R.I.P. Dr Goh Keng Swee :'( (Friday, May 14, 2010 / 10:23 PM)
I for one, am a very, extremely extraordinary and super weird girl. Seriously! I am a Malaysian. Yet, I cared not for my own country but rather, cared more for the country that I am residing in, Singapore.
I have no idea why but I guess the blame goes to Malaysia's suckish attitude, racist and low education system. No offence! Like come on, I am a Malaysian too but I still hate my country and don't give a damn about its political issues or whatsoever. I only cared about Singapore. I love Singapore History. I love the fact that Singapore used to be the most important island during the olden days for its importance of being a trading port. I love the fact that Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and along with his other P.A.P members, had suffered and made Singapore into a First World Country it is today. I love Singapore the way it is now. I am even reading the huge and thick book about the good deeds of the P.A.P members, named Men in White, just for my love for Singapore's History and its rather interesting and efficient ministers.
TODAY, unfortunately, DR GOH KENG SWEE, Singapore's former Deputy Prime Minister and chief economic architect has passed away at a ripe age of 91 after a long illness. I was so shocked and sad. I was driven to tears. I have no idea why but as I read back his autobiography in our History textbook and in the internet, I have learnt so much about him. He is really a great minister that helped Singapore's growth in so many ways...
Dr Goh Keng Swee was active in post-war administration after joining the Department of Social Welfare in 1946. He then tendered his resignation from the civil service to enter politics in 1959. Elected as the People’s Action Party (PAP)’s representative for the Kreta Ayer Constituency, he only retired from the position in 1984.
In 1959, upon taking up the post of Minister of Finance, he once famously described the state of Singapore’s economy as “wretched”. Thanks to his efforts, however, the economy did not stay that way for long.
Twelve years later, in 1979, Dr. Goh made significant contributions to Singapore’s education system, introducing key policies like religious education and streaming in primary schools.
Apart from his role as the Finance Minister, Dr. Goh also became the Minister for Interior and Defence until 1967 following Singapore’s independence. One of the key policies he is credited for is the creation of National Service.
Due to personal reasons, Dr. Goh stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister in 1984. By then, he had been in the Cabinet for 25 years, serving the last 11 as Deputy Prime Minister.
I wished I could have seen him before he passed away, just to see how he looks like in real person and his characteristics. According to retired civil servant Oon Lye Kim, 70, “Dr. Goh wasn’t much of a talker but he was a brilliant economist. He really laid the foundations for Singapore’s economic success. He was also instrumental in developing Jurong Island, then just a wild jungle, thereby giving jobs to thousands.”
Another retiree, Paul Loh, 63 said, “He was a very tough but also prudent man, especially when Singapore broke away from Malaysia and we were left on our own. People respect him for what he has done.”
Sad. So depressing. Another minister gone. Others include: S. Rajaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore from 1980-85, and a long-serving Minister and member of the Cabinet from 1959-88. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of independent Singapore as it achieved self-government in 1959 and later independence in 1965. Devan Nair, Singapore's Third President. Lim Kim San. He was credited for leading the successful public housing program in the Southeast Asian City-State during the early 1960s, which eased the acute housing shortage problem at that time. These are the few that have changed Singapore into what it is today. E.W. Barker. In his 15 years in parliament, he served as the minister of national development (1965-75), minister of home affairs (1972), minister of environment (1975-79), science and technology (1977-81) and minister of labour (1983).
I can't imagine what will happen to me if Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Toh Chin Chye and Mr Othman Wok were to... You know. I don't wanna mention but you should know what I mean. Please don't let that be so soon... Please God... I bet I will be so emotional that I could cry and be emo. for a few days.
Lastly, thank you Dr Goh, for your contributions to Singapore. You made a difference to all of us in Singapore. Not just him only. I wanna thank all those ministers out there, either alive or dead, for making the residents live in peace and joy. A big THANK YOU!
All I hope now is that this generation's ministers will be as good as the ones back then.
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