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Manila Bulletin devider devider Plan to demolish Sentosa Merlion in Singapore draws mixed reaction from netizens

Plan to demolish Sentosa Merlion in Singapore draws mixed reaction from netizens

Published Sep 24, 2019 09:17 pm
By Richa Noriega The plan to demolish the iconic statue Sentosa Merlion in Singapore, which will pave the way for the construction of a themed linkway, drew mixed reaction from netizens. A woman walks past the Merlion statue on Sentosa Island resort in Singapore on September 11, 2018. (AFP / Jewel Samad / MANILA BULLETIN) A woman walks past the Merlion statue on Sentosa Island resort in Singapore.
(AFP / Jewel Samad / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN) Sentosa Development Corporation announced last Friday the iconic statue is set to be dismantled on October 20 in order to give way for the S$90 million (US 65.3 million) re-development linking the north and south of the island, the Strait Times reported. The Merlion statue, composed of a lion’s head and a fish body, was designed in 1964 by British zoologist Alec Fraser-Brunner as the logo of the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board. The fish refers to the Singapore’s beginnings as “fishing village” while the lion is a reference to Sang Nila Utama, the Srivijaya prince that claimed to named the island Singapura or “lion city,” the report added. The Sentosa statue, one of the seven Merlions in Singapore, stands the tallest at 37-meter high and sits at the heart of Sentosa. It could provide a lift for the visitors to take the view across the island. The news of the demolition sparked immediate response as netizens began expressing their reactions. Meanwhile, some Twitter users expressed sadness and spread the hashtag “#SaveTheMerlion.” "So sad to know that the Merlion at Sentosa is getting demolish to make way for a new themed link bridge. The Merlion is Singapore's iconic figures, a symbol of myth and should stay! #SaveTheMerlion," a certain @TheKikiEvans tweeted. Another Twitter used said: "You can just move the merlion elsewhere,don't need to bring it down.Merlion has been an icon to Singapore thus why must "demolish" it??And ya,the entire architecture just seems similar to Jewel,Garden By The Bay...nothing interesting...everything must be about greenery meh??" Reports added that Quek Swee Kuan, Development Corporation chief, said the iconic statue will not be relocated because of its size but considering on how to commemorate it. The Singapore Tourism Board said there are more than 3.4 million people visited Singapore from mainland China last year, which is six percent up from last year.
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