Oh là là: sensual French curves revealed

Oh là là! I got a little more than I bargained for when I popped into the Peugeot showroom on Friday, seeing a curvaceous French specimen for the very first time. That, is the new Peugeot RCZ, Top Gear’s Coupé of the Year. The ultra gorgeous car which began its journey as a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007, going into production in 2008 has besides Top Gear, received several accolades since it was introduced in Europe last year.

A cocktail party at the Peugeot Showroom was held to launch the curvy Peugeot RCZ in Singapore.

Unveiling the RCZ.

Seeing the car for the first time, I was impressed by the smooth curves and its “double-bubble” roof which gives the car a unique ultra gorgeous appearance, making it just so appealing as a sports coupé. Two drive options are available, a 6-speed manual with a 1.6L THP engine which delivers 200 bhp at 5800 rpm, giving a maximum torque of 275 Nm at 1700 rpm, or a 6-speed automatic giving a maximum torque of 240 Nm at 1600 rpm. The 200 bhp option provides a acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and a fuel consumption of 14.5km/litre in mixed driving conditions.

A feature of the RCZ's unique design is the "Double-Bubble" roof.

More views of the Peugeot RCZ during the launch:

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The ride of my life on Battlestar Galactica

I embarked on the ride of my life on Monday. It took place on an island that I had associated more with slow moving vehicles from the first experiences that I had on it. Of course these days, the island is a very different place from the one which for a time, I would visit on Wednesday afternoons, arriving by ferry from Jardine Steps before making my way on foot to what was the canoeing lagoon at the far end of the island. The island now hosts one of the two integrated resorts in Singapore, the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and has Singapore’s new Wonderland (Wonderland was the amusement park to be at when I was growing up in the 1970s), Universal Studios Singapore in which I managed to get an invite to for a preview of the relaunch of the world’s tallest dueling roller coasters, Battlestar Galactica. Having long outgrown my adrenaline craving days during which I even paid a visit to South East Asia’s first looping roller coaster at Siam Park in the outskirts of Bangkok, I would have normally hesitated if I was offered a ride on a roller coaster that takes you some 14 storeys up in the air and gives you a sense of a near miss with another at speeds of up to 90 km/h, but when the opportunity arose, I somehow grabbed at it.

A test run before the preview.

So with a bunch of fellow blog kakis, I found myself staring up at the 14 storey high mess of steel, pretty imposing from the bottom looking up and I started to have second thoughts about it …after all, I’ve had my share of thrills and spills in my youth and maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Somehow though, I got caught up with the excitement that was buzzing around me and I somehow lost that initial apprehension that I had and having left all my loose items behind (including my glasses – my glasses flew off during my first ever upside down roller coaster experience at Siam Park!), I soon found myself walking along with the group up to the first ride, on the Human Coaster, one that was supposedly the less intense of the two – one without any inversions. I had perhaps thought to myself that that wasn’t going to be too bad … after all, it was only going to last for a mere 90 seconds … Seated and locked into a centre seat (phew!) next to the barefoot prominent blogger Dawn Yang, it wasn’t long before we were blasted (the coaster unlike most sets off at high speed) up the rails and after that initial sense of trepidation, I actually found myself enjoying the rush of adrenaline that I got … there were moments when we were literally off our seats, held only by the restraints … and before we knew it … it was over in a flash!

The 14 storey high mess of steel that greeted us.

That did not deter me ....

Posing for the customary photograph before the ride.

On the Human Coaster - looks like most were enjoying it.

Stepping off and in spite of my legs being a little wobbly, I found myself actually wanting more. That certainly had to be the Cylon Coaster! The Cylon, we were informed would offer us the experience of several inversions: a zero-G roll, a cobra roll, vertical loop, cockscrews and as when we were on the Human Coaster, the Cylon wasn’t running, we would be experiencing one of the features of the rides, a near collision which is said to be mere inches apart. Seated in the Cylon, one is suspended under the rails – and also features a deep pit filled with mist which provides a sensation of a near miss with the ground. It did sound a little scary, but after that first experience, I was actually looking forward to it!

Riders on the Cylon are suspended below the rails.

The ride on the Cylon I must say was the ride of my life! I wasn’t at all disappointed – as we were twisted, inverted and thrown along the 975 metre track … an experience that I guess only can be described by the word “Awesome”! Maybe I was too caught up with being whisked around but the near miss sensation seemed more exciting than scary … and at the end of it as the coaster ground to a halt, the 90 seconds seemed a little too short …. and it an experience that I will certainly look forward to reliving on my next visit to Universal Studios Singapore.

One of the twists on the Cylon ...

The coasters appear to cross paths along the 975m track, giving the sensation of a near collision.

We survived!

Blogger Walter Lim speaking about his experience.

Dawn Yang was all smiles (and she wanted seconds)!

Riders on the Cylon ...

