We were just doing our jobs

SINGAPORE - Among the more than 1,000 members of Singapore's pioneer generation who were at the Istana on Sunday morning was an army officer who trained the first SAF regulars and NS men, a hotelier who raised millions for the Community Chest, a teacher, and a prison warden who touched many lives.

Yet they all said they never thought they were doing anything out of the ordinary, much less lifting the next generation of Singaporeans on their shoulders, as it said in the invitations they had received to Sunday's tribute ceremony.

Instead, they were merely doing their jobs and finding solutions to things that went wrong.

Retired Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) colonel Goh Lye Choon, 73, was one of six platoon commanders who started the first national service battalion in 1967, and one of the first to train officer cadets, including a young Ng Jui Ping, who later became chief of defence force.

He also lived through some of the nation's darkest days.

In 1964, in the midst of Indonesia's Confrontation against Malaysia, Mr Goh received news that eight soldiers had been ambushed and killed by Indonesian special force agents in Kota Tinggi, Malaysia. Singapore was part of Malaysia then and three teams were sent to evacuate casualties and search for the enemy. Mr Goh volunteered to be among them.

"My old officers who worked with me in the earliest days were going to get involved without an officer commanding (them). So I volunteered to be the commanding officer, I wanted to serve with them," he said.

It took three months to complete their mission of hunting down the Indonesian enemies, 36 of whom were eventually killed.

Pioneers like him who protected Singapore during Konfrontasi were among those who came in for special mention in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's tribute speech on Sunday.

Mr Lee also spoke of the pioneers who served as some of the first regulars and NS men, building up the SAF and Home Team.

And he honoured heroes who fought different battles - leading community service efforts and moulding the country's young minds.

He mentioned mothers and housewives, Samsui women, farmers, traders, teachers, doctors and nurses who went to villages to teach about health and hygiene; civil servants who built homes, roads and drains; and grassroots leaders, unionists and political leaders who rallied Singaporeans to a common cause.

Veteran hotelier and former Community Chest chairman Jennie Chua, 70, said: "We didn't plan... to carry the future generations on our shoulders, like the invitation card said. We had dreams, we had fire, but we didn't expect anything... When things didn't go right, we found a way around it and we just went on."

Ms Chua, the former general manager of Raffles Hotel, was appointed ComChest chairman in 2000. She led the organisation till last year, spear-heading efforts that raised tens of millions of dollars for the needy each year.

Her involvement in community work grew out of "my experiences having gone through hard times growing up", she said.

Former Member of Parliament and school principal Wan Hussin Zoohri, 76, said of his three decades teaching Malay and history at Sang Nila Utama Secondary and as principal of Tun Seri Lanang and Mayflower secondary schools: "We went through the ups and downs of nation building in the early years and it was about educating the young. Many of the students I taught have now gone on to become leaders in their own fields, be it lawyers or engineers... it makes me happy just when they call to tell me how they are doing," he said.

"After all the years of sacrifice, this gesture is most welcome and long overdue," he said of Sunday's tribute and package.

PM Lee said the tribute party for the pioneer generation was a "modest gesture".

While it was not possible to invite the hundreds of thousands of pioneers still alive, those present represented the many individuals who had contributed to the country in various ways, big or small, he said.

Technician supervisor Ong Soh Ha, 78, has spent close to half a century involved in grassroots activities in Telok Blangah. He was also a volunteer with the People's Defence Force back in the late 1950s, and patrolled the Tanjong Pagar port to keep it safe from would-be saboteurs.

Of his volunteer and grassroots activities, he said: "I do it because I support Singapore. The Government built up our country - the roads, the buildings - and I wanted to help them as a Singaporean."

Mr Ellappan Parasuraman, 78, worked as a project engineer for ST Electronics and helped develop communications systems for the air force and navy.

He described Sunday's tribute as "wonderful" and said he was grateful for the help he will receive from the Pioneer Generation Package.

The Government's "modest gesture" also left a deep impression on retired prison officer Saman Ismail, 65. He was among the first batch of men to enlist for NS, where he learnt discipline and teamwork.

"I benefited physically and mentally. I could contribute to the defence of my country for two years," he said.

That experience of serving Singapore spurred him to join the civil service, and he spent four decades in the Prison Service. He is glad to have played a part, from his post "on-the-ground" dealing with prisoners, to shifting the focus from incarceration to rehabilitation.

Asked how he felt about the nation honouring his work, he teared and said: "I feel very honoured, very happy. After retirement, you think you have already done everything and every day is the same. Out of the blue, to think that they recognised what I have done after many years of service, it really lifted me up."

maryamm@sph.com.sg

For all they did

You have contributed in many ways, big and small.

As mothers and housewives, bringing up new generations of Singaporeans.

As farmers and Samsui women, traders and factory workers, putting food on the table for your families and keeping Singapore going.

As members of the Volunteer Corps protecting Singapore during Konfrontasi, or of the Vigilante Corps keeping our streets safe from saboteurs. As our earliest regulars and national servicemen, building up the SAF and the Home Team.

As doctors, treating and caring for our sick, and as nurses, working alongside them, going to villages to teach people about nutrition, hygiene and health, and to schools to screen and immunise our children.

As teachers, setting up new schools and nurturing our young. And as young officers in PWD, HDB or PUB, building our public infrastructure.

As grassroots volunteers, unionists and political leaders, rallying Singaporeans around our common cause. Thank you all and through you, thank you to all in our pioneer generation.

- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, to the more than 1,000 members of the pioneer generation at the Istana on Sunday morning. They represented the hundreds of thousands of pioneers still alive

Honouring their contributions

Malay pioneers who chose Singapore

"For the Malay community, Separation meant a moment of choice - between joining Malaysia as part of the majority, or remaining in Singapore as a minority.

Many of you chose to stay in Singapore to start a new life here, together. Your choice enabled Singapore to grow into a unique multi-racial and multi-religious society. We are grateful for your confidence, loyalty and contributions."

PM Lee, in his Malay speech

Showing our appreciation

"The Government has taken steps to take care of our pioneer generation in their old age. All of us can also play a part in our own ways, be it a simple gesture of giving up seats on our public transport for the elderly or caring for the elderly in our families and the community. If all of us do our part, we will be a better society with heart and conscience."

President Tony Tan Keng Yam

Learning from their values

"There are many values which we can learn from them. I will just mention three.

The first was their resilience and their ability to overcome adversity. Two, their sacrifice of immediate gratification for long-term interests. Third, their sense of unity with each other, with multi-racial Singapore and of course, working together with the Government for collective interest...

I hope the present generation can understand these are important values to take them through the next 50 years."

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong

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