Reflections

I feel that my suggestion would be able to bring back part of a culture and identity which Singapore was so renowned for in the past. Although it was not a very decent and clean one, it managed to profit and increase tourism interest in Singapore. It is rather sad and lamentable that Bugis was fully torn down in the the 1980s, as a colourful and unique part of Singapore and its vibrant culture was gone.

Improvements to be made

The change brought about by the government did not necessarily have positive impacts. Although the sleazy and risque reputation of Bugis has been replaced with a cleaner, more wholesome one, tourism and interest in that area was no longer as good as before. The sleaziness of Bugis was its identity and what it was renowned for.

Therefore, to reestablish a sense of identity for Bugis, I feel that they should bring back some elements of the Bugis in the 1960 - the elements which made Bugis a world famous attraction in the 1960s and 70s to attract more tourists and generate more interest. However, there should not be too much risque activities as this would disrupt business around the area.

Bugis - A History

This is a video on the brief history and demographics of Bugis.

In the past, Bugis was a sleazy spot of nightlife. Foreigners were drawn to it due to the transvetites who prowled the area for business. It was a common space between locals and foreigners as they could interact through the bars and the shows. However, it has changed since then. Authorities were unhappy with its reputation and felt that it gave people a false impression of Singapore. Thus it was demolished, with shopping areas and restaurants built in that area. With this change, interest in Bugis rapidly declined. 

Now, there are many shopping hubs such as Bugis Street Market and Bugis Junction. It is more renowned for its cheap fashion and goods rather than its more colourful past. Thus this shows that culture can be created as it has developed a new identity after the renovation. People of all ages (though most are adults and young adults) and races are drawn to the area. It is a common space for all the people in Singapore, with different kinds of shops, restaurants and food courts to cater to their interests.

As you can see, there are Malay and Chinese coffee shops.

Waterloo Street, (in another area of Bugis) however, is more frequented by the middle to old-aged Chinese, as there is a Buddhist temple (Kuan Yin Temple) nearby. Most shops along the area also sell religious goods.


In order to find out more about the demographics and businesses in the Waterloo Street area, a local drinks stall holder was interviewed. Ms Chew is a kind woman in 60s, and has a stall selling drinks in the Albert Centre, a food court near Waterloo Street. She has been working there for the past decades of her life, and stated that in her years of working there, much of her general clientele are old people who go there to pray. Many tourists also frequent the area, possibly to experience a slice of Singapore's Chinese culture. Albert Centre is a long-standing hawker centre, although it has recently undergone renovations. Most of the stalls are also family businesses that have been passed down from one generation to the next, as did most famous food chains which is part of Singapore's culture.  People also used to sell foodstuff along the streets. However they eventually moved to the shopping and hawker centres when the government built complexes to 'tidy up' the area in the 1980s.