LEE Seng Huat
Sports Personalities of Singapore,
Accession Number 002809
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 11
Total Reels
- Zarina bte Yusof
Interviewer
- 04:38:18
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 11
Metadata
- 6 Nov 2003
Recording Date
- 00:24:57
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Date, place of birth. Parents' occupations. His siblings. Growing up years in Perak in rubber estate. Went to Anglo-Chinese Primary School and Penang Free School. Happy childhood memories. Adequate food even during Japanese Occupation. Primary education. How he would go to school. Primitive methods of teaching then. Teachers at Anglo-Chinese. Sports day and activities in school. Recollection of Japanese invasion of Malaya. Recalled seeing Japanese shops in kampung. Saw landing of Japanese troops on coastline. Lifestyle changes with Japanese Occupation. Food supply.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 11
Metadata
- 6 Nov 2003
Recording Date
- 00:26:12
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Livelihood of rubber tappers. Quinine tree and malaria. Punishments by water torture by Japanese soldiers. Japanese troops left his family alone. His lifestyle during Japanese Occupation. Relatives not as lucky as he was. Water supply. Events leading up to Japanese surrender. Atmosphere when British came back. Food that made comeback with British. Saw Englishmen come out from jungle to escape from Japanese. Saw Malayan Communist Party (MCP) members in his village. Racial discord. Malay friends were killed by Chinese. His relationship with Malay friends.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Dec 2003
Recording Date
- 00:28:05
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Joined Penang Free School in 1946. Reasons for joining school. Got interested in gymnastics at Penang Free School. Feedback and description of gymnastics at Penang Free School. Finished school in 1950. Came to Singapore in 1951. Reasons for coming to Singapore. Sent to Loughborough, 1958 -1961. Specialised in gymnastics. Family's reaction to his emigration. What drove him to teach. Subjects which he taught. Difference between Teachers' Training College and Loughborough. Recollection of first day in school as teacher. Formation of SAGA (Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association). Formation of Equilibrists. Primitive equipment for training. SEAP (Southeast Asia Peninsula) Games in Rangoon.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Dec 2003
Recording Date
- 00:23:23
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Preparation for SEAP (Southeast Asia Peninsula) Games. Discrepancies in judging. Performance for Games. On athletics. Training area. Struggles he had to go through. What spurred him on. His sacrifices. Foreign coaches and funds he had to raise. Popularity of gymnastics in 1960s. Promotion of gymnastics in schools. Standard of gymnastics in schools. SAGA (Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association) and her members. Pool of gymnasts.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Dec 2003
Recording Date
- 00:28:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Participation in Pesta Sukan; standard of gymnastics. Teams that were invited to Pesta Sukan. Challenges of hosting Pesta Sukan. Training equipment. Injuries experienced whilst training with primitive equipment. No professional medical staff attached to Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association (SAGA). Parental support for his young charges. Lack of commitment for longer hours of training. Reasons for lack of commitment. Why Singapore sports scene was sluggish. Lack of commitment was perennial problem. Low Sanmay's case. Gold in gymnastics in SEAP (Southeast Asia Peninsula) Games in 1977. Regional gymnastics standards. Lack of facilities and funds curbed development of gymnastics. Funding needed. First national sports association getting Chinese coaches.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 11
Metadata
- 4 Dec 2003
Recording Date
- 00:25:30
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Recollection of stunt performed by Equilibrists. He initiated idea. His Equilibrists teammates. Length of practice. Went to 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. Benefits of going to Games. Gymnastics performance by foreign teams. Funds for these shows. Ticket sales and venue of performance. Lack of facilities hampered development of gymnastics. Corporate sponsorship. Popularity of gymnastics now. Attractiveness of gymnastics.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 11
Metadata
- 12 Dec 2003
Recording Date
- 00:27:25
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Foreign talent in Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association (SAGA). Lack of facilities was bigger problem. Why Chinese coaches still wanted to work here. Intensity and volume of training. Trials and selections of athletes. Last won medal in 1993. Reasons for decade-long absence of results. Lack of gymnasts from other gymnastics clubs. Hands-off policy of SAGA towards other gymnastics clubs. Accused of being exclusive. Open-door policy on trials.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 11
Metadata
- 12 Dec 2003
Recording Date
- 00:28:00
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Daily routine as President of Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association (SAGA). Provided transport for coaches. Coached daily at School of Physical Education. Heavy commitment in terms of time and money. Funds needed to pay foreign coaches. Competitive and recreational gymnasts. Selection process for Games. Need for athletes to train full time. Money collected to fund expenses. Time management. Benefits of all his foreign training courses. Qualified international judge. Comments on stripping of national body status. Disagreements within current gymnastics national sports association. His philosophy.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 11
Metadata
- 16 Jan 2004
Recording Date
- 00:25:44
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Rhythmic gymnastics team. Gymnasts won Bronze medal in SEAP (Southeast Asia Peninsula) Games, Manila. Comments on SEA (Southeast Asia) Games 2003 in Vietnam. Absence of possible leaders after him. He was Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association (SAGA)'s president for 40 years. Lack of able and willing replacements. His legacy. Bad management in SAGA. SAGA's image and name as being synonymous with promotion of gymnastics in Singapore. Recollection of SAGA member.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 11
Metadata
- 16 Jan 2004
Recording Date
- 00:24:31
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Any role to play in new national sports association, Singapore Gymnastics, if any. Opinions on his possible contributions. Greatest achievement in Singapore Amateur Gymnastics Association (SAGA). Organised seminars and conferences for local gymnastic coaches. Satisfying moments. Greatest frustrations. What he wished he would do differently. Impact of involvement on family time.
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