Reflections on the commemorative exhibition “Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942” at the National Museum of Singapore — In 1942, a day after the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese, a procession of Japanese Army tanks paraded past City Hall. This parade marked several years of suffering and pain under occupation. Almost three decades later, the first tanks of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) paraded past the same…

As it was reported in the news in 1915 — On 20 October 1915, The Straits Times reported on the wedding of my great-grandfather, Seah Eng Kwang (b. unknown; d. 1952). This is an artist’s impression of how the former Crazy Rich Asian gentleman looked like, based on a surviving photograph.

I’ve been asked on this several times, so here are some thoughts — Writing tactfully, with sensitivity, is a matter of effort and care. I believe that when an email (or blog post or text for that matter) has been well-crafted or thought through, it can positively influence how others perceive your message — as respectful, inclusive, or persuasive. I try my best…

A display of hardware and “heartware” — In May 2022, I visited the Army Open House (#AOH22) with my family. The last time I visited the Army Open House was in 2017, so I was excited to take in the sights and sounds. There was also an NS55 Showcase (an exhibition) marking 55 years of National Service…

Sharing e-resources I’ve found useful and relevant — I am often asked to share about my experiences in writing family history. Sometimes, people searching for their roots ask about research resources. And recently, the National Library Board (NLB) asked if I could share about resources from the library and archives that I found useful.

A scenic view from a walk — I took a walk one morning, from the Esplanade to One Marina Boulevard. And this was my view of Singapore along that route.

More reflections and reminders from recent developments in Europe for small countries like Singapore — Like many people around the world, I have been reading about the shooting, bombing, and shelling in Ukraine. The violence is shocking, with innocent lives being snuffed out needlessly. Perhaps driven by fear or ‘pragmatism’, some people on the Internet — netizens, as we call them — are starting to…

Worth it if you want to meet the “animal stars” — I loved my recent visit to River Wonders. There were many attractions, like otters, sea cows, and piranhas, but to me there were really two major highlights, personally. The first was the Giant Panda Forest to see the giant panda Kai Kai and the giant panda cub Le Le (although…