Goh Sin Tub

Goh Sin Tub (b. 2 December 1927, Singapore–d. 16 November 2004, Singapore) was a “first generation” Singaporean writer,¹ teacher, civil servant, banker, and long-time chairman of St Joseph’s Institution’s board of governors.² He authored more than a dozen novels and short stories in his lifetime, including a collection of Malay short stories.³ Goh was a prolific writer who wrote mostly set-in-Singapore historical fiction,⁴ stories and short stories.⁵ He is best known, however, for his short stories, which included best-selling titles, the One Singapore trilogy and Walk Like a Dragon.⁶ In recognition of his contributions to the development of Singapore literature, he was conferred the Montblanc-NUS Centre for the Arts Literary Award for English prose in 1996.⁷

Early life
Goh lived at Emerald Hill in his youth. In 1935, he enrolled in St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) for his education. His studies were interrupted with the start of World War II. His father became unemployed and Goh had to help supplement his family’s income by selling bread from house to house. During that time, he was introduced to a Japanese firm where he started work as a typewriter mechanic. At the urging of his Japanese manager, Goh attended a Japanese evening school where he learned Japanese, and continued his studies at a Japanese teachers’ training school. It was through his contact with his Japanese teachers that he began to form a different perspective of the Japanese, and developed an appreciation of their culture, philosophy and values. Some of his personal experiences and reflections on the Japanese are represented in his works.⁸

When the war ended, Goh resumed his education at SJI. In 1947, he received a scholarship to study at Raffles College, being one of the few to be chosen for that year. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English from the newly merged University of Malaya in 1951.⁹

Early writing
Goh began writing when he was around 10 or 12 years old, and some of his early youth writings appeared in school magazines.¹⁰ He continued writing when he entered college. His literary essays and verses, written under the names S. T. Goh and Augustine Goh, were published in varsity publications such as The New Cauldron.¹¹ One of his poems written during this period, titled “Eye”, was later included in the anthology The Flowering Tree by Edwin Thumboo in 1970.¹² During his undergraduate days, Goh was also an editor for the students’ union, and a contributor of humour pieces to the Singapore Tiger Standard, a local newspaper.¹³

Even when he entered the workforce, Goh continued to pursue his passion for writing and literature. In the 1950s, he ran a poetry circle for a student literary magazine titled Youth that was published by the Combined Secondary Schools of Singapore. The meetings were held at SJI where he was teaching, and one of the budding writers he mentored through this initiative was the young Thumboo.¹⁴

In the 1960s, Goh began writing stories for the Malay press. The editor of the Malay newspaper, Berita Harian, suggested that Goh compiled his written pieces into a collection. This resulted in his first Malay book, Cherpen Cherpen Pilehan (1965), which was published under his Malay pen name Akbar Goh. His book won the second prize in the National Malay Literature Competition at Kuala Lumpur in 1966.¹⁵ He also won a Malay short story writing competition organised by the Dewan Bahasa Singapore in 1963.¹⁶

From the 1970s, Goh returned to writing in English. However, these pieces were mostly unpublished except for two short stories which appeared in the Sunday edition of New Nation in 1978 under the pseudonym Easter Goh.¹⁷

Goh held senior positions in the civil service (Administrative Service) and top positions in the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation and the United Overseas Bank before he retired as a banker in 1986 and turned to full-time writing. He was motivated to write and sell his first English book, The Battle of the Bands, to raise funds for the building of a new school for SJI. When the book was well received, the publisher persuaded him to write more stories. Thus, he began writing stories to entertain others, learning the craft as he went along. He also began to read books on writing to improve his story-writing skills.¹⁸

Career as a writer
Many of Goh’s writings are autobiographical or biographical in nature. They are often based on his personal experiences, having lived through colonial times, the Japanese Occupation, Singapore’s merger and separation from Malaysia, and the nation-building years. His various appointments as a civil servant, banker, builder and social worker had also influenced his writings. Goh also drew inspiration from stories that he hears from family, friends and colleagues. He saw the need to share his own personal history and that of others, so that the rich experiences of the older generation could be preserved and passed on to younger Singaporeans to help them better appreciate and understand Singapore’s past. Besides writing to entertain, Goh also wrote as an educationalist. He saw his writing as a way of reflecting his values and to help people understand life issues. Many of his stories encompass a moral point.¹⁹

