Singapore Then and Now A publication based on Singapore’s forgotten past; to the times where life was simple
CONTENT INTRODUCTION 02 MAJULAH SINGAPURA 05 AN AGEING POPULATION 11 THE LITTLE RED DOT 16 LAST DRAGON 26 VOICES OF THE PEOPLE 34
INTRODUCTION
Modern Singapore in the 21st Century
Getting a haircut back in an old barber shop in Braddell Road
Toa Payoh back then was a very interesting place for a young child to grow up in‌ it was where new HDB residents were still coming to terms with living in high density and high rise blocks of flats.
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Where the transformation of the heartlands was taking place to what we see today. It was a fresh change. Back then, it was common to see vegetables being planted on plots behind ground floor units as well as chickens running around, hawkers on push-carts as well as those who went door-to-door balancing their wares at the two ends of a wooden stick or on the top of their heads, much as it might have been in the old kampongs many of the residents came from. Life for many revolved around the amenities that the new town provided, there were the markets, shops, banks, clinics and food stalls that catered to the day
to day needs, new schools built to cope with the large population of children of school-going age, new factories that provided work for many who lived there, as well as the many places of worship that were constructed catered to the residents. That was the Toa Payoh that I spent a significant part of my childhood in, one that I had many wonderful experiences growing up in, yet at the same time a tinge of sadness overcomes me as I realize the place that I once loved as a kid, is slowly but surely disappearing in front of my very eyes. Alas, change is inevitable, but are we losing our heritage at the process.
“You can be in many places around the world, live and work in different countries, stay in different houses and apartments, but somehow there will only be one home. You may or may not see it now, but eventually you will treasure the fond memories that this little island has brought for you. It’s only when you’re older, perhaps maybe in your mid 20’s; That you realize that even though you’re not exactly old, you’re no longer that young anymore. Eventually you notice you’re old enough to start seeing the places and things you knew when you were young start to change and disappear.” MARIANNE TAN Singaporean Graphic designer
A floppy disk to store data, now out-of-production & obsolete 3
THE SINGAPORE THAT WE KNOW TODAY Singapore back in the 90’s The 90’s were the prime factor that launched Singapore into its current global economic hub for trade, culture and arts. As Singapore was young in the 1980’s, ideas that were thought were impossible back then were only made possible through the perseverance and strong minded individuals of its people. As Singapore slowly became a nation of strong-willed individuals, some have chosen to pursue their dreams, which have led them far away from home, family and friends. Singapore in the 80’s
A place called home Homes at that time feels like such a distant memory of what it is today. In the past, beds usually had fitted metal-framed double-decker bed; old style cabinet cum dresser used by our grandmothers and alters for worship was a common sight at home. Tiled mosaic flooring cooled the house during the hot season as we play various games to pass the time away. Tiled mosaic flooring as a child at home
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IN THE HEARTLANDS As a working adult in the 90’s A strong family upbringing and filial piety was important in every family household. A decent size family would consist of 2 to 4 siblings, a father and mother and grandparents, huddled up in a small HDB flat. It was always crowded and lively paired with strict rules and of course with the occasional “rattan caning”. The man of the household would provide for the family, working long hours to provide for the entire family while his wife would take care of the children. Even though my own father worked for long arduous hours just to provide food on the table, we would spend quality family time playing at the playgrounds on the weekends.
A family spending time together at a Toa Payoh playground
Older HDB flats had lifts that could only take you to certain floors
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MA SIN
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AJULAH NGAPURA
“Majulah Singapura” which also means “Onward Singapore”, is a national anthem that has been sung countless of times when we’re young during our childhood days. As waves of nostalgia washes over me as I hear this song; now as an adult, thoughts
of my childhood days comes first into mind. As Singapore is rapidly developing, so are her people and the places in it. Change is good for a globalizing county, but at what cost? As media and gadgets take over the lives of the youth, and as
is a dying trait, where do we stand in our global identity? We take a look at how much Singapore has changed then, and now, and dwell deeper into the remaining heritage left in the heartlands of Singapore.
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Working as a Secretary The 80’s and 90’s was a place where work was readily available for those who are willing to work hard even with minimal or basic education qualifications. The first question that would always be asked in interviews, “Are you hardworking?” and if you were a selected candidate for the job, the next question would proceed, “Are you willing to work extra hours without OT (over-time) pay?”
