A lifelong passion pulling strings – the portrait of a master puppeteer

Living in a world which seems to have little place for practices of a past that it seems to want to forget, it is often comforting to discover that there are some traditions, out-of-place in the modern world as they may seem, that have refused to vanish. One discovery is the Sin Hoe Ping Puppet Troupe (新和平加礼戏班), a very traditional Heng Hwa puppet troupe which dates back to the 1930s which owes its continued existence to the devotion of its troupe leader and master puppeteer, Mr. Yang Lai Hao. The troupe made a recent appearance at the ACM Green with a two evening performance as part of a series of events that are being held as part of the Regenerating Communities @ Empress Place initiative at which Mr. Yang was kind enough to take questions from the audience.

Mr. Yang Lai Hao of the Sin Hoe Ping Puppet Troupe.

Various forms of puppetry were once commonplace all over much of the Far East and in the Indian Sub-continent, performing an important social function in the passing down of social and religious values through the retelling of traditional tales and folklore, besides providing the evening’s entertainment. This is seen throughout much of the Hindu influenced world where many different forms of puppetry have been effective in passing down the stories from the Hindu epics through the ages and is still relatively commonplace in many parts of South East Asia. Even in Singapore, which does by itself not much of tradition in puppetry, puppet shows were once a common sight – with several troupes entertaining those on the streets with forms of puppetry which had been imported by the many immigrants from Southern China arriving at her shores. Puppet shows in Singapore served to entertain the young, in the same way various forms of Chinese Opera entertained the older folks and they made an appearance during temple festivals and were also sometimes seen at Chinese weddings. At their height, which was before the war, a newspaper report had as many as 25 troupes that were active – the same report in the Straits Times in 1957 also touched on the decline of the tradition – even then. Today, there are but a few of these that have survived the onslaught of modern society – with Sin Hoe Ping being the only surviving Heng Hwa puppet troupe in Singapore.

The retelling of the Journey to the West by the Sin Hoe Ping Puppet Troupe at ACM Green.

Different forms of puppetry has existed in much of Asia and has performed an important social function.

It was in fact in 1957 that the dedicated Mr. Yang, began his active involvement in the art which he had developed a fascination for watching his grandfather, who brought the troupe over from Putian in Fujian Province in China in the 1930s, perform. He started first with playing the luo – the Chinese gong before learning the ropes first from his grandfather, and with his grandfather’s passing, from the other members of the troupe learning most of what was needed by the time he turned 15. Mr. Yang put his continued interest in the art form in the early years to the monetary rewards it offered – he recalled being paid 50 cents for a performance – what he felt was a handsome sum then as all it took was 5 to 10 cents to feed a person. Mr. Yang reckons that it was only at 25 that he eventually mastered all the elements of puppetry including what was needed to support performances front and back stage and also in the setting up of the stage.

Mr. Yang's active involvement with the art form started with him playing the gong in his grandfather's troupe at the age of 7.

Mr. Yang describing the beginnings of his involvement in puppetry as a child, as Mr. Jeremiah Choy - Creative Director of Regenerating Communities @ Empress Place, looks on.

Mr Yang, who is currently 62, is one who exudes passion for the art, having the boundless energy required to keep the troupe running. Although he has had thoughts of leaving puppetry, he says that it is something he can’t really contemplate until he is able to find a successor to continue with the tradition and says he asks of his god to allow him to live to 88 to enable him the time to find and train a successor. He is still actively involved in every aspect of running the troupe – from recruiting and training new members, making new puppets to replace old and worn ones, scriptwriting and even in setting up the stage. Finding it difficult to find willing accomplices locally – especially with the Heng Hwa dialect which the performances are in fast dying out, the troupe now features three puppeteers who have been recruited from Putian. The complexity of puppetry – especially in the manipulation of the string puppets or marionettes whilst singing or speaking at the same time makes it difficult to master the art and Mr. Yang feels it takes up to 10 years to master this. Learning to make the puppets is also necessary to support the art and this is also difficult to master.

Mr. Yang - who at 62, still exudes passion for the art, hopes to find a successor to lead the troupe and continue the tradition.

The three puppeteers performing with Mr. Yang have been recruited from Putian, China.

The art of manipulating the puppet and singing at the same time is one that is difficult to master.

