Dr Goh Keng Swee - Father of S'pore

[Merl Haggard]

Our true economic benefactor, Dr Goh Keng Swee humble, private and almost forgotten.


Ex-DPM's wife reaches out


Top News - Thursday, November 27, 2008
Loh Chee Kong
[email protected]

AS ONE of Singapore's founding fathers, former Deputy Prime Minister Goh Keng Swee improved the lives of a whole generation of Singaporeans as he masterminded the country's economic rise.

Now in his twilight years, Dr Goh — who turned 90 last month and has been in ailing health for the past decade — is indirectly extending a helping hand again, at a time when the needy might have to put personal ambitions or expensive medical treatments on hold.

Dr Goh's wife Dr Phua Swee Liang has set up a private charitable foundation in his name. Registered earlier this month, the Goh Keng Swee Foundation would be administered by law firm Rajah and Tann.

Dr Phua, 69, told Today: "The Foundation will keep Dr Goh's legacy alive and perpetuate, among young Singaporeans, his values and selfless efforts to build up his nation."

In particular, it will provide financial assistance — including grants, bursaries and scholarships — to "disadvantaged" young Singaporeans and to "impoverished patients in need of medical or healthcare".

The idea of the Foundation came to Dr Phua a couple of months ago, before the onset of the current economic turmoil.

She said: "In my pensive moments, because of my love, admiration and respect for Dr Goh, I decided to do this for him. Also, as a Singaporean, I feel I should follow in his footsteps to do what I can for Singapore."

Since retiring from politics in 1984,Dr Goh has shunned the limelight. And in the same spirit, there will not be an official launch for the foundation. Instead,she hopes to spread the message through this newspaper and by word-of-mouth.

The foundation will draw on the couple's savings and gains from personal investments, as well as voluntary contributions by "several others", Dr Phua added. Declining to reveal the exact size of the kitty, she said it would seek to help "as many people as possible".

Prospective recipients would be assessed by a four-member board comprising Dr Phua, retired civil servant Goh Kim Leong, chief investment officer of APS Asset Management Wong Kok Hoi and Dr Goh's niece, Ms Goh Bee Lian.

The financial assistance would also be disbursed to recipients in China, whereDr Goh served as an advisor to the Chinese government after his retirement.

Former Economic Development Board chairman Philip Yeo, who was one of Dr Goh's proteges, described the move as "an excellent initiative to commemorate Dr Goh Keng Swee's countless contributions to the development of Singapore."

As part of the foundation's work, some 2,000 booklets titled "Public Figure Private Man: Goh Keng Swee" would be printed by the end of the year to "inform recipients about the background of their benefactor", said Dr Phua, who co-authored it. These booklets would also be distributed to "loyal friends" and anyone who asks for a copy, she added.

Apart from detailing the former DPM's achievements, the booklet includes accounts of people who had worked with him. Dr Phua also shares many personal anecdotes of her "loving and caring" husband.

She wrote: "Despite his high stature in public office, Keng Swee is a man of simple needs. Ostentatious living is not his style and he is especially careful with his finances (not only his own but more so the State's).

"Whenever he was warded in hospital, he would tear each tissue paper he wanted to use carefully into halves. He would then put one half back into the box for future use. He would often chide me for being a wastrel when he saw that I used the whole sheet and added, 'It's taxpayers' money'."

She added: "May this foundation be a beacon to his name....gently reminding us of his place in Singapore's post-colonial and modern history."

 

[DearestGodlikeWarlord]

I don't know this guy very well. Can anyone give me the scoop on what he did and his working relationship with your country's founder (I think it is Mr. Lee K something)?

 

[southwest]

Thought the old man is the father

 

[Wobble]

Dr. Goh is the brain....that one is the mouthpiece

 

[2lanu]

Surprisely, many like him more than Old Lee...This gonna make LKY mad!

 

[char_jig_kar]

Make no difference to me whether he seems to be a nice guy or wats his contribution. If he's a friend of LKY, or from the PAP camp, he's one asshole too.

 

[char_jig_kar]

Come to think of it, in our country, 66.6% are assholes.

 

[Sammael]

Dr. Goh is the brain....that one is the mouthpiece

Erh Dr Goh Keng Swee was the brain, the other one was the brag

 

[VIBGYOR]

Our true economic benefactor, Dr Goh Keng Swee humble, private and almost forgotten.

i dun think you will be too excited to praise him after you have worked for him.

Because you gotta learn how to siam his pens throwing darts at you!

 

[Papsmearer]

Another bunch of PAP bullshit. Goh Keng Swee master minded jack shit. Ask yourself how a recently graduated London School Of Economics student with a couple of other higher degrees, and zero experience as an economist can suddenly engineer S'pore's economy into what it was. He must be either a genius or the luckiest person. Well, he is neither. Meet the REAL mastermind of Singapore's economy.

<<Albert Winsemius (1910-1996), a Dutch economist, was Singapore's long-time economic advisor from 1961 to 1984. He led the United Nations Survey Mission to Singapore, and was to play a major role in the formulation of Singapore's national economic development strategy.

In 1960, Dr Winsemius led the United Nations team to examine Singapore’s potential in industrialization. At that time, Singapore had just attained self-government and was facing high unemployment and growing population. He presented a 10-year development plan to transform Singapore from an entrepot trade port into a centre of manufacturing and industrialization.

His first emphasis was on creating jobs and attracting foreign investment. Labor intensive industries, such as the production of shirts and pajamas, were expanded. He also encouraged the large-scale public housing programme, believing that it would bolster the country's image, thus attractive to investors. One of his earliest pieces of advice was not to remove the statue of Stamford Raffles as it was a symbol of public acceptance of the British heritage and could alleviate concerns that investors have toward a new socialist government. With his help, Singapore attracted big oil companies like Shell and Esso to establish refineries here.

