Myths and Misconceptions about Singapore

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Singapore currently (2019) holds the 2nd strongest passport in the world. It is also the main hub for a lot of travel within Southeast Asia. Some call it the meeting point of East and West. But, even with those titles under it’s belt, there are a crazy amount of rumors surrounding this small city-state.

Things like ‘the laws in Singapore are the strictest in the world!’ or ‘Singapore is China’s wealthiest city!’ or even ‘Singapore is only an airport in Malaysia!’

Even more common, a lot of people haven’t heard ANYTHING about Singapore. Some don’t even know it exists.

To combat some of these myths and misconceptions, I have enlisted the help of three very knowledgeable Singaporeans. They will give you the INSIDER SCOOP on what is true -and what isn’t- about the Lion City.

Let’s meet our panel!

Panelists!

Alexis: I’m Alexis, a full time travel blogger from Singapore. I still live in Singapore, but travel around quite a bit. Besides discovering places that are off the beaten path, I live to eat. Trying local food in new cities is one of my priorities when travelling. On days when I’m home and taking a social media detox, I like staying in with hot ginger tea and a good book.

Shirlene: Hello! I’m Shirlene! Born and raised in Singapore. I was teaching Economics in college full-time, but also do wedding/birthday cakes as a passion sideline from home! BUT, I just left my full-time job in June 2018! I am taking a break to travel for half a year!

Lynn: Hello! I’m Lynn. I’m originally from Singapore but now I’m doing my masters in London. I love animals and would sell my soul to go live on a farm. 

Kay: AND ME, of course, because you know I love to stick my nose into everything. Though, disclaimer, I am not Singaporean. Also, I have only been to Singapore once, and only for about 6 days, so my knowledge is pretty limited. HOWEVER, I would like to offer my perspective as a tourist.

What was it like growing up in Singapore?

Lynn: Growing up in Singapore is an interesting experience to say the least. Singapore is a very, very, very small place. Its 721.5 km² which is smaller than some large lakes. So spending the majority of your life in such a small area can be very boring. Singapore’s education system is also infamously tough. I spent most of my childhood ferried from one “enrichment” centre to the next (think musical instruments, sports and tiger mums). But most families in Singapore are tight knit. Children don’t move out of their parents’ houses until they’ve gotten married. Your parents would actually get angry at you if you dared mentioned moving out.

Shirlene: I think I’m lucky to be a ’90s baby. My generation watched how Singapore transformed and develop rapidly. Y’know, we were in the time of MSN messenger, Friendster! No whatsapp, no smartphones!

We went to old-school playgrounds in the heartlands instead. Singapore is a diverse country with many different races, mainly Chinese, Malays, Indians and the Eurasians. We grew up learning to put the cultural and racial differences aside as most schools in Singapore and mixed and secular. Schools celebrate all the different festivals of the different races and it’s super fun! Like Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya etc. 

Parents in Singapore place a very strong emphasis on the child’s education, hence it can be generally very stressful for kids studying in Singapore. Thank goodness I have a father who taught me that life is more than just studies, hence my love for crazy adventure and travel! 

Alexis: Many different racial groups make up Singapore, and many people stereotype growing up in a Chinese family. Everyone thinks that Chinese parents are extremely conservative and strict. Singapore is so competitive. Most parents put a huge pressure on their children to get good grades and enter university in order to get a good job in the finance industry or be a professional. My parents are strict whenever it comes to disciplining us regarding morals, values, and obtaining good grades in school.

However, I’m glad that although my parents are strict when it comes to education, they are still pretty open-minded when it comes to allowing my brother and I to choose the career path we desire. My parents always tell us, “no matter what you do, you have to give in more than 100% effort so you’ll have no regrets whether you succeed or not eventually”.

I guess perseverance and determination are two good values that my parents have instilled in us. Our family bond is also important and they place a strong emphasis on our annual Chinese New Year reunion dinner. This is the one and only annual dinner that we will definitely always be present for.

I’m actually very glad to have grown up a tom-boy. Because I live in a neighbourhood that’s surrounded by ‘boys-only’ schools, I ran in the fields and played soccer and basketball, rode bicycles and rollerbladed with my brother and neighbours who are all boys. I prefer my kind of carefree childhood, running around wildly under the hot sun, to the kind of lifestyle that children are growing up with today. Kids nowadays have their heads down and eyes glued to mobile phones almost 24/7 (okay, I’m exaggerating but you get the point).

What is the history of Singapore?

