Gum in Singapore: The Juicy(fruit) Details

Free Candy!!!!

When we began telling people we were moving to Singapore, we got an overwhelming number of warnings about chewing gum. It seemed as though this was the one detail about Singapore that has really stuck (pun always intended) in the minds of Americans. We can’t name Singapore’s president (I still can’t, oops), we don’t know much about its history, and might have trouble picking it out on a map (unless you’ve read this blog), BUT it is accepted knowledge that “if you chew gum you’ll get caned on the behind (or shot with a bazooka).” I’ll admit, we poo-pooed this notion a bit, assuring many of you that, actually, chewing gum is legal as long as you don’t spit it on the ground, etc. etc.

SO it really burst our dubble bubble when we found out that chewing gum IS, in fact, illegal in Singapore! Well, almost illegal - one may chew gum for ‘therapeutic value’ but since bringing gum across the border is illegal and it is not sold in the country, I’m not sure where this therapy gum is acquired.

But in fairness, those who warned of caning were a chicklet-bit wrong too. The only penalties for importing or chewing gum are fines.

But how did these rumors commence to orbit the globe? How did fiction come to eclipse the truth?

Hubba Bubba!!

First, a brief history. The gum ban was put in place in 1992. Though gum littering had been an issue for some time, when the new Mass Rapid Transit trains went into service, the issue came to a head. The government wanted to keep these beautiful new trains in double-mint condition, but vandals began sticking chewed gum to the door sensors. The bubble tape caused train problems and delays. That gave the new Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong (left), the extra push to implement the ban. Later, Wrigleys fought with Singapore and got the ban amended slightly, to allow for the chewing of gum for therapeutic and dental health reasons.

The international broo-ha-ha began in 1994, when Michael Fay, an American teenager and delinquent, was sentenced to caning - for spray painting cars and stealing road signs, not spitting gum. Fay received 4 cane strokes, reduced from 6 strokes after the US plead for leniency. Interesting side note: only men are eligible for punishment by caning. Women, men over the age of 50, and those 'medically unfit for caning' are exempt. High 5! Excuse, I'm going to go vandalize some cars now...

And I'm back...
Journalists splashed Fay's case on the front page in big red letters and everyone went mentos. We then began to hear reports on other startling Singaporean laws - including my new personal favorite: mandatory flushing of public toilets. (HUZZAH! And there shouldn't have to be a law people...)

And now you know the truth, as presented by Wikipedia and re-chewed by me.

This last part of the tale is unverifiable, but the story goes that on the eve of the ban’s taking effect, crazed citizens could be seen stride-ing through the streets, waving tridents and screaming, “They may take our gum, but they will never take our Freedent!!!!!


(p.s. most of my focus during this post was to include as many gum brands as possible - hope that wasn’t lost on you. How many can you find?)