Reflection

When i started researching on the two founding fathers , i am actually sitting on the fence. Because i find that Mr S rajaratnam and Dr Goh Keng Swee have contributed alot to Singapore. For Example, Mr Rajaratnam wrote the Singapore pledge while Dr Goh transformed Jurong into a industrial Estate.

But after analysing, i found that Dr Goh actually contribute more to the Singapore's progress. Mr Rajaratnam was popular because he understands his people well , which is a quality a good leader must have. However , i think that Dr Goh also demonstrated this quality. Because if he did not have this quality , i don't think he will be able to carry out his important projects like Jurong Bird Park well. I find that Dr Goh is a really selfless guy. He had contributed more than any leader would have to Singapore. I believe that if he didn't exist , Singapore wouldn't be what it is today.

If he did not changed Jurong into a industrial estate, Singapore wouldn't prosper like how it is today. His contribution towards military and education is equally important because without good army, Singapore will fall in the hands of other countries once war starts. Education is also important because in this society, education is a need in order to get a job.

So, if we compare both of the founding fathers' contribution, Dr Goh actually contributed more.

( Cai Ling )

Dr Goh Keng Swee

Dr Goh keng swee was born on 6october 1918 and deceased recently, on 14may 2010.

LIFE

Dr Goh keng swee was born in Malacca in the straits settlements into a middle-income peranakan family. His father was a manager of a rubber plantation. When he was two years old, his family moved from Malacca to Singapore where his maternal grandparents owned several properties. Dr Goh keng swee studied at Anglo-Chinese Primary School and the Anglo-Chinese Secondary school between 1927 and 1936. He then graduate from Raffles college in 1939 with a Class II diploma in Arts with a special distinction in economics. He then joined the colonial civil service as a tax collector with the War Tax Department however, he was almost fired as he was not very good at his job.

Shortly after the start of World War 2, Dr god keng swee joined the Singapore Volunteer Corps but returned to his previous work after the fall of Singapore. He married Alice Woon in 1942 and had their only child, Goh Kian Chee, two years later. In 1945, he relocated his family to Malacca but returned to Singapore the following Year after Japanese Occupation ended. Dr Goh Keng Swee won a scholarship which enabled him to further his studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. During his time in London , he met Lee Kuan yew ,Abdul Razak and few more. In 1952, together with fellow civil servant Kenneth M. Byrne, he formed a council of joint Action to lobby against salary and promotion policies that favoured Caucasians over Asian. In 1985, Dr Goh Keng Swee resigned from his civil service in August so as to work full-time for the People’s Action Party.

Achievements

Dr Goh was a key member of PAP’s central Executive Committee and later became its vice-ch

airman.

He was appointed for Minister for Finance in 1959, Dr goh introduced an industrialization programme with the aim of creating jobs for Singaporeans. At that time , Jurong was a swampy wasteland and Dr goh transformed it into Singapore’s first industrial estate. To jumpstart the area’s development, he offered incentives and drew in foreign investments. He also started the setting up of the Economic Development Board, which was established in August 19 1961 with the purpose of furthering the economic development of Singapore by attracting foreign investments.

When Singapore attained independence in 1959, Dr Goh became the first defence minister . Assuming responsibilities for strengthening Singapore’s military and domestic security capabilities, he implemented compulsory national service for all male Singaporeans above 18years old so as to quickly build up the Singapore Armed Forces.

When he was Minister of Education , the importance of curriculum development in the education system made Dr Goh set up the Curriculum Development Institude. To arrest the high dropout rates , Dr Goh also introduced streaming in 1980 to allow students to learn at their own pace within their own capabilities.

Dr Goh was also responsible for projects that sought to improve Singaporeans’ cultural and leisure life, such as Jurong Bird Park, the SingaporeZoo . He was also instrumental in introducing rugby in the Singapore Armed Forces and later in schools .

Mr S Rajaratnam

Sinnathamby Rajaratnam , known as S.Rajaratnam, was born in 25Feb1915 and deceased in 22Feb 2006.He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of independent Singapore as it achieved self-governemnt in 1959 and later independence in 1965.

LIFE

Mr Rajaratnam was born in Sri Lanka. His father wanted him to be born there for auspicious reasons after the premature death of his older brother. He was three months old when he was brought back to Seremban , malaysia where his father worked as a supervisor at a rubber plantation.

Rajaratnam attented the Convent of Holy infant Jesus for six months and was transferred to St paul’s institution. At this stage, he became an avid reader due to his uncle, who brought him many books. He then continued his studies at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur and finally Raffles institution in Singapore.

In 1937, he went to King’s college , London to study law, however, he was unable to receive funding from his family to continue his studies due to world war 2. Hence , Rajaratnam turned to journalism to earn a living. He then met his wife , Piroska Feher , a Hungarian teacher at London in 1941 and stayed in London for several years. Rajaratnam returned to Singapore in 1948 when he worked as a journalist in the Malayan Tribune and left to join the Singapore Standard and he was bold in writing the way Singapore was governed by the British. This incurred the displeasure of the colonial government.

Achievements

In 1954, Rajaratnam cofounded the People ‘s Action Party together with Lee Kuan Yew , Goh keng Swee and others. He became popular among his supporters as he was able to understand his people and he thought of making MultiRacial Singapore to become a “global city”. Rajaratnam was also involved in organizing major political campaigns against Singaporean groups on the far left .

During his years in parliament , Rajaratnam contributed a lot. He served as Minister for Culture in 1959 , Minister for foreign affairs from 1965 to 1980, minister for labour from 1968 to 1971, second deputy prime minister from 1980 to 1985. Lastly, Rajaratnam was later appointed as senior minister until his retirement in 1988.He also made a big contribution to Singapore by writing the Singapore pledge.