Shirlene: Singapore was part of Malaysia in the past and belonged to the British (hence our education and law system follows the British). We gained independence in 1965 on the 9th of August. Our founding fathers goal (Lee Kuan Yew) was to make Singapore a 1st world nation, and most of us are thankful for that, by focusing a lot on economic growth, political stability, safety and national defense. They opened up the economy to loads of foreign investment, as we have 0 natural resources.

Lynn: There’s two versions of the history of Singapore to be honest… In schools, we’re fed this ideal that Singapore was a sleepy fishing village until the British came along and made it into a bustling port (colonised 1819).

Recently, historians have began to challenge this. According to them, Singapore had been a busy port even before the British arrived. That’s why it caught the attention of the British. I can’t comment on which is “true” because I haven’t done a lot of research on this topic (I mean, who cares anyway what is was?) but I’m favouring the latter.

Fast forward 150 years (1965), we had a benevolent dictator who, through an iron fist, made Singapore what it is today. In the 70s, we had some super strict laws like no long hair. Kinda puts the no gum thing to shame, huh. 

Alexis: If my memory doesn’t fail me, this was what I’ve learnt from Social Studies classes in school almost two decades ago. Singapore was first known as Temasek (“Sea Town”), when the first settlements were established from AD 1298-1299.

Lynn: According to the legend, Singapore was first founded by a Malay Prince Sang Nila Utama during the 14th century. Upon his arrival, he saw a swimming animal and asked his advisor what it was. The advisor told him that it was a lion and thus he named the land Singapura, or lion city. Singa= lion, pura= city.

Alexis: That animal had a body of a fish/mermaid and a head of a lion – the Merlion. It is now Singapore’s iconic mascot.

Lynn: It was probably a tiger though., since there are no lions in Singapore. Perhaps he should have fired his advisor.

Alexis: Due to politics, trade, and most importantly, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, modern Singapore was founded in the 19th century as part of the expansion of the British Empire. Singapore continued to develop as a trading post, with the establishment of several key banks, commercial associations and Chambers of Commerce.

However, Singapore’s prosperity suffered a major blow during World War II, when it was attacked by the Japanese on 8 December 1941 and occupied by Japanese forces. When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the island was handed over to the British Military Administration. The British Military Administration remained in power until the dissolution of the Straits Settlement. In April 1946, Singapore became a British Crown Colony.

In 1959, the growth of nationalism led to self-government, and the country’s first general election. The People’s Action Party (PAP) won a majority of 43 seats and Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of Singapore. In the early 1960s, Singapore’s merger with Malaysia proved unsuccessful, and later on 9 August 1965, it left Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign democratic nation.

I am so proud to be a Singaporean and call Singapore my home. Within a span of fifty years, Singapore has developed from a third world to a first world country. Today, you can still find traces of Singapore’s multi-cultural, colonial and wartime past preserved in and around the city.

Is there any tension between older Singaporeans when talking about Japanese occupation?

Shirlene: Our public schools place a lot of emphasis on teaching the younger generation our past, in our lessons! And celebration of National Day is a huge thing in schools and across the nation.

Lynn: Mmm, most people I have spoken to don’t really have a problem with the Japanese. The only person who I knew didn’t like the Japanese was my grandmother, but she was from Hong Kong so probably it could have been different there?

Alexis: My late grandmother was a nurse during the Japanese occupation. I’ve heard too many horrible recounts on the situation from my late grandmother and her sisters and brothers. There’s tension between older Singaporeans when talking about the Japanese occupation, largely due to the Japanese’s acts of cruelty. However, my late grandmother used to tell us this Chinese phrase a lot, “上一辈的恩怨不要带到下一辈” (let bygones by bygones). I guess the younger generation does not feel that revengeful and does not carry that much hatred towards the Japanese because we did not experience the terrible times personally.

What is the official language of Singapore?

Alexis: There is not one, but four official languages used in Singapore – English, Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin Chinese. Malay may be, on paper, the “national” language, English is de facto. Meaning, English is the go-to. English is the language educators teach in schools, so most people speak English. Besides learning the English language, it is compulsory to choose a mother tongue language between Malay, Tamil and Mandarin Chinese in school and for me, it was Mandarin Chinese. I guess there are some older generation who only speak Mandarin Chinese and dialects such as Teochew, Hokkien and Cantonese. Overall, English is still the most widely spoken language.

Lynn: English is one the official language of Singapore, so everyone speaks it. Because yknow #colonisation. If its considered a language, Singlish is the most widely spoken language. 

