The Truth About President Yusof Ishak's First Assistant (& Other Stories) | On The Red Dot

In this episode, personal objects reveal hidden turning points in Singapore’s story. A letter from Dr Goh Keng Swee commissions Bernard Tan to form the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, marking the birth of a national institution. A 1996 phone card bearing the image of Govindasamy Chettiar recalls a pioneer now largely forgotten — a man who, in the 1930s and 40s, helped bring manual labourers from India to Singapore to build the nation’s early infrastructure and lay the foundations of its communities. A rare photograph uncovers the forgotten story of Eng Jee Chuang, who became the accidental Aide-de-Camp to former President Yusof Ishak — a role he never sought, but one that placed him at the heart of history. And Tan Teng Teng’s “Singapore Girl” perfume, manufactured locally, captures how homegrown enterprise bottled the allure of a national icon. These objects show us that history often hides in plain sight — in the possessions we keep, the roles we stumble into, and the enterprises we dare to build — each leaving its mark on Singapore’s unfolding journey. On The Red Dot playlist:    • On The Red Dot | Full Episodes   00:00 Introduction 01:08 President Yusof Ishak's Aide-de-camp? 05:15 Singapore Girl perfume and the story behind it 07:25 What Singapore Girl perfume smells like 09:07 How Singapore Symphony Orchestra was founded 12:23 Members of the public share stories of the past with Gurmit 13:54 A mysterious pioneer who helped build Singapore 17:31 The truth behind Tobie's grandfather 21:42 In the next episode... ========== About On The Red Dot: CNA's weekly programme documents the stories of ordinary Singaporeans and celebrates their resilience, identity and sense of belonging. =========== #CNAInsider #OnTheRedDot #Singapore #SingaporeHistory #Perfume #Orchestra For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER! https://cna.asia/insideryoutubesub Follow CNA INSIDER on: Telegram: https://t.me/CNAInsiderSG Instagram:   / cnainsider   Facebook:   / cnainsider   Website: https://cna.asia/cnainsider