For decades, the conventional wisdom was that Singapore was “kicked out” of Malaysia. However, newly released documents in Dr Goh Keng Swee's Albatross file reveal a more complex history. In this episode, Janadas Devan, the coordinator for the Albatross File project, tells us more about the secret negotiations by Singapore’s leaders to separate from Malaysia, even as many of them still hoped to preserve a looser federation.

Janadas Devan is Senior Advisor (Government Communications) of Ministry of Digital Development and Information and the Prime Minister’s Office, and Director of the Institute of Policy Studies. A former journalist, he was educated at the National University of Singapore and Cornell University in the United States.

What Janadas Talked About

  • 00:00 – Introduction to the Albatross File book and exhibition
  • 04:41 – Why Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963
  • 08:18 – Agreement between Lee Kuan Yew and Tunku to keep out of Malaysian politics
  • 10:25 – UMNO’s performance in Singapore general elections 12:09 – PAP’s participation in Malaysia general elections and politics
  • 15:05 – What Janadas remembers of the rallies in Malaysia
  • 16:42 – Last straw that led to separation
  • 24:46 – Goh Keng Swee’s proposal to separate
  • 25:25 – Why Lee Kuan Yew was disliked by Malaysian politicians
  • 28:54 – Why the British opposed a looser federation
  • 31:02 – Why negotiations on separation were kept secret
  • 31:50 – Opposition within Singapore leadership to the idea of looser federation
  • 34:43 – Why the narrative of Singapore being “kicked out” of Malaysia was dominant
  • 37:52 – What the Albatross file reveals about separation
  • 41:47 – Importance of archives in other countries and Lee Kuan Yew’s memoirs
  • 43:00 – Whether a looser federation would have worked
  • 44:13 – Whether Goh Keng Swee had a vision for independent Singapore
  • 47:07 – How the book and exhibition came about
  • 52:25 – Which document in the Albatross file surprised Janadas
  • 57:03 – How to begin reading the book
  • 57:45 – Possible second edition
  • 1:00:47 – The books Janadas is working on


Transcript and Resources

  • Read the transcript: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/all-sections/podcast-the-untold-negotiations-behind-singapore-s-independence-in-1965/
  • Read the related BiblioAsia article: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/all-sections/vol-22-issue-1-apr-jun-2026-the-architect-of-separation/


Subscribe to BiblioAsia for more stories about Singapore.

This episode of BiblioAsia Podcast was hosted by Jimmy Yap and produced by Soh Gek Han. Sound engineering was done by Red Ink Media. The background music “Di Tanjong Katong” was composed by Ahmad Patek and performed by Chords Haven. Special thanks to Janadas for coming on the show.

Produced by the National Library Singapore, the BiblioAsia Podcast tells stories about Singapore history.

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