CHEE Kong Tet
The Public Service,
Accession Number 000683
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 20
Total Reels
- Wong Ling Yan
Interviewer
- 09:19:35
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:26:58
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:00) Personal background. Date and place of birth.
(0:00:48) Family background. Great-grandfather first to arrive in Singapore from Mentok doing pawn shop business. Built a house on Waterloo Street.
(0:02:49) Information about his father and mother.
(0:05:33) Adopted by Eurasian family from infancy until 12 as his mother was unable to look after him after the birth of his third brother. They lived on Niven Road.
(0:08:48) Background of adoptive parents.
(0:11:21) Catholic-born; Grandfather among first Catholic in Singapore.
(0:12:47) Biological maternal grandfather background.
(0:17:12) Tussle between biological and adoptive family on where to stay when adoptive father passed away.
(0:18:57) Background of the children of the Eurasian family.
(0:22:48) Portuguese background of the Eurasian family, possibly from Malacca.
(0:24:40) Treated like own child by adoptive family. Adoptive father was religious.
Personal background. Neglected child. Adopted by Eurasian family at age of 1 until 12. Father worked at post office; Catholic-born; among first Catholics in Singapore. Tussled when stepfather died. Moved to Evan Road, Eurasian area. Separated when 3 of sisters married. Mother from Portuguese background, Malacca. Learned Portuguese language since young. Chinese-Eurasian family had same status. Treated like prince. Father religious. Very close to Portuguese family.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:29:01
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:00) Father’s religious activities.
(0:02:15) Member of Saint Joseph’s Church choir on Cuppage Road. “More Portuguese than Chinese” at the time. Treated well by the adoptive family.
(0:05:26) Information about the Eurasian community.
(0:08:10) Class difference between Eurasians and Chinese. Adoptive parents never treated him differently.
(0:10:19) Chinese biological mother spoiled him when he returned to stay with them.
(0:13:14) Moved between biological and adoptive homes a lot later in life. Rarely took part in Eurasian family’s social life.
(0:17:02) Interested in violin from age 17 and self-learned. Formed orchestra with brother and other children. Memories of learning and playing the violin.
(0:22:27) Memories of violin teacher and classical music teacher.
(0:24:46) Memories of Tay Lian Teck as the best violinist in Singapore.
(0:25:54) Attended school from age 7 at St Joseph’s Institution. Passed senior Cambridge.
Member of Cuppage Road church choir. More Portuguese than Chinese. Elder brothers polite. Eurasian cultural and social values never affected his life. Interested in violin at 17; self-study. Formed orchestra with other brother. Tay Lian Teck best violinist among Chinese and European. Attended school at age of 7 at St Joseph's. At age 16, passed Cambridge; at 17, worked at commercial firm. Passed Senior Cambridge.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:28:19
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:06) Students could go to school without shoes and dressed casually. There was no school uniform. Teachers allowed to cane students.
(0:04:30) Religious values taught in school.
(0:07:14) Conditions in school.
(0:10:04) Subjects taught in school. Took catechism classes.
(0:12:58) Experience learning languages – French and Chinese. Passing French was the criterion for medical school. Studied Cantonese.
(0:15:13) Experience learning and speaking Malay. Used to understand Malay in operas easily ¬– different from Malay spoken later on which he couldn’t understand.
(0:19:38) Received scholarship for being of ethnic Chinese origin (kept Chinese name in school), as biological father was from a working-class background.
(0:22:10) Views on belonging to biological or adoptive family. Views on placing children in adoption.
(0:25:42) School life – studying, violin, assembly, recess and games played.
No school uniform. Some barefooted to school. Students inattentive in class; caning. Principals/school inspectors restricted from caning students. Now students challenged teachers if caned. Discipline in mission schools best. Religious groups have right to teach religion. Books and students' belongings kept in lockers. Now students have to carry them daily. Like to watch Malay opera. Used to understand easily.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:31:02
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:00) Sang “God Save the King” (British anthem) in school. Did not join school activities but part of the Portuguese church choir.
(0:02:36) Students not encouraged to study. Rarely read newspapers. Information came from textbooks, scriptures and British history.
(0:05:47) Visits to Britain and Scotland.
(0:07:52) Views on Singapore history paling in comparison to British history. Understanding of the Catholic version of history.
