'You dirty pig': Public not charmed by Chinatown's Chinese New Year decor

Have you noticed? A new zodiac animal has popped up in various parts of Singapore in the lead up to Chinese New Year.

This time around, it's the pig.

Often portrayed as pink, chubby, and adorable, the mammal's spawned a Peppa Pig fever all over the world in recent years (swine flu excluded).

Some people in Singapore, however, are not charmed by the pig-shaped lanterns perched at a busy intersection in Chinatown.

With bleary eyes and dusty skin folds, they're looking a little too realistic, leading people to call them 'dirty pigs', Shin Min Daily News reported.

Others, perhaps feeling peckish, said the decorations reminded them of pig stew.

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And those on Twitter have echoed their sentiments on the dull looking lanterns, with one user writing: "Who is the designer? Who is the consultant? I would like to have a word."

Not exactly the reaction that organiser Chinatown Festivals was expecting, we think.

Another more forgiving Twitter user wrote: "Maybe it looks better when the lights are switched on."

Who knows? He might be right.

Chinatown will kick off Chinese New Year festivities with a light-up ceremony on Jan 20, 6pm.

minlee@sph.com.sg