Looking back: Senior Singaporeans on how country has evolved

Looking back: Senior Singaporeans on how country has evolved

"SINGAPORE has changed a lot." That was the first thing Mrs Ramathilagam Thanabalan exclaimed when tabla! visited her.

"There are practically no kampung houses anymore. We used to have cows, goats, chickens and ducks walking around. All that changed in the '80s," she reminisced.

Mrs Thanabalan was born in India and came to Singapore at the age of 17, after she married her Singaporean husband. The 56-year-old housewife told us about the many ways in which she has seen Singapore evolve since attaining independence. Along with her, 10 other senior members of the Indian community also shared their reflections.

Transportation and infrastructure

Living near the Equator means that Singaporeans are used to hot weather. But even that has changed, says Ms Shirin Rustom Ghadiali, a Parsi company secretary in her 50s who came to Singapore back in the '70s. "It was just 21 to 23 degrees in the past. Now it's much hotter."

Perhaps that was why our buses were not air-conditioned in the past, as the president of the Hindi Society, Mr Shiw Shankar Pandey, pointed out.

"Buses were not air-conditioned and often used to break down," said the 60-year-old.

"I remember, we used to have only 10 cents as pocket money. Transportation to school used to cost five cents and the other five cents was recess money. So if there was a breakdown, we couldn't take another bus. And if another bus came, it would be very crowded, carrying passengers from another kampung," he added.

Mrs Liza Navaratnam, 90, gave us another insight into history when she said: "In those days we had electric tram cars and it was cheaper to travel."

While they all agreed that the MRT has made life more convenient and is constantly improving with the planning and construction of more rail lines, the stories they shared about taxis shed more light on how transportation has changed.

Said Mr Pandey: "Taxis were private cars, and they wouldn't take us unless there were four or five passengers going to the same destination."

Mr Raghavan Raveendran, who used to work with the Public Works Department and the Port of Singapore Authority and currently runs a consultation business, said taxis were rare, "so they charged as they liked".

On taxis now, the 86-year-old said: "It's standardised and the quality of service is much better. It's also affordable but surcharges and tolls make it a bit costly sometimes."

So what do they feel about the overall changes in the transportation sector?

Said Mr Pandey: "I've travelled a lot and I find our transportation system to be one of the best in the world."

Mrs Navaratnam was all praise too, saying: "Public transport is much more comfortable and convenient now. In 1975 we had to walk out quite a bit to get to the bus stop. Now the bus stop is right in front of our flat. It is easier to get to the hospital and Tekka Market."

Founder of the Disabled People's Association (DPA) Ron Chandran-Dudley, 80, who is visually handicapped, added: "Before, public transportation in Singapore was not a viable form of transport for the physically-handicapped, there were no lifts or ramps. This has improved."

Said Mrs Thanabalan: "The Little India area has changed a lot too. Little India used to have no places for shops and everything was spread out on the floor. The Tekka Market area was muddy and there were no proper roads."

Healthcare

There have been changes in the medical sector too. Shared Ms Susan Verghese, who was a nurse for 30 years: "When I joined nursing, nurses weren't allowed to get married. We would live in hostels near the hospitals, so that we were available 24 hours of the day if needed. If you married you had to resign, and this changed only after the war. When the rules changed it was for the better - we could get married, have a family and still work."

Former assistant director of nursing at Singapore General Hospital Kaldip Kaur, 62, who has 38 years of experience, said nurses today receive in-depth training and there is more awareness and emphasis on living healthily.

She said: "Previously, nurses had to do a lot of lifting and carrying of patients and this resulted in them suffering bad backaches. Now there is more emphasis on the well-being of the nurses, so the younger generation will be a healthier generation."

Apart from the policy change for nurses, the medical policies for the public have also improved, said Mr K. Balasundram, 86. Having had to undergo various operations, he has used up all his funds in his Medisave account but is eligible for the MSS (Medical Social Service) scheme that provides him with free consultation and medicine.

He said: "I am very grateful to the Government for having brought in these new schemes to help us. Healthcare has improved tremendously and the Government has done well in looking after the older generation." It isn't just the policies that have improved, said Mrs Thanabalan.

"There are many more clinics now. In the past the doctors and nurses had to do a lot of manual work. Now because of technological advancements, modern equipment help a lot, and are even available for us to purchase in the market," she said.

