BiblioAsia Podcast

Lee Ek Tieng (1933–2025) was the civil servant who headed the clean-up of the Singapore River, had the foresight to modernise the sanitation system, and ensured water self-sufficiency for Singapore. Writer Samantha Boh tells us how he did it with his colleagues and earned their respect.Samantha Boh is a journalist and an author who covers the environment and science. She has written extensively on scientific breakthroughs in biomedical science, robotics, water resources, recycling, and food wastage over more than a decade. She is a co-author of The Last Fools, The Price of Being Fair and Lee Ek Tieng: The Green General of Lee Kuan Yew.What Samantha Talked About02:59 – About Lee Ek Tieng07:16 – Lee Ek Tieng’s key achievements.12:31 – His personality and leadership style19:07 – Conflict with Economic Development Board during industrial pollution control and backing from Lee Kuan Yew24:01 – Building water self‑sufficiency29:20 – How NEWater got its name31:16 – What colleagues said about him35:31 – His hobbies and DIY spirit38:03 – Books by NutgrafTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/civil-servant-in-charge-of-clean-and-green-singapore-lee-ek-tieng-samantha-boh/transcript/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia podcast was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Samantha for coming on the show.The BiblioAsia Podcast by the National Library Singapore tells stories about Singapore history.

Before air conditioning was introduced in Singapore in the 1920s, temperature control was a matter of architectural design. Environmental historian Fiona Williamson tells us how people kept themselves cool before air conditioning arrived, why weather science was important to the colonial enterprise, and what environmental history can tell us about a city’s development. Fiona Williamson is an environmental historian with a particular interest in the history of the climate, meteorology and extreme weather in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. She is professor of environmental history at the Singapore Management University.What Fiona Talked About03:12 – How people kept cool before air conditioning05:49 – When and how air conditioning was introduced to Singapore07:53 – Who could afford early air conditioning10:19 – European reactions to tropical heat12:51 – Meteorology as a colonial science15:31 – Observational stations and instruments18:07 – Colonial attempts to manage water and flooding23:15 – The MacRitchie Reservoir mistake28:03 – Fiona’s book Imperial Weather34:19 – Fiona's work with the International Commission for the History of Meteorology36:52 – Climate history is… 38:02 – Whether climate change can be reversedTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/the-days-before-air-conditioning-fiona-williamson/transcript/Read the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-21/issue-4/jan-mar-2026/air-conditioning-in-singapore/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Fiona for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Jan Beránek sets out to find out what happened to his granduncle, Silvestr Němec, who left his Czech village for Singapore in 1938 and died as a volunteer during WWII. He finds Silvestr’s story woven with that of the Bata Shoe Company, the Czechoslovak community and volunteer forces in Singapore.Jan Beránek is a Czech environmentalist and an energy expert. He was born and raised in the Czech city of Brno, where he studied physics and sociology. Jan has worked for several environmental organisations and was also the chairman of the Czech Green Party. He currently lives in Amsterdam, working for Greenpeace International as Director for Organizational Strategy and Development. He is the author of In Search of Silvestr: Unravelling My Granduncle's Fate, Bata, Czechoslovaks and World War II in Singapore (Landmark Books, 2025).What Jan Talked About01:31 – Introduction to the podcast and Bata’s Singapore history02:07 – Silvestr Němec’s disappearance02:29 – Jan Beránek’s research journey03:26 – Family memories  04:37 – The post-war search for Silvestr05:49 – Discovery of family letters in 201707:25 – Motivation for beginning the investigation08:45 – How Silvestr was sent to Singapore by Bata09:20 – Silvestr’s job at Bata’s flagship store10:05 – Bata’s international success and localisation11:42 – Bata’s early operations and expansion in Malaya13:17 – What made Bata successful14:11 – The Czechoslovak community in Malaya14:55 – Czechoslovaks’ impressions of colonial Singapore16:35 – Czechoslovakia during WWII and Bata’s wartime challenges22:26 – Silvestr’s service in the Volunteer Corps24:44 – What happened to Silvestr28:37 – Jan’s research process and reflections36:07 – The number of Bata shoes Jan owns36:58 – Family history is…Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/searching-for-family-in-the-shadows-of-war-jan-beranek/transcript/Read