Paramount revisited

It has been a while since I visited Serangoon Garden. It had been a place that I visited frequently for a time, when the residential estate had a more laid back feel to it. It was just after we had moved to nearby Ang Mo Kio that my family started frequenting “Gardens” as we referred to it, with there being an NTUC supermarket that was probably closest to the new Ang Mo Kio which was starting life as a HDB estate at the end of the 1970s, where my mother could make her weekly visits to the supermarket. The weekly visits would bring us in touch with some of the existing institutions in the area: Chomp Chomp for one, and the already well known NIB second hand bookshop being another. That also brought us in touch with Paramount Theatre, which by that time seemed to wear a shabby and tired appearance.

The second hand book shop NIB was an institution in Serangoon Garden (image source: NLB Straits Times online archive).

The NIB bookshop was a particular favourite of my families, and the weekly visits always included a visit to the bookshop, where second hand books – most of which were in excellent condition could be effectively rented or bought at very affordable prices. I got most of my supply of books through my teens this way and most would remember the shelves and racks that lined the five foot way at the side of the shop that ran along Portchester Avenue, leading up to the barber shop and the ramp up to the car park of the building in which the NTUC supermarket was located. The shop itself was particularly packed – with a few racks filled with stories through which the ladies could live their romantic fantasies out ….

The Paramount and the row of shops at Maju Avenue leading up to the corner shop where NIB was located (Source: http://jalankayutrail.blogspot.com).

The Paramount right at the other end of Maju Avenue which together with NIB, would have made an appearance some time in the 1960s, would have offered more than that – with many catching popular movies there in the good old days of hard PVC seats in single screen cinemas, steamed peanuts and sweetcorn, and chinagraph scrawled coloured ticket stubs. I can’t say that I have watched a movie there, preferring to catch my movies in the bigger screens down town, but I do well remember the cinema. That went in 1983, shutting down as cinemas found it hard to cope with the appearance of movies on videotapes. The cinema soon found an alternative use, being converted into a Fitzpatrick’s supermarket in 1984 shortly before before the chain was bought over by Cold Storage. And when Cold Storage closed the outlet in 1985, that coincided with the period of my life when I was caught up with the transition to adulthood, and so I stopped my regular visits to Serangoon Garden, although my parents still frequented the area. The Paramount later became the Serangoon Garden Village complex which featured a DBS bank as well as some F&B outlets.

Another shot of Paramount (source: www.singas.co.uk).

The old seen on the new, an image of the former Paramount Theatre projected onto the façade of the new myVillage, developed by Chye Lee and Sons Pte Ltd which is headed by two sons of the former owner of the Paramount.

It was perhaps coincidental that whilst a few were reminiscing about the old Paramount that I received an invitation to the grand opening of myVillage, a new development on the site of the former Paramount. What is interesting about it is that the developers of myVillage, Chye Lee and Sons Pte Ltd, is headed by Edmund and Edward Chye, whose father had owned the Paramount Theatre (the company was responsible for Serangoon Garden Village as well). While it does not bring back the old Paramount and some of the institutions that many residents of Serangoon Garden might have some nostalgia for, the development does provide a link to the past, at the same time bringing a modern mall concept to the area, similar to what has become popular in many other residential neighnourhoods.

myVillage brings a modern mall into the heart of Serangoon Garden.

The grand opening of myVillage on 20 February 2011 featured a carnival and was graced by Mrs Lim Hwee Hwa, Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance and Transport, MP for Aljunied GRC.

Some in the crowd were invited to draw laser graffiti on the facade of myVillage together with Mrs Lim.

Laser graffiti that was drawn.

The crowd at the grand opening.

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Press release:

myVillage: An Orchard Road experience in the suburbs

Singapore – With city centre packed with tourists, discerned locals are seeking premium suburban alternatives to avoid commuting to the city area for a good meal and relaxed weekend. Home-grown developer Chye Lee & Sons, has planned for a curated suburban retail experiences with myVillage at Serangoon Garden which opens officially on 20th February.

According to Singapore Tourism Board, tourists arrivals have increased 20.7% this year, with a total of 10.5 million visitors to Singapore during January to November 2010. With such record tourists figures, locals are opting to spend their weekends in suburban malls. To cater for the shoppers who are weary of Orchard crowds, suburban malls are stepping up and creating specialty retail experiences.

“We wanted something that our regulars could relate to and also a curated retail experience,” Edmund Chye stated. “Being nearer to the residents, we knew from the consumer research conducted that they were looking for two things, high retail standards and the individuality that Serangoon Garden is known for.”

This approach was the reason that myVillage currently boasts a tenancy rate of 99%, with huge interest even before the developers started marketing the mall in 2009.

In this gem of a mall, patrons can grab a quick bite at Da Paolo Gastronomia, pick up groceries from Fairprice Finest and enjoy European and Japanese-French country-style bread at Bakerzin Artisan Bread, a new-to-market brand that will open soon in myVillage.

