Singapore decriminalizes chewing gum? Really!

Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! 

Greetings from Singapore! It's your friendly host from the Little Red Dot (aka Singapore) with the latest edition of my newsletter.* If there is one 'fact' about Singapore everyone knows it's that chewing gum is illegal here. But is it really? And why does this one obscure fact define Singapore for so many foreigners? The manufacture, sale and distribution of gum has been banned in Singapore since 1992. However, gum is to Singapore as recreational marijuana is to many European countries (and US states); that is, possessing a small amount for personal use is acceptable but just don't try to become a drug (or gum) kingpin by importing and selling in large quantities! By 2003, Singaporeans had learnt to live without gum (and think without having to chew at the same time!). Nonetheless, the law was liberalized – a teeny bit - as a result of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2003.  It seems passage of the FTA by the US Congress was in jeopardy unless Singapore's gum trade was liberalized!  A congressman from Illinois – the home state of Wrigley's – made the sale of gum in Singapore a prerequisite for supporting the FTA. The congressman insisted bilateral trade in chewing gum be as free as in any other 'commodity.' A face saving compromise had to be found to give the stalled FTA a push. The solution was ingenious. In 2004, gum was classified as a 'medical' product. Subsequently, certain types of gum, including sugar free and nicotine gums, became available for sale at pharmacies across the island. The catch: these 'therapeutic' gums could only be purchased with a doctor's prescription. Gum cannot be bought over the counter! (So remember, if you wish to chew gum during your stay in Singapore, please either leave some time to visit a doctor to get a prescription or 'smuggle' in a few packets for your personal consumption. There is no black market for chewing gum so don't assume you can buy gum in a back alley somewhere!) Now why was gum banned in the first place? To be sure, having chewing gum stuck to the city's pavements did not keep with Singapore's aspirations of becoming a clean and green metropolis. As anyone who has had gum stuck on their shoes (or clothes) knows removing gum is a time consuming affair. Still, on it's own that wasn't enough of a reason to warrant a ban. That all changed when people started sticking gum onto the city's subway train doors causing their automatic door sensors to malfunction. The ensuing delays and disruptions to the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) subway system pushed the authorities to legislate the ban. The ban is best summed up by former Singapore Prime Minister Lew Kuan Yew's reply to a BBC reporter's question on the chewing gum ban. "Putting chewing gum on our subway train doors so they don't open, I don't call that creativity. I call that mischief-making. If you can't think because you can't chew, try a banana." And that's the story of Singapore's world famous chewing gum ban.  Imran February 2022 February 2022 promotion: Book an Amazon Explore tour during the month of February (you may take the tour in March, April or even May!) and obtain promotional rates of USD 5 (per person for group tour) or USD 10 (private tour) for Singapore: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple & Michelin starred street food in old Chinatown. To arrange a (Singapore focused) customized live virtual tour please get in touch by WhatsApp (+65 9786 7210) or email (imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com). Please feel free to forward this newsletter to interested persons.  PS – You may visit earlier editions of my newsletter here. * You are receiving my newsletter as you have either been on a tour with me (earlier this century) or we are connected via LinkedIn. If this intrusion is not to your liking, fair enough, it is easy for you to unsubscribe. Simply use the unsubscribe button in the footer of this email. Singapore: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple & Michelin starred street food in old Chinatown   Though ethnic Chinese comprise almost three quarters of Singapore's population, the city-state is religiously and ethnically diverse, and this live tour along the Street of Harmony, Telok Ayer Street, is a great way to see Singapore's multiculturalism.  Along the route we'll also see a street food hawker center and colorful shophouse architecture. Book now» Sights and sounds of Singapore's Little India: from Hindu temples to UNESCO recognized street food   Singapore's Indian community - though small in numbers - is an integral part of Singapore's food, culture and architectural landscape. At the heart of the community is the Little India district where all this and more are on display. Join me as we stroll through the streets and side lanes of Little India and take in the sights and sounds (not the aromas!) of this vibrant district. Book now» Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Copyright © 2021 Singapore Locally La, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Singapore Locally La 363 B Sembawang Crescent #03-727 Sun Natura Singapore 752363 Singapore Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

A winter’s day in Singapore

I was about to leave my apartment when I heard the wind howl. I walked to the window and brushed aside the curtains. There was frost on the trees outside. The occasional icicle was dripping water to the ground below. Not!

Living in the tropics a few degrees from the equator means we enjoy only two seasons in Singapore: wet and dry. Honestly, the dry season sometimes seems pretty wet too. Except perhaps last year when we coughed our lungs out due to the haze blowing across from Indonesia.

Come to think of it, in recent years we have added a new season to the Singapore calendar: the Haze Season!

But let's not dwell on embarrassing subjects – at least for Singapore and ASEAN diplomacy. Instead, let's focus on the monsoon season and its impact on the development of Singapore and the broader region.

Until the arrival of steamships in the mid-1800s all sea trade was dependent on the wind. Wind patterns dictated when and where sailors roamed. Without wind power a sailing ship was useless.

