The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), previously known as the National Science and Technology Board until January 2002, is Singapore’s driver of scientific research. A statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), A*STAR aims ...
Anderson Bridge straddles the mouth of the Singapore River and connects Empress Place with Collyer Quay. It was named after John Anderson, governor of the Straits Settlements and high commissioner for the Federated Malay States (1904–11), who officially opened ...
The Area Licensing Scheme (ALS) was launched on 2 June 1975. Designed to reduce traffic congestion in the Central Business District (CBD), the key concept underlying the ALS was that a special supplementary licence had to be obtained at a cost if a motorist wanted ...
The first paying passenger to arrive in Singapore by air was American millionaire, Mr. van Lear Black, who also had the distinction of being the first aerial passenger to travel so far east.Van Lear Black landed at Balestier Plain on 29 June 1927 at about 11 am. ...
Banque de l’Indochine first made its presence in Southeast Asia in 1875 with the opening of its branch in Saigon, Vietnam. Banque Indosuez was the official name for the bank in 1981. Initially set up as a note-issuing bank in French Indochina, it quickly expanded ...
Bata Shoe (Singapore) Pte Ltd is a member of the worldwide organisation, Bata International. One of the earliest modern shoe sellers in Singapore, Bata opened its first store, Bata Shoe Store, at the Capitol Building in 1931. Today, Bata Shoe (Singapore) Pte Ltd ...
Opened in 1947, Beauty World was a popular market and shopping destination in Singapore during the 1960s. Located at the junction between Upper Bukit Timah Road and Jalan Jurong Kechil, the market comprised over a hundred stalls that sold all kinds of daily necessities ...
Bee Cheng Hiang (美珍香) is a Singapore-based company that produces and sells a wide variety of food products, most notably its signature bakkwa (meaning “dried meat” in Hokkien; also known as rougan, or 肉干, in Mandarin) – barbequed pork slices. It is currently the ...
Ben Line Steamers Ltd. has been associated with Singapore since the 1860s. Its ships, bearing names prefixed by “Ben”, used to ply the Europe–Far East route, calling at Singapore and other ports in the region. However, an inability to compete with larger carriers ...
Bengawan Solo is one of Singapore’s most successful bakery chains, having built its reputation on the quality of its popular nonya (Peranakan)-style cakes and pastries. Founded by Anastasia Tjendri-Liew in 1979, the company has grown from a single shop to a chain ...
The Benjamin Sheares Bridge is a 1.8-kilometre-long stretch of highway that forms part of the East Coast Parkway, linking the Keppel Road/Shenton Way junction to Marina Centre. Named in honour of the second president of Singapore Benjamin Sheares, the bridge spans ...
Boat Quay, a river embankment on the south bank of the Singapore River, is one of the oldest and most historical areas in Singapore’s central region. For more than 150 years, warehouses (or godowns) thriving with economic activity lined the banks of north and south ...
Boustead and Co., which was set up by Edward Boustead, one of Singapore’s earliest merchants, is almost as old as modern Singapore itself. Established as a small trading house less than 10 years after the founding of Singapore by Stamford Raffles, the company expanded ...
The opening of Singapore as a British free port in 1819 attracted trade from the Bugis, a group of seafarers from the southern Celebes (today’s Indonesian island of Sulawesi). Travelling on their distinctive boats known as prahus, they brought with them specialised ...
The Bukit Timah Railway Station (BTRS) was originally constructed to serve as one of five railway stations along the Singapore-Kranji Railway. Together with the Alexandra and Tanglin Halt stations, BTSR was later used to service the suburban areas of Singapore. ...
Bullock carts were one of the earliest and most popular modes of transport in 19th- and early-20th-century Singapore. They served a variety of purposes such as travelling and transportation of goods. From 1867 onwards, such carts were slowly phased out with rising ...
Bumboats, also known as lighters, are large boats or sea-going barges. They were used in the Malay Archipelago for the loading and unloading of goods, or for the transportation of cargoes, supplies and goods from ship to shore and vice versa. In Singapore, bumboats ...
BusAds is a family-run company that provides printing and advertising services. The company has received several honours at the Asian Print Awards between 2012 and 2014.
Carwashers were commonly seen in carparks throughout Singapore during the 1970s to ’80s. They were usually of Indian ethnicity and provided manual carwashing services for a monthly fee.
Cathay Organisation is a leisure and entertainment group with businesses in film exhibition and distribution as well as cinema, hotel and leisure centre management. Cathay is also involved in property management, and advertising and event organisation. Founded ...
Cavenagh Bridge is located across the Singapore River in the Central Region. It is named after William Orfeur Cavenagh, the last governor of the Straits Settlements (1859–67) under British India control. The bridge, completed in 1869, is the oldest bridge across ...
The Central Expressway (CTE) links the city to districts in the north of Singapore such as Toa Payoh, Bishan and Ang Mo Kio. To its north is the Seletar Expressway and to its south, the Ayer Rajah Expressway. Opened in 1991, parts of the CTE are underground, forming ...
A Certificate of Entitlement (COE) in Singapore represents the right to vehicle ownership in Singapore for a period of 10 years. COEs are integral to the Vehicle Quota System (VQS), a landmark scheme implemented to regulate the growth of the vehicle population ...
Changi is an estate that is located at the easternmost part of Singapore. Its name is believed to have derived from the Chengai tree, a type of tall tree that used to grow in the district. The estate has several landmarks including Changi Village, Changi Prison ...
