp skewers through their tongues, cheeks and bodies as a form of self-mortification. They congregate at the temples early in the morning, with their families, friends and well-wishers, to participate in the procession. The procession in Singapore starts at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road, goes down Orchard Road and ends at the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple at Tank Road, commonly known as the Murugan Temple or Chettiar’s Temple. Offerings include fruits, flowers and pots of milk. This Hindu festival commemorates the feats of Lord Subramaniam reflecting triumph over evil forces.
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Chilli Crab
C
hilli crab is a seafood dish that originates from Singapore. It was created in 1950 by Singapore chef, Cher Yam Tian with her husband, Lim Choon Ngee. Mud crabs are commonly used, but other varieties of crab – such as flower crabs or blue swimmer crabs – are used as well.
Before frying, the crab is chopped into large pieces and steamed with slices of ginger. The crab shell is usually partially cracked before cooking for ease of eating. After which, it is stir-fried in chilli sauce and other condiments.
The well-loved crustacean delight is commonly served with bread, steamed or fried mantou (Chinese buns), French loaves or toasted bread, used to mop up the sauce. Plain white rice may also be eaten with chilli crab.
The sauce is thickened with corn flour and flavoured with garlic, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Beaten egg is added near the end of the cooking process to create egg-ribbons in the sauce. Despite its name, chilli crab is not a particularly spicy dish. It is commonly garnished with coriander leaves.
LOCAL SITCOMS that MAdE IT OVERSEAS • Under One Roof (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, USA) • Phua Chu Kang (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei)
• Living with Lydia (Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Macau, Hong Kong, Australia, USA)
• Oh Carol! (Malaysia, Hong Kong)
• Maggi & Me (Malaysia, Cambodia, USA) • Achar (Malaysia, USA)
Sources: Essential Singapore; Time Out Singapore
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A Galaxy On A Little Island
W
ith the Science Centre representing the sun, unique sculptures have been placed at various locations around Singapore, representing the planets. The relative distance of these sculptures from the Science Centre represents the relative distance of each planet from the sun.
5 4 3
10
8 2 1 6
7
9
Legend 1
Sun
Science Centre Singapore (Eco Garden)
2
Mercury
Science Centre Singapore (Fibonacci Terrace)
3
Venus
Japanese Garden (Near Guest House)
4
Earth
Chinese Garden (Near Stone Boat)
5
Mars
Jurong Lake Park (Near Central Plaza)
6
Jupiter
West Coast Park (Near McDonald’s next to Carpark 3)
7
Saturn
One-North Park (Beside water feature)
8
Uranus
Bishan Park (Between playground and Palm Court)
9
Neptune
East Coast Park (At Bougainvillea Garden next to Carpark F2)
10
Pluto
Changi Beach Park (Near Amphitheatre next to Carpark 1)
Source: Science Centre Singapore
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S I N G A P O R E a t ran d o m
BUNGALOW OR MANSION
T
he term “bungalow” in British English refers to a one-storey house, usually small in size. In Singapore, however, bungalows are large, detached houses or mansions, usually with more than one storey.
COMMON PARKING OFFENCES Now there’s no excuse for not knowing the parking rules … Types of Offence
Range of Composition Amount
Parking without displaying valid coupon(s) or sufficient valid coupon(s) to meet the prescribed parking charges
$6–50
Not displaying coupon(s) in the prescribed manner as to be clearly visible
$6–40
Displaying 2 or more coupon(s) where the time of commencement indicated on the 2nd or subsequent coupon(s) did not run immediately after the expiry of the parking period indicated in the prior coupon(s)
$6–40
Displaying a coupon in which the time of commencement of parking indicated on the coupon is later than the actual time when the parking started
$30–40
Displaying any coupon or season parking ticket or authorisation that has any alteration, erasure or other irregularity therein which indicates that the coupon or season parking ticket or authorisation has been tampered with
$50–400
Failing to produce any coupon or season parking ticket or authorisation displayed on a parked vehicle for inspection and/or retention by the Superintendent or any person authorised by him when required to do so
Max $400
Parking after the expiry of the parking period indicated in the coupon(s) displayed
$6–40
Parking other than in a parking lot
$25–200
Drawing, driving, pushing or parking a vehicle in a disorderly manner
$25–80
Failure to obey signs displayed in a parking place
$25–200
Parking beyond the boundaries of a parking lot or parking or stopping in such a manner as to cause obstruction
$25–200
Parking in a season parking place without displaying valid season ticket
$25–80
Unauthorised parking in a reserved lot
$25–80
Source: Urban Redevelopment Authority
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SING A POR E R A N DOM at
Also in this series:
How many hours do Singaporeans work in a week?
Malaysia at Random
What is Singapore foot? Just how much is the prime minister of Singapore paid in a year? When was the first Starbucks café in Singapore opened?
EDITIONS DIDIER MILLET
How many ways can you have yusheng? How many calories are there in a serving of nasi briyani with chicken? What is Singapore’s most unwelcome tree? Where is the most heavily populated cemetery in Singapore? Who was the designer behind the uniform of the SIA Singapore Girl? How many Merlion statues are there in Singapore?
Singapore at Random provides the answers to these and many other fun and fascinating questions about the country.
SAR jkt design 2 New_.indd 1
trivia, Singapore at Random is filled with anecdotes, statistics, quotes, diagrams, facts, useful tidbits. This veritable treasure trove of information on Singapore is arranged, as the title suggests, randomly, so that readers will come to expect the unexpected on each and every page. Designed in a charmingly classic style and peppered with attractive illustrations, Singapore at Random is a quirky and irresistible celebration of everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about this diverse and multi-cultural country.
Facts, figures, quotes and anecdotes on Singapore
US$16.00
Cover image courtesy of Graham Byfield.
An illustrated collection of Singapore
advice, folklore and other unusual and often
Facts, figures, quotes and anecdotes on Singapore
Other books published by
SING A POR E a t R A N DOM
PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER
2nd Proof
Title:Singapore At Random:Edm Job No:D0811-36/CD0911-5/ Alice
9/7/11 10:54:30 AM