Jalan Singapura: 700 Years of Movement in Singapore

by Eisen Teo

A history of a city-state can cover its political leaders or military past. Historian Eisen Teo is fascinated by something else: its land transport networks, and urban and traffic patterns. He dubs it the History of Movement: an intimate history driven by human nature, the age-old need to move from Point A to Point B for the everyday conduct of life. As the world urbanizes, the history of movement will only grow in relevance. Jalan Singapura sheds new light on Singapore history through 700 years of movement. From horse carriages to subway trains, dirt tracks to million-dollar expressways, ancient attap villages to glass-and-steel waterfronts, the movement of a people has shaped Singapore’s present – and illuminates its future. This book gives readers a new perspective on Singapore history through topics very close to the hearts and experiences of everyone living in the country, namely land transport, urban living and traffic. It will also draw lessons from history to provide bold solutions for present-day urban and land transport problems in Singapore.

336 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Eisen is a Senior History Researcher and Docent with a Singapore-based heritage consultancy.

He is the Chief Curator of Hell’s Museum, a museum inside Haw Par Villa, a historic cultural park in Singapore.

He is also the author of Jalan Singapura: 700 Years of Movement in Singapore.

In his free time, he engages in history research, urban exploration, and transport studies.

Reviews

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering how movement and transport are such big features in our daily lives, it seems almost weird that a historical narrative focused on movement should be novel. But it is, and the author does a great job of piecing together the history of movement in Singapore, from how modes of transport and technology influenced development, control, war-fighting; to how channels of movement influenced ways of life and lived memories; and how these bode for the future of our current 'car-lite' fascination amidst technological change and population growth. A fascinating must-read for anyone who is interested in Singapore history, and a real walk down memory lane for anyone who has lived here for 10 years or more.

[Guilherme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Singapore is well-regarded for its public transport. This book provides a historical perspective of how Singapore developed its transport network and how it got there. It provides a lot of interesting facts and anecdotes. For instance, it describes how rickshaw riders was the most common employment during colonial days. And, if rickshaws were the most common mean of transportation back in the days, how is it possible that the country gave up on bicycles for such a long time? This book provides some of the answers and shows that policies play a big role on how we move around the city state. However, the book can get a bit dry at some points. Unless the reader is familiar with Singapore some parts are harder to follow as they require knowledge of streets and neighborhoods.

[dromoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever hope to understand Singapore's past, present and future then you have to read this objective 'history' book.