New book to honour nine Hainanese who have contributed significantly to the society

Lawrence Wong, a Hainanese will be the next Singapore PM. This was his speech in 2013. 

New book to honour nine Hainanese who have contributed significantly to the society.

Speech by Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth at the Hainan Culture and Heritage Centre’s anniversary dinner cum book launch.

27 September 2013

Dr Chau Sik Ting, President of the Hainan Culture and Heritage Research Centre

Mr Foo Qingyun, Chairman, Organising Committee; 

Board members of the Hainan Culture and Heritage Research Centre

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen 

1. I’m very happy to be here this evening to launch the new books on our Hainanese culture and our leaders, and also to celebrate the Heritage Research Centre’s anniversary dinner. This event is also personally meaningful to me because as you know I am a second generation Singaporean Hainanese and a proud member of the Hainanese community. Because we are one of the smaller dialect groups in Singapore, we tend to feel a sense of camaraderie with one another. As my father used to tell me, if you go to a Chicken Rice seller and speak to him in Hainanese, you will get more meat. I’m not going to speak to you in Hainanese tonight, although you are happy to give me better food. But I am still learning and I am still improving my Hainanese. So I’d keep to English and Mandarin. The Hainanese, I will reserve for later occasions. But I think this sense of kinship and bonding has always been an important part of the Hainanese community and long may that continue. 

2. The Hainanese came to Singapore in larger numbers only around the 1850s, much later than the other dialect groups in Singapore. By the time our forefathers got here, all the other dialect groups had already established themselves, and were very well-entrenched in the various trades and crafts. So as all of you know the history by now. the Hainanese took up the remaining jobs in SIngapore, which were largely in the service industry. Many worked as cooks and domestic workers in British colonial homes. They became adept at cooking, and later many would start their own kopi-tiams and food stalls.

3. So if there is one thing which we can take pride in as Hainanese, is that we are the pioneers of Singapore’s food culture. Many of our iconic dishes like the Hainanese chicken rice, kopi and toast with eggs, and even the Singapore Sling were all invented by Hainanese. And today, modern incarnations of the kopitiam continue in successful chains like Ya Kun and Killiney Kopitiam. And Hainanese continue to helm many good cafes and restaurants all over Singapore, like our Kopitam chains, the Hans café chain and Shashik restaurant at Far East Shopping Centre.  

4. Another trait of the Hainanese community is the importance we accord to education. All Hainanese parents believe very strongly that a good education will pave the way for a better life, and so everyone seeks to train their children to be scholars. My background is no exception. My grandfather came from Hainan island to South-East Asia and together with my dad when he was a young boy when they were in Malaysia. And my grandfather came with pretty much nothing, with just a shirt on his back, worked from very little in Malaysia, but he made sure that my dad had a good education. And today, I think all of us appreciate the importance of education and knowledge. It is a value that is deeply instilled into the community. But I think we should also be grateful for the good schools and the fair and just system of meritocracy that we have in Singapore. This was what attracted my dad to move from Malaysia to Singapore as a young man. It is this same system meritocracy that has enabled me and so many Hainanese in Singapore to make progress in our lives and to pursue what we want to do. Indeed, though small as we may be as a community, we can be proud to have many prominent leaders across diverse fields in academia, business, medicine, law and government.

5. So tonight, we honour in this new book nine Hainanese who have contributed significantly to society:

i. Mr Mah Bow Tan, MP for Tampines GRC and former Min(MND)

ii. Mr Ngiam Tong Dow, Pro-Chancellor, NUS

iii. Prof Lim Chong Yah, Emeritus Professor of Economics, NTU

iv. Prof Cham Tao Soon, Chancellor, SIM

v. Justice Chao Hick Tin, Judge of Appeal

vi. Mrs Fang Ai Lian, Chairman, Great Eastern Holdings Limited

vii. Dr Han Cheng Fong, former CEO, Fraser & Neave

viii. The late Dr Chao Yoke San, Father of Justice Chao Hick Tin and Dr Chau Sik Ting

ix. And the late Mr Wu Teh Yao , former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Nanyang University (1976-1977) 

I think we should give all of them a round of applause.

