SEMBAWANG HILL ESTATE: A Walk down the Memory Lane ...

STATION 3: SEMBAWANG HILL ESTATE TAXI SERVICES / SEMBAWANG HILL FOOD CENTRE

Sembawang Hills Estate was developed in the 1950s by Bukit Sembawang Estates Ltd. There were 1,200 units of single storey terrace, semi-detached, and bungalow houses built in phases. A row of shops operated along the slope of Jalan Leban leading down to Upper Thomson Road. One of them is Radiant Store which sold shoes, comics and magazines. There was a bar at the corner called Sembawang Café which was a popular hangout for the Maoris, British and Australian servicemen ( members of the ANZUK forces). Besides the Radiant Store owned by a Chia family there was also a store selling fishing rods, reels, hooks, etc. There used to be coffee shop (kopi tiam) also in this strip. Directly opposite this row of shop houses was a hut where the Sembawang Hill Estate Taxi Services stand stood.

Some hawker stores operated on the other of the road. Ah Seng was the noodle vendor and Ah Tiam the coffee seller. Another store sold char kuay teow. In 1974 this area was converted into a hawker centre.

There were stores, then, selling rojak, ngoh hiang, fried hor fan, etc. One had to pay 5 cents to use the public toilet in this hawker centre. Further up, along Jalan Kuras/ Jalan Gellengang there was yet another row of shops. At the corner there used to be a provision store called ‘Soon Huat’. A few stores away stood a bar called ‘Kasbah’ and yet another bar is situated at the corner end. Kasbah was owned by a Sikh family. This bar served Indian cuisines. The other bar was more western oriented where fish and chips and steaks were mainly served. There was also a Bak Kut The restaurant along this strip. In those time the noodle seller would send a kid walking around the estate knocking two small bamboo sticks to get orders ……tik tok tik tik tok ….. There was also an old lady from the village who wore a sharp pointed straw hat and carried two huge pots at the opposite end of a long bamboo pole. In one pot she had soon kwei (steamed bamboo shoots) and the other char bee hoon.

One of the highlights of the week in the early days was the Sunday night market or pasar malam – night temporary stores that stretched over a mile along Upper Thomson Road. The market offered toys, textile, clothing, footwear, jewellery, records, cooked food, etc. Most of the stores were simply wooden tables and makeshift stands where goods were displayed. It was magical experience to walk the entire stretch lit by hurricane lamps and immersed yourself in the spirit of the environment. Songs like Susan Lim’s “Silver Thread & Golden Needles”, and others by Naomi and the Boys, Rita Chao, Sakura Teng, the Crescendos, Thunderbirds, and the Quests were heard as one strolled along the stores. A number of gurkhas sold jewellery, seated on the ground with their precious stones placed on a piece of cloth. You could always see kris-like dagger on the cloth. People know that the gurkhas were not to be trifled with. There were rumours that the vendors paid protection money to local gangsters but the gurkhas were left alone. Most of the vendors travelled there by van. So they were like a ‘caravan of traders’ who moved in on a Sunday evening, set up their stores, traded and broke camp around midnight. In later years the pasar malam shifted to Old Upper Thomson Road. It was still operating there in the early 70s.

In the early 60s the old taxi stand is simply a hut for the drivers to rest, have their coffee and read their papers while waiting for customers to call on them personally. There was also a telephone in the hut where bookings were received. It was simple wooden hut with open windows and one or two doors. It was built by Bukit Sembawang Estates Ltd and handed over to the taxi drivers to maintain it till today. The group had been very active in the area especially organizing events such as the 7th month “hungry ghosts” festival and put up wayangs in those days but singing performance these days.

Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew visited this stand 47 years ago (1963) when he was prime minister. The stand today has brick paving and plants at the side, with little light bulbs and lanterns hanging under the roof. A sign “Sembawang Hill Estate Taxi Services” under the roof. There were also louver windows on its four sides.

Currently, the group of taxi drivers still operating there are on average about 68 years old. This taxi stand is one of two such taxi stands still existing in Singapore. It is indeed a heritage which should be retained.

The Sembawang Hill Food Centre was built in 1974. It was closed for about five months from 15th October, 2002 to 26th February, 2003 for upgrading under the Hawker Centre Upgrading Program (HUP). After it was upgraded the food centre had improved ventilation and lighting, thanks to the new higher timber roof structure. The colour scheme after upgrading was more earthly and natural tone to reflect the less urban surrounding environment. Floors were retiled and better seating arrangements catering to different group size. The electrical, exhaust and plumbing systems were enhanced. Food available received very good comments from customers such as Lontong from Yong Kee; prawn and abalone clam noodles from Meng Kee Abalone Clams Prawn Noodles; the famous Shui Kway; popiah from Ping Kee Popiah; fruits & juices from Kwok Fruits & Juice; fish ball noodles from Ah San Fishball Noodles.

Over the years there were changes of F&B outlets along the row of shop houses in Jalan Leban. Modern shops had since opened such as “Ivins”. Palm Village with its hakka cruisine had been around for more than three decades. Similarly, along Jalan Kuras/Jalan Gellengang new shops also sprung up such as “Shop n Save”. Although there was no more pasar malam, the place is still crowded especially during week-ends with customers coming from outside the estate.

Today the environment around has changed with more and more 2 and 2 ½ storeys houses be it terrace or otherwise being built. In fact, around 30% of residents in this old estate moved in not more than 5 years ago. Part of the estate had been upgraded under the EUP in 2004 with the rest to be upgraded in the upcoming EUP to be executed soon.


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