BiblioAsia Podcast

National Library, Singapore

The BiblioAsia Podcast explores Singapore stories: some unfamiliar, others forgotten, all fascinating. Does Singapore have a stone age? What’s happened to the murals at the old Paya Lebar airport? Who were some local tennis greats? Find out in this original podcast by the National Library Singapore.

  1. FEB 5

    The First Local to Head the National Library: Hedwig Anuar

    Hedwig Anuar was the first Malayan to head the National Library, a position she held for 23 years until 1988. She was also involved in the setting up the Singapore Book Council, National Archives of Singapore and Association of Women for Action and Research. Her daughter, Shirin Aroozoo, tells us about Anuar as a mother and a person, and about how her convictions about books, children's education and women empowerment were shaped by her upbringing and life events. Shirin Aroozoo is the daughter of Hedwig Anuar, who was the director of the National Library from 1965 to 1988. What Shirin Talked About 02:40 – Growing up as the daughter of a public figure03:17 – Early childhood memories of the National Library04:57 – Hedwig Anuar’s family background and upbringing10:33 – Early signs of activism at university13:05 – Painful memories of the war16:09 – Becoming a librarian by chance19:57 – Championing children’s books and education21:12 – A quiet, bookish childhood at home25:25 – Travelling together38:21 – Libraries are… Transcript and Resources Read the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/podcast/the-first-local-to-head-the-national-library-hedwig-anuar/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 Shirin for coming on the show. The BiblioAsia Podcast by the National Library Singapore tells stories about Singapore history.

    40 min

  2. JAN 1

    The Civil Servant in Charge of Clean and Green Singapore, Lee Ek Tieng

    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 About 02:59 – About Lee Ek Tieng07:16 – Lee Ek Tieng’s key achievements12:31 – 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 Nutgraf Transcript and Resources Read 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.

    40 min

  3. 12/04/2025

    The Days before Air Conditioning

    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 About 03:12 – 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 reversed Transcript and Resources Read 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.

    40 min

  4. 11/06/2025

    Searching for Family in the Shadows of War

    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 About 01:31 – 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 Resources Read 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.

    38 min

  5. 10/02/2025

    Negotiating OB Markers When Running the Straits Times

    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 About 00:55 – 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 Resources Read 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.

    40 min

  6. 09/04/2025

    25 Hawkins Road: Home to Vietnamese Refugees

    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 About 01:17 – 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 Resources Read 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.

    26 min

  7. 07/31/2025

    The Making of "Majulah Singapura" as We Know It

    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 About 00:00 – 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 Resources Read 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.

    1h 5m

  8. 07/03/2025

    First Spy Chief of Independent Singapore, Tay Seow Huah

    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 About 00:00 – 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 Enigmas Transcript Read 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.

    49 min
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About

The BiblioAsia Podcast explores Singapore stories: some unfamiliar, others forgotten, all fascinating. Does Singapore have a stone age? What’s happened to the murals at the old Paya Lebar airport? Who were some local tennis greats? Find out in this original podcast by the National Library Singapore.

Information

  • Creator
    National Library, Singapore
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 National Library, Singapore
  • Show Website
    BiblioAsia Podcast