SINGAPORE: Two new cases of grisly cat deaths have emerged in Yishun on Thursday (Feb 9) – one involving a cat whose throat was slit and the other had its stomach cut open.

According to the Facebook page of Yishun 326 Tabby cat – a group of volunteers who rescue and treat community cats – the cat with the slit throat was found on a road divider near Yishun MRT. This is the second time that a dead cat was found in the same location, said the group.

Hours later, it posted a photo of another cat found behind Khoo Teck Puat Hospital with its stomach slit open, adding that Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) caregivers were on the scene.

The cat found with its stomach cut open. (Photo: Yishun 326 Tabby Cat)

“We plead all to keep a lookout for suspicious persons in the neighbourhood,” the animal rescue group wrote.

Responding to queries from Channel NewsAsia, AVA said it has collected the carcasses of both cats for investigations.

“Members of the public who have information on these cases (such as photographic or video evidence, witnesses) can contact AVA at 1800-476-1600,” a spokesperson said. “All information provided will be kept in strict confidence.”

Yishun has seen a spate of cat abuse cases, which prompted Member of Parliament Louis Ng to beef up a grassroots response team to gather evidence and conduct patrols in the neighbourhood.

Last June, 41-year-old Lee Wai Leong became the first person to be convicted and sentenced under enhanced animal cruelty laws for throwing a cat 13 storeys to its death. Lee, who suffers from moderate intellectual disability, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.

SINGAPORE: Two new cases of grisly cat deaths have emerged in Yishun on Thursday (Feb 9) – one involving a cat whose throat was slit and the other had its stomach cut open.

According to the Facebook page of Yishun 326 Tabby cat – a group of volunteers who rescue and treat community cats – the cat with the slit throat was found on a road divider near Yishun MRT. This is the second time that a dead cat was found in the same location, said the group.

Hours later, it posted a photo of another cat found behind Khoo Teck Puat Hospital with its stomach slit open, adding that AVA caregivers were on the scene.

“We plead all to keep a lookout for suspicious persons in the neighbourhood,” the animal rescue group wrote.

Yishun has seen a spate of cat abuse cases, which prompted Member of Parliament Louis Ng to beef up a grassroots response team to gather evidence and conduct patrols in the neighbourhood.

Last June, 41-year-old Lee Wai Leong became the first person to be convicted and sentenced under enhanced animal cruelty laws for throwing a cat 13 storeys to its death. Lee, who suffers from moderate intellectual disability, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.

SINGAPORE: A new permanent World War II exhibition will open to the public on Feb 16 at the historic Old Ford Factory at Upper Bukit Timah, where the British formally surrendered to the Japanese 75 years ago.

The building itself and the exhibition has been renamed Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies, following a year-long revamp by the National Archives of Singapore (NAS).

The gallery, which was formerly known as Memories at Old Ford Factory, now features four zones, each illustrating different periods of Singapore’s time under the Japanese occupation.

For example, one zone covers the events leading to the fall of Singapore while another focuses on the period when Singapore was renamed Syonan by the Japanese. 

The gallery features many new archival materials which were contributed by members of the public after the NAS made a call for contributions last March.

To date, it has received more than 400 public donations, with items ranging from personal letters, diaries and photographs to war artefacts and maps. For instance, one collector donated a Japanese intelligence map of Singapore, accompanied by a booklet with 83 key locations marked in red. 

Japanese intelligence map of Singapore donated by collector Lim Shao Bin. (Photo: National Library Board and National Archives of Singapore)

Personal documents given the seal of approval after inspection by the Japanese. (Photo: National Library Board and National Archives of Singapore)

Something which sets the exhibition apart from others is the “diversity of perspectives” displayed, said Ms Fiona Tan, an NAS assistant archivist who worked on the gallery. 

“We have consciously tried to present as many oral history accounts as we can, whether it be quotations, through projections, or the multimedia stations that we have for people to interact with,” she added.

Touring the gallery on Thursday (Feb 9), Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said that the National Archives did a wonderful job in restoring the gallery in a manner that is compelling.

“This will be a good learning experience for younger Singaporeans so that they can continue to appreciate the peace and harmony that we have in Singapore but we should never take it for granted,” said Dr Yaacob.

“As a small nation, we always have to be on our guard, and recognise that security is important, that everyone has a role to play,” he added.

SINGAPORE: The National Heritage Board (NHB) has revealed its lineup of events for 2017. From museum exhibitions to festivals and trails, it’s looking to be yet another jampacked year for culture and heritage buffs to savour.

And it’s a pretty notable year, too. “2017 brings with it a number of significant milestones for the heritage and museum sector. We remember the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, the National Museum of Singapore celebrates its 130th year, and our annual Singapore Night Festival will enter a full decade of existence,” said NHB director for strategic communications and digital Cheryl Koh.

Here’s a quick list on how to prepare for 2017’s heritage salvo. 

1. GET INTO THE ANNIVERSARY MOOD

This year, museums and other heritage institutions will be in full-on party mode — many of the NHB’s events are pegged to various milestones. This includes a series of World War II-themed programmes to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the Battle for Singapore. The ongoing festival includes a series of guided tours and other events, including next week’s reopening of the revamped former Ford Factory, which is now the Synonan Gallery. Later this year, the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) will be launching an international exhibition based on the historical event — even as it also celebrates its own 130^th anniversary as a cultural icon with a celebration that runs for 130 days in October. Fans of the extremely popular Singapore Night Festival will also be in for a treat as this  year’s edition marks 10 years of enlivening of the Bras Basah.Bugis district’s nightlife. Meanwhile, stamp collectors will also have something to celebrate — the Singapore Philatelic Museum will be holding an exhibition commemorating the 150^th anniversary of Straits Settlements stamps later this year.

2. STROLL ALONG THE SINGAPORE RIVER

If you’re curious about your parents’ stories about hanging at the Satay Club at the Esplanade back in the day, here’s your chance to experience it, in a manner of speaking. This year’s Singapore Heritage Festival, which will be held in April, will attempt to recreate the hawker scenes along the Singapore River. The festival will also include trails, tours and open houses — and some of them will be held at unexpected places. Stay tuned.

3. GET READY TO BUGIS

What’s local heritage without a shout-out to Singapore’s different communities? One of the events to look out for at the Malay Heritage Centre this year will be its exhibition on the history of the Bugis folk in October. We don’t mean the former denizens of Bugis Street or the shopaholics at Bugis Junction and Bugis+, of course, but the fierce, seafaring people who were one of the earliest to settle in Singapore. The MHC will be working with a Bugis association for the show in October. Elsewhere, the Indian Heritage Centre will be holding an exhibition on Indian craft traditions in the context of the country’s own Indian communities later this year.

4. FOLLOW THAT TRAIL!

Last year, NHB went full-on with its heritage trail efforts (which you can keep track on the Roots.sg website). Fresh from the recent launch of the Little India Heritage Trail, expect another one over in the east — Tampines will get its own trail, along with a community gallery, in August. One of NHB’s earliest trails, over at Bukit Timah, will also get an update in October.

5. EMBRACE YOUR KOREAN FIXATION

If you’re thinking of something that’s outside of Singapore, the Asian Civilisations Museum will be presenting an exhibition that will surely satisfy the K-drama enthusiast in you, particularly if you’re into the historical ones. In April, an exhibition titled Joseon Korea: Court Treasures And City Life will look at the fashion and arts of a dynasty that spanned half a century. Artefacts from two main Korean museums will also be displayed for the first time in Singapore.