LEE, Patrick Kwok Kie 李国基
Economic Development of Singapore,
Accession Number 002525
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 20
Total Reels
- Jesley Chua Chee Huan
Interviewer
- 09:45:58
Total Running Time
- Mandarin
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 20
Metadata
- 3 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:35
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Father’s background. Interviewee was the third child in the family. Why father came to Malaya. How father started his own business. Why father left Penang for Singapore. Why textile merchants in Penang supported his father’s business. Changed to limited company in 1951. Penang textile merchants were mostly Hokkiens. Company shareholders. Why father chose to open shop in Chinatown. Types of textiles they trade in.
Why they later moved to Circular Road. Difference in view between him and father with regards to getting one’s children into business. Why he thinks the Cantonese were the most progressive lot amongst the early migrants. Reasons for the shift in trade from Cantonese to Hokkiens and Teochews.
There were a few Cantonese textile shops in Chinatown. Types of textiles they deal with in the 50s. Areas where textile distributors and traders were found. Why interviewee is not interested in the textile business.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 20
Metadata
- 3 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:47
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Elaboration on why he has no interest in textile. Most textiles found in Circular Road came from China and Taiwan while those from Japan and Europe were handled mostly by Indian textile traders. They moved their company to Circular Road in 1951. Description of their shop. Meals were provided by the boss. Family lived on the 3rd storey of the shop house. Elaboration of the shop house and its facilities. Their breakfast. He learnt to eat fast in the shop house. Interviewee’s recreation in Circular Road. Played with guppies and spiders. His is close to his parents. He is very close to his sister. Why he went to Catholic High School.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 20
Metadata
- 3 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Started to have friends when he was at Emerald Hill. Had lots of activities. Why he paid attention to his children’s reading habits. He failed once but did later did well in economics and art. Why family moved to Emerald Hill. Spent most of his childhood there. Many Liews and Tans in Emerald Hill. Had wealthy neighbors in the area. Eating pork chop and milkshake at Cold Storage Coffee House was a big treat. Orchard Road carpark area used to be a famous hawker centre. Pink Pussy Cat Disco with live band in the 60s. There was a big toy shop next to Pavilion Cinema. Father’s business started to decline after 1963. Father was strict about money. He used to hang around his rich friends.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 20
Metadata
- 3 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:59
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Mother used to sew clothes for him. Got his first singlet in primary 6. His first suspenders. He spent much time in his friend’s house. There was always a cane in the family. His views on upbringing of children. His parents were match made. Mother came from China. Father’s value system. Why his parents were not strict with him during his teenage years.
Felt that education is necessary for effective management. His siblings’ educational background. Felt that one should not have family members in the company for the sake of having them. Felt that basic education is important in today’s society. Felt that product is more important than network. E-business eliminated network now. Interviewee’s views on education. Interviewee went for an exchange program in Japan instead of further studies overseas. How he got into the exchange program. He was the only Singaporean in the program. Indonesian Confrontation in the 60s.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 20
Metadata
- 3 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Their business slowed down when Indonesia and Malaysia started their manufacturing industry. Father made flour sacks for Prima in late 60s. When interviewee joined the family business, switched from sack to garment making. Their textile supply. Business declined in the 70s. Credit period could be as long as 6 months or more. Father also supplied textiles to garment factories. Father was not threatened by others because he had his own buyers. Father’s affiliations with associations.
Interviewee followed father in his business since young. Worked for father for a few months after graduation before he left for Japan. Father kept asking him to join the family business when he was in Pre-University. What his siblings did. Interviewee worked very hard and fell ill in 1971 as he could not afford extra manpower when he was working in his factory in Johore. Reasons why he head the family business. What Sing Lun stands for. Reasons why he never thought of working for others. Father did not have the habit of giving things to his children. His living conditions.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 20
Metadata
- 3 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:30
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*He was frequently sick. He got married in 1971. Lived with his parents for 10 years after marriage. Why he insisted on living with his parents. His main business focus is in the Singapore and Malaysia market. Why he set up a second factory in Malaysia. When he joined Sing Lun in 1968, he was able to control his cost very well.
Business went regional in 1972. Had a big overseas order from a French Jew in 1973. Employed Taiwan and HongKong experts to help in the garment factory. His business suffered because of his inexperience. Problems he faced. Lessons he learnt. With help from his Jewish friend, he began to make money in 1976.
How he became the main shareholder in his company. His profits soared. He was 30 years old when he earn his first million. Bought a new house in 1978 and moved out from his parents home. Relationship with his shareholders. Board of Directors was supportive of father. Account of Prince Hotel.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 20
Metadata
- 12 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:30
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Parents attitudes towards children in those days. Tea dances in those days. Venues for tea dances. Shops along Orchard Road. People’s Park Centre was the first shopping Centre in Singapore. Background of founder of People’s Park Centre. His impression of Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution. Famous coffee house in those days. His relationship with his neighbors. His views on why neighbors are closer in the past. Popularity of tea dances in those days. First Bowling alley in Orchard Road in early 60s. Hyatt Hotel in the early days. Elaboration on popular tea dance venues.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 20
Metadata
- 12 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:22
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Different types of games played by the English and Chinese educated. Possible reasons for the difference. Why he took up marital art. His felt that he has not enough education. He looked for short-cuts in examinations. His generation has little communication with parents. Why he felt that parents should not beat their children. Used to work for father during school holidays. His interest in numbers/figures. He learnt to buy and sell since school days. Why he always wears a smile. Many garment factories in Singapore in the 70s. His father’s generation had no future plan. Why they went into garment manufacturing. How politics affected business in early 60s.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 20
Metadata
- 12 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:34
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Elaboration on how politics affected business in early 60s. Their garment factory in Geylang was set up in 1963. How their business failed. Used the machines to start Sing Lun after business collapse. Difference between running a factory and a business. He felt that studying is the best as there is no pressure. Why he chose to work instead of furthering his studies. Important factors for business success. Interviewee is in business over 30 years, felt that business is cyclical. His was a one-man show business at first. Types of textiles he manufactured in the early days. Description of the textile making process. Cloth cutting. Location of his factory in Malaysia.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 20
Metadata
- 12 Apr 2001
Recording Date
- 00:30:56
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Elaboration on why he moved his factory to Malaysia in late 70s and 80s. Got his workers from Thailand. Numbers of employees he had in Singapore and Malaysia. Started business in Emerald Hill. Why they moved away from making flour bags. Father helped to mould him into a hardworking person. How father’s help turned into trouble.
Garment industry in the 60s. He is optimistic about his industry. Felt that it is very easy to start a garment business. How they started their garment business. Taiwanese entered the Singapore market in the 70s. Difference between Taiwanese and HongKongers in terms of running a factory. Prominent Taiwanese and local garment factories. Sing Lun was the only survivor left. Background of early local garment factory. Feels that management is very important. Other textile factories that switched to garment manufacturing.
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