Hunting Down Former Sungei Road Thieves' Market's Vendors
First established in the 1930s on the banks of the Rochor River, Sungei Road Market quickly became the biggest flea market where you could find cheap, old and strange items at a “steal”, giving it its nickname, the “Thieves’ Market. Three years after filming its last days before the market was demolished to make way for redevelopment, documentary-maker OKJ hunts down the old vendors and discovers a tale of struggle to find a new home. Can they pick up the pieces of the past and keep the memories and spirit of Singapore’s oldest and most infamous flea market alive?
The former Sungei Road market vendors: Where are they now?
Sungei Road Green Hub is about 250 metres from the original flea market
As a street vendor, Jason Goh was known to sell some unusual wares. There were antiques, a collection of Burmese jade, and fossilised elephant sperm. Four years after his stall had to close, he says those stones with elephant sperm inside are “still very saleable”. As he used to claim, the stones serve a useful purpose: “If you work … your boss automatically would like you. You go anywhere — girls would like to make friends with you.”
This former Sungei Road market vendor is one of many who have struggled to find a new home after the demise of Singapore’s most famous flea market. Where it used to be, with its 80 years of history — of people hustling for a better life — is now a barricaded grass patch. But recently, some vendors like Goh have set up shop not far away. And they are trying to keep memories of the place alive. Singapore’s oldest and largest flea market began in the 1930s as a trading spot by the banks of Rochor River. From the 1940s onwards, it became popular for its cheap goods. The vendors used to start operating in the late afternoon, offering an array of items, some of which were considered a steal while others were literally stolen or smuggled, leading to the market’s moniker, the Thieves’ Market. At its height, there were more than 300 vendors.
In July 2017, when it had to make way for an MRT station as well as future residential and commercial developments, there were 200 vendors. Some had worked there for decades. Many of the vendors have since retired, while others took their business to night markets or took on odd jobs. Many still missed their former lives. “My heart ached,” ex-vendor David Sein says about how he felt when the market closed. So when the 58-year-old saw two vacant Housing and Development Board shop units near the old market last March, he asked The Saturday Movement, a charity, to help rent the units for a group of vendors. Six months later, the Sungei Road Green Hub was born at Kelantan Road. “They (the charity) know all these people have got no place to go. Most are already old,” says Goh, one of around 20 vendors there.
Sungei Road Green Hub is feeling hopeful at Blk 28 Kelantan Road 19 April 2022
Sustaining a heritage in the likes of sungei Road has been more then a challenge when residents oppose their existence instead of embracing fellow Singaporeans into their neighbourhood. Many complaints about the activities of the past when they were hawking on the streets. Now that they have moved into proper shop houses units with attached toilets they still complain and reference back to the past.
One word of advise. Please continue to walk/cycle or take the public bus to your destinations. Do not take the mrt or book a grab etc since you can't embrace change nor embrace the kampung spirit we all grew up with. What is the difference between these sungei road shops set up in the likes of salvation army thrift shops or similar? Why not boycott the famous laksa as it is said they use earthworms in their rich gravy. Its a wake up call for everyone! It's sad and truly disappointing that fellow Singaporeans cannot live side by side with an ardent group of vendors who embrace heritage till their last drop of sweat! Sustainability has been part of the vendors culture for over 80 years. With the revamped name change to sungei road Green Hub - Items are reused, refurbished and repurposed (upcycle) the sad fact remains that its the mindset of locals that cannot change and accept this heritage of Sustainability. Not only for the environment but also for the lifelihood of each and every vendor. Its a job/business they take great pride in till this day.
So much talk about Sustainability, climate change etc all goes to waste when people don't embrace the heritage and culture of a group of vendors struggling to maintain that very fact! Closure seems imminent in the location where it all started. Many of us make it a point to visit flea markets when overseas. Its part of the to do list for tourists. Could the Green hub be on such a list for visitors to singapore? That's a big question mark that only the top authorities can answer. When pasar malam was shut down, we all missed it so much. Many attempts to revive it recently with not much success. It takes time to rebuild a heritage. Do we want to continue rebuilding the sungei road heritage 20 years later? In the meanwhile, it's a mad scramble to look for an alternative location to house them. If you agree to heritage and Sustainability, please keep us posted if there are landlords who are open to house all our heritage keepers and also revive the pasar malam culture in a permanent location.