Everyday transportation Morning commute was a challenge as the buses were packed to the brim due to the numerous white-collar workers on their way to work. The buses at that period of time were operated by SBS (Singapore Bus Services) Transit and are still currently the major public transport operator in Singapore. The buses used to be non-air-conditioned only, and the seats were made of wood and the cushion was red. Passengers could actually push open the windows and feel the breeze hitting against your face. Not many people owned cars, as it was relatively an expensive mode of transport to own, so most adults opted to take the bus or cycling as a mode of transport.
SBS Bus 26 leaving the Ang Mo Kio bus interchange
No Ez-Link cards There were no EZ-Link cards back then, so passengers had to insert their card into the fare card machine in the bus, which would then produce a ticket from the bottom. The adult fare cards had a blue back, children's ones had a red back, and the backs of senior citizens’ cards were purple. And there were many designs to collect.
Left: Old fare cards used in the 70’s and 80’s on buses & trains 8
“Work faster leh”
Secretaries were required to record all agendas during a meeting; it may take 30 minutes to even 4 hours depending on the shareholder that was present. It was a lot of hard work as a secretary in a large company, but there was always time for family and friends after work.
Life back then was not as stressful as today’s standards although in the 80’s it was uncommon for a woman to take up a job as most women eventually became housewives after their marriage. Anyone will tell you that without a phone working life would be a harder place to be in, but before the introduction of the iPhone or any mobile devices; pagers were the norm then. The days when you had to rush to a public phone to return a call once you receive a 'beep' on your pager? In the past, you would often see men and women carrying pager pouches clipped onto their belt as they commute between work and family.
Singaporeans now
Singapore is an rapidly aging population due to the baby boom in the 60’s
As Singapore grew into a financially stable and well respectable country over the years, so did the many generations of other Singaporeans who were born in the 50’s to 80’s. They paved the way for future generations and teach them important moral lessons and values, which will encourage further growth within the city. However, due to the Baby Boom after World War II, Singapore faces a rapidly aging population as the median age of a country rises due to rising life expectancy and/or declining birth rates.
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An ageing population Due to the baby boom after the World War II, the ageing population from that period is Singapore biggest problem as the working-age population (ages 15-64) are slowing dipping while the elderly age group is raising
Highest distribution of elderly people aged 60 and above
TOA PAYOH ANG MO KIO KALLANG QUEENSTOWN
32% of Singaporeans will be above 65 and older by 2030
1 in 3 elderly suffer from a serious mental or physical illness but only 54% of them seek medical assistant
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61.7% of the elderly in Singapore live alone/with a partner while 1.2% of the elderly have no home
Increase cases of the elderly dying alone without knowledge Estimated time before they are discovered dead, 2 to 3 weeks due to the decomposition smells from the body
37.7% of the elderly suffers from Dementia & at least 2.3% of the elderly go missing every year
Only 57% of Singaporeans are willing to take care of their aged parents, 23.4% were hesitant and a 18.1% said “No� 11
Being a child was easy Being a child was easy back in the 70’s and 80’s as we would run around playing “Police and Thief” at sandpit playgrounds, ice cream stick guns and playing with marbles. We did not worry about monetary issue, appearance or the coolest gadgets in the market; life was simple and carefree.
Playing the neighbour’s kids were common as it was a close knitted community
The fun things we did Nowadays having fun means either watching a movie, playing online games or a console or just staying at home to surf the Internet. But back then it was a more active lifestyle where children would go out and play. Our mothers would chase us out of the house and force us to use our imagination to keep ourselves occupied as we did not have television at that time.
Marble A game that used to be the most popular among the boys is MARBLE, which is also known as “go li”, the Tamil term for the word marble. Marbles is an exciting game. Many boys would try to collect as many marbles from their own opponents as possible. 12
Therefore making the game fun as more marbles meant that you were a skillful player which made it exciting and challenging for everyone.
“Paper balloon is for girls!” Thin layers of colorful paper carefully sticking to each other make the paper ball. It had a hole for you t blow air into it and the more air you blew, the more it would expand giving it form and shape. Once it was fully expanded its time to have fun with your friends, a fragile game as you had to handle it with
care even when you play it, most of the time its ruined it a few sessions with boys, thus a girl’s game. The paper ball is light and will give a graceful effect of a floating ball whenever you play with it. Wind will also affect where the paper ball will land too, it was a fun game that brings back nostalgic memories.
