i remember Foong Choon HonMr Foong Choon Hon Hon one of Caldecott Hill Old Timers died suddenly on 30 Mar 2009. He was a retired broadcaster, TV Producer and journalist. At the age of 80 he was still on Radio 95.8 current affairs programmes. I met him only recently at Caldecott Hill canteen and he appeared to very healthy. I am shocked to hear that he has passed away.
He retired from the company in 1984 after spending time in the current affairs department and later on help to establish the local Chinese drama unit.
I remember him to be a soft-spoken cheerful person. In 60s and 70s I used to meet him at television studio 3 where the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yews recording of National Speech was done. I was then operating the auto-cue machine. His advice was sought to make PM’s script easier to be be understood by heartlanders of Singapore. I understand he was also a tutor for Mr Lee Kuan Yew when the then PM was mastering Mandarin.
His last memorable project was to convert the 160-year old villa at Balestier Road into the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall together with another Caldecott Hill Old-Timer Mr Mun Chor Seng. For this he earned the respect of the Chinese community.
I knew him to be a humble, simple person well-respected by his peers and staff …and salute him for his dedication and work till the last hour of his departure. His departure is a loss to the media industry and community.
He retired from the company in 1984 after spending time in the current affairs department and later on help to establish the local Chinese drama unit.
I remember him to be a soft-spoken cheerful person. In 60s and 70s I used to meet him at television studio 3 where the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yews recording of National Speech was done. I was then operating the auto-cue machine. His advice was sought to make PM’s script easier to be be understood by heartlanders of Singapore. I understand he was also a tutor for Mr Lee Kuan Yew when the then PM was mastering Mandarin.
His last memorable project was to convert the 160-year old villa at Balestier Road into the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall together with another Caldecott Hill Old-Timer Mr Mun Chor Seng. For this he earned the respect of the Chinese community.
I knew him to be a humble, simple person well-respected by his peers and staff …and salute him for his dedication and work till the last hour of his departure. His departure is a loss to the media industry and community.
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Condolences from Ministers
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has sent his condolences to the family of 80-year-old retired broadcaster and newsman, Foong Choon Hon, who passed away on Monday.
Expressing his sadness, Mr Lee noted that Mr Foong had achieved a lot in the fields of media and culture.
Recalling his contributions such as his role in setting up the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, he said Mr Foong had earned the respect of the Chinese community and added that his death is a loss to society.
SINGAPORE: Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo has paid tribute to the late Foong Choon Hon.
Mr Yeo said that the 80—year—old retired broadcaster and newsman played a critical role in establishing the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. In doing that, he worked tirelessly and with great enthusiasm.
Mr Yeo noted that Mr Foong, through the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, helped build bridges of friendship to many countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia including Japan.
He added that while he is sad that Mr Foong died on the eve of the centenary celebration of the 1911 Revolution, his memory will live on in the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and in the hearts of Singaporeans. — CNA/vm
SINGAPORE: Former Mandarin language broadcaster, the late Mr Foong Choon Hon, had great enthusiasm for efforts at preserving and enhancing Malay heritage, said Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed on Thursday.
In a condolence letter to Mr Foong’s family, Mr Zainul, who is also the chairman of Malay Heritage Foundation, said the late newsman had contributed ideas on how to attract the Chinese community to the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC).
He was also responsible for presenting a bust of Singapore’s National Anthem composer, Zubir Said, to the MHC as a show of the Chinese community’s support for the centre.
The bust, which was made in China, was originally meant for use at the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, but was later presented to the MHC as a gift from the Lee Foundation and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall.
Mr Zainul, who had known Mr Foong since the early 1980s, said their friendship had been rekindled when they worked together on the centre.
The above are from ChannelNewsAsia.
Thanks for the posting. I remember Foong Choon Hon too and am saddened that he is no longer with us. I will miss his rich booming voice and his highly infectious enthusiasm and passion for life.
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