Mummy, why do you always have to leave for 17A… 17A Keong Saik Road recounts Charmaine Leung’s growing-up years on Keong Saik Road in the 1970s when it was a prominent red-light precinct in Chinatown in Singapore. An interweaving of past and present narratives, 17A Keong Saik Road tells of her mother’s journey as a young child put up for sale to becoming the madame of a brothel in Keong Saik. Unfolding her story as the daughter of a brothel operator and witnessing these changes to her family, Charmaine traces the transformation of the Keong Saik area from the 1930s to the present, and through writing, finds reconciliation. A beautiful dedication to the past, to memory, and to the people who have gone before us, 17A Keong Saik Road tells the rich stories of the Ma Je, the Pei Pa Zai, and the Dai Gu Liong—marginalised, forgotten women of the past, who despite their difficulties, persevered in working towards the hope of a better future.

A review of the STB Chinatown proposal.

This book represents archival work as well as field work and interviews. The introductory chapters provide an overview of the academic importance of studying place names (toponymics). In Singapore, there has been much controversy over place names due to the introduction of Hanyu Pinyin names. Singapore street names are also complicated by the fact that the names represent colonial, Chinese, Malay, Indian and Arab names. On top of that, many street and place names are also referred to by various ethnic groups in a colloquial manner which is quite different from the official name. This book will help developers to be able to name various buildings and other developments in a historically appropriate and culturally relevant manner. It will also be of interest to those who would like to know the history and background of Singaporean street names.