Business

Technical advancements are a good thing, but there is a flip side. The textile wholesale and trading business - a trade that the Indian community once used to thrive in - has been fading as Singapore evolved.

Mr Sneh Kant Gupta, whose grandfather used to trade spices, said that with the Internet came global connectivity, which meant that Singapore is losing its value as a trading hub.

"The people from places like Thailand and Indonesia who bought from us can now get items directly from the manufacturers for a lower price."

Mr Girishbhai Kothari, 91, came to Singapore in 1941 as a 17-year-old boy. He joined the Indian National Army (INA) and is currently its only surviving member. He later started a business in the textile industry.

Recalling this, he said: "High Street was the centre for Indian textile wholesalers. Arab Street was the hub for south Indians, Surtis and Gujaratis. There were about 500 wholesalers, semi-wholesalers, importers and exporters. Today there might be only 10 or 15."

Food

Food is something which Singapore is famous for and our seniors feel that Indian food has become more popular.

"There are more varieties of Indian food and they are more readily available. People are more educated about Indian food now," said Ms Ghadiali, who cited the example of north Indian chaats.

She said: "Chaats like pani puri are new, and much appreciated by many Indians. That's a vast improvement from the past."

Both Mr Kothari and Mr Pandey said south and north Indian food are available everywhere now. That wasn't the case previously. Mr Kothari said "only a few Indian restaurants were available in the past" while Mr Pandey said north Indian food "was mostly located in High Street as most north Indian businesses operated there".

What about local food?

There used to be streetside stallholders, said Mr Balasundram, adding that "now they are all confined within food courts".

"The man would come pushing his cart and sell kolo mee, rojak or char kway teow; the Bengali man will carry a basket on his head and when he comes we would buy freshly-baked French loaves and buns," said Mrs Navaratnam, while Mrs Thanabalan recalled that people "used to bring fresh vegetables, bread and other stuff like curry puffs and doughnuts to our doorstep personally".

She added: "Nowadays everything is available in hypermarkets like NTUC and Giant and there is at least one such amenity near every few blocks."

Mrs Navaratnam reminisced that, in the past, such amenities were small provision shops called "mama shops" which were located at the void decks of most HDB flats.

Housing

The very tall apartment buildings we are used to today were rare in the old days, said the seniors. "Before we had HDB flats, the Singapore Improvement Trust built walk-up flats, up to four floors high. Today flats are built as high as 40 storeys," said Mrs Navaratnam.

Even the sewage system was different in homes then.

Said Mr Pandey: "My father used to work with the PUB so we used to live in quarters. The toilets were separate in attap-roofed houses. It had no flushing system, and we used a black bowl instead of a toilet bowl. So people used to come and collect the sewage every day, sanitise the toilet and replace the bucket with a new one."

All the changes have been for the better, Mr Pandey said. "Housing is one of the main achievements of the Singapore Government - everyone has a roof over their head and the Government ensured that people of different ethnicities live together in the same housing area," he said.

But neighbourliness was much stronger in the past, the seniors all agreed.

Said Mr Gupta: "People were more trusting and neighbours were closer to each other. Doors were open and neighbours could just walk in any time."

Mr Pandey added: "As children, we used to run into neighbours' houses while playing, and if they were eating, they would also feed us. But it's different now - people living just a few houses away won't know who I am." Suggested Mr Gupta: "Maybe it's because the lifestyle, values and systems have changed."

Education

Another area in which the Government integrated ethnicity was the education sector, Mr Pandey said.

"There were fewer second language options. I took Malay as they didn't have Hindi, and learned Hindi at home from my parents. The Hindi Society was formed in 1988 and we managed to get recognition for Hindi as a non-Tamil Indian language. Other north Indian languages like Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Gujarati are also recognised now," he said.

Along with him, the others remember Singapore having just one university. It was the University of Malaya, which is now known as the National University of Singapore, and not everyone could attend university as the "intake was small", recalls Mr Girishbhai.

In contrast, "now there are six universities, and so many other options like junior colleges (JCs), polytechnics, institutes of technical education and private institutions. There are many new schools, with so many old ones reconstructed", he said.

