Thursday, June 3, 2010

Dr Goh Keng Swee (Part 1)

His Life Timeline

1930s

He entered politics and he was elected as MP for Kreta Ayer on 30 May 1959. He was its MP till his retirement from politics in Dec 1984.

He was anti-colonial in his outlook during the pre-independence years..

1940s

He was anti-colonial in his outlook during the pre-independence years.
He founded the Malayan Forum in 1949 - a political discussion group comprising Malayan and Singaporean students in London. The group met regularly to rally support for the decolonisation of and independence for Malaya and Singapore.

It was through the Forum that he met Toh Chin Chye and Lee Kuan Yew. He founded the Malayan Forum in 1949 - a political discussion group comprising Malayan and Singaporean students in London. The group met regularly to rally support for the decolonisation of and independence for Malaya and Singapore. It was through the Forum that he met Toh Chin Chye and Lee Kuan Yew

1950s

He entered politics and he was elected as MP for Kreta Ayer on 30 May 1959. He was its MP till his retirement from politics in Dec 1984.
Economic
He spearheaded many of the most impressive public policy achievements in Singapore: Economic Development Board (EDB), the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), the Jurong Industrial Estate.
His thoughts on economic growth contrasted sharply with the vast majority of his counterparts in other Third World governments. His decidedly conservative approach to public finance stands out.

1960s

Upon Singapore's independence in 1965, Dr Goh also became Minister for the Interior and Defence until 1967, assuming responsibilities for strengthening Singapore's military and domestic security capabilities.

A key policy was the creation of National Service, a mandatory conscription system for able-bodied young males. Upon Singapore's independence in 1965, Dr Goh also became Minister for the Interior and Defence until 1967, assuming responsibilities for strengthening Singapore's military and domestic security capabilities.
Together with Lee Kuan Yew in 1965, they decided that Singapore's central bank; Monetary Authority of Singapore will not have currency issuing power. Singapore remained one of few independent states to issue currency under a currency board until 2003.
He was instrumental in the founding of Monetary Authority of Singapore. (MAS). He "undertook major restructuring of MAS' key functions - monetary policy, reserve management, and supervision and development of the financial sector".
who started his public service career as a social welfare officer in the colonial government, then became a determined anti-colonial fighter who helped found the People’s Action Party (PAP), and later went on to helm key ministries over 25 years in politics.

When the education system needed fixing, Dr Goh went there in 1979 to streamline it and bring down drop-out rates.

May 1959 – Sep 1963 : Vice-chairman of PAP.
30 May 1959 – 3 Dec 1984 : Legislative assemblyman and later member of parliament for Kreta Ayer.
5 Jun 19598 Aug 1965 : Minister for Finance.
9 Aug 196523 Sep 1965 : Minister of Defence and Security.
24 Sep 196516 Aug 1967 : Minister of the Interior and Defence.
17 Aug 196710 Aug 1970 : Minister for Finance.
11 Aug 197011 Feb 1979 : Minister of Defence.
1 Mar 1973 – 31 May 1980 : Deputy Prime Minister.
12 Feb 1979 – 31 May 1980 : Minister of Education.
1 Jun 1980 – Dec 1984 : First Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of MAS.
1 Jun 1981 – Dec 1984 : Minister of Education.
1981 – 1994 : Deputy chairman, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.
1983 – 1992 : Chairman, Board of Governors, Institute of East Asian Philosophies (later renamed Institute of East Asian Political Economy or IEAPE).
Dec 1984 : Retired from politics.
1985 – 1992 : Deputy chairman, MAS.
1988 – 1994 : Chairman, Singapore Totalisator Board.
1991 : Director, Gateway Technologies Services Pte Ltd.
1992 – 1995 : Executive chairman and chairman of Board of Governors, IEAPE. Chairman, East Asian Consultancy (S) Pte Ltd.
1994 : Chairman, N. M. Rothschild & Sons (S) Ltd.
1995 : Vice-chairman, Hong Leong Asia Ltd.
1996 – 1997 : Deputy chairman, IEAPE.

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