Adapted from : http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101114021043AA8Y5O9
Monday, 18 February 2013
How and when did the British surrended
They were defeated by a lack of tanks, losing air superiority and a series of Japanese flanking movements along the coast (the Royal Navy in the area having been effectively destroyed by air attacks). Even the big guns in Singapore were unable to effectively support their troops having too few high explosive rounds, they were supplied with plenty of armour piercing ammunition which is less effective against infantry.
Adapted from : http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101114021043AA8Y5O9
Adapted from : http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101114021043AA8Y5O9
Key events in Singapore and Malaya
Singapore
A chronology of key events:
1819 - Sir Stamford Raffles of British East India Company establishes trading post on Singapore island.
1826 - Singapore, Malacca and Penang become British colony of the Straits Settlements.
1832 - Singapore becomes capital of Straits Settlements. The port attracts thousands of migrants from China, India and other parts of Asia.
1867 - Straits Settlements become crown colony of British Empire.
1869 - Suez Canal opens, trade booms.
1922 - Singapore becomes main British naval base in East Asia.
1941 - World War II. Japan bombs Singapore.
1942 - Singapore falls to Japan, which renames it Syonan (Light of the South).
1945 - Japan defeated. Singapore under British military administration.
Malaya
A chronology of key events:
14th century - Conversion of Malays to Islam begins.
1826 - British settlements of Malacca, Penang and Singapore combine to form the Colony of Straits Settlements, from where the British extend their influence by establishing protectorates over the Malay sultanates of the peninsula.
1895 - Four Malay states combine to form the Federated Malay States.
1942-45 - Japanese occupation.
1948 - British-ruled Malayan territories unified under Federation of Malaya.
1948-60 - State of emergency to counter local communist insurgency.
1957 - Federation of Malaya becomes independent from Britain with Tunku Abdul Rahman as prime minister.
1963 - British colonies of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore join Federation of Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia.
1965 - Singapore withdraws from Malaysia, which is reduced to 13 states; communist insurgency begins in Sarawak.
1969 - Malays stage anti-Chinese riots in the context of increasing frustration over the economic success of the ethnic Chinese.
1970 - Tun Abdul Razak becomes prime minister following Abdul Rahman's resignation; forms National Front (BN) coalition.
Positive discrimination for Malays
1971 - Government introduces minimum quotas for Malays in business, education and the civil service.
1977 - Kelantan chief minister expelled from Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), triggering unrest, a national emergency and the expulsion of PAS from the BN coalition.
1978-89 - Vietnamese refugees benefit from unrestricted asylum.
1981 - Mahathir Mohamad becomes prime minister.
1989 - Local communist insurgents sign peace accord with government.
1990 - Sarawak communist insurgents sign peace accord with government.
1993 - Sultans lose legal immunity.
Adapted from :
The living conditions duringthe Japanese Occupation in Singapore.
The Living Conditions During Japanese Occupations in Singapore
Food Shortages
Food shortages causes food prices to
soar, and locals had to resort to their own cultivation of food production.
However, this caused much hardship to the people, who’s afford to grow their
own food were only partially successful and the price of food are not getting
cheaper. And those who could afford it will instead turn to black market to
supplement their consumptions.
"Since
many Malayans were under nourished as a result of food shortages, they were
highly susceptible to illness." The Japanese administrators then
imposed a food rationing. "A rationing system was implemented and 2 to 3
flour line ups once a month for basic foodstuffs became a normal occurrence of
a daily life.
However,
Wak Mah was quite fortunate. Although she is from a poor family and during that
time, food are scarce and limited, she and her family did not rely too much on
others although they still do get their rations in a form of coupons. Wak Mah
father had a ‘kebun’ a small garden for plantation behind their house where they
grow some crops such as tapiocas etc.But of course she doesn’t get any
luxury food like meat as they are from a poor family.
Adapted From:
How and when did the Japanese surrender
In August 1945, the Japanese situation was desperate. The major cities were devastated by atomic or conventional attack, and the casualties numbered in the millions. Millions more were refugees, and the average consumption was below 1200 calories a day. The fleet was lost, and the merchant shipping could not leave home waters or sail from the few possessions still held without braving submarine or mine attack. Oil stocks were gone, rubber and steel were in short supply, and the Soviets were moving against the only sizable forces the Japanese had left, the Kwantung Army in Manchuria. They were a starving and undersupplied force. Many divisions had transferred to the Pacific, where they died in the island battles.
