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GOH KENG SWEE: QUALITES FOR SUCCESS
Did you know that Singapore has the highest Gross Domestic Product per capita in the world? As a small nation with no natural resources, how did Singapore arrive at where it is today? The credit goes largely to Singapore’s founding fathers, particularly to Dr. Goh Keng Swee. Goh Keng Swee’s thoroughness, farsightedness, and willingness to learn were qualities that stood out in his diverse public career and enabled him to succeed.
First, Dr. Goh’s thoroughness permeated his career as Minister for Finance, Minister for Education, and Minister for Defense, and paved the way for his success. According to Dr. Goh’s daughter-in-law Tan Siok Sun, who did extensive research into Dr. Goh’s life and interviewed him personally, Dr. Goh “always insisted beforehand on thorough research on any subject matter, the engagement of experts and a robust debate in Cabinet” (159). As Singapore’s first Minister for Finance, Dr. Goh was prudent with the money at his disposal. Once, he promptly denied an application for $100 million by the Minister for National Development. He retorted, “I expect every request for finance from me to be properly presented, well argued, with figures to substantiate” (Tan, 92). Dr. Goh also demonstrated thoroughness in the implementation of the Five Year Economic Development Plan (1960 to 1964), which was deferred due to Dr. Goh’s meticulous research approach (Tan, 88).
As Minister for Education, Dr. Goh executed his tasks assiduously. To tackle the problems in the Ministry of Education, he conducted a thorough review of the education system. Alistair Chew, educational consultant at the Singapore Ministry of Education, commented that “his usual thoroughness was demonstrated by his launch of a brief but far-reaching review that involved interviewing almost 300 personnel, access to more than 140 studies, reports and papers, and the production of 58 reports based on the work done by [his] officers” (203). In addition,
Did you know that Singapore has the highest Gross Domestic Product per capita in the world? As a small nation with no natural resources, how did Singapore arrive at where it is today? The credit goes largely to Singapore’s founding fathers, particularly to Dr. Goh Keng Swee. Goh Keng Swee’s thoroughness, farsightedness, and willingness to learn were qualities that stood out in his diverse public career and enabled him to succeed.
First, Dr. Goh’s thoroughness permeated his career as Minister for Finance, Minister for Education, and Minister for Defense, and paved the way for his success. According to Dr. Goh’s daughter-in-law Tan Siok Sun, who did extensive research into Dr. Goh’s life and interviewed him personally, Dr. Goh “always insisted beforehand on thorough research on any subject matter, the engagement of experts and a robust debate in Cabinet” (159). As Singapore’s first Minister for Finance, Dr. Goh was prudent with the money at his disposal. Once, he promptly denied an application for $100 million by the Minister for National Development. He retorted, “I expect every request for finance from me to be properly presented, well argued, with figures to substantiate” (Tan, 92). Dr. Goh also demonstrated thoroughness in the implementation of the Five Year Economic Development Plan (1960 to 1964), which was deferred due to Dr. Goh’s meticulous research approach (Tan, 88).
As Minister for Education, Dr. Goh executed his tasks assiduously. To tackle the problems in the Ministry of Education, he conducted a thorough review of the education system. Alistair Chew, educational consultant at the Singapore Ministry of Education, commented that “his usual thoroughness was demonstrated by his launch of a brief but far-reaching review that involved interviewing almost 300 personnel, access to more than 140 studies, reports and papers, and the production of 58 reports based on the work done by [his] officers” (203). In addition,