His Life Before Becoming A Minister His Early Life His inspiration to be a minister.
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Transcript of His Life Before Becoming A Minister His Early Life His inspiration to be a minister.
His Life Before Becoming A Minister
• His Early Life •His inspiration to be a minister
His Early Life ….• A late-starter because of malaria• Went to Oldham Hall School (ACS Oldham Hall)• Went to Raffles College• Joined a sago-making factory (Soon Hin Sago
Factory) and took it over– Invented machine that made production of sago
pearls less labour-intensive
• Served on Board of Directors of the United Chinese Bank(United Overseas Bank now-UOB)
His inspiration to be a minister ….• In late 1950s, Lee Kuan Yew asked Lim Kim San
to solve the housing problem.• Lim Kim San saw a man beneath a staircase
shophouse, lying on a single plank, covering himself with a blanket.
• The man was paying rent for that space.• The man was too poor to afford clothes, so he
covered himself with the blanket.
• Lim Kim San also saw a 3-storey shop house with only 1 toilet and 2 bathrooms. 200 people were living there.
• He thought it was inhumane, so he wanted to help these people and solve the problem.
His inspiration to be a minister ….
His Life As A Minister
minis tries“cleaned up” many ministries and “refreshed” them
Challenges faced as Chairman of HDB
• Received a challenge, build 10,000 housing units a year.
• He built an astonishing 26,168 units within two years – about the same number built by the Singapore Improvement Trust in its 32 years!
Salary as Chairman of HDB
• Because Ong Eng Guan was making things difficult for him, he held the HDB Chairman post for 4 years as a volunteer.
• Lim Kim San felt that it was not fair as he had his own business.
• He also knew that if he was paid a salary, he could be fired or sacked!
Things done as HDB Chairman
• Formed a strong team to build Singapore’s houses.
1. J.R. Stevens as Structural Engineer2. Alan Choe as Town planner3. Howe Yoon Chong as Chief Executive Officer4. Teh Cheang Wan as Chief Architect
• The team built 7000 housing units in 1961• The team built 10,000 to 13,000 units each
year from 1962 to 1969.
• Was a no-nonsense person.• Fired incompetent staff members such as PAP
members and fellow colleagues
Let me tell you something……Let me tell you something……
Character
I Don’t accept NONSENSE!!!!I Don’t accept NONSENSE!!!!
He was ______ Minister for 32 years
• Finance • Defence Oversaw
implementation of National Service (NS).• Communications• Environment submitted report
on cleaning Singapore River, a 10 year project.• Education
Ministries Lim Kim San headed as chairman
• (MAS)• Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) steered
PSA to become world’s busiest port. In 1979, 11,000 staff handled 83 million tons of cargo, nearly 1 million containers. In 1994, 7300 staff handled 280 million tones of cargo, nearly 10 million containers.
• Expanded Upper Pierce Reservoir to increase our water supply.
Awards
1. Darjah Utama Temasek in 1962 (Order of Temasek)
2. Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1965
Lim Kim San …
Mr Lim Kim San ….
• Has 6 children• Man of integrity and fairness, believed that
charity began at home.• Generous
– Donated almost ½ of his $$ to charity
• Kind but Stern towards his children, but spoilt his grandchildren by showering them with love.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
TO OUR PRESENTATION