It takes up to 10 years to master manipulating the strings of the puppets.

While the odds are certainly stacked against Mr. Yang in his quest to find a successor, especially where continued interest in the art form is threatened not just by the modern society’s lack of desire to keep traditions alive and by the advent of the multimedia age, but also in a society that has abandoned the linguistic traditions of our forefathers for a common language, there is hope. Mr. Yang may find this in his closer to home – his daughter, Ms. Yang Shi Qin, has shown some interest in the art form – although Mr. Yang is yet sure whether that will be enough for her to take over from him. With that there is hope – hope that a tradition that may otherwise be forgotten do not go the way of many others we have lost and a hope that there still are a few reminders of who we are and where we had come from.

The Sin Hoe Ping Troupe's stage at ACM Green dwarfed by the towering edifices of modern Singapore in the background. The role of traditional practices and art forms have been minimised by the arrival of the modern world to Singapore.

Portraits of Sin Hoe Ping’s Puppeteers

Growing tall with Singapore for 100 years

It probably won’t come as a surprise that the Nestlé logo is one that would be immediately recognisable to most of us in Singapore. Nestlé has over the years found its way into the homes of many, if not all Singaporeans, in one way or another. Many of the brands in Nestlé’s stable, both ones they have started with and ones that have since joined them, have become a natural choice for many, young and old, and names such as NESCAFE®, MILO®, MAGGI, NESPRAY, and KIT KAT® have become brand icons in Singapore.

Nestlé's brands have long been recognisable names in Singapore - an ad on the streets of Singapore in 1949 (image source: Nestlé Historical Archives, Vevey).

Nestlé for me has been very much a part of my life as a child. Growing up, there was always that mug of MILO® that accompanied my breakfast or supper, made usually with a teaspoon or two of MILKMAID Condensed Milk – plus, who did not look forward to that ice-cold cup of MILO® that the MILO Van dispensed on school sports days? There were also the wonderful advertisements we grew to love on the television – one, for MILKMAID Milk was accompanied by an unforgettable jingle that went “Grow tall little man, don’t fall little man, you’ve got a lot of growing to do.” – the tune of which still plays in my head. Other adverts that made big impressions included one of MAGGI Seasoning with a secret agent carrying its secret recipe – based on the then popular Mission Impossible series on television which ended with a line borrowed from the series “this tape (if I am not wrong) will self destruct in five seconds”; the Maggi Noodles’ advertisement that had the “Maggi Noodles, Fast to Cook, Good to Eat” chant; and the many print and television MILO® advertisements – one that I remember for some reason was an advertisement in Malay that had a jingle with the words “Minum MILO® anda jadi sehat dan kuat“.

A MILKMAID Milk ad from the 1950s when it was often referred to as "Red Text Milk" (红字). Many in my generation would remember the television ad accompanied by an unforgettable jingle with the words "Grow tall little man, don't fall little man, you've got a lot of growing to do" (image source: Nestlé Historical Archives, Vevey).

MILO® has long been a favourite of Singaporeans - a MILO® vehicle from 1948 - the predecessor perhaps of the MILO® van that I looked forward to seeing as a school boy during sports days (image source: Nestlé Historical Archives, Vevey).

The MILO® stand (seen at Great World in 1951 in the picture at the top) was as popular as the MILO® van is with Singaporeans today! (Top image source: Nestlé Historical Archives, Vevey).

Nestlé, which has had a presence in Singapore since 1912, it is nice to know, celebrates 100 years here this year. Since its humble beginning, Nestlé has grown and now employs more than 600 staff in their corporate office, manufacturing facilities and Research and Development Centre here, having invested heavily and with a commitment to continue to invest in Singapore. Nestlé Singapore’s presence over the years and vision for the future was recently shared by its Managing Director, Valerio Nannini at an event for several bloggers recently held at the delightful Children Little Museum in Bussorah Street. The event including a workshop during which some of the older ones like me were transported to a world we might at one time have been familiar with – during a time when many could not afford toys and when the little electronic boxes that are the playthings of the new world did not exist. It was a time when we had kept ourselves entertained (and out of trouble) through improvising and through the use of everyday objects and materials from our surroundings to make simple yet creative toys.

Valerio Nannini of Nestlé Singapore sharing the company's history in Singapore and its vision for the future.

