In 1940 five people – seemingly unconnected – were murdered. One of them was Singapore’s biggest tycoons. What was he doing in the backroom of a dubious establishment on Keong Saik Road in Chinatown? Why did the murderers mutilate the victims’ eyes, ears and mouths? Were there two killers, as the police say? Or was there a third man, as witnesses claim?

A British journalist, Paul Haggerty, was on the crime beat on that day. So was Norman, a Malay policeman who was on duty. Paul, along with Norman (who became a good friend) followed the “Keong Saik Road” murders through and raised questions the police should have asked: of the three gunmen who fled the bloody scene (and witnesses bore testimony to the fact that there were three gunmen) two were found dead – but what happened to the third?

None of his questions were answered and the case was closed in the police files after two of the petty criminals were found dead. Till seven decades later when Rebecca, Paul Haggerty’s granddaughter, finds his diaries that holds the code – and the key to the mystery.

Year of production

2011

Client

Channel 5

No. of episodes

Season 1: 4 episodes

Apollo Award for Best Cinematography, 2013

  • Starring Joanne Peh, Bobby Tonelli, Tay Ping Hui and Shabir
  • PRINT-TO-SCREEN PROJECT: Keong Saik Street was adapted from Aaron Ang’s short story The Long History of  Shadows from the anthology Crime Scene Singapore published by Phil Tatham of Monsoon Books; edited by Richard Lordt