Mr Chandran-Dudley worked with the Ministry of Education to implement programmes, such as providing mainstream schools with specially-trained teachers to support visually or hearing impaired students to ensure that they would integrate fully into the regular school system and become full participants in society while he was secretary-general of the then Singapore Association for the Blind.

"The whole attitude towards disability and people with disability has improved but there is still some way to go. We are on our way to being a country where people with disabilities have an equal opportunity," he said.

Mr Balasundram, who shed light on the fact that the A-level examination used to be called the Senior Cambridge examinations, agreed and said that "everybody has a chance today to achieve their dreams. The Government has invested a lot in education. There is a JC in almost every constituency these days".

He also remembers how different schooling was in his childhood: "I loved my school experience. After school we would play cricket or football until evening. When we went home we had our bath and dinner, then spent time doing our homework and some studying. Today, children spend more time in tuition and have very little time for games."

What they get plenty of instead, is time with the latest mobile technology.

Telecommunications

The seniors were at the forefront when the telecommunications scene was just shaping up.

Mrs Navaratnam, who was a telephone operator for 23 years, said: "When I first started, the telephone boards were manual - a plug system. Then we had automatic switchboards. For urgent news we would go down to the post office to send a telegram - usually if there was a death or a marriage announcement. Otherwise letter-writing was how we would communicate with family overseas, as telephone calls were too expensive."

She added: "When my son was studying in Germany we would communicate through letters. Today I can Skype with my daughter who lives in Canada. Being able to see and hear them makes a big difference for my peace of mind."

But for some, old is still gold. "I became familiar with computers when they were huge and would take up a whole wall. Those days if it was urgent, we would use a telegram. Now there is e-mail but I still prefer writing letters," said Ms Verghese.

Entertainment and leisure

Entertainment options were aplenty back in those days as well, and although they have changed, the seniors said it's all good.

Mrs Navaratnam and Mr Pandey remember the drive-in cinemas they used to frequent.

"There were two drive-in cinemas. I remember one in Jurong East. Open-air theatres were very common, but the numbers started dwindling by 1970s," said Mr Pandey.

Mrs Navaratnam added: "Rex Cinema used to be a drive-in, open-air cinema, where we would stand and watch the shows. It was only 10 cents back then."

Indian representation in local television has also increased in numbers, they said. "We get many Indian channels now, in almost all the different language groups," said Mr Raveendran, who is very happy that there is a Malayalam channel available now.

Mr Pandey said TV used to be a rare thing found in only one or two people's houses in the neighbourhood. "There was only one channel, and Indian programmes were aired only during the time allocated for it. Tamil programmes were most common," he said.

Mrs Thanabalan spoke about the other leisure activities that are available now. She said: "Community centres organise many programmes these days like sewing, cooking, yoga, and dancing. There are also many libraries now."

Mrs Kaur said that there are more library activities for all age groups now while Mr Dudley talked about how library facilities have improved for the visually impaired.

He said: "The library has an excellent collection of audio books and a programme called Deliver Me that is really helpful. Deliver Me is a programme by National Library Board where they deliver library materials to the homes of people who are unable to visit the library because of an illness or a disability."

Mr Balasundram was a manager at the Singapore Island Country Club for seven years before becoming the general manager of the Cricket Club for 16 years. He loved sports, playing cricket and golf when he was younger and continues to follow the games on television. "Cricket was a lot more popular in Singapore. We played it in school. Today, rugby and football is more popular with the young ones," he said.

"Since they set up the Singapore Sports School, Singaporean athletes are doing very well in sports, participating in inernational events. More effort is made to give them opportunities in sports," he added.

Mrs Kaur also said that "we see more sportsmen representating Singapore and bringing home more medals". The arts Sports is not the only field where youngsters are given more opportunities to excel in, as Mrs Ghadiali pointed out.

"Children are more interested in arts than before," she said, "especially since the inception of School Of The Arts."

"The arts section in Singapore has improved a lot, and exposure to these art forms encourage children to develop their individual talents," she added.

Mr Pandey said that it wasn't easy to see performances in the past. He said: "We didn't even know that Indian arts existed or about art academies here, due to a lack of publicity. It was difficult to learn Indian arts also. But now it's all popular and there are so many of them. Many youngsters are very aware of these institutions."