Two of the toys that we had a hand at trying to make was a balancing pyramid and a kite. The balancing pyramid, which today we can quite easily constructed out of two pairs of disposable chopsticks, two marbles, rubber bands and two small plastic bags, I have to admit is something I’ve not attempted before. The result – securing together three pieces of chopsticks into a triangle with rubber bands at the meeting points, and with one more chopstick through a central axis of the triangle to serve as the point of balance and two weights using marbles in plastic bags secured to two corners of the triangle is ingenious and simple at the same time – and probably gives a practical lesson in Physics that our children seem to be deprived of these days.

The raw materials for a simple but ingenious balancing pyramid.

The first steps - securing three sticks into a triangle and a fourth through a central axis using rubber bands.

The result is a simple but ingenious toy that probably gives a practical lesson in Physics that our children lack these days.

Kite making wasn’t as simple it seemed back in the days when we made kites for fun during a time when it was common to see boys “kite-fighting” – attempting to cut each others kite strings which had been coated with a mixture of crushed glass and starch. Perhaps the convenience of cheap kites that became widely available spoiled me and perhaps I have increasingly found that I have less of an attention span in the days of the digital age – but I did find that it wasn’t that easy as I had remembered it.

Go fly a kite! Kite-making at the workshop - all that is needed is tracing paper, bamboo sticks, cello-tape and a pair of scissors.

Work in progress.

The kite making frenzy - not as simple as it somehow seemed - perhaps its a case of having less patience in the digital age.

Muiee with her finished kite - the one that got my vote.

Catherine Ling of Cememberu fame with Peter Breitkreutz (aka Aussie Pete) and Jamie posing proudly with their kites after the workshop.

The workshop was in all a wonderful trip back in time and for most part down memory lane – especially in the setting of the museum which contained many reminders of days that I have long left behind – carefree days when life was simple and when we could manufacture fun with almost anything we found around us – a time that I wish I could go back to. While that part of Singapore is perhaps long left behind – there are probably many places, particularly in the less developed parts of the world and it is a wish of mine that I can rediscover this lost world in such places and perhaps bring joy not to myself, but to some of the communities that perhaps need a little joy. Speaking of wishes, as part of what Nestlé has in store to celebrate its 100 years here, is its desire to make wishes come true. As part of its celebrations, Nestlé’s 100 Wishes will aim to fulfill the wishes of 100 lucky people this year! Wishes should reflect the “Good Food, Good Life” theme – something meaningful and beneficial for deserving or loved ones. Examples include getting a celebrity chef to cook for your family so your mum can be surprised on her birthday, or wishing for that shiny new wheelchair for a handicapped neighbour. To find out more and also tell Nestlé your wishes, do visit www.nestle100years.com.sg.

The workshop also introduced old playtime favourites such as five-stones (seen here which some of the younger bloggers seemed very natural at) and chapteh.

The Children Little Museum at 42 Bussorah Street took the older bloggers like me on a trip down memory lane.

Another view of the Children Toy Museum.

Also to celebrate its 100 years, Nestlé will hold its 100 Years Exhibition at various locations to bring to Singaporeans who grew up with Nestlé brands and have fond and unforgettable experiences and memorable moments, artifacts and photos from the past as well as innovations for the future. Do look out for the exhibitions at Marina Square Shopping Centre (Main Atrium, Level 1) on the 24th and 25th of March this year (11am – 9pm) and also at Ang Mo Kio Hub (Exhibition Area, Basement 1) on the 7th and 8th April (11am – 9pm).

Nestlé nostalgia: historical ads in Singapore (image source: Nestlé Historical Archives, Vevey). From top MILKMAID Happy Memories, 1952; a MILO® ad from 1949; a NESCAFE® ad from 1951; and a MAGGI Seasoning ad from 1950.

This year’s celebrations would also include several promotions and discounts on Nestlé products which would include the opportunity to win Cash Prizes. For updates on the promotions, do visit www.nestle100years.com.sg.

A long forgotten place

I have had a wonderful childhood that has filled me with many memories of a world of which very little still exists and I am always glad when I am able to rediscover a place from the past that I am able to feel a connection with. While much of my memories of growing-up are associated with that wonderful and eventful time I spent in Toa Payoh, it wasn’t Toa Payoh that I first called home, but what was Singapore’s very first satellite town, Queenstown.

