GOH Sin Tub
The Public Service,
Accession Number 001422
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 7
Total Reels
- Daniel Chew (Dr)
Interviewer
- 03:33:08
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 7
Metadata
- 12 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:31:00
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:36) Paternal grandfather came from Hoshua in Heimen.
(0:02:28) Lived in Telok Ayer Street, then moved to Emerald Hill Road.
(0:07:17) Father and uncles were all English-educated. Father worked in Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank.
(0:13:48) Transferred to St. Joseph's Institution (SJI) with his elder brother.
(0:15:32) Became Christian and influenced his parents to do the same through changes in his behaviour.
(0:17:27) Interested in Literature, Mathematics and Bible Knowledge in school.
(0:18:32) Impressed by the education at SJI and the teachers there.
(0:22:02) Schooling was interrupted during the Japanese occupation. He went out to work and learned Japanese.
Paternal grandfather came from China. Family background. Lived in Telok Ayer Street, then moved to Emerald Hill Road. Father worked in Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. Father and uncles, educated in English, ended up as clerks. Schooling at St. Joseph's Institution(SJI). Became Catholic, as did his parents. In school, interested in Literature and Bible Knowledge. Impressions of teachers. Outbreak of war. How he went out to work and learn Japanese.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 7
Metadata
- 12 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:31:12
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:04:44) Influence of the Japanese language and culture on him during the Japanese occupation.
(0:08:45) After the war, he continued schooling at St. Joseph's Institution (SJI) despite financial difficulty.
(0:11:37) Obtained a Raffles College scholarship to study at the University of Malaya (Singapore).
(0:13:23) At university, he was indifferent to politics and focused on his studies with very limited social activities.
(0:16:44) Recollection of the conditions after the end of the war.
(0:20:36) Recalled some political events, such as agitation by the communists, particularly in the trade unions.
(0:26:37) His aspirations after he left the university. How he felt that the Civil Service was more attractive.
(0:28:34) Joined the Civil Service as an administrative officer in the Colonial Under-Secretary's Office.
Influence of Japanese language and culture on him. Impact of Japanese Occupation. After war, continued schooling at St. Joseph's Institution(SJI). Obtained scholarship to study at University of Malaya (Singapore). At university, indifferent to politics. Interested in English and Literature. Joined Civil Service as administrative officer in Colonial Under-Secretary's Office.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 7
Metadata
- 12 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:31:11
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:20) Expatriates' attitude, although friendly to the local officers, distinctions were drawn.
(0:03:06) Got involved in the trade union movement and was elected as Assistant Secretary of the Singapore Senior Officers’ Association (SSOA).
(0:07:05) His impression of the Hon Sec. Kenny Bryne.
(0:13:08) Colonial Civil Service values of fairness and impartiality were handed down under the British system.
(0:17:40) People's Action Party’s (PAP) initial attitude towards civil servants and announced cuts in variable allowances for civil servants.
(0:23:05) Limited training was provided when he first joined the service. Most of the things were learned on the job.
(0:28:51) He sacrificed his pension and left the civil service to join the private sector.
Expatriates' attitude friendly to local officers but distinction drawn. Colonial Civil Service values of fairness and objectivity handed down. People's Action Party (PAP) initially attitude towards civil servants. Cut in variable allowances for civil servants. Criticisms by expatriates for minor things like dressing. Limited training received but more on the job learning.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 7
Metadata
- 14 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:31:58
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:22) The core group of people in the Senior Officers' Association when he was the Assistant Secretary.
(0:07:36) The Labour Front Government came in with little knowledge of governing.
(0:08:46) Impressions of Lim Yew Hock.
(0:12:46) Civil servants felt there was absence of expertise, for example, in handling industrial disputes.
(0:14:28) Impressions of David Marshall. Had a great deal of charisma, a very sympathetic, very humane person.
(0:17:31) Feeling about the pace of Malayanisation.
(0:21:49) Civil Servants' fear of the People's Action Party (PAP) on their image of extremism, pro-communism, and anti-civil service.
(0:23:10) Role of Political Studies Centre.
(0:24:00) The hierarchical structure of accountability of civil servants under the colonial system.
Was Assistant Secretary in Senior Officers' Association. When Labour Front Government came in, it had little knowledge of governing. Civil servants felt there was absence of expertise, for example, in handling industrial disputes. Impressions of Lim Yew Hock and his Government. Impressions of David Marshall. Civil Servants' fear of People's Action Party (PAP). Role of Political Studies Centre. Accountability of civil servants under colonial system. Ministerial system of accountability.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 7
Metadata
- 14 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:31:00
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:02:14) Concerned with the concentration of power in the civil service. Worried that it would become less democratic.
(0:08:40) PAP set up a Political Studies Centre to train civil servants.
(0:12:46) Ministers make the decision while civil servants advise and implement policies.
(0:16:53) Being mentors of other civil servants like S R Nathan.
(0:18:39) Esprit de corps among administrative officers.
(0:18:57) Mentoring received from L C Goh and Lee Siow Mong.
(0:21:51) At the policy-making level, senior civil servants can respond to politicians' views or initiate their own thinking.
(0:24:45) The outbreak of the Bukit Ho Swee fire and his involvement in the handling of this disaster.
Concentration of power in the civil service. Necessity for feedback. Esprit de corps among administrative officers. At policy-making level, senior civil servants can respond to views of politicians or initiate own thinking. Ministers in control, but civil servants advise and implement policies. After outbreak of Bukit Ho Swee fire, responsible for attending to fire victims.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 7
Metadata
- 14 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:31:34
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:17) Continuation on the handling of the outbreak of the Bukit Ho Swee fire and attending to the victims with the co-operation and teamwork from Government bodies and the public.
(0:06:59) Prior experience running relief camps in the Welfare Department.
(0:11:03) The objectives and priorities of social welfare for Singapore when he was Director of Social Welfare.
(0:13:37) How Social Welfare ranked in terms of priority to other ministries.
(0:15:48) Administrative duties as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Health, such as fee reviews, dealing with trade unions and preparing Cabinet papers and parliamentary replies.
(0:18:14) Tension between administrators and professionals.
(0:22:28) The process of cabinet liaison where he prepared the cabinet papers.
(0:29:14) He elaborated on the method of line budgeting.
More on attending to victims of Bukit Ho Swee fire, with co-operation and teamwork from Government bodies and the public. Administrative duties as Deputy Secretary in Ministry of Health such as fee reviews, dealing with trade unions and preparing Cabinet papers and parliamentary replies. Tension between administrators and professionals.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 7
Metadata
- 14 Oct 1993
Recording Date
- 00:25:13
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:31) While the Government was more interested in the macro-level picture, he was interested in the micro-casework.
(0:04:33) Impressions of working with the old guard leaders.
(0:06:06) No ill-will toward any of the political and civil service levels when he left the Civil Service.
(0:11:07) Civil Service has to be the handmaid of politicians and implement policies.
(0:12:12) His advice for aspiring Administrative Officers.
(0:16:30) How his public service career helped him in his private sector work.
(0:22:35) Views on the gradual merging of public and private sectors.
While Government was more interested in macro level picture, he was interested in micro casework. Impressions of Old Guard leaders. No ill-will when he left Civil Service. Civil Service has to be handmaid of politicians and implement policies. How Civil Service career helped him in his private sector work. Views on merging of public and private sectors.
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