Clearly the time to surrender had come. Incredibly, many in the military wanted to fight on, preferring death to capitulation. The cabinet, made up of elder statesmen, tried to send out peace feelers through neutral Sweden, Soviet Union, and Switzerland as early as June 1945. The only condition was the continued existence of the of Imperial Throne. Unwilling or unclear of the Japanese offer, the Allies refused and issued the Potsdam Declaration on July 26th.
The Emperor was sympathetic to the peacemakers. The Army members of the cabinet were not willing to give up, and Prime Minister Suzuki had to move carefully. If there was a perceived weakness in the cabinet, even the Emperor might be assassinated. The idea that the Emperor would support surrender was inconceivable to many in both the Army and the Navy. Suzuki cautiously sought out others on the cabinet, finding all but two generals in support. On July 28, the government issued a carefully worded response to the Potsdam Declaration, which unfortunately used a word with a double meaning. English-language broadcasts used the word "ignore" and the Western press picked up that sentiment. Truman announced he had rejected the peace offer and dropped the atomic bombs.
The Emperor was sympathetic to the peacemakers. The Army members of the cabinet were not willing to give up, and Prime Minister Suzuki had to move carefully. If there was a perceived weakness in the cabinet, even the Emperor might be assassinated. The idea that the Emperor would support surrender was inconceivable to many in both the Army and the Navy. Suzuki cautiously sought out others on the cabinet, finding all but two generals in support. On July 28, the government issued a carefully worded response to the Potsdam Declaration, which unfortunately used a word with a double meaning. English-language broadcasts used the word "ignore" and the Western press picked up that sentiment. Truman announced he had rejected the peace offer and dropped the atomic bombs.
Truman accepted the surrender, and announced that the war was over on August 15th. Wild celebrations occurred in every Allied capital and most cities. US Army General Douglas C. MacArthur arrived at Atsugi Airfield on August 30th. His staff, lightly armed with pistols, wondered if they would meet a firing squad. As they arrived, thousands of Japanese civilians surrounded the plane and gave him a warm welcome. The occupation of Japan was about to begin.
On September 2nd, 1945, a huge force of Allied ships gathered in Tokyo Bay. Aboard the battleship USS Missouri, the Japanese signed the formal surrender document, watched by thousands of Allied representatives and the crew. MacArthur presided over the signing, accompanied by his former subordinate General Wainwright, who had been a POW since 1942. General Percival, commander at Singapore in 1942, was also present.
The Japanese Imperial Forces began surrendering in massed formations over the next six weeks. By October 7, 1945, when 1,000,000 Japanese Army soldiers were surrendered in Peking, many Japanese soldiers were being sent home. The Soviet POWs would wait years to return to Japan. The last one was announced as wanting to go home in 2006.
Adapted from : http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/japansurrender.htm
Adapted from : http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/japansurrender.htm
End of Japanese Occupation
End of the occupation
Main article: Operation Tiderace
On 6 and 9 August 1945, U.S. B-29 bombers dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 8 August 1945, Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki along with the entry of Soviet Union into the war ended the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia. By then, the Japanese allowed the Allies to send in forces and food supplies. Prisoners-of-war were checked by medical officers and arrangements were made to send them home.
On 15 August, Japan announced its surrender. The formal signing of the surrender instrument was held at City Hall, Singapore, then known as "Municipal Hall", on 12 September. This was followed by a celebration at the Padang, which included a victory parade. Lord Louis Mountbatten,Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command, came to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi. A British military administration utilizing surrendered Japanese troops as security forces was formed to govern the island until March 1946.
After the Japanese surrendered, there was a state of anomie in Singapore, as the British had not yet arrived to take control. The Japanese occupiers had a considerably weakened hold over the populace. There were widespread incidents of looting and revenge-killing. Much of the infrastructure had been wrecked, including the harbour facilities and electricity, water supply, and telephone services. It took four or five years for the economy to return to pre-war levels. When British troops finally arrived they met with cheering and fanfare.
Banana money became worthless after the occupation ended. Many individuals who had acquired their wealth through banana currency were rendered penniless overnight.
