- EPB Pan Pacific (2007). Singapore From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971. Singapore: EPB Pan Pacific.
- Tien, Mui Mun (1997, 29 September). Tan Tock Seng. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_118_2005-01-22.html
- Tan Tock Seng Hospital (2006). Tan Tock Seng Hospital - Our Founder. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://www.ttsh.com.sg/new/about/founder.htm
Friday, April 24, 2009
References
Series 4 - Reflections
From this assignment, I've learnt that immigrants from the past came to Singapore and led a hard life. However, some of them endured the hard times and eventually became successful businessmen. Therefore, I feel that perseverence is the most important of all. When we have flunked your test or failed an assignment, we must bulk up and pesever like these pioneers. We will definitely succeed.
I like this assignment as we get to research on a particular immigrant and learn about them. I suggest sharing the blog url with the class so that we can view each others researchs and learn from them.
I like this assignment as we get to research on a particular immigrant and learn about them. I suggest sharing the blog url with the class so that we can view each others researchs and learn from them.
Series 3 - Suggestion for a monument of Tan Tock Seng
I suggest a museum named after him be built.
This is because Tan Tock Seng was an immigrant who came to Singapore as a vegetable seller but soon, with is hard work, he became a successful businessman. His feat should be commended and therefore a museum providing information of his past can raise awareness to how the immigrants in the past worked hard and eventually became successful and even help the poor.
The museum can be painted with a light shade of blue. This is because he was made the Justice of Peace, therefore the shade of blue gives people a peaceful feeling. A fountain can also be built due to the same reason.
A mini pathway can be made featuring statues of Tan Tock Seng life from young to old can be built. This is to show how he went through the hard years and eventually became successful.
Below is a drawing of the monument:
This is because Tan Tock Seng was an immigrant who came to Singapore as a vegetable seller but soon, with is hard work, he became a successful businessman. His feat should be commended and therefore a museum providing information of his past can raise awareness to how the immigrants in the past worked hard and eventually became successful and even help the poor.
The museum can be painted with a light shade of blue. This is because he was made the Justice of Peace, therefore the shade of blue gives people a peaceful feeling. A fountain can also be built due to the same reason.
A mini pathway can be made featuring statues of Tan Tock Seng life from young to old can be built. This is to show how he went through the hard years and eventually became successful.
Below is a drawing of the monument:
Friday, April 17, 2009
Series 2 - Explain how his contributions made an impact on Singapore
Mr Tan Tock Seng's main contribution was his donation of $5000 to the Chinese Pauper's Hospital.
This contribution made a large impact in Singapore. The Chinese Pauper's Hospital was the first Chinese hospital in Singapore for the poor. In the past, the poor who fell illl could not go to hospital as there were no hospital catering to them. Therefore, they were usually left at home to suffer. These ill people were left untreated, thereby increasing the risk of the spread of such diseases. With more people falling ill, Singapore will not be a very safe port to trade in, causing a decline in the number of traders in Singapore.
However, the building of the Chinese Pauper's Hospital that catered to the poor allowed these ill people to get treated, thus reducing the spread of such diseases. As a result, Singapore would be a safer and more hygienic place to trade in. This would attract more traders to Singapore, thereby increasing the trades in Singapore, which is the main motive of the British government.
He was the first Chinese to be made the Justice of Peace. He helped the early Chinese immigrants settle disputes. This could have helped prevent the immigrants who had conflicts to go to secret societies to resolve them, thereby reducing the power of the secret societies. This can help reduce the number of secret societies in Singapore, which was the main problem in Singapore then. More traders will be attracted, allowing Singapore to grow better as a trading port.
References
This contribution made a large impact in Singapore. The Chinese Pauper's Hospital was the first Chinese hospital in Singapore for the poor. In the past, the poor who fell illl could not go to hospital as there were no hospital catering to them. Therefore, they were usually left at home to suffer. These ill people were left untreated, thereby increasing the risk of the spread of such diseases. With more people falling ill, Singapore will not be a very safe port to trade in, causing a decline in the number of traders in Singapore.
However, the building of the Chinese Pauper's Hospital that catered to the poor allowed these ill people to get treated, thus reducing the spread of such diseases. As a result, Singapore would be a safer and more hygienic place to trade in. This would attract more traders to Singapore, thereby increasing the trades in Singapore, which is the main motive of the British government.
He was the first Chinese to be made the Justice of Peace. He helped the early Chinese immigrants settle disputes. This could have helped prevent the immigrants who had conflicts to go to secret societies to resolve them, thereby reducing the power of the secret societies. This can help reduce the number of secret societies in Singapore, which was the main problem in Singapore then. More traders will be attracted, allowing Singapore to grow better as a trading port.
References
- Tien, Mui Mun (1997, 29 September). Tan Tock Seng. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_118_2005-01-22.html
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Differences between being ruled by a colonial government with having a local government of or own
There are the pros and cons for both kind of government ruling.
When we are being ruled by the colonial government, there is only one governor of the Straits Settlements. This is good in the sense that there won't be great conflicts should there be many governors (Too many cooks spoil the broth.) . However, with one governor only having veto powers over the law in Singapore, there might be flaws with the laws here and there (Two heads are better than one.) . Therefore, with these two conflicts contradicting each other, I feel that there should be about 2 to 3 governors so that we can look at things from a different point of view.