6. There are many more stories that we can write and I believe that this is a start of an endeavour which we can do to record the contributions of Hainanese in Singapore. And I hope that these stories will inspire the younger members of our community to work hard, to excel and distinguish themselves with their contributions to our nation.

7. These books celebrating Hainanese culture were made possible by Dr Chau and his team. So I would like to congratulate the team for all the good work that they have done and for putting together the research. Thank you very much.

8. I hope we will all as a community continue to do whatever we can, to preserve and strengthen our Hainanese tradition, culture and heritage.

9. So let me continue on, not in Hainanese but in Mandarin.

今天很高兴出席海南文化研究中心创会庆典兼新书发布会。 

新加坡海南文化研究中心是由一群关心、热爱海南文化的乡亲组织成立的。这个团体旨在传承发扬海南文化与精神，并提供一个平台让海南乡亲联络感情、促进全世界海南人的进步与发展。

我们的海南先辈于1850年起开始过番来新加坡工作。他们多数从事服务业，在别人家当厨师、帮忙打点家中的一切。久而久之，他们也变得善于烹饪，有的还自立门户，自己经营咖啡店。如今，我们在新加坡常吃的美食都出自海南人的发明。虽然先辈们在新加坡的开始煎熬，但他们所展示出不屈不挠的精神值得我们大家的学习。

精神是一个民族的脊梁，而文化和传统是一个族群发展的基石。新加坡海南文化研究中心就凭着这个信念，不遗余力的推广海南文化和精神。中心的理事们积极从事海南文化研究及传播工作，为的就是希望把知识和其他人分享。 

如今，虽然时代已变，但海南人的精神依然没变。新加坡海南文化研究中心所编辑出版近的《海南精神系列丛书》就记载了海南移民的精神和杰出表现。

《世界因你而精彩》这本书展示了九名新加坡海南杰出人物的高尚品格和精神风采。这本书记载了他们为新加坡做出的贡献，是第一本弘扬海南精神的人物专访。书中也记录了许多宝贵的故事供我们年轻一代的新加坡人学习。我希望年轻的新加坡人能够本着这九位海南杰出人物所展示出的精神和意志力，把新加坡推向另一个高峰。

今天晚上大家欢聚一堂，除了要祝贺新书发布会成功，我也呼吁更多的海南人积极的参与中心的工作和活动。弘扬海南精神、传承海南文化，是我们每一个海南人的责任和义务。我希望在座的大家能和政府携手为新加坡作出更多的贡献。

在此，我也要祝新加坡海南文化研究中心再创卓越，也祝大家身体健康、万事如意！

谢谢大家！

The Kampung Boy

My journey with Dr Richard Goh representing him in all his legal matters in Russia, China, Pakistan, South Korea, South East Asia, and the Middle East in Dubai and Kuwait.

The Kampung Boy 

In the beginning, he grew up in humble circumstances.

Richard Goh is the youngest of eight children. He did not have an easy childhood. His late mother was one of the primary breadwinners. She had to work three jobs to make ends meet. At the crack of dawn, she started work in the rubber plantation, then the rubber factory; and finally, doing laundry for families living in neighboring HDB flats. Young Richard was often by her side as there was no one at home. He had to do his homework by her side before returning home together.

Through his experience of his mother’s sacrifice, Richard inherited the spirit of modesty, hard work, and thrift.

This kampung boy with big dreams can proudly say that he had come a long way who then-amongst the few Singaporeans-dared to venture into the first and underdeveloped countries and making his business presence felt there.

He has received a string of awards and nominations but most notably was the Entrepreneur of the year 2003.