Changi Airport, located at the eastern edge of Singapore, was officially opened on 29 December 1981. It was built mainly on reclaimed land, near where the Changi airbase once stood during World War II.
Charles & Keith is a Singapore brand known for its women’s footwear and accessories. Established in 1996 by brothers Charles and Keith Wong, Charles & Keith started out as a shoe store in Amara Shopping Centre. By 2013, the company had grown into an international ...
The Chettiars are a subgroup of the Tamil community originating from Chettinad in Tamil Nadu, India. Historically, the Chettiars are most commonly associated with the moneylending profession. There is still a small Chettiar community in Singapore today. Most of ...
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, located at 204 East Coast Road, is a landmark kopitiam (Hokkien for coffee shop) in Katong. It is popular for its kaya, a kind of custard jam. A contemporary of Hock Ann Coffeeshop and the Red House Bakery, the confectionery delights ...
Southeast Asia’s trade with China had taken place long before the Portuguese captured Melaka in 1511, paving the way for Western imperialism in the Malay archipelago. Trade with China was known as “Nanhai trade”, with nanhai referring to “southern seas”, an area ...
The China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (CSFTA) marks Singapore as the first Asian country to have a comprehensive bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China. This is a major milestone in Singapore’s relationship with China since diplomatic ties were officially ...
The China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) project was launched in 1994 to develop a model industrial township within the city of Suzhou in China’s Jiangsu province. The first flagship joint project between the two governments, a key feature of the SIP involves ...
The Chinese Commercial Bank (华商银行) was founded in 1912 by Lim Peng Siang, a Hokkien businessman who established the Ho Hong group of companies. Set up by the Hokkien business community, the Chinese Commercial Bank had many leading figures involved in the establishment ...
Chinese coolies, who were engaged mostly in unskilled, hard labour, formed the early backbone of Singapore’s labour force. They were mainly impoverished Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore in the latter half of the 19th century to seek fortune, but instead ...
Chinese seal carvers are traditional craftsmen who make Chinese seals by carving characters and designs onto the base of blocks of stone, wood, ivory, jade and other solid material. Seal carving was a lucrative trade in the past as seals were used in Chinese business ...
The original Clemenceau Avenue stretched from Newton Circus to the southern bank of the Singapore River. It was conceived as an alternative access between the northwestern sector of the city and Orchard Road, which was then served by Cairnhill Road and Cavenagh ...
Situated on Collyer Quay at the mouth of the Singapore River, Clifford Pier was built between 1927 and 1933, and officially opened by then Governor Cecil Clementi on 3 June 1933. It was named after Clementi’s predecessor, Hugh Clifford, who served as governor of ...
Clogs were the preferred form of footwear in Singapore before World War II. Clog shops were commonly found in Temple Street in Chinatown, Sultan Street and Fraser Street.
The earliest supermarket in Singapore, Cold Storage Company Ltd was established in 1903. It pioneered the processing and distribution of hygienic food supplies in Malaya.
Coleman Bridge spans the Singapore River and links Hill Street with New Bridge Road. It is named after the designer of the first Coleman Bridge built in 1840, George D. Coleman (b. 1795, Drogheda, Ireland–d. 27 March 1844, Singapore). Coleman was the first Government ...
Founded in 1762, Barings was the oldest merchant bank in Britain before its collapse in 1995. The 233-year-old bank was brought down single-handedly by its employee, Nicholas William Leeson, better known as Nick Leeson, a derivatives trader. After landing the bank ...
SilkAir Flight MI 185, while on its way to Singapore from the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, nosedived into Musi River near the city of Palembang in South Sumatra, Indonesia, on 19 December 1997 at about 4.13 pm local time. The plane was almost completely destroyed ...
Singapore Airlines (SIA) Flight SQ006, which was on its way to Los Angeles from Singapore via Taiwan, crashed on a closed runway at Chiang Kai-shek Airport (now called Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) during take-off on 31 October 2000 at 11.18 pm local time. ...
Creative Technology is a Singapore-based company best known for its digital entertainment products. It has set worldwide standards with its digital audio technologies for personal computers. Its associated product line includes speakers, soundcards, gaming headphones, ...
Crystal Jade is one of the most prominent restaurant chains in Asia, with over 80 outlets across nine countries. It made its initial foray into the restaurant business as a fine-dining Cantonese restaurant in Singapore, and has since expanded its repertoire to ...
CYC is a clothing firm best known for its custom-made shirts and corporate wear. Founded as CYC Shanghai Shirt Company in 1935, it became a leader in Singapore’s shirt industry and attracted customers from Malaysia and Indonesia during its heyday. Now known as ...
Dalhousie Pier, also known as Dalhousie Ghaut, was a 19th-century jetty located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the vicinity of the former Empress Place Building (now Asian Civilisations Museum). The pier was named after the Marquis of Dalhousie, James ...
The Development Bank of Singapore Ltd (DBS) was established on 16 July 1968 as a public limited company to take over the industrial financing responsibilities of the Economic Development Board (EDB) and began operations on 1 September 1968. Its main function upon ...
Chinese laundry shops are colloquially termed dhobi shops, after the Indian dhobi man who operated a similar business in an Indian neighbourhood. The sign on the door is usually in Chinese, coupled with English the words "washing and dry-cleaning". The shops were ...
