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http://business.asiaone.com/Business/My+Money/Property/Story/A1Story20100308-203235.html
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Mah's own upgrading story
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan recounts his childhood years growing up in various housing types.
Mon, Mar 08, 2010
The Straits Times
'When I was young, I lived in various places with my mother, who was a domestic servant. I lost my father when I was three years old, so we moved around a lot.
We stayed in a kampung in Lorong Ah Soo, which today has HDB flats and is in Cynthia Phua's (MP for Aljunied GRC) constituency. Every time I visit the flats there, I still remember where the kampung house was.
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Then we moved to a shophouse in High Street. My mum was working for a High Street merchant at that time. Today, that is where the MTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry) and MOF (Ministry of Finance) are (in The Treasury building).
Then we moved to a room in Bugis Street. Today, it is Bugis Junction. There were 10 of us living in that room. We had one bed which slept five. It was raised so that another five could sleep underneath.
Then, I moved to Kim Keat Avenue with my aunt - eight of us in a three-room flat, sharing one toilet and bathroom, while my mother stayed in a one-room rental flat in Whampoa Road.
Later, we upgraded to a four-room flat in Toa Payoh.
That is a typical Singapore story for my generation. Start in a modest flat, work hard, accumulate savings, and upgrade over time. Then, if you need to, rightsize to a smaller flat.'
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan recounting his childhood years growing up in various housing types.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
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http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/03/11/mahs-story-is-also-singapores-story/comment-page-2/
Mah’s story is also Singapore’s story?
March 11, 2010 by admin
Filed under Columnists, Letters, Ng Kok Lim, Opinion
Leave a comment
Dear Madam Low,
I refer to your Straits Times letter dated 8 Mar 2010.
I understand your empathy for Mr Mah since both of you grew up in very overcrowded conditions. However, you need to understand that the improvement in each family’s living conditions over the years is not just a matter of studying hard and working hard but more importantly of diminishing family sizes encouraged in no small part by our “stop at two” policy.
The supposed Singapore story of studying hard and working hard to pull ourselves out of poverty is no different from the stories in other East Asian societies.
Studying hard is not the sole premise of Singaporeans, it is the premise of East Asians in general. Furthermore, Mr Mah’s success is fundamentally different from those of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs since Mr Mah merely took over the reins of an already successful organisation whereas Bill Gates and Steve Jobs created something out of nothing.
In other words, it really didn’t matter whether we had Mr Mah or not, his existence as far as the HDB or Singapore is concerned, is non-essential. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs on the other hand are essential without which there would have been no Microsoft or Apple respectively. Therefore, Mr Mah’s story is far from Singapore’s story since the former created nothing as far as the latter is concerned. Mr Mah builds flats that are smaller, far from the city centre that took longer to build and are a lot more expensive. His ’success’ turned out to be the sorrow and nightmare for many Singaporeans.
It is not enough to remind the younger generation of where we come from. It is more important to let them understand that in an increasingly competitive world, it is not enough to simply ace one’s exams just so as to win a privileged seat to rot in. Being in a privileged position calls for a sense of duty to fellow Singaporeans, to create something for the benefit of all.
So while you give thanks to Singapore for living in a maisonette today, think about who you would thank if you were to start all over again by drawing today’s starting salary and paying today’s price for a maisonette. I can guarantee you, your tears will be no less than those you shed for Mr Mah last Saturday which you have no one else but Mr Mah to thank for.
Thank you
Ng Kok Lim
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http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Online+Story/STIStory_500448.html
Mar 11, 2010
Self-disciplined talent
I REFER to Mr Mah Bow Tan's recent sharing of his early childhood experience in "Mah's own upgrading story" on Saturday and to Mr Low Lee Siang's encouraging comments ("Mah's story is also Singapore's story", Monday). I also refer to Sunday's article, "The greedy, the sleazy and the ugly".
Many very highly capable individuals have reached the very top of their careers and fallen away.
But there are also many very highly capable individuals who have reached the very top of their careers and remained there.
The big difference between these two groups is that the second group consists of individuals who are very highly self-disciplined.
I am of the opinion Mr Mah belongs to the second group.
Ang Boon Hua
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