MOK Lee Kwang 莫理光
Print Media,
Accession Number 003391
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 11
Total Reels
- Lye Soo Choon 赖素春
Interviewer
- 09:46:40
Total Running Time
- Mandarin
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 11
Metadata
- 6 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:54:36
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Born 1926 in China. He was an adopted child. Describe his house in his hometown Teochew, China. Family members who stayed in the house. Family background, uncles were doing business in Singapore, hometown were women and children. Recall hiding in poor relative home from bandit. Study in classes held in ancestral hall. Talk about classical books that he studied. Describe parade and opera performance for praying to god in his hometown. Why he moved to Shantou汕头. Japanese attacked his hometown, came to Singapore in 1937. Journey to Singapore. Settled down at uncle’s place, went to Catholic High School. Stopped schooling during Japanese Occupation. Helped in uncle’s shop which caused him to be left-leaning. How he joined Anti-Enemy Backing-up Society and events he took part.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 11
Metadata
- 6 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:56:12
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Joined Anti-Enemy Backing-up Society, stayed with communist during Japanese Occupation. Helped to pass massage and send Zi You Bao《自由报》. Went back to his home in 1943. Involved in Xue De 《学的》with his classmate Zheng Yuan Hui 郑元汇， which caused him to be arrested by Japanese. How he was arrested and locked up in Central Police Station. Cold in the Station, hug other prisoner to keep warm. Suffered from beriberi脚气病, family was allowed to send food and medicine to him. Interrogated and hit while he was in jail. Sentenced to ten years in prison, Zheng Yuan Hui was sentenced to capital punishment. Jailed in Outram Park prison, read many books especially English books while he was in prison. Out of prison after Japanese Occupation. Joined New Democratic Youth League 新民主青年团, Joo Chiat Branch. English schools he went.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 11
Metadata
- 6 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:50:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*How he applied and went through entrance test to become reporter of Nan Chiau Jit Poh 《南侨日报》. No training provided. Why new reporter normally started work at The Subordinate Courts of Singapore. Talk about the people in-charge and employees of Nan Chiau Jit Poh when he started work in 1949. Recalled the former General Manager of Nan Chiau Jit Poh, Hong Si Si 洪丝丝, met him again in 1987 when he went to China. Talk about other colleague such as Peng He Sheng 彭赫生, Feng you Zhen 冯友珍 and Guo Jian Cai 郭建才, Rao Bing Xian饶炳先, Fang Zhuang Bi 方壮壁 and Eu Chooi Yip余柱业. How Nan Chiau Jit Poh was closed. Why he chose to become a reporter. Never thought of working in family business. Commented on the headlines of Lianhe Zaobao and St. Times dated 12 March 2009.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 11
Metadata
- 12 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:55:45
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Described a typical day as a reporter in Nan Chiau Jit Poh《南侨日报》. *Talked about a notebook in the office which allowed any staff to make comments on the news published by the newspaper. Comment he made in the notebook. Office premises of Nan Chiau Jit Poh. Talk about Lai Teck. Helped to pass message and Zi You Bao 《自由报》for communist during Japanese Occupation. Salary he received in Nan Chiau Jit Poh. Joined Nan Fang Evening Post 《南方晚报》which was under Nanyang Siang Pau 《南洋商报》 when Nan Chiau Jit Poh closed down. Salary he received. More hard work as he needed to rush for time. Recalled covering Maria Hertogh riot. What he saw. Talked about Shi Zu Xian 施祖贤. Recalled Nanyang Siang Pau published unfavourable news of China which lost support from Chinese readers. Rumours about Shi Zhu Xian receiving money from US.