Shirlene: I get this all the time when I’m traveling. “Your English is very good!” “Yeah it’s our 1st Language” “Omg really?! I had no idea!” English the first language many Singaporeans learn, and the medium taught in school. So everyone speaks English in Singapore except maybe for the older generation of grandparents.

Does Singapore have “culture” ??

Lynn: Aha- Singapore does have a distinctly unique culture but it might not be a “pretty” one. We have our own creole-type language, Singlish, which has its own rules of grammar. Singapore is also known for having a “kiasu” culture. This means that Singaporeans are afraid of losing or missing out. FOMO on a whole ‘nother level. Its true though.

Singapore is highly competitive and its immersed in the culture to compare with your peers even when there’s no competition. Its not a trait that I particularly enjoy. So much so that I’m moving away from it. But the best part of Singapore’s culture is its food! We have amazing amazing food because of the location we’re in. We have amazing spices all around and a mix of Chinese and Malay culture. Malaysians will tell you that its their cuisine but don’t believe them.

Shirlene: Our culture is influenced by all the different cultures together, the main 4 above. What is unique is the multiracial society we have and one big thing that binds all of us together is definitely the food. Our love for all the food that can be found in Singapore is very strong. One thing that everyone says they miss when they live abroad is the food!

Alexis: If you feel that Singapore has “no culture”, you haven’t truly experienced my country. We have a colourful mixed culture, where different racial groups interact peacefully with each other. To ensure a better racial mix in HDB estates (public housing), the government established ethnic quotas for HDB neighbourhoods and blocks. We live alongside each other, and celebrate different ethnic festivals together.

Kay: OOOO I can jump in here! What I think people (usually Western travelers) mean by “no culture” is that they feel Singapore is too “Westernized” and doesn’t feel “authentic” or “real.” As Westerners, we sometimes identify a non-Western country’s culture as anything that is not-Western. And everything that IS Western is touristy or ‘uncultured.’ Which I personally don’t agree with. They sometimes even equate being modernized as having “a lack of culture,” which is silly in my humble opinion.

SO ALL YOU WESTERN READERS – yes, Singapore is modern. Yes, Singaporeans speak English. Yes, Singapore has Western culture embedded in its bones, it was under British rule for over 100 years.

And yes. Singapore also has its own unique culture. Thank you.

Is everyone in Singapore rich? 

Shirlene: Hell no omg haha most of us live in HDB (housing development board) public housing which are high rise apartments.

Alexis: Well, after watching “Crazy Rich Asians”, I’m pretty sure that many people have the impression that everyone’s rich in Singapore. To be honest, most of us get by well enough with the help of government subsidies, and there are those who are in need but not reported in the news.

Lynn: Contrary to popular belief, no. In fact, because of our competitive culture as aforementioned, we have a tendency of victim blaming in that we blame people for being poor. We are taught that it is “their” fault and people are poor because they are lazy. And as educated people, we know this is not true. Singapore also has a a very high income inequality and people from different income levels hardly mingle. In fact, one of our politicians commented that elderly people picked up trash for recycling because they needed to exercise. 

Okay, what’s the deal with Singapore and gum? Is it illegal to chew gum in Singapore?? 

Shirlene: Haha yes it’s true. For cleanliness sake, the government banned gum to prevent it sticking on train tracks, floors, tables, etc. Oh there’s super high tax on alcohol and tobacco too heh. Drinking and smoking is reallllyyyy expensive.

Alexis: The Singapore chewing gum ban has been in place since 1992. I’m not very sure about the reason, but I assume it is due to keeping our country clean and green. However, since 2004, there is an exception for therapeutic, dental, or nicotine chewing gum, which can be bought from a doctor or registered pharmacist.

Lynn:
OK SO APPARENTLY ITS NO LONGER ILLEGAL TO CHEW GUM? You can buy it in certain pharmacies but last I heard its illegal to bring in gum to resell it. Our benevolent dictator reaaaally didn’t like sticky streets amongst other things. 

Is Singapore completely litter free? It’s such a clean country!

Shirlene: Singapore employs a lot of cleaners to keep the streets pristine. Also, the fine for littering (like cigg butts) is hefty, so that’s a deterrence there.

Alexis: I wouldn’t say that Singapore is completely litter-free because I do see people littering on the streets and sweeping their leftover food onto the ground at hawker centres. However, I guess all of us try our best to keep our country clean and green.

Lynn: Yes and no, we have cleaners that work very hard to keep Singapore clean and we also have a system that makes us very afraid of littering. The fine for littering is $500. There’s actually an enforcement officer walking around the island catching people for littering. I’m not kidding. Imagine that was your job! But it works, I don’t even litter when I’m overseas for fear that someone will catch me. 

