CHAN, Robin Pitt Thong 曾必东
The Public Service,
Accession Number 002370
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 11
Total Reels
- Jason Lim (Dr)
Interviewer
- 05:21:42
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg
Reel/Disc 1 of 11
Metadata
- 16 Jul 2002
Recording Date
- 00:22:31
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:13) Family background. Parents adopted one child as they loved kids.
(0:02:55) He talked about what it was like growing up with 12 siblings.
(0:05:53) Family stayed at Carpmael Road.
(0:06:40) Reminiscences of Katong in 1950s and 1960s, including Roxy Cinema and Chinese Swimming Club.
(0:13:47) Brief recollection of the Japanese military in Singapore.
(0:15:41) Scarcity of food. Rice was rationed, and meat was given once a week.
(0:19:41) Air raids during Japanese occupation.
(0:23:03) Reactions to the return of the British. Reaction of people when the Japanese surrendered.
(0:26:01) Change in currency as "banana notes" were discarded.
(0:26:57) Parents tried to get him enrolled in private school after the Japanese surrendered.
(0:28:03) Attended "Elementary School" at Onan Road from 1946 to 1948.
Family background. Stayed at Carpmael Road. Reminiscences of Katong in 1950s and 1960s, including Roxy Cinema and Chinese Swimming Club. Brief recollection of Japanese military in Singapore. Scarcity of food. Air raids during Japanese occupation. Reactions to return of British. Change in currency as "banana notes" were discarded. Parents tried to get him enrolled in private school after Japanese surrender. Attended "Elementary School" at Onan Road from 1946 to 1948.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 11
Metadata
- 16 Jul 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:26
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:08) Taught by Mr Carnegie at "Elementary School" at Onan Road from 1946 to 1948.
(0:02:39) Life in Elementary School.
(0:05:22) Brief recollection of studying at Dryburgh English School from 1949 to 1952.
(0:07:18) Studied at Presbyterian Boys' School (PBS) from 1953 to 1958.
(0:10:06) Learnt Latin just to get credits. He talked about his Latin teacher.
(0:13:47) Impressions of his teachers at PBS.
(0:20:19) Involvement in sports at PBS.
(0:22:18) He played soccer actively for PBS.
(0:24:55) Training of school athletes. No coaches back then. Students trained by themselves.
(0:26:50) Participated in the annual Inter-school Athletic Championships for PBS.
Taught by Mr Carnegie at "Elementary School" at Onan Road from 1946 to 1948. Little recollection of studying at Dryburgh English School from 1949 to 1952. Studied at Presbyterian Boys' School (PBS) from 1953 to 1958. Learnt Latin. Impressions of his teachers at PBS. Involvement in sports at PBS. Played soccer for PBS. Training of school athletes. Participated in annual Inter-school Athletic Championships for PBS.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 11
Metadata
- 16 Jul 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:22
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:05) Concerns of Presbyterian Boys' School (PBS) students.
(0:04:23) Incident when students' identity cards were torn up by leftist students.
(0:05:50) Anecdote of a teacher who was investigated by the Special Branch.
(0:06:58) Campaigned for the Progressive Party in 1957 and the Liberal Socialist Party in 1959.
(0:10:56) Schoolboy ambitions.
(0:11:33) Job opportunities in 1959.
(0:14:47) How he got a job at the Elections Department (ED) in March 1959.
(0:16:58) Anecdotes on his early responsibilities as a Clerical Officer at ED.
(0:23:43) Getting civil servants to do work for ED.
(0:27:17) Manual preparation of poll cards. Very labour-intensive work.
(0:28:07) Staff of ED in 1959.
Concerns of Presbyterian Boys' School (PBS) students. Incident when students' identity cards were torn up. Anecdote of teacher who was investigated by Special Branch. Campaigned for Progressive Party in 1957 and Liberal Socialist Party in 1959. Schoolboy ambitions. Job opportunities in 1959. How he got job at Elections Department (ED) in March 1959. Anecdotes on his early responsibilities as Clerical Officer at ED. Getting civil servants to do work for ED. Manual preparation of poll cards. Staff of ED in 1959.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 11
Metadata
- 18 Sep 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:32
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:05) Recollections of various campaigns – 1959 and 1963 General Elections.