Launched on 12 July 1823, the first Diana was constructed at Messrs Kyds & Co. Dockyard in Kidderpore, near Calcutta, India. The Diana was sent to the Irrawaddy River in 1825 during the Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26). After the war, the Diana saw service in the Tenasserim ...
The East Coast Parkway (ECP) is a 19-kilometre expressway built on reclaimed land along the southeastern coast of Singapore. Completed in 1981, it connects the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) at Shenton Way in the Central Business District to Singapore Changi Airport ...
Echigoya was a Japanese fabric store established around 1907 on Middle Road. It was famous for its fine fabrics and garments, and tailoring of Japanese fashionwear. Echigoya closed down following the Japanese surrender in 1945 during World War II. It resumed business ...
The Economic Development Board (EDB) is a statutory board established on 1 August 1961 to spearhead Singapore’s industrialisation programme. Presently, the board plans and executes strategies to enhance Singapore’s position as a global business centre, and its ...
The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system is an initiative by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in which toll charges are levied on vehicles according to time and congestion levels. With this system of charging, a motorist can decide on the time, destination and ...
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system in April 1998 as a new way to manage traffic congestion. Phase I was completed in September 1998 with the activation of ERP for East Coast Parkway (ECP), Central Expressway (CTE), ...
Elgin Bridge spans the Singapore River and joins North Bridge Road to South Bridge Road. Built in 1862, the bridge was named after Lord James Bruce Elgin, the Governor-General of India (1862–1863) and eighth Earl of Elgin. The bridge functioned until January 1927, ...
The Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS) is an expressway incident management system that monitors and manages traffic along Singapore’s expressways to ensure the safe and smooth flow of traffic. EMAS is part of the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) ...
The ez-link card is a contactless multi-purpose stored value card that is mainly used for transit payments on public buses and on the mass rapid transit (MRT) and light rail transit (LRT) networks in Singapore. It is also used for non-transit purposes such as making ...
Fast food is an American term referring to “foods [that] are kept hot and ready to serve, or [are] partially prepared so that they can be served quickly.” 19th century pushcart vendors developed into urban diners, which then developed into the modern fast-food ...
The first airplane to land in Singapore (apart from earlier exhibition flights) was piloted by Captain Ross Macpherson Smith with three crew members. The plane, which was on a pioneering flight from England to Darwin, Australia, made a stopover in Singapore on ...
The Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system, also known as the Light Rail Transit system, is a fully automated rail service that links Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates to Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations. The LRT system was initially developed as part of the ...
The first major accident on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system since it started operation in 1987 was a front-to-back collision between two trains at the Clementi Station on 5 August 1993. The accident resulted in 156 injured commuters.
On 3 February 2004, Singapore Airlines (SIA) launched its first A345 LeaderShip nonstop flight service between Singapore and Los Angeles, United States. The 14,700-kilometre journey was made possible using the new, long-range Airbus aircraft, the A340-500. The ...
Five-foot-way traders were craftsmen who conducted their businesses along shophouse walkways that were five feet wide. These traders were immigrants of various ethnicities who came to early Singapore and could be found in areas such as Chinatown.
Strikes and other forms of labour unrest were common in 1950s Singapore. The year 1955 saw 57 cases of labour unrest involving bus company workers, including the Hock Lee bus workers’ strike and riot. That same year, bus workers of the Singapore Traction Company ...
The Growth Triangle is a concept of mutual cooperation in economic development among three ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries – Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore – focusing on Singapore, the Riau province in Indonesia and southern Johor in ...
Singapore Airlines flight SQ 117 was hijacked on 26 March 1991 shortly after it took off from Kuala Lumpur. The hijackers were four passengers who claimed to be members of the Pakistan People’s Party. The plane landed at Changi Airport at 10.24 pm. Commandos ...
A variety of currencies were used in Singapore during different periods in its history. These included Chinese coins in the 14th century; Spanish and other silver dollars for much of the 19th century despite official attempts to introduce the Indian rupee between ...
Benedict Hon Sui Sen (b. 16 April 1916, Balik Pulau, Penang–d. 14 October 1983, Singapore), widely known as Hon Sui Sen, was the first chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB; 1961–68), and the first chairman and president of the Development Bank of Singapore ...
Idol carvers were craftsmen who carved Chinese deities out of wood for worship. They were usually Cantonese and Hokchew working in the Chinatown area. Their work involved not only fine craftsmanship but also an understanding of Chinese gods and goddesses.
From 1825, Singapore began receiving Indian convicts from British India to serve out their sentences, and assist with the labour shortage and development requirements in the colony. Singapore, being the fastest growing of the Straits Settlements, which also comprised ...
Indian jewellers or Indian goldsmiths designed and hand-crafted gold jewellery that was sold either in shops or directly by them to their customers. They were Indian men who worked mainly around Little India especially in shophouses along Upper Dickson Road and ...
The landmark India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) is India’s first-ever such agreement and the first between Singapore and a South Asian country. It came into effect on 1 August 2005. The first review of the pact was concluded on ...
Independent (commonly shortened to “indie”) music encompasses a wide range of musical genres, including rock, pop, metal and folk. Indie music is associated with alternative, non-mainstream productions and forms of distribution. Increasingly, the term “indie music” ...
Located at the junction of Neil Road and Tanjong Pagar Road, the Jinrikisha (also spelt as “Jinricksha”) Station was built in 1903 and opened the following year, serving as the main depot for rickshaws. Following the 1947 ban on rickshaws in Singapore, the building ...
