Media Release: State Courts launch heritage gallery

In conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial celebrations, the State Courts Heritage Gallery was launched by The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon today. The gallery will take visitors through the rich history and progress of the State Courts since the founding of modern Singapore in 1819, highlighting the major reforms introduced over the years to improve the administration of justice. In addition to preserving their history for posterity, the gallery hopes to inform and educate the public about how the State Courts became a public institution with a drive to achieve excellence.

2  Beyond being the primary dispensers of justice in Singapore, the State Courts, as part of the judiciary, have played an integral role in nation-building. The gallery will offer visitors an insight into the work of the courts and their role in the community during the different periods of Singapore’s development as a city-state.

Historical Walk-through
3  The State Courts Heritage Gallery is thematically arranged and designed to provide a seamless historical walk-through of the State Courts’ transformation journey. A cohesive story is told through exhibits and cases that have come through their doors over the years. These were carefully curated by judges and staff of the State Courts and are organised into three zones, each aimed at raising public awareness of the work and history of the State Courts.

A. Our Heritage
This zone covers the history of the Singapore judicial system and its development in tandem with the growth of Singapore from a successful trading post to an independent nation. Also featured here are the key legal milestones and the people whose contributions have shaped the judicial system of today.

B. Commitment to Quality Justice
This zone depicts how the State Courts uphold the rule of law without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, and contribute to the development of Singapore’s jurisprudence. It also covers how the strategic use of technology in courtrooms and case management have enhanced the delivery of justice.

C. A Forward-looking Judiciary
This zone demonstrates how the State Courts are constantly transforming and innovating to enhance access to justice, deliver excellent court services, and meet the challenges of tomorrow. 

Interactive and Informative Experience
4  The majority of the exhibits are tech-enabled. Visitors can look forward to a combination of interactive and informative experiences. One of the highlights is the Heritage Courtroom, which is a mock-up of a courtroom in the State Courts Building that was built in 1975. Here, visitors can observe court proceedings taking place before them through the re-enactment of three criminal cases that were dealt with by the State Courts. They will not only get the opportunity to experience the different aspects of the criminal trial process, but also discover the evolution of courtroom technology and how it has made the delivery of justice more effective and efficient.

Memorable Cases
5  With a collection of more than 15 significant cases heard in the State Courts over the last 44 years, visitors can revisit crimes that stirred public interest through multi-media installations within the gallery. They will also learn more about how some of these cases, such as the City Harvest Church Saga in 2015, led to the amendment of certain laws and contributed to the development of jurisprudence in Singapore.

6  Handling 90 per cent of the national judicial caseload, the State Courts are at the frontline of the Singapore judicial system and have played a significant role in contributing to Singapore’s stature in the areas of judicial administration, governance, and to Singapore’s reputation as a premier business hub. Presiding Judge of the State Courts, Justice See Kee Oon said: “The State Courts Heritage Gallery chronicles our history and provides the opportunity to commemorate our past and appreciate our present. While we preserve our heritage in this gallery, we will continue our transformation journey to deliver quality justice and serve society.” 

7  Guests at the event include past heads of the State Courts, Mr Michael Khoo SC, Mr Richard Magnus and Justice Tan Siong Thye. The State Courts Heritage Gallery will be open to the public from 16 December 2019 during the official operating hours of the State Courts.

Issued by: State Courts, Singapore
Date: 19 November 2019 

Enclosed:
Annex A: Factsheet 

For further information or clarification, please contact:
Bryan Jacob
Executive,
Communications Directorate
Tel: 6955 0399 / 9722 6139
Email: bryan_jacob@statecourts.gov.sg

Michelle Chiang
Senior Assistant Director, Communications Directorate
Tel: 6955 0700 / 9722 6139
Email: michelle_chiang@statecourts.gov.sg 

ABOUT THE STATE COURTS The State Courts are committed to inspiring public trust and confidence through an effective and accessible justice system. They handle about 90% of all judicial matters in Singapore, and 99 per cent of the criminal caseload. The State Courts comprise the District Courts, Magistrates’ Courts, Coroners’ Court, Small Claims Tribunals, Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals and Employment Claims Tribunals. The District and Magistrates’ Courts exercise original criminal and civil jurisdiction and some of them are designated as specialist courts, for example: the Community Court, Traffic Court, and Night Courts. For more information, please visit www.statecourts.gov.sg

Annex A
FACTSHEET STATE COURTS HERITAGE GALLERY

About

The State Courts Heritage Gallery situated on Level 1 of the new State Courts Towers traces the rich history of the primary courts of first instance from the founding of modern Singapore from 1819 to the present day.

