CHAN Chin Bock 曾振木
The Public Service,
Accession Number 002715
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 8
Total Reels
- Jason Lim (Dr)
Interviewer
- 03:42:09
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 8
Metadata
- 12 Dec 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:58
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:57) Evolvement in the roles of the Economic Development Board (EDB) from 1961 to 1968.
(0:03:15) Economic strategy in the 1960s. Recalled the interview to join EDB.
(0:07:12) Impressions of the Common Market concept for Malaysia and Singapore.
(0:08:51) Shift to globalisation in 1968.
(0:12:23) Views on the failure of the Common Market.
(0:15:01) Corporation targets for EDB when Singapore was a part of Malaysia.
(0:18:16) Foreign investors expressed interest in Singapore.
(0:21:23) Delays in the issuing of Pioneer Certificates frustrated the investors.
(0:24:55) Landmark projects in Singapore between 1963 and 1965.
(0:29:18) Portrayal of the EDB as a "one-stop shop" before The Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) was established.
Role of the Economic Development Board (EDB) from 1961 to 1968. Impressions of the Common Market concept for Malaysia and Singapore. Corporation targets for EDB when Singapore was a part of Malaysia. Issue of Pioneer Certificates. Landmark projects in Singapore between 1963 and 1965. Portrayal of the EDB as a "one-stop shop" for foreign investors.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 8
Metadata
- 12 Dec 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:49
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:19) Beginnings of the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS).
(0:02:25) Projects he worked on from 1964 to 1965.
(0:05:29) Changes in the Economic Development Board (EDB) strategies and why he was sent to the United States.
(0:08:56) How the strategy was proposed.
(0:13:40) Responsibilities as the Chief of Investment Promotion Division at EDB in 1967.
(0:14:49) Demands of a growing semiconductor industry.
(0:18:39) Appointed Director of the first overseas EDB office in New York in 1968. Expansion of EDB to multiple overseas locations from 1969.
(0:20:22) Challenges faced at the EDB office in New York.
(0:23:14) Changing American mindsets towards Singapore. Secured General Electric (GE) as a strategic investor in Singapore.
(0:27:45) GE projects in Singapore.
(0:29:46) Coordination between overseas and Singapore teams.
Beginnings of the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS). Projects he worked on from 1964 to 1965. Changes in the strategies of the Economic Development Board (EDB) and why he was sent to the United States. Responsibilities as the Chief of Investment Promotion Division at EDB from 1967 to 1968. Demands of a growing semiconductor industry. The first overseas EDB office in New York. Changing American mindsets towards Singapore and building up the American operations network. Securing General Electric (GE) as a strategic investor in Singapore.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 8
Metadata
- 12 Dec 2002
Recording Date
- 00:31:08
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:14) Task of securing General Electric (GE) as a strategic investor in Singapore.
(0:01:22) Change from labour-intensive to skills-intensive industries in 1971.
(0:02:52) Setting up Economic Development Board (EDB) Training Centres in Singapore in 1971.
(0:05:39) Locations of Government Training Centres. Challenges in persuading companies to set up EDB Training Centres.
(0:09:06) Projects involved as Director of EDB in 1971.
(0:12:23) Coming of capital-intensive industries. Mandates from the Economic Committee for EDB during the recession in 1985.
(0:15:09) Continued to focus on attracting foreign investments as Chairman of EDB in 1972.
(0:17:25) Appointment as Alternate Chairman based in New York from 1974 to 1988. Challenges faced due to Singapore’s second recession.
(0:21:16) Encouraging American investment in Singapore. Targeted companies in the United States and Europe.
(0:25:55) Focusing on emerging markets in Southeast Asia and China in the 1970s.
(0:29:07) Beginnings of International Direct Investment (IDI) at EDB in 1988.
Securing General Electric (GE) as a strategic investor in Singapore. Change from labour-intensive to skills-intensive industries. Setting up Economic Development Board (EDB) Training Centres in Singapore. Projects involved as Director of EDB from 1970 to 1972. Coming of capital-intensive industries. Mandates from Economic Committee for EDB in 1985. Chasing foreign investment. Appointment as Alternate Chairman based in New York in 1974. Encouraging American investment in Singapore. Beginnings of International Direct Investment (IDI) at EDB in 1988.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 8
Metadata
- 12 Dec 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:06) Value of the International Direct Investment (IDI) Programme in 1988.
(0:04:25) Facilitating role of the Economic Development Board (EDB) in the IDI Programme. Discontinuation of the IDI Programme.
(0:06:39) Transition from labour-intensive to knowledge-intensive industries.
(0:07:39) Introduction of "mechatronics" in Singapore in 1980.
(0:10:48) Coming of the computer industry.
(0:12:53) Cited various companies involved in the production of medical devices.
(0:14:37) Overlap of economic development phases. Production of surgical needles in Singapore today.
(0:17:24) Promotion of the service industry from 1985.
(0:18:55) Impact of China’s economic reforms in the 1980s on Singapore’s competitiveness. How EDB adapted its strategies.
(0:23:07) Competition from other countries with lower labour costs. Shift towards competing on other factors.
(0:25:57) Industry phases became less distinct by 1988.