Goh did not follow a regular writing schedule, though he wrote mostly at night and in quiet environments. He would jot down his ideas on a notebook or on a computer. In the beginning, he wrote using a typewriter but later moved on to the computer. He penned many stories at any one time and would have 40 to 60 stories at various stages of development. He would re-visit these stories periodically to expand or amend them. Typically, he would go through four to five revisions before he was satisfied with them. At times, he would also have his wife review his drafts.²⁰

Although Goh wrote poetry, essays and novels, it was short stories in which he excelled and gained recognition for.²¹ In the 1980s, his short stories “Home for Grandma” in Honour, “Sayonara Sensei” in The Ghost Lover of Emerald Hill and Other Stories, and “Last Yamseng for Daughter” in The Nan-Mei-Su-Girls of Emerald Hill won Merit prizes at the annual National Short Story Writing competitions.²²

Goh passed away at the age of 77 on 17 November 2004 after a stroke. In memory of him, the SJI launched an annual Goh Sin Tub Literary Award for Best Short Story in 2005. The prize is given to the SJI student with the best short story for that year.²³ In 2011, his wife Sylvia Goh (Dr) established a biennial Goh Sin Tub Creative Writing Prize, that is administered by the Department of English Language and Literature at the National University of Singapore.²⁴

Works
1964: Rhymes for Malaysian Children²⁵
1965: Cherpen2 Pilehan (subsequently republished as Cerpen-Cerpen Pilihan)²⁶
1986: Battle of the Bands and Other Stories²⁷
1987: The Ghost Lover of Emerald Hill and Other Stories²⁸ / Honour and Other Stories (originally published as Battles of the Bands and Other Stories)²⁹
1989: The Nan-Mei-Su Girls of Emerald Hill³⁰
1990: Ghosts of Singapore!³¹
1991: More Ghosts of Singapore³²
1993: Goh’s 12 Best Singapore Stories³³ / Moments in a Singapore Life³⁴ / The Sin-Kheh³⁵
1994: Mass Possession: A True Story!: Tales of the Supernatural and Natural³⁶ / “If you too could do Voodoo, who would you do Voodoo to"?³⁷
1995: Loves of Sons and Daughters³⁸
1996: 30 Stories: Narrative Compositions for O-Level³⁹
1997: 12 Women and Their Stories⁴⁰
1998: 12 Best Singapore Stories (originally published as Goh’s 12 Best Singapore Stories)⁴¹ / The Campus Spirit and Other Stories (originally published as Mass Possession: A True Story!: Tales of the Supernatural and Natural)⁴² / The Girls of Emerald Hill (originally published as The Nan-Mei-Su Girls of Emerald Hill)⁴³ / One Singapore: 65 Stories by a Singaporean⁴⁴
2000: One Singapore 2: 65 More Stories by a Singaporean⁴⁵
2001: Goh Sin Tub’s One Singapore 3: More Singaporean Stories⁴⁶
2004: Walk Like a Dragon: Short Stories⁴⁷
2005: The Angel of Changi & Other Stories⁴⁸

Family
Wife: Sylvia Goh nee Voon.
Children: Austin Goh, John Goh and Patrick Goh.⁴⁹



Author
Nureza Ahmad



References
1. Goh Sin Tub, oral history interview by Daniel Chew, 12 October 1993, transcript and MP3 audio 31:00, Reel/Disc 1 of 7, National Archives of Singapore (accession no. 001422); Tanya and Clara Chow, “Writer Goh Sin Tub Dies After Stroke,” Straits Times, 17 November 2004, 8; David Chew, “Novelist Goh Passes Away,” Today, 17 November 2004, 6; Koh Buck Song, “The Return of Edwin Thumboo,” Straits Times, 22 May 1993, 2; Wendy Cheng, “Stories Are All That Are Left…,” Today, 8 May 2004, 20. (From NewspaperSG)

