To the memory of Goh Hung Chuan, who passed away on 23 July 2009, leaving behind a close-knit family of 7O children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces and our spouses to celebrate his life.
By Shirley Tan-Oehler, a granddaughter, who enjoyed Grandfather’s love, doting and education for 50 years.
My grandfather sits by a stone table in the courtyard. As an aunt walks out of the main house, my grandfather calls: “Come.”
Dutifully, she heads towards her father. Without saying a word, she picks up a red China graph pencil and marks a cross in a box next to the PAP logo. Then, she leaves.
Grandfather wets his right index finger with his tongue and wipes away the red cross.
Another aunt prepares to go to work. “Come,” grandfather calls out to her.
This is repeated with every grown up aunt and uncle every day during that holiday which I spent with my grandparents.
I did not understand why until I was of voting age.
Grandmother told me: “Your grandfather also made me practise every day, so that there would be no mistake when we went to the voting centre. I would always be in front of him in the queue to collect our voting slips and we would time ourselves entering and exiting our individual booths. I would always show your grandfather that I had voted for PAP, before dropping my voting slip into the box.”
Grandfather wanted his whole family to vote for PAP. So he schooled everyone who could vote that there is only one party to vote: PAP.
Grandfather’s support for PAP influenced my family’s alignment with the party. A son Chee Hwee, a nephew Goh Chee Koh, and a son-in-law Lee Moh Choon, are long-serving community leaders and PAP supporters. So too was my father.
Grandfather’s involvement with the party and community work started in the early 1960s.
Mr Ng Kah Ting, a local resident, was PAP’s choice for the Punggol seat in the Legislative Assembly in the 1963 elections. He started his campaign by rallying the ground, starting with the more established village leaders, Grandfather being one of them.
Grandfather was 38 years old and Mr Ng, 23. Out of respect, he addressed Grandfather as “Elder Brother”. Therefore, as soon as I could speak, I was taught to address Mr Ng as “Great-uncle”.
When Great-uncle Kah Ting wanted to bring in piped water and electricity into the village, and pave foot-trodden mud tracks for vehicular use, it was Grandfather who helped him organise the villagers for the gotong royong, or self-help, projects.
When grassroots groups were formalised, other residents were roped in, and there was “division of labour” among the leaders.
There was K Samiappan, who villagers would turn to if there was a sudden loss of electricity or a rubber tree that had felled across the road needed to be cleared.
There was Ho Sui Yong who used to live in Lorong Buangkok and worked in a factory nearby, who was good with numbers and therefore put in charge of raising funds to build the Punggol Community Centre at Hougang Avenue 6 and Hougang Community Centre at Hougang Avenue 3.
Grandfather had come from 广东省,揭西县,东园镇,桃围村in China. He had studied in a full-day school for two years. But we would never have guessed judging from his well-formed writing and the successful way he ran the family farm and village’s main grocery shop in Lorong Renjong, 茨园村, and used the abacus to tally up sales and keep accounts.
So it was little surprise that Grandfather was invited to be a member of the Pei Chai Primary School Advisory Committee.
Uncle Chee Koh had studied at Pei Chai Primary School.
“I saw your Grandfather at school when he went for meetings. I admired his dedication. He was well-respected,” he said.
Uncle Chee Wee added that on the 28th of every month, Grandfather would go to Pei Chai Primary School to sign cheques so that the teachers could get paid.
Uncle Chee Koh stressed that Grandfather’s dedication went beyond Pei Chai Primary School to the rest of the community.
“As far as I can recall, he has never said no to a Member of Parliament if the request was within his means – whether it was Mr Ng Kah Ting or Dr Michael Lim, who succeeded Mr Ng when he retired.”
Among other organised grassroots groups, Grandfather served in the Punggol Citizens’ Consultative Committee and Punggol Community Centre Management Committee.
When great-grandmother passed away, Grandfather placed an appeal in the obituary ad in the newspapers for no wreath please; instead to make all contributions to the Punggol Community Centre Building Fund.
On National Day in 1986, he was bestowed the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) by President Wee Kim Wee. He continued to serve the community until his mid-70s.
Grandfather was happy to move into the background as he put forth Uncle Chee Koh and Uncle Moh Choon. Both were Nantah graduates. Grandfather felt that they should give something back to the community in which they grew up. Grandfather also thought that their service would encourage more university graduates to join the PAP and render community service.
Uncle Chee Koh said he merely followed Grandfather’s footsteps in serving the community. In 1996, deeply committed in community work which included being the Chairman of the Punggol Citizens’ Consultative Committee and Chairman of the PAP Community Foundation Punggol Branch - he joined the PAP Punggol Branch which was under Dr Lim.
In recognition of his community service, Uncle Chee Koh was conferred the PBM, Bintang Bakti Masyarakat and Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Lintang) (Public Service Star). He is also Justice of Peace.