Sungei Road vendors find a new home to hawk their wares, Sungei Road Green Hub at Kelantan Road
When it comes to flea markets, they are usually places where you can find secondhand clothes, accessories and other knick-knacks for a bargain. And while most "flea markets" these days tend to be well-curated, there used to be a place that you would have to "dig" through piles of things to discover treasures like old cameras, vintage watches and typewriters — Sungei Road Thieves' Market.
Located at the junction of Jalan Besar and Rochor Canal Road, the market would be filled with vendors hawking their all manners of goods. That is until they were shut by the government in 2017, to make way for redevelopment plans in the area. Some found shops at Chinatown Market and Golden Mile Food Centre, while others went on to other jobs like driving taxis and doing deliveries. And there were some who remained unemployed and unable to find a place to do their business.
But they have found a new lease of life and a place — Sungei Road Green Hub — to once again sell the items that they have accumulated over the years of doing their trade, thanks to restaurateur Raymond Khoo. He has rented two shop lots at Block 28 Kelantan Road, where these former Sungei Road vendors have set up shop again, under his company, The Saturday Movement. The shop lots currently house 20 store units with 21 vendors, and each one pays him $10 a day for rental. There are also 40 people on the vendor waitlist at Sungei Road Green Hub.
A new home on Kelantan Road for former Sungei Road vendors
Old bank notes, cassettes, classic cameras, radio sets, typewriters, vintage watches — these are among the collection of antiques that one can find in two ground-floor units at 28 Kelantan Road for less than S$50. While some may not take a second look at these items, they are “treasures” collected over the decades by a group of former Sungei Road vendors, who have been given a new home just 10 minutes away from where they spent decades plying their trade.
One of them is Mr David Sein, whose collection lines the shelves in the Sungei Road Green Hub, which was set up by restaurateur Raymond Khoo. Mr Sein, who is better known by his friends and customers as Botak because of his bald head, said in the three years since the iconic thieves market was closed, his collection sat piled up in his three-room public housing flat, which often caught the attention of the authorities. “They always ask me ‘uncle, why is your house (filled with) rubbish?’ And I will tell them that I got no choice. Where else can I put my things?” said the 58-year-old.
The now-defunct Sungei Road market located at the junction of Jalan Besar and Rochor Canal Road made way for development in 2017. The popular spot was often flocked by tourists, foreign workers and Singaporeans on weekends. Mr Sein said the closure of the market left many of the friends he made in the last 40-odd years there unemployed and aimless. Months after their eviction, many attempted to peddle their goods near the area but were caught by the authorities. “If they cannot sell (their goods) on the floor, they sell in their hands. Rain or shine, they still die die want to sell,” he added. Mr Sein said many of them moved on to drive taxis, do deliveries and other odd jobs. He also occasionally sold his goods at pasar malams (night markets).
Sungei Road Market vendors given new home by restaurateur
Sungei Road Market, better known in the old days as Thieves’ Market for its second-hand goods (including contraband items), was a feature of Singapore from the 1930s to 2017. Photo by Justin See on Flickr
When Sungei Road Market closed in July 2017 to make way for new developments, a huge part of David Sein’s life was evicted along with his stall. The market, also known as Thieves’ Market, had played a large role in the 58-year-old’s life for as long as he could remember. As a little boy he would accompany his father to sell secondhand goods – quite literally anything from toys and trinkets to radio sets and sewing machines.
After serving in the army, Sein returned to take over the business from his father and remained there for decades. “When the market closed, of course we were sad. We didn’t have anywhere to earn money anymore and had so many unsold goods,” he told Salt&Light in Mandarin. For three years all his goods sat piled up in the three-room flat he shares with his father and a tenant, which overlooks the plot of land where he once plied his trade. “My whole house was like a dumpster. My sleeping space was only this small,” he said, using his hands to outline the size of a small mattress. “I’m not lying.” To make ends meet, he drove taxis, did deliveries and other odd jobs. But he missed the joy that came from his passion in selling, as well as the friends he had known for decades.
