Enigmas: Past and Present
Simon Tay
In
ENIGMAS: Tay Seow Huah, My Father, Singapore’s Pioneer Spy Chief, Simon Tay – law professor, writer, and former Nominated Member of Parliament – reflects on his father’s hidden role in shaping Singapore’s early security landscape. Through this personal memoir, Tay explores themes of service, sacrifice, and identity, offering insight into key moments like the 1974 Laju Incident and the building of national institutions. As Singapore marks 60 years of independence, he also considers how those early foundations continue to shape Singapore's relationships with its neighbours in a region marked by shifting alliances, strategic tensions, and deeply intertwined histories.
About the speaker
Simon Tay is a writer and public intellectual, serving as Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and non-resident Ambassador. His writing spans fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
City of Small Blessings won the 2010 Singapore Literature Prize and
Stand Alone was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. He is also the author of
Asia Alone: The Dangerous Post–Crisis Divide from America and
Island in the World: Singapore's Geopolitical DNA. In 2019, he received the S.E.A. Write Award.
This lecture is free. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Image: Cover of Enigmas: Tay Seow Huah, My Father, Singapore’s Pioneer Spy Chief (detail). Landmark Books, 2024.
Organised by the Friends of the Museums (FOM) with support from ACM