Is Singapore obsessed with efficiency? Why do things almost feel…robotic?

Lynn: We are kinda obsessed with efficiency. People are not as empathetic as I would like them to be. Admittedly, I was also not a very nice person before I travelled to more places to see how others lived. We never talk to strangers unless its absolutely necessary.

Alexis: After visiting Japan last November, I do not think that Singapore’s obsessed with efficiency. Perhaps, some S’poreans are obsessed with efficiency, but not everyone, unlike Japan.

Shirlene: Yes, Singapore is relatively efficient, having lived abroad (USA for 2 years, europe for half a year, south america for half a year) and travelled to many countries haha but I think we grow to appreciate it. But if I’m not wrong, countries like Japan and Germany are quite the same (their trains are NEVER LATE, while ours has a recent problem of breakdowns and delays) Actually come to think of it, it might be a cosmopolitan city kinda thing to want to be super efficient and clockwork.

With Singapore having the second strongest passport in the world (which offers 189 visa free or visa on arrival), do many people in Singapore travel? What are the most popular destinations? Why? 

Shirlene: Yes Singaporeans travel a lot in recent years, due to the increasing affluence mainly, and costs of air travel going down. I speak for the rest of Singapore (not myself in this case) – most of Singaporeans love to go to Japan and Korea, for the food and they love their culture in general.

Alexis: Oh yes, definitely! Many people, especially the younger generation, travels a lot. The popular destinations are Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. I guess these four countries offer Singaporeans a homely feel in the cities, yet we are also able to escape the city and enjoy nature. There’s almost no nature for us to enjoy in Singapore (even if there is, the places are overcrowded). Furthermore, Singaporeans love to eat and shop, and these four places certainly meet their criteria and satisfy their needs and wants.

Lynn: Singaporeans do travel but unfortunately (and this is in my opinion only), many only travel to “popular” destinations. Travel is not a priority to many Singaporeans. A typical Singaporean’s life would be: go to school, get good grades, find a job, buy a flat that will take up to 60 years for them to pay for, have kids, ensure kids have good grades, retire, die. And also, because Singaporeans are “afraid to lose”, many are also “afraid to die”. The first questions Singaporeans ask is “IS IT SAFE???” Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with ensuring your safety but obsessing over it will take you no where. Crimes happen everywhere and if you’re vigilant enough, you reduce the likelihood of any misfortune happening to you. 

What are the biggest holidays and celebrations in Singapore? How do you celebrate them?

Alexis: I would think that the biggest holidays in Singapore is the Chinese New Year. We get two days off from work. On the eve of Chinese New Year, we would return home for a reunion with our family. On the first and second day, we will go around visiting our relatives and friends, or stay home to welcome them.

Shirlene: Biggest are definitely Chinese New Year and National Day! Chinese New Year the Chinese (which are the majority race) go visiting the relatives and A LOT of food is involved. National Day, it’s a huge and grand affair -the national day parade. Everyone loves the fireworks display!

Lynn: Well, we have 4 different ethnic groups in Singapore and they have their own celebrations. The Malays generally celebrate Eid, the Indians, Deepavali and the Chinese, Chinese New Year. Usually most Eurasians are catholic so I guess they celebrate Christmas. I’m ethnically Chinese (did a DNA test, I’m apparently 100% Chinese) so I celebrate Chinese New Year. We go to our relative’s houses and take red packets which have money inside them, eat copious amounts of food like any other holiday and because we re super competitive, we start comparing our lives with our cousins and relatives and there’s a bit of pagro talk going on. 

Are there still any “traditional” places in Singapore?

Alexis: Our government has done a great job in preserving traditional places. You might want to check out the Joo Chiat neighbourhood for the Peranakan heritage, Kampong Glam for the Malay heritage, Chinatown for the Chinese heritage and Little India for the Indian heritage.

Shirlene: Yeah there are places that are “preserved” by the government to keep the heritage and primary schools bring students on excursions. Like Little India, Kampong Glam, Chinatown, Fort Canning Park.

Lynn: Mmm unfortunately not. I mean there’s Pulau Ubin which hasn’t changed very much but its never been heavily populated. I haven’t been to Kampung Glam in ages but I’ve heard it might be a realistic mock up of what Singapore used to be like. 

Do you think there are any assumptions people make about you when they learn you are from Singapore?

Alexis: Yes. There’s one assumption that pisses me off majorly – people thinking that Singapore is part of China.

