HI Question: What should be remembered in Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s?
The following are resources pertaining to Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s:
Online resources
Resource
National Archives of Singapore
Oral History Interview
(http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/search)
National Archives of Singapore
Articles by Archivists
(http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/article)
Description
This is the search page for the collection at the
National Archives of Singapore. There are
databases for oral history interviews,
photographs, audiovisual and sound recordings
among others.
This is a list of articles written by the NAS
archivists.
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Tips
Try searching using keywords pertaining
to the event, place or people from
Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s.
For example, under speeches and press
releases for a search on "Jurong Bird
Park", you will be able to find a speech by
Dr Goh Keng Swee at the opening of the
Jurong Bird Park on 3 Jan 1971.
Articles include information on the
National Anthem, traditional kelong in
Singapore and famous personalities such
as David Marshall, Dr Goh Keng Swee
and Lim Kim San among others.
For example, there is an article "10 Men,
10 Years: A Decade of Nation-Building"
that covers the contributions of
Singapore's First Cabinet ministers and
Singapore's first decade of nation
building.
National Library Board Libguide
Singapore - A Nation in the World
(http://www.nlb.gov.sg/sure/wp-
content/uploads/2014/09/Singapore-A-Nation-in-
the-World.pdf)
National Library Board Resources on Singapore
Singapore e-Encyclopedia
(http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/)
National Library Board Resources on Singapore
HistorySG (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history)
The guide contains a list of books pertaining to Click on the tab on 'Merger, Separation
Singapore. and Independence' as well as 'Beyond
Independence'.
Call number of the books are provided.
The website contains articles pertaining to Try searching using keywords pertaining
significant events, people, places and themes in to the event, place or people from
Singapore's history. Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s.
Links to relevant books and newspaper articles For example, using the keywords
are also provided. "National Service" generates the result
"National Service: Early Years", among
other results.
The website contains information on key events Click on 'Political Change, 1946-1964'
that took place in Singapore. Images and audio- and 'Nation and Global City, 1965-
visual clips are also included for the articles. Present'.
Links to relevant books and newspaper articles For 'Political Change, 1946-1964', scroll
are also provided. to events from the years 1960.
Articles on the winning of Singapore's
first Olympic medal, Singapore's first
Grand Prix, and the Bukit Ho Swee fire
among others, can be found.
For 'Nation and Global City, 1965-
Present', browse through the different
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National Library Board Resources on Singapore
Biblioasia
(http://www.nlb.gov.sg/Browse/BiblioAsia.aspx)
Friends of the Museum Resources
Passage
(http://www.fom.sg/about_archive.html)
Singapore Memory Project (SMP) Resources
Singapore Memory Project
(http://www.singaporememory.sg/)
I Remember Singapore Resources
iremembersg
BiblioAsia is a quarterly publication produced
by the National Library Board. It features
articles on the history, culture and heritage of
Singapore within the larger Asian context, and
has a strong focus on the collections and
services of the National Library.
Passage is a bi-monthly magazine published by
the Friends of the Museums (FOM) and features
articles relating to Singapore's museums,
permanent collections, special exhibitions and
local history.
Website that houses the stories images of
Singapore in the past that are contributed by the articles. Click on 'spotlight' for some of
general public.
Website that contains links to news, research
and opinion on memory, nostalgia and
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pages.
Articles on the formation of the Citizens'
Consultative Committees, MacDonald
House bombing, and Singapore's first
National Day among others, can be
found.
Browse through the collection to source
for useful articles.
For example, the recent publication
'BiblioAsia Jul-Sep 2014: The Making of
Singapore's Identity' features articles on
Singapore's National Day, Chinese clan
associations in the past and today, and the
role of women in Singapore's history
among others.
Browse through the collection for relevant
articles.
There are a number of articles pertaining
to Singapore's heritage e.g. on hawker
centres, street life among others.
Browse through the collection for relevant
the popular themes.
Browse through the collection for relevant
articles. Try searching using keywords
(http://www.iremember.sg/)
SGCool: Singapore Collections Online
SGCool
(http://www.sgcool.sg/eMP/eMuseumPlus)
Source.Understand.Research.Evaluate
S.U.R.E.
(http://www.nlb.gov.sg/sure/)
heritage in Singapore
Website that houses an online repository of
artefacts and artworks in Singapore, providing
virtual access to digitised artefacts and artworks searching using keywords pertaining to
from the National Heritage Board's collection.
By clicking on the "Teachers" tab at the top left
portion of the webpage, and selecting the
"Libguides" tab, you will access a website that
contains a sampling of "Libguides" or
bibliographies and resource guides compiled by
the National Library Board's Librarians to help
students in their research on various topics. A
link to the National Library's full range of
resource guides is also provided here.
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pertaining to the event, place or people
from Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s,
for example, "HDB", "kampong".
Browse the collection for cultural
treasures and historical artefacts. Try
the event, place or people from Singapore
in the 1960s and 1970s, for example,
"Jurong Industrial", "kampong".
Click on the link to the PDF libguide
"Books about Singapore". This edition of
the resource guide "Books about
Singapore" lists English books on
Singapore held by the National Library
Board, Singapore.
Click on the link to the PDF libguide
"Houses in Singapore". This libguide is
recommended for people who are
interested in information relating to
houses in Singapore - past and present.
Book resources

