Merdeka Generation Groovers and Other Stories

A heart-warming collection of stories featuring Merdeka Generation Seniors who had lived through the challenging development of pre-independent Singapore to its present day; and yet are now facing new challenges.

This collection of short stories celebrates the Merdeka Generation. These are the baby boomers born a little after the Second World War, following the heels of the Pioneer Generation. These Seniors experienced the development and growth of modern Singapore. They were the people who lived through four National Anthems—God Save the King, God Save the Queen, Negara-Ku, and Majulah Singapura. The majority of them had helped build this nation.

During the colonial period and pre-independent days, many Singaporeans were poor and were living in adverse conditions, without running water, electricity, and amenities. Before HDB flats were built, they had been living in kampungs. These shaped their mindset. Most of them struggled to work hard so that their children would not suffer as they had suffered.

In the 21st Century, this band of the population is in their seventies. New problems surfaced for them as their children became smarter than them, or some moved abroad. There are many MG Seniors without their children and grandchildren in this country. This collection attempts to highlight some of the issues facing this group who had to cope with such emotional issues, modern technology, and the fast pace of life in modern Singapore. They are an admirable group as they had the resilience to progress as this nation had progressed.

Merdeka Generation Groovers and Other Stories also celebrates the music industry of the 1960s and 70s, both locally and internationally.