“Where does Bukit Buah Kechil get its name?” I ask. It’s a fair question. We’re standing at the foot of this small hill. Bukit Buah Kechil translates to “small fruit hill”.
Bukit Buah Kechil is a small hill in Singapore. It is near Upper Bukit Timah Road and Jalan Jurong Kechil. Once, the Bukit Timah area consisted of kampongs. These kampongs were surrounded by rubber and pineapple plantations. Beauty Timah Village was a dominant kampong. The area was known as “Chin Huat”. This came from a grand mansion owned by a Chinese mandarin. He settled in Singapore in the early 20th century.
During World War II, the mansion was destroyed. Later, the Halfway House nightclub replaced it. Some local businessmen collaborated with the Japanese. They opened an amusement park at Bukit Timah Road. It was named Tai Tong Ah Sai Kai. The name reflected Japan’s Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere propaganda.
The amusement park cost almost $1 million to build. Funds were likely raised by the Overseas-Chinese Association. The grand opening took place in September 1944. Japanese officers and association members attended. The park featured getai stages and food stalls. There were photo studios and medicine shops. A cinema screened Japanese films. Gambling booths offered lottery and pai-kow.
The Japanese wanted gambling to distract people. It was also a way to recoup banana notes. These notes were used due to runaway inflation. Lucky gamblers carried sacks of banana notes home at night. Robberies were rare. Thieves faced severe punishment during the occupation.
Generators powered the amusement park. Bright lights made it stand out. It was dubbed the most “beautiful” place at Bukit Timah. Tai Tong Ah became known as Beauty World.
After the war in 1945, Tai Tong Ah operated for another year. The British granted a temporary license. Gambling was banned. This affected the park’s business. A businessman sought approval to dismantle the park. He wanted to convert it into a marketplace.
In 1947, Beauty World Market opened. The name was catchy and easy to remember. It resembled other leisure places like Great World and New World. The market sold food, textiles, books, and hardware.
Secret societies plagued Beauty World in the fifties. Stallholders paid protection fees. Violence and territorial fights were common. Anti-gang laws in the sixties reduced illegal activities.
Beauty World Town expanded in 1962. It added vitality to the Bukit Timah area. Bukit Timah was one of Singapore’s first industrial areas. Rubber, canned food, and sauce plants operated nearby.
The British military withdrawal in the seventies affected Beauty World. However, new factories helped it survive. By the mid-seventies, the market had over 150 stalls. They sold food and appliances to locals and tourists.
Jalan Jurong Kechil was often jammed with illegally parked cars. The public complained about dirtiness and poor hygiene. Fires were a potential hazard. Several major fires broke out between the seventies and eighties.
The government acquired the Beauty World site in 1975. By 1984, it was decided to close and demolish the old Beauty World. Stallholders moved out. Nearby shophouses on Chun Tin Road and Cheong Chin Nam Road remain. They have been converted into restaurants and pubs.
Beauty World Centre and Beauty World Plaza emerged on the opposite side of Upper Bukit Timah Road. Beauty World Centre opened in 1984. The first three storeys were reserved for former stallkeepers. A food centre was located on the fourth level.
A MRT station opened in December 2015. It was named after Beauty World. The new Beauty Worlds are now aging. Redevelopment plans have been discussed. Singapore is constantly evolving. A new generation of Beauty Worlds may appear in the future.
Jalan Jurong Kechil used to be a tree-lined road. Shops lined the street. This was in 1982. It was located within the Bukit Timah district. Upper Bukit Timah Road led to Jalan Jurong Kechil.