Resource Description Call No/ Tips

Title This is a biographical account Call Number:
Goh Keng Swee: A Portrait of Dr Goh Keng Swee, one of
the founding leaders of Tips:
Author Singapore after its This book is especially useful when distilling Dr Goh’s thinking and
Tan Siok Sun independence that is written by reasoning for establishing key places, for example, Jurong Bird Park in 1971
his daughter-in-law. This book, (pp. 174-6), or for key milestones in Singapore’s cultural history, for
Publisher & Date of using official documents, example, the founding of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 1979 (pp.
Publication personal correspondence by Dr 178-182).
Editions Didier Millet, 2007 Goh, and interviews with
family members, friends and
colleagues, traces the evolution
of Dr Goh’s thought as he
moved on in life: a top student
in school, a civil servant under
colonial rule, and finally one of
the key architects of post-
independent Singapore.

Resources used during the HI Workshop 2015

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Opening of the Jurong Bird Park

Picture showing Minister of Defence Dr Goh Keng Swee opening Jurong Bird Park on 3 January 1971:
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/d872b397-1161-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

Reference material on Jurong Bird Park found in the National Library Board website:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_444_2004-12-16.html

Tan Siok Sun, Goh Keng Swee: A Portrait. Editions Didier Millet, 2007, Page 174.

Speech by Minister of Defence, Dr Goh Keng Swee on the opening day of Jurong Bird Park, 3 January 1971:
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/speeches/record-details/7b98e58a-115d-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

Picture showing South Australia Premier presenting 3 pairs of birds to the Jurong Bird Park as a gift to the people of Singapore from the people
of South Australia, 16 July 1971:
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/a258888d-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

Picture showing Queen Elizabeth II visiting Jurong Bird Park in 1972:

http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/d7df550d-6baa-11e4-859c-0050568939ad

Picture showing visitors queuing to enter Jurong Bird Park in the 1970s:
https://wrscomsg.wordpress.com/tag/discounts/

1966 National Day Celebrations

Newspaper article ‘”All men are brothers”, says the Premier’ in The Straits Times, 10 August 1966, Page 8:
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http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes196608101.2.41.aspx?q=%e2%80%98All+men+are+brothers%e2%80%99
%2c+says+the+Premier&page=1&sort=relevance&token=premier%2cthe%2csays%2cbrothers%2care%2cmen%2call&sessionid=4ce0663a0d5
04b28a794c799b886fe83

Newspaper article ‘500,000 at schools to launch N-Day joy’ in The Straits Times, 8 August 1966, Page 4:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19660808-1.2.23.aspx?q=500%2c000+at+schools+to+launch+N-
Day+joy&page=1&sort=relevance&token=joy%2cnday%2claunch%2cto%2cschools%2cat%2c500000&sessionid=9a0ba69a6eb448c5897562b
d919e04f0

A picture of the march past in 1966:

http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/10-things-about-spores-first-national-day-parade-1966

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr David Joseph. (Accession number: 002309,
Project Title: Sports Personalities of Singapore 新加坡体坛人物, Reel Number: 15 of 24, Pages 1-15):
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=0a29c643-1160-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad-OHC002309_014

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Ms Christabelle Alvis. (Accession number: 002828,
Project Title: Special Project 特别计划, Reel Number: 51 of 80, Pages 1-16):
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=355433f6-115f-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad-OHC002828_051

Transcript of speech made by the Prime Minister at the Bras Basah Road Community Centre on 11th August, 1966, to celebrate the first
anniversary of National Day: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/lky19660811.pdf

A picture of former President Yusof Ishak (centre) standing at the saluting dais to observe Singapore's first National Day Parade:
http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/10-things-about-spores-first-national-day-parade-1966#sthash.70NDZMYW.dpuf

A picture of Singapore's marching ministers Mr Jek Yeun Thong , Minister for Labour, and Mr Othman Wok, Minister for Culture and Social
Affairs: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/10-things-about-spores-first-national-day-parade-1966

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Bukit Ho Swee Fire

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr Lim Kim San. (Accession number: 000526, Project Title: Economic Development of
Singapore, 新加坡经济发展史, Reel Number: 11 of 21, Pages 5-6):

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http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=c8def856-1160-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad-OHC000526_011

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr Alan Choe. (Accession number: 0001891/18,
Project Title: The Public Service – A Retrospection 新加坡公共服务史, Reel Number: 8 of 18, Pages 3-4):
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=4f62309a-115e-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad-OHC001891_008

Singapore The First Ten Years of Independence 1965 to 1975. National Library Board and National Archives of Singapore, Pages 198-199.

