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Showing posts with label Singaporean. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Haunted Teletubby Dolls

The cute-but-weird-looking humanoid beings, created by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the late nineties, gained widespread popularity in the world, including Singapore. The talking dolls were snapped up like hot cakes, especially among the local students.

However, stories about how the teletubby dolls started to speak in the middle of the night soon emerged from nowhere; others claimed the dolls were satanic, evil and possessed.

The rumours ended after just a couple of years when the dolls were no longer popular.

Pointing Finger at the Moon

The older generations used to warn children not to point finger at the moon, or else their ears would be cut off. Offering little explanation, most obedient children heeded the advice anyway, whereas a few naughty ones still had their ears intact despite disobeying their mothers.

This urban legend somehow died off in the early nineties.

There is, however, a Buddhist teaching about pointing finger to the moon, where the moon is the truth and the finger represents words. Words and language are symbols that express the truth, just like the finger that points to the moon is not the moon itself.

Restless Spirits of Bishan and Novena

When Bishan MRT Station was opened in November 1987, haunted stories were rife due to the underground station being built at a former cemetery called Bi Shan Teng. Sightings of headless figures and phantom passengers were reported, although none were confirmed. There were also rumours that some maintenance personnel, while doing their duties in the tunnels at night, were terrified by ghastly images of coffin bearers on the tracks.

Novena MRT Station, opened a month later than Bishan, also experienced the same rumours as it was also built at a former graveyard.

Today, the trains get so crowded that probably even the ghosts don’t feel like squeezing with the passengers.

The Sad and Smiley Face of $1 Coin

There are circulating emails that claim our $1 coins minted in 1990 had the Singapore crests’ banners, with the words “Majulah Singapura”, curved downwards, giving an impression of a sad face. Due to the Asian Currency Crisis in 1997, the banners were redesigned to curve upwards after fengshui experts were consulted. In this way, the coins present smiley faces.

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has rebutted this urban legend by stating the crest on newer coins is the actual one. The older ones were minted in that way due to the limitations of minting technology, where the 3D effect of the crest could not be displayed easily. The changes was made in 1992 instead of 1997, when the new minting method was introduced.

Marble-Playing Sounds in Flats

Singaporean Urban Legend

Many Singaporeans living in Housing Development Board (HDB) flats claim that they have somehow heard irritating marble dropping sounds above their units at night. When they try to investigate, it always turns out that their neighbours above have no children, or it is an empty unit, or simply children nowadays do not play marbles anymore.

Many try to come out with “scientific” explanations about this phenomenon; echoing sounds from the pipes, or sounds of expansion/contraction of the steels in the ceilings, but some will rather believe it is a young ghost dropping its marbles around, creating the tok tok tok sounds.

Another sound commonly heard is the dragging of furniture at the unit above.

Hidden Treasure in MacRitchie

Singaporean Urban Legend or Story

During the Japanese Occupation, it was rumoured that the Imperial Japanese Army hid an enormous amount of gold and treasure in the thick jungles of MacRitchie Reservoir. The treasure were looted and transported here from other countries in Southeast Asia, and its hidden location was marked by the Shinto Shrine of Syonan (Japanese name for Singapore, which means The Light of the South).

The Japanese did not move the treasure back to Japan when they retreated at the end of WWII, so that they can reclaim both the island and the treasure in possible future invasions.

The rumours prompted treasure hunting in the reservoir, but they were never found by eager treasure hunters; perhaps it never existed in the first place.

Satay Addiction

Forget about the dirty surroundings and endless touting, the old Satay Club at Esplanade used to offer delicious chicken, mutton and beef satay that lured customers return for more. The club had moved from Hoi How Road (Beach Road) to Esplanade in 1970, and the makan place of about 21 satay stalls was so popular that a rumour, out of nowhere, started to spread around, claiming that the hawkers put something “special” in their satay gravy so that the customers would be addicted. That “special” ingredients were soiled sanitary napkins.

However, after an operation of 25 years till 1995 when it was closed down, no one really found the evidence at the old Satay Club, not even the frequent spot checks conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA). After the closure, the stall owners moved their businesses to Lau Pa Sat, Clarke Quay, Pasir Panjang and Sembawang, and satay remains one of the favourite food for Singaporeans.

$1 Bagua & Road Tax Labels

Singaporean Urban Stories or Legend

It is said that when Singapore was building the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in the mid-eighties, the then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew consulted the highly respectable Venerable Hong Chuan about the plan. The latter warned that the tunnelings would severely damage the excellent fengshui of the island, and the only solution was to ensure all Singaporeans carry a bagua (octagon diagram) with them.

