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‘Commendable’ move to rename World War II exhibit

SINGAPORE — Five days after the revamped permanent exhibit at the Former Ford Factory was renamed “Surviving the Japanese Occupation: War and its Legacies”, crowds thronged it – lured not so much by the controversy but by the glimpse it offers into one of the darkest periods of the Republic’s history.

Visitors throng the revamped World War II gallery space at the Former Ford Factory. Photo: Nuria Ling

Visitors throng the revamped World War II gallery space at the Former Ford Factory. Photo: Nuria Ling

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SINGAPORE — Five days after the revamped permanent exhibit at the Former Ford Factory was renamed “Surviving the Japanese Occupation: War and its Legacies”, crowds thronged it – lured not so much by the controversy but by the glimpse it offers into one of the darkest periods of the Republic’s history.

From as early as 9.30am on Wednesday (Feb 22), hordes of students, couples in exercise gear, and tourists beat their way to Bukit Timah to pore thoughtfully over the displays, while a few of the older generation stood in silent remembrance.

All the visitors interviewed were aware of the controversial move to name it Syonan Gallery, after Singapore’s war-time name, and the authorities’ U-turn last Friday, two days after initially defending it at the exhibit’s opening.

Most said the decision to rename it was a “commendable decision” by the Government to apologise for “the pain the name caused” and to respect the wishes of those whose families had suffered during the Japanese Occupation.

The gallery provided a “good account of history” for the current generation privileged enough to grow up in stable and affluent times to learn about the past, said a 37-year-old civil servant who wanted to be known as Eugene.

“None of my family members were affected, but we have to consider those who were… Learning from this episode, agencies and organisations that want to embark on this kind of historical (projects) have to take a consultative approach and sense the ground before they (go about) naming it,” he said.

Business owner Alvin Ho, 34, who was there with his 72-year old father, said: “There was no bad intent in the first place… But perhaps (the Government) should get mass market feedback before making any decisions to avoid misunderstandings.”

For some of the younger generation who had no personal experience of the war-time hardship, the original name was fine as it was.

Said 22-year-old national serviceman Samuel Koh, who enjoyed visiting museums, the key was for the exhibition to convey the important message of total defence and to serve as an important record of history.

A small handful of visitors, however, were upset by the authorities’ U-turn, saying the move to do so glossed over a crucial part of Singapore’s history.

United States citizen Andrew Lee, 65, who was in Singapore for a short trip, said: “History is history. We should stick to the truths, to the facts... It is the truth of Singapore during the Japanese occupation… You can’t just change something because people don’t like it.”

Retiree Roland Tan, 71, said changing the name “overnight” just because of a few people’s complaints just did not make sense.

Recounting how his father would share stories of the hardships during the war, like hefting heavy rice sacks and surviving on tapioca, Mr Tan said: “Syonan is a word that’s part of our historical records that we should keep.... (But when you change the name to something else), it loses its meaning, its essence, (like) it is no longer (part of our) history.”

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