CHAN, Randy Man Ho 陈文和
New Citizens,
Accession Number 003843
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 5
Total Reels
- Lye Soo Choon 赖素春
Interviewer
- 02:54:06
Total Running Time
- Cantonese
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 5
Metadata
- 11 Jan 2014
Recording Date
- 00:38:16
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Born 1962 in Hong Kong. Family background, living conditions. Relationship with brothers. Elder brother would take care of and discipline younger brother. Lived in ghetto when young. Went into shipping line after secondary school. Job scope as trainee. Started his own shipping business in early twenties. Hong Kong economy was good and profitable. Came to Singapore in 1993 when children were young. Why he came to Singapore. Life was not easy in Singapore, lots of entertainment and night life due to his business. No issues in new working environment, how it was different from Hong Kong. Treated his employees well, good bonus and benefits. Type of employee he would employ. Clients mainly Chinese.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 5
Metadata
- 11 Jan 2014
Recording Date
- 00:38:12
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Business developed smoothly in Singapore until 1996 when Vietnam opened its trading market. His business declined, faced economic crisis. Challenges in tightening monetary policy. Sold off properties and retrenched staff to survive that period. Scaled down his business since then, now semi-retired and only served regular clients.
Challenges he met in 1997, 2001 and 2002. China's new policy in tax rebates caused big blow to shipping industry. Felt disheartened. What made him continue in business. Did not think big when he came to Singapore, felt Singapore was good. Did not plan to return to Hong Kong, became Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) in 1995. Did not buy Housing and Development Board flat. Did not sense differences between citizens and PRs. His children adapted well in Singapore, son serving National Service (NS) in Singapore. Felt NS was good for his son. How he educated his children. Daughter returned to Hong Kong two years before. Felt Hong Kong had better opportunities for her in modelling and acting. Felt Singapore market for these two areas was too small, encouraged daughter to pursue career in Hong Kong. Interviewee divorced in 2007, reasons for his divorce.
Joined football team of Singapore Kowloon Club in 1997. Activities of the club. How he became a committee member in 1999. Recalled Kowloon Club before 1999, activities that the club organised such as assisting Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCDS) in organising seminars in Hong Kong to recruit new citizens.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 5
Metadata
- 11 Jan 2014
Recording Date
- 00:38:21
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
About Kowloon Club’s newsletter "The Link". The club was not very active after 1999 due to reduced funding. Felt it would not look good if the club declined, decided to join the club committee to organise more activities. Membership increased when more charity activities were introduced by club president, Philip Chan. Challenges that the club faced in 2010: low funds, departure of some committee members. How he raised funds. Described charity activities organised by the club. Time spent in the club. Good relationship with government bodies when the club was first set up, used People’s Association (PA) office in Kallang. Co-located with Toa Payoh Community Centre around 2009, rented an office. Some activities funded by Integration Fund from Prime Minister’s Office. Facing deficits when organising such activities as the Fund only sponsored a maximum 80 percent of the expenditure. Activities jointly organised with PA. Current (2014) activities focused on charity work. Recalled participating in Chingay Festival, performed “Bun Mountain” (包山), a traditional performance in Hong Kong. Describe how it was performed. About club membership. More non-Hong Kong people joined, change in club character. Felt Hong Kong was unique because of its language. Decline in language and traditions such as Hungry Ghost Festival (中元节).
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Reel/Disc 4 of 5
Metadata
- 11 Jan 2014
Recording Date
- 00:34:34
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Various activity groups of Kowloon Club. His involvement in the club. Issues about the football fields used by the club and compromises that had to be made. On the club's dragon boat team and why some prospective members were rejected. His insistance that people who wanted to join the activity groups of the club must sign up as a club member first. How to differentiate members and non-members, citing Chinese New Year Dinner as example. Children group of the club was not active. Tried to promote club activities, members not keen.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 5
Metadata
- 11 Jan 2014
Recording Date
- 00:24:43
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Future Pan for the Club. Differences between Clan association and charitable organisation. How interviewee was still linked with Hong Kong. Back to Hong Kong few time per year, gatherings he had in Hong Kong. Compare differences in traditional practices between Hong Kong and Singapore. His encounters with other races in Singapore. Belongings he had, why he stayed in Singapore. Preferred Singapore lifestyle. His future plan.
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