the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-21/issue-4/jan-mar-2026/lost-family-silvestr-nemec-war-search-czech-singapore/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Jan for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Former Straits Times editor-in-chief Cheong Yip Seng tells us how he negotiated OB markers with the government during his tenure (1987–2006), how he balanced the interests of the paper’s stakeholders, and which news story he nearly went to jail for.Cheong Yip Seng is a veteran journalist. He was editor-in-chief of the Straits Times from 1987 to 2006 and editorial adviser to the South China Morning Post from 2012 to 2020. He has written OB Markers: My Straits Times Story and Ink and Influence: An OB Markers Sequel.What Cheong Talked About00:55 – Podcast introduction 01:48 – Why a sequel to OB Markers03:21 – Differences between the two books06:24 – Events leading to Cheong's appointment as editor-in-chief11:33 – Accusations of the Straits Times (ST) as government mouthpiece17:16 – Impact of social media on traditional news18:28 – Cheong's near arrest over a leaked story20:50 – Hardest decisions as editor-in-chief21:52 – Importance of ST credibility 24:06 – Cheong's principles in negotiating OB markers27:40 – Criticisms ST faced over its coverage of the 1987 “Marxist Conspiracy”29:48 – Cheong’s outlook on ST in the next two decades  33:30 – Why Cheong became a journalist26:29 – Person who had the greatest intellectual impact on Cheong Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/negotiating-ob-markers-when-running-straits-times-cheong-yip-seng/transcript/Read Cheong's books:  OB Markers: My Straits Times Story and Ink and Influence: An OB Markers Sequel Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Cheong for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

The Hawkins Road camp in Sembawang was home to thousands of Vietnamese refugees until it closed in 1996. Researcher Rebecca Tan talks about how the refugees spent their days in the camp and their lives after Singapore. Rebecca Tan is Digital Preservation Archivist at the National Archives of Singapore. She was previously Children and Teens Librarian at Toa Payoh Public Library, and Digital Heritage Librarian at the National Library.What Rebecca Talked About01:17 – Overview of Hawkins Road camp02:26 – Conditions in the camp03:18 – Life in the refugee camp 08:08 – Singapore’s plan for long-term refugees10:17 – What the refugees said about Singapore11:20 – Singapore's evolving refugee policy 14:41 – How Rebecca knew about the refugee camp15:25 – Rebecca’s research 16:49 – Interview with a Hawkins Road camp refugee who still lives in Singapore22:07 – Being a librarian at Toa Payoh Public Library 24:26 – The libraries and archives are...Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/25-hawkin-road-home-to-vietnamese-refugees-rebecca-tan/transcriptRead the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-20/issue-3/oct-dec-2024/hawkins-road-refugee-camp/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Rebecca for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

The national anthem that we know today wasn't the original version composed by Zubir Said. His first version was longer and was set at a higher key. Emeritus Professor Bernard Tan talks about how "Majulah Singapura" came about and how it changed over the decades, and illustrates how these versions differ on his piano. Emeritus Professor Bernard T. G. Tan is a retired professor of physics from the National University of Singapore who also dabbles in music. Some of his compositions have been performed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. He is a former chairman of the Sing Singapore organising committee.What Prof Tan Talked About00:00 – Introduction to Singapore’s national anthem03:16 – How “Majulah Singapura” came about04:14 – Zubir Said’s composition of “Majulah Singapura” 06:18 – Adoption of the anthem and its unauthorised shortening09:24 – Comparison of different versions and musical implications15:18 – Prof Tan’s detective work to verify Zubir Said’s original manuscript19:31 – Fanfare introduction and early concert arrangements22:22 – Government-led initiative to reorchestrate the anthem25:48 – Lowering the anthem’s key from G major to F major27:45 – Lee Kuan Yew’s suggestion on the anthem 33:18 – Controversial arrangements of "Majulah Singapura"36:57 – Origin of “Negaraku”, Malaysia’s national anthem  40:22 – How Prof Tan juggles his roles as a composer, professor of physics and SSO board member42:51 – How he helped found the SSO48:44 – His career at NUS51:20 – Similarities between scientific research to music writing Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/the-making-of-majulah-singapura-as-we-know-it-bernard-tan/transcriptRead the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-21/issue-3/oct-dec-2025/zubir-said-majulah-singapura/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Prof