On This Date In 1994, Power 98 Hit The Airwaves

Thirty-one years ago today (31 October), Defence Minister Dr Lee Boon Yang launched a staple of our airwaves: Power 98 FM. And just yesterday (30 October), we said goodbye, as the station held its last radio transmission, heralding its new, digital-first iteration on lifestyle and entertainment app, Kakee.

IMAGE: SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS

What better time than now to take a look back at Power 98's history? The station began as part of SAFRA's offerings for National Servicemen (NSmen), full-time National Servicemen, regulars, and their families, with Dr Lee calling it a recognition of their contribution to the defence of Singapore. In that same event, Dr Lee announced the station's plans to set up a Mandarin channel, which eventually launched in 1995 - first known as Dongli 88.3, then relaunched in 2007 as 88.3Jia.

Early beginnings

In the early days, Power 98's programming consisted mostly of adult contemporary hits, with segments for song requests, news, movie reviews and previews, and defence-related information.

Its first DJs? Rodney Monteiro, Colin Lee, Violet Tan, Jason Chow, Alec Tok, Loma Tan and Vernon Antonisz (whom you might know today as half of The Muttons).

We scoured Power98's socials for a trip down memory lane, and boy, did we find some throwbacks. How many of these faces do you recognise?

IMAGE: YOUTUBE/POWER98SG

IMAGE: YOUTUBE/POWER98SG

IMAGE: FACEBOOK/POWER98SG

The crew at an International Women's Day event in 2014 | IMAGE: FACEBOOK/POWER98SG

Celebrating the station's 20th anniversary in 2014 | IMAGE: FACEBOOK/POWER98SG

While its journey to digital-only is its most significant transition yet, Power 98 has continually reinvented itself to stay abreast of changing trends and tastes. In 2012, the station introduced a new lineup of DJs and programs as part of its first major overhaul, swapping its slogan from "Hit Music And More" to "Hear The Difference".

In 2019, it rebranded itself again as Power 98 Love Songs, playing hits from the 80s onward as Singapore's first English radio station dedicated to love songs.

Power98 and 88.3Jia DJs gather for a party with fans to commemorate the stations' last radio transmission on 30 October, 2025 | IMAGE: FACEBOOK/POWER98SG

The next chapter

Power 98's transition to Kakee isn't its first foray into a digital space: for years, Power 98 Raw and Power 98 Retro have regaled us with contemporary and throwback hits. Now that it's streaming-only, here's what you can expect:

• Four Power 98 channels, including Power 98 Love Songs, Power 98 Jukebox, Power 98 Y2K, and Power 98 Top 100
• Five channels for its sister station, 88.3Jia, including stations for Mandopop, Cantopop, and even K-Pop
• Of course, you'll still hear from familiar voices - Jeremy Ratnam, JK, Joanna Francois, Mister Young, Suhaimi Yusof, and more, who will continue to bring their signature styles on talk shows, lifestyle chats, and other original streaming content on Kakee
• Over at 88.3Jia, our on-air pals like Jimmy Koh, Kaiying (Kay), Ivy Tan, and Shui Hui will also keep the music and banter flowing.

From the mid-90s till now, Power 98 has been a soundtrack to the lives of Singaporeans, accompanying us in camps, on drives to school, and on our commutes to work. The station might have left the airwaves, but it will always linger in our memories - and of course, it'll live on, even louder, online.

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