The Regiment by Isabella Chiam

“Ta’at Setia” – Loyal and True

These were the words that the brave soldiers of the Malay Regiment lived and died by. Up until the end, they fought tooth and nail to keep Singapore from falling to the Japanese invaders. And they did, to their dying breath. How did they come to this? Did they ever think to run? What were they fighting for?

In The Regiment, we try to piece together the story of a few recruits in the Malay Regiment, in the years leading up to the Fall of Singapore in 1942. We will see how this group of idealistic, young men come together under the threat of impending war, and how they try to uphold their oaths to each other and to the Regiment in the face of death and strife. Ultimately, we will witness their sacrifice as they succumb to an invading force too great to overcome.

The Regiment was developed under Centre 42's Guest Room (now known as the New Scripts Residency). Read about Guest Room here.

Remembering Who We Are – This story is part of our history as Singapore before independence, and is worth telling as a reminder of our struggle against war, our tenacity as a people, and the everyday heroes that inspire that strength.

Question What We Are Fighting For – When war seems a distant thought, we seemingly have no reason to ask what is it we are fighting for, who we fighting for. The questions this story ask are important as they make us confront where our loyalties lie and what ultimately drives us to sacrifice ourselves. It makes us ask what is important to us not only as individuals, but as a country. What is it that would make us come together to fight for each other in spite of our differences?

The Regiment is currently raising money for the R&D of this project which is slated to premiere it’s full length on 2021. Click here to contribute.

The Regiment‘s work-in-progress showcase is supported by RUMAH x Bodeiga Barbershop.