2. Fong and Chow, “Writer Goh Sin Tub Dies After Stroke”; Claudette Peralta, “Writers Must Tap History: Goh Sin Tub,” Straits Times, 26 January 1995, 4; Sandra David, “SJI Board Appointed New Chairman,” Straits Times, 22 April 1998, 25. (From NewspaperSG)
3. Chew, “Novelist Goh Passes Away”; Cheah Boon Kheng, “The wide-Open Field for New Malay Writers,” Straits Times, 8 February 1969, 12 (From NewspaperSG); Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 20.
4. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 22–27; Peralta, “Writers Must Tap History: Goh Sin Tub.” 
5. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 21–22, 27, 29; Goh Sin Tub, “Spirit Behind Those Ghost Stories,” Straits Times, 22 January 1993, 4 (From NewspaperSG); Chew, “Novelist Goh Passes Away.”
6. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 35; “Bestsellers,” Straits Times, 5 September 1998, 16; “Straits Times Bestsellers,” Straits Times, 4 November 2000, 23; “MPH Bestsellers,” Straits Times, 15 December 2001, 135; “The Life! Bestsellers List,” (2004, May 8). Straits Times, 8 May 2004, 13. (From NewspaperSG)
7. Lynn Seah, “Veteran Writers Win Inaugural Literary Awards,” Straits Times, 24 August 1996, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
8. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 17, 22–27; Goh Sin Tub, interview, 12 October 1993, Reel/Disc 1 of 7, ii, 1–11; Goh Sin Tub, oral history interview by Daniel Chew, 12 October 1993, transcript and MP3 audio 31:12, Reel/Disc 2 of 7, National Archives of Singapore (accession no. 001422), 12–14.
9. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 18, 20; Goh Sin Tub, interview, 12 October 1993, Reel/Disc 1 of 7, ii; Goh Sin Tub, interview, 12 October 1993, Reel/Disc 2 of 7, 15; “Cambridge Exam Results,” Straits Times, 8 March 1947, 6; “Raffles exam Results,” Straits Times, 26 June 1948, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
10. Martin Soong, “Retired Banker Goh Sin Tub’s Tales from the Trampoline,” Business Times, 14 March 1988, 11. (From NewspaperSG); Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 20.
11. Raffles Society, University of Malaya, The New Cauldron (1950–51): 52–73. (Call no. RCLOS 052 NC)
12. Edwin Thumboo, comp., The Flowering Tree (Singapore: Educational Publications Bureau, 1970), 20. (Call no. RCLOS 828.99 THU)
13. Goh Sin Tub, interview, 12 October 1993, Reel/Disc 2 of 7, 16–17; Soong, “Retired Banker Goh Sin Tub’s Tales from the Trampoline.”
14. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 61; Mohammad A. Quayum, ed., Peninsular Muse: Interviews With Modern Malaysian and Singaporean Poets, Novelists and Dramatists (Oxford; Bern; Peter Lang, 2007), 39 (Call no. RSING 820.99595 PEN); Goh Sin Tub, Moments in a Singaporean Life (Singapore: UniPress, 1993), vii–viii (Call no. RSING S821 GOH); Koh Buck Song, “Like Student, Like Teacher,” Straits Times, 5 June 1993, 16. (From NewspaperSG)
15. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 20; Akbar Goh, Cherpen2 Pilehan (Kuala Lumpur: Singapura: Penerbitan Federal, 1965) (Call no. Malay RCLOS 899.2305 GOH); “Jujor Lebah Penting Sari $3,000,” Berita Harian, 15 May 1966, 3 (From NewspaperSG); Goh, Sylvia Tshin En nee Voon, oral history interview by Claire Yeo, 28 May 2009, MP3 audio 55:29, Reel/Disc 4 of 6, National Archives of Singapore (accession no. 003388)
16. “Forum on Study of Malay,” Straits Times, 14 July 1964, 11. (From NewspaperSG)
17. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 21; Goh, Sylvia Tshin En nee Voon, interview, 28 May 2009, Reel/Disc 4 of 6; Easter Goh, “In a Flash, He Found the Meaning to His Life…,” New Nation, 20 August 1978, 24; Easter Goh, “Rat Race,” New Nation, 29 October 1978, 22. (From NewspaperSG)
18. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 21; Goh Sin Tub, interview, 12 October 1993, Reel/Disc 1 of 7, ii; Goh, Sylvia Tshin En nee Voon, interview, 28 May 2009, Reel/Disc 4 of 6.
19. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 16–37; Peralta, “Writers Must Tap History: Goh Sin Tub”; Soong, “Retired Banker Goh Sin Tub’s Tales from the Trampoline”; Ong Sor Fern, “Space for Worm’s Eye View Too,” Straits Times, 22 August 1998, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
20. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 12, 28, 30–31; Soong, “Retired Banker Goh Sin Tub’s Tales from the Trampoline”; Goh, Sylvia Tshin En nee Voon, interview, 28 May 2009, Reel/Disc 4 of 6.
21. Klein, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, 35.
22. “Spotlight Twice on Author,” New Paper, 17 November 1989, 10. (From NewspaperSG)