Festivals and traditions

Along with the arts, the Indian festivals and traditions have also been receiving more attention.

Said Mr Balasundram: "The emphasis we pay to celebrating the different traditional festivals, the lights and decorations are very beautiful."

Mr Gupta said Indians in Singapore are more connected with our traditions and festivals, citing the festival Raksha Bandhan as an example. He said: "It was not common in the past. We used to get relatives to send us rakhis for this festival from India. Now there are advertisements on TV and we can easily get the rakhis in shops in Little India."

However, Mrs Thanabalan said that there is now a lack of bonding through cooking. "In the past we cooked special dishes and made Indian sweets at home. It promoted bonding between family and neighbours. Now everyone is just buying from shops or catering as they say they have no time to cook because of work," she said.

Said Mr Kothari: "Festivals have become a tourist attraction as well."

Landmark attractions

While remembering fondly the old attractions, the seniors tabla! spoke to were also proud of the new ones. Some have even braved the rides at Universal Studios Singapore.

Ms Verghese is especially impressed by the Gardens By The Bay. She said: "It's beautiful! I was so excited to see the tulips. It's an attractive place for Singaporeans and foreigners."

Ms Ghadiali said the Formula One night racing is unique to Singapore, and that they are doing a very good job with it. "It's improving every year. It gives Singapore an identity," she said.

One of the attractions that has lost its shine is the Haw Par Villa. It happens to be Mr Gupta's favourite.

"I liked the part where they showed the 10 stages of hell. It's interesting because it's similar to Hindu beliefs. The statues showed sharp and grotesque images so when we used to see them as young children, it created lasting images in our minds which taught us not to steal or lie or engage in negative activities. It's sad that it's not as popular now," he said.

Mr Kothari said he remembered that Sentosa was "called hantu island in the past, with nothing there".

"I used to go there in a small boat to picnic there. Today there are many attractions in Sentosa," he said.

National Day Parade

With all that said, tabla! decided to ask the seniors how the National Day Parade (NDP) itself has evolved through the years.

Ms Verghese shared a time when she was part of the parade: "When I was a matron, I had to lead the nurses in one of the parades. We were all in uniform, and I felt a sense of duty.

Today's parade has very much improved. The dances reflect our multi-cultural community."

The others said the NDP has become better.

Mr Pandey said: "The National Day Parades were very simple. Now we have better fireworks and paratroopers are a sight to behold."

Mr Sneh Kant Gupta said: "The lighting and sound effects make it so attractive now."

Mr Raveendran commented that "schools, and almost all cultural associations are more involved in NDP now".

The seniors were unanimously proud of how Singapore has grown over the years. Said Mr Chandran-Dudley, who was a social activist for the physically disabled: "We are on our way to being a country where people with disabilities have equal opportunities.

"I spent eight years overseas but I always thought of coming back. Our culture in Singapore is an interesting one and I am really proud to be a Singaporean."

Mrs Kaur summed it up: "As a Singapore citizen I am proud of the development in the country, and how far we have come."


 

The Voices

Mr Girishbhai Kothari, 91, is the last surviving member of the Indian National Army. He represents the Jains in the Inter-Religious Organisation.

Mr Raghavan Raveendran, 86,worked at the Public Works Department and the Port of Singapore Authority.

Mrs Kaldip Kaur, 62, was a nurse for 38 years and an assistant director of nursing at Singapore General Hospital.

Mr Shiw Shankar Pandey, aged 60, runs a marine consultancy business, and is also the president of the Hindi Society.

Mrs Ramathilagam Thanabalan, 56, is a housewife who came to Singapore at the age of 17.

Mr Sneh Kant Gupta, 55, is a private investor in financial trading whose grandfather used to trade spices.

Ms Shirin Rustom Ghadiali, in her 50s, is a corporate secretary who is active in organisations to assist the less fortunate.

Mrs Liza Navaratnam, 90, was a telephone operator for 23 years at the Ministry of National Development.

Mr Ron Chandran-Dudley, 80, is the founder of the Disabled People's Association.

Ms Susan Verghese, was a nurse for 30 years and a Matron at KK Hospital.

Mr K. Balasundram, 86, was a former policeman and the general manager of the Singapore Cricket Club.

tabla@sph.com.sg

 

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