This September, however, Sein and 19 other former Sungei Road Market vendors were given a new place to resume their trade – in two ground-floor units at 28 Kelantan Lane, just 250m away from their original location. It was Raymond Khoo, founder of restaurant The Peranakan, who had rented the units, renovated them and opened them up to the former vendors to help rebuild their lives. “The eviction hit them very badly,” said Khoo, 57. “Many of them had been there for years, and their parents and grandparents had supported their entire family from their business there.” After the Sungei Road Market closed, some moved their stalls to Market Gaia Guni in Woodlands, while others switched jobs to become cleaners. Still others looked for occasional opportunities to sell their goods at pasar malams (night markets), he said. “They’ve been nomads moving all around,” said Khoo, who has been quietly and faithfully looking out for them since 2017.
Former Sungei Road vendors to uproot for the second time in a year
Vendors at the Kreta Ayer Weekend Flea Market often sell secondhand goods such as old DVDs, clothes, electronics, and religious amulets. The flea market will be closed from July 2 as upgrading programmes are due to take place along Sago Lane
For the second time in a year, some former Sungei Road flea market vendors will have to uproot and find another place to set up shop. After the iconic Thieves Market made way for development last July, about 20 of them thought they had found a stable place to sell their wares at the Kreta Ayer Weekend Flea Market at Sago Lane in Chinatown.
But after this weekend, the Kreta Ayer flea market will itself make way for the construction of a sheltered linkway by the Land Transport Authority and the Home Improvement Programme by the Housing and Development Board. Vendors were informed in early May by the Kreta Ayer Collectors' Society, an interest group under the Kreta Ayer Community Club.
The flea market has been operating at Sago Lane since 1999 and registered vendors pay S$100 a month, which goes towards cleaning and other services, the society told TODAY. It consists of about 40 members, about 20 of whom were from the Thieves Market. The society took in as many vendors from Sungei Road as the Sago Lane space was able to take, it said. "This was an interim measure for them to continue plying their trade," the society said. Former Sungei Road vendors expressed resignation at the latest news and the desire for a permanent home.
Closure of Sungei Road "Thieves Market" or "Robinson Petang"
Today marks the last day of the Sungei Road Thieves Market. A well known market that has been part of a facade of Singapore, it will be gone like so many other historical landmarks in Singapore. And it will go without so much of a fanfare.
This market had been around since the 1930s, and had survived World War II. And yet, it cannot survive Singapore's constant need to build condos. After all, what is more important than to provide expensive housing for Singaporeans and foreigners alike. While Parliament debated about the merits of keeping one house intact, because it was the birthplace of Singapore, allegedly, the sad thing is that no Parliament debate about the merits of keeping Sungei Road intact, or indeed the National Library at Stamford Road intact, among other things, had ever taken place.
Singapore keeps demolishing its history in its inane desire to modernise. Every historical building have shelf life. There is no historical building safe from the bulldozers, unless of course, the historical building is located at Oxley Road. Then the government will do all it can to preserve, including defying the wish of its founding father.
Sungei Road Flea market closure: Threatening letters sent to PM & DPM
Hell notes are seen along with a letter addressed to PM Lee Hsien Loong & MPs
The police is investigating reports made in relation to threatening letters sent to Government leaders, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong & Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Responding to media queries, the police confirmed that reports have been lodged." We are unable to comment further as investigations are ongoing," a police spokesperson said on Sat (Apr 29).
A copy of the handwritten letter, addressed to "PM Lee Hsien Loong & the other MPs" was also sent to TODAY, expressing anger that the Sungei Road flea market - which will be shut to make way for development from July 11 - will not be relocated.
Sungei Road Thieves’ Market to shut for good
Bargain-hunters who enjoy shopping at the oldest & largest flea market here, popularly known as Thieves’ Market, will have until July 10 to do so.
Located between Jalan Besar & Rochor Canal Road, the flea market, which has been a venue where sellers have peddled 2nd-hand bric-a-brac since the 1930s, will shut for good on that day, with the site being needed for ground preparation works for future residential development use, a multi-agency statement said on Tuesday (Feb 14).
A unique hawking zone with a colourful, decades-long history, including a reputation as a spot for trading stolen, smuggled & illegal wares, Thieves’ Market had, in 2011, been shr
The Forgoten Thieves Market 结霜桥
Located between Jalan Besar and Rochor Canal Road, the flea market at Sungei Road is Singapore’s largest and oldest flea market. While the exact origin of the flea market remains unclear, historical records have shown that the flea market began as a small trading spot that sprouted along the river during the mid 1930s.
