As Singaporeans, we were taught to stay well within the confines of the law, and for good reason. Singapore is widely regarded as one of the safest countries in the world, and that’s because potential lawbreakers are deterred from a life of crime by how severe the penalties can be when caught.
But that is not to say that the country’s firm stance on some of its statutes is completely unchanging, as certain policies have invited the government to go back to the drawing board to keep up with the ever-shifting societal norms. Here are just a couple that have come a long, long way.
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A bowl of curdled pig blood soup in Batam.
Image credit: Bo Jango via Facebook
Foodies who frequent Malaysia, you’ve most probably heard of the news by now. A delicacy that was once only available across the border and beyond, the sale of pig blood has been recently approved by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), much to the joy of fans of the gelatinous, tofu-like dish.
Image credit: Singapore Food Agency
In 1999, in order to curb the spread of the Nipah virus, local slaughter houses were prohibited from selling pig blood, as the blood could easily harbour the virus and other foodbourne pathogens if not processed properly. Fast-forward to 2018 – food production and import systems had improved significantly, so the SFA then took another stab at establishing strict requirements to allow the import and sale of pig blood products.
That brings us to today, when the SFA just announced – on April Fool’s might I add – the approval of the import of heat-treated pig blood products from an accredited slaughterhouse in Thailand. As such, in a month or 2, food manufacturer CP Foods will reintroduce the Singapore populace to pasteurised pig blood curd; only time will tell if it’ll be a hit with the folks of today.
In case you didn’t know, Singapore has quite a number of peculiar pet ownership rules that warrant a hefty fine when broken. For the longest time, cats were surprisingly not allowed to be kept as pets in HDB flats, but this rule, which was formalised by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) in 1989, was not strictly enforced.
Image credit: Luni Singapore
After all, how could you bear to separate your neighbour from their furry friends? Well, the rule was put into place as the government deemed cats to be difficult to contain within flats, and when allowed to roam willy-nilly, they leave their shed fur everywhere, defecate and pee indiscriminately, and make caterwauling sounds in the dead of night that could disturb residents.
By the early 2020s, due to the significant increase in pet ownership and strong public support for allowing cats in HDB flats in Singapore, the ban was finally lifted on 1st September 2024.
Image credit: @themaingoons via Instagram
As we speak, our beloved felines aren’t fugitives anymore; HDB home owners are able to keep up to 2 cats per flat, and they’ll have to get them microchipped and licensed to keep owners accountable for their pets. You’ll have to cat-proof your apartment too, by installing mesh or grilles on windows to prevent them from falling. If you’re planning to welcome a furbaby into your family, our first-time cat owner guide will cover all these and then some.
Another recent change in legislature is the repeal of Section 377A of Singapore’s penal code back in 2022. For those who don’t know, it was implemented in 1938 when Singapore was still a British colony, and criminalised acts of “gross indecency” between men, both in public spaces or in private.
Held annually at Hong Lim Park, Pink Dot SG is the biggest LBGTQ+ rights campaign in Singapore.
Image credit: Getty Images
Those found guilty could face imprisonment of up to 2 years. Despite being rarely enforced, it brought about a sense of legal vulnerability for members of the LGBTQ+ community in Singapore. Following years of debate, activism, and lobbying, Section 377A was finally repealed in August 2022, marking a huge win for the local LGBTQ+ community.
Although same-sex marriage is still not recognised in the country, consensual sex between men was finally was fully decriminalised after 80-odd years. This sparked a symbolic change regarding the views surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, by reducing stigma towards its members.
Just take a stroll down Haji Lane today, and every other dude there is sporting either a centre part that droops across the face or a nape-hugging mullet. But, to the chagrin of the Yo-Chi and Molly Tea-loving young’ins, these faddy hairstyles were very much taboo during the late 1960s to 1970s in Singapore.
Image credit: National Library SIngapore
Our then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew believed the growing hippie subculture that embraced flagrant drug use and anti-establishment values among the youth had to be nipped at its bud, starting with our locks.
Image credit: National Archive of Singapore
For instance, schools around the country forced students to have their long hair cut on the spot, and civil servants were even fined $200 for simply sporting an overgrown do. Posters were also put up at community centres and government offices, stating that “males with long hair will be attended to last”.
A barbershop near the Woodlands Checkpoint that saw healthy business during the 1970s.