“We were initially looking for a shophouse unit for our first Bakerzin Artisan Bread outlet as we did not want our new brand to be in an impersonal mall,” Mr Daniel Tay, Chief Executive Officer at Bakerzin, said. “myVillage was perfect as it has the best of both worlds.”

In a consumer research done in 2009 by Consulus, regional brand consultancy, the annual average income of patrons from the primary (Serangoon Garden and Serangoon North) and secondary (Kovan, Hougang and Braddell Heights) geographical areas, was $61,634 and $73,405 respectively, compared to Singapore’s overall average of $52,350 (according to IRAS Annual survey 2009).

“The patrons of myVillage are discerning shoppers who appreciate a more curated experience,” Lawrence Chong, Director for Strategy Development at Consulus, said.

To make sure myVillage was appealing to the affluent community, almost $1,000 per sq foot was spent to build and fit-out the complex, an amount comparable to ION Orchard.

“The developers were fully committed to pushing the boundaries in designing this experience, from the selection of tenants to choosing the right fittings and creating the brand story. It has been as intense as developing a mall along Orchard road,” Chong said.

Tenants cited the coziness of the mall as an attractive characteristic for their units. Residents can pause for a foot massage, drop off their laundry and have a coffee while waiting. With Beyond Beauty opening in mid-March, visitors will be able to enjoy nail and spa treatments close to their homes.

“Organic Basic provides homely and personal service and myVillage is a place that we feel at home in and that enables us to build friendships with the residents,” Tracy Lim, Director at Organic Basic, said, whose myVillage outlet is the brand’s first flagship store.

Current dining options include Japanese grill by Shin Kushiya and Chinese favourites at Old Hong Kong Taste, with Relish by Wild Rocket completing the offerings with Western comfort food when it opens. Other dining options opening soon are Daikokuya and Sweet Spring.

Familiar brands like Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Subway, Wang Cafe, Feisiong, Old Chang Kee, Oishii Bakery, Each-a-cup and Jollibean have populated the basement level of myVillage.

New food concepts by local food brands include Obolo Estudio and Berrylite.

myVillage will officially open its doors on Sunday, 20 February with a homecoming carnival for families and friends. All are invited to come in their casual best, let down their hair and do crazy things like eat on beds and use pots and pans as target practice.

The carnival, called myVillage Affair, will begin at noon at the mall and along Maju Avenue. Shoppers can look forward to games with attractive prizes. Radio personality and Serangoon Garden resident Daniel Ong will emcee the event live from 5 to 9 pm, while Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Transport, MP for Aljunied GRC, will join the festivities at 7 pm as the guest of honour. The carnival will end with a bang at 8 pm with a laser graffiti on the facade of myVillage and a confetti snowstorm.

For press enquiries, please contact:
Ms Christina Tarigan
Marketing Manager
marketing@myvillage.com.sg
+65 9785 3835

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The last stand …

After dominating the Kallang skyline for some 37 years, and some five months after heavy equipment was moved in and four months after demolition work started, we have seen the last of the Grand Old Lady. As of today, all that is left is a pile of twisted steel and broken concrete which supported as many as 70,000 in the days when the Kallang Roar had been in its infancy. We can now look forward to what promises to a new and exciting Sports Hub which will include new facilities such as a new 55,000 capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000 capacity indoor Aquatic Centre, a 3,000 capacity multi-purpose arena, and a Water Sports Centre, as well as integrate the existing Kallang Indoor Stadium into the complex.

The sun sets on the former National Stadium (8 Feb 2011).

The final trio (10 Feb 2011).

Blocks 1, 2, and 3: the last to go ...

A heap of twisted steel and broken concrete is all that is left (15 Feb 2011).

A crane stands triumphantly over the defeated mess of steel and concrete.

Two new icons of Singapore waiting to be joined by another.

The phoenix that will rise out of the ashes - the Sports Hub is scheduled to be completed in April 2014.

A walk along the ridge: Commemorating the Battle of Pasir Panjang

I took a walk with a group of about 50 yesterday morning, along a part of Singapore that I frequent only because of visits I make from time-to-time to the National University of Singapore (NUS) in the course of my work, and in doing so, I learnt quite a lot about the area where one of the fiercest battles took place as the impregnable fortress that the colonial masters of Singapore had thought the island was, capitulated to the invading Japanese Imperial Army in the dark days of the February of 1942. The walk had in fact been one that takes place on an annual basis to commemorate the battle, the Battle of Pasir Panjang, with took place over the 13th and 14th of February, in the final hours before General Percival did the unthinkable, being made to take a march of shame up the hill on which General Yamashita had set up shop at the Ford Factory, in an act of surrender that took place on the 15th of February. The walk was organised by a volunteer group, the Raffles Museum Toddycats of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, NUS and was led by the Siva whose intimate knowledge of the history as well as the flora and fauna of the area was supplemented by Dr Lai Chee Kien, of the Architecture Department who shared his insights on the architectural aspects of the NUS and in a few other areas as well.