The block of flats that I lived in from 1964 to 1967 along Commonwealth Crescent in Queenstown.

Commonwealth Crescent in 1967 - the blocks of flats including the one that I lived in are still around - except that upgrading has given them a new face.

It was in a flat rented from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in Queenstown – 104E, Block 102 Commonwealth Crescent, in which I had spent my earliest days. It was a flat that served as home for 3 years or so, while my parents were in a queue for the flat that was to be my home in Toa Payoh. It was one that I have but vague memories of – remembering only how simply furnished the flat was and the linoleum sheet flooring that was used to cover the cement floor. There are also a few memories that I have always held with fondness – those of my interactions with my maternal grandfather with whom I had been very close to and who passed on not long after we moved to Toa Payoh. One involved my first memory of pressing the buttons in the lift from the safety of my grandfather’s arms as we made way home from the daily walks that I always enjoyed.

The part of the block of flats that I lived in for the three earliest years of my life.

The simply furnished flat with the linoleum flooring that was commonly found then.

Wandering around the area recently, I was hit with the realisation of the time that has passed since I had last interacted with it. There is very little left to remind me of the place I had once called home, even the blocks of flats in the neighbourhood – all of which are still there bear little resemblance to the ones that I have known, having been through a round of upgrading which has also seen a new market building built in place of the old.

The Commonwealth Crescent area today has changed from the one that I lived in.

The Commonwealth Crescent market has been rebuilt.

There is one unit in the rows of shops (which are still there) that surround the market that I have particular memories of – that of a General Practitioner’s clinic, probably due to the frequency with which I must have visited it – being prone to bouts of coughs on the basis of what my parents have told me. Sadly I was to discovered that the clinic – the Lim Clinic, is no longer there where it was Block 117 – the unit is now occupied by a bakery. On the basis of what two contributors to “On a little street in Singapore” mentioned, the clinic closed with Dr. Lim’s passing not too long ago. In spite of a distaste I had developed for any liquid that was held in those cork topped small glass bottles that Dr. Lim dispensed, I somehow looked forward to the visits to the clinic – the large glass jar filled with colourful sweets that stood on his table would probably have been responsible for that.

Lim Clinic I understand closed with the passing on of Dr. Lim - a bakery now occupies the unit.

There is this one memory that I have of my interactions with my neighbours – that of playing in the home of a boy of about my age a few doors away. I don’t remember anything of the boy except that he was my one and only friend from my brief stay in the neighbourhood and it was with him that I remember crawling under the dining table and a cot in his flat.

Commonwealth Crescent, 1967.

Beyond the neighbourhood, one of the places I visited was the town centre in the Margaret Drive area that was just across Queensway from where we lived. My parents took many evening strolls to the area with me in tow. What I do remember of the strolls is that they usually involved a visit to Tah Chung Emporium which must have been the place to go to in the area at that time. I probably recall the visits to the emporium more than anything else for the growth of my marble collection they were responsible for – marbles which my father would buy to line the bottom of his the tropical fish tank he maintained – a part of which would be given to me.

Much of the Margaret Drive area where the Queenstown Town Centre was has been flattened.

Speaking of Queensway, there is something unrelated to my stay in the area that comes to mind – ‘White Discs’ as my father would refer to them, or Vehicle Entry Permits. There was a time when Singapore registered vehicles crossing over the Causeway to Malaysia were required to have a valid permit – a white disc about the size of our road tax disc which a driver needed to display on the windscreen in the same way as a road tax disc. It was at the crest of the road at which a colonial bungalow had stood in what was Holland Park – one that would have belonged to the Malaysian High Commission and one in which a Malaysian Registrar of Motor Vehicles’ Office was located that saw queues of Singaporean motorists forming – particularly in and around the holiday season, waiting in line to apply for a permit. The need for the permit was scrapped by the Malaysian Authorities as of the 1st of May 1986.

Motorists waiting in line to apply for a Vehicle Entry Permit at the Malaysian Registrar of Motor Vehicle's office at Holland Park in the 1970s. The entrance to the bungalow in which the office was housed in was off Queensway (source: National Archives of Singapore).

