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    The Lion City: Diving into Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Written by: Zara Qaiser
    Posted on: June 05-2017 | | 中文

    Chinatown Food Street

    From becoming a British colony in 1819 to celebrating its 50th year of independence in 2015, Singapore has come a long way to become the Asian tiger that it is today. Despite the rapid economic growth that has changed the fate of this tiny island-state known for its high-rise buildings, one thing that it continues to boast of is the diversity in culture, language, religion and race. I will walk you through several famous tourist attractions representing the major ethnic groups living in Singapore.

    When the various ethnic groups were allocated different localities during the British era, the ethnic Chinese settled in the Chinese Kampong (village), located southwest of the Singapore River – present-day Chinatown. The best way to experience the historical as well as modern significance of Chinese culture is to take a walking tour of the cluster of Chinatown streets. Stepping out of the Chinatown MRT station, you will enter the bustling Pagoda Street, a colourful lane filled with pre-war shophouses that were once opium dens, coolie houses and factories, still radiating the Chinese heritage with their characteristic wooden shutters and hanging red lanterns. Cute little shops on both sides of the street sell all kinds of souvenirs at 3 or 5 for S$10!

    Pagoda Street in daylight - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Pagoda Street in daylight

    Located nearby is the Chinatown Food Street that has hawker stalls lined up on both sides, with hawkers calling out to try out their local delights like Char Kway Teow (stir-fried noodles) and Satay (barbecued meat on skewers), served with an amazing peanut sauce. For those who have a sweet tooth, the local dessert Ice Kacang is not only a treat for your taste-buds, but for your eyes as well – shaved ice drizzled with bright-coloured syrups, and topped with red beans, sweet corn and grass jelly. Chinatown Food Street opens onto South Bridge Road, housing a number of Chinese, Buddhist and Hindu temples, notably the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and the Sri Mariamman Temple.

    Geylang Serai is one of the oldest Malay settlements, which stands out from its adjoining areas due to the presence of shophouses, foreign workers’ quarters and karaoke lounges along Geylang Road. At the heart of this Muslim community is the Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre, which attracts locals and tourists alike through its architecture built as a simulation of the typical Malay Kampong (village) houses. Walking through the wet market on the ground floor, you will bump into Malays doing their weekly grocery shopping, from Halal meat and spices to live seafood, tofu and noodles, used to prepare traditional Malay food. If you are too lazy to cook your own food, the mouth-watering aroma will take you one level up where you can have a taste of popular Malay dishes like Beef Rendang (spicy beef) with boiled rice and Nasi Goreng (fried rice).

    Bazaar Ramadan at Geylang Serai - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Bazaar Ramadan at Geylang Serai

    Bazaar Ramadan in Geylang Serai is an experience like no other. Starting from the first day of Ramadan and running till Hari Raya Puasa (Eid-ul-Fitr), the bazaar is open daily from 4 pm till late night, offering a wide variety of stalls that line both sides of Geylang Road, selling everything from food, clothes, cosmetics and jewellery to curtains, bedding, artificial flowers and batik items. An interesting mix of all ages, races and religions can be seen queuing up at the food stalls, with some holding onto portable fans to fight the humid weather, sipping on cool beverages like Honeydew Lava, Salted Caramel Thai Tea and Volcano Watermelon, not commonly available elsewhere in Singapore.

    Local Malay delicacies at Bazaar Ramadan - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Local Malay delicacies at Bazaar Ramadan

    The Little India, which once had cattle herders, brick kilns and a racecourse, is now home to a large community of South Asian migrant workers, and is a destination for tourists who are keen on exploring South Asian life. Strolling down Serangoon Road and its neighbouring streets, you will come across boutiques with mannequins wearing Indian sarees, shops selling colourful bangles and jewellery, flower garland sellers, vegetable vendors, and a mix of worship places including Hindu and Chinese temples, mosques and churches.

    Flower garland vendors at Little India - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Flower garland vendors at Little India

    Tekka Centre and Little India Arcade are a feast for the eyes. While Tekka Centre is similar to the Geylang Serai Market Place and Food Court, Little India Arcade will leave you awestruck, with shops overflowing with the fragrance of tasty Indian sweets like jalebi and the sound of upbeat Bollymood music playing in the background. Slip into one of the connecting streets and you will find Mustafa Centre – a 24-hour shopping mall that is starkly different from the modern malls found elsewhere in Singapore – selling everything from electronics to groceries. For adventurous foodies, there are a variety of North and South Indian restaurants along Serangoon Road where you can enjoy mouth-watering Biryani, Roti Prata and Teh Tarik (tea).

    Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple at Serangoon Road, Little India - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple at Serangoon Road, Little India

    It would be a shame not to visit the Arab Street locality in Singapore, named after the 19th century Arab merchants. The main attraction here is the 200-year-old Sultan Mosque located on Muscat Street, with its huge golden dome and white minarets. Arab Street and the adjoining Bussorah Street and Haji Lane are lined with restored shophouses selling bright-coloured fabrics, hand-made Turkish carpets and lamps, and items such as prayer mats and Qurans. This locality is also well known for the variety of cuisines it offers, including Lebanese, Turkish, Indian and Malay food.

    A captivating view of Sultan Mosque from Bussorah Street - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    A captivating view of Sultan Mosque from Bussorah Street

    Cosmopolitan Singapore gives one the opportunity to experience a diversity of races, religions and ethnic groups coexisting in harmony. This diversity is reflected in a variety of celebrations such as Chinese New Year at Chinatown, Eid at Geylang Serai and Diwali at Little India. Thanks to its welcoming and multicultural atmosphere, Singapore often features in the list of top ten cities in the world. It is indeed a place you must put on your travel bucket list, if you haven’t already.

    Turkish hanging plates on sale at Arab Street - Multi-Ethnic Singapore

    Turkish hanging plates on sale at Arab Street


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021