Speech by Dr Yeo Ning Hong, Minister for Defence and MP for Kampong Glam GRC Kim Seng Ward:
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/ynh19930914s.pdf

Newspaper article entitled ‘Ruins of Bukit Ho Swee Provided a new Challenge’ in Singapore Monitor, 8 August 1984, Page 16:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singmonitor19840808-1.2.26.aspx

Newspaper article entitled ‘Cashing in on Big Fire’ in The Straits Times, 18 June 1961, Page 9:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19610618-1.2.52.aspx

Picture of Madam Seah Guay Nee during ‘Operation Shift’: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/61788f9c-1162-

11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

Picture of the Bukit Ho Swee crowds surrounding PM Lee Kuan Yew waiting to pose queries after presentation of the government’s
rehabilitation programme for Bukit Ho Swee fire victims: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/b962200b-1161-
11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

Introduction of National Service in 1967

A video from The National Heritage. "A Nation Remembers" Published on Sep 9, 2013: 6.45 - 8:10mins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltGbLvZOU_c

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Newspaper article entitled ‘People's vote endorses N-service policy: Chua’ in The Straits Times, 20 January 1977, Page 6:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19770120-1.2.19.aspx?q=People%27s+vote+endorses+N-
service+policy&page=1&sort=relevance&token=policy%2cn-
service%2cendorses%2cvote%2cpeople&sessionid=c8acf442000443d8a4abc072c0b84900

Newspaper article entitled ‘I’d rather do NS today’ in The Straits Times, 9 April 2012.

A video from irememberSG ‘The Greatest Gift of a Generation: A Soldier's Tale’, published on Jan 3, 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0_YVqqOyqo&list=PLaWg8vxH1vbSRY0jeXXp9vHTgYJoQb49a&index=23

Newspaper article entitled ‘Public opinion and the Singapore Armed Forces’ in New Nation, 27 March 1972, Page 10:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newnation19720327-
1.2.63.aspx?q=Public+opinion+and+the+Singapore+Armed+Forces&page=1&sort=relevance&token=forces%2carmed%2csingapore%2cthe%2
cand%2copinion%2cpublic&sessionid=c2605d6162a54224983e495b51717563

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr Cedric Buher Kleinman. (Accession number: 002943, Project Title: The Public
Service –A Retrospection, Reel Number: 5 of 8, Page 6):
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=9705373e-1160-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad-OHC002943_005

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr Robert Lau Kuo Kwong. (Accession number: 002275, Project Title: The Public
Service –A Retrospection, Reel Number: 15 of 25, Page 6):
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=995ee6c0-115e-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad-OHC002275_015

Expansion of Paya Lebar Airport in the 1970s

A postcard of the Paya Lebar airport from the National Museum of Singapore Collection: www.sgcool.sg

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A picture of a family outing at Paya Lebar International Airport in 1974 on the Singapore Memory Project website:
www.singaporememoryproject.sg

Newspaper article entitled ‘Britain gives $10,000,000’ in The Straits Times, 17 March 1953, Page 4:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19530317-
1.2.73.aspx?q=Britain+Gives+%2410%2c000%2c000&page=1&sort=relevance&token=10000000%2cgives%2cbritain&sessionid=72f6ddeaf10
34f0b996c5e5ffae60f45

Newspaper article entitled ‘Goodbye Paya Lebar, here we come Changi’ in The Straits Times, 1 July 1981, Page 12:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19810701-
1.2.45.aspx?q=Goodbye+Paya+Lebar%2c+here+we+come+Changi&page=1&sort=relevance&token=changi%2ccome%2cwe%2chere%2clebar
%2cpaya%2cgoodbye&sessionid=ccf402ecc61c4f5aa1880151ac3d7f62

Newspaper article entitled ‘Opening of new International Passenger Terminal Building’ in The Straits Times, 2 May 1964.

A website snippet of a movie, Saint Jack, showcasing the Paya Lebar International Airport in 1978:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=124&v=tJ2wx38piIw

Reference material from the National Library Board website on Paya Lebar International Airport:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_130_2005-01-22.html

A commentary piece on Paya Lebar Airport by an international cultural and design magazine, Wallpaper, 6 May 2009:
http://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/paya-lebar-airport-singapore

British Withdrawal from Singapore

National Archives of Singapore, Transcript of a press interview given by Dr. Goh Keng Swee, Minister for Finance, on his return from London

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after the talks with the British government on the proposed accelerated British withdrawal at the Singapore airport on 18 January 1968:
http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/speeches/record-details/79bb0130-115d-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr Chia Cheong Fook. (Accession number: 003028/13, Project Title: The Public
Service –A Retrospection, Reel Number: 7 of 13, Pages 1-2): http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=ea37220b-1160-11e3-83d5-
0050568939ad-OHC003028_007

National Archives of Singapore. An oral interview with Mr Maurice Baker. (Accession number: 000554, Project Title: Political History in
Singapore 1965-1985, Reel Number: 2 of 4, Page 8): http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/viewer?uuid=315d2ab2-115e-11e3-83d5-
0050568939ad-OHC000554_002

Newspaper article entitled ‘Unemployed’ in The Straits Times, 7 January 1972, Page 10:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19720107-1.2.78.2.aspx

Reference material from the National Library Board website on British withdrawal from Singapore:
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1001_2009-02-10.html

Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, London, January 1968. Extracted from A Diary of a Nation, Episode
31, British Withdrawal (SBC, 1988): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4pI4bXygfU

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