Although time has erased or altered much of what I do remember in the area – there is still that bit of it that’s left to remind me of that different world in which I had spent my early years. It is nice to see that most of the buildings of the neighbourhood, although wearing different faces, are very much still there – something that cannot be said for the area around where Tah Chung was. In that area though, there is a cluster of buildings that’s left that bring back memories of encounters that perhaps I wish not to be reminded off – the cluster that was premises of the Queenstown Combined Clinics – buildings to which I would visit for only one reason – that dreaded inoculation. That would probably explain the reluctance I have long had for visiting the long forgotten area which I have sought to rediscover all too late.

The former Queenstown Combined Clinics.

Just Pour, Shake and Be Cool – instant gratification in a sachet

I had, in my days in Primary School, always looked forward to sports days. That was for a special reason – borrowing from what I had mentioned in a post on my primary school days, “best remembered for the MILO® van”. The sight of the van was one that was welcomed by everyone for it meant that we could get our hands on those little paper cups filled with ice-cold chocolate flavoured fluid – a heavenly experience for any young child and there wasn’t any doubt we had, as the line used in the advertisement did suggest, that it was marvellous what MILO® could do for us.

The MILO® van was something I always looked forward to seeing on school sports days. It still never fails to attract a crowd wherever it makes an appearance.

By the time I had my introduction to the pleasures of a cold cup of MILO®, Singapore had already had a long love affair with the malted chocolate drink. It was already Singapore’s favourite chocolate beverage – the name becoming synonymous with chocolate beverage here and was made by scooping several teaspoons of the brown powder from the signature green tin into a glass or mug to be mixed with hot water and condensed milk. Over the years – MILO® has also introduced many innovative variations of the product, which made it easier to prepare that comforting cup of MILO® at home or in the office. To get that fix of a cold glass of MILO® we sometimes crave for, was however a little less convenient – especially when one did not have access to hot water. Short of heading to the nearest kopi-tiam or stocking up on tetra-packs or cans of the drink, it meant having to put a kettle on the stove and adding cold water and a lot of ice to the hot mixture – that is until the introduction of the latest innovation from Nestlé Singapore – MILO® Easy Cool, which offers instant gratification!

MILO® Easy Cool - instant gratification in a sachet!

MILO® Easy Cool does make it a lot easier to develop that taste for a cold glass of the wonderful drink. All that is needed is to add cold – yes, COLD water and stir to dissolve that sachet of MILO®! This was just what I couldn’t resist doing, tired as I was, immediately after receiving the pack of MILO® Easy Cool and a MILO Easy Cool Shaker bottle courtesy of Nestlé Singapore. It is of course a lot cooler doing it with the shaker bottle – all that was needed was to add MILO® Easy Cool straight from the sachet, ice-cold water straight from the refrigerator, and to shake it all up (I actually had a whole lot of fun shaking the bottle – I’m sure many of your kids would enjoy it too!) – “Just Pour, Shake and Be Cool“! The strong chocolate malted flavour of the shaken contents of the bottle when poured into a ice-filled tumbler was just pure bliss! The ease with which cold MILO® can be made makes it just so convenient to transport it anywhere – at home, in school, in the office, in the car or even by the swimming pool or on a sports field! Wherever it is, that glass of joy can be conjured up in an instant to quench one’s thirst or satisfy that craving for cold MILO® – something I will certainly look forward to doing!

For the month of February, you can get the shaker bottle for free – there is a special banded promotional pack on offer with one of these cool MILO® Easy Cool shaker bottles. The shaker bottle makes up to two glasses of cold MILO® into which two sachets of MILO® Easy Cool can be emptied and 300 ml of water added.

Also for the month of February 2012, MILO® Easy Cool is running a special Facebook contest. On offer are highly attractive prizes such as an iPad2 and a Sony PS Vita. All you have to do to qualify is to submit your own video to demonstrate how “It’s So Easy to be Cool – If You Know How.” To find out more, visit the MILO® Singapore Facebook page at www.facebook.com/milosingapore. The contest ends on 28 February 2012.