A co-founder of Fraser & Neave (F&N), the world-famous bottler of fizzy drinks, John Fraser (b. 1843, Wigtown, Scotland–d. 14 February 1907, Farnham, England) was a Scotsman who made his fortune in Asia. His diverse business interests included printing and publishing, ...
John Little, also known as JL, is Singapore’s oldest department store. It was established by John Martin Little in 1842, and was acquired by Robinson & Co Ltd. in 1955. John Little had several stores across Singapore over the years, but has since been operating ...
Joss carving is the fashioning of joss paste or joss sticks into figurines and idols from Chinese mythology, opera and history. These joss sticks can be 1.2 to 1.5 m high, and elaborately carved with dragon and phoenix motifs, or embossed with colourful divinities. ...
Jurong used to be a mangrove swamp before it was developed into an industrial estate in 1961. Residential and recreational amenities were built in Jurong over the next two decades to attract people to live and work there and to facilitate the expansion of the estate. ...
Singapore’s first industrial estate is located in Jurong. Before its transformation into an industrial estate, Jurong was a landscape covered in forest and swamp, with crocodile-infested rivers. There were also fish and prawn ponds. Reclamation work began in the ...
The Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) was set up on 1 June 1968 under the Jurong Town Corporation Act to take over from the Economic Development Board (EDB) as Singapore's principal developer and manager of industrial estates and their related facilities. On 15 November ...
Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), Singapore's ninth expressway, was fully opened to traffic on 20 September 2008. Stretching 12 km from East Coast Parkway (ECP) to Tampines Expressway (TPE), it includes a 9-kilometre-long tunnel, which was the longest underground ...
Katong Flower Shop is a florist and horticulture business set up in 1948. It was initially located at 117 East Coast Road.
Khong Guan Biscuit Company is a local biscuit manufacturer that has grown into a multinational group of companies with diversified interests including property, food product distribution and commodities trading. Founded in 1947 by Chew Choo Keng, Khong Guan exports ...
Killiney Kopitiam is a Hainanese coffee shop formerly known as Kheng Hoe Heng Coffeeshop. It was established in late 1919 by an immigrant from the island of Hainan in China. Located at 67 Killiney Road, it was bought over in 1992 by former broker Woon Tek Seng. ...
Founded in the 19th century by a Chinese businessman-scholar, Lim Kong Chuan (林光铨), Koh Yew Hean Press (古友轩印务私人有限公司) was possibly one of the earliest Chinese printing houses in Singapore. The press was well known for publishing two Chinese-language newspapers and ...
The Dutch founded Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) in 1888 as a regional shipping line in the Indonesian archipelago. At its height, KPM operated more than 140 ships ranging from small vessels of less than 50 tonnes to large passenger liners exceeding ...
Kranji Expressway is Singapore’s eighth expressway. Built between 1994 and 1995, it is 8.4km long. It links the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), at the Tengah flyover, near Hong Kah.
The Kranji Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station was built as part of the Woodlands extension line, which connects Choa Chu Kang to Yishun through Woodlands. This station is the largest on the Woodlands MRT Line and is designed to handle thousands of people, mostly ...
Kranji is located on the northwestern coast of Singapore. It forms a large part of the Sungei Kadut Planning Area, as earmarked by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Sungei Kadut and Kranji are adjoining industrial estates which became manufacturing centres ...
Lady Mary Wood was a 49-metre long paddle wheel steamer launched in 1841 and registered in 1842. It is said to be named after the wife of Charles Wood, who was England’s secretary to the Admiralty. The steamer had a gross tonnage of 556 and horsepower of 250. ...
On 31 January 1974, four men armed with submachine guns and explosives attacked the Shell Oil Refinery on Pulau Bukom Besar, an island south of mainland Singapore. After they failed to blow up the oil tanks, the group – dubbed the “Bukom bombers” by the newspapers ...
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport in Singapore. First established in September 1995, it is responsible for planning, operating and maintaining Singapore’s land transport infrastructure and systems.
Lat Pau (Le Bao), the longest running Chinese daily in pre-war Singapore, was incepted in December 1881 by See Ewe Lay. The Lat Pau continued for 52 years before folding in March 1932.
Lee Kong Chian (Dr) (b. 18 October 1893, Nan’an, Quanzhou, Fujian, China–d. 2 June 1967, Singapore), also known as Geok Kun, was a philanthropist and multi-millionaire businessman who made his mark in the rubber trade and later the pineapple, coconut oil and sawmill ...
The Lehman Brothers Minibond saga refers to the chain of events resulting from the Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy filing in September 2008. Following the collapse of the Lehman Brothers, about 10,000 retail investors in Singapore lost all or a large part of their ...
The Lehman Brothers Minibond saga arose from the company’s bankruptcy filing in September 2008 and centred on the impact this had on several structured investment products linked to the failed investment bank. When investors discovered that the company’s collapse ...
Letter writers made a living out of writing letters. Their services were sought after by those who were semi-literate as well as illiterate. The letters that they wrote were in calligraphic Chinese script and were used by the Chinese migrants living in Singapore ...
Lim Boon Keng (Dr) (林文庆; Lin Wenqing) (b. 18 October 1869, Singapore–d. 1 January 1957, Singapore) was an eminent figure of the Straits Chinese community. Trained as a medical doctor, Lim was also a public intellectual and writer who championed Confucianism and ...