Image credit: National Archive of Singapore
Over at Changi Airport and the Woodlands Checkpoint, those wishing to enter Singapore were also subject to similar checks, and it was not uncommon for foreigners to be denied entry into the country. In particular, global superstars with shows scheduled in Singapore, like the Bee Gees and Led Zeppelin, were forced to cancel gigs as they refused to comply with these rules.
Then the 1980s rolled around, and soon folks realised it truly wasn’t that deep. Operation Snip Snip – yes, that was its official name – began winding down around this period, and the government soon shifted its focus to the nation’s economic growth rather than what was growing atop our noggins.
Image credit: Canva
Pretty much the example that folks outside of Singapore use when describing how “draconian” the laws can get here, chewing gum has indeed been banned in Singapore since 1992. However, a nugget of detail that many people seem to conveniently omit is that the ban only extends to the import, sale, and manufacture of chewing gum.
We’ve got litterbugs to thank for this, because from the 1970s to the 1990s, those who were chewing away couldn’t be bothered to look for trash cans to dispose of their gum. Instead, they stuck their gooey debris on public property such as lift buttons, mailboxes, and cinema seats, but it was their tendency to plaster them on MRT train doors that proved to be the final straw.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
This caused the train doors to malfunction, leading to MRT service disruptions. Coupled with the fact that the HDB reportedly spent $150,000 annually to clean up chewing gum-related messes, this led to the aforementioned ban, which is still in effect today.
But, you won’t quite trigger any police sirens by popping a piece of chewing gum into your mouth, as those returning from holiday can bring small amounts of gum for personal use back to Singapore. Moreover, in 2004, therapeutic gum such as nicotine or dental gum can be sold, but only by doctors and registered pharmacists, so the ban can be considered partially lifted.
Being a gamer in Singapore was tough; not because video games or consoles were absurdly priced, but because some of the most popular titles were outright banned. Or in video game arcades’ case, they were even ordered by the government to shutter.
Image credit: r/AdSpecialist6598 via Reddit
Back in 1983, arcade operators were forced to cease operations by the Ministry of Culture, as there was a rising trend amongst students to skip school to hit the arcades, or worse, steal money to fund their trips there. The ban was then relaxed during the 1990s, but soon enough, gamers were met with a new hurdle: video game censorship.
Image credit: John Ng via Facebook
At this point in time, those who wanted to get their gaming fix preferred to hit up LAN shops instead of the arcades. So that was where the Board of Film Censors decided to raid to seize copies of titles that displayed excessive violence, nudity, or even the slightest hint of LGBTQ+ themes, such as Mortal Kombat 3, Doom, Carmageddon, and Half-Life.
Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about Special Forces breaching our homes whenever we load up a game suited for a more mature audience today. In the modern day and age, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has moved away from game censorship in favour of a new classification system.
Much like how films have ratings such as PG13 and NC16, the exact same ratings go for video games, from General to M18. As such, we’re now able to enjoy games of all kinds, and at the same time, parents can make an informed decision whether a game is suitable for their child or not.
Kids who’d rather spend their free time outdoors instead of mashing away at the keyboard also ran into a few hiccups of their own. Particularly, the late 1970s weren’t too kind on skateboarding enthusiasts in Singapore, as the act of skateboarding in public spaces was heavily restricted.
Although not officially illegal, it was around 1978 that the authorities really started to clamp down on skateboarders who were whizzing down the streets of Singapore. It was restricted in areas like schools, MRT stations, and busy pedestrian areas, and those made sense, as popping an ollie near crowds could pose a safety hazard to passers-by.
Image credit: Alamy
However, signs prohibiting skateboarding were soon put up in spots such as HDB void decks and even parks, as there were concerns of causing damage to public infrastructure when performing tricks on benches, railings, and ledges. So, skateboarders had to sneakily practice their kickflips at secluded spots, like the underutilised roller skating rink in Fort Canning Park.
Image credit: S W Tan Erik via Facebook
But the government then realised that restrictions alone were not feasible, and decided to instead build skate parks where skateboarders could shred in without endangering themselves and others. In May of 1990, the very first one was opened at Petain Road, the Rock n Roll Skate park. Others soon followed, and the sport lives on till this day, albeit not as popular as it once was.
The laws in Singapore may be strict and stringent, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t subject to change when the times call for it. Who knows, give it a bit, and we just might be able to buy a pack of gum on Singapore soil, or set off our own firecrackers during festive celebrations again.
For more interesting reads about life in Singapore:
Cover image adapted from: r/AdSpecialist6598 via Reddit, National Archive of Singapore
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