Walking up Kent Ridge as the rising sun made an appearance. A solemn reminder of the occasion of the 13th of February 1942 when the when the 18th Division of Imperial Forces of the Land of the Rising Sun mounted their attack on what was then known as Pasir Panjang Ridge.

The walk which started at the University Cultural Centre, close to a corner of the rectangular area where the battle was enacted, at what is now the intersection of Clementi Road and the Ayer Rajah Expressway, began with a short introduction and a walk eastwards up Kent Ridge Crescent to the sight of the rising sun, perhaps as a solemn reminder of the battle during which the forces of the Land of the Rising Sun overran the determined but outnumbered defenders of the Malay Regiment that set out to defend the geographical feature that is now known to us as Kent Ridge, and continued along the length of the ridge eastwards towards what is now known as Bukit Chandu. Along the way, our guide Siva was not only able to share his knowledge of the battle as it played out, but also on some history of the area, the etymology of Kent Ridge and Marina Hill, as well as on the flora and fauna of the area.

Along the way, our expert guide Siva, was able to share many different facets of Kent Ridge, including on its flora and fauna.

The Simpoh Air and Resam Fern are fast growing plants commonly found on Kent Ridge as well as much of Singapore taking over much of the land that is cleared. The leaves of the Simpoh Air are used to wrap Tempeh.

The Battle of Pasir Panjang, sometimes referred to as the battle of Pasir Panjang Ridge, involved an invasion force of some 13,000 troops of the first wave of invading Japanese forces of the 18th Division sweeping down from the west towards the city. The ridge was defended by the remnants of the Malay Regiment, in which the origins of today’s Malaysian Armed Forces lie in, a poorly trained and ill prepared group of men who had been tasked to defend the approach to the ridge, the Gap but instead bore the brunt of the thrust of the invasion force. The accounts of this battle are well documented on the wonderful resource page that the Toddycats have put up, which can be found at this link, as well as in a newspaper report in the Straits Times of 13 February 1967 entitled “Fire and Death on Opium Hill” (on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Battle).

Kent Ridge features many wonderful bungalows that would once have housed military personnel on a featured that gave a commanding view of the western coastline and area around the ridge.

Much of the land around was used for plantations of among other plants, included rubber trees and nutmeg, and has since been taken over by Secondary Forest.

One of the interesting reminders of the military past of the ridge is an outpost, a collection of four flat roofed buildings that served as a lookout point over the southward facing slopes of the ridge. The roofs made the cluster of buildings, which are set on three levels, easily camouflaged. Much of the area is inaccessible to the public as the buildings are in dilapidated state and it was a treat for me to see the buildings. Peeking into some of the rooms of the buildings, it was easy to identify the functions of the rooms as well as to recognise that the lookout would have been self-sufficient. There was one room that was obviously used as a kitchen and another with the remains of an old bathtub – but other than that, very little evidence of anything else remains.

One of the interesting remnants of the military past is the Outpost, a collection of four buildings that served as a lookout point, set up on three levels on the southward facing slopes of the ridge at Prince Edward Point.

The buildings of the Outpost feature flat roofs that can be easily be camouflaged.

A stairway providing communication between two of the three levels.

A peek around the outpost ...

Another interesting set of facts that came out of the walk was the sharing by Dr Lai on the architecture of the NUS and the thinking behind some of the features which the architect behind the NUS shared with him. Among the interesting facts was one revolving around the use of over burnt bricks and the use of the primary colours for the features: yellow for the communication channels that provided the links to the various parts of the NUS laid over the ridge; red for the handrails – the orginals of which have mostly been replaced; and blue for features such as doors.

Following not so much the yellow brick road, but the yellow ceiling is a sure way around the NUS.

One of the last remaining original red iron railings ....

Another view of the ridge ...

Another remnant of the past?

Moving east to the area which was known as the Gap, where South Buona Vista Road meets Kent Ridge Road, Siva provided the evidence of origins of the name Kent Ridge and Marina Hill just across the road, on which Kent Ridge Park now sits. A plaque commemorating the visit of HRH the Duchess of Kent, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, and her son the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward of Kent stands at the corner, telling us of the visit of the Duchess and the Duke on 3 October 1952 and the naming of the ridge after the visit of the royal pair as well as Marina Hill after the Duchess. The commemorative plaque is due to be shifted from its original position as there are plans to widen the road.

Siva speaking about the plaque commemorating the visit of HRH the Duchess of Kent, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, and her son the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward of Kent.

A close-up of the commemorative plaque which provides the evidence of the etymology of Kent Ridge as well as Marina Hill. It was in honour of the visit on 3 October 1952 that the plaque was laid on 23 February 1954 and that the name of Pasir Panjang Ridge was changed to Kent Ridge.