Lim Chong Yah (b. 1932, Malacca, Malaysia–) is an eminent economist and academic best known for serving as chairman of the National Wages Council for 29 years. Lim is professor emeritus at both the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, ...
Lim Nee Soon (b. 12 November 1879, Singapore–d. 20 March 1936, Shanghai, China) was a planter and general merchant. Upon the completion of his studies in Singapore, Lim worked for various firms until 1911 when he founded his own company, Lim Nee Soon & Co. A rubber ...
Loke Yew (陆佑) (b. 9 October 1845, Xinhui, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China–d. 24 February 1917, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya) was an influential tycoon in British Malaya. Through tin mining and revenue farming, Loke amassed a vast fortune and became one of the richest men in ...
The majie were a group of women who worked as domestic helpers, or amahs, in Singapore between the 1930s and 1970s.1 They were easily identified by their plaited hair or hair bun and distinctive black and white samfu outfit.
Malayan Daching is a small and medium-size enterprise (SME) based in Singapore. Although the company began as a weighing scale manufacturer, their core business currently also includes engineering and construction.
The Malaysia-Singapore Second Link is a 1.9 kilometre dual-three lane bridge that connects Tuas in northwest Singapore to Tanjung Kupang in Gelang Patah located in southwest Johor. Officially opened on 18 April 1998, it is the second bridge across the Straits of ...
The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system is a rail network that is the backbone of Singapore’s public transport system. Officially launched in 1988, the MRT system currently comprises four main lines: North-South, East-West, North-East and Circle. Additional lines are ...
McDonald’s, the fast-food chain, launched a 40-day Wedding Design Hello Kitty toy promotion with its Extra Value Meals on 1 January 2000. This promotion was based on the popular Japanese feline icon Hello Kitty and its companion, Dear Daniel. The promotion is remembered ...
Metrication refers to the process of adopting the metric system of measurement. The metric system was introduced in Singapore in the 1970s; prior to that, several systems of measurement were used in Singapore.
A household name in Singapore’s retail industry, Metro was first established in Surabaya, Indonesia, in 1953 by Ong Tjoe Kim, a businessman from Indonesia. In 1957, the first Metro store in Singapore opened in a two-storey shophouse at 72 High Street, where The ...
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) encourages economic growth and creates employment so that Singaporeans can lead better lives. Its strategies are based on a free-market system and outward-oriented economic policies.
Established by Christian missionaries in 1823, the Mission Press was the first printing press in Singapore. It published Christian literature in various languages, textbooks and children’s books. In addition, it accepted printing jobs from the government and the ...
Mohamed Mustafa and Samsuddin Co Pte Ltd (MMSC), established in 1971 and located in Little India, is one of Singapore’s local retail giants. Hard work, honesty, humility, and the importance of listening to customers’ needs are the guiding principles behind its ...
Molly, the Mobile Library, affectionately known as Molly, is a mobile library bus operated by the National Library Board (NLB). The service began in 1960 under the NLB’s predecessor, the National Library, and was relaunched as Molly on 3 April 2008 to reach out ...
The so-called “mosquito bus” is a small, seven-seater motor bus commonly seen on Singapore roads in the 1920s and 1930s. Following a raft of regulations implemented in the 1930s, mosquito buses were gradually phased out.
The mouth of the Singapore River was the point at which the Singapore River drained into the Singapore Strait. With the establishment of Singapore as a trading port during colonial times, the mouth of the river functioned as a harbour at which ships called. The ...
The inaugural issue of Nanyang Siang Pau (南洋商报), known as the Chinese Daily Journal of Commerce in English at founding, was first published on 6 September 1923. It was established by businessman and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee with the aim of promoting commerce ...
Formed in 1929, the National Aerated Water Company (NAWC) manufactured, bottled and distributed soft drinks in Singapore and Malaysia. The company was noted for its distributorship of popular brands of soft drinks, including Sinalco and Kickapoo Joy Juice. The ...
National Iron and Steel Mills (NISM) was set up in 1961 as part of Singapore’s development plans. It was the first factory to be built in Jurong Industrial Estate in the 1960s and started by supplying steel to Singapore’s construction industry. It began exporting ...
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) was established on 6 September 1961, with Mahmud Awang as the pro-tem chairman and C. V. Devan Nair its first secretary-general. The labour movement initially represented only a minority of unionised workers. Its membership, ...
Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) is a global transportation company established in 1968 as Singapore’s national shipping line. Through the container shipping brand, APL, NOL’s core business activities include all aspects of global cargo container transportation. The ...
Nicoll Highway stretches westward from Mountbatten Road across the mouth of Kallang River over Merdeka Bridge down to the city centre, where it joins Connaught Drive and Stamford Road. It was built in the 1950s to alleviate frequent traffic jams on the often congested ...
The jaga are traditional watchmen or guards who used to stand vigil outside banks, godowns and shops to prevent theft and damage to property. The position was initially filled by Sikhs in early Singapore and eventually came to be associated with the Sikh community. ...
The old Sea View Hotel was opened in 1906, during the hotel boom years of the early 20th century. Unlike most of the early hotels that were located in town or its vicinity, Sea View Hotel was set up in Tanjong Katong, what was then considered the countryside. The ...
Ong Sam Leong (b. 1857, Singapore–d. 7 February 1918, Singapore) was a successful and respected Chinese businessman. Besides being the key contractor supplying labourers to mines in the phosphate-rich Christmas Island, he also owned other businesses such as brickworks ...