Tan for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Tay Seow Huah, then Permanent Secretary for the Home Affairs Ministry, helmed Singapore’s response to the 1974 Laju hijacking incident. This was when four terrorists tried (but failed) to destroy Shell’s oil infrastructure on Pulau Bukom Besar and subsequently took five hostages. Little is known about the enigmatic spy chief, who was the founding Director of the Security and Intelligence Division. Simon Tay, lawyer, academic and winner of the 2010 Singapore Literature Prize, tells us how his Penang-born father – who lived through WWII, the Malayan Emergency and the political tumult of the 1960s – came to play a giant role serving a newly independent Singapore.Simon Tay is the chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, a non-profit think tank. He is an associate professor of law at the National University of Singapore and a former Nominated Member of Parliament. In 1995, Simon was named a Singapore Young Artist, and his novel City of Small Blessings won the Singapore Literature Prize in 2010. In 2021, he received the S.E.A. Write Award, a regional award given to leading ASEAN poets and writers.What Simon Talked About00:00 – The 1974 Laju hijacking and its significance02:03 – Tay Seow Huah’s legacy and role in Singapore’s security operations07:37 – Singapore’s strategic and diplomatic response to the Laju incident10:38 – Why Lee Kuan Yew appointed Tay to lead the Special Branch11:50 – Background on the Laju hijackers and geopolitical tensions in the 1970s16:39 – Insights from S. R. Nathan’s memoir17:38 – Why Tay did not accompany hijackers to Kuwait although he volunteered17:42– Challenges of writing about classified events and uncovering the past19:05 – Tay’s childhood in Malaya and educational achievements19:56 – Speculations about Tay’s post-university activities before joining civil service22:23 – Comparison between Tay and James Bond28:02 – How Simon’s relationship with his father changed after Tay’s heart attack30:26 – Tay’s declining health and early retirement from civil service32:19 – Tay’s struggles in his retirement years33:03 – Simon’s reflections on his grandmother’s strength and complexity35:13 – How Tay’s childhood hunger shaped his habits35:57 – Tay’s party trick38:09 – Simon on his public service journey43:45 – Why Simon’s wrote the book EnigmasTranscriptRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/tay-seow-huah-first-spy-chief-of-independent-singapore-simon-tay/transcript/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Simon for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Hawkers traditionally sell their food on streets. Uniquely in Singapore though, they ply their trade in fixed stalls in hawker centres. Ryan Kueh, author of the bestselling From Streets to Stalls, tells us how the hawker culture has evolved in Singapore since the colonial period and what hawker centres have come to represent.Ryan Kueh holds a master’s degree from Tsinghua University under the Schwarzman Scholars programme and completed his bachelor’s at Yale–NUS College, where he read philosophy, politics, economics and history. His key research focus is consumption culture and history, with a secondary interest in international affairs. He is the author of From Streets to Stalls: The History and Evolution of Hawking and Hawker Centres in Singapore. What Ryan Talked About00:00 – How the term “hawker” is understood differently in Singapore, compared to in other countries 04:44 – When hawking might have started in Singapore 05:20– Preconditions for hawking07:11– Colonial records, and hygiene and urban discipline issues during colonial times09:06 – Why hawking was an attractive and accessible job then10:39– Challenges colonial authorities faced in controlling hawkers11:47 – Post-independence reforms in hawking14:25– Establishment of hawker centres and their purpose15:47 – How rent subsidies keep hawker food affordable17:43– Origins of the first hawker centre and differences from hawker shelters20:12– Loss of food heritage 23:27– Gentrification in hawker centres 25:27– Hawking as a vocation in the past and today27:44– Why Singapore’s hawker culture won the UNESCO recognition for intangible cultural heritage30:04– Contemporary political use of hawker centres31:51– What Ryan is working on and what his favourite hawker centre is36:47 – Hawking is…TranscriptRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/hawker-culture-in-singapore-ryan-kueh/transcriptSubscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Ryan for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Many people know of the story of Badang the strongman, an aboriginal slave who gains supernatural strength after eating the vomit of a spirit. He throws a stone, which might or might not be the Singapore Stone, and his