Across South Buona Vista Road, part of the ridge had to be skirted around due to it being occupied by the premises of the Defence Science Organisation – but we were able to continue further down to where a creek was behind Normanton Park where we were shown the Gelam tree, a member of the Eucalyptus family, also know as Kayu Putih – its oil is used for medicinal purposes and bark is apparently used as caulking material in traditional wooden boat building. It was from here that we made our way back up the ridge to where Kent Ridge Park sits.

Two of the participants in the walk near Marina Hill.

Part of the creek near Normanton Park.

Guide Airani showing the leaves of the Gelam Tree.

The bark of the Gelam is used as caulking material in traditional wooden boat building.

Scenes of autumn in Singapore?

The thin tree trunks of the secondary forest in the area.

Back up on the ridge at Kent Ridge Park, we were able to take in the commanding view which made the ridge an important military asset, and we made our way (some of us, muscles aching) then to our intended destination, Bukit Chandu, via a canopy walk that provides a wonderful northwards view beyond the ridge as well as of the forest below (as well as of some of the colourful inhabitants of the forest that inlcuded a Green Crested Lizard). And after what seemed like a very long walk some five hours after we set off, we arrived at midday at Bukit Chandu or Opium Hill, named after an opium processing plant that had featured at the foot of the hill – the scene of the final stand on the 14th of February 1942 of C Company of the 1st Battalion of the Malay Regiment and on which the Reflections at Bukit Chandu Museum stands as a reminder of the valiant efforts of the men of the Malay Regiment. Leaving the hill, it wasn’t the sore muscles that made the biggest impression, but the overload of information provided by the guides and the great sense of appreciation for the men who fought so gallantly in defence of freedom.

The flight of stairs back up to the ridge.

The group at the top of the ridge.

The ridge at Marina Hill provides a commanding view of the western harbour.

As well of the reclamation works that are extending Singapore's southern shores.

A memorial plaque commemorating the Battle of Pasir Panjang at Kent Ridge Park.

The view north-east from the canopy walk from Kent Ridge Park to Bukit Chandu.

The canopy walk.

A resident of the ridge, a Green Crested Lizard, says hello.

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Resources on the Battle of Pasir Panjang and on Kent Ridge:

A Pasir Panjang/Kent Ridge Heritage

Fire and Death on Opium Hill

Reflections at Bukit Chandu

The Battle of Pasir Panjang Revisted

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More blog postings on the walk:

Fifty people and two dogs on the Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk, by N. Sivasothi a.k.a. Otterman, on Raffles Museum Toddycats!

The walk to commemorate The Battle of Pasir Panjang! by Leone Fabre on “my life in Singapore”.

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The next Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk would take place on 12 February 2012, which will also mark the 70th Anniversary of the battle. For more information and to signup, please click on this link.

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The horrors that awaited on excursions to Pegu Road

One of the few things I really hated when I was attending primary school was the regular visits I made to Pegu Road. It was for me, something that seemed to be too regular for my liking, and the appearance of the dreaded sight of the white bus that was used to ferry us there parked in the school car park wasn’t something that I looked forward to. It was to Pegu Road that as school children, we would be brought over to by the class, spending part of the morning or afternoon as it may be, in an excursion that usually resulted in some pain and discomfort.

An trip out of school to this group of buildings at Pegu Road wasn't one of our favourite excursions in school.

Pegu Road then had been home to one of the schools’ dental clinics set up specifically to provide dental care to primary school children, which was supplemented by mobile dental clinics on buses which I guess were used to reach out to schools beyond the vicinity of the few schools’ dental clinics that existed then. It was actually the very first of the schools’ dental clinics that was set up, being opened by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, just a week or so before the merger of Singapore with Malaya in September 1963. By the time I had started my primary schooling in the early 1970s, there were two such clinics in operation, the other being set up at the Institute of Health in Outram Road. More soon came along in the mid 1970s and there were apparently ten such clinics that were added in 1973 – I remember that there was one at the corner of Aljunied Road and MacPherson Road as well – a classmate’s father was a dentist at that particular clinic.

How the inside of Pegu Road Dental Clinic had looked like (source: www.picas.nhb.gov.sg).

Speaking of dental care, many would also remember being issued with a plastic tumbler and a small toothbrush as school children, part of a scheme to introduce good dental care habits to school children that was introduced in 1969. A tooth brushing drill would take place every day after recess and we would line up against a small drain with the tumbler filled with water and brush our teeth over the drain.

Pegu Road today doesn't hold the horrors that awaited us anymore ... but somehow, I am still filled with a sense of trepidation whenever I find myself in the area.

Visits to the dental clinic would have taken place every half a year or so, and for those with cavities to be filled, follow up visits were sometimes required. For many of us, that meant having to sit in the chair and have the dreaded drill shake the daylights out of you. Worse was when extractions were required and the sight of the long needle at the end of the syringe filled with anesthetic was enough to bring the look of horror on the face of many. Many times, dentists would attempt to placate the terrified child in his/her chair with a little plastic boxes or cases that would have been used to hold items such as drill bits – and that worked for some … but never for me … and to this day, a sense of trepidation still fills me whenever I am in and around Pegu Road.