Opium (Papaver somniferum) contributed significantly to the general trade in Singapore’s pioneering years. Encouraged by the British colonial government, it reaped great profit from opium licenses. However, many Chinese coolies succumbed to this vice as an escape ...
The Pan Island Expressway (PIE) is Singapore’s oldest and longest expressway. Built between 1964 and 1981, it spans the length of the island, connecting Tuas in the west and Changi Airport in the east. The PIE was initially 35 km long, but it now spans 42.8 km ...
Parrot astrologers are fortune tellers who use green parakeets to aid them with their craft. Acting as a medium, the parrot will pick a “lucky card”, presumably based on the customer’s name and birth date. The astrologer then reads the customer’s future from this ...
Paterson, Simons & Co. was an early trading company in Singapore whose origin can be traced back to 1821. Although no longer based in Singapore, it played an important part in the early commercial development of the colonial state.
Pawnbroking in Singapore started in the 19th century. In the past, pawnbrokers were regarded as the “poor man’s bankers”. Now their customers include white-collar workers, gamblers and businessmen, and an increasing number of younger customers.
Paya Lebar Airport officially opened on 20 August 1955. With its associated taxi tracks and aprons, it was considered a Class B3 Airport based on the 1953 standards of the International Convention for Civil Aviation. Operationally, Paya Lebar Airport was described ...
The Port of Singapore, which provides services and facilities for ships to dock, load and unload goods, has always been a key contributor to Singapore’s economy and growth. From the early days of modern Singapore as a small town with a harbor on the river banks, ...
The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) was formed on 1 April 1964 to take over the functions, assets and liabilities of the Singapore Harbour Board. It was operating five maritime gateways by 1990, including Keppel Wharves, Jurong Port, Sembawang Wharves, Tanjong ...
Prima Limited is a Singapore-based company that was founded in 1961, and has its beginnings in flour milling. The company is now involved in a variety of businesses, ranging from food manufacturing to agriculture and information technology. Prima is known as Bai ...
R. A. Hamid (b. 1922/23, Kerala, India–d. 9 February 1982, Singapore) was a union activist noted for championing issues concerning seamen’s welfare. During the labour unrests of the 1960s, he participated in settling the dispute between the Singapore Harbour Board ...
The Singapore Railway Line was the southernmost segment in the West Coast Line of the Malayan railway system. It was mooted as early as the 1860s, approved by the Legislative Council in 1899 and completed in 1903 at a cost of $2 million. Management of the Singapore ...
Raoul is a local fashion brand established in 2002. Known as one of Singapore’s largest womenswear export labels, Raoul is managed by fashion company FJ Benjamin and the brand’s products are produced by a team of international designers and consultants directed ...
Read Bridge is a beam structured bridge that straddles the central part of the Singapore River. The bridge was officially opened by then Governor Cecil Clementi Smith on 18 April 1889.
Richard Eu Yee Ming (b. 29 October 1947, Hong Kong–) is the chairman of Eu Yan Sang International Ltd., a healthcare company that focuses on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). He is the man behind the transformation of Eu Yan Sang from a TCM business into a modern ...
Rickshaws are hand-drawn taxi-cabs used in colonial Singapore. Originating from Japan, rickshaws were first brought to Singapore in 1880, becoming a major form of public transport. Rickshaw-pulling was a primary source of income for thousands of Chinese immigrants. ...
Established in 1991, Rigel Technology is a Singapore-based bathroom supplies manufacturer focused on environmentally friendly products. The company was founded by Christopher Ng Eng Seng, who is currently the company’s managing director.
Roadside barbers used to be a common sight in Singapore, operating mainly out of makeshift sheds with walls of wooden planks, and wooden roofs or awnings. Also known as street barbers or five-foot-way barbers, they offer fuss-free trims in back alleys.
Robinsons Department Store was founded in 1858 in Singapore by Philip Robinson and James Gaborian Spicer. Regarded as the grande dame of Singapore’s department stores, Robinsons is a shopping destination that is much loved by Singaporeans. There are currently three ...
Sakae Sushi is a restaurant chain from Singapore that specialises in affordable Japanese food served to diners via a kaiten (conveyor belt). Since the opening of its first outlet in 1997, the chain boasts over 100 outlets across Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, ...
The sampan, known as kolek in Malay, is a small wooden boat, skiff or canoe-like coastal craft typically propelled by oars. Also known as the Chinese shoe-boat, it is a common native craft that sometimes comes with a sail, and is used for fishing and short range ...
Samsui women, also known as hong tou jin (红头巾; Mandarin for “red headscarf”) after their trademark red headgear, were female immigrants mainly from the Sanshui (“Samsui” in Cantonese; meaning “three waters”) district of Canton (Guangdong today) province in southern ...
Sandilands Buttery and Co. Ltd. was one of the earliest British trading firms established in Malaya. Established in Penang in 1854–55, it was founded by Scottish merchant adventurers George MacFarlane Sandilands and Francis Currie Lorrain, and originally named ...
Seletar Expressway (SLE) is one of the nine high-capacity expressways in Singapore. It is 12 km long and built between 1992 and 1998 at a cost of $150 million. It connects Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) in Kranji to the junction of Tampines Expressway (TPE) and Central ...
Sembawang Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station was constructed as a part of the Woodlands MRT Line during the 1990s. This station has the largest number of bicycle stands than any other MRT station on the Woodlands Line.