It was the monsoon wind which directed traffic to and from China and the spice rich islands of modern day Indonesia. Monsoon is derived from the Arabic word 'mawsim' or season. Not surprising as the Arabs had long mastered the art of seafaring and had built up extensive trade links with Southeast Asia several centuries before European explorers began mapping the region.

Spices such as nutmeg and clove depended on the Southwest and the Northeast Monsoon winds to move from Southeast Asia to other parts of the globe. The Southwest Monsoon, which typically lasts from May until October, helped ships sail from South Asia towards the East. The Northeast Monsoon from December to March blew in the opposite direction, allowing ships to return to South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula from farther East.

Singapore's strategic location near the Straits of Melaka helped transform Singapore into the trade hub it remains until this day. The spice trade, which revolved around the monsoon winds, necessitated sailing ships pass – if not dock – at Singapore during their often dangerous journeys. This traffic enabled Singapore to flourish as a commercial entrepot.

A view of ships in waters off the coast of Singapore

Being close to the equator defines not only Singapore's weather but also its identity. While I would love to be able to wear two (just two!) layers of clothing for a few weeks each year, I console myself by eating a few roti pratas instead. After all, it's due to the monsoon winds that we enjoy the rich multiplicities of food, culture and people on the island!   

Roti pratas, a quintessential Singaporean dish, alongside a bowl of curry. Singapore's food dishes represent the island's diverse ethnic and cultural mix

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Imran is a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. Imran has lived and worked in several countries in his career as an international banker. He enjoys traveling, especially by train, to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture his interest in photography. Imran can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com. Follow Imran on twitter at @grandmoofti and Instragram at imranahmedsg. 

A small piece of Japan in Singapore: the Japanese Cemetery Park

Japan's occupation of Singapore during World War Two is well known, but few know of the broader history of Japan's links with the city-state. A great way to understand these linkages is by visiting the Japanese Cemetery Park, located in Singapore's Yio Chu Kang area.

The cemetery, said to be the largest Japanese graveyard in Southeast Asia, contains 910 tombstones, including several of well known personalities. It cemetery was created in 1891 after three Japanese brothel owners obtained government permission to build a graveyard for destitute Japanese prostitutes or karayuki-san that were present in Singapore in large numbers between the years 1870 and 1920. Karayuki-san, which means 'going to China' or 'going overseas,' comprised the bulk of the Japanese population in Singapore between 1870 and 1920. One large section of the Cemetery houses the graves of many of these Japanese women.

Prior to the karayuki-san's arrival in Singapore came a Japanese gentleman sailor called Yamamoto Otokichi, also known as John Matthew Ottoson. In 1832, Otokichi was shipwrecked and finally landed on the shores of present day Oregon, United States. Following a circuitous and painful journey, which included becoming prisoner of a Native American tribe, Otokichi found himself working for British colonial authorities in Southeast Asia and China.

In the late 1840s, Otokichi took up residence in Singapore and stayed in the city until his death in 1867. Otokichi is regarded as the first Japanese resident of Singapore; an honor which led a delegation from his hometown in Mihama (Aichi Prefecture) to visit Singapore in 2005. The delegation collected a portion of his remains to his hometown for burial – arguably a homecoming late by 138 years.

The tomb housing a part of Otokichi's remains. 

The World War Two Syonan-to years are well represented in the Cemetery.

The Hinomoto guardian deity stands tall at the main entrance, reminding visitors of the 41 Japanese civilians who perished in Allied internment camps at Jurong while awaiting repatriation after Japan's surrender.

Also inside the Cemetery is a War Memorial dedicated to dead Japanese soldiers, including those who died as Allied prisoners of war in Singapore and Johor after the war as well as the 135 Japanese soldiers executed as War Criminals in Changi prison. However, pride of place within the Cemetery is given to Field Marshall Count Hisaichi Terauchi, the Supreme Commander of Japanese Forces in Southeast Asia. General Terauchi died in June 1946 at a prisoner of war camp in Johor, Malaysia.

In the years since the end of World War Two, Singapore's relations with Japan have improved progressively. From the opening of the first post-war Japanese business establishment in 1954, today's Singapore is a hub for many Japanese multinational corporations operating in Southeast Asia. Japan is one of Singapore's top ten trading partners, with total trade aggregating USD 48 billion in 2013 (compared to say Singapore's former colonial master, the United Kingdom, with which total trade totaled USD 14 billion in 2013). 

A structure with deities located near the park's entrance.

History helps shape nations and peoples. Yet there is also no reason to be held hostage by unpleasant historical events. A visit to the Japanese Cemetery Park in Singapore underscores the power of realistic progress, i.e. building the future without forgetting the past.

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Imran is a licensed Singapore Tour Guide. If you wish to arrange customized tours in Singapore, including tours of World War Two sites such as Changi Museum and the Japanese Cemetery Park, please contact Imran at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.