miracle-working grave is believed to be on Pulau Buru in the Riau Archipelago. However, independent scholar William Gibson tells us the tale of Badang (and the location of his grave) is much more complicated than is generally known.Dr William L. Gibson is an author and researcher based in Southeast Asia since 2005. A former Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow of the National Library Singapore, he is the author of Keramat, Sacred Relics and Forbidden Idols in Singapore (Routledge, 2024). His articles have appeared in Signal to Noise, PopMatters.com, The Mekong Review, Archipel, History and Anthropology, the Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient and BiblioAsia, among others.What William Talked About00:00 – What a keramat is01:13 – Legend of Badang the strongman02:20 – William's past research on keramat03:07 – Badang as a national icon and his myth in the Malay Annals04:43 – British interest and early translations of Badang’s story06:26 – The rock-throwing legend and its transformation into a national tale08:26 – Origins of the Singapore Stone and colonial myth-making11:00 – The three different rocks associated with Badang13:02 – The search for the real burial site of Badang18:08 – The shrine’s transformation into a government-designated cultural site20:40 – The Karimun inscription and its link to Badang folklore22:00 – Other stones with footprints and mythical associations24:00 – Theories of Badang’s burial sites 26:00 – Other folktales with vomit-eating as a power transfer motif28:00 – Broader meaning and significance of keramat and nature shrines31:05 – Existing keramat in Singapore 35:10 – Stories of the keramat Habib Noh39:01 – Challenges of preserving keramat in Singapore42:00 – Fates of kermat in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia44:07 – The heritage value of keramat 47:55 – Mythology is…Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/Badang-the-strongman-a-miracle-working-grave-a-folk-tale-and-a-nations-mythology/transcriptRead the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-21/issue-1/apr-jun-2025/origins-badang-strongman-singapore-stone/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Nookcha Films. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to William for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

When Peng Tsu Ying came to Singapore from Shanghai in the late 1940s, he could not find a deaf person like him. Determined to improve the situation for the deaf community, he founded Singapore's first school for the deaf in 1954. Librarian Nathaniel Chew tells us about Peng's advocacy, his own journey learning the Singapore Sign Language and the different ways it has evolved. Nathaniel Chew is a librarian with the National Library Singapore. He works with the Singapore and Southeast Asia Collection, and his research interests lie at the intersection of language and society.What Nathaniel Talked About02:13 –  Who Peng Tsu Ying was04:07 – What Singapore was like for the deaf community before WWII05:34 – How Peng started the first school for the deaf07:42 – Peng’s foray into car racing 10:12 – Joining forces with the Red Cross11:13 – What the Singapore Sign Language is19:00 – How Nathaniel got interested in sign language19:40 –  Peng’s influence on Singapore’s deaf community22:17 – Nathaniel’s research interest in linguistics 23:56 – Nathaniel’s take on Singlish25:28 – BiblioAsia is…Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/peng-tsu-ying-singapore-pioneering-deaf-educator-nathaniel-chew/transcriptRead the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-21/issue-1/apr-jun-2025/deaf-education-singapore-sign-language/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Nathaniel for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

In 1952, four Singapore artists – Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng and Liu Kang – travelled to Java and Bali in search of artistic inspiration. The following year, they put up an exhibition showcasing art they had produced from the trip, an exhibition often hailed by art historians as a milestone in Singapore art history. Yet much of the trip has been shrouded in mystery, until Gretchen Liu, the daughter-in-law of Liu Kang, discovered Liu Kang's archives and photographs from the trip. She tells us how the trip came together, what the artists did in Java and Bali, and what the trip meant to them as artists.  