This week on the Singapore Home Brew segment, “Saturday Mornings Show” host Glenn van Zutphen and co-host Neil Humphreys welcome historian Jeya Ayadurai from Singapore History Consultants to reflect on the Japanese surrender of Singapore on 12 September 1945—and why its legacy still matters in 2025. Ahead of the upcoming commemoration at Kranji War Memorial, we revisit the ceremony that ended the Japanese Occupation and marked a turning point in Southeast Asia’s post-war awakening.
Jeya unpacks how Singapore’s national identity evolved after independence in 1965—from economic priorities and military reform to how we commemorate conflict and teach history. He also explores the overlooked lessons of Konfrontasi, and how narratives of resilience and self-reliance have shaped our ceremonies and civic education.