(0:13:02) Teachers who made an impression in mission school. Friends in school.
(0:16:32) Became clerk at the Colonial Secretary’s Office at age 17. Subjects studied in junior and senior Cambridge.
(0:21:30) Learned typewriting, shorthand and bookkeeping in commercial school.
(0:24:01) Briefly took up French translation work in government service.
(0:25:30) Returned to the Chinese family on Cuppage Road at age 12. Big family, everyone knew one another. Daily language was Malay, with some Cantonese and Teochew.
Sang God Save The King at any occasion. No opportunity to read newspaper. Became clerk in Colonial Secretary's Office at age 17. Teachers taught same subject. Standard of education higher now. Learned book-keeping, typing, shorthand in commercial school. At age 12, returned to Chinese family - big family. Everyone knew one another. Daily language - Malay. Learned Malay at home.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:28:17
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:04) Hungry Ghost Festival celebrated with wayang performances for around two weeks. Shop and market owners organised festival. Performances by children.
(0:03:05) Also celebrated Christmas and Easter.
(0:06:39) First World War (WW I) from 1914 to 1918 did not affect life in Singapore. Celebrated with Padang show and fun fair when war ended.
(0:09:19) Not aware of Raffles College where he would have liked to go and study medicine.
(0:11:25) Obtained salary of $50 per month at Colonial Secretary’s Office. Not promoted by level of seniority. Unsatisfied and engaged lawyer.
(0:17:18) Submitted petition. Asked to resign by boss if unsatisfied. Petition document went missing.
(0:21:11) Document located and petition accepted eventually. Promoted and received $1,000 in arrears. Transferred to Prisons Department.
(0:24:29) How promotion system was revised.
Hungry Ghosts Festival celebrated at least two weeks with wayang performance. Shops/markets owners organised and shared the expenses. Well known artistes invited. Also celebrated Christmas and Easter. First World War (WW I) 1914-18 did not affect Singapore's life. When war ended, celebrated with show at Padang and fun fair. Obtained salary of $50 per month at Colonial Secretary Office. Unsatisfied. Engaged lawyer. Salary increased to $100.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:27:21
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:03) Petition process.
(0:01:59) Direct employer was the Colonial Secretary’s Office. Worked in Records Office, in charge of indexing. Captivated by the records. People depended on it.
(0:04:57) Records Office operations. Learned and read a lot. Found job interesting. Considered the Colonial Secretary’s Office an important department.
(0:07:13) Departments under the Colonial Secretary’s Office.
(0:09:11) Working hours. Description of typical day at his job.
(0:11:01) Worked in other departments before indexing system introduced from England.
(0:14:01) Brief stint translating French letters.
(0:16:01) Office hierarchy and operations. Relations with colleagues.
(0:19:00) Malayan Civil Service different class of their own – held high posts, very versatile department.
(0:22:51) Local people appointed assistant accountants and clerks only. Now local people hold top posts.
Direct employer Colonial Secretary's Office. In charge of index - any subject in the world. Very interesting. Learned any Government programmes. Colonial Secretary's Office important department. Simple job. Index system paper introduced by England indexing system. Malayan Civil Service very versatile department. Local people appointed as assistant accountant and clerk only. Now local people hold top posts.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:28:11
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:06) Friends and recreational activities.
(0:05:52) Spoke English among friends. English-educated did not mix with Chinese-educated.
(0:07:07) Moved from Cuppage Road to Siglap. Lived in Bukit Timah government quarters. Married at McNair Road. Moved and retired at Penang Road.
(0:09:15) Promoted to chief clerk at the Prisons Department. Job scope involved finances. Managed job with help of assistant.
(0:12:02) Almost transferred to the Changi Prison where clerks’ quarters were in miserable condition. Refused and asked to transfer.
(0:13:07) How his promotion led to transfer to Class II chief clerk job at the Prisons Department.
(0:16:16) Job scope in finances at the Prisons Department. Daily job routines and work conditions. Stayed in Siglap while working there.
(0:23:35) Disallowed to have contact with prisoners except after obtaining permission. Important warder jobs given to Europeans. Sub-warders and police constables were local Malays.