Gretchen Liu is a former journalist, a writer and an independent scholar with an interest in visual culture and heritage. She is the editor and author of several books. Most recently, she has been researching the early life of her father-in-law Liu Kang, a journey that has taken her deep into early 20th-century Chinese art history. Her latest book is Bali 1952: Through the Lens of Liu Kang.What Gretchen Talked About02:14 – The importance of the 1953 exhibition in art history05:20 – The story of the shoebox08:17 – What makes the newly discovered photographs special11:00 – The significance of the artists’ journey to Bali and Java14:11 – How their journey began with the kindness of strangers16:07 – The life and times of the four pioneering artists21:11 – Gretchen’s journey following in the footsteps of the artists23:15 – Her intention in showcasing the photographs alongside the art they inspired 26:14 – The hardest part about researching the book27:29 – How Gretchen became interested in Singapore’s visual history30:02 – The book she is most proud of32:21 – Her experience as the in-house historian for the Raffles Hotel35:19 – What is next for Gretchen35:56 – Family history is…Transcript Read the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/the-misunderstood-trip-that-led-to-the-1953-landmark-art-exhibition-gretchen-liu/transcript Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore. This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Gretchen for coming on the show. BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Zubir Said (1907–87) gave Singapore its national anthem, “Majulah Singapura”, and its official Children’s Day song, “Semoga Bahagia”. Working with theatre company Wild Rice, music director Julian Wong put together a critically acclaimed production on the life of Pak Zubir that mixed history, music and memory in a moving show, Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita. Performances were sold out in 2022 and 2024. In this episode, Julian tells us the challenges of putting up the show, including the research and transcription, and reveals if he’s a Swiftie.Julian Wong is a composer, arranger, music director, educator and performer. He has composed for Wild Rice, including An Inspector Calls, Pinocchio, Tartuffe: The Imposter, etc. As music director, he has helmed overseas assignments such as Liao Zhai Rocks! (Shanghai) and Spotlight Singapore (Mexico City), as well as home-grown projects such as Hossan Leong’s Hossan-AH! 50, Pam Oei’s Faghag and The Theatre Practice’s If There’re Seasons. Additionally, Julian has conducted and arranged for Joyful Strings, Ministry of Bellz, Orchestra of the Music Makers, Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, and many more. Julian graduated from Berklee College of Music, where he received the Professional Music Excellence Award and Alex Ulanowski Award. In 2023, he received the Young Artist Award, Singapore’s highest award for young arts practitioners.What Julian Talked About03:07 –  How the show Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita came about05:17 – Julian’s research into the life of Pak Zubir Said08:04 – Performing the show during Covid10:13 – How Julian arranged his version of “Semoga Bahagia”12:35 – Difficulties of researching Pak Zubir’s life13:40 – The most interesting discovery about Pak Zubir15:49 – A touching story about Pak Zubir17:50 – Continuing the legacy of teacher-student collaborations  18:59 – How “Majulah Singapura” was conceived22:44 – What Julian learnt about Pak Zubir from his teacher Iskandar Ismail24:42 – Julian’s relationship with his teacher26:37 – Mentoring students budding musicians at ITE27:57 – On winning the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council29:43 – Favourite song from Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita31:36 – What he’s working on 32:54 – Julian’s favourite musician34:06 – Is he a Swiftie? Transcript Read the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/life-and-legacy-zubir-said-julian-wong/transcript/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. This version of “Semoga Bahagia” was composed by Zubir Said, produced by Julian Wong and performed by Wild Rice. Special thanks to Julian for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Sharing the literary landscape with contemporaries like D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) travelled to Singapore in 1921. Though he was already well-known as a writer then, it was his stay in Singapore that inspired some of his most celebrated short stories. Crime fiction writer Tracey Morton tells us how Singapore inspired his works, why they remain relevant, and whether the Menendez brothers deserve their sentence.Tracey A. Morton is a Singapore-based Irish/Australian writer and a Cambridge graduate. She is co-host of the podcast, The Asian Bookshelf, and author of the upcoming novel, The Coffee Shop Masquerade. In 2020, she was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize for her short work, “Faded Ink”, and the Virginia Prize for Fiction for The Queen, The Soldier and The Girl. Her novel, Someone Is Coming, based on plantation murders in Malaya in the 1900s, was published by Monsoon Books in 2022 and has been optioned for television.What Tracey Talked About02:29 – Who Somerset Maugham was04:11 – Why Maugham came to Singapore?06:46 – Which Maugham’s stories had the