When Uncle Moh Choon married my mother’s third sister, Aunt Siew Choo, and lived in Hougang Avenue 3, he was already a member of the Punggol CCC and he was asked to be part of the Punggol CCC Sub-Committee to look after the Housing Board Residents. This was before Residents’ Committees were established. Later, his grassroots activities expanded and intensified. Uncle Moh Choon has been bestowed the PBM and BBM. After many years of serving the grassroots organisations under Great-Uncle Kah Ting and Mr Tang Guan Seng, he joined the party as a member. He is currently assisting Mr Eric Low at the PAP Hougang Branch as his First Vice-Chairman.
“In the old days, we did not erect stages for election rallies. So your grandfather lent Mr Ng two lorries to be parked next to each other to be used as a make-shift stage. In the day time, the two lorries would be used to delivery goods and at night, together, they became an election rally stage,” recalled Uncle Moh Choon.
Uncle Chee Hwee, a businessman, is a strong supporter of various grassroots groups in Joo Chiat Constituency, and in various parts of his business premises are awards and plaques with inscriptions of thanks and appreciation for his various services and support. His sense of community has also led to him become the honorary chairman of a religious organisation that promotes religious harmony in Singapore.
Grandfather was pleased when my father lent an unused property at Lorong Ah Thia at old Bukit Panjang to Mr Chai Chong Yii to use as the PAP Bukit Batok Branch. There, I was introduced to my first Meet-the-People’s Session, where neighbours and people I had never met before came to ask “Uncle Chai” for help. I would hang around the tables listening to petition writers ask residents questions about their problems, and reading off their notes, and thinking to myself, “What qualifications do I need to do what they do?”
When I told Grandfather in 1984 that Mr Yatiman Yusof had asked me to help him at his Kampong Kembangan Branch, he remarked: “You are a trained writer. Your letters should be better written.” Sometime during that same conversation, he said: “A constituent may tell you about one problem. There is always a root cause and there is likelihood that he has many more problems.”
I followed Mr Yatiman to Tampines West Branch, and when he retired in 2006, I renewed my membership with Jurong Central Branch under Mr Lim Boon Heng.
Gathering at my grandparents’ home was a regular Sunday event. At the same stone table where Grandfather had schooled my uncles and aunts to vote PAP and only PAP, we would gather and discuss politics. Around that table, Grandfather, my father, Uncle Moh Choon and I would exchange news on the developments of the various constituencies where we served. Sometimes, if I were lucky, Uncle Chee Koh too.
At that table, Grandfather taught me political terms in Teochew.
The stone table will hold many fond memories of Grandfather for me. Even though he passed away, at age 85, on 23 July 2009, what Grandfather believed in has been imparted to the family, and I am certain we will carry on his service, always remembering what he stood for.
By Shirley Tan-Oehler, a granddaughter, who enjoyed Grandfather’s love, doting and education for 50 years.
My grandfather sits by a stone table in the courtyard. As an aunt walks out of the main house, my grandfather calls: “Come.”
Dutifully, she heads towards her father. Without saying a word, she picks up a red China graph pencil and marks a cross in a box next to the PAP logo. Then, she leaves.
Grandfather wets his right index finger with his tongue and wipes away the red cross.
Another aunt prepares to go to work. “Come,” grandfather calls out to her.
This is repeated with every grown up aunt and uncle every day during that holiday which I spent with my grandparents.
I did not understand why until I was of voting age.
Grandmother told me: “Your grandfather also made me practise every day, so that there would be no mistake when we went to the voting centre. I would always be in front of him in the queue to collect our voting slips and we would time ourselves entering and exiting our individual booths. I would always show your grandfather that I had voted for PAP, before dropping my voting slip into the box.”
Grandfather wanted his whole family to vote for PAP. So he schooled everyone who could vote that there is only one party to vote: PAP.
Grandfather’s support for PAP influenced my family’s alignment with the party. A son Chee Hwee, a nephew Goh Chee Koh, and a son-in-law Lee Moh Choon, are long-serving community leaders and PAP supporters. So too was my father.
Grandfather’s involvement with the party and community work started in the early 1960s.
Mr Ng Kah Ting, a local resident, was PAP’s choice for the Punggol seat in the Legislative Assembly in the 1963 elections. He started his campaign by rallying the ground, starting with the more established village leaders, Grandfather being one of them.
Grandfather was 38 years old and Mr Ng, 23. Out of respect, he addressed Grandfather as “Elder Brother”. Therefore, as soon as I could speak, I was taught to address Mr Ng as “Great-uncle”.
When Great-uncle Kah Ting wanted to bring in piped water and electricity into the village, and pave foot-trodden mud tracks for vehicular use, it was Grandfather who helped him organise the villagers for the gotong royong, or self-help, projects.
When grassroots groups were formalised, other residents were roped in, and there was “division of labour” among the leaders.
There was K Samiappan, who villagers would turn to if there was a sudden loss of electricity or a rubber tree that had felled across the road needed to be cleared.
There was Ho Sui Yong who used to live in Lorong Buangkok and worked in a factory nearby, who was good with numbers and therefore put in charge of raising funds to build the Punggol Community Centre at Hougang Avenue 6 and Hougang Community Centre at Hougang Avenue 3.
