Tomorrow, 6 Oct, would have been Dr Goh Keng Swee’s 100th birthday.
Dr Goh’s contributions to Singapore were immense. He held the most challenging portfolios in our early years – finance, defence, education. The institutions and policies he put in place strengthened our economy, secured our defence and transformed our lives. This year alone, I attended the 50th anniversary celebrations of three of the numerous institutions he founded – JTC, Keppel and DBS.
Dr Goh also wanted Singaporeans to enjoy the finer things in life. Feeling that it was a “minor scandal” that we didn’t have our own symphony orchestra, he persuaded Cabinet to create the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 1979.
The SSO faced many difficulties in the beginning – for example, it had no proper venue for rehearsals. But with hard work and determination, things slowly improved. Today, Singaporeans can enjoy world-class performances by the SSO not only at our concert halls, but also our parks, schools, and heartlands. And tomorrow, in a tribute to its founding Patron, the SSO is dedicating its annual Baroque Festival to Dr Goh (http://str.sg/oeVb).
Our first-generation leaders were extraordinary, courageous visionaries. Together with Mr Lee Kuan Yew and others, Dr Goh helped shape the Singapore we know today. The close partnership of Mr Lee and Dr Goh formed the core of a stable government that made the right decisions for the country.
As we mark the birthday of this remarkable man, I hope that younger Singaporeans and future generations of leaders will learn from him, and be inspired by his courage, vision, and love for Singapore. – LHL
(ZB photo © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction)