Moved to Bukit Timah Government quarters - Siglap, McNair Road and Penang Road. Promoted to chief clerk at Prisons Department. Finally managed finance job in department successfully. Condition in quarters miserable. Asked for transfer to indexing department. Promoted to Class II - to chief clerk job. In prison, disallowed to contact prisoners except after obtaining permission. Important job given to European. Warders, police constable to Malays.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:30:01
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:04) Duties included correspondence, typing, preparing petty cash for prisoners’ necessities. Worked at the Prisons Department for three years.
(0:02:48) Introduced indexing system to prison. Brought in cabinets, introduced filing and accounting.
(0:06:14) Only Chinese in clerical service comprising Indians. Got along with colleagues. Transferred to medical department in Fullerton Building. Spent 10 years in the department until Second World War (WW II).
(0:08:37) Appointed Secretary of General Hospital for over 6 months. Hospital funds insufficient. Improved after two years of budgeting.
(0:10:11) Process obtaining budget approvals for hospital.
(0:13:31) Process of government financing. In charge of finances in medical department.
(0:19:50) Employers were European or English. Equally qualified locals took junior positions and drew lower pay.
(0:22:18) War transformed hospitals and doctors in Singapore. Locals took charge after British left.
(0:24:33) Interactions with employer.
(0:26:26) Local staff discriminated against in pay and living conditions.
For 3 years worked in Outram Prison. Duties - correspondence, typing, buy prisoners' necessities. Introduced index system in prison. Indians in clerical service. Transferred to medical department at Fullerton Building. Ten years in department until Second World War (WW II). Appointed Secretary, General Hospital, for 6 months. Hospital fund insufficient. After budgeting, satisfied. War made wonderful changes to hospital and doctors in Singapore.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:30:24
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:06) Doctors including Dr Monteiro, Dr Sheares, Dr Benjamin Chew ran Tan Tock Seng Hospital admitting local patients when the Japanese took over General Hospital. These doctors should be given credit for services during the Japanese Occupation.
(0:01:46) Doctors later appointed ambassadors or entered private practice.
(0:05:02) When the British returned, doctors made to resume basic duties instead of being recognised for services. Doctors unsatisfied and resigned. People grew to recognise local doctors over Europeans.
(0:07:22) Tan Tock Seng Hospital catered to poor. Medicine relied on Japanese supply.
(0:09:22) Account of Japanese invasion and bombing.
(0:16:30) Reported back for duty to Dr Ando who organised the medical department.
(0:20:56) Medical department arm band kept home safe when Japanese soldiers came knocking.
(0:25:24) Working under the Japanese during the occupation.
(0:28:25) Sent to sites where Chinese were shot.
Japanese took some well-known doctors to look after patients in hospital. Dr Monteiro, Dr Sheares, Dr Benjamin Chew and others should be given credit for services during Japanese Occupation. When British returned, these doctors asked to continue. Then all doctors had own scheme - local and overseas. General Hospital ran by Japanese. Other Japanese supported it. Tan Tock Seng Hospital for the poor. Most medicine relied on Japanese supply. Bombing everywhere.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 20
Metadata
- 27 Jun 1986
Recording Date
- 00:29:39
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:04) Account of Japanese Occupation – dead bodies everywhere. People rounded up like cattle and driven to sites.
(0:04:48) Japanese tied Chinese up along beaches, shot and buried them. Some escaped to Malay villages nearby.
(0:06:10) New medical department chiefs came in replacing Dr Ando. Singapore was “Syonan-to” – Japanese planned to build Singapore as East Asian power.
(0:07:58) Close to a Japanese-speaking local girl who distributed necessities.
(0:11:34) People lived day to day not knowing if they would survive the next under the Japanese. Many disappeared.
(0:12:54) Played violin to support family. Received around $50 playing at New World, cafes, restaurants. Played assigned Japanese and Chinese tunes.
(0:18:29) Played in a four-piece band. Worked with Eurasian pianist.
(0:20:44) Shows well-attended. Patrons made songs requests. Violin became memento after the war. Audience mostly local. Japanese had own clubs.
(0:24:19) Life as a musician for two years.
15 December 1942 British surrender. Dr Ando organised special medical department, cured diseases and cleared dead bodies everywhere. Sister worked with Japanese during Occupation. Could speak Japanese. Became translator to non-Japanese. Very friendly. Japanese slowly disappeared. Became musician at New World night club. Audience mostly Japanese-Chinese. After Japanese surrender, violin became memento.
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