IAU, Robert Kuo Kwong 姚国光
The Public Service,
Accession Number 002275
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 25
Total Reels
- Jason Lim (Dr)
Interviewer
- 12:25:32
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 25
Metadata
- 1 Feb 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:30
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:18) Family background.
(0:04:43) Recollections of childhood and the neighbourhood at Jalan Masjid.
(0:07:30) British defence of anti-malarial canal against possible Japanese attack.
(0:10:13) Sharing electricity with neighbours led to a close-knit neighbourhood.
(0:12:17) Family had tennis courts.
(0:14:12) Father’s career in engineering and trading.
(0:19:12) More anecdotes of the neighbourhood at Jalan Masjid.
(0:22:02) Anecdote of turkey laying eggs on land mines placed behind his house.
(0:23:44) The Japanese cut down rubber trees on the Pachi estate and developed a farm using Javanese labour. Cruel treatment of Javanese workers.
(0:25:18) What happened to the Pachi rubber estate after the war.
(0:27:15) The Japanese corporal who played piano at his home was also the most brutal.
(0:29:20) Japanese soldier who grew close to his family and smuggled food to them when they were starving.
Family background. Childhood at Jalan Masjid. Recollections of neighbourhood at Kembangan. British defence of anti-malaria canal against possible Japanese attack. Family's neighbours. Family had tennis courts. Father's career. More about neighbourhood at Jalan Masjid. Land mines placed at back of his house. Japanese cut down rubber trees and used Javanese labour on farm. Javanese living at Kampong Bak Chee Tan. Anecdote of Japanese corporal who played piano at his home. Frequent visits by Japanese soldier who grew very close with his family.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 25
Metadata
- 1 Feb 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:28
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:08) The Japanese soldier who grew close to his family believed Japan would lose the war. (0:04:04) Family’s reaction to the bombing of Singapore on 8 December 1941.
(0:06:24) Talked about what happened to the British soldiers at the Pachi rubber estate when the British surrendered.
(0:08:10) Loss of family members and property to the Japanese. Chinese-educated people are more informed of Japanese cruelty than English-educated due to their knowledge of China.
(0:10:37) Stocking up on food. How his father was spared from the Sook Ching exercise.
(0:14:51) Prisoners-of-war (POWs) marched to Changi. Geylang English School (GES) was used as an armoury. GES was later blown up.
(0:17:14) Witnessed Brewster Buffalo and Hurricane flying east as a symbol of British departure. (0:19:38) Anecdotes of neighbours who lost family members.
(0:23:00) Parents refused to let him attend Japanese school and home-schooled him.
(0:24:22) Parents’ upbringing and customs.
(0:25:50) Father’s approach to discipline.
(0:29:09) Mother’s lasting interest and focus on scholarship.
Continuation of frequent visits by Japanese soldier who grew very close with his family. Family's reaction to bombing of Singapore on 8 December 1941. British soldiers at Kampong Bak Chee Tan. Fear of Japanese soldiers. Stocking up food. Sook Ching exercise affected his father and 50 other families. Prisoners-of-war (POWs) marched to Changi. Geylang English School (GES) became armoury. Witnessed Brewster Buffalo and Hurricane flying east. Neighbours protected house as his family fled. Tragic circumstances faced by family friend. Parents refused to let him learn Japanese. Personality of his parents.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 25
Metadata
- 1 Feb 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:53
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:10) Early education.
(0:02:37) Signs that war was coming to an end. A storekeeper who joined the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) shared information with his father.
(0:05:04) Unbelievable Japanese propaganda that they won the war. Appearance of burnt rice on the black market and larger denominations of banana notes.
(0:07:15) People got hungrier. Grew vegetables at home. Various uses of coconut saved lives.
(0:09:56) Instructed to grow bananas on the family’s tennis court which wrecked the court.
(0:11:43) Reared poultry as a boy. The Japanese swiped turkeys for a meagre compensation.
(0:12:55) Poultry hit by disease. Ways of food preparation.
(0:15:41) Food rationing and other sources of food.
(0:19:37) Father blackmailed for scrap metal demanded by the Japanese.
(0:22:14) Events leading up to the Japanese surrender.