Japanese Occupation
Japanese Occupation
An interview with a World War II survivor, speaking in Hokkien .
When Singapore was Syonan-to
Law and Order
Before the Japanese took full control of Singapore, there were many looters who stole whatever they could lay their hands on. To stop further looting, the Japanese shot those who were caught, beheaded them, and had their heads displayed at Dhoby Ghaut (near Cathay Cinema), Anderson Bridge and Kallang Bridge. The looting stopped at once.
The Japanese Military Police, known as the Kempeitai, were probably the most feared of all the Japanese. They had spies all over the island and encouraged people to supply them with information by giving rewards and privileges. As a result, nobody knew who to trust. A cloud of suspicion and fear hung over Singapore.
Anti-Japanese suspects would be arrested and taken to a Kempeitai building, such as the YMCA building at Orchard Road, or the Central Police Station at South Bridge Road. There, the suspects were beaten and tortured until they revealed the information that the Japanese wanted.
Other Changes in Syonan-to
To remove Western influence, the Japanese set up schools to teach the people the Japanese language. Textbooks were printed in Japanese. Every morning, the children had to stand facing the direction of Japan and sing the Japanese national anthem.
In the cinemas, only Japanese movies and propaganda films were shown. These films showed the virtues of the Japanese and made fun of the British. Going to the cinemas had its dangers too since the Japanese might suddenly appear and take away young men to work on the Death Railway. Sometimes, the Japanese would plant themselves in the cinemas and would listen secretly to conversations, hoping to overhear anti-Japanese remarks.
The local Chinese and English newspapers had very little local news. Most of what was reported was the Japanese version of the war and pro-Japanese speeches. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese and radio owners could listen only to local broadcasts. Tuning in to foreign broadcasting stations was done at great risk. Those caught doing so were severely punished or even killed.
Food and the Black Market
Many people experienced hunger during the Occupation because there was a shortage of food. Essential foodstuffs like rice, salt and sugar were controlled. Ration cards which limited the amount of food for each person were given out. If a person wanted milk powder from a shop, the shopkeeper would say that he had none. But if one was prepared to pay a very high price, the shopkeeper would know where to get it. This was known as the "blackmarket". If a person was not able to pay the price, he or she had to go without it. The people were also encouraged to grow more food. Even in schools, pupils had to look after vegetable plots.
But the food shortage did not affect the Japanese. They had the best of everything: rice, sugar, meat, fish, whisky and cigarettes.
The situation was made worse by the money which the Japanese issued. These were called "banana notes" as many of them had pictures of banana trees or other fruit on them. The money was printed on poor quality paper and had no serial number. Whenever the authorities needed more money, they printed more notes. As a result, there were lots of banana notes and their value dropped.The Beginning of A Nightmare
The occupation of Singapore by the Japanese was like a long nightmare that lasted for three and a half years. During this period known as the Japanese Occupation, the people suffered and lived in constant fear of the Japanese - the price that a country has to pay when it is occupied by another country."Syonan-to" was the new name that Japanese gave Singapore. It was a Japanese name which meant "the Light of the South". However, this light did not shine brightly as the people of Singapore spent the darkest days of their lives under the rule of the Japanese.
The Battle for Singapore
Defences in Singapore
The British had built a Naval Base in northern Singapore. In addition, the British built underground bunkers in secret places all over the island. These bunkers were used as stores or air-raid shelters for defence purposes.The defence plans for Singapore were designed to prevent an attack from the sea. The big guns that were placed in Singapore were to be used for firing at big ships. These guns could also be turned landwards to fire at enemies on land. However, they were not equipped with the right ammunition to shoot at such enemies.
The British did not think that Singapore could be attacked from the land because the jungles of Johor were difficult territory for enemy soldiers to move in. Thus little was done to defend northern Singapore. The naval base, underground bunkers, big guns and the natural protection of the Johor jungles led the British to believe that Singapore was as strong as a fortress.