=== From The Straits Times, 18 August 2003, Page L14 ===

As a kampung boy, he would linger in his school's audio visual aids room just to enjoy the cool comfort of an air-conditioner.

Now, Mr Richard Goh, 42, is the founder and managing director of Mega-Tech Industries, a leading manufacturer and exporter of air-conditioners and consumer electrical appliances with a market presence in over 28 countries.

His childhood had honed his enterprising spirit and drive to succeed.

His father, the family's sole breadwinner, was a fruit and vegetable seller.

To earn extra money, the young Mr Goh would take fruit from his family's garden and sell it in neighbouring estates during the weekends and holidays.

"It trained me to have the guts to go out and peddle goods in public", he said.

With seven other siblings, he further eased his family's financial burden by securing bursaries for his entire primary and secondary school education.

Living without electricity and running water in the 1960s fuelled his interest in air-conditioning and refrigeration technology.

"I envied my classmates who owned refrigerators or air-conditioners, and dreamt of owning a refrigerated plant someday, so that the fruit I prepared each morning could remain fresh", he said.

After excelling in his O levels he pursued this interest at the Singapore Technical Institute (STI), obtaining an Industrial Technician's Certificate in Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering.

During his national service, he pursued numerous management and marketing courses while working on getting a higher diploma from the City and Guild of London Institute and a mechanical engineering diploma from Singapore Polytechnic.

Ever enterprising, he sold insurance policies on a part-time basis and musical greeting cards during festive seasons.

His talent for spotting opportunities served him well in his career. After six years working as an R&D engineer for air-con manufacturer Ace-Daikin, Mr Goh decided to strike out on his own.

He started Mega-Tech Air-conditioning and Engineering in September 1991 with $10,000 of his personal savings, and three staff sharing a single telephone line and desk in a one-room office in Geylang.

Despite its small start, he had a big vision to establish Mega-Tech as a specialist in the air-conditioning and refrigeration field.

Mr Goh said: "Since there were numerous small-time contractors, I focused on the higher value industrial and commercial projects, which require more skill and design expertise."

To minimise costs, he used a core pool of contract labourers for labour-intensive jobs while retaining his own employees for more skilled tasks. In fact, his prudence ensured that Mega-Tech never ran into the red in its 12-year history.

In 1993, the company got its big break. By landing a technical collaboration with Funai Electric Company, a Japanese contract manufacturer, it could now penetrate the global market.

"Since I knew the A to Z of air-conditioners, I ventured that Mr T Funai, who had the capital and infrastructure, might be interested in my proposal to add air-conditioners to his range of consumer electrical products", Mr Goh said.

His proposal was accepted a year and numerous study missions later. Mr Goh stayed in Japan for six months to get the manufacturing plant near Osaka off the ground. In exchange for his expertise, the saavy negotiator secured the sole marketing rights to Funai's air-conditioners.

Spearheading the marketing drive, Mr Goh chose to focus on emerging and untried markets such as North Korea and Russia, to give the fledgling brand a competitive advantage.

He said "The Russian market alone was worth $175 million, so securing just 1 per cent would give us the critical mass we needed to be profitable."

Through shrewd market positioning and value-added features, the company succeeded in capturing a huge share of the market.

Mr Goh was also the first through the door in East Timor, supplying the electrical and air-conditioning systems for its airport and the United Nation's quarters.

Today, 95 per cent of Mega-Tech's revenue is generated from its overseas markets. Last year, it recorded a turnover of $35 million. Its distribution network in 28 countries includes joint ventures in China, Thailand, West Africa as well as branch offices and liaison offices in Europe, Japan and Dubai.

Mega-Tech has since won the Enterprise 50 award in 1999 and 2000, and was included in the SME 500 listing of Singapore's most powerful SMEs.

Mr Goh also received an honorary doctorate in business administration from the University of Hawaii in 2000.

To stay ahead of competition, Mr Goh continues to develop new products, such as air-conditioners that run on natural gas.

