For the first time, the award offered 12 top prizes of up to $10,000 each for the best works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry in Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In previous years, fiction competed with poetry for one award in each language. In July 2014, three judges of the English non-fiction category of the prize resigned in protest against the
National Library Board's removal and pulping of controversial children's titles. Mr
T. Sasitharan, a prominent arts educator; former journalist Romen Bose; and American author and Writer-in-Residence at Yale-NUS College,
Robin Hemley were subsequently replaced. The Prize also received flak for perhaps spreading itself too thin, and for naming the non-fiction prizes after a sponsor, the publisher
World Scientific. A day after the winners were announced at an awards ceremony on 4 November 2014, poet-editor
Grace Chia, whose poetry collection
Cordelia was shortlisted but did not win in the English Poetry section, delivered a speech in absentia at the
Singapore Writers Festival which accused the Prize of sexism. Chia wrote, "The fact that the prize has been given to two co-winners who are both male poets is deeply informing of choice, taste and affirmation. A prize so coveted that it has been apportioned to two male narratives of poetic discourse, instead of one outstanding poet - reeks of an engendered privilege that continues to plague this nation's literary community." Chia also posted her speech on Facebook before subsequently removing it. In response, one of the poetry judges, poet and literary critic
Gwee Li Sui, said, "All entries have an equal chance of consideration for winning, and we discussed it based on that point alone, and on the strengths of the collections." The other poetry judges were prominent female poet Leong Liew Geok and poet
Boey Kim Cheng.
Fiction English •
Winner: Amanda Lee Koe -
Ministry of Moral Panic • Claire Tham -
The Inlet •
O Thiam Chin -
Love, or Something Like Love • Audrey Chin -
As the Heart Bones Break Chinese •
Winner: Lim Hung Chang (Lin Gao) -
Weixingxiaoshuo(林高微型小说／林高) • Lai Yong Taw -
Ding Xiang (丁香／流军) •
Tham Yew Chin (You Jin) -
Jin Se Dai Shu(金色袋鼠／尤今) • Lee Xuan Lou -
Shuang Cheng Zhi Lian(双城之恋／李选楼) Malay •
Winner: Yazid bin Hussein -
Kumpulan Cerpen (Armageddon) • Abdul Manaf bin Abdul Kadir -
Suzan • Anuar bin Othman -
Tenggelamnya Kapal (Prince of Wales) • Hassan Hasaa'ree Ali -
Selamat Malam (Caesar) • Yazid bin Hussein -
Cahaya • Mohd Pitchay Gani bin Mohd Abdul Aziz -
Seking Tamil •
Winner: Mohamed Kassim Shanavas -
Moontraavatu Kai • Jayanthi Sankar -
Muga Puthagamum Sila Agappakkangalum • Suriya Rethnna -
Naan • Noorjehan binte Ahmadsha -
Vergal • Packinisamy Panneerselvam -
Maaya • Krishnamurthi Mathangi -
Oru Kodi Dollargal Poetry English •
Co-winner: Joshua Ip -
Sonnets from the Singlish •
Co-winner: Yong Shu Hoong -
The Viewing Party •
Grace Chia -
Cordelia •
Theophilus Kwek -
The Circle Line •
Tania De Rozario -
Tender Delirium •
Koh Jee Leong -
The Pillow Book Malay •
Winner: Johar Buang -
Pasar Diri • Peter Augustine Goh -
Genta Cinta • Ahmad Md Tahir -
Aisberg Kesimpulan • Hamed bin Ismail -
Suara Dalam • Yazid bin Hussein -
nota (buat wangsa dan buanaku) Tamil •
Commendation: Krishnamurthi Mathangi –
Malaigalin Parathal • Samuel Nepolian Devakumar –
Kaanaamal Pona Kavithaikal • Chinnadurai Arumugam –
Thagam • Pichinikkadu Elango –
Thoorikai Sirpangal • Swaminathan Amirthalingam –
Urakkach Cholvaen Non-fiction English •
Co-winner: Lim Siong Guan -
The Leader, The Teacher & You •
Co-winner: Josephine Chia -
Kampong Spirit Gotong Royong: Life In Potong Pasir 1955 to 1965 •
M. Ravi -
Kampong Boy • Hidayah Amin -
The Mango Tree • Fanny Lai -
A Visual Celebration of Giant Pandas Chinese •
Merit: Dr Ho Nai Kiong -
The Biography of My Father 何乃强《父亲平藩的一生》 •
Merit: Tham Yew Chin (You Jin) -
Even The Heart Soars 尤今《心也飞翔》 • Dr Ho Nai Kiong -
The Death of Kings and Emperors 何乃强《医生读史笔记》 • Tham Yew Chin (You Jin) -
Release Your Happiness 尤今《释放快乐》 Malay •
Merit: Mohamed Latiff Mohamed -
Alam Kepenyairan Singapura: Pengamatam dan Penciptaan Tamil •
Winner: Kotti Thirumuruganandam -
Singapore Tamil Kavithai Varalaaru (History Of Singapore Tamil Poetry) • Chitra Ramesh -
Oru Nakarathin Kathai (Story Of A City) • R Kalamohan -
Sattamum Sambavangalum (Law And Incidents) • Mohamed Kassim Shanavas -
Ayal Pasi (Foreign Hunger) == Awards 2016 ==