A night when the stars shone

The Seri Temasek 2011 Gala Night and Awards Ceremony (Malam Anugerah Seri Temasek 2011) was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel in Singapore on Saturday. The event was held to honour artistes and personalities involved in the Malay Film industry, past and present, for their dedication and contributions to the Malay Film Industry and to the wider filmmaking industry in Malaysia and Singapore and was organised by Hanns Entertainment with the support of FINAS (Malaysia National Film Development) and Majlis Pusat Singapura, saw a gathering of the who’s who of filmmaking, both past and present, as well as a host of stars who set out to put glitter on a glitzy and glamourous occasion.

It was a night to remember for many at the Seri Temasek Gala Night which was held at the Fairmont Hotel on 5 Feb 2011.

Many got to get up close to some of the well known personalities behind the very successful Malay Film industry that was based in Singapore, including Jins Shamsudin (Singapore's James Bond - Jefri Zain, seen in a suit he wore from the era), and Kassim Masdor, composer and a great friend of the legendary P. Ramlee.

It was a night of glitz and glamour for many ....

Upcoming Malaysian Director, Producer and Actor, Syamsul Yusof with a fan.

The event was graced by some very pretty ladies as well ...

The event hosted by well known Singapore based A. B. Shaik and Malaysian based Ogy Ahmad Daud, featured performances by a host of stars that included divas, the ever effervescent Anita Sarawak, whose mother Siput Sarawak, was among the legends of the past that was honoured, and Ning Baizura. Also lending their voices to a thoroughly entertaining evening were R. Ismail, Rozita Rohaizad, the multi-talented Syamsul Yusof, Fredo of Flybaits, Didi Cazli, Sarah Aqilah, Rudy Djoharnean, and rocker Jatt Ali, who closed the evening. Guests for the event included Mayor of the Central Singapore District, Mr. Zainudin Nordin; Director General of FINAS, Mohd. Mahydin Mustakim; and Guest of Honour, Mdm. Halimah Yacob, MP for Jurong GRC.

A rare moment: Datuk Aziz Sattar adjusting the bow tie of Dato' Mustapha Maarof ...

Among the guests was Mayor of Singapore's Central District, Mr. Zainudin Nordin.

Guests and Committee members at the VVIP lounge. Mdm. Halima Yacob was the Guest of Honour.

The event was hosted by A. B. Shaik and Ogy Ahmad Daud.

Anita Sarawak was her ever effervescent self ...

Anita Sarawak.

Anita was, as ever, a hit with the crowds ...

Ning Baizura delivered a enjoyable number in her ever powerful voice ....

Ning Baizura.

Rudy Djoharnean.

The two divas Anita Sarawak and Ning Baizura with Anita's husband.

R. Ismail and Rozita Rohaizad.

Rozita Rohaizad.

Fredo of the Flybaits.

The gorgeous Sarah Aqilah.

Among the 32 honoured for their contributions were Anugerah Lagenda (Legendary Award) receipients P. Ramlee, Saloma, Saadiah Baharom and Siput Sarawak; Anugerah Gemilang (for Life Achievement) receipients Jins Shamsudin, Mustapha Maarof, and Aziz Sattar (who incidentally made an emotional visit to the studios at Jalan Ampas where it all began for him). Some names familiar with the Singapore scene that were honoured included Jack Neo (Anugerah Pencapaian – Achievement Award); Najip Ali (Anugerah Pencapaian) and Aaron Aziz (Anugerah Harapan).

Rocker Jatt Ali.

Aaron Aziz receiving his award.

Najip Ali on stage to receive his award.

Jack Neo with his award.

A meeting of past and present

There was a time when Singapore might have been seen as the Hollywood of the region. That was when our tiny island had boasted of not one, but two highly successful studios in the form of the Shaw Malay Film Productions (MFP) at Jalan Ampas, and the Cathay Keris studios in the East Coast. During that time, over 300 films had been produced between the two studios over a golden age of filmmaking which spanned the end of the 1940s to the early 1960s. The success of the two studios had indeed been phenomenal, not just in producing movies which audiences gladly took too, but also in the development of talent and it was during this era that the career of the great P. Ramlee’s came to the fore. The industry saw a decline in the 1960s, due to the rapid changes in market forces that came with the introduction of television and also with the Indonesian Confrontation, and subsequently the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in the mid 1960s. It was with the latter that the industries on both sides of the Causeway developed very much on their own and it has only been now that we are seeing a renaissance of sorts in the industries on both sides.

The present meets the past .... from left to right: Datuk Aziz Sattar, Najip Ali, Dato' Mustapha Maarof, Jack Neo.

