VASOO, Sushilan (Dr)
Political History of Singapore 1985–2005,
Accession Number 003410
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 13
Total Reels
- Claire Yeo
Interviewer
- 12:27:49
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 13
Metadata
- 31 Aug 2009
Recording Date
- 00:58:08
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*How he started grassroots work for Toa Payoh Zone C RC in 1979. Got married in 1968 after his first year of studies in university. Difficulties in finding a house after marriage and decision to become a HDB home owner. Description of different housing areas. Prices of HDB flats in 1960s. Allocation of flats based on balloting. Describing his flat’s surroundings. His work at Singapore Children’s Society at the Toa Payoh office. Went for post graduate studies from 1973-1976. Reasons and process of setting up resident groups. Difficulties faced in organizing the Toa Payoh Residents Association. Tasks of the resident association and its links with HDB. Subscription fees of the association and usage of the funds. Difficulties in sustaining the association and encouraging residents to participate in the organization. Reasons why people were not interested in the association. The type of residents who were usually more proactive. Type of activities and efforts to get people to participate. The work he was doing for the association to help lower income families.
Describing activities of the “Friendship Club” for young people. Collaboration between Singapore’s Children Society and the Residents Association. Number of members. Meetings held in the evenings and on weekends. Who the pioneers of the association were and their objectives. Why there was little conflict among members. Elaboration of reasons for lack of participation. Lack of direct benefits from involvement in the association. Different forms of participation. Suhilan’s personal level of participation in the association. Description of the Chairman’s character. Different places where meetings took place. How the association spread news around the residents. Conducting of needs assessment of the neighbourhood. Details of activities carried out and difficulties in organization.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 13
Metadata
- 31 Aug 2009
Recording Date
- 00:59:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Personal impression of the Toa Payoh Residents Association before joining. Concerns people had about the Resident Association in general. Reasons why he respected the efforts of the association. Objectives he shared with the association. Overlapping objectives of the association and other grassroots organizations. Reasons for resistance and reluctance to collaborate with the association. General education level of members in the Residents Association. Language barriers and social and cultural gap within the Residents Association. Association established on the basis of a local network.
Why the Residents’ Committee (RC) was established. Viewed Residents Association as a precursor to the RC. Lack of financial support and recognition for Residents Association. Other members of the Association including Freddy Lee, Victor Sim and several parents. Some of these members were later involved in the RC. What he hoped to achieve when he joined the RC. How he recruited members for the RC. Was the Vice Chairman of the Toa Payoh RC Zone C Committee. Responsibilities as the Vice Chairman. How the committee members had different backgrounds. Why he and his neighbours responded when the RC called for members. Most members were in their mid-30s and mainly English educated professionals. Contributions to the RC in the initial stages.
Called for old clothing and newspapers contributions to generate activities. Amount earned from collection of newspapers and old clothing. Collections offered opportunities for members to interact with residents. Type of problems the residents shared with the RC members. Activities related to children. Establishment of a RC centre after 2 years. Activities carried out at the centre.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 13
Metadata
- 15 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:59:05
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*How the Residents’ Committee (RC) helped a disabled man find employment. Disable man taught tuition at the RC centre. Difficulties of older residents in learning English. Popularity of tuition program at the centre. Tuition fees rates at the centre. How the tuition program helped demonstrated the usefulness of RC to the residents. Support base of RC grew due to tuition program. Dynamics between members in the RC. How he built up relationships with his neighbours through RC activities. Why there were few female members. Described efforts to recruit female members and difficulties in persuading them. Easier to interact with female residents when there was a female member present. General public perception of female members. Women participating more openly now compared to the past.
RC had minimal administrative support and lack of funds in the beginning. Sources of funding for RC. How the RCs built rapport with other grassroots organizations. Freedom of decision making of the RC. Instances of RC initiatives clashing with those of other grassroots organizations. Tensions that came up because of clashes. Restrictions to organizing events due to these tensions. Little additional benefits of being part of the RC. Amount of effort put into activities and costs involved. Lack of acknowledgment of RC members’ efforts.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 13
Metadata
- 15 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:59:00
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Why some businessmen were involved in Residents’ Committee (RC) and some residents’ impression of them. Issues that might affect credibility of the RC. Reasons why some members participate in grassroots activities. Why some people were skeptical of some members. Type of training given to grassroots leaders. Why such training was required. How meetings were usually carried out. What he found dissatisfying about some meetings. Cultural differences during meetings. Suggestions on how differences can be reconciled.
Suggestions on how RCs can be improved. Facilities that could be improved on. Different type of staff required outside of volunteers. Types of activities that were useful to RC. Limitations of RCs in the past. Advice to people who wish to volunteer for grassroots activities. Areas of service young people could be involved in. Skills that could be picked up volunteering for activities. Need for respectable recognition for volunteers’ efforts. How he came to work for the Toa Payoh B Division police force as part of his national service. His national service experience. His experience in the police riots unit. His work in crime prone areas in Singapore. Difficulties faced during his service with the police unit.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 13
Metadata
- 15 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:58:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Types of characters he came across during his national service with the police unit. His experiences with the police unit. Description of training activities during his national service. Served ten years of part time national service. Common crimes that the police unit faced. Problems related to drugs in Singapore. Why the police counseling unit was set up. Training that police counselors received. His involvement as a trainer in the counseling unit. Type of personalities who were deployed to do counseling work. Areas that the Toa Payoh B Division police unit covered. Part time police national service was disbanded in the late 1970s.