(0:04:38) He recalled the Hong Lim Green Rally drew massive crowds.
(0:05:58) Recollections of the 1962 Referendum.
(0:08:16) Counting votes and announcement of results for the 1962 Referendum.
(0:14:43) Responsibilities during the 1959 General Elections as Head of Section.
(0:17:46) Organisation and location of polling stations.
(0:21:47) Anecdote of how he tried to locate "Nee Soon Circus".
(0:25:07) Preparation of Register of Electors and problems encountered.
(0:29:50) Talked about the production of the registers.
Recollections of various campaigns - 1959 and 1963 General Elections, and 1961 Hong Lim By-election. Recollections of 1962 Referendum. Counting votes and announcement of results for 1962 Referendum. Responsibilities during 1959 General Elections. Organisation and location of polling stations. Anecdote of how he tried to locate "Nee Soon Circus". Preparation of Register of Electors and problems encountered.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 11
Metadata
- 18 Sep 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:52
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:05) The reason they needed to go down to the National Registration Office (NRO).
(0:03:05) Issue of poll cards in the 1950s and 60s.
(0:06:53) His promotion to Executive Officer in 1967 and his duties.
(0:09:57) Work of Elections Department (ED) in 1968 General Elections.
(0:14:01) Sudden transfer to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in August 1970.
(0:16:20) Working experiences at the PMO. Amusing moments when interacting with the PM.
(0:24:01) Returned to ED as its Head in January 1971.
(0:27:43) Impressions of General Elections campaigns in the 1970s after he returned to ED.
Preparation of Register of Electors and problems encountered. Issue of poll cards. Promotion to Executive Officer in 1967. Work of Elections Department (ED) in 1968 General Elections. Transferred to Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in August 1970. Working experiences at PMO. Returned to ED as its Head in January 1971. Impressions of General Elections campaigns in 1970s.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 11
Metadata
- 18 Sep 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:59
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:06) Changes in work of the Elections Department (ED) from manual to electronic.
(0:04:26) Origins of term "Split Register". Electronic preparation of Register of Electors and poll cards.
(0:07:52) The first election where things were done electronically.
(0:12:11) Other terms used in ED.
(0:14:14) Impressions of former Heads of ED. Who he considered the best to work with.
(0:21:06) Changes in electoral boundaries and work of the Electoral Boundaries Committee (EBC).
(0:24:15) Response to accusations of gerrymandering (manipulation of electoral boundaries) by EBC.
(0:27:09) Criteria for making changes in electoral boundaries.
Changes in work of Elections Department (ED) from manual to electronic. Origins of term "Split Register". Electronic preparation of Register of Electors and poll cards. Other terms used in ED. Impressions of former Heads of ED. Changes in electoral boundaries and work of Electoral Boundaries Committee (EBC). Response to accusations of gerrymandering (manipulation of electoral boundaries) by EBC. Criteria for making changes in electoral boundaries.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 11
Metadata
- 18 Sep 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:34
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:05) He gave an example of why Marine Parade stretches up to Serangoon North.
(0:01:30) Formation and naming of the Single Member Constituencies (SMC) and Group Representation Constituencies (GRC).
(0:03:40) How it was decided that a specific area would have 4 Members of Parliament (MPs), while a GRC has 6.
(0:08:15) How the Elections Department (ED) had to make changes in conducting elections with the introduction of GRC in 1988.
(0:12:20) What candidates from racial minorities had to do in order to contest in GRC.
(0:16:00) Voting and counting of votes in GRC.
(0:21:01) How civil servants were chosen to work on Polling Day.
(0:26:04) Worked as a United Nations observer for a month in General Elections in Namibia in 1989.