Lynn: No thanks to crazy rich asians people now think that I live in a huge mansion. No I don’t and we also don’t throw crazy parties all the time. People also think that I’ve never had gum before in my life. 

Shirlene: Still, SO MANY people have no idea where Singapore is?! They think it’s somewhere in China. Or they assume that we are like the rest of Southeast Asia.

WHAT IS THE BEST HAWKER CENTER?!?

Alexis: Oh no … This is such a tough choice! I’ll have to go with Tiong Bahru Market & Hawker Centre! There’s an array of food choices at the food centre, and the Tiong Bahru neighbourhood features a heritage trail where you can learn about Singapore’s past. Just right across the street from the hawker centre, there is amazing Bak Kut Teh (peppery pork ribs soup) and Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice

Shirlene: I don’t have a favourite Hawker but everyone recommends Newton Food Circus to tourists!

Lynn: I really like Adam Road Hawker centre! Not only does it house Selera Rasa, but also houses this amazing shop selling Kambing soup (Lamb soup). They also have some very good satay and prawn mee! 

What are your favorite Singaporean dishes – and where should you get them from??

Shirlene: I love eating at hawkers! There’s SO MUCH VARIETY! I love ‘bak chor mee’ (minced pork noodles) and ‘laksa’ and ‘hainanese chicken rice’. IT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO PICK ONE.

Lynn: Chili crab- Jumbo Seafood in Dempsey. Hainanese Chicken Rice- Chatterbox in Mandarin Orchard, Tian Tian chicken rice in Maxwell (beat gordon ramsey)Nasi Lemak- Selera Rasa in Adam RoadBak Kut Teh- Ng Ah Sio 

Alexis: Oh! You shouldn’t have gotten me started on local food! There’s a plethora of dishes I love, but I shall keep this short and sweet, and only recommend my top 5 favourites. Whenever I’m overseas for a long period of time, I always crave Nasi Lemak, Laksa, Char Kway Teow and Bak Chor Mee.

Nasi lemak is a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It can either be served with ikan billis, nuts, ikan kuning (fried fish), fried egg, and cucumber slices, or with your choice of a variety of side dishes ranging from fried chicken drumsticks to fish fillet to otah to an assortment of vegetables. The best ones can be found at Changi Village – Mizzy Corner and Sri Sujana Muslim Food or at Adam’s Food Centre – Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak and No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak.

Laksa is a spicy noodle soup made up of rice noodles with chicken, prawn or fish, served in a spicy soup infused with rich coconut milk. The best ones are from 328 Katong Laksa and Sungei Road Laksa.

For Char Kway Teow, flat rice noodles and egg noodles are often stir-fried over very high heat with eggs, cockles, Chinese sausages, fish cakes, bean sprouts and Chinese chives. The really good ones are from Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee, Hill Street Fried Kway Teow, and No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow.

Bak Chor Mee (minced meat noodles) is a noodle dish tossed in vinegar, minced meat, pork slices, pork liver, stewed sliced mushrooms, meat balls and bits of deep-fried lard. My one and only favourite is from MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles.

Last but not least, please do not leave Singapore without trying our Chilli Crab. Personally, I feel that the ones from JUMBO Seafood are the best!

What is one thing you want people to know about your country and the people there?

Alexis: Singaporeans LOVE to queue, especially for food. So, if you want to know what the best food is at a hawker centre, just look for the stall with the longest queue. Moreover, if you see tissue packets lying around on the tables at hawker centres, it means that the table is taken. We use tissue packets to “reserve our seats”.

Shirlene: If you really want to know how most people live in Singapore, don’t just visit Marina Bay Sands, but perhaps get someone local to take you to explore the heartland neighbourhoods, and eat!

Lynn: Well, Singapore is like every other country in the world and has its pros and cons. Unlike what Nas Daily said (cringe), we are not a perfect country and we have many deep rooted cultural problems. It may not be obvious to visitors but Singapore isn’t as perfect as it seems. But it does have its draws like the endless summer, the amazing food and the accessibility of everything!

Learn More about the Speakers!

Alexis:

• Website: https://www.alexisjetsets.com/
• Instagram: @alexisjetsets
• Facebook: @alexisjetsets
• YouTube: Alexis Toh

Shirlene:

• Travel Instagram: @shirlene.x
• Dessert Instagram: @shirlytwirly
• Vimeo: Good Morning Sunshine

Lynn:

• Website: https://thetravelynn.com/
• Instagram: @thetravelynn
• Facebook: @thetravelynn
• Twitter: @thetravelynn

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