He is also researching how to revolutionise the technology that drives air-conditioners so that someday, cool air may be emitted from the metal backing of a picture on the wall.

https://dr-richard-goh.blogspot.com/2003/08/cool-head-for-business.html

Chew Seng Soon (1910-1984)

Many only became aware of him when reading the leading Chinese Newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Saturday, May 2, 2009.

It published a full article how the Lianshang's organisational operations witnessed the cooperation and experiences of the Hainanese coffee shop business during and after the war. It is the important record in the history of the Singapore Chinese business. 

He was born in a family in Hainan Province Wenchang Town, Tianshing Guan Tian Cun, China.  He migrated and landed in Singapore for the first time when he was about 18 years old. Like other businessmen of his time, he took an active part in the business affairs of the Hainanese community in Singapore. 

He was also involved promoting the wellbeing and interests of people belonging to the clan associations of Hainan dialect.

He was a self-taught economist and an entrepreneur. He initiated and gathered support as a community leader -during the Japanese occupation of World War 2- to form cooperative to combat inflation and the high prices of essential commodities of sugar and milk.

He continued to serve the community as member of the Citizens' Consultative Committees until his retirement in 1980 and for which he was commended by Singapore founding father, then Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in a certificate presented to him.

Hainanese are not always disunited

(Click the newspaper clip to zoom)

Translation:

Lianshang: Business Cooperation within Hainanese Coffee Industry in the Early Days

Hainanese has been long considered a group which lacks cohesion and is unable to unite. In fact, this conclusion is not quite right as since 64 years ago, the Hainanese already knew how to combine strength and put into practice business collaboration.

In the business world, making large purchases is the mode of operation to achieve cost savings. Hainanese coffee shop owners at that time already knew of unified procurement. And in order to achieve the objective of cost control, they even manufactured the raw materials needed by their own coffee shops.

Lianshang Limited Corporation was established for this purpose six months prior to the surrender of the Japanese and it existed for a long 57 years.

The Establishment of a Condensed Milk Company to Break Through Price Manipulation

During the Japanese occupation in Singapore, foreign supply of condensed milk ceased. Ordinary coffee shops were using local made condensed milk but the price of which was often raised and there were problems relating to the disruption of supply. Hainanese came to the South from China to look for a new life mainly by opening coffee shops and this had been a social trend since around the Second World War. Their coffee shop business was nagged by the price fluctuation of the raw materials.

At the Hainanese Coffee Association (formerly known as the Hainanese Coffee Restaurant & Bar Merchant Association) members' dinner gathering held in March 1945, Chew Seng Soon suggested preparing own utensils to form a small scale condensed milk manufacturing company. On one hand, it would enable them to be self-sufficient and self-contained; on the other hand, it could facilitate other counterparts in the industry while avoiding the price manipulation by other condensed milk businessmen. At the time, all attendees were in favour of this proposal, some suggested for Hainanese Coffee Association to be the main force, and to form a condensed milk manufacturing company according to Chew Seng Soon's recommendations.

However, there was also this other saying that Chew Seng Soon's condensed milk manufacturing company had in fact already been organised and was ready, the attendees urged him to expand his company and allow others in the industry the opportunity to join. As this was a company affair which could not be decided by him alone, he did not accept the suggestion hastily. At that time, all attendees came to an agreement to allow those present to join by subscribing the shares. The total shares subscribed by 49 people amounted to 98,000 Japanese Military Bills, and 98 shares were allocated at 1000 (Japanese Military Bills) per share.

In early April of the same year, all the stakeholders held a meeting to decide on the company name, names suggested include Datong, Huichang, Jicheng, Lianshang, Heyi, Mingsheng, etc. The attendees each held fast to their own view and could not come to a decision. Eventually the decision was left to a fellow villager Feng Heqing to make. "Lianshang" was used as the company name initially and matters relating to the company's registration were being handled. The Hainanese Coffee Association was temporary used as the company address of the condensed milk manufacturing company.

