Our Pioneers

Lim Guan Hoo (1939–1977) was born in Singapore. His ancestral hometown was Baicheng Village, Dongshan County, Fujian Province.

In 1957, he enrolled in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Nanyang University. His academic writings demonstrated profound and unique insights, earning him immense appreciation even during his student days. Following his graduation, he remained at the university to serve, taking up roles as a teaching assistant in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, assistant secretary in the Vice-Chancellor's Office, senior assistant secretary of the Nanyang University Council, and visiting researcher at the Institute of Asian Studies.

He harbored a deep passion for Chinese music, excelling particularly at playing the pipa. In the 1950s, he initiated the Arts Research Society. He was also one of the founders of Singapore's first and largest Chinese orchestra, established in 1959 under the Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association.

In 1966, he was elected with a high number of votes in the Redhill by-election, subsequently retaining his parliamentary seat for the constituency multiple times. He served as the editor of the Chinese edition of the Petir publication and was appointed Political Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs, later serving as its Parliamentary Secretary. In 1974, he obtained a Master's degree in Chinese Language and Literature from the University of Singapore. He suffered a stroke in April 1977 and passed away on 30 August of the same year at the young age of 38.

Ho See Beng (1918–2008) was born into an impoverished family and hailed from Qianhe Village, Dongshan County, Fujian Province. Receiving only a secondary education, he worked variously as a milk deliveryman, dispenser, laboratory technician, and pirate taxi driver after leaving school. These arduous experiences forged his determination to fight for the fundamental rights and better working conditions of workers.

In 1954, while employed as a proofreader at The Straits Times, the Singapore Printing Employees' Union launched a strike to demand wage increments. Ho See Beng stood at the forefront, valiantly confronting the British employers. In 1961, he served as the secretary of the union and lent his support to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) spearheaded by C.V. Devan Nair. During a labor dispute at The Straits Times that same year, he and Devan Nair defended the workers before the Industrial Arbitration Court, delivering an outstanding performance.

Upon joining the NTUC, Ho See Beng served successively as its President and Secretary-General, steering the organization towards rapid development. In 1963, he was elected Member of Parliament for the Bras Basah constituency, later serving as the MP for Kheam Hock, consistently speaking out for workers' interests in Parliament. He passed away at the venerable age of 90.

Dr. Tay Eng Soon (1940–1993) traced his ancestry to Dongshan County, Fujian Province. In his early years, he studied at Anglo-Chinese School, where he consistently ranked among the top students. In 1960, he achieved the distinction of being the nation's top scorer in the national examinations with outstanding results. He was also the chief editor of the school magazine and a Scout leader. Subsequently, he was awarded a scholarship to study overseas. Upon his return in the 1970s, he became the nation's sole scholar researching nuclear energy at the time.

He joined the People's Action Party in 1980, and between 1981 and 1993, he served successively as Minister of State and Senior Minister of State for Education. He was also the former Chairman of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and the former Minister-in-charge of polytechnics and technical education. He passed away from a heart attack in August 1993 at the age of 53.

Ong Chwee Tow (1880–1960) suffered a destitute and orphaned childhood, arriving in Singapore at the age of 15 without any relatives. He initially worked as a hawker before joining the Swee Kee Pineapple Factory, the largest British-owned pineapple factory at the time, where his talents gradually shone. He rose through the ranks from an odd-job laborer to a supervisor, and later became the general manager of the Jit Sin Pineapple Factory. Thereafter, he founded his own Sin Kee Seng Pineapple Factory, expanding his market across Europe and the Americas, and joining the ranks of the wealthy.

A self-made man, Ong Chwee Tow was highly philanthropic. From 1923 to 1928, he served as a committee member representing the Hokkien community at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He was the fourth President of The Chinese High School in Singapore, and also served as the president or a board director of Chong Nam School, Chung Hwa Girls' School, Nanyang Girls' High School, and Nanyang Industrial and Commercial Continuation School.

He was a founding member of the Singapore Changchow General Association and a patron of the Singapore Min Wang Ancestral Temple (now known as the Singapore Kai Min Wang Clan Association). To fund the construction of the Hougang Tou Mu Kung temple, Ong Chwee Tow generously donated 3,000 dollars. When the temple was completed in 1921, he became the foremost of its ten directors. Passionate about social welfare, he was specially appointed by the British colonial government as a committee member of the Po Leung Kuk. Ong Chwee Tow passed away at the venerable age of 80.

Physician Lee Kim Long was born in 1936 at Chong Mao Yuan, Singapore. His ancestral hometown was Dongshan County, Fujian Province. He graduated from Chung Cheng High School and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the Overseas Education College of Xiamen University, China. He also earned a Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In 1995, he was appointed as a visiting professor at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He had previously served as the Head of the Acupuncture Department at the Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution, the Principal of the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and was one of the founders of the Singapore Chinese Medical Association.

Physician Lee frequently traveled abroad to conduct free medical clinics, visiting countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Locally, in collaboration with Lianhe Wanbao, he organized four "Wanbao Free Clinic for Charity" events, serving 7,000 fellow citizens.

With over 30 years of medical practice, Physician Lee possessed a wealth of clinical experience. He specialized in acupuncture, traditional Chinese andrology, ophthalmology, and neurology. He was also a historian of traditional Chinese medicine in Southeast Asia, as well as an author and a writer of fables. He remains a highly admirable physician, worthy of respect and emulation by future generations.