(0:27:04) Views on setting up high-tech but labour-intensive industries in Singapore.
(0:29:13) Balance between automation and capital-intensivity.
Value of the International Direct Investment (IDI) Programme in 1988 and the facilitating role of the Economic Development Board (EDB). Introduction of "mechatronics" in Singapore in 1980 and the coming of the computer industry. Production of medical devices. Production of surgical needles in Singapore today. Promotion of the service industry from 1985. Competition from other countries. Response to proposals for setting up high-tech but labour-intensive industries in Singapore.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 8
Metadata
- 5 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:31:13
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:26) Personal and educational background.
(0:01:50) Bombing of Singapore on 8 December 1941.
(0:02:57) Life during Japanese Occupation. Education before and after the war.
(0:05:48) Recollections of Devonshire Road before the war.
(0:07:16) Recollection of his parents.
(0:08:34) Impressions of Japanese soldiers.
(0:10:04) Learning Japanese language.
(0:14:39) Scarcity of food supplies. Obtained food supplies from the black market.
(0:17:37) Family remained intact throughout the Japanese Occupation.
(0:19:28) Recollections of his teachers at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) from 1940 to 1951.
(0:21:54) Corporal punishment at ACS. Reasons for dropping Mandarin.
(0:24:11) Learnt Latin language.
(0:26:57) Favourite subjects,
(0:30:14) Difference between mentors and teachers at ACS.
Recollections of his childhood. Bombing of Singapore on 8 December 1941. Recollections of Devonshire Road before the war. Recollection of his parents. Impressions of Japanese soldiers. Learnt Japanese language. Scarcity of food supplies. Family remained intact throughout the Japanese Occupation. Brief recollections of his teachers at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) from 1940 to 1951. Enforcement of discipline at ACS. Why he did not study Mandarin and took up Latin instead. Favourite subjects. Did not have any mentors.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 8
Metadata
- 5 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:29:51
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:28) Reasons for going into teaching after leaving Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) in 1951.
(0:02:49) Part-time work during school holidays.
(0:06:21) Experiences at Teachers' Training College (TTC).
(0:09:42) Joined the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) teaching staff in 1955.
(0:10:44) Recollections of his lecturers at Teachers' Training College (TTC).
(0:13:34) Teaching experiences at ACS. Why his experiences as Assistant Sports Secretary at ACS were beneficial in his later career.
(0:17:15) Teaching methods at ACS.
(0:18:40) Wrote articles for The Straits Times on a part-time basis.
(0:21:29) Reasons for going into journalism.
(0:23:14) Covered unusual jobs to ensure publication.
(0:26:08) How he came to join The Straits Times full-time as an editor.
(0:27:26) Responsibilities as an editor in The Straits Times.
(0:29:31) Reasons for leaving The Straits Times in 1962.
Reasons for going into teaching in 1952. Why he looked forward to teaching practices. Joined the teaching staff of Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) from 1955 to 1960. Brief recollections of his lecturers at Teachers' Training College (TTC). Teaching experiences at ACS. Why his experiences as Assistant Sports Secretary at ACS was beneficial in his later career. Teaching methods.
Reasons for going into journalism in 1955. Wrote articles for The Straits Times on a part-time basis. How he came to join the newspaper full-time. Responsibilities as a editor in the Straits Times from 1960 to 1962. Reasons for leaving the newspaper.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 8
Metadata
- 5 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:31:02
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:21) Reasons for leaving The Straits Times in 1962.
(0:01:44) How he became the Public Affairs Manager at Ford Motor Company from 1962 to 1964.
(0:05:17) How he changed the image of Ford to generate positive publicity.
(0:08:13) Reason why he left Ford and joined the Economic Development Board (EDB).
(0:09:53) Recalled his interview at EDB.
(0:11:15) Impressions of all seven Chairmen of the EDB.
(0:14:44) Changes in EDB after the handover of his chairmanship. Reason why he refused to resume his chairmanship.
(0:16:58) Subsequent Chairmen focused on technology.
(0:20:36) Responsibilities as Chairman of the International Direct Investment Programme (IDI) after retirement in 1988.
(0:22:22) Discontinuation of the IDI Programme. Establishment of the International Advisory Council (IAC).
(0:23:58) Topics discussed in IAC annual meetings. His work as Deputy Chairman of IAC.
(0:28:30) Role of the EDB Consulting Group (ECG).
Reasons for leaving The Straits Times. How he got the job as Public Affairs Manager at Ford Motor Company in 1962. How he changed the image of Ford to generate positive publicity. Why he left Ford to join the Economic Development Board (EDB) in 1964. His interview at EDB. Impressions of all seven Chairmen of the EDB. Retired in 1988 and his responsibilities as Chairman of the International Direct Investment Programme (IDI) from 1988 to 1990. Role of the International Advisory Council and his work as its Deputy Chairman from 1994 to 1999. Work of the EDB Consulting Group (ECG).
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Reel/Disc 8 of 8
Metadata
- 5 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:06:48
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:10) Operation of the Economic Development Board Consulting Group (ECG).
(0:02:02) Criteria for overseas consulting assignments.
(0:04:54) His future plans.
Work of the Economic Development Board Consulting Group (ECG). His future plans.
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