23. Tony Tan Keng Yam, “The Launch of ‘The SJIOBA Spirit of the LaSallian Mission’,” speech, Sentosa Cove, transcript, Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (From National Archives of Singapore document no. 20050412990); “Scholarships and Awards,” St. Joseph’s Institution, accessed 23 September 2016.  
24. Fong and Chow, “Writer Goh Sin Tub Dies After Stroke.”
25. Goh Sin Tub, Rhymes for Malaysian Children (Singapore: Malaysia Publications, 1964). (Call no. RCLOS S821 GOH)
26. Akbar Goh, Cherpen2 Pilehan (Kuala Lumpur: Singapura: Penerbitan Federal, 1965). (Call no. Malay RCLOS 899.2305 GOH); Akbar Goh, Cerpen-Cerpen Pilihan (Singapura: Federal Pub., 1976). (Call no. Malay RCLOS 899.2305 GOH)
27. Goh Sin Tub, The Battle of the Bands, and Other Stories (Singapore: MPH Magazines, 1986). (Call no. RSING S823.01 GOH)
28. Goh Sin Tub, The Ghost Lover of Emerald Hill and Other Stories (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1987). (Call no. RSING S823.01 GOH)
29. Goh Sin Tub, Honour and Other Stories (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1987). (Call no. RSING S823.01 GOH)
30. Goh Sin Tub, The Nan-Mei-Su Girls of Emerald Hill (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1989). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
31. Goh Sin Tub, Ghosts of Singapore! (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1990). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
32. Goh Sin Tub, More Ghosts of Singapore! (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1991). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
33. Goh Sin Tub, Goh’s 12 Best Singapore Stories (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1993). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
34. Goh Sin Tub, Moments in a Singapore Life (Singapore: UniPress, 1993). (Call no. RSING S821 GOH)
35. Goh Sin Tub, The Sin-Kheh (Singapore: Times Books International, 1993). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
36. Goh Sin Tub, Mass Possession: A True Story!: Tales of the Supernatural and Natural (Singapore: Heinemann Asia, 1994). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
37. Goh Sin Tub, “If You Too Could Do Voodoo, Who Would You Do Voodoo To?” (Singapore: Time Books International, 1994) (Call no. S823 GOH); “A Twist in the Tale,” Straits Times, 28 August 1994, 24; Koh Buck Song, “Book Fair May Include a Rights Fair Soon,” Straits Times, 27 August 1994, 23. (From NewspaperSG)
38. Goh Sin Tub, Loves of Sons and Daughters (Singapore: Times Books International, 1995). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
39. Goh Sin Tub, 30 Stories: Narrative Compositions for O-level (Singapore: EPB Publishers, 1996). (Call no. RSING 808.042 GOH)
40. Goh Sin Tub, 12 Women and Their Stories (Singapore: Times Books International, 1997). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
41. Goh Sin Tub, 12 Best Singapore Stories (Singapore: Raffles, 1998). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
42. Goh Sin Tub, The Campus Spirit and Other Stories (Singapore: Raffles, 1998). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
43. Goh Sin Tub, The Girls of Emerald Hill (Singapore: Raffles, 1998). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
44. Goh SiN Tub, One Singapore: 65 Stories by a Singaporean (Singapore: EPB, 1998). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
45. Goh Sin Tub, One Singapore 2: 65 More Stories by a Singaporean (Singapore: EPB, 2000). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
46. Goh Sin Tub, Goh Sin Tub’s One Singapore 3: More Singaporean Stories (Singapore: SNP Pan Pacific Pub., 2001) (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
47. Goh Sin Tub, Walk Like a Dragon: Short Stories (Singapore: Angsana Books, 2004). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
48. Goh Sin Tub, The Angel of Changi & Other Stories (Singapore: Angsana Books, 2005). (Call no. RSING S823 GOH)
49. Obituary. (2004, November 17). The Straits Times, p. 18. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.



Further resources
Goh Sin Tub, [Goh Sin Tub Collection] Typescripts, Photographs [1900]–2004, (n.p.: n.p., 1900–2004) (Call no. RCLOS 828.995957 GOH)

Lim Yeen Fong, “Author Inspired by Legend of Ghost,” Straits Times, 11 March 1988, 22. (From NewspaperSG)

“Short Stories About the Death of Innocence,” Business Times, 14 March 1988, 11. (From NewspaperSG)

Stephanie Yap, “Wise Lessons To Live By,” Straits Times, 2 November 2008, 25. (From NewspaperSG)



The information in this article is valid as at 2016 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources.  It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.