SI-HOE, Sing Leng
Japanese Occupation of Singapore,
Accession Number 003424
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 2
Total Reels
- Nur Azlin bte Salem
Interviewer
- 01:52:02
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 2
Metadata
- 16 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:57:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
* Interviewee was born in 1928. Her father believed that living in Singapore, a British colony, an English education would ensure a better future. She attended Fairfield Methodist Girls’ School with her sisters and her brothers attended Gan Eng Seng School. All of them also attended Yeung Ching School (today Yang Zheng Primary), a Chinese school, in the afternoon. Interviewee and her elder sister walked from Fairfield to Yeung Ching every afternoon. Her elder brother’s grades at Gan Eng Seng fell and the Principal found out that he had been going to Chinese class every afternoon. Principal threatened her father to ‘expel’ her brother if he had to continue travelling to Chinese class. So they stopped and her father hired a Chinese tutor from Peking to teach them at home.
Old fashion method of teaching which interviewee felt was effective compared to how Chinese language is taught today. How the Peking man taught them. Subjects taught at Fairfield. Why the British education system did not incorporate Science subjects. Sending a child to two schools was not a rare practice at that time. Father brought them to Great World Amusement Park during weekends. Enjoyed accompanying him to his work sites. Father was very active in Overseas Chinese Relief fund. A Kuomintang supporter. Held a high post in KMT Singapore branch.
Description of house in Kampong Silat. The only concrete building in the kampong. A lot of gangsters in the area but father had a good relationship with people. Did repair work for the monks at the Siamese temple nearby. Gave him shelter when the Japanese were looking for him.
Recalled primary school before the war. Pocket money. Principal Miss Johnson put in detention camp during the war. Knitting woollen vests to support the war in Europe. School discipline. Subjects taught. Interviewee compared primary school subjects then and now. She felt that sewing should be taught.
Remarks
Interviewed her younger sister Mdm Si-hoe Sing Sow (Acc. No. 003394).
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Reel/Disc 2 of 2
Metadata
- 16 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:54:48
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Interviewee’s father was the first president of Gan Eng Seng’s Parents-Teachers Association. Interviewee’s impression of her mother. How father taught himself despite only having six years of education. Interviewee already knew of the coming of war. Students were taught what to do when there were sirens. Description of her garage which served as an air-raid shelter. Grew sweet potato leaves and tapioca. How her father was spared from Sook Ching while his friend was taken away. The Japanese officers at the various Sook Ching centres operated on their whims and fancies when selecting victims for execution. Her father was again spared during a Kempeitai interrogation.
After British surrender, interviewee’s father told her to burn all the collection of books, scrolls with Chinese writings, etc. Raiding of her home by the Japanese officers shortly after fall of Singapore. Fortunately the girls were not harmed. Why the Japanese did not take over her house despite it being a very strategically located. They had a Japanese lodger for some time. How Japanese collaborators benefit. Interviewee’s father had to pay $3000 as offering to the Japanese government. Payment was made via the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. How the payment was being calculated. How a neighbour’s wife cursed the Japanese during a raid and almost lost the pregnancy. Interviewee and siblings resumed home-schooling when peace was relatively established during the Japanese Occupation. Very few Chinese would attend the Japanese school. Collection of ration food. Interviewee’s brother suffered from beri-beri.
Witnessed Indonesian slave workers starving to death. Interactions with other races during the war. The last days of the Japanese Occupation.
Remarks
Interviewed her younger sister Mdm Si-hoe Sing Sow (Acc. No. 003394)
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