In the past, the flea market operated between 3.00pm to 6.00pm and its operating hours could have resulted in its nickname "Robinson Petang" or "Robinson in the afternoon". The nickname was probably a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Robinson Department Store which catered to the more well-to-do in Singapore.
During the Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945), the flea market at Sungei Road was very popular as many locals (especially the poor) would flock to the market to purchase cheap household items and other merchandise which were often in short supply.
The Karung Guni 'Rag & Bone' men
At a flea market in Woodlands, vendors struggled to sell their wares over the Chinese New Year holiday as a relentless downpour dampened spirits and kept customers away. For these vendors, who are traditional scrap dealers – better known as karung guni men – a dwindling customer base, low profits and waning interest are increasingly affecting their declining trade.
The Market Gaia Guni at Woodlands Industrial Park, which houses 15 stalls, is only open on weekends and public holidays. The vendors collect used items including clothes, electronics, and antiques on weekdays and resell them when the market is open. While the market saw sizable crowds during previous Chinese New Years and some other holidays, peddlers said overall profits are meagre. “For those eight days a month (that our stalls are open), we make around S$1,000. After paying rent, I earn about S$600 to S$800,” said an elderly dealer who has been working in the trade for more than 40 years. “For the other days that I’m not here, I work elsewhere. No choice because on weekdays nobody comes here. Some vendors don’t get much business at all and it’s not worth it for them to set up shop here so they (leave the trade),” he added.
“Karung guni” means “gunny sack” in Malay, which in the past was hauled on the backs of local rag-and-bone men as they visited homes door-to-door while sounding their horns. They traditionally collected old newspapers, used clothing, discarded electrical appliances and other unwanted items that can be resold. Today, due to the gruelling physical work and low payoffs, many of these scrap dealers have given up on the industry. Some vendors staying on in the trade said they are too old to change jobs. “I’m already old, I don’t want to change jobs. Business is not great but I’m getting by,” said another stall owner at the Woodlands market, who earns a few hundred dollars a month. “But a lot of my colleagues have changed jobs, because they can’t do physical work anymore,” he added. Shrinking interest in buying used items among Singaporeans continues to remain a challenge, said vendors at the Sungei Road Green Hub, where shops offer an immense selection of secondhand ware such as clocks, sculptures, bicycle helmets and other knick-knacks. These karung guni men are hoping that younger Singaporeans can jazz up the trade and revive the industry. “Our trade is getting smaller and smaller,” said a stall owner. “We hope that this culture can continue but it now depends on the younger generation to use new ideas. It’s not up to us.”
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
If you have heard of something called the “waste hierarchy,” then you may be wondering what that means. It is the order of priority of actions to be taken to reduce the amount of waste generated and to improve overall waste management processes and programs. The waste hierarchy consists of 3 R’s - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Commonly called the “three R’s” of waste management, this waste hierarchy is the guidance suggested for creating a sustainable life. You might be wondering how you can incorporate these principles into your daily life.
They are not that hard to implement. All you need is to bring a small change in your daily lifestyle to reduce waste so that less amount of it goes to the landfill that can reduce your carbon footprint. “The three R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle – all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy. Plus, the three R’s save land and money that communities must use to dispose of waste in landfills. Siting a new landfill has become difficult and more expensive due to environmental regulations and public opposition.“
By refusing to buy items that you don’t need, reusing items more than once and disposing the items that are no longer in use at appropriate recycling centers, you can contribute towards a healthier planet:
- The First ‘R’ Reduce - The concept of reducing what is produced and what is consumed is essential to the waste hierarchy. The logic behind it is simple to understand – if there is less waste, then there is less to recycle or reuse.
- The Second ‘R’ Reuse - You may have a box of things you keep that are broken or that you don’t have a use for that you hang on to in-case you find another use for them; or you may find bargains on old furniture or go trash picking and get things that you can refinish – in either case you are working towards reusing the item. Learning to reuse items, or repurpose them for use different from what they are intended for is essential in the waste hierarchy.
- The Third ‘R’ Recycling - The last stage of the waste hierarchy is to recycle. To recycle something means that it will be transformed again into a raw material that can be shaped into a new item. However, there are very few materials on the earth that cannot be recycled.