most impact 07:38 – Maugham’s writing style10:03 – How Maugham’s work would be received today10:45 – The influence Asia had on Maugham and his stories13:26 – How Tracey became interested in Maugham’s life and works16:28 – What inspired her to write stories about Maugham18:07 – Tracey’s journey into crime fiction writing and historical research22:18 – How the idea for Someone Is Coming came about26:23 – Tracey’s new book The Coffee Shop Masquerade28:45 – What the Singapore literary scene lacks35:07 – Crime writing is…Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/somerset-maugham-scandalises-1920s-singapore-tracey-morton/transcript/Check out the BiblioAsia article "W. Somerset Maugham: Secrets from the Outstations": https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-20/issue-4/jan-mar-2025/william-somerset-maugham-secrets/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Tracey for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Singaporeans love animals, but only selectively. Otters, Ah Meng the orangutan, and Inuka the polar bear are among the beloved. Less favoured are monkeys in the Botanic Gardens, many of which were culled before WWII, and pesky Aedes mosquitoes. Environmental historian Timothy Barnard tells us how some of these migrant animals came to be here, how they’ve been treated, and what makes them Singaporean.Timothy P. Barnard is an associate professor in the Department of History at the National University of Singapore, where he specialises in the environmental and cultural history of island Southeast Asia. He is the author of Imperial Creatures and Nature's Colony, and the editor of Nature Contained and Singaporean Creatures.What Timothy Talked About02:26 – Monkeys in the Botanic Gardens before WWII07:15 – Understanding Singapore’s history through its animals08:41 – What makes a creature Singaporean?10:10 – How the Garden City concept shaped human-animal relationships in Singapore12:34 – Why some recognisable Singaporean animals were left out of the book14:31 – Otters as returning migrants16:33 – Singaporeans’ fondness for the zoo and its creatures20:31 – How Tim came to be interested in environmental history23:37 – Challenges in teaching environmental history 26:01 – The animal he would like to interview  27:13 – The profession he would pick if he weren't a historianTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/what-makes-an-animal-singaporean-timothy-barnard/transcript/Check out the book: Singaporean Creatures: Histories of Humans and Other Animals in the Garden City.Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Tim for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

To write a book about 60 Asian port cities, ex–ACM director Kennie Ting travelled as far as the Middle East and Africa. He tells us how port cities can tell a different history of Asia, and what his "eat, pray, love" cities and his favourite ACM artefacts are.A writer and museum professional fascinated by the history, heritage and culture of Asian port cities, Kennie Ting is the former director of the Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum in Singapore. He has written The Romance of the Grand Tour: 100 Years of Travel in South East Asia (2015) and Singapore 1819: A Living Legacy (2019). His recent book, The Great Port Cities of Asia in History (2024), re-examines Asian history from the perspective of 60 port cities across the region.What Kennie Talked About02:00 – How Kennie found time to write his book The Great Port Cities of Asia in History while heading two museums04:17 – Kennie’s travel experiences 05:37 – How his fascination with port cities began 06:57 – His writing approach and themes of the book 10:09 – How he categorised port cities into six eras in his book 13:18 – The hardest thing about writing this book 14:36 – His favourite artefacts in the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) 16:00 – Wuhan’s significance as a historic port city 18:23 – Kennie’s research process 18:59 – His “eat, pray, love” port cities 22:19 – The port cities Kennie would pick to live in 26:32 – What he misses about ACM 27:14 – What’s next for Kennie TingTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/asian-port-cities-with-ex-acm-director-kennie-ting/transcriptCheck out Kennie's book: The Great Port Cities of Asia in History Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Kennie for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

