Ridzwan Dzafir gives an account of his life from humble beginnings in a Baweanese communal pondok (longhouse) in the 1930s to an illustrious four-decade career in public service that saw his appointment as the inaugural Director-General of Singapore’s Trade Development Board, President of MUIS and CEO of MENDAKI. Steeped in the art of negotiation, he was a key figure in Singapore’s trade talks with ASEAN member countries and in international forums such as GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, predecessor of the World Trade Organisation) and several United Nations commissions.

This autobiography provides a glimpse of a great man's childhood in pre-war Singapore and offers an insight into the network of international trade diplomacy during the fledgeling years of Singapore’s nationhood and beyond.

Text: Ridzwan Dzafir
ISBN: 978-981-4217-60-6