One of Singapore's biggest fires occurred in Bukit Ho Swee on 25 May 1961. The fire razed a 100-acre area (0.4 sq km) consisting of a school, shops, factories and wooden and attap houses, leaving some 16,000 kampong dwellers homeless and four fatalities. The property ...
Pulau Merlimau was one of Singapore’s southern islands off the coast of Jurong before it became part of Jurong Island. It used to house the refinery of the Singapore Refining Company (SRC), a joint venture between British Petroleum, Caltex Petroleum Corporation ...
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 ...
Wee Beng Chong (黄明宗; Huang Mingzong) (b. 22 November 1938, Singapore–), a renowned artist, was one of the first recipients of the Cultural Medallion when it was established in 1979. Among the most versatile artists in Singapore, Wee has done sculpture, Chinese ...
In October 2001, some Singapore members of a regional Islamic militant group known as Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), meaning “Islamic Community”, began planning a bomb attack on specific targets in Singapore. The bombings were scheduled for execution in either December ...
The explosion and fire on board Greek oil tanker S. T. Spyros on 12 October 1978 was described as Singapore’s “worst post-war disaster in terms of lives lost”. Seventy-six people died and 69 others were injured in the accident.
Formally established in 1927, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) was initially tasked with improving the infrastructure of Singapore. This involved work such as drawing up general improvement plans, condemning insanitary buildings and constructing back lanes. ...
Established in 1844, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) is one of the oldest hospitals in Singapore. It was set up with the help of a generous donation by a wealthy philanthropist, Tan Tock Seng. First erected on Pearl’s Hill, the hospital moved to Balestier Plain, ...
On 2 April 1949, the Municipal Commission election was held to elect 18 of the 27 members of the Municipal Commission. This election was the result of the enactment of the Municipal Elections Ordinance in 1948. The 1949 Municipal Commission election was a political ...
The Internal Security Act (ISA) is a law that enables the government to swiftly act against what it deems to be threats to national security by employing various measures. The law is carried out by the Internal Security Department (ISD), a body under the purview ...
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 ...
On 12 March 1927, a clash in the Kreta Ayer neighbourhood between police and Kuomintang (KMT) supporters revealed the strength of leftist influence on the local Chinese population. A memorial service to mark Sun Yat Sen’s death was followed by a procession of Chinese, ...
The Lian Yak Building, which housed Hotel New World, collapsed on 15 March 1986 due to structural defects and poor-quality construction. The collapse left 33 people dead, and was considered one of the worst disasters in post-war Singapore. A rescue operation involving ...
The Bionix infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is an armoured troop carrier of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Developed locally, it entered operational service in the SAF in 1999. Its two main purposes are the ferrying of troops to key battlefield positions, and ...
Elangovan (b. 1957, Singapore–) is a bilingual poet and playwright known for exploring controversial themes and the grimmer aspects of society. He was a teacher, arts administrator, freelance journalist, screenwriter, literary editor and the artistic director of ...