During his term as Chief Economic Advisor from 1961 to 1984, Dr Winsemius worked closely with Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and later with Goh Chok Tong. He visited the country two or three times a year to review economic performance indicators and to discuss macro-economic strategy with government planners. In the 1970s, Singapore was upgrading its industrial capacity to use higher technological methods, including electronics. He personally went to persuade large Dutch electronics companies like Philips to set up production plants in Singapore. He also proposed that Singapore could be developed as a financial centre, as well as an international centre for air traffic and sea transport. Over the next twenty years, these predictions proved to be accurate.

Dr Winsemius retired as Singapore's economic advisor in December 1983, at the age of 74. He was then quoted saying, "I leave with a saddened heart. It (Singapore) has become part of my life, more or less. It can do without me. It could do without me years ago. But it became part of my life. So I will shed a few tears, imaginary tears." Singapore was a country he regarded almost as home.

For his contributions to Singapore's economic development, he was conferred several honours. In 1967, President Yusof bin Ishak awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal. In 1970, he was conferred an honorary degree by the National University of Singapore. In 1976, he received the National Trades Union Congress' May Day Gold Medal of Honour.

Dr Winsemius died in the Netherlands on December 4, 1996. In a letter of condolences to his family, Lee Kuan Yew wrote: "It was Singapore's good fortune that he (Dr Albert Winsemius) took a deep and personal interest in Singapore's development. Singapore and I personally are indebted to him for the time, energy and development he gave to Singapore. I am proud to have known him and to have been his friend."

When asked about his life as an economist, Dr Winsemius once said, "There is quite a lot of satisfaction, perhaps not like that of, say, an architect who can look at something and say, 'I made it'. But there is that satisfaction in knowing that you have contributed to the well being of people you don't know..."

In 1997, Nanyang Technological University established the Albert Winsemius Professorship as a lasting tribute to Dr Albert Winsemius for his significant contributions to the economic development of Singapore.
<<

 

[VIBGYOR]

Did anyone asked why Dr Albert Winsemius loves SGP more than most Sinkies?

 

[Papsmearer]

Did anyone asked why Dr Albert Winsemius loves SGP more than most Sinkies?

Because he does not live here. And he did not emigrate here. Hence he did not see the way that Goh and Lee subvert his economic ideas into instruments of economic slavery.

 

[VIBGYOR]

Because he does not live here. And he did not emigrate here. Hence he did not see the way that Goh and Lee subvert his economic ideas into instruments of economic slavery.

actually i was asking why an angmo from so far away lands want to help a third world country who are mostly populated by asians and is not even a dutch colony.

anybody been to his grave? wanna pay my respect to him when i visit holland...

 

[Papsmearer]

actually i was asking why an angmo from so far away lands want to help a third world country who are mostly populated by asians and is not even a dutch colony.

anybody been to his grave? wanna pay my respect to him when i visit holland...

He was a consultant for many big projects around the world like the setting up of container ports in Holland and he also adviced the Greek and Portuguese govts. on their economy. Hence because of his busy schedule, he did not usually stay more than a fortnight in S`pore. He will come usually twice a year. The first time would be to outline his economic plans for the following year, and than a second visit to follow up and check on it. So, don`t be mistakened that he was solely devoted to S`pore, although he has told people that S`pore is his 2nd fatherland.

He died at his home in The Hague, so if u are there, u can look up his grave.

 

[0939]

Erh Dr Goh Keng Swee was the brain, the other one was the brag

Sadly Mr Goh is confined to wheel chair. LKY is still healthy and strong.
With S Rajaretnam gone, Toh Chin Chye forgotten. Sometimes God is not being fair.

 

[angry_one]

Did anyone asked why Dr Albert Winsemius loves SGP more than most Sinkies?

Because he was paid a king's ransom to help steer peesai economy?

If i'm not mistaken, Goh Keng Swee was the culprit who wanted to price HDB flats so high, and pegged all housing prices to prices in the CBD. If anything we should throw shit at his grave.

 

[scroobal]

He was a consultant for many big projects around the world like the setting up of container ports in Holland and he also adviced the Greek and Portuguese govts. on their economy. Hence because of his busy schedule, he did not usually stay more than a fortnight in S`pore. He will come usually twice a year. The first time would be to outline his economic plans for the following year, and than a second visit to follow up and check on it. So, don`t be mistakened that he was solely devoted to S`pore, although he has told people that S`pore is his 2nd fatherland.

He died at his home in The Hague, so if u are there, u can look up his grave.

Unknown to most people Dr W stayed in an apartment in Nassim Road in the early days and talked to a variety of people including Lim Chin Siong and the middle road gang. He would invite them to his flat for coffee/tea. He also spoke with a variety of people from all walks of life. Thats how he knew what he wanted and what he needed to do.

 

[myjohnson]

People say, without Lee Kuan Yew, there is no Singapore of today. Fuck him! Without Dr.Winsemius, we will be nothing more than another Johore Bahru!

That's why there are very few occasions that this great man's name is ever mentioned in the local PAP newsletter The Shit Times! Will take just too much of the gloss off the old fucker!

 

[Papsmearer]

Unknown to most people Dr W stayed in an apartment in Nassim Road in the early days and talked to a variety of people including Lim Chin Siong and the middle road gang. He would invite them to his flat for coffee/tea. He also spoke with a variety of people from all walks of life. Thats how he knew what he wanted and what he needed to do.

Well in later years, I believe he was staying in a nice suite in a hotel, all expenses paid of course.

 

[allanlee]

Erh Dr Goh Keng Swee was the brain, the other one was the brag

Dr. Goh was the Enforcer.... the brains was actually Lim Kim San..... and of course the lawyer had to be the braggart