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About MILO® Easy Cool

MILO® Easy Cool is also endorsed by the Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Choice Symbol and contains:

• Actigen-E (a combination of B Vitamins and Magnesium)
• ProtoMalt (a special malt extract made from malted barley grains found only in a MILO® drink)
• Glucose, maltose and complex carbohydrates ( which gives you longer lasting energy)
• Vitamin C and Calcium
• Milk, cocoa and essential vitamins and minerals

MILO® Easy Cool is available at all leading supermarkets and hypermarkets such as FairPrice, Cold Storage, Shop N Save, Giant, Carrefour and Sheng Siong, retailing at a price is S$6.30 per pack of 15 sachets.

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About Nestle Singapore

Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd, established in 1912, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestlé SA, the world’s largest food company. Headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé employs over 270,000 people in factories and operating offices in almost every country around the world. Nestlé aims to be the leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company in Singapore. Nestlé’s range of products in Singapore include MILO®, NESCAFÉ®, NESPRAY®, Nestlé OMEGA PLUS®, MAGGI®, YANG SHENG LE™, KIT KAT®, FRISKIES®, PURINA® and dozens of other trusted brands that are household names and market leaders in their product categories.

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About MILO® Singapore

MILO® is a nutritious, chocolate beverage made from the natural goodness of malt, milk and cocoa. First sold in the 1950s and locally produced since 1984, MILO® contains Actigen-E®, a combination of B Vitamins and Magnesium to aid in the release of energy from food. In 2006, with a reformulated recipe, MILO® contains just 2% fat and 8% sugar per serve, thus attaining the Healthier Choice status from Health Promotion Board. As Singapore’s favourite energy drink, more than 1 million cups of MILO® are given free to Singaporeans annually through various sports and community events.

MILO® has been championing youth sports development in Singapore since 1950s. Through sponsorship of various sports events with institutions such as the Ministry of Education School Sports Council programmes, Singapore Sports Council, People’s Association, MILO® aims to nurture Singaporean athletes into national sports heroes. MILO® also continues to rally and drive national support for Team Singapore athletes at international and regional events such as the South East Asian Games, the Asia Games and the inaugural Youth Olympics Games in 2010.

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Even ships seemed to take-off at a wet Singapore Airshow 2012

The Singapore Airshow (formerly the Changi International Airshow) is an event that I looked forward to with much anticipation, with its promise of getting up close to some of the latest aircraft – both civilian and military and the opportunity to watch some spectacular flying displays. This year’s edition of the biennial Airshow was held from 14 to 19 February at the Changi Exhibition Centre and saw the likes of the newest addition to the Boeing Civil Aircraft range – the state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner, as well as the latest addition to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) – the Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle gracing the event. The RSAF’s F-15SG features also in a duet with the RSAF’s Lockheed Martin F-16 in an aerial duet during the flying display programme which also sees the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) five MIG-29 RMAF Smokey Bandits aerobatic display team which includes the world’s only female MIG-29 pilot, Major Patricia Yapp Syau Yin.

A RMAF MIG-29 - one of the five MIG-29 RMAF Smokey Bandits aerobatic display team.

The Smokey Bandits are so named due to the trail of black smoke the MIG-29s leave. One of the solo pilots of the RMAF's Smokey Bandits is Major Patricia Yapp Syau Yin - the world's only female MIG-29 pilot.

The highlight as with every airshow must be the flying display and besides the duet of the RSAF’s F-16 and the F-15SG, and the RMAF’s Smokey Bandits, there were also displays by the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) team of six Pilatus PC-9/A aircraft, a solo acrobatic display by RAAF pilot Tony Blair piloting a Rebel 300 unlimited aerobatic aircraft and a fly past by a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III – a troop deployment and cargo craft used for tactical airlift and airdrop missions by the United States Air Force (USAF).

The RSAF's latest acquisition - the Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle debuts in a aerial dance with the RSAF's Lockheed Martin F-16 during the flying display.

The RSAF F-15SG Strike Eagle.

The RMAF Smokey Bandits performed some eye-catching aerial stunts ....

Another spectacular display was by the RAAF Roulettes team of six Pilatus PC-9/A. The flying display segments also included a fly past by a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and a solo acrobatic display by RAAF pilot Tony Blair piloting a Rebel 300 unlimited aerobatic aircraft.