Grandfather had come from 广东省,揭西县,东园镇,桃围村in China. He had studied in a full-day school for two years. But we would never have guessed judging from his well-formed writing and the successful way he ran the family farm and village’s main grocery shop in Lorong Renjong, 茨园村, and used the abacus to tally up sales and keep accounts.
So it was little surprise that Grandfather was invited to be a member of the Pei Chai Primary School Advisory Committee.
Uncle Chee Koh had studied at Pei Chai Primary School.
“I saw your Grandfather at school when he went for meetings. I admired his dedication. He was well-respected,” he said.
Uncle Chee Wee added that on the 28th of every month, Grandfather would go to Pei Chai Primary School to sign cheques so that the teachers could get paid.
Uncle Chee Koh stressed that Grandfather’s dedication went beyond Pei Chai Primary School to the rest of the community.
“As far as I can recall, he has never said no to a Member of Parliament if the request was within his means – whether it was Mr Ng Kah Ting or Dr Michael Lim, who succeeded Mr Ng when he retired.”
Among other organised grassroots groups, Grandfather served in the Punggol Citizens’ Consultative Committee and Punggol Community Centre Management Committee.
When great-grandmother passed away, Grandfather placed an appeal in the obituary ad in the newspapers for no wreath please; instead to make all contributions to the Punggol Community Centre Building Fund.
On National Day in 1986, he was bestowed the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) by President Wee Kim Wee. He continued to serve the community until his mid-70s.
Grandfather was happy to move into the background as he put forth Uncle Chee Koh and Uncle Moh Choon. Both were Nantah graduates. Grandfather felt that they should give something back to the community in which they grew up. Grandfather also thought that their service would encourage more university graduates to join the PAP and render community service.
Uncle Chee Koh said he merely followed Grandfather’s footsteps in serving the community. In 1996, deeply committed in community work which included being the Chairman of the Punggol Citizens’ Consultative Committee and Chairman of the PAP Community Foundation Punggol Branch - he joined the PAP Punggol Branch which was under Dr Lim.
In recognition of his community service, Uncle Chee Koh was conferred the PBM, Bintang Bakti Masyarakat and Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Lintang) (Public Service Star
When Uncle Moh Choon married my mother’s third sister, Aunt Siew Choo, and lived in Hougang Avenue 3, he was already a member of the Punggol CCC and he was asked to be part of the Punggol CCC Sub-Committee to look after the Housing Board Residents. This was before Residents’ Committees were established. Later, his grassroots activities expanded and intensified. Uncle Moh Choon has been bestowed the PBM and BBM. After many years of serving the grassroots organisations under Great-Uncle Kah Ting and Mr Tang Guan Seng, he joined the party as a member. He is currently assisting Mr Eric Low at the PAP Hougang Branch as his First Vice-Chairman.
“In the old days, we did not erect stages for election rallies. So your grandfather lent Mr Ng two lorries to be parked next to each other to be used as a make-shift stage. In the day time, the two lorries would be used to delivery goods and at night, together, they became an election rally stage,” recalled Uncle Moh Choon.
Uncle Chee Hwee, a businessman, is a strong supporter of various grassroots groups in Joo Chiat Constituency, and in various parts of his business premises are awards and plaques with inscriptions of thanks and appreciation for his various services and support. His sense of community has also led to him become the honorary chairman of a religious organisation that promotes religious harmony in Singapore.
Grandfather was pleased when my father lent an unused property at Lorong Ah Thia at old Bukit Panjang to Mr Chai Chong Yii to use as the PAP Bukit Batok Branch. There, I was introduced to my first Meet-the-People’s Session, where neighbours and people I had never met before came to ask “Uncle Chai” for help. I would hang around the tables listening to petition writers ask residents questions about their problems, and reading off their notes, and thinking to myself, “What qualifications do I need to do what they do?”
When I told Grandfather in 1984 that Mr Yatiman Yusof had asked me to help him at his Kampong Kembangan Branch, he remarked: “You are a trained writer. Your letters should be better written.” Sometime during that same conversation, he said: “A constituent may tell you about one problem. There is always a root cause and there is likelihood that he has many more problems.”
I followed Mr Yatiman to Tampines West Branch, and when he retired in 2006, I renewed my membership with Jurong Central Branch under Mr Lim Boon Heng.
Gathering at my grandparents’ home was a regular Sunday event. At the same stone table where Grandfather had schooled my uncles and aunts to vote PAP and only PAP, we would gather and discuss politics. Around that table, Grandfather, my father, Uncle Moh Choon and I would exchange news on the developments of the various constituencies where we served. Sometimes, if I were lucky, Uncle Chee Koh too.
At that table, Grandfather taught me political terms in Teochew.
The stone table will hold many fond memories of Grandfather for me. Even though he passed away, at age 85, on 23 July 2009, what Grandfather believed in has been imparted to the family, and I am certain we will carry on his service, always remembering what he stood for.
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