Watermelon (Citrullus sp.), a tropical fruit, belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. The flesh is in shades of either red or yellow, and even white. Popular for its sweet and juicy flesh, the fruit is thought to have been first cultivated in Egypt more than 5,000 ...
Dennis Bloodworth (b. 24 May 1919, London, England – d. 14 June 2005, Singapore) was a veteran journalist and writer who wrote extensively on the political developments in Southeast Asia and China.
Gurkhas have their roots in Nepal. Reputed for their fearless military prowess and loyalty, the Gurkhas in Southeast Asia were initially brought to Singapore as special soldiers on the payroll of the British Army. Today, the Gurkha Contingent is a unit in the Singapore ...
Sepoys were Indian soldiers employed within European military garrisons to provide the much-needed manpower for the defence of European colonies in Asia. The term “sepoy” is derived from the Persian word sipahi, which had been translated into the Urdu and Hindi ...
The Maghain Aboth Synagogue, which translates to mean “Shield of our Fathers”, is the oldest surviving synagogue in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Situated at 24/26 Waterloo Street, the synagogue was built in 1878 and gazetted as a national monument on 27 February ...
The cultivated mango (Mangifera indica Linn.) originated in the Indo-Burma region, and it has been grown in India for the last 6,000 years. It is an important commercial crop not only in India, but also in Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, ...
The Japanese surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur on board an American battleship, Missouri, at Tokyo Bay at 9 am on 2 September 1945 – officially ending WWII. Two weeks later, on 12 September 1945 at 11.10 am, local time, another Japanese surrender ceremony ...
The durian (Durio zibethinus) is often dubbed “king of tropical fruits” and a native of Southeast Asia. The name “durian” was derived from the Malay word for thorns, duri. The renowned naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, said this about the fruit: “It is like a ...
The mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. It is grown widely in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The crop is also found in certain parts of India and Sri Lanka where conditions are favourable. The dark ...
The dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is a tropical fruit that belongs to the climbing cacti (Cactaceae) family. Widely cultivated in Vietnam, the fruit is popular in Southeast Asia. Apart from being refreshing and tasty, it has been noted that the dragon fruit ...
The Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) is an edible corm. It is available in two forms. The wild one abounds in the fresh, brackish and saline waters of southern Asia and much of Oceania. The other is the cultivated, larger, sweeter and juicier version ...
Iskandar Shah, also spelt as Iskandar Syah, is closely associated with Singapore and Melaka during the 14th and 15th century. He is also associated with other names in Singapore history such as Parameswara and Sri Tri Buana. His identity remains an enigma – he ...
Endau Settlement was a 300,000-acre agricultural settlement set up at Endau, in the Malayan state of Johor during the Japanese Occupation for Chinese settlers. It was considered the most successful self-sufficiency scheme initiated by the Japanese authorities to ...
Bahau in the Malayan state of Negeri Sembilan was established as an agricultural settlement during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942–45). This settlement was also known as Fuji-Go in Japanese, which means “Fuji village” or “beautiful village”. Specially ...
Andrew Clarke (Sir) (b. 27 July 1824, Southsea, Hampshire, England–d. 29 March 1902, London, England) was the second governor of the Straits Settlements, serving from 4 November 1873 to 7 May 1875. He is known for signing the Pangkor Treaty in 1874, which gave ...
Richard James Wilkinson (b. 29 May 1867, Salonika, Greece–d. 5 December 1941, Izmir, Turkey) was a colonial administrator and scholar. In addition to being the schools inspector for the Federated Malay States (FMS) and the colonial secretary, Wilkinson was also ...
Pulau Ubin is an island located on the north-eastern coast of Singapore, with Selat Johore to the north and Serangoon Harbour to the south. Its name is derived from its original Malay name, Pulau Batu Jubin, which means “Island of Granite Stones”. Granite quarries ...
The Grow More Food Campaign was started during the Japanese Occupation to place a check on inflation and to prepare for an eventual blockade from enemy forces. People were encouraged to strive for self-sufficiency by growing their own food. Vegetables, tapioca ...
The Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was founded in November 1877 to research and document information relating to the Malay Peninsula and archipelago. It was formed by a group of colonial administrators in Singapore, and started with 150 members. Its ...
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an international organisation founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Its objective is to promote economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the Southeast Asian ...