So while doing my HY2254 project, I cam across a picture showing what seems like a night race with a caption:

"A 3000-strong crowd gathers to watch hell-riders tear down the Orchard Road-Peneng Road "circuit". Some spectators formed a human barrier to precent other vehicles from entering the 'race-track" - Francic Ong 1977. (160 years of The Straits Times in Pictures)

1977.

Clearly, the people of Singapore were more progressive than the government who rejected F1, only to court it back years later.