Singapore has in the last decade or so, seen a growing emphasis on developing and nurturing young talent. Filmmaking courses are now available at the polytechnics and at Nanyang Technological University. The setting up of the Singapore Film Commission which aims to promote the industry and to support the new and up coming filmmakers was a step in the right direction and all this has certainly paid dividends as we now see the emergence of young talents such as Royston Tan, and more recently, Boo Junfeng, whose feature Sandcastle became in 2010 the first Singapore film to premier at Cannes. Across the Causeway, the Malaysia National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) has spearheaded development from as far back as 1981. Set up with the aim to promote, maintain, and facilitate film production development in Malaysia. The last decade has also seen a revival in the fortunes of the filmmaking industry there and many young talents have emerged, including the award winning actor, director and producer Syamsul Yusof.

Award winning director, producer and actor, Syamsul Yusof, who would be performing at the Gala Event.

The time is perhaps right with the developments in filmmaking to attempt to bring the resources of the two sides together to combine the small pool of talent that is emerging and also to perhaps enable filmmakers of both sides to reach out to markets on the other side and perhaps to the wider region. This possibility was discussed during a dialogue session held in conjunction with the Seri Temasek Gala Event to be held at the Fairmont Hotel in Singapore on 5 Feb 2011. The Gala Event would feature an award presentation ceremony which will honour the legends of the silver screen from the golden age, as well as the personalities of today’s industry from both Malaysia and Singapore. In doing so, the main supporters of the event, FINAS and Majlis Pusat Singapura, aims to bring together the present and future of filmmaking with the past from both countries in an effort to promote cooperation between the two.

A dialogue session was held in conjunction with the Seri Temasek 2011 Awards.

During the dialogue session which featured local personalities Najip Ali and Jack Neo, as well as some of the greats of the golden era which included Dato’ Mustapha Maarof, Datuk Aziz Sattar, Nona Asiah and the Jerry Lewis of Malaya, Wahid Satay, this possibility was discussed and on the basis of the response of the speakers, there seems to be a strong possibility that further dialogue would be promoted. Among those in favour of this was Najip Ali who felt that it was important for the development of the two sides to foster cooperation and he felt that filmmakers in Singapore, lack a link to the history of its filmmaking which can be provided by the greats who are still very much involved in Malaysia.

Najip Ali and Jack Neo during the dialogue session. Jack was apparently Najip's officer during National Service.

Dato' Mustapha Maarof.

A representative from FINAS, Ms Siti Suhada, speaking during the dialogue session.

The Gala Event would feature performances by International Diva, Anita Sarawak, Ning Baizura, Fredo of Flybaits, Sarah Aqilah, Didi Cazli, Rudy Djoharnean, Syamsul Yusof, R. Ismail and Rozita Rohaizad. Hosts for the event are Ogy Ahmad Daud and A. B. Shaik. An exhibition on the history of Malay Film would also be held at the Fairmont Hotel on 5 Feb 2011 in conjunction with the event, which will be opened to the public (admission is free) from 1 to 5 pm.

Abdul Wahid bin Ahmad, who made an impression in his first role as a satay seller in the Cathay Keris produced Pontianak so much so that he came to be known by his stage name Wahid Satay. He started work with Cathay Keris as a set artist and later had audiences in stitches as a comedian and came also to be referred to as the Jerry Lewis of Malaya.

Nona Asiah, who started in the 1940s and performed alongside the legendary P. Ramlee, taking her leave.

The sea of red

Chinese New Year for me has always been a time to look forward to. It wasn’t just for the red packets or envelopes which had the promise of some additional cash in hand, but for the opportunity it provides to catch up with relatives and friends, some of whom we would see only once a year. In my early days, the new year would also mean long road trips around the long and winding roads that got us to the more remote parts of the island, long before the arrival of the Pan Island Expressway, and although I usually did not enjoy the visits to the remote locations which included Punggol where my grandmother had a “sworn-sister” and the Jalan Teck Whye area, where my mother had a childhood friend to visit, I did enjoy the long drives which in the days before air-conditioners were commonly installed in cars, meant a long and usually uninterrupted journey with the wind blowing in my hair through the opened window and quarter glass of the car.

The sea of red Chinese New Year decorations - red being an auspicious colour to the Chinese, New Year celebrations are never without the colour red - but it isn't the red of decorations that I would first associate Chinese New Year with.

The reunion dinner was always something to look forward to as well, as this would be one of two occasions (the other being Christmas) during which the extended family on my father’s side would gather. Many of these dinners when I was a little older would take place at my aunt’s place in Spottiswoode Park, just across from the train station – and has continued on up to last year. One of the things I would always associate with reunion dinners is the sounds of the trains – the horn that sounded as the Senandung Malam departed and the sound of the very loud diesel locomotives that punctured the silence of the evening.

The sounds from the railway station are ones that I associate Chinese New Year reunion dinners with, as for many years we would have our reunion dinners at my aunt's place in Spottiswoode Park just across from the train station.

