The Orang Lauts of Singapore

 The BBC has published an interesting article about the Orang Laut of Singapore. Orang Laut is Malay for "people of the sea", and they are the indigenous people of Singapore. While the Orang Laut are culturally similar to Malays, there are also important differences. For example, a popular dish is asam pedas (sour and spicy fish stew), which is not common in Malay culture. Read the article to find out more!

Singapore: the only country forced to become independent

 56 years ago today, Singapore became independent against its will. Happy Birthday, Singapore!

Unique 14th century artefacts found

While on a maritime operation, divers discovered shipwrecks by chance near Pedra Branca. Inside the shipwrecks were ancient artefacts, which shed light on ancient vessels that plied Singapore's waters as early as the 14th century. 

 

Epidemics in Singapore: Polio

The current COVID pandemic feels unprecedented, and is indeed unprecedented in many ways. Yet, there have been many instances where schools were shut due to viruses and disease. Those born in the 1990s or earlier will remember the closure of schools in 2003 due to the SARS virus. 

However, did you know about the polio epidemic in 1948? Polio is a life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus, and causes paralysis by affecting the spinal cord. Three years after World War 2 ended, the epidemic spread worldwide. Here are some accounts of how the US and New Zealand were affected. 

The Rafflesian (Raffles Institution's school magazine) reported on the epidemic. The September 1948 issue described students as being happy at first as the school holidays were extended. Students who were scheduled to take School Certificate classes (probably the equivalent of O levels or A levels) liked the experience of "going to school at home" as they were not under the constant supervision of their teachers. However, when preparing for their final examinations, students generally felt they had been handicapped as "remote learning" was not as efficient. (Imagine trying to learn with the technology back then!) And for once, students hoped they could return to school. 

Source of above article: Facebook post, which drew from Raffles Institution's archives.

It also appears that health screenings and travel bans were common, just as they are in today's COVID pandemic.

Polio would still continue to strike in subsequent years, for effective vaccines were only developed in the mid-1950s. In 1958, Singapore was one of the first countries in the world to introduce live oral polio vaccinations on a mass scale, though a few polio cases continued to be reported into the 1970s. Interestingly, it was only in 2000 that Singapore was finally declared polio-free. 

SUTD students study the Japanese Occupation

In 2017, a group of students from the Singapore University of Technology and Design took a history course. Specifically, they studied the Japanese Occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945.

Many of them interviewed survivors of the Occupation and went to key landmarks of the invasion and occupation such as Changi Beach. Read the report in TODAYonline.

History of Singapore Airlines

In some ways, the history of Singapore Airlines mimics the history of modern Singapore. The main airline serving Singapore underwent several name changes that reflected what was happening geopolitically: it was called "Malayan Airways", then "Malaysian Airways", then "Malaysia-Singapore Airlines", and finally, "Singapore Airlines" in 1972. Also, just like Singapore rapidly moved from Third World to First, Singapore Airlines leapt from obscurity to become a world-class airline. This leap was rapid: for example, in 1977, Singapore Airlines used the Concorde for the Singapore-London route, becoming one of only a few airlines to ever use the majestic aircraft.

The airline has also been central to Singapore's image. Singapore Airlines has a reputation for being efficient, on-time, and delivering impeccable service, exactly what Lee Kuan Yew wanted foreigners to think about Singapore. In fact, Lee Kuan Yew valued a world-class Singapore Airlines so much that he intervened twice when airline pilots went on strike:

In the video, Lee Kuan Yew describes how he talked to the pilots face-to-face and got them to stop their strike. Towards the end of the video, you can hear his famous quote: "Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him or give it up. This is not a game of cards."

Here's an interesting video about the history of Singapore Airlines:

Part 2:

New book on Singapore's history

Fourteen academics have collaborated to produce a book detailing the first fifty years of Singapore's independence. A key focus of the book is how Singaporeans have reacted - and adapted - to PAP government policy changes since 1959. However, the book's focus is very broad, even touching on sensitive topics such as race and religion. There's even coverage of rock and roll.

Check out an article about the book, and if it seems interesting, buy it on Amazon.