A paper balloon was a cheaper alternative to a rubber ball
Pick-up Sticks Pick-up sticks was a common sight in the 1960’s to the 1980’s in Singapore. Kids would play with coloured plastic sticks instead of wooden ones. The game was more popular among the girls than the boys and it wasn’t as exciting nor competitive as Marble. It was a more slow paced game that required patience and skill.
Rainbow coloured pick-up sticks were popular in the 80’s
5 stones had many different colours, shape and pattern depending on the design of the cloth used
5 Stones Children in Singapore used to compare their 5 stone collection to see who had the nicest set of five stones in terms of patter and shape of these little bean bags. Another game that was more well known with girls in the past. It was a cheap and easy game as most of the mother will just sew for the kids as it’s made of cloths and sand/rice on the inside. Thus cheap and affordable game earlier in the 60’s.
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Now the corridors are quiet and empty, and that once bustling scene is now rare and few
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“Do you remember what it was like growing up?”
Before the gleaming skyscrapers and sterile HDB flats that took over the skyline, Singapore was a small yet lively area, bustling with hope for the future. In less than 50 years, Singapore has gone from being a lesser-known island in Southeast Asia to being considered one of the hubs of trade and business. The city-state might be young, but little time has been wasted in developing the island into a modern and efficient county where individuals make a name for themselves in the world.
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Not all traces of “old� Singapore has been wiped out yet, nestled in a secluded part of Singapore resides a small Kampong that is known with the older locals around that area as Kampong Buangkok, the last remaining kampong left in Singapore. In Kampong Buangkok, time stands-still, as if untouched by the rapidly changing environment Singapore is undergoing.
It is an endearing part that is secretly tucked away from the city as tourists and locals hunt down this hamlet every weekend for a taste of the kampong lifestyle – a rare peculiarity in this modern city-state.
OUR HOME ON THE LITTLE RED DOT
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BACK IN TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS BACK THE GOOD OLD DAYS Earily Days of Living The last survivng kampong in Singapore was established in 1956. Located near Gerald Drive off Yio Chu Kang Road, the kampong now current residents has less than 30 families, Malays and Chinese created a close knitted community amongst themselves during that period and has last till this day. The houses, connected by dirt roads, still retain their zinc roofs with wooden enamels. Kampong Buangkok in the 1950’s; it started out from a small fishing village owned by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Man
Land Area The land was acquired in 1956 from My Huang Yu Tu and evolved into a kampong. It was initially a swampy piece of land with only 5 to 6 homes. By the 1960’s, it housed about 40 families. The land areas used to be 21460m2. The land area has shrunken in size to 12248.1m2.
The children growing up in a Kampong; it was a close knitted community consisting of many families from various places
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EVERYONE KNEW EACH OTHER The landlady & Rent In the early 1970’s, most residents worked in nearby Woodbridge Hospital or factories. The children attended nearby schools such as Yio Chu Kang Primary School. Residents used to pay rental of $2 to $3 then before in was $30 in recent years. They tended to rear their own chickens for food and generally led a carefree and slow pace life as compared to their urban contemporaries. The free-range roaming dogs, cats and chicken co-exist with each other in this peaceful village, almost as if time stood-still since 40 years ago. In the past, children used to play and fish at the big canal behind the village. In the past, the residents that resides in Kampong Buangkok paid a small monthly token of not more than $30 to the landlord Madam Sng Mui Hong, who inherited the plot of land from her father decades ago.
Bird cages hung from their Kampong houses in the daytime
Kampong Buangkok is also known as “Selak Kain” in Malay, which means, “hitching up one’s sarong (skirt)”. It was named as such as the place was prone to flooding and people needed to hitch up their sarong to walk through the floodwaters.
Singapore in the 1970’s as it develops into the present day city
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Demolished Kampong Bongsu
The dirt road along Kampong Buangkok
TOP: A handmade sign made my the local residents as many tourist and Singaporeans visit the last remaining Kampong in Singapore
The most recent Kampong that was forced to exist was at Khatib Bongsu. It use to be accessible through a muddy track off Yishun Avenue 6 and its last two residents were requested by the Ministry of Defense to move as the nearby forested area has been marked as a restricted military training ground since the early 90’s. By 2007, the familiar zinc roof houses that was once a common sight at Yishun was demolished. At the end of 2010, a jogging track that was linked to Sengkang Riverside Park was built behind the Kampong Buangkok, allowing joggers to enjoy the serene & peaceful ambiance of that area.
