Farewell, Dr Goh Keng Swee

Dr Goh died on May 14 at the age of 91 after a long illness, leaving behind widow Dr Phua Swee Liang, son Kian Chee and daughter-in-law, two grandsons and three great-grandsons. -- ST PHOTO: ST FILE

AT 4PM on Sunday, the Last Post of a lone bugle sounded and a nation said its final good-bye to one of its founding fathers, former Deputy Prime Minister Goh Keng Swee.

Dr Goh died on May 14 at the age of 91 after a long illness, leaving behind widow Dr Phua Swee Liang, son Kian Chee and daughter-in-law, two grandsons and three great-grandsons. He had served in politics for 25 years, including in the ministries of defence, finance and education.

A state funeral service lasting 90 minutes was held on Sunday at the historic Singapore Conference Hall, once Singapore's key venue for international events and later home to the trade union movement. After the service, Dr Goh's body was moved to the Mandai crematorium for a private ceremony for family members.

In his eulogy, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed the nation's gratitude to Dr Goh, saying: 'Great leaders shape and influence the course of events through their actions and ideas. Singapore is a small country with a short history. But we too have had giants in our midst - men who have turned the tide for Singapore, and created a successful nation against the odds.

'Dr Goh was one of our nation's founding fathers. In our formative years, he dealt with the most pressing problems of the day. But more importantly, he introduced sweeping initiatives that set the basis for the country's long-term prosperity and security. Without him, much of today's Singapore would not exist.'

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew spoke fondly of his political comrade and deputy prime minister for many years, calling him his 'trouble-shooter' sent to the toughest ministries. Of all his Cabinet colleagues, Dr Goh was the one 'who made the greatest difference to the outcome,' said Mr Lee, crediting Dr Goh for challenging his decisions and his robust approach to problems which encouraged him to 'press on agaisnt seemingly impossible odds.'

Mr S Dhanabalan, chairman of Temasek Holdings who worked for Dr Goh at various points in his career, paid tribute to Dr Goh as a visionary man of action, who combined a great mind with a strong dose of realism that enabled him to see beyond the horizon and make decisions that were good for Singapore's future.

In a moving eulogy, grandson Goh Ken-yi, 37, spoke simply of Dr Goh as both a national statesman and a doting Ah Gong who played with him as a toddler, took him out for photography outings, and gave him career advice before he started in investment banking. He would tell his own three sons of their great-grandfather's humility and sense of moral responsibility, he said.

Grand-niece Marian Hui, 15, recalled moments with Dr Goh and thanked him on behalf of young Singaporeans for the gift of his service to the nation.

The state funeral came after Dr Goh's body lay in state in Parliament for four days, when 18,000 people came to pay their respects to the man who had laid the foundations for Singapore's economy, built up the armed forces, and streamlined the education system. He is also credited for having started the bird park, the zoo, the symphony orchestra, among other institutions.

As PM Lee said: 'Singapore is forever indebted to Dr Goh Keng Swee.'

Read also:
S'pore indebted to Dr Goh
Dr Goh's zest for life, work
'Greatest difference' made