The Situation Worsened for Singapore
The Japanese soldiers, however, were well-trained in jungle warfare, and so the jungles of Malaya were not a problem to them. While the Japanese were invading Malaya, they also dropped bombs on Singapore. The British fighter planes were outnumbered by the Japanese "Zero" fighters. Soon, the British moved their planes from the airfields in Singapore to Sumatra. The airfields in Singapore were abandoned before the Japanese soldiers landed on the island. The British air defence failed to protect Singapore. In addition, the Singapore Naval Base was destroyed by the British themselves to prevent the Japanese from making use of it. The air and sea defences of the British had thus been crippled. By 31 January 1942, the Japanese were already in Johor Bahru - the doorstep of Singapore. Only a damaged Causeway separated Johor Bahru from Singapore.- The Japanese HeadquartersThe Japanese Commander, General Yamashita, set up his headquarters at the Sultan of Johor's palace. The choice was a clever one because the palace had a five-storey high tower. From this tower, General Yamashita could see every key target in northern Singapore. Although the tower was an easy target for the British, Yamashita was confident that the British would not fire at the home of their old friend, Sultan Ibrahim. He was right.
- The Fake AttackTo mislead the British, the Japanese in Johor made intense bombings at Changi. To make it even more convincing, the Japanese attacked Pulau Ubin on 7 February 1942. Thinking that the Japanese intended to invade Singapore from the northeast, the British moved precious stocks of defence supplies like petrol and explosives from the northwest to the northeast. This was exactly what the Japanes had wanted the British to do.
- Landings from the NorthwestSince the narrowest point of the Johor Strait was at the northwest of Singapore, it was easy for the Japanese to cross the Strait there. But the British had not stationed a large number of troops there. The Japanese found it easy to send divisions of soldiers across from Johor to Singapore in rubber boats and on rafts. Some of their tanks were also floated across the Johor Strait. The Allied soldiers, who had too large an area to defend, opened fire at the Japanese but could not stop them.
- The British BlunderThe Japanese quickly repaired the Causeway so that both men and equipment could move easily into Singapore. To prepare for the worst, the British Commander, General A.E. Percival, made plans for the British soldiers to withdraw to protect the town centre if the situation called for it. When Percival issued the secret plans in the midst of the battle, they were interpreted as a command to withdraw immediately. Thus, many of the British soldiers on the western part of the island withdrew even before the Japanese soldiers moved into the area. When the mistake was discovered, orders were given to counter-attack, but these were carried out half-heartedly. By then, the Japanese had gained control of Bukit Timah.
- The Battle of Bukit TimahOn 11 February, the Japanese reached the Bukit Timah area. It was an important place as the British had stocked up food and ammunition as well as vehicle and machine parts there. The north-eastern slope of the hill faced a reservoir, which was vital source of water supply. It was here that the fiercest fighting took place. Armed only with swords, grenades, rifles and guns that they used for hunting birds and animals, the Chinese Volunteers fought bravely, side by side with the Allied soldiers. Many on both sides were killed. The Japanese later took revenge on the Chinese by killing all the Chinese men, women and children found in the village.
- The Battle of Pasir PanjangBy 13 February 1942, the Japanese had already reached Pasir Panjang Ridge (Kent Ridge Park). It was close to the Alexandra area where the main ammunition stores and British military hospital were located.
There, some men of the Malay Regiment, led by Lieutenant (Lt.) Adnan bin Saidi fought bravely. Many of the Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded. The next day, some Japanese soldiers tried to disguise themselves as Indian soldiers in the British army. It was Lt. Adnan who was sharp enough to noticed that those familiar turbaned figures were marching in fours instead of the usual threes in the British army. He ordered his solders to open fire, killing several of them. This cause the rest of the Japanese to flee down the hill.
But, the Japanese were soon able to surround the hill. The Malays were heavily outnumbered. Fierce hand-to-hand bayonet fighting took place. Many soldiers on both sides were killed. Lt. Adnan was also hit by the enemy's fire. In spite of his wounds, he kept on fighting. He was later captured by the Japanese and stabbed to death.
- The Massacre at Alexandra HospitalThe Japanese then marched into Alexandra Hospital (then a British military hospital). There the Japanese killed the doctors, hospital staff, patients and even a British corporal who was lying on the operating table.
- Decision at Fort Canning
15 February was Chinese New Year's day. A meeting was held in the underground bunker of Fort Canning. Percival wanted to discuss ways to counter-attack but his commanders were against the idea. There were too many problems. The soldiers were tired. The prospect of street fighting meant more would be killed. Their supplies of food and water were running out. To prevent further bloodshed, they decided to surrender.