But this was impossible among the different races and religions, so PM Lee thought of an excellent idea: to design the new $1 coin with the shape of a bagua, so that it would be carried by all Singaporeans.

This urban legend was made believable due to the coincidence of the timings: The new $1 coin was launched in September 1987, just two months before MRT began its first operation.

A further addition to the rumour was the road tax label, also in the shape of an octagon, which means every car on the roads of Singapore would be carrying a bagua too.

Underwater Tunnel to Sentosa

Urban Legend from Singapore

One of the biggest unsolved mysteries of Singapore: Is there a 600m underwater tunnel linking Labrador Park to Fort Siloso of Sentosa?

It is rumoured that when the British built the Labrador Battery in 1939, they also constructed a tunnel for easy access to Fort Siloso. However, the bunkers of Labrador was sealed in the fifties, while the interior of the tunnel has collapsed.

The sealed entrance can still be found, but whether it is the door to the tunnel remains to be seen.

Kidnapping of Kids for Bridges

Urban Legend from Singapore

In the late seventies, during the construction of the great Benjamin Sheares Bridge, rumours of children being kidnapped for their heads to be served as the foundation of the bridge spread like wild fire.

The rumours might be due to frequent kidnappings in Singapore in the sixties/seventies, and people did not believe such a huge bridge could be built without any issues. The rumours even went to an extent that a dog-headed kidnapper was roaming in the neighbourhood looking for wandering kids at night.

There was no basis in the rumours but it was enough to stop the parents from allowing their children from going out after dark.

Singaporean Urban Stories or Legends

A list of Singaporean urban legends are posted here in the website for you to read, these are short urban stories, others have died through the ages, but some of the stories remained unsolved and are still being heard around Singapore.

Folktales from Singapore

If you think Singapore has no folktales, you're wrong. Here we have 10 Singaporean folktales to read for those who are searching for it. Singaporean folktales, unlike other Asian stories are one of the shortest stories there is. If you're asking where to read those stories, you are in the right place, enjoy! Just click the nationality category under Singaporean in order to read all the stories.

Badang and the Singapore Stone

According to local Malay folklore, Badang began as a poor fisherman who plied his trade at mouth of the Singapore River. One day he caught a genie in his fishing net, and in return of his release, the genie granted Badang’s wish to be the strongest man alive.

Impressed with Badang’s enormous strength, the Rajah of Singapura appointed him as the imperial warrior. Soon, other kingdoms heard of Badang’s fame and sent their warriors to challenge him. The king of India, in particular, sent his kingdom’s strongest man Wadi Bijaya to Singapura for a duel. In the last contest, Badang beat Wadi Bijaya by lifting a huge rock and throwing it towards the Singapore River.

Ancient inscriptions were added to the rock, probably to commemorate Badang’s achievements but centuries later in 1843, the British colonial government blasted it to pieces. Known as the Singapore Stone, only a fragment remains, and is now kept in the Singapore History Museum.

Merlion

One night, the villagers living by the southern coast of Temasek were awakened by the howling winds and the crashing waves. The dark clouds blocked out the lights of the moon and the stars, turning the world in complete darkness. It was as though the island of Temasek would be engulfed by the raging sea. The terrified villagers sank on their knees in prayers.

During this moment, a bright light was observed emerging from the southern waters. A massive creature, half lion and half fish, roared in anger. The battle between the fierce mystical animal and nature was intense, as the sky was filled with flashing lightnings. The villagers had never witnessed such terrifying phenomenons before.

After some time, the winds began to die down, the waves subsided and the sky started to clear. The gigantic sea beast had won the battle against the nature. As it claimed its victory, it stood proudly on Mount Imbiah of Pulau Belakang Mati (Sentosa). By morning, the merlion had retreated into its waters, leaving behind a bright colourful trail.

Selegie

The legend about Selegie Road is that it was the location of many great battles that took place in ancient Singapore. When Temasek fell in 1377, the last ruler of the kingdom was believed to have fled via this road, still a dirt track then, to Seletar. He escaped by the waters at the coast of Seletar and never managed to launch a comeback in a bid to reclaim his territories.

In the later years, a Bugis pirate tribe known as Orang Selegie was said to have occupy the area around Selegie, where they made Mount Sophia their home. The name Selegie may mean a Malay word that refers to a sharpened and hardened wooden spear.

Radin Mas

Radin Mas is the name referred to the area lying between Telok Blangah, Bukit Purmei and Jalan Bukit Merah.