Changes that General Manager Li You Cheng 李有成 made to increase the sales of the newspaper. Commented on Maria Hertogh riot. Reporter needed to be objective. Joined Nanyang Siang Pau when Nan Fang Evening Post closed down. In-charged of news from Singapore Legislative Assembly. Daily work routine. Talked about David Marshall being a famous lawyer. Felt that Marshall was a politician that was regarded as “Singapore's Conscience”.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 11
Metadata
- 19 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:53:02
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Continued to talk about how he handled news while he was news editor of Nanyang Siang Pau 《南洋商报》. How he cut down on undesirable news. Problems he met when he cut down on Constituency’s news. Published less news from clan associations had leaded to loss support from businessmen. Why he was assigned as editor-in-chief, feedback he received about his capabilities. During his time, press had constraints; he could only follow the previous guideline. Elaborated on using China’s news as examples. Table about features he wrote. Encouraged reporters to write features. Felt that his work in press was hypertension. His colleague Lien Shih Sheng 连士生 and Lien’s children. His relationship with Lien. His colleague Yang Shou Mo 杨守默, pen-name Xing Ying 杏影. Mentioned about Fang Xiu 方修 and Zeng Xin Ying 曾心影.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 11
Metadata
- 26 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:56:15
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Why interview elevated Yang Wen Ying 杨文颖 (also know as 歹羊) from proof-reader to be art editor. Talked about art works of Yang Wen Ying. Why he promoted Zeng Shun Zhou曾顺舟 to be reporter. How he engaged Yang Xun 杨萱 and Chen Bo Han陈伯汉. Interviewee introduced Kuo Bao Kun郭宝昆 to be translator of Singapore Monitor and sent him to Hong Kong to do write up. Other staff he engaged for Nanyang Siang Pau《南洋商报》. Recalled recruiting staff such as Huang Mei Gui黄玫瑰 and Zhang Xi Na张曦娜. Reason for Fang Xiu 方修 not taking up job offer in Nanyang Siang Pau. Recruited Chen Bo Han陈伯汉 and Guo Bao Kun 郭宝昆. How he arranged Guo Bao Kun to station in Hong Kong for a month.
Talked about English newspaper Singapore Monitor owned by Chinese business groups. How he recruited journalist Cai Zhen Hua蔡振华 (宋雅) ，Han Shan Yuan韩山元 and Zhou Shao Liang周少良 from Ming Bao《明报》. Other staff he recruited such as Ou Qing Chi欧清池, Wu Da Yang吴大洋, Zhou Wen Xue邹文学, Lin De Nan 林得楠and Cai Zhi Li 蔡智礼. Press holdings had never questioned him on recruitment.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 11
Metadata
- 26 Mar 2009
Recording Date
- 00:56:33
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*How he recruited You Jin尤今 for Nanyang Siang Pau《南洋商报》. Process of recruitment and promotion of staff. Cited examples of good journalists. Talk about the merger of Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh《星洲日报》. Assigned staff to Lianhe Zaobao 《联合早报》and Lianhe Wanbao 《联合晚报》. How interviewee as the first editor-in-chief cooperated with second editor-in-chief Li De Yuan 黎德源. Things that he changed after merger. Reasons for the merger. Talked about newspapers in 1950s such as Chung Sheng Jit Poh《中兴日报》, Tiger Standard《虎报》, Sin Lit Pao《新力报》and International Times《国际时报》.
Recalled giving speech that was against China Kuomintang government during Teochew wayang (opera) performance in Jurong in 1940s. Talk about Xue Bei《血碑》. Talk about Ih Shih Pao《益世报》 which was run by missionary. How to differentiate Da Bao 大报 and Xiao Bao 小报. Talk about Sin Pao《新报》and other newspapers in 1950s. Changes he made when he was in-charged of Nanyang Siang Pau. Recall how he handled news on Pulau Senang Incident安乐岛事件.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 11
Metadata
- 9 Apr 2009
Recording Date
- 00:54:52
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Changes he made in supplement 《商余》when he was in-charged of Nanyang Siang Pau 《南洋商报》. Talked about Singapore Chinese Journalist Union星华记者工会and Union of Journalist.
Talked about canceling of public holidays for press after People’s Action Party (PAP) won the election. Recalled the only journalists strike movement. Working trip to India, requested to extend the seven days trip to one month. How he planned and arranged for his trip. Wrote thirty articles on India and published them into “Journey to India”《印度之行》. Elaborated on things he wrote. Trip to Sarawak, preparation he did before departure. Started writing when he was on flight, things he wrote. Articles he wrote on Indonesia. Talk about reportage 报告文学 written by Xiao Qian 萧乾.
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