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The early years of Singapore's statehood was marked by strenuous efforts by the government to promote a morally correct culture conducive to nation-building. To achieve this, the government embarked on a parallel effort to prevent the decline of moral standards in Singapore society . To founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the "deleterious influences, particularly from the 'hippie' culture" represented a serious obstacle to nation-building . In this context, Government agencies strengthened their content regulatory actions to stamp out 'yellow culture' internally and stanch the influx of negative cultural values from external sources. Their efforts were captured by a press report in the early 1960s – "Following the persistent campaign to stamp out yellow culture and other undesirable aspects of entertainment and amusement, the Board of Film Censors and the film appeal committee have carried out their work in accordance with the new policy and directives of the PAP government. Films depicting crime, violence, smuggling, gangsterism, superstition horror, race prejudice and racial hatred, crude sex and un-Asian love themes and sequences have been subject to severe scrutiny" .

Looking back, some may find it difficult to appreciate the moral bar that was set. Songs and musicals that ran afoul of the authorities included western pop songs like 'Proud Mary' and 'Puff the Magic Dragon' as well as the Broadway rock musical, 'Hair'. The reason – their 'drug-rock' and hippy themes. Even films depicting scenes of whistling and applauding teenagers at raucous rock and roll sessions were considered harmful to society's values – as was the popular dance of its day, the Twist . Some books, magazines and comics that targeted students , from fairy tales to love stories to crime thrillers, were also frowned upon . The reason was because "Investigations have revealed that most buyers of these publications are school children in primary classes…" . Other items netted by media regulators included lighters, pen-knives, ball pens, miniature plastic telescopes, and playing cards bearing images of nude or bare-bosomed women .

With the passing years and the advent of a vastly different media and cultural environment, most of the government's early concerns have been overtaken by time. But in those early years of nation-building, the presence of such 'culture' was viewed as a serious threat to the forging of social discipline and national culture in a multiracial society .

By Ministry of Communications and Information. Published December 2019.