Silence wasn’t of course something that Chinese New Year celebrations are associated with, and besides the familiar sounds for the pounding of drums and clash of cymbals, there was that once familiar sound of fire crackers going off in the night, something that faded with the complete ban on the firing of fire crackers soon after the Chinese New Year of 1972 due to the trail of death, injury and destruction they were inclined to leave (although we could still hear the sporadic crackling for some years following the ban as a few resisted what were seen as attempts to restrict a traditional practice). It was in fact the after effects of the firing of fire crackers that has given me my earliest memories of Chinese New Year, which would have been associated with the very first Chinese New Year I had after moving to Toa Payoh at the end of the 1960s. What I clearly remember is stepping out of the lift and seeing the sea of red, which was a ground coloured red by what was left behind from the previous night’s firing of crackers … that is the lasting impression that I would always have of Chinese New Years past.

Scenes from Chinese New Years of days gone by ... the smell of gun powder and smoke that hung in the air, and the sea of red left behind .... (source: National Archives, www.picas.nhb.gov.sg).

The sights and sounds of the Lion Dance is now the sound of Chinese New Years.

The anatomy of an industrial park

These days, Industrial Parks and Estates are very much a feature of Singapore’s landscape beyond the city, as much as the HDB public housing estates are. I guess many would not bat an eyelid at the many unremarkable high rise industrial buildings that house light industries these days which sit alongside the low rise ones. The high rise factories, referred to as flatted factories can, I suppose, be considered to be an import to Singapore during the rapid industrialisation programme that also gave us the heavy industrial estate at Jurong Industrial Estate in the early part of the 1960s. Back then, many light industries such as metal working, shoe making, textiles and paper products, were accommodated in low rise units, in a mix of pre-war shop houses or, in wooden and zinc factories many of which were squatting on state land, and there was a pressing need to development factory space to accommodate the growing numbers and mix of light industries. The idea of the flatted factory had actually originated from Hong Kong, which had great success in providing factory units for its small manufacturers, which was its mainstay in the 1960s, relatively inexpensively in flatted factory buildings sited close to the urban areas which had access to labour and transportation.

High rise industrial buildings which are very much part of the landscape of today's Singapore, were introduced in the 1960s, and was something that we learnt from Hong Kong's experience with the provision of low cost factory units for small enterprises.

Following a pilot programme initiated by the EDB, which gave us the first five (primitive) flatted factory buildings in Singapore, each five stories high and without lifts (ramps were installed for moving goods and materials up and down!), which by the time 1964 came along, there were five of housing a total of 870 enterprises. There was also much private investment in putting up flatted factories, and there were already 40 of these by the time the first five government ones had been erected, some a tall as eleven stories high, with lifts installed when the height of these exceeded six storeys.

The first flatted factories were rarely over 5 stories high and built without lifts, these days, they are typically higher.

Besides the many that we see all around close to or within the housing estates such as in and around Queenstown and Toa Payoh which were the early housing estates, there are also larger clusters of them in light industrial parks such as the Kolam Ayer Industrial Park where a mix of private and government flatted factory buildings can be found, set amongst roads with names that maybe sheds some light on the history of the area such as “Tannery Lane” and “Kallang Pudding Road”. The name Kallang Pudding itself points to what the area was previously, a huge swamp – the same one that lent Toa Payoh (Big Swamp in Hokkien/Malay) its name, that occupied much of the area right down to Kallang Basin (the name “Kolam Ayer” itself means a basin, pond or pool of water). Sited at the confluence of the Kallang and Whampoa Rivers, the area had once hosted a congregation of sawmills which could be fed with logs floated down the rivers. The area had also hosted site of what had once been the Municipal Dump, where much of Singapore’s rubbish would be dumped at up until 1959, when a decision was made to carry out the huge inland reclamation project in the area. Reclamation work had started at the end of 1961 with earth recovered from the major public housing project that was taking shape in Toa Payoh, with the intention to transform the entire Kallang Basin which covered an area of some 405 hectares into Singapore’s second industrial estate after Jurong. In all, by the time the first phase of the reclamation had been completed in 1969, some 3.8 million cubic metres of earth was used to fill an initial 154 hectares of the 182 hectares of area which would have been underwater during high tide.

Kolam Ayer Industrial Park is a mix of private and government built flatted factory units and low rise light industrial building which was built on a site of a huge swamp at the confluence of the Kallang and Whampoa Rivers which was reclaimed in the 1960s using earth from Toa Payoh.

Most of the buildings we see today in the area would have been developed from the mid 1970s onwards, with the bulk, including those erected by the JTC being built in the early 1980s when the industrial park proper was developed. It is probably one of the more interesting industrial areas to wander around, given the mix of factory buildings new and old, some on seemingly small plots of land, which gives a different feel to some of the more uniform estates that were built at one go. In and around the industrial park, there is also more than just the cluster of boring buildings to be found, and its not just in the name of Kallang Pudding Road, but there is also some interesting culinary finds … if one looks hard enough.

One of the flatted factory buildings which colour the Kolam Ayer Industrial Park.