The number of subscribers increased subsequently and the capital had also increased to 400,000 Japanese Military Bills. The company commenced business on 1 May 1945 after a month of preparations. With the shareholders and directors making concerted efforts, the staff did not draw any salary in the beginning, except for 200 to 300 banana notes as allowance. However the initial business was unsatisfactory; the quality of condensed milk was not good and the price was relatively high. Bus as the counterparts in the coffee industry were happy to purchase, the existing stock was thus kept low and the business was able to go on.

Lianshang's business gradually went onto the right track a month later and the number of employees increased to 10. However, in the face of the increase in price of raw materials such as milk, charcoal, sugar, etc., the profit was meager, and the future appeared bleak to the shareholders. On 10 July of the same year, it was resolved during the fourth meeting of the director and staff to expand the business operations to enter into the wholesale business of sugar, coffee beans, tea powder, biscuits, etc. However as there were insufficient funds, the registrants were called upon immediately to raise additional 200,000 Japanese Military Bills, which increased to 330,000 unexpectedly within 10 days, resulting in the increased of the company capital to 730,000 Japanese Military Bills.

Business Grew to a New Height after the War

The Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945 and Singapore was lifted out of three years and eight months' of misery. Following which the Government declared the Japanese banana notes invalid and Lianshang's business came to a standstill. The sixth meeting of the directors was held on 15 September, and it was resolved to recalculate the stocks and company assets in Straits dollar. The result was a mere 6,079 Straits dollars which made it impossible for the business to be carried on.

Lianshang held its first post war Shareholder Meeting on 10 October to raise share capital in Straits dollar; each share were fixed at 50 Straits dollar, while the old shares (banana notes) were converted at the rate of 1000 (Japanese Military Bills) to 35 Straits dollars. Those with less than one share were to approach the shareholders to top it up to 50 Straits dollars per share. The old-new shares conversion and the making of the capital brought about a total of 44,000 Straits dollars. Following the amendment of the Articles and the election of new director subsequently in 1947, Lianshang's business grew to a new height.

However the market had changed after the war. With Australian goods coming in to Singapore, the market was flooded with condensed milk and milk products which the residents rushed to purchase. Local condensed milk manufacturing business was greatly affected. Lianshang's condensed milk department ceased production on 2 October and went into selling of sundry goods. Nevertheless, the market change did not affect Lianshang's development which gradually entered a pleasant stage in its second year of operations, making a net profit of 50,000 Straits dollars and more within 10 months.

Walking into History Officially in 2002

Lianshang's subsequent development was not a bed of roses; however its revenue and profit continued to be stable. One of the reasons was that Lianshang was the sales agent for a cigarette importer from the 80s to the 90s; profit from the sale of cigarettes was very high. However the cigarette importer regained the authority of agency later on and gone was the money making business. In addition to the existing fierce market competition then, the number of suppliers also increased while the number of members dropped. Lianshang's business started to go downhill.

In year 2000, Lianshang put up a newspaper advertisement to look for company shareholders, their families and descendants, notifying them that the company was about to cease operation and the capital was to be returned to them based on the capital shares apportionment, and the accumulated interest and dividends made over the years to be distributed.

By year 2001, the exact number of Lianshang shareholders was ascertained to be 190. As many of the shareholders had changed their address and returned to Hainan and many of the descendants had no idea if their father or grandfather ever invested in Lianshang, there remained 55 people who eventually did not take back their share capital, interests and dividends totaling $170,000.

Lianshang officially ceased business and became a history during the economic downturn in 2003. After the audit by the accounting firm, any balance amount left unclaimed was handed over to the care of the Government's Charity Trust.

Lianshang's organisational operations witnessed the cooperation and experiences of the Hainanese coffee shop business. This is also an important record in the history of the Singapore Chinese business.