According to legend, the place was named after a Javanese princess called Radin Mas Ayu, which means a sweet golden princess. Her father was a warrior prince named Pangeran Adipati Agung, who married a commoner, her mother, despite objection from the Sultan. During an expedition by Pangeran, the Sultan sent his men to burn their house down, killing Radin Mas Ayu’s mother. Radin Mas Ayu was saved by a loyal servant.

Upon his return, Pangeran was devastated. He decided to flee the Javanese kingdom with his infant daughter Radin Mas Ayu, and managed to arrive at Telok Blangah of Temasek (Singapore). Delighted with his arrival, the Sultan of Temasek arranged the marriage of his daughter to Pangeran. However, Radin Mas Ayu was not well-liked by her new stepmother.

When she grew up, Radin Mas Ayu had a marriage proposal from her stepmother’s nephew Tun Bagus. She refused but Tun Bagus threatened to kill Pangeran. In an attempt to shield her father from the attack, Radin Mas Ayu was stabbed in the heart by Tun Bagus. She was said to be buried at the foot of Mount Faber, and a shrine was erected in respect of her filial piety.

The few landmarks that still bear the name are Radin Mas Flyover, Radin Mas Primary School and Radin Mas Community Centre. Kampong Radin Mas was demolished in the eighties and Masjid Radin Mas (Mosque) was torn down in 2001.

Redhill and Tanjong Pagar

A long time ago, the southern coast of Singapore was infested by numerous fierce swordfish. The villagers and fishermen could not ply their trades at the sea, as they would be attacked by these fearsome creatures if they ever ventured near the waters. The people requested help from the Sultan, but even him and his royal army could not do anything about it.

A little boy then proposed a solution to the Sultan. Build a row of barricade made of banana tree trunks along the affected coast, he said. When the swordfish tried to attack the villagers again, their pointed beaks would pierce through the barricade and would be trapped immediately.

The plan worked perfectly, and the smart boy became popular among the villagers as their saviour. This invited jealousy from the Sultan. Fearing his rule would be threatened in the future, he sent his soldiers to kill the boy who lived on top of a hill. As the poor boy died, his blood flew down the hill, soaking the whole hill red. This was how Redhill, or Bukit Merah (literally means hill red), got its name.

In turn, the place where the barricade of banana tree trunks were set up became known as Tanjong Pagar, or “cape of stakes”.

Sisters’ Islands

Lying south of Sentosa, Sisters’ Islands refer to Pulau Subar Darat and Pulau Subar Laut.

Many years ago, there was a pair of sisters Minah and Linah living by the southern coast of Singapore. Being very attached to each other, the sisters vowed to marry two brothers so that they could live together always. However, fate could be cruel sometimes, as one night Linah ran into a group of pirates by the sea.

Stunned by her beauty, the pirate chief was determined to marry Linah. When the dawn broke, the pirates came and abducted Linah to their ships. Weeping over the loss of her dear sister, Minah came swimming after the boats. The stormy waters were merciless, and she was drowned eventually. In a desperate attempt, Linah broke free and dived into the sea.

The next day, a pair of islands appeared at where the sisters had drowned. They were named Sisters’ Island by the villagers in memory of the two ill-fated girls.

Kusu Island

It is said that in the early 19th century, two holy men went to Kusu Island on a pilgrimage trip. A bond of friendship was forged between the Arab Dato Syed Rahman and the Chinese Yam during their stay on the island. However, Yam became ill one day, and they were running out of their food supplies. Syed Rahman did not abandon his friend and instead stayed and prayed for his recovery.

Miraculously, a boat containing food and water appeared by the shore, and Yam recovered from his illness. The grateful pair returned to Kusu regularly as a gesture of gratitude.

Another version was that a giant tortoise miraculously appeared to save a group of Chinese and Malay fishermen, who were on the verge of drowning after their fishing boats sank in the stormy weather. The tortoise turned itself into an island so that the fishermen could climb ashore. In order to remember their gratitude to the holy tortoise, the fishermen built a Chinese temple and a Malay shrine on the island.

Pulau Blakang Mati

The former name of Sentosa was Pulau Blakang Mati, where Blakang Mati means “behind the dead” in Malay.

No one knows exactly how the name of the island came about, but there were many legends about its origin. According to one version, the island was once a place of piracy and bloodshed in the past. The victims of the murders haunted the island so much that it was given this not-so-auspicious name. Another account was that the island was located “behind” Pulau Brani, which was the burial ground of many ancient Malay warriors.

Nevertheless, Pulau Blakang Mati was renamed as Sentosa (which means “isle of tranquility”) in 1972. With the island becoming a favourite beach resort among Singaporeans and the tourists, the unhappy legends were soon forgotten.