Sentosa is currently a resort island of some 500 ha off the south coast of Singapore. It was previously a fishing village, the site of a military installation with artillery batteries and a prisoner-of-war camp during the Japanese Occupation (1942–1945). Developed ...
The Sentosa Causeway links Sentosa Island with mainland Singapore. Built at a cost of S$117 million, the causeway was officially opened by former Senior Minister of State (Trade and Industry), Lim Boon Heng, on 15 December 1992.
Sheng Siong is a Singapore supermarket chain that started out in 1985 as a family-owned provision store. In 2008, it achieved more than S$600 million in sales and was ranked the third-largest retailer in Singapore by sales volume in a survey.
Shoelast makers made shoelasts or shoe trees, on which shoes were built. A completed pair of shoes were placed on the shoelasts, and the shoes’ uppers were dressed to form a finished product. Shoelasts were made of wooden bases or moulds and carved into different ...
A wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), SilkAir serves as SIA’s regional wing. The airline currently operates short and medium haul routes across 16 countries to about 54 destinations in Asia.
Incorporated on 28 January 1972, Singapore Airlines (SIA), the national carrier of Singapore, is one of the most successful airlines in the world. The recipient of numerous accolades and awards including Conde Nast Traveler’s ‘World’s Best Airline’ Award, Wall ...
The Singapore Chronicle was the first newspaper in Singapore. Its inaugural issue was published on 1 January 1824. Originally owned by publisher and editor, Francis James Bernard, it was initially a commercial newspaper which included official government notices, ...
The Singapore Glass Manufacturers Co Ltd was a leading manufacturer of glassware, plastics and cardboard in Singapore. Its factory, popularly known as the Singapore Glass Factory, stood on Henderson Road, and was a famous landmark in Bukit Merah for many years. ...
The Singapore Harbour Board was established because the then privately-run Tanjong Pagar Dock company was unable to finance the much needed port developments and secure government control over policies affecting port, trade and shipping interests. This led the ...
Founded in 1837, the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) was originally established to defend the interests of Singapore businesses against an unsupportive East India Company administration. Today, the SICC has evolved into a multinational organisation, ...
Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) is a telecommunications group offering a wide range of services such as mobile, data and internet services, as well as info-communications technology and pay-television. One of the largest public-listed companies in Singapore ...
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is responsible for developing Singapore’s tourism sector as well as promoting and marketing Singapore as a tourist destination. The board started operations as the Singapore ...
The first television station in Singapore, Television Singapura, was launched on 15 February 1963. It merged with Radio Singapura to form Radio and Television Singapore (RTS) following Singapore’s independence on 9 August 1965. On 1 February 1980, RTS was corporatised ...
ST-1 was Singapore’s first communications satellite. Launched into a geostationary orbit in 1998, the 3.2-tonne, US$240-million satellite was a 50-50 joint venture between Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) and Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom. ST-1 provided direct-to-home ...
Launched in 2007, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (TEC) is the second flagship government-to-government project between Singapore and China following the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park which started in 1994. Developed from scratch on 30 sq km of non-arable ...
The six-digit postal code system was introduced in Singapore in 1995. It was adopted by Singapore Post (SingPost) with the aim of facilitating the automation of mail processing, in particular the mail-sorting system.
On 26 November 2012, 171 bus drivers from public-transport service provider SMRT Corporation Limited (SMRT) refused to go to work, and 88 were absent from work the next day. It was the first strike in Singapore since the Hydril strike in 1986. The protestors, ...
Snake charmers are street performers who “hypnotise” and coax their snakes to “dance” and sway to the music they play on their flutes. Snake charming is a traditional Indian folk art. In Singapore, this art is mainly performed by Indians although some Malays and ...
The South Seas Society, Singapore (南洋学会; Nanyang Xuehui) is a non-profit scholarly society dedicated to Southeast Asian studies. Founded in 1940, it is the first academic society set up by overseas Chinese based in Southeast Asia focusing on this field. The society ...
SPRING (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board) Singapore, a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, was established with the aim of helping Singapore enterprises grow as well as to build trust in Singapore products and services. The agency ...
Located on Keppel Road near the entrance to the island of Sentosa, St James Power Station was a coal-fired power station built by the British between 1924 and 1927. The power station was decommissioned in 1976 as it was unable to meet Singapore’s rising demand ...
The Straits Steamship Company (SSC) was formed as The Straits Navigation Company in Singapore on 20 January 1890. It was the brainchild of Dutchman Theodore Cornelius Bogaardt, who was one of the company’s seven directors. Before the establishment of SSC, European ...
Sze Hai Tong Banking & Insurance Company Limited, one of Singapore’s earliest banks, was established on 7 January 1907. It was founded by members of the Teochew community, including Tan Teck Joon (managing director), Ng Song Teng (assistant manager), Na Kim Seng, ...
Tampines Expressway (TPE) runs from the junction of Seletar Expressway (SLE) and Central Expressway (CTE) at Yio Chu Kang in the north to the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) at Changi in the east. Built at a cost of S$120 million, construction of the 14.4 km expressway ...
Tan Ean Kiam (陈延谦) (b. 1881, Tong’an, Xiamen, Fujian, China–d. 30 March 1943, Singapore) was a rubber magnate and banker. In addition to being the managing director of the Oversea Chinese Bank and later the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), Tan made many ...
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, located along Keppel Road, was a passenger station for trains run by the Malaysian rail operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Berhad travelling between Singapore and Malaysia. Previously known as the Keppel Road Railway Station, the ...