A journalist turned politician turned diplomat, S. Rajaratnam (1915–2006) wore many hats in the service of Singapore. His contribution to Singapore is so great that to cover his life adequately required 20 years of research and over 1,200 pages of writing. Irene Ng, his authorised biographer, tells us little-known facets of the man, his legacy as Singapore’s founding foreign and culture minister, and his relationship with Lee Kuan Yew.Irene Ng is the authorised biographer of S. Rajaratnam and writer-in-residence at the Institute of ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. She was formerly an award-winning senior political correspondent and a Member of Parliament in Singapore.What Irene Talked About02:29 – Irene’s first meeting with S. Rajaratnam and her impressions of him04:17 – How a journalistic background helped Irene connect with him06:10 – Rajaratnam's personality07:55 – Main themes of the second volume of Rajaratnam biography, The Lion’s Roar10:24 – Why young Singaporeans should read the biography14:49 – How Singapore’s pledge came from Rajaratnam’s ideals19:07 – Rajaratnam's relationship with Lee Kuan Yew24:41 – Rajaratnam’s legacy in shaping Singapore’s foreign policy26:11 – Qualities that made Rajaratnam the ideal founding foreign minister28:04 – Rajaratnam’s impact as the culture minister 30:51 – His forgotten achievements as the labour minister35:10 – What inspired Irene to write Rajaratnam’s biography37:30 – Challenges in writing the second volume of the biography39:40 – Irene’s take on criticisms about the book based on her history as a politician44:58 – What Irene reads for leisure46:06 – Biographies that inspired Irene49:00 – What’s next for Irene 49:38 – Irene’s Singapore dreamTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/s-rajaratnam-singapores-first-foreign-minister/transcript/Read the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-20/issue-3/oct-dec-2024/rajaratnam-biography-lions-roar/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Irene for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Stella Kon is known for creating the beloved Emily of Emerald Hill – possibly the most frequently staged play in Singapore. She is also a novelist and musical theatre writer, and she has adapted her landmark play into a musical after falling in love with the genre. In this episode, Stella talks about the difference between writing plays and musicals, her favourite actor who played Emily, and her writing process.What Stella Talked About02:15 – How Stella felt watching the first version of the play Emily of Emerald Hill come to life04:13 – Why the character of Emily resonated with many and inspired countless adaptations05:25 – Her favourite portrayal of Emily06:10 – How the play evolved from draft to final product 07:07 – About creating Emily the Musical08:26 – How Stella wrote “Love Was All I Wanted” for Emily the Musical09:19 – What draws Stella to the musical genre11:21 – Her musical Lim Boon Keng, which is based on the life of her great-grandfather 13:03 – Her new novel, 4 Pax to Emptiness14:37 – Common themes in her work16:33 – Her writing process, practices and rituals18:45 – Her writing influences20:10 – What’s next for Stella Kon20:49 – Her advice to writers22:17 – Writing is…22:39 – Stella’s proudest momentsTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/stella-kon-beyond-emily-of-emerald-hill/transcript/Read the BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-20/issue-2/jul-sep-2024/emily-of-emerald-hill-stella-kon/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.This episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Doppler Soundlab. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Stella for coming on the show. The song "Love Was All I Wanted" was written by Stella Kon and Desmond Moey.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

MasterChef Singapore judge Damian D’Silva grew up by the sea and spent many happy hours foraging for horseshoe crabs, shellfish and sea snails that would end up in the cooking pot. In this episode, he talks about how his childhood and grandfather influenced his cooking philosophy, when he found his calling in the kitchen (later than you'd expect), and what's left for him after winning the prestigious culinary award La Liste.Chef Damian D’Silva is a judge on MasterChef Singapore and the first Singaporean to be awarded the prestigious culinary prize Artisan & Authenticity Award 2024 from La Liste, a French ranking and restaurants guide. An advocate for local culinary heritage, he helms Rempapa, a multicultural restaurant serving dishes from the ethnicities in Singapore.What Damian Talked About02:15 – Why Damian chose to cook sea snail and papaya curry on From Book to Cook04:26 – Foraging in the sea and on land07:46 – His fascination with Western culture and food as a teenager08:28 – The Malay and Peranakan version of the sea snail and papaya curry dish08:50 – His experience of growing up in a community with different ethnicities10:09 – Foraging for horseshoe crabs and cooking them12:32 – About his grandfather, who had the greatest influence on Damian’s cooking journey14:20 – The difference between a cook and a chief18:01 – When Damian found out that cooking is his calling 20:26 – Why heritage cuisine is important22:45 – How Eurasian cuisine is unique25:23 – What’s next for Damian D’Silva after winning the Artisan & Authenticity Award 2024 from La Liste27:53 – Why he has not written a cookbook29:18 – The hardest thing about being a chef32:28 – The one thing Damian would rather buy than make on his own34:06 – Food is…Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/sea-foraging-eurasian-cuisine/transcriptWatch Damian make sea snail and papaya curry: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/videos/sea-snail-papaya-curry/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore: https://form.gov.sg/616799db4d9b61001398f79bThis episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by One Dash. