Tan Siak Kew

‘A scholar by inclination, a businessman by necessity, a diplomat by duty’ — those were the apt words chosen by a reporter in 1966 to describe Tan Siak Kew and his multi-dimensional public life. He was a fervent supporter of education, President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for multiple terms, Chairman of the Nantah University Council, Singapore's first ambassador to Thailand, nominated member of the Legislative Assembly, community leader of the Teochews, and notable philanthropist. Effectively bilingual and conscious of his responsibility to both his community and the new nation which was about to be born, Tan was able to act as the bridge between the Chinese-speaking and English-speaking communities with his tact and non-partisan position. Tan Siak Kew: Going Against the Grain, is a biographical sketch of this under-appreciated pioneer, telling the story of his public life through historical records and discussions with his contemporaries.