(0:26:56) Change in behaviour of Japanese soldiers. Landing of American aircraft at Kallang Airport. Japanese did not admit to surrender.
(0:28:24) Old railway track from Changi to Newton.
Early education. Signs that war was coming to end. Meetings between his father and storekeeper who joined Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA). Unbelievable Japanese propaganda. Appearance of burnt rice on black market. Grew vegetables at home. Uses of coconut. Grew bananas on his family's tennis court. Reared chickens and ducks. Food rations and other sources of food. Why his father was blackmailed by gardener. Events prior to Japanese surrender. Change in behaviour of Japanese soldiers. Landing of American aircraft at Kallang Airport. Old railway track from Changi to Newton.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 25
Metadata
- 7 Mar 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:38
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:11) Signs that the Japanese Occupation was coming to an end.
(0:02:07) Sudden emergence of Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) in the open. (0:03:20) Reappearance of pre-war currency. Inflation during the Japanese Occupation.
(0:05:13) Items his father brought home when the war was finally over.
(0:07:51) Admission into Anglo-Chinese School (ACS). Stayed on Norfolk Road with his teacher. (0:10:31) Japanese surrender proceedings outside City Hall on 12 September 1945.
(0:15:06) Learning English at ACS.
(0:17:52) School canteen.
(0:19:58) Cairnhill Road and Coleman Street campuses of ACS. “X” and “Y” class systems for overaged students.
(0:22:50) Difference between Chinese and English school systems. Surrounding environment of ACS.
(0:28:32) Impression of ACS Old Boys.
Signs that Japanese Occupation may soon end. Sudden emergence of Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) into open. Reappearance of pre-war currency. Inflation during Japanese Occupation. Things his father bought when war was finally over. Admission into Anglo-Chinese School (ACS). Stayed at Norfolk Road with his teacher. Recollection of what happened outside City Hall on 12 September 1945. Learning English. School canteen. Studying in ACS at Cairnhill Road and Coleman Street. "X" and "Y" classes for overaged students. Difference between Chinese and English school systems. Neighbourhood around ACS. Impression of ACS Old Boys.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 25
Metadata
- 7 Mar 2001
Recording Date
- 00:31:02
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:09) Entry into the University of Malaya in Singapore.
(0:01:34) Ragging in the university.
(0:02:51) Layout of the university.
(0:04:41) Impression of his lecturers in English and Economics.
(0:10:36) Impressions of his lecturers in Chinese Literature.
(0:13:58) University Socialist Club and its publication “Fajar”.
(0:16:01) His involvement in debating activities.
(0:17:24) Involvement in, and key members of, the University Music Society.
(0:24:18) Performances by the music society, including “Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
(0:27:08) Impressions of his teachers at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS).
Entry into University of Malaya in Singapore. Ragging in university. Layout of university. Impression of his lecturers in Economics and Chinese Studies. University Socialist Club and its publication "Fajar". His involvement in debating activities. Involvement in, and key members of, University Orchestra. Performance by orchestra. Impressions of his teachers at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS).
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Reel/Disc 6 of 25
Metadata
- 7 Mar 2001
Recording Date
- 00:29:50
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:07) Recollection of art teacher Choo Teck Hong at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS).
(0:02:59) Recollection of Chang Siu Jang, Sports Master for athletics, who also taught Malay.
(0:04:55) Recollection of soccer master Yap Ah Chuan.
(0:08:06) Recollection of Science teacher Lim Choon Mong.
(0:10:38) Recollection of class carolling party.
(0:13:19) Became Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors at ACS. Reencountering Lim Choon Mong, who was in ill health.
(0:16:13) Recollection of class master Doraisamy, who taught English and literature.
(0:17:54) Recollection of other teachers James A Sabapathy and Benjamin Khoo.
(0:20:31) Recollection of class mistress Ms. Russell.
(0:27:05) Recollection of other teachers, Ayadurai and Jesudasan.
Recollections, achievements and impressions of his teachers at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), and what happened to some of them after he left school. Glimpses of school life.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 25
Metadata
- 11 May 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:43
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:21) Honours programme in Economics at the University of Malaya in Singapore.
(0:02:05) The lecturers he recalled.
