Will journalists become as extinct as the turf club?

The year 2024 is coming to an end. Before we start celebrating the countdown to 2025, I just want to put on record a list of things which have disappeared or are likely to become extinct. These should be self-explanatory for most Singaporeans. Here's the list of things which are part of our disappearing heritage: 1. Fruit seller 2. Kaka stall 3. Toto booth 4. F & B staff who can speak dialect 5. Younger Singaporeans who know who Ong Pang Boon is 6. Friendly and homely shopping centres like Queensway shopping centre, Tay Buan Guan, Peace Centre, the old Funan centre, Katong shopping centre. 7. Kiam chye tee huang 8. Lok kai yoke 9. Midnight Teochew porridge 10. Rediffusion 11. Boomers, pioneers 12. Extensive accessible seafront for ordinary non-club Singaporeans to lepak 13. Cheap holiday chalets 14. Bumboats 15. Stray dogs 16. Trishaws 17. Large nightclubs or discos 18. Dialect-speaking comedians 19. Erudite MPs or political leaders 20. Larger-than-life show personalities like Anita Sarawak 21. Eurasians 22. Cheap Johor Bahru goods and services 23. Great rousing Fullerton rally speeches 24. Physical passports 25. Singaporeans who do not wear spectacles or contact lenses 26. Trishaws 27. Writers, journalists 28. Bus fare tickets 29. Book stores 30. Turf club 31. Hotel lobby piano lounges 32. Malaysia Cup matches With that, I wish all a Happy New Year.

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Tan Bah Bah is a former senior leader writer with The Straits Times. He was also managing editor of a magazine publishing company Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)