Has this got to do with the big stingray that was landed at Bedok Jetty recently?

On top of the heavy gear required, it's more important to the strength and stamina to fight the fish. Because once it lifts off the bottom and starts moving, you need to gain as much line as you can. Bait wise, any dead baits will do but I'll stick with fresh or live sotong if I do have it. That way you can still target for other quality species too.
For main line 40 to 50lbs is plenty, most surf reels don't output that sort of drag anyway. More importantly is your leader since we're dealing with the ray moving very close to the bottom. 80lbs leader is a good minimum, but if your spot is all sandy not prone to snagging, feel free to go lower for better casting.