- The Bluff That Worked
The British surrendered to the Japanese at the Ford Motor Factory in Bukit Timah. It was a cheerless New Year's day for the Chinese. Unknown to Percival, Yamashita had also used up most of his ammunition. Whatever weapons he had were those which the British had left behind in their hasty retreat. Yamashita's soldiers were outnumbered by more than three to one.
Adapted from : http://library.thinkquest.org/10414/japan.html
Singapore World War II Heroes
 |
| Lim Bo Seng
Lim Bo Seng was born in China, in the Fujian Province, on 27 April 1909. He was a loyal Chinese patriot who took part in fund-raising to raise funds to help China in the war against Japan in 1937. He also encouraged people to boycott Japanese goods.
Being the head of the Labour Services Corps, he provided the British government with labourers for the war effort before the Japanese invasion. When the Japanese troops began advancing towards Singapore from Malayan, he and his men dynamited the Causeway. Just before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese on 11th February, Lim Bo Seng left his seven children to the care of his wife. He went to India where he was trained to fight in the jungle and later recruited resistance fighters for Force 136. Force 136 was a special operations force formed by the British in June 1942 to infiltrate and attack enemy lines. Some local Malays were also recruited into the force. One of his best friends and students, Tan Chong Tee, also participated actively in anti-Japanese activities with Lim Bo Seng. After Lim Bo Seng had organised everything in China and India, he sent the first batch of Force 136 agents to Japanese-occupied Malaya in 1943 to set up an an intelligence network in the urban areas in Pangkor, Lumut, Tapah and Ipoh. According to historical sources, to avoid detection by the Japanese, secret messages were smuggled in empty tubes of toothpaste, salted fish and even in the Force 136's members' own diaries. To avoid identification by the Japanese, Lim Bo Seng even pretended tp be a businessman at checkpoints. He used the alias Tan Choon Lim.Unfortunately, there were many traitors who led to the downfall of Force 136 and Lim Bo Seng. Lai Teck, one of Force 136's members who was a triple agent between Force 136, the British and Japanese, betrayed Force 136 and Lim Bo Seng. He leaked out valuable information that allowed the Kempeitai to pick up coded messages from Force 136. This led to the captures of many of the members in Force 136. Lai Teck eventually betrayed Lim Bo Seng in March 1944. Lim Bo Seng was captured by the Japanese. Despite being tortured by the Japanese, Lim Bo Seng refused to reveal the names of the people who worked with him against the Japanese. In prison, Lim Bo Seng often shared his food with the other prisoners. Due to the lack of food and unhealthy living conditions in the prison, Lim Bo Seng fell ill. On 29 June 1944, he died in Batu Gajah jail in Perak at the age of 35.  Elizabeth Choy
Elizabeth Choy Su-Meiwas born on 29 November 1910 in Kudat, Sabah. She was a Hakka from North Borneo. During the Japanese Occupation, together with her husband, she worked as a canteen operator at a hospital where patients from General Hospital had been moved to.
Elizabeth Choy and her husband secretly brought food, medicine, money, messages and even radios to British internees. Unfortunately, they were caught by the Japanese. Her husband was arrested on 29 October while she was arrested on 15 November 1943. The Kempeitai thought that they had given information to the British which led to the sinking of several Japanese ships in Keppel Harbour in 1943. Elizabeth Choy was imprisoned in a small cell for 193 days with 20 other prisoners in the old YMCA building. During her imprisonment, she was badly tortured by the Kempeitai. The Kempeitai made her kneel down on a frame of three-sided wood. They tied her hands behind her back and also her legs. She could not move at all. Then, they brought her husband and he was made to kneel beside the frame to watch her being tortured. They slapped and kicked her and gave her the ‘electric shock’ treatment. The pain was extremely unbearable. Despite being terribly tortured, Elizabeth Choy refused to confess. After 193 days, she was released from the prison. Her husband was released much later. After the war, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her valour in 1946 during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. She was known as a war heroine. Elizabeth Choy also became Singapore's first woman in the Legislative Council in 1951 and she was also recognised as a dedicated educator. She started teaching first at St. Margaret's School and later St. Andrew's School; and was the first principal of the Singapore School for the Blind in 1956. At the age of 96, Elizabeth Choy passed away on 14 September 2006.  Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi
Lieutenant Adnan was born in Kajang, Selangor. During World War II, he led the 1st Infantry Brigade in protecting the area at Pasir Panjang Ridge (now known as Kent Ridge) in the Bukit Chandu (Opium Hill) area on 12 - 14 February 1942.