The Gallery captures the transformation journey and achievements of the courts after independence, the work and contributions of our judges and staff, past and present, towards the development of jurisprudence and delivery of an effective and accessible justice system in serving the people of Singapore. 



Zone A
Our Judicial Heritage

Description:
Discover the history of the Singapore judicial system and observe its development in tandem with the growth of Singapore from a successful trading post to an independent nation. Learn about the key legal milestones and the people whose contributions have shaped the judicial system of today. 

Key Features:

Historical Timeline of Legal Milestones An electronic visual display that will allow users to travel back in time through the touch of their fingertips and learn about our judicial heritage. The key moments from the historical timeline of legal milestones include: Founding of modern Singapore and the early court system  A formal judicial system established in Singapore The judicial system during and after the second world war Consolidation of the lower courts  Enhancing the stature of the Subordinate Courts Becoming the State Courts

Faces and Places of Justices A showcase of artefacts celebrating the contributions of the State Courts’ past and present judges and staff in upholding the rule of law and serving the people of Singapore. The heads of the State Courts since Singapore’s independence are documented here.

Zone B
Commitment to Quality Justice

Description:
Learn how the State Courts uphold the rule of law without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, and contribute to the development of Singapore’s jurisprudence. Discover how the strategic use of technology in courtrooms and case management has enhanced the delivery of justice. 

Key Features: 

Heritage Courtroom Modeled after a traditional courtroom from 1975 and decked out with the original meranti wood wall panels that were transplanted from the courtrooms in the existing State Courts Building to replicate the look and feel, visitors will experience the different aspects of the criminal trial process and discover how the introduction of technology has made it more effective and efficient.   Re-enacted cases: 1. PP v Chow Dih Historical period: Paper-based environment Synopsis: Dr Chow Dih was charged for allegedly cheating six patients by deceiving them into believing that they were suffering from serious diseases and needed treatment. Hear one of the patients giving his evidence and Dr Chow Dih giving his defence. 2. PP v John Smith* Historical period: Advance in court technology - Video-conference Synopsis: The accused was tried on two charges of allegedly outraging the modesty of Jane*, an air stewardess, on board a flight. Observe Jane giving her testimony via video conferencing, a technology that has been introduced for vulnerable witnesses to testify remotely. * The names of parties have been changed to protect the victim’s identity. A gag order was imposed in this case 3. PP v Yang Yin Historical period: Paperless environment Synopsis: Former tour guide Yang Yin was tried on two criminal breach of trust charges for misappropriating $1.1 million from wealthy widow Madam Chung. During his trial, Yang Yin claimed that the monies were a gift from Madam Chung, which was contrary to his police statement where he had stated that they were used to buy paintings on her behalf. Watch Yang Yin giving his testimony and being cross-examined during the trial.

Multi-media Drawer Display of Past Cases Encased in drawers made to resemble cabinets storing case files, 15 cases of public interest that were heard in the State Courts over the last four decades are summarised here. The cases are organised in four groups. The first two focus on criminal cases, the third focuses on civil and community-related cases and the fourth displays inquiries into incidents that generated much interest among Singaporeans.

Zone C
A Forward-looking Judiciary

Description:
Discover how the State Courts are constantly transforming and innovating to enhance access to justice, deliver excellent court services, and meet the challenges of tomorrow 

Key Features:

Digital Art Installation An illuminated multi-panelled centrepiece that showcases the various initiatives and programmes that the State Courts have introduced to serve society through: Quality access to justice Empowering and supporting court users Leadership in court excellence

Multi-interaction Display Table A multi-user interactive exhibit that chronicles the locations of the past and present courthouses and highlights the architectural features of the State Courts Building and State Courts Towers. Visitors can also uncover how these places in the Kreta Ayer area, which was designated as the Chinese kampong in the Raffles Town Plan (also known as Jackson Plan) that was developed in 1822, have evolved over the years.