The few houses left at Buangkok
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The future is unknown There is unconfirmed news and decisions whether or not the land where Kampong Buangkok is situated will be used for development in the near future, which means a sad end to this decade old Kampong which escaped the rapid urbanization of Singapore’s fast changing environment.
First few HDB flats Singapore has modernized at an increasing rate to fit the need and demand from its growing population and foreign trade and expats. As technology, design and minds change the past into the present, so does the people’s well-being and surroundings. In due time, people living in swamps and kampong soon moved into flats provided my the HDB as more people need housing as the population due to baby boom after the way occurred. The HDB flats although new at that period of time, was soon accepted and welcomed into the community as strangers from different parts of Singapore became neighbours, memories were made and new found kinship formed. To boost these efforts, the HDB build playgrounds and near by kindergartens for children, void decks for social participation within the community and activates from the community centers were the start of a part of Singapore that is remembered fondly by many.
The old bus interchange, the current HDB hub that it’s located at and the earlier flats in Toa Payoh
The common spaces is the successor to some of the original common spaces in the past and it has certainly come a long way over the years as a common space that has evolved to one that fills the lives of many residents who do use it.
A contrast can be seen between the newer buildings and the older HDB flats
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The community of then and now
Circular stone benches allowed easier social interaction with people
The common spaces such as void decks, stone benches and large halls developed in the past compared to this current time brought a more closer bonding with its people than it has today. Though Toa Payoh has many common spaces, it was usually
empty with no one making use of it. The younger generation now are unable to forge a sense of community around the place they live in as they have no significant or autobiographical attachment to the place as it’s simply a place in their life that they live in
and not something that is memorable to them, therefore not remembering their neighbours, facilities and landmarks of the area. Are the newer generations slowly losing their heritage as their identity is not built in Singapore, but rather on the Internet instead?
50 years of friendship “We are very old neighbours and have lived in Toa Payoh for more than 50 years. Despite our age, we find time to meet together to understand how each other are doing in their lives. Even after our school days, our marriage and even in retirement. The bond between us is strong and has last through the decades, and for that I am so very glad.� TAN ENG KIANG 68 Year Old Retired Taxi Driver
Neighbours catching up on each other lives, they spend their sunday afternoons reminiscing about their past 22
The Friendly Post Man of Yesteryears
The first letterboxes installed by HDB
When I had first moved to Toa Payoh, I was too young to get out of the confines of the three room flat that we moved into on my own. In between playing with my Barbie dolls and “masak masak”, or peering out through the usually opened front door at life beyond the flat, I would look forward to the arrival of the post man and his bicycle.
That always was able to break the monotony of the day, as the usually smiling post man, his bag of mail to be delivered slung over his shoulders, would always announce his arrival with a greeting and a loud “Hello girl, here’s the mail”. Those were the days when the post man would come a calling, six days a week, bringing mail right to the doorstep of every home, whether landed or not.
This letter box can be found at Kampong Buangkok, an old-school 2-way mailbox
The first letterboxes that were installed weren’t perfect to start with. While they were provided with locks, the slots were not fitted with one way-swinging shutter that now we see commonly, and the absence of this allowed mail to be stolen, mostly by young children for the stamps. These were improved by the time most of the existing HDB flats were retrofitted in the mid 1970s and the type seen in the photograph were then the most common, which were a lot more secure. Still, acts of mischief were quite common, and HDB flat dwellers often found insects, toads and bits of rubbish mixed with the mail that came each afternoon, those were the days..
Only time can tell if these last few remaining local places will be around for future generations to come. Although it is an uncertain future for these nostalgic icon of Singapore, the thing that remains constant about it is our local identity and culture through the memories that we will pass on, when times were simple and carefree. 23
Looking back at the changes that is rapidly occurring in the city, as the skyscrapers get higher while the older HDB flats disappears. A sense of nostalgia creeps away from this timeless 24
utopia as the places that was once familiar to some is slowly being consumed away by modernization. A huge visual contrast can be seen in this change, some may call it a great change
to boost Singapore’s economy while other concurs it as a cultural pandemic that will affect the future generation of Singaporean’s national identity.
“Are we losing our homes now?”