On 13 February 1942, the Japanese troops attacked Pasir Panjang Ridge. They disguised themselves as Indian soldiers in the British army. They wanted to trick the Malay soldiers so that they could take control of the Pasir Panjang area. However, Lieutenant Adnan saw through their disguises and knew that they were Japanese soldiers. He gave orders to open fire at the disguised Japanese troops. The Japanese troops, despite many being killed and injured, did not surrender and continued to attack the ridge. More Japanese soldiers soon arrived and joined in the attack. Although Lieutenant Adnan's Malay Regiment was heavily outnumbered, yet Lieutenant Adnan refused to surrendered and urged his soldiers to continue fighting until the end. Lieutenant Adnan and his soldiers held off the Japanese for two days in spite of running out of food and ammunition. Many of the soldiers from the Malay Regiment were killed during the fierce battle. Lieutenant Adnan himself was shot. Despite his serious injuries, he refused to give up and continued fighting against the Japanese. Eventually, the battle at Pasir Panjang was lost and Lieutenant Adnan was captured by the Japanese. The Japanese soldiers tied him to a tree and bayoneted him to death. Lieutenant Adnan was only 27 years old when he died. He left behind his wife and two young sons. Due to his courageous actions at the Battle of Pasir Panjang, Lieutenant Adnan was considered as a War Hero by Malaysians and Singaporeans.
Adapted from : http://singaporeheroes.weebly.com/
|
The forefathers of Singapore
The forefathers of Singapore are Dr. Goh Keng Swee, Mr.Lee Kuan Yew, Sir Stamford Raffles and Mr.Tan Tock Seng.
1918-2010
Adapted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goh_Keng_Swee
Dr Goh Keng Swee
Dr. Goh Keng Swee (6 October 1918 – 14 May 2010) was the second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1984, and a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kreta Ayer constituency for a quarter of a century. Born in Malacca in the Straits Settlements into a Peranakan family, he came to Singapore at the age of two years. Educated at Raffles College and the London School of Economics and Political Science, his interest in politics began during his time in London where he met fellow students seeking independence for British Malaya, including Abdul Razak, Maurice Baker, Lee Kuan Yew and Toh Chin Chye. From 1945 onwards he worked for the Department of Social Welfare, eventually rising to become its Director. In 1958 he resigned from the Civil Service to work full-time for the People's Action Party (PAP), becoming a key member and later vice-chairman of its Central Executive Committee. The following year he successfully contested the Kreta Ayer seat in the 1959 general election for theLegislative Assembly, and joined the first government of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as Minister for Finance. Upon Singapore's independence on 9 August 1965, Goh became the nation's first Minister for the Interior and Defence. He subsequently served as Finance Minister (1967–1970), Minister for Defence (1970–1979) and Minister for Education (1979–1980, 1981–1984).
Following his retirement from politics, Goh continued to be active in public life, serving as Deputy Chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (1981–1994); Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Institute of East Asian Philosophies (1983–1992) and Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Governors of its successor, the Institute of East Asian Political Economy (1992–1995); Economic Adviser to the State Council of the People's Republic of China on coastal development and Adviser on tourism (1985); Deputy Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (1985–1992); Chairman of the Singapore Totalisator Board (1988–1994); adviser to the United Overseas Bank group (from 1993); Chairman of N.M. Rothschild & Sons (Singapore) Ltd. (from 1994); and Vice-Chairman of Hong Leong Asia Ltd. (from 1995).
In 1972, Goh was the recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Services, and was conferred the Order of Sikatuna by the Philippine Government. Following his retirement from politics, in 1985 Goh was awarded the Darjah Utama Temasek (Order of Temasek), First Class, Singapore's highest civilian honour. He was also made the first Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Development Board Society in 1991.