Existing officers were asked to volunteer and he entered the Volunteer Constabulary (VC). Was in the VC until he was 55 years old. What he gained from his experience with the police force. Why he did not join the police force full time. What he learnt about criminals and criminal laws. How he juggled his different roles and duties. Type of investigations he was involved in. How he came to support the People’s Action Party (PAP). Atmosphere in Singapore when the PAP formed the government. Instances of bribery in Singapore in the past.
Political atmosphere in Singapore and concerns about communism. His main concern was employment and not about politics. How the political changes affected his life. Why he was not able to engage in political issues. Why he chose to go into social services. Only became more involved politically when he joined grassroots activities. How he came to join the PAP. Recounting of the tea session and discussions on social issues with Mr Goh Chok Tong.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 13
Metadata
- 24 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:58:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Informal discussions with Mr Goh Chok Tong. His wife’s opinion of the invitation to these informal discussions. Other people who were invited to these informal discussions. Discussions were on road congestion, aging and health, childcare policy, transport changes and tax incentives. Free flow of opinions during the discussions. The second invitation to another discussion. Differences between the first session and the second session of discussion. Description of the third session of discussion. People who were present. Types of questions that came up during the third session. Interviews he went through with the People’s Action Party (PAP).
Described final interview with the PAP. Questions that struck him during the interview. His response to some of these questions. Why he decided to go into politics. Support he received from his family. Invitation to become a candidate for the 1984 elections. How he felt when he first received the invitation. Issues he had to consider when he became a candidate. Preparations made for his first election campaign. Was assigned to go to Ang Mo Kio constituency.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 13
Metadata
- 24 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:56:29
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*What he felt as an understudy at Ang Mo Kio constituency. Issues he had to deal with as an understudy. What he learnt as an understudy. Pre-elections speculation about where new candidates were assigned to. Was assigned to Yio Chu Kang branch and operated from there. Did not know if it was the final constituency. Activities at Yio Chu Kang branch. How he recruited people to build up the Bowen branch.
How he prepared for the 1984 elections. Difficulties he faced. Bowen contingency was part of Yio Chu Kang constituency. Was assigned to Bowen constituency. People recruited for starting up the Bowen branch. How he established himself as a new candidate. Uncertainties regarding assignment prior to filing of nomination papers. Sentiments about being able to stay on at the Bowen constituency. Raising funds for the election campaigns. What he learnt from veteran party members and older Members of Parliament (MP). What qualities were required as a credible candidate and to gain votes. Necessity of knowing the constituency well. Economic and ethnic profile of the Bowen constituency. How it was an asset to know dialects.
Events leading up to the 1984 elections. 25 new MPs were announced in 1984. Press conference announcing the People’s Action Party (PAP) candidates. How he felt at the press conference. Described the press conference. Types of questions asked at the press conference. Personal questions asked at the press conference. Pressure faced during the press conference.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 13
Metadata
- 28 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:56:58
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Preparations for his election campaign in 1984. Scouting for strategic spots in the estate for posters. Requirements for filing of the nomination papers. Preparations for the route towards nomination centre. Nomination procedures. Did not know who the opponents were until nominations were confirmed. What he thought when he met his opponent. Activities carried out to garner votes included house-to-house visits and rallies. Description of events at rallies. Why he spoke Mandarin and dialects at rallies. How he was able to reach out to the residents because he could speak Mandarin and dialects. Turnout at voting centre. What he hoped to achieve after being elected.
Activities carried out as a Member of Parliament (MP). Why he carried out house-to-house visits. Setting up of the Town Council. Aims of the Town Council. Town Council pilot in 1986. Why Town Council was appealing to the government. Ang Mo Kio New Town as the pilot project. Management of the Town Council. Funding of Town Council. Activities carried out by the Town Council. Adopting feedback from people. Ideas include covered walkways, playgrounds and senior citizens corner. What the funds of Town Council were used for. Why they needed funds. How funds were allocated to different areas of maintenance. Thoughts on high reserves of the Town Council. Initiatives to cut costs, wastage of water and energy.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 13
Metadata
- 28 Sep 2009
Recording Date
- 00:58:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*How Town Councilors were elected. Expectations of Town Councilors. Profile of members of Town Council. Better ways of knowing how to meet different needs of the residents. Ways of making the Town Council more vibrant. Many Town Councilors have other responsibilities. Small allowance given to Town Councilors. Misconception of the Town Councilors by the public. Many Town Councilors donated their allowance to charity. How to improve the quality of the Town Council.
Residents’ confusion about various grassroots organizations. Why there was a need for so many organizations. Why there was a need for minorities to be represented in the government. Discussion about the creation of Group Representation Constituency (GRC). Different views about ensuring minorities representation. Dangers of the race card being played during elections. Social injustice in developing countries. Why GRCs were necessary. Difficulties that minority candidates might face. Why having minority candidates was important. Joined the Tiong Bahru GRC as a three men team in 1988. Sentiments about being deployed to Tiong Bahru. Why he was deployed.
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