The airshow also saw the appearance for the first time in Singapore of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which with the extensive use of composites features an extremely lightweight structure which improves fuel efficiency. The appearance of the state-of-the-art in Boeing’s wide-body long-range fleet was also complemented by the appearance of one of Boeing’s success stories – the Boeing 747. A retiring 747-400 – one of the three that remain in Singapore Airlines’ fleet – the ’9V-SPQ’ made an appearance over the weekend to commemorate the retirement of the airline’s B747 fleet after nearly 40 years of service. The aircraft was opened to some 1000 members of public during the public days for a guided tour and starts a series of events to commemorate the B747′s many years of service with the airline – during which it was the flagship aircraft. The B747-400 is scheduled to operate its last commercial flight to Melbourne on 24 March 2012. An additional commemorative flight is also being considered. Singapore Airlines took delivery of its first B747-200 in 1973, with the B747-300 BIGTOP joining the fleet some 10 years later which allowed the airline to fly non-stop from London to Singapore in 1984. The first 747-400 arrived in 1989 and with the delivery of the 23rd B747-400 in 1994, Singapore Airlines became the largest B747-400 operator in the world. By 2003, the airline operated a record 51 B747s.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner made an appearance in Singapore for the first time.

The raked wingtip of the 787 Dreamliner.

The retiring Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400 '9V-SPQ' made an appearance over the weekend. The plane is one of three 747-400s left in the airlines' fleet and its appearance at the airshow commemorates the retirement of the B747 fleet after nearly 40 years of service.

The airshow’s static display also included a display of more than 50 aircraft that also included a display of the latest business jets which also featured Jackie Chan’s Embraer Legacy 650 executive jet which made its first public appearance and an Airbus ACJ318 corporate jet. Interesting highlights of the exhibition included the Changi Airport Group’s Butterfly Garden and walk through tropical garden which offered a break from the seriousness of the rest of the exhibition and a booth that celebrated 100 years of aviation in Singapore.

The nose of RSAF G550 AEW airborne early warning platform.

The RSAF's F-15SG.

The frontal view of the F-15SG.

Rain falling on the tarmac.

A reflection of the tail of an aircraft on static display with a visitor under the shelter of an umbrella in the rain.

Another relfection in the rain.

Students taking shelther under the wing of an aircraft - the wet weather did not dampen enthusiasm for the airshow.

A model of a ship flying at the airshow?

There were several distractions at the airshow as well ...

Remembering the ultimate expression of love on the 14th of February

The 14th of February being Valentine’s Day, is a day that is highly anticipated, rightly or wrongly, in modern Singapore. It is an indication of how far Singapore has gone in the embrace of the new world and has been influenced by the practices of cultures previously alien to Singapore. And while Singapore celebrates with a commercialised expressions of love, many in Singapore are blissfully unaware of the significance of the date in Singapore’s history – a date which 70 years ago in 1942 witness a very different and perhaps a lot more genuine expression of love by a group of valiant men who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of freedom.

A World War II outpost on Kent Ridge. The ridge - then Pasir Panjang Ridge - had been defended by the Malay Regiment in a battle that lasted for two days ending on 14 February 1942 on Bukit Chandu - a battle that saw a valiant fight put up by members of the regiment led by Lt. Adnan Saidi who was brutally killed on Bukit Chandu.

It was on the 14th of February 1942, after beating a hasty retreat to Point 226, that a certain Lt. Adnan bin Saidi of ‘C’ Company of the 1st Battalion of Malay Regiment and his comrades found themselves hopelessly defending a strategic position which we commonly refer to as Bukit Chandu or Opium Hill today against the force of an all-out assault on it by the Japanese Imperial Army in one of the last battles to be fought before the surrender the very next day. The position defended the Alexandra area where the British had their ammunition and supply depots and a military hospital (Alexandra Hospital). By the late afternoon, the position was lost after fierce fighting at close quarters – Lt. Adnan and several of his comrades were killed in the most brutal of fashion and events then took place that made a very dark day an even darker one when Japanese troops in pursuit of the few surviving members of the Malay Regiment and Indian troops, stormed Alexandra Hospital and massacred scores of innocent medical personnel and patients. Over at what is the Singapore General Hospital today, 11 medical students from the King Edward VII Medical College were also killed by artillery fire on the same day – 10 of whom were attending the funeral of one of the students who was killed that morning.

A view from the canopy walk which stretches from Kent Ridge Park to Bukit Chandu looking towards the Alexandra area which Pasir Panjang (now Kent) Ridge and Point 226 had defended.