In comparison with our local government, we have 3 main ministers (MM Lee, SM Goh and PM Lee) governing Singapore, thereby allowing the parliament to make better decisions.
During the colonial governing times, the British usually have greater powers over the law than Asians. The government is chosen with the British holding the most power (the Governor and the Queen in London). The Asians in the legislative council are generally not as powerful as the British. In fact, eventually, it lies in the Governer's hands whether to create the law or carry out the action or not.
As compared to our local government, if one of the ministers in parliament made a wrong decision or a decision that can be improved on, the other ministers can help improve on it. Plus, the final decision does not completely lie on a person's hand only.
When we are being ruled by the colonial government, there is only one governor of the Straits Settlements. This is good in the sense that there won't be great conflicts should there be many governors (Too many cooks spoil the broth.) . However, with one governor only having veto powers over the law in Singapore, there might be flaws with the laws here and there (Two heads are better than one.) . Therefore, with these two conflicts contradicting each other, I feel that there should be about 2 to 3 governors so that we can look at things from a different point of view.
In comparison with our local government, we have 3 main ministers (MM Lee, SM Goh and PM Lee) governing Singapore, thereby allowing the parliament to make better decisions.
During the colonial governing times, the British usually have greater powers over the law than Asians. The government is chosen with the British holding the most power (the Governor and the Queen in London). The Asians in the legislative council are generally not as powerful as the British. In fact, eventually, it lies in the Governer's hands whether to create the law or carry out the action or not.
As compared to our local government, if one of the ministers in parliament made a wrong decision or a decision that can be improved on, the other ministers can help improve on it. Plus, the final decision does not completely lie on a person's hand only.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Series 1 - Brief and concise biography of Tan Tock Seng
Tan Tock Seng is born in 1798 in Malacca, Malaysia. He was a renowned Hokkien merchant, landowner, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Mr Tan was the third son of an immigrant from Fujian province in China. He started as a humble vegetable seller and eventually rose to become one of Singapore's early Chinese leaders. He was the first Asian to be appointed Justice of the Peace (JP). In 1844, he set up Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), the first Chinese hospital in Singapore, for the poor.
As a young man full of entrepreneurial drive but no worldly goods, Mr Tan ventured to Singapore to start a small roadside business. He would buy fruits, vegetables and fowl from the countryside and hawk the fresh food in the City.
Hardworking and thrifty, he saved up enough money to open a shop along the riverside at Boat Quay in 1827 and proved to be a fine businessman. It was likely that he spoke English and he made his fortune when he joined a joint business in land speculation with an English friend, Mr J.H. Whitehead of Shaw, Whitehead & Co.. Mr Tan eventually became a wealthy businessman.
Mr Tan contributed generously to charity and became a renowned philanthropist amongst the Chinese. He was known to provide burial costs for the Chinese poor. His most famous gesture was the gift of $5,000 to build the Chinese Pauper's Hospital (later to be named after him , the Tan Tock Seng Hospital or TTSH) in 1844 at Pearl's Hill. This hospital was opened in 1849. He was also one of the founders of Singapore's oldest temple,the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street. This became the centre of worship for the Fujian Chinese.
Tan Tock Seng was the first Asian to be made a Justice of the Peace by the Governor Butterworth. His role in helping the early Chinese immigrants settle disputes earned him the title "Captain of the Chinese."
Mr Tan died in 1850 at age 52. His grave lies along the grassy slope next to Jubilee Church, 256 Outram Road, Singapore. An obituary in the Singapore Free Press described him as one of Singapore's "earliest settlers as well as most wealthy inhabitants." The paper also praised his contribution as a Justice of Peace.
References
As a young man full of entrepreneurial drive but no worldly goods, Mr Tan ventured to Singapore to start a small roadside business. He would buy fruits, vegetables and fowl from the countryside and hawk the fresh food in the City.
Hardworking and thrifty, he saved up enough money to open a shop along the riverside at Boat Quay in 1827 and proved to be a fine businessman. It was likely that he spoke English and he made his fortune when he joined a joint business in land speculation with an English friend, Mr J.H. Whitehead of Shaw, Whitehead & Co.. Mr Tan eventually became a wealthy businessman.
Mr Tan contributed generously to charity and became a renowned philanthropist amongst the Chinese. He was known to provide burial costs for the Chinese poor. His most famous gesture was the gift of $5,000 to build the Chinese Pauper's Hospital (later to be named after him , the Tan Tock Seng Hospital or TTSH) in 1844 at Pearl's Hill. This hospital was opened in 1849. He was also one of the founders of Singapore's oldest temple,the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street. This became the centre of worship for the Fujian Chinese.
Tan Tock Seng was the first Asian to be made a Justice of the Peace by the Governor Butterworth. His role in helping the early Chinese immigrants settle disputes earned him the title "Captain of the Chinese."
Mr Tan died in 1850 at age 52. His grave lies along the grassy slope next to Jubilee Church, 256 Outram Road, Singapore. An obituary in the Singapore Free Press described him as one of Singapore's "earliest settlers as well as most wealthy inhabitants." The paper also praised his contribution as a Justice of Peace.
References
- Tien, Mui Mun (1997, 29 September). Tan Tock Seng. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_118_2005-01-22.html
- Tan Tock Seng Hospital (2006). Tan Tock Seng Hospital - Our Founder. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://www.ttsh.com.sg/new/about/founder.htm
Thursday, April 9, 2009
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