SINGAPORE \u2013 During the 1964 race riots, the Chinese families in Ms Suzie Quek\u2019s kampung agreed that they would beat their pots and pans at the first sign of an approaching mob, so that they could quickly band together for safety. <\/p>\n
On Dec 8, 2025, as she watched a dramatised retelling of the those turbulent months before the Separation, memories of the fear caused by that metallic din came rushing back to the retired pharmacist.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was terrified whenever I heard the noise. Although I did not know what was happening, I knew that trouble was brewing,\u201d said Ms Quek, now 67.<\/p>\n
The 22-minute film is one of four sections of The Albatross File: Singapore\u2019s Independence Declassified, a new permanent exhibition at the National Library that opened to the public on Dec 8.<\/p>\n
The free exhibition is based on <\/p>\n a collection of previously classified Cabinet papers and documents kept by then Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee<\/p>\n <\/a> from 1964, including handwritten notes about his negotiations with federal leaders to take Singapore out of Malaysia.<\/p>\n When The Straits Times visited the exhibition in the morning, it was well-attended, with about 150 visitors across the four sections within the first hour. As noon approached, queues began to form outside the exhibition as visitors waited for their allotted time slot. <\/p>\n An NLB spokesperson said that as\u00a0at 2pm,\u00a01,500 people\u00a0had\u00a0registered to attend the exhibition on opening day, and\u00a0nearly 16,000 tickets have been booked.\u00a0<\/p>\n The film was a particularly popular section for the visitors, with many waiting patiently outside the screening room for their turn.<\/p>\n Older Singaporeans at the exhibition said the 1964 riots were something they vividly remembered, and the exhibition showed they indelibly shaped the thinking of Singapore\u2019s founding leaders as well.<\/p>\n Mr Alan Soon, 74, said he remembered people being very anxious about the riots, and \u201cthe feeling then was that it was created by people from outside (of Singapore), not internally\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Malays in my auntie\u2019s kampung told her not to worry \u2013 if anything happened, they told her they would protect her,\u201d said the retired human resources executive.<\/p>\n Mr Soon was rather surprised to learn how important it was to keep the negotiations a secret from the British, as they might have intervened if they had caught wind of it.<\/p>\n Mr Bala Subramaniam, 69, said the exhibition was interesting as it presented the full sequence of events that led up to Singapore\u2019s independence, and reinforced for him that separation was ultimately a good outcome for the country.<\/p>\n The city-state\u2019s decision to go its own way put his parents at their own crossroads: The family was living in Malaysia, but had permanent residency in Singapore.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter Separation, my dad had to leave his job in Malaysia because they told him that the job had to be handed over to a Malaysian,\u201d said the retired civil servant.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he was an immigrant from India, he wanted to go back to India. However, my mother was very firm that we should stay in Singapore and have us continue our education here.\u201d<\/p>\n Visitors at The Albatross File: Singapore\u2019s Independence Declassified exhibition at the National Library Building on Dec 8.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Others, like Mr Linus Poon, 54, were impressed by the technology used at the exhibition. <\/p>\n \u201cThe touchscreen transparent panels displayed information clearly. The atmosphere and the whole decor were also really well put together,\u201d the investor said.<\/p>\n For Bosco Tan, 11, a chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI) was the highlight. The bot draws from the book <\/p>\n The Albatross File: Inside Separation<\/p>\n <\/a> launched on Dec 7, as well as other resources from the National Library Board\u2019s collections.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought the exhibition was quite nice, especially the room where I could ask an AI chatbot questions and learn more about the Separation,\u201d said the boy, who was at the exhibition with his father.<\/p>\n The Primary 5 pupil asked the chatbot some questions he had from watching the film, such as why the Malaysian leaders considered arresting Mr Lee Kuan Yew.<\/p>\n Abner Then, 22, however, was sceptical about the use of generative AI for the exhibition.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough the use of a large language model is innovative, I worry that the chatbot might not be accurate or that it might be biased,\u201d the final-year data science and analytics undergraduate at NUS said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The NLB spokesperson told ST that there is little risk of the chatbot providing erroneous responses, as it is trained with a controlled data set comprising authoritative sources, including the Albatross File book, and a curated list of materials from NLB collections. <\/p>\n The exhibition was also a draw for non-Singaporeans, such as Mr John Lukes, 83.<\/p>\n The American, who has been a permanent resident here for 26 years, said he was keen to learn more about the Republic\u2019s history. <\/p>\n The retired regional sales manager said the most surprising thing for him was the clash of ideologies between a Malay Malaysia championed by the federal government, and a Malaysian Malaysia that Mr Lee and the Malaysian Solidarity Convention had fought for.<\/p>\n \u201cI was also amazed at the secrecy and the back and forth that went on in the Separation discussions,\u201d he said, adding that he looked forward to visiting again when it was less crowded.<\/p>\n The Albatross File: Singapore\u2019s Independence Declassified is a new permanent exhibition at the National Library that opened to the public on Dec 8.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Mr Jayden Tan, 23, a Malaysian studying at NUS, said that the exhibition challenged his understanding of historical relations between the two nations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe learnt about Singapore\u2019s separation from Malaysia very briefly in our school. It was something that the syllabus glossed over,\u201d the final-year data science and analytics undergraduate said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI always thought that it was a unilateral decision forced onto Singapore. Malaysia wanted to kick Singapore out because Lee Kuan Yew urged for a Malaysian Malaysia,\u201d he said, adding that he would recommend that his friends and families in Malaysia visit the exhibition.<\/p>\n While admission is free, access is ticketed. The exhibition is recommended for those aged 10 and above, and the experience takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes.<\/p>\n Those interested can book their tickets at <\/p>\n <\/p>\n https:\/\/thealbatrossfile.nlb.gov.sg<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>
<\/picture><\/div>