Enigmas

Enigmas is a memoir of Tay Seow Huah, written by his son, revealing the personal roots of Singapore's pioneer spy chief set in the traumas of WWII, the Emergency in Malaya, and Singapore's pre-independence political tumult.1965. Singapore is newly independent. Tay Seow Huah isappointed Director of the secretiveSpecial Branch. Over the tumultuous first decade, he is key in ensuring the country'sstability, shaping strategies and initiating new institutions for intelligence and security. He reports directlyto PM Lee. In 1974, when Singaporeis attacked in the Laju Incident - the oil refinery on Pulau Bukom is bombed and civiliansheld hostage at gun point - and Tay is tasked to coordinateall responses, negotiate with the attackers and foreign governments.Encounters with the Israelis (codenamed "Mexicans") whoassisted in Singapore's militarybuild up are revealed, as are flash points across the region, when theRepublic's fledgling intelligence agency must rapidlyrespond to the Vietnam War and tensionswith neighbours and developits place in the world.This book also tracks Tay'sown challenges: earlyretirement and his sudden deathat 47. It then offers a daring, speculative and emotional conversation that juxtaposes those earlyyears of Singapore with so much that has happened since.