(0:03:09) Supervised by S R Nathan. Focus of his thesis.
(0:06:04) Views of the political climate in the late 1950s.
(0:08:30) Believed that the Economics programme taught him nothing about economic planning or business.
(0:12:56) Undergraduates were trained for civil service careers. Younger Singaporeans and polytechnic graduates assumed entrepreneurship roles.
(0:17:19) Concerns over national identity. Those who lived through the war had changed perceptions of the superiority of the white man.
(0:20:09) Time of self-examination.
(0:22:44) Career options after university.
(0:26:07) Volunteer military forces in Singapore in the 1950s. Joined Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF) in 1952.
Impressions of his Honours programme in Economics at University of Malaya in Singapore. Focus of his thesis which was supervised by S R Nathan. His fieldwork. Impression that theses done in late 1950s had no strategic thinking into future. Believed that Economics programme taught him nothing on strategic economic planning and entrepreneurship. How university students regarded British as colonial masters. Concerns over national identity. Career options after university. Volunteer military forces in Singapore in 1950s. Joined Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF) in 1952.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 25
Metadata
- 11 May 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:45
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:07) Organisation of the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF).
(0:02:46) Impression that the Royal Air Force (RAF) passed old technology to MAAF.
(0:04:21) Standards demanded of MAAF pilots.
(0:06:23) Changes to the RAF over the years.
(0:08:19) How he overcame vertigo.
(0:10:47) Anecdotes on the training programme of MAAF pilots.
(0:17:35) No distinction between local and European officers in MAAF and RAF.
(0:19:12) Recollection of Sergeant Wong.
(0:21:21) His “wings” examination.
(0:23:07) Daily routines of the MAAF at Beach Road. Anger over the disbandment of MAAF in 1960.
(0:25:21) Flying the Tiger Moth.
Organisation of Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF). Instructors of MAAF. Impression that Royal Air Force (RAF) was passing old technology to MAAF. Standard of MAAF pilots. Changes in RAF in 1950s. How he overcame vertigo. Anecdotes on training programme of MAAF pilots. No distinction between local and European officers in MAAF and RAF. His "wings" examination. Anger over disbandment of MAAF in 1960. Flying the Tiger Moth.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 25
Metadata
- 9 Jul 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:24
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:11) Flying the Tiger Moth in the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF).
(0:05:49) Questions surrounding the MAAF's future with Singapore's political awakening.
(0:08:20) Flying the Harvard in MAAF.
(0:14:22) Replacing Harvard with the Chipmunk was a sign that the MAAF was marginalised.
(0:16:55) Flying the Chipmunk in the MAAF.
(0:23:40) Value of training at the MAAF.
(0:27:57) Formation flying and team spirit.
Flying the Tiger Moth in Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF). Future of MAAF with political awakening of Singapore. Flying the Harvard in MAAF. Reasons for believing that MAAF was marginalised. Flying the Harvard and the Chipmunk in MAAF. Value of training at MAAF. Formation flying and team spirit.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 25
Metadata
- 9 Jul 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:35
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:08) Formation flying in Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF).
(0:02:20) Believed that cost-cutting measures of the new People's Action Party (PAP) government led to the disbandment of the MAAF.
(0:06:01) Views on the disbandment.
(0:08:19) Organisation of the MAAF. Exchange programmes.
(0:09:41) Anecdote of refuelling at Bentah.
(0:12:37) Anecdote of flight from Kota Bahru to Kuantan.
(0:15:09) Work of the MAAF during the Malayan Emergency.
(0:21:45) Effects of Malayan independence in 1957 on MAAF.
(0:23:01) Resentment over disbandment of the MAAF.
(0:25:01) Annual camps of the MAAF.
(0:27:55) University air squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF).
(0:29:18) Activities at annual camps.
Formation flying in Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF). Believed that cost-cutting measures of new People's Action Party (PAP) government led to disbandment of MAAF. Anecdotes of refuelling at Benta, and flight from Kota Bahru to Kuantan. Work of MAAF in Malayan Emergency. Effects of Malayan independence in 1957 on MAAF. Resentment over disbandment of MAAF. Annual camps of MAAF. University air squadrons in Royal Air Force (RAF). Activities in annual camps.
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