{"product_id":"the-albatross-file-inside-separation","title":"The Albatross File: Inside Separation","description":"\u003cul class=\"tabs\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"active\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbout the Editor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tabs-content\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"active\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatured in \u003cem\u003eThe Straits Times\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/community\/exhibition-featuring-declassified-documents-on-spores-independence-to-open-to-public-on-dec-8\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[24 Oct 2025]\u003c\/strong\u003e Secret notes, declassified documents: Exhibition on S’pore’s independence opens to public on Dec 8\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/nearest-to-nervous-breakdown-kwa-geok-choo-on-lee-kuan-yews-agony-after-malaysia-separation\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[28 Nov 2025]\u003c\/strong\u003e ‘Nearest to a nervous breakdown’: Kwa Geok Choo on Lee Kuan Yew’s anguish after Malaysia separation\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/singapores-independence-was-not-inevitable-key-leaders-on-both-sides-pushed-for-separation-sm-lee\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[07 Dec 2025, 1 PM]\u003c\/strong\u003e Singapore’s independence was not inevitable; key leaders on both sides pushed for Separation: SM Lee\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/new-book-sheds-light-on-spores-secret-negotiations-for-independence\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[07 Dec 2025, 1:30 PM]\u003c\/strong\u003e New book sheds light on Singapore’s secret negotiations for independence\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/25-days-to-a-bloodless-coup-the-most-complete-account-yet-of-spores-independence-in-the-albatross\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[08 Dec 2025, 5 AM]\u003c\/strong\u003e 25 days to a ‘bloodless coup’: The most complete account yet of S’pore’s independence in The Albatross File\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/opinion\/why-the-singapore-government-decided-to-declassify-the-albatross-file\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[08 Dec 2025, 2 PM]\u003c\/strong\u003e Separation shows Singapore was and still is a miracle\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/singapores-survival-success-never-guaranteed-but-hard-won-pm-wong-on-albatross-file-exhibition\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[10 Dec 2025]\u003c\/strong\u003e Singapore’s survival, success never guaranteed but hard-won: PM Wong on Albatross File exhibition\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometime in 1964, Dr Goh Keng Swee created a file code-named “Albatross” on Singapore’s increasingly fraught relations with Kuala Lumpur.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn that file, he collected Cabinet papers as well as his own handwritten notes of his conversations with Malaysian leaders, leading to Singapore’s separation from the federation. Almost all the material in the Albatross file is being published here for the first time, together with the oral history recollections of Singapore’s founding leaders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSingaporeans can read the thoughts, fears and hopes of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his comrades as they led the island-city to unexpected independence on 9 August 1965. Refusing to be intimidated and heedless of the personal risks they faced, they insisted on either a Malaysian Malaysia or negotiated constitutional rearrangements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs unexpected as it was — and for many of Singapore’s leaders then, an outcome they did not wish — Separation turned out to be “the best thing that ever happened to Singapore”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard Edition: Paperback with flaps\u003cbr\u003eCollector’s Edition: Paperback with folder\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSusan Sim\u003c\/strong\u003e has been a police officer, an intelligence analyst, a foreign correspondent, a diplomat and a counter-terrorism consultant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer biography of independent Singapore’s first Minister for Law, \u003cem\u003eEW Barker: The People’s Minister\u003c\/em\u003e (Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2016), won the Best Non-Fiction Title at the 2017 Singapore Book Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe also wrote two books on the National Crime Prevention Council while serving as a board member, and worked on the Singapore Police Force’s tribute to its pioneers, \u003cem\u003eSetia dan Bakti: 50 Stories of Loyalty and Service\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe still writes the occasional commentary on terrorism in Southeast Asia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Straits Times Press","offers":[{"title":"Standard Edition","offer_id":52243299893545,"sku":"9789815081312","price":49.9,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Collector’s Edition","offer_id":52243299926313,"sku":"9789815081305","price":73.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/0041\/files\/Albatrosscover_2048x2048_3eeb6eeb-f92e-4e5d-bdfd-9c92afe1b4dc.webp?v=1765188601","url":"https:\/\/epigrambookshop.xyz\/products\/the-albatross-file-inside-separation","provider":"Epigram","version":"1.0","type":"link"}