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Damian for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Growing up as a Chetti Melaka (Peranakan Indian), Tanya realised her family was different when she was seven or eight years old. Her family spoke Malay at home, ate sambal belacan, and had huge parties with a lot of unusual food. In this episode, Tanya talks with pride about the rituals of the ancestor worship known parachu and the cookbook containing traditional recipes of the Chetti Melaka community. A Peranakan Indian, Tanya Pillay-Nair is the coordinator of the cookbook Heritage Food of the Peranakan Indians in a Chitty Melaka Kitchen (Peranakan Indian Association of Singapore, 2023). The book contains close to 100 Peranakan Indian recipes, from everyday dishes to festive fare. What Tanya Talked About01:58 – Who the Chetti Melaka are, and where they are from04:32 – How the Chetti Melaka are different from and similar to other communities05:19 – The importance of food culture especially in ancestor worship known as parachu10:04 – The language spoken by Chetti Melaka10:37 – The musicality of the community and a version of the song Di Tanjong Katong commissioned by the Chetti Melaka (Peranakan Indians) Association (used with permission)12:10 – The local community in Singapore and origins of the Chetti Melaka Association 15:00 – How the book Heritage Food of the Peranakan Indians came about19:59 – Tanya’s background as a Chetti Melaka23:11 – Classic Chetti Melaka dishes24:44 – How the Chetti Melaka otak blangah is different from the usual otak-otak 26:29 – Reception of the book29:06 – A must-try and simple dish in the cookbook29:30 – The importance of preserving heritage food 30:11 – Food is…Transcript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/food-peranakan-indians/transcriptWatch Tanya make otak blangah: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/videos/otak-blangah/Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore: https://form.gov.sg/616799db4d9b61001398f79bThis episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by One Dash. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Tanya for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.

Set up by five Buddhist women in 1946, Loke Woh Yuen was the first Chinese vegetarian restaurant in Singapore. It employed an all-female staff, was known for its popular shark’s fin made from maize, and was sometimes so packed that it had to set up dining tents that stretched to the main road. Its efforts to spread vegetarianism were complemented by other Buddhist women and nuns who wrote cookbooks and fundraised for charity.Kelvin Tan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history from the National University of Singapore. He was a research assistant for the project “Mapping Female Religious Heritage in Singapore: Chinese Temples as Sites of Regional Socio-cultural Linkage” funded by the National Heritage Board.What Kelvin Talked About01:48 – The founders of Chinese vegetarian restaurants in 1940s–50s05:28 – The most popular dishes at the vegetarian restaurant Loke Woh Yuen06:26 – How Fut Sai Kai Vegetarian Restaurant differs from Loke Woh Yuen07:26 – Ko Tian-gu, the founder of Fut Sai Kai08:37 – Cookbooks that helped to spread vegetarianism10:57 – The famous vegetarian soon kueh recipe by Abbess Yang Qincai of the temple Hai Inn See12:24 – Legacy of early Chinese vegetarian restaurants in philanthropy and Buddhist education 13:55 – Resources Kelvin used in his research.16:40 – Why early Chinese vegetarian restaurants have Cantonese heritage 18:58 – The vegetarian dish that Kelvin wants to master nextTranscript and ResourcesRead the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/chinese-vegetarian-foodscape/transcriptWatch Kelvin make soon kueh: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/videos/soon-kueh/ Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore: https://form.gov.sg/616799db4d9b61001398f79bThis episode of BiblioAsia+ was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Gibson Analytics. The background music "Di Tanjong Katong" was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Kelvin for coming on the show.BiblioAsia+ is a podcast about Singapore history by the National Library Singapore.