Goh was diagnosed with bladder cancer in September 1983 and he retired from politics in December 1984. He kept a low profile but remained active with various organisations where he served on the board or as an adviser. After he married Phua Swee Liang in 1991, the couple travelled widely to places such as Australia and Hawaii. However, a series of strokes in the late 1990s and early 2000s took a heavy toll on him. He was bedridden in his final years and passed away on 14 May 2010.Adapted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goh_Keng_Swee
 |
| Former Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew Age: 90 yrs old this year
Lee Kuan Yew (born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, 16 September 1923), GCMG, CH, is a Singaporean politician. Often referred to by the initialsLKY, he was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades. He is also widely recognized as the founding father of modern Singapore.
As the co-founder and first General Secretary of the People's Action Party (PAP), he led the party to eight victories from 1959 to 1990, and oversaw the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965 and its subsequent transformation from a relatively underdeveloped colonial outpost with no natural resources into a "First World" Asian Tiger. He is one of the most influential political figures in Asia.
Singapore's second prime minister Goh Chok Tong appointed him Senior Minister in 1990. He held the advisory post of Minister Mentor, created by his son Lee Hsien Loong, when the latter became the nation's third prime minister in August 2004.With his successive ministerial positions spanning over 50 years, Lee is also one of history's longest-serving ministers. On 14 May 2011, Lee and Goh Chok Tong announced their retirement from the cabinet after the 2011 general election.
Adapted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew
Sir Stamford Raffles
1781-1826
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, FRS (6 July 1781 – 5 July 1826) was a British statesman, best known for his founding of the city of Singapore (now the city-state of the Republic of Singapore). He is often described as the "Father of Singapore". He was also heavily involved in the conquest of the Indonesian island of Java from Dutch and French military forces during the Napoleonic Wars and contributed to the expansion of the British Empire. He was also an amateur writer and wrote a book entitled History of Java (1817).
Adapted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamford_Raffles
Tan Tock Seng
1798-1850
Tan Tock Seng (simplified Chinese: 陈笃生; traditional Chinese: 陳篤生; pinyin: Chén Dǔshēng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Tok-sing; 1798–1850) was a Singaporean merchant and philanthropist. Born inMalacca in 1798 [1] to an immigrant Hokkien father and Peranakan mother, Tan Tock Seng rose from humble origins. In 1819, Tan moved to Singapore to sell fruit, vegetable and fowl. He worked diligently and was able to set up a shop in Boat Quay and became a notable businessman. He was famous for contributing money to build a hospital called "Tan Tock Seng Hospital".
Most of his wealth came from the results of his speculations with J. H. Whitehead of Shaw, Whitehead & Co. Horrocks Whitehead died in September 1846 at the age of 36. His tombstone at the old cemetery on Fort Canning was erected, "as a token of affection on the part of a Chinese friend, Tan Tock Seng".
Tan also owned large tracts of prime land, including 50 acres (200,000 m²) at the site of the railway station and another plot stretching from the Padang right up to High Street and Tank Road. His other assets were a block of shophouses, an orchard and a nutmeg plantation which he co-owned with his brother. In time, he became an influential Chinese leader and was the first Asian to be made a Justice of the Peace by Governor Butterworth. He was skillful at settling feuds among the Chinese and was accustomed to bear the expenses of burying poor Chinese. In 1844, he contributed $5,000 to the construction of the Tan Tock Seng Hospital on top of Pearl's Hill. The hospital was later shifted to Tan Tock Seng Road because the building at Pearl's Hill was too small to cater to enough patients and it was too old. Tan also contributed money to the construction of the Taoist Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer in 1842, the place of worship for the settlers from Fujian, China.
Tan died in 1850 at the age of 52, after catching an unknown disease. He left his wife Lee Seo Neo, who owned a large coconut estate in Geylang. Like him, she was unstinting in her support of the hospital and paid for a female ward. He also left behind three daughters, who were each bequeathed S$36,000 in cash. One of his daughters married Lee Cheng Tee, at one time Chief Partner of Cheng-Tee Watt-Seng & Co., shipowners. His three sons (Tan Kim Ching, Tan Teck Guan and Tan Swee Lim) inherited his land parcels and the eldest, Tan Kim Ching, took over the duty of taking care of the hospital. Tan's grandson, Tan Chay Yan, was a well-known philanthropist and merchant in Malaya.
Adapted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tan_Tock_Seng
Videos on Dr Goh Keng Swee
Video on Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)