Formation and naming of Single Member Constituencies (SMC) and Group Representation Constituencies (GRC). How Elections Department (ED) had to make changes in conducting elections with introduction of GRC in 1988. What candidates from racial minorities had to do in order to contest in GRC. Voting and counting of votes in GRC. How civil servants were chosen to work on Polling Day. Worked as United Nations observer for a month in General Elections in Namibia in 1989.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Oct 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:23
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:04) He elaborated further on his experience as a United Nations observer in Namibia’s 1989 General Elections.
(0:03:52) What he knew about observers for Cambodian and South African General Elections.
(0:05:30) Impressions of Namibia. There were security checks whenever one went to the shops.
(0:09:41) What he observed in the Presidential Election in Mexico.
(0:13:45) Information shared during the "Conference of Democracy in the Commonwealth" in Mauritius in 2002.
(0:17:10) Impressions of preferential voting system. He mentioned that preferential votes are complex, and sometimes the vote rests with the voter.
(0:20:52) Objectives of the conference at Mauritius.
(0:21:30) Impressions of the proportional representation system.
(0:26:00) Trip to the Netherlands, Belgium, and the US to observe electronic voting methods.
Worked as United Nations observer for a month in General Elections in Namibia in 1989. What he knew about observers for Cambodian and South African General Elections. Impressions of Namibia. What he observed in Presidential Election in Mexico. Information shared during "Conference of Democracy in the Commonwealth" in Mauritius in 2002. Impressions of preferential voting system. Objectives of conference at Mauritius. Impressions of proportional representation system. Trip to the Netherlands, Belgium and United States to observe electronic voting methods.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Oct 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:18
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:04) His impressions of the electronic voting. He and his team proposed the touch screen system for Singapore.
(0:03:32) Introduction of overseas voting and how this will affect the work of the Elections Department (ED).
(0:06:57) Simplifying the work of polling staff. The idea of sorting ballot papers according to voters’ identity card numbers.
(0:12:02) Consequences if a voter was given the wrong ballot paper.
(0:14:42) Appointed as Adviser of ED from 1 July 2002. His role as adviser.
(0:17:47) Introduction of electronic registers at polling stations.
(0:18:45) Early involvement in badminton in the civil service.
(0:21:21) Recollection of outstanding badminton players.
(0:24:15) Brief history of the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA).
(0:27:30) Visit of badminton teams from China and Indonesia.
(0:29:20) As Assistant Secretary General, he had to organise games.
Trip to the Netherlands, Belgium and United States to observe electronic voting methods. Introduction of overseas voting and how this will affect work of Elections Department (ED). Appointed as Advisor of ED from 1 July 2002. Introduction of electronic registers at polling stations. Early involvement in badminton in civil service. Recollection of outstanding badminton players. Brief history of Singapore Badminton Association (SBA). Visit of badminton teams from China and Indonesia.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Oct 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:22
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:05) Visit of badminton team from China. The team received high-level security.
(0:01:55) State of badminton in Singapore in the 1970s. Singapore’s early players.
(0:04:55) Organisation of Konica Cup and Singapore Open.
(0:09:16) Participation in various competitions in the late 1970s.
(0:10:31) Selection and training of national players.
(0:12:57) Previous badminton coaches and the consequences of hiring them full-time.
(0:15:42) Grooming full-time badminton players. Singapore also engaged foreign players.
(0:18:27) Fund-raising projects for the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA).
(0:21:21) Badminton competitions at Civil Service Club.
(0:24:49) Changes in attitudes towards badminton since the 1970s. The nation was bold enough to set targets for the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Thomas Cup.
(0:28:33) Impression that coaches need to monitor their players' opponents. Science and technology play an important role in sports now.
Visit of badminton team from China. State of badminton in Singapore in 1970s. Organisation of Konica Cup and Singapore Open. Participation in various competitions in late 1970s. Selection and training of national players. Previous badminton coaches and consequences of hiring them full-time. Grooming full-time badminton players. Fund-raising projects for Singapore Badminton Association (SBA). Badminton competitions at Civil Service Club. Changes in attitudes towards badminton since 1970s. Impression that coaches need to monitor their players' opponents.
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