THE LAST DRAGON OF SINGAPORE
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One of the most iconic landmarks in Singapore rests in the heartland of the city, the dragon shaped sand-based playground located at Block 28 Toa Payoh Lorong 6. The design used to be a popular design for playgrounds in Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh back in the 70’s and 80’s because of safety concerns in recent years.
It is believed that the last remaining Dragon Playground is the only one of its kind (sand-based) left in Singapore. The Dragon Playground was designed in 1979 by Housing and Development Board’s in-house designer Khor Ean Ghee (born 1935)), who got his inspiration from the Oriental dragon commonly seen among the
Chinese community in Singapore. Beside the majestic dragon, there are two little plastic rides in the shapes of a seahorse and a pony for children to sit on. The long body of the dragon is made of steel rails, which form a passage for kids to get to the dragon head.
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WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OFF
The Dragon welcomes the young and the young at heart
Many adult Singaporeans now would have fond childhood memories of these locally-designed dragon and pelican playgrounds often found near HDB housing. Unlike present playgrounds that are made of rubber, conventional ones were usually sand-based. Many of such playgrounds were torn down since the late nineties however the Dragon Playground serves as an endearing and most probably one of the only memory that is left of our childhood days, when life was simpler.
As I venture through its scales, a sense of excitement came over me
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THE DRAGON COMES ALIVE They are iconic structures which have stood the test of time and generations' worth of children's roughhousing. Many of these old-school playgrounds – featuring structures resembling birds, ships, fruits and even an elephant – have gone. But some remain to this day. Many of the local residents wonder, “When will it be time before this magnificent playground gets taken down too?” Just like its comrades, one by one it stood through the test of time and served its purpose for that generation, creating joy, adventure and memories for children around the area. It withers away into oblivion and is unspoken of; as time goes by, has the Dragon meet its greatest enemy, “Time”?
“It was like looking through the dragon’s eyes”
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The man who gave the Dragon life
“Hello my old friend”, whispered Mr Khor Ean Ghee as he nimbly climbs the dragon
Mr Khor Ean Ghee, now 78, designed more than 20 of these playgrounds, as an interior designer at the Housing and Development Board. A project to build playgrounds in the new towns was launched in 1973, one of them The Dragon Playground at Toa Payoh. He recalls how, as an adult, he had to think like a child – about what he wanted to do at a playground. The dragons were particularly hard to build because of the elaborate outlines. “It was not easy to combine the play with the shape of a phoenix but I could design a dragon playground that slows for climbing and sliding while keeping its shape” he explains. While many Singaporeans’ memory of the Dragon playground probably resembles the one still standing in Toa Payoh Lorong 6, Mr Khor reveals that this design was updated from an earlier one. The first few sketches of the playground and its form 30
In the beginning The first version had a longer spine, a circular monkey bar instead of a slide and a smaller metal head. Eventually only one was built in Toa Payoh Garden in 1975. Due to feedback from the estate managers about that dragon’s head would fade over time, terrazzo and square glass tiles covered the dragon in four colours: red, blue, orange and green. The tiles which was also used in his other playground designs gave the dragon a unique mosaic look.
Blue print of the Lorong 6 playground
Today, what’s left of Singapore’s proud design heritage of this majestic dragon and other locally designed playgrounds can be found at Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio. There are also other smaller versions of the dragon playground located in Braddell and MacPherson. Despite it’s near extinction, Mr Khor is not bothered, saying his design has served its time and purpose.
Baby Dragon playground along Braddell road The prototype of the dragon playground, a smaller scale replica
The Dragon’s extinction “Then we wanted identity, so the playgrounds were locally designed such that you can see this is a Singaporean playground. Nowadays, it can’t be helped because Singapore is so small, it won’t be cheap to design it ourselves. The modern playgrounds are also of better quality because the companies that produce them keep improving on them.” KHOR EAN GHEE An interior designer for HDB
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THE RESILIENT SPIRIT OF YESTERYEARS Concrete playgrounds are vanishing as the cost, land scarcity and safety is taken into consideration, however one wonders if this is a wise choice to make. As sandboxes have been replaced by rubber mats, while plastic play equipment has taken over the use of concrete and metal, do the newer playgrounds that we have today place too much emphasize on safety? Are we losing our identity just for the sake of saving monetary cost? Although the welfare and safety of children is important to many of the new-aged parents, are we preventing them from becoming resilient adults in the future; protecting them from all harm to the best of our ability maybe more harm then good. Concrete playgrounds were places that we played when we were young, we ran, climbed, jumped, slid, swung, and if we ever got hurt of fell down, that was alright. We just had to pick ourselves up, brush the sand off and learn from it. 32
But it was all part of a learning process, and through that we eventually learn from our failures then. Are we bubble wrapping our kids far more then we should, to the point that failures are not to be tolerated. Compared to the rubberized and well-padded playgrounds of today, children could learn a lot more from the playgrounds of yesteryears.
