MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, in his condolence letter to Mrs Ho See Beng and the family of the first NTUC president who died on Friday night, hailed him as a 'staunch and loyal trade union leader', and 'a man of principle and courage.'
MM Lee said the late Mr Ho was also one of the leaders of the modernisation of the trade union movement from 1969.
Here is Mr Lee's condolence letter sent to to Mrs Ho on Saturday:
Dear Mrs Ho See Beng
Although he has not been well in the past year, I am still saddened to learn that your husband Ho See Beng has passed away. He was a staunch and loyal trade union leader and a man of principle and courage. He was a PAP MP from 1963 to 1984. He sewed 5 consecutive terms: Bras Basah in 1963, 7968 and 1972; Khe Bong in 1976 and -1980.
After Separation, he knew how grim the future was for a Singapore without natural resources, and how dilfficult the task was to bring in investments to get the economy going and create jobs. With his understanding and support, and that of Seah Mui Kok and the other NTUC MPs, we amended the Industrial Relations Act and the Trade, Disputes Act. These amendments calmed Singapore's industrial relations that had been damaged by continual strikes, go-slows and sit-downs by maqy pro- commlunist unions from 7959 to the mid 1960s.
Thus, we were able to bring in many American MNCs, first, semi-conductor companies: Hewlett-Packard, National Semi-Conductors and Texas Instruments. Many other industries followed them into Singapore, When the break came with the left-leaning PAP MPs who formed Barisan Socialis, he helped to rally the non-communist led unions bloc to form the NTWC that Devan Nair organised. After Separation in August 1965, he slowly won over the communist-led unions.
The NTUC eventually became the leading organisation of the workers in Singapore. It has grown from strength to strength since then. He was also one of the leaders of the modernisation of the trade union movement from 1969. The NTUC underwent a transformation from just being a movement to fight the employers to one that has widened its horizons to look after the welfare of workers, developing NTUC Fairprice, health and other co-operatives, and holiday homes for workers.
Today's tri-partite partnership between the NTUC, the Singapore National Employers' Federation and the government has established mutual understanding, respect and cooperation. This is a fundamental factor for Singapore's progress. Without the fierce battles he fought in the trade unions from 1961 to the mid 1960s, Singapore would not be what it is today. His work has been carried fonvard by younger trade unionists who came after him and his colleagues. Singaporeans are indebted to him and his trade union colleagues of their generation. I mourn his passing, and send my deepest sympathies to you and your family.