Built in 1998, the Tanjong Rhu Bridge spans the Geylang River, allowing residents of Tanjong Rhu to cross over to the Singapore Sports Hub.
Tay Buan Guan Supermarket, one of Singapore's earliest supermarkets, was established in 1948 by Tay Leck Teck. With the development of other commercial centres in the Katong area from the 1970s, Tay Buan Guan Supermarket floundered under the competition. The business ...
Tee Yih Jia is a privately owned food manufacturing company and reportedly the world’s largest producer of spring roll skins. Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing also manufactures a diverse range of frozen food products and holds interests in property, water and energy ...
The Causeway is a road and rail link between Singapore and Johor Bahru in Malaysia. Completed in 1923, the 1.05-kilometre Causeway cost an estimated 17 million Straits dollars and spans the Johor Straits (also known as the Tebrau Straits). At the Singapore end ...
The Popular Group comprises companies with core businesses in book publishing, distribution and retail, and electronic learning. It is best known for its chain of Popular retail bookstores. The group has subsidiaries and companies across the world, and has also ...
Published for the first time on 8 October 1835, The Singapore Free Press was Singapore’s second English-language newspaper, after the Singapore Chronicle. It was launched by William Napier with co-founders George D. Coleman, Edward Boustead and Walter Scott Lorrain, ...
The Straits Chinese Magazine was the first English-language periodical owned, edited and published by Malayans. Published between 1897 and 1907, the magazine was founded by prominent members of the Straits Chinese (also known as Peranakan) community, Lim Boon Keng ...
The Straits Trading Company Limited (STC) was incorporated as a tin-smelting company on 8 November 1887. Its smelter on Pulau Brani was famed for its production of “Straits Tin”, which by the 1900s had become internationally recognised as the purest quality of ...
Tinsmithing, a vanishing trade in Singapore, involved the manufacture and repairing of a variety of containers made out of metals such as tin, zinc and aluminium. Tinsmiths in Singapore were mainly from the Hakka community. Their shops-cum-workshops were located ...
Traditional cobblers repaired footwear. Most cobblers were Chinese although a few Indian and Malay cobblers also plied the trade in old Singapore. Cobblers were found throughout the island and many worked along the five-foot-ways of shophouses. Some cobblers later ...
Traditional furniture makers are highly skilled carpenters who make furniture pieces using Chinese furniture-making methods. The older generation of craftsmen mostly came from China within the last century. Some of these craftsmen were Japanese who arrived in Singapore ...
Launched in the 1880s, trams were one of the earliest modes of public transportation in Singapore. Both steam and electric trams used to ply the island, carrying passengers and cargo. Tram operators faced problems including competition and funding, while drivers ...
Travelling hawkers or itinerant hawkers were a common sight in Singapore during the 19th century to mid-20th century. They were frequently found along busy streets and intersections, peddling food, drinks, vegetables, poultry and sundries. Street hawking was a ...
A trishaw (also known as a cycle-rickshaw or pedicab) is a bicycle with a sidecar, powered entirely by the cyclist. The trishaw was a popular mode of public transportation in the immediate years following the end of the Japanese Occupation (1942 to 1945) in Singapore, ...
Tuck Lee Ice is an ice manufacturer and provider of related services such as ice sculpturing. Founded in 1957, the company has also diversified into beverage distribution and transport services for temperature-sensitive items.
Tukang urut is a Malay term for masseuse. The art of urut is a pioneering trade practised by both men and women. A tukang urut provides therapeutic and soothing body massages to provide relief for a range of muscle aches, cramps, pain and even strains. Female tukang ...
Wee Bin (b. 1823, Fujian, China–d. 1868, Singapore) was an early Singapore Chinese businessman with a prominent career as a merchant and shipowner.
Founded in Calcutta, India by Robert Laidlaw in 1882, Whiteaway Laidlaw was a department store that opened a premier branch in Singapore in 1900. Offering products that appealed to the Europeans and wealthy locals, the outlet in Singapore was located on D’Almeida ...
Wing Tai is a Hong Kong-originated company that is currently based in Singapore. It is one of the key players in the local garment industry, owning labels such as Fox, G2000, Miss Selfridge, and Topshop. It is also well-known in the real estate industry, and specializes ...
The Woodlands Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line connecting Choa Chu Kang to Yishun was constructed in the early 1990s. Built at a cost of $1.2 billion, the 16-km long line was officially opened on 10 February 1996 by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Also known as ...
The Woodlands Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station was constructed as part of the Woodlands MRT line, built in the early 1990s, which connects Choa Chu Kang to Yishun. Located directly under the Woodlands station is Singapore’s first underground bus interchange.
Xmi Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based small and medium-size enterprise (SME) that specialises in the production of portable speakers, with a focus on audio technology innovation. Founded in 2006, Xmi is the first in the market to produce and retail a pocket-size speaker. ...
Ya Kun is a chain of cafes that is best known for its coffee and kaya toast. It started as a coffee stall at Telok Ayer Basin before the World War II and was formally registered as a business under the proprietorship of Loi Ah Koon in 1944. Ya Kun now has franchise ...
Yew Tee MRT Station, located in northwestern Singapore, lies between the Choa Chu Kang and the Kranji MRT stations on the North-South Line. It was constructed in the 1990s to serve the northern part of the expanded Choa Chu Kang town as part of the Woodlands extension. ...