The audio recordings and transcripts of the interviews (subject to conditions stated by the interviewees) can be accessed through the NAS portal. Interviews marked with (*) were carried out by the NAS.
Legal Service Officers
- Krishna Pillay Ram CHANDRA (K R Chandra) (listen)
Interviewed by Elisabeth Eber-Chan
Born in India on 2 November 1928, K R Chandra studied at the Johor English College at Johor Bahru before continuing his education in Singapore He graduated from the University of Malaya in Singapore in 1953 with a B A Hons (Economics), after which he joined the Administrative Service. In 1958, he studied law on a part-time course and obtained his LLB (Hons) from the University of Singapore in 1964. During his long career in the Civil Service, he served in various capacities including Acting Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office), Commissioner of Lands and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Culture. He passed away on 20 April 1994.
- Tharumaratnam CHELLIAH* (listen)
Interviewed by Elisabeth Eber-Chan
Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, on 12 October 1921, Tharumaratnam Chelliah attended Raffles College, followed by the University of Malaya in Singapore where he earned his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in 1956. Subsequently, he received his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Singapore in 1967. He joined the Administrative Service upon his graduation from Raffles College. In 1959, he was Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Law, a position he served until 1962. In 1967, he was Deputy Secretary, Law Division of the Ministry of Law and National Development, a position he held until his retirement in 1976. Chelliah passed away on 17 January 2009, aged 88. - Abdul Wahab GHOWS (listen)
Interviewed by Elisabeth Eber-Chan
Born in Ipoh on 30 January 1921, Abdul Wahab Ghows attended Raffles College. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1952. Upon his return to Singapore, he commenced his legal career as a traffic Magistrate. In 1954, he was appointed Assistant Official Assignee. Four years later, he was Deputy Public Prosecutor and Crown Counsel, and then appointed Solicitor-General in 1971, aged 50. In 1980, he was elevated to the High Court Bench where he served for five years. Ghows retired in October 1986, aged 65, after 34 years in legal service and the Judiciary. He passed away on 27 January 1997, aged 76.
- Graham Starforth HILL
Interviewed by Eleanor Wong and Victoria Gomez
Born in Oxford on 22 June 1927, Graham Starforth Hill read law at St John’s College, Oxford. Working for the Colonial Legal Service, he came to Singapore in 1953, where he was Crown Counsel until 1956. The following year, he joined Rodyk & Davidson where he rose to senior partner. He remained at the firm until 1976. He was the President of the Law Society of Singapore for four terms from 1969 to 1972. He left Singapore in 1976 and has worked in the UK and Italy. Hill retired in May 1994 and now resides in Hampshire, UK.
- Joshua Benjamin JEYARETNAM (J B Jeyaretnam) (listen)
Interviewed by Elisabeth Eber-Chan
Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, on 5 January 1926, Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam attended the Government English School in Muar, Johor Bahru, before the war and subsequently continued his education in Singapore at St Andrew’s School from 1945 to 1946. He read law at University College London from 1948 to 1951. His legal career began as Magistrate, then Judge of the District Courts from 1952 to 1957. He served as Registrar of the Supreme Court from 1961 to 1963, when he left for private practice. He made his entry into the political arena in 1971 and was elected Member of Parliament of Anson Constituency in 1981 and 1984. Jeyaretnam passed away on 30 September 2008, aged 82.
- KOH Eng Tian (listen)
Interviewed by David Lee
Koh Eng Tian was the first Solicitor-General of Singapore from 1981 -1991. Born on 20 January 1938, he was among the first batch of students to graduate from the University of Malaya Department of Law in 1961. He joined the Legal Service and worked as a legal officer in the Inland Revenue Department and thereafter at the Attorney-General Chambers under AG Tan Boon Teik. He was responsible for drafting many of the new Bills that were passed after Singapore gained independence in 1965. He also helped to draft the IRAS Act. He was one of the first two Senior Counsel appointed in Singapore in 1989 when high ranking legal officers such as the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General, are automatically appointed as Senior Counsel upon holding office.
- TAN Boon Chiang (listen)
Interviewed by David Lee, Lim Jian Yi and Foo Kim Leng
Born on 4 June 1923, Tan Boon Chiang was the President of the Industrial Arbitration Court from 1984 to 1988. He received his education at Anglo-Chinese Secondary School and Raffles College. He then read law at University College, London and was called to the English Bar in 1954 and the Singapore Bar in 1959. He spent more than 30 years in the Legal Service where he also held positions as Crown Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor before moving on to his post at the Industrial Arbitration Court. He served as President of the Singapore Anglo-Chinese School Old Boys Association and was a member of the ACS Board of Governors. He passed away on 28 December 2015, aged 92.
- TAN Lian Ker (listen)
Interviewed by Foo Kim Leng and Mabel Seah
Born in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, on 28 May 1929, Tan Lian Ker started his foray into the legal service as a court interpreter in 1951. In 1953, he was certified an interpreter of the Criminal District & Magistrates’ Courts. Whilst working, he also read law part-time at the University of Singapore and graduated in 1964. Thereupon he entered government service. In 1967, he was appointed State Counsel, Attorney-General’s Chambers. He was appointed District Judge in the Civil District Courts in 1970. He was District Judge of the Subordinate Courts for ten years from 1974 until 1984. Tan was awarded the Public Service Star award in 2010.
- TAN Wee Kian (listen)
Interviewed by Foo Kim Leng
Born in Singapore on 21 March 1932, Tan Wee Kian attended Raffles Institution up to 1952. In September that year, he enrolled as a student at Gray’s Inn and was called to the English Bar in February 1957. Upon his return to Singapore, he joined the Legal Service in 1958 and served in various capacities as Deputy Public Prosecutor, Crown Counsel, Assistant Official Assignee and Public Trustee, Magistrate, District Judge, Deputy Registrar of the High Court, Sheriff, Acting Registrar of the High Court and Registrar of Titles and Deeds. Tan was appointed Registrar of the Supreme Court in 1969 and held that post until 1977.
