The Silent Roar: Readings and Reflections. An Evening with Iris Koh

An Evening with Iris Koh

To the one who feels something is wrong… but fears speaking up.To the one who sees others suffering… and wonders if they should act.To the one who hears a quiet voice inside… and doesn’t know if it’s real.

This book is for you.

It is not the story of a hero.It is the story of an ordinary woman, tasked with an extraordinary task, who heard a whisper in her souland chose to answer.

She did not feel ready.She was not fearless.She had no title, no backing, no script.

But she had something the world could not see—a seed of courage,a heart for the hurting,and a quiet, trembling yes to a voice much greater than her own.

And when the world shut its doors,when fear was sold as virtueand silence became a kind of safety,she picked up a stone.

Not to destroy—but to remember.Who she was.What she believed.And who she was walking with.

This is the story of that journey.A story about choosing courage over fear,compassion over apathy,truth over oversight,and faith over everything else.

It is the story of a woman who walked with Godinto a storm of censorship, control, and coercion—not to fight with hatred,but to heal with love.

It began with a whisper.It continues with questions for reflection: How do we live with moral courage in an upside down world? How do we find our voice—and use it for good?What does it mean to act with conscience, in the face of danger?

What to Expect:

• 📖 Live readings of completed chapters, includingThe Sound of Music, The Day the Music Died, Storm in a Coffee Cup, The Whisper That Broke the Silence and more.

• 🎙️ Personal reflections on the four-year journey since she first spoke up
• ⚖️ Updates on the upcoming criminal trial (28 July – 1 August)
• 💬 Audience Q&A: ask questions, offer support, or share your own story

This is not just a book launch. It’s a moment of truth, courage, and community.

Whether you’ve stood with Iris from the beginning or are just discovering her story, this event offers a rare and raw look into the heart of one of Singapore’s most resilient voices.

She hopes that by sharing her journey, you’ll be inspired to act with conscience, live with purpose, and follow the whisper that may lead you to your own silent roar.

Dedication

To the Lion City, My Motherland

You were born with a roar

But somewhere along the way, we learned to whisper.

To trade our voices for comfort

Our courage for compliance.

This work—every word, every sleepless night, every courtroom breath

Is not for fame.

It is not for vengeance.

It is a torch for the legacy of our founding fathers.

May we remember who we are:

Not a people easily tamed,

But descendants of survivors, builders and dreamers.

Not slaves to systems,

But stewards of truth, dignity, and justice.

If history remembers me,

Let it not be as a troublemaker,

But as a daughter

Who loved this nation enough to speak,

To cry like a child pleading with her absent parents,

Who, in their pursuit of wealth and perfection,

Forgot what truly matters.

That the most sacred bond between parent and child

Is not measured in grades, medals, or GDP

But forged in care, patience and love.

A nation is not a machine to be optimised.

But a home where the weakest and most vulnerable feel safe, seen, and protected.

A nation is not merely a house filled with policies

But a living home, shaped by identities and anchored in the values we hold dear.

Nation-building is not “people importing.”

There are no shortcuts to loyalty

No fast tracks to belonging

What makes us Singaporean must be shared, not engineered.

Let this book be a seed

Of remembrance, resilience, and rising.

For the day when Singapore roars again,

Not in fear, but in freedom.

Iris Koh

Daughter of Singapore

Filiae Melioris Aevi