Reflecting on the brave acts of Lt Adnan and his comrades and the other dark events of the day, one is reminded not just of their heroics in the defence of the people they served, but also as a reminder that peace should never be taken for granted. That the war, and the subsequent occupation of Singapore resulted in a lot of hardship for the then residents of Singapore – and for those who rose in their defence, there is no doubt. For many of my generation and after, it is a hardship that would be hard to imagine, having been fortunate to live in, save for isolated incidents of violence, a period of relative peace. It is great to see that the National Heritage Board has, for the 70th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, organised a series of events as a reminder of the dark days of February 1942 and the hard years that followed – something that all should participate in.

A reminder of the Battle of Opium Hill and the exploits of Lt. Adnan and members of the Malay Regiment is provided a Interpretative Centre at the site, Reflections at Bukit Chandu.

One of the events that I did participate in was the very popular guided tour of the Air Raid Shelter at Guan Chuan Street in Tiong Bahru. The shelter was one that was built under pre-war blocks of flats built by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) in anticipation of the war. There is quite a fair bit on the Air Raid Shelters that’s already out there including this article in the 27 January 2012 edition of the Straits Times.

A peek at the air raid shelter at the bottom of Block 78 Guan Cuan Street as seen through a ventilation opening.

A red brick wall lined room inside the shelter - the shelter is a lot more spacious and airy than I had imagined it would be.

A passageway - a door on the pavement on the ground floor of the block would have served as an entrance to the shelter here. The hole in the concrete ceiling would have contained glass blocks to allow natural light into the shelter.

A room with wooden bunks that was reserved for use by members Air Raid Precaution (ARP) wardens and their families.

The writing on the wall.

I had, being the true Singaporean that I was, been amongst the first to sign up for this tour when the news first broke. I am glad I did as it wasn’t long before the tours were fully subscribed. Stepping into the air raid shelter for the first time was a surreal experience, especially knowing that it had held people in cowering in fear for their lives as sirens that might have been mixed with the sounds of enemy aircraft dropping bombs 70 years before added to the confusion above. What struck me was how airy the shelter was – and perhaps how thin the walls of red Alexandra kiln bricks seemed to be – I had imagined a shelter would have been behind think walls of concrete with only little openings provided for air and light. Looking at a photograph in the Imperial War Museums collection found on Wikipedia, it surprised me to see that there seemed very much to be an air of normalcy on the faces of the people in the air raid shelter – instead of faces etched with fear that I had expected to see. This is also evident in several photographs I have come across of Singapore during the war including one where a man is photographed having a meal with his daughter in the midst of the ruins of an air raid. That I guess highlights the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity – great adversity that we today have been fortunate not to face.

Another view inside the air raid shelter.

Civilians in a similar air raid shelter in late 1941 or early 1942 (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Air_raid_shelter.jpg).

A photograph of a man and his daughter dining in midst of the ruins left by an air raid on Singapore.

With the knowledge of the events of the 14th of February of 70 years ago and the darks days that preceded and followed it very much in my mind. The 14th of February will always mean more than the superficial expressions of love that the commercial world demands of us. It will always be a day to remember where we as a nation must never go and to ultimately remember the true expression of love that the likes of Lt. Adnan and his fallen comrades and the many others had expressed in what must be an ultimate sacrifice that they made to fight for the freedom of their fellow-men.

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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

My post on last year’s Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk:

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

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The drama last evening

The Year of the Dragon seems to have brought a fire in the sky with it. We in Singapore have been treated to some stunning shows of colours during the sunrise and the sunset, including a particularly dramatic one that came on during last evening’s sunset.

Thaipusam at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

Having photographed the procession of Kavadis on the streets over the last two Thaipusam celebrations in Singapore, as well as with Thaipusam falling on a work day this year, I decided to set off early this year to take a look at the preparations of the Kavadi bearers at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road at the break of day. The colourful Hindu festival during which ‘Kavadis‘ or burdens, some which involve piercing of various parts of the body, are borne by devotees, is one which captivated me as a child and one that still contiunes to fascinate me to this day. It can possibly be considered to be the last authentic religious festival that is still enacted on the streets in Singapore – albeit with some restrictions which give it less of an atmosphere than celebrations that take place in our northern neighbour Malaysia.