Book reading: 5pm, Oct 6th, Fost Gallery, Gillman Barracks
Dear friends, for those who missed the launch of my book, Floating on a Malayan Breeze, I would like to invite you to a book reading on Saturday, Oct 6th. The venue is wonderful: Fost Gallery, in the revamped Gillman Barracks area, displays pieces from local artists–very “Malayan”. Moreover, there will be fabulous free drinks!: Su Lynn, a mixologist from Big Easy Lifestyle, will be mixing … Continue reading Book reading: 5pm, Oct 6th, Fost Gallery, Gillman Barracks
My first ever book launch: The Ups and Downs
Dear friends, thanks for all the support and encouragement. It’s still a bit surreal holding my very first book in my hands. In some ways, it seems like just yesterday that Sumana Rajarethnam, my best friend, and I were telling people that we wanted to cycle around Malaysia on RM10/day, and most responded that we’re nuts. But the anguish and self-doubt we went through then … Continue reading My first ever book launch: The Ups and Downs
The politics of personalities: Book reviewers and panellists
Dear friends, some of you have asked me how and why I asked George Yeo to write a review for the book, SR Nathan to be the guest-of-honour at the launch, Donald Low and Manu Bhaskaran to join me on a panel, etc. There was actually a lot of thought put into all this by the publishers–the Hong Kong University (HKU) Press and the National … Continue reading The politics of personalities: Book reviewers and panellists
Interview on Channel News Asia: Floating on a Malayan Breeze
Dear friends, CNA interviewed me yesterday about the book. We mostly discussed aspects of the bike journey itself. If you want to watch it, click here. Continue reading Interview on Channel News Asia: Floating on a Malayan Breeze
The problem with the national conversation: information asymmetries
Dear friends, as long as there are significant information asymmetries in the government-citizen relationship, Singapore will never be able to have a completely fair and open national conversation. What information asymmetries exist? Simply, the government has all the data and information, and we, the people, are given only selective access to it. Whenever people talk about the “lack of information” or the need for a … Continue reading The problem with the national conversation: information asymmetries
Floating on a Malayan Breeze–Book Launch: Sep 26th, Esplanade
Dear friends, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to the launch of my first book, Floating on a Malayan Breeze: Travels in Malaysia and Singapore. Please click here to read more about the book. Time: 8-930pm, September 26th Venue: Recital studio, Esplanade, Singapore Space is limited. If you want to come, do RSVP to Riya at orders.nuspress@nus.edu.sg SR Nathan, Singapore’s former president, will … Continue reading Floating on a Malayan Breeze–Book Launch: Sep 26th, Esplanade
National identity vs Global City identity: Diner en Blanc
Thanks very much for all the comments and feedback you all have sent over the past week. As the very notion of identity–let alone Singaporean identity–is so nebulous, my thoughts are still forming as to what exactly a global city identity in Singapore will look like. It is easier, I suppose, to depict this tension with real-world examples, and what better than the recent Diner … Continue reading National identity vs Global City identity: Diner en Blanc
The End of Identity?
Dear friends, what does it mean to be Singaporean? Can we even build a national identity when less than half of our total population was born here? I published an essay on IPS Commons today examining these issues. Please click here to read it. A shorter version is available on Yahoo! Please click here if you have less time 🙂 Would love to hear your … Continue reading The End of Identity?
Book interview: The Kent Ridge Common
Dear friends, a student reporter from The Kent Ridge Common, an independent online publication run by NUS students and alumni, came to interview me the other day. In his words, we “chatted for a little over an hour about everything under the sun, from education to economics, from interests to career.” Please click here to read the interview. Continue reading Book interview: The Kent Ridge Common
What percentage of Singapore’s total population was born in Singapore?
For a piece on identity that I will be publishing on IPS Commons–with the excerpted version on Yahoo!–I needed to figure out the % of Singapore’s total population that was born in Singapore. I am interested in this number only as a discussion point for identity, nothing else. (Please read the article to see my argument.) Singapore’s National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) was unable … Continue reading What percentage of Singapore’s total population was born in Singapore?