The last remaining playgrounds left: The Doves Playground The Doves playground is one of the few remaining mosaic playgrounds left in Singapore. Located in the quiet side of Dakota Cresent estate and was another design by Khor Ean Ghee for the housing development board (HDB). The Dove was completed in 1959 and it exudes all the elements of an old-fashioned playground; an elevated bridge, sand pit and swings made of rubber tyres, a rare sight in an ever changing society.
The Bumboat
Dove Playground, Behind Blk 10 Dakota Crescent
Right in the middle of Pasir Ris rests a Chinese bumboat where children and adults pass-by daily. Covered with mosaic tiles that retained its beautiful colours and sheen, the ship-shaped playground was completed in 1994 for the locals living in Pasir Ris. Its significant rubber tyres allowed kids to grab and climb on, also there were tyre-padding that protects the sides of the bumboats. The Bumboat near Elias Mall in Pasir Ris
The Elephant Playground
Elephant Playground Inside the NS Home Team Chalet 125A Pasir Ris Road
The Elephant playground located at HomeTeamNS Pasir Ris Holiday Chalets is one of the few playgrounds left that is still in good condition as the traffic of children and people entering and playing at the playground is low due to its secluded location. It was build around the same time as the Dove and Dragon playground and its iconic usage of brown terrazzo tiles can be seen, but the most unique feature about this playground is its trunks has been creatively turn into two slides. Other features include tunnels, swings and concrete slabs with windows for the more adventurous. 33
The voices of the people
“I live alone in a 3 room apartment by myself. My children has all grown up and they have not visited me in a very long time...”
Elizabeth Choy Wai Man 89 Year Old Elderly
“What is Kampong Buangkok? Who cares about some old huts” JAVIER CHU 16 Year Old student
“I don’t know my neighbours at all” MR DERICK LOW 25 Year Old School Teacher
“Many young Singaporeans are losing their heritage. They don’t know how to speak dialect anymore and they don’t want to learn from the older generation either. Soon we all won’t be around to teach them, what will happen to our culture then?”
MR SAM LIM 38 Year Old Business Owner
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“Its harder to communicate with my children now, always on their iPhone and computer! Don’t even want to eat dinner with us anymore” MADAMN CHAN Housewife with 2 children
“I used to grow up playing the game “Police and Thief” with my neighbor at the dragon playground. Back then we didn’t have television and our parents only gave us 5 cents to eat!” MR LIM BOON HENG 49 Year Old Taxi Driver
“I would rather shop with my friends then spend time at home. No one is at home..” CANDICE CHEONG 18 Year Old Student
“The “Strawberry Generation” is the worse of the lot; spoilt, rude and pampered” MR ANG KIM SENG Insurance Agent
“It’s too expensive to start a family, let alone have kids. I want to concentrate on my career first” RYAN WAN 29 Year old Entrepreneur
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“What will be left, 20 years from now?”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to credit the images and background history towards the completion of this publication to; The Housing Development Board Singapore for the relevant information and pictures on Toa Payoh’s past & the elderly. Mr Khor Ean Ghee for his sketches and initial works, Singapore Memory Project & The Long Winding Road Wordpress imagery of Singapore back in the 60’s to 90’s and JeffreyandFlora.com for the information about Kampong Buangkok.
ABOUT THE BOOK This book is not an educational or propaganda publication to install patriotism for the country. This is however; a book of thoughts and recollection of past memories that has stirred the hearts of many Singaporean citizens alike. The purpose of this book is to serve as “food for the soul”. A book that makes you ponder about the challenges and current situation that Singapore faces, while at the same time reliving out the forgotten childhood memories when times were simpler. Through this book, you will walk through many generations; understand the challenges the past, present and future bring and in anyway possible, impact and instill in your mind a new perspective of things.
Country Flag Erasers Game; A popular game in the 80’s and 90’s with children