Mr Lim Kim San & Mr Ong Pang Boon.
Mr Lim Kim San:
Background:
Mr Lim Kim San was born in 1916,30th of November. He was the eldest in a family of six children.his education began at Oldham hall school and later at anglo-chinese school,Singapore. He learned the skills for trading commodities and business skills by helping his father in the family's business at a very young age. He graduated with a Diploma in Arts(Economics)in 1939 from Raffles College.
He took over the operation of a sago business in Kallang that his father-in-law had an interest in and invented a way to merchandise sago pearl production after the japanese occupation. Later, he ventured into banking and was a director in the united chinese bank(which later become united overseas bank). He joined the civil service in 1959 when he was appointed to the public service commission and the housing board. He entered politics in 1963 after winning the election in cairnhill. He subsequently headed many ministries including National Development, Finance, Defence, Education, Environment and communications. He retired from politics in 1981 to become chairman of SPH(singapore press holdings).Contributions to Singapore:
He was the first chairman of HDB when it was established in 1960. He established low-cost housing units from 1962 to 1969, taking the initial steps to eradicate homelessness in Singapore. When the Bukit Ho Swee fire made thousands homeless, HDB was able to quickly resettle the 15000 made homeless. Home ownership was introduced in 1964 to help lower income families buy flats. In 1962, he was the first person who was awarded the Order Of Temasek, for his pioneering efforts in housing whilst he was at HDB.
In 1979, as the chairman of PSA (the Port of Singapore Authority), he transformed PSA into a world-class container hub. He introduced new measures and expanded operations in Pulau Brani and Pasir Panjang Terminals.
He retired from politics in 1981 but continued to help the Party in its selection of suitable candidates to contest election. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his contribution to the Party.
As the Executive Chairman of SPH, he injected new ideas and reformed the whole organisation. By 2002,SPH's net profits increased to S$397.5 million to become the six largest public listed company.
In honour of his achievements in his business skills, a Lim Kim San Professorship in Business Policy was set up by the National University of Singapore on 16 October 2000.
After he died:
Mr Lim Kim San died in 2006.
Mr Lim Kim San was a widower. His five surviving children, twelve grandchidren and five great-grandchildren, who knew him as a devoted family man.
Mr Ong Pang Boon:
Background:
Mr Ong Pang Boon was born in Kuala Lumpur, and was educated in a chinese primary school, a confucian middle school, and a Methodist boy's school in KL, and he later attained a geography degree at the then University of Malaya in Singapore.
Contributions:
His foray into politics began as a polling agent for Lee Kuan Yew in the 1955 legislative assembly election. He entered parliament as a member for Telok Ayer in the 1959 general elections, a seat he retained till his retirement in 1984. He was subsequently appointed Minister for Home Affairs in the first self-government Cabinet and played a key role to eradicating yellow culture and crime in the Singapore society. His cabinet appointment also made him part of the Internal Security Council which sanctioned Operation Coldstore in 1963.
He later took on the highly sensitive Education ministerial portfolio from 1963 to 1970 at a time when chinese language culture and education issues were highly politicized. By increasing the teaching of English in Chinese scools and vice versa, he was instrumental in laying the foundation for the bilingual policy of which Singapore is famed for. He became the Labour Minister in 1970. Finally, he took over as the Environment Minister in 1980. He retired from politics in 1984 to make way for young leaders.
Mr Ong Pang Boon, together with the chinese-educated old guards, represented the crucial link to the chinese speaking masses in Singapore. This is especially so during a time that chinese culture and education issues were contentious political issues. While being a defender of chinese culture, they represented PAP's vision which the role of chinese culture is an equal component of a multi-cultural, multi-racial society, a hallmark of Singapore today.
My Reflections:
Although both of them did much to Singapore,i feel that Mr Lim Kim San did more to Singapore society.After the fire, up to 15000 were homeless but he resettle them quickly. Also,he introduced home ownership to enable the lower income families to buy flats. Although he has already retired in 1981 but he continued to helpthe Party in its selection. While he was the chairman of PSA, he transformed PSA into a world-class container hub. He injected new idea when he was the chairman of SPH and its net profit increased and become six largest listed company.
Although Mr Lim Kim San had passed away already, he still lives in our heart.
