YAP, Michael Chee Keong 叶志强
The Public Service,
Accession Number 003307
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 3
Total Reels
- Jason Lim (Dr)
Interviewer
- 02:51:47
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 3
Metadata
- 4 Jun 2008
Recording Date
- 00:58:06
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:40) Family background.
(0:02:36) His father wanted him to take over the family rubber plantation, but he refused.
(0:03:42) Memories of growing up at Old Pudu Road in Kuala Lumpur.
(0:04:21) His impression that Old Pudu Road had low crime because it was an elite area for the Chinese.
(0:05:12) Games he played as a child.
(0:05:56) Family moved to Tong Ching Road in Kuala Lumpur when he was 12 years old.
(0:06:37) Recollections of his neighbour Wong Chooi Sen.
(0:07:40) Attended Methodist Boys’ School (MBS) in Kuala Lumpur.
(0:08:45) Anecdote of his principal, Takeshi Mori, who was unconventional and whom the gangsters respected.
(0:12:01) Fond memories of his teachers and discipline in school.
(0:14:49) Was a prefect and school projectionist, so he got to organise social dances and movie screenings.
(0:16:40) Recalled wearing a bath towel for a production of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”.
(0:17:59) Compared the differences in attitude between people in the 1950s and the present day.
(0:20:45) Sources of entertainment for teenagers in the 1950s.
(0:21:45) Attending chapel services at the MBS was not compulsory.
(0:22:50) Talked about his ambitions as a student at MBS.
(0:23:45) He understood the importance of education as the way to see the world and also believed in enjoying life.
(0:25:47) Took up a private correspondence course at the British Institute of Engineering Technology.
(0:25:58) Worked briefly as a laboratory assistant at Lam Soon.
(0:26:56) Accepted work as a laboratory assistant making vitamins at Glaxo Laboratories.
(0:29:31) How he was offered a part-time job at Glaxo in North Australia.
(0:30:03) His impression that students in Australia usually worked at Chinese restaurants, but he worked at factories to gain experience and to network.
(0:31:23) Why he wanted to study chemistry at Swinburne Technical College.
(0:32:46) Attended the Lord Somers Camp, where he raised funds, which in turn made it easier for him to find work upon graduation.
(0:35:55) His impressions of Australians and his life in Melbourne.
(0:37:22) Life as an off-campus student.
(0:38:35) Personal views on the ‘White Australia’ Policy.
(0:39:36) Recalled buying ammunition to shoot kangaroos and wild ducks.
(0:43:09) Impressions of his lecturers and his principal, B R Hames.
(0:47:05) How his lecturers behaved during the Melbourne Cup.
(0:48:53) Worked in sales at Bell Bride.
(0:50:22) Recounted how he ended up working as a design engineer at ESSO.
(0:51:41) His contributions to ESSO.
(0:55:22) Reasons that he gave up his Canadian Permanent Residence status to accept a job offer as a Senior Officer at the Singapore Economic Development Board in 1969.
(0:55:40) Felt it was fortunate that his wife and him escaped the May 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur.
(0:56:33) Why he applied for Canadian Permanent Residency.
(0:57:34) First impressions of Singapore in 1966.
*Family lived in Old Pudu Road in Kuala Lumpur. Games he played as a child. Family moved to Tong Ching Road in Kuala Lumpur in 1952. Recollections of his neighbour Wong Chooi Sen (later Cabinet Secretary in Singapore). Attended Methodist Boys’ School (MBS) in Kuala Lumpur from 1948 to 1959. Recollections of his principal Takeshi Mori and his teachers. Discipline in the school. Organised social dances and movie screenings. Wearing a bath towel for a production of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Comparison between attitudes of people in the 1950s and today. Sources of entertainment for teenagers in the 1950s. it was not compulsory to attend chapel services at MBS. His ambitions. Understood the importance of education.
Took up private study at the British Institute of Engineering Technology. Worked as a Laboratory Assistant at Lam Soon (1959) and Glaxo (1960) in Kuala Lumpur. Offered a part-time job at Glaxo Australia. Reasons for doing chemistry at Swinburne Technical College in Melbourne. Attended the Lords Summer Camp. Impressions of Australians and his life in Melbourne. Life as an off-campus student. Comments on the ‘White Australia’ Policy. Shooting kangaroos and wild ducks. Impressions of his lecturers and his principal B R Hames. Reasons for returning to Malaysia. Lecturers’ behaviour during the Melbourne Cup. Supported Hawthorn in the Victoria Football League (now Australian Football League).
Worked in sales at Bell Bride for a while. Worked as a design engineer at ESSO from 1966 to 1968. Wife escaped the May 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur. Reason for having a Canadian Permanent Residency. First impressions of Singapore in 1966.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 3
Metadata
- 20 Jun 2008
Recording Date
- 00:55:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:43) Description of his life in Taipei.
(0:03:22) As the Head of Mission of the Economic Development Board (EDB), he was also the facilitator for Starlight Camp.
(0:04:49) Anecdotes of interesting incidents about Starlight.
(0:07:17) How he built good relationships with the staff of EDB.
(0:14:10) Left Taiwan after three years in 1975.
(0:14:49) Appointed General Manager of Transport Services Private Limited in 1976.
(0:16:07) Recalled that the company’s name was changed to Unicorn International in 1977.
(0:17:15) He worked officially as a civil servant for one year from 1975.
(0:18:39) Talked about his role as the General Manager of Transport Services and Unicorn International.
(0:19:09) Anecdotes on his trips to Syria and North Yemen,
(0:23:51) Interesting anecdotes on his trips to Libya and South America.
(0:26:54) Problems he encountered on his arms deals.
(0:28:51) Talked about the equipment he had to buy for Singapore.
(0:30:25) How he got arms traders interested in the equipment that Singapore produced.
(0:32:16) Reasons that he decided to leave the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in 1980.
(0:33:06) His subsequent career after leaving MINDEF.
(0:34:35) He was approached to be a Consultant by the President of Takata Corporation from 1991 to 2001. He ended up working for 9 years as a consultant.
(0:36:13) What he achieved for Takata Corporation.
(0:37:52) His impressions of the Singapore Civil Service in the 1970s.
(0:41:43) What he thought of Dr Goh Keng Swee and Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
(0:48:14) His impressions of Mr Pang Tee Pow.
(0:52:09) Recalled the nicknames given to Dr Goh and Mr Lee.
(0:52:51) His future plans.
*Settling down in Taipei. As the Head of Mission of the Economic Development Board (EDB), he was also the facilitator for Starlight Camp. Visit by RSS (Republic of Singapore Ship) Enterprise to Taiwan. Military officer from Singapore who wanted to marry a Taiwanese woman. Problems from soldiers were handled by the Commandant of Starlight Camp. First batch of Starlight trainees. Left Taiwan after three years in 1975. Appointed General Manager of Transport Services in 1976. Company’s name was changed to Unicorn International in 1977. Officially he worked as a civil servant for one year from 1975. Role as General Manager of Transport Services and Unicorn International.
Anecdotes on his trips to Syria, North Yemen, Libya and South America. Problems with arms deals. Equipment to buy for Singapore. Selling to bona fide traders. Decision to leave Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in 1980. Subsequent career after leaving MINDEF. Worked as a consultant to the President of Takata Corporation from 1991 to 2001. Impressions of the Singapore Civil Service in the 1970s. Impressions of Dr Goh Keng Swee and Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Anecdote of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s trip to Taipei. Impressions of Pang Tee Pow. Nicknames given to Dr Goh and Mr Lee. Hope that younger generation would know the past. His future plans.
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