Kenneth Gin Ying Doon facts for kids

Kenneth Gin Ying Doon (born 3 December 1924, died 15 October 2021) was a very important civil engineer in Singapore. He helped build many parts of modern Singapore, like roads, bridges, and even famous tourist spots. He was also the first President of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore. Mr. Gin worked as an engineer for over 50 years, from 1946 to 2000.

He held many big jobs, including:

• Deputy Director of Public Works
• General Manager of Public Utilities
• General Manager of Sentosa Development Corporation

He was also a member of important engineering groups in Australia and the UK. In 1963, he received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) for his great work in Singapore.

Early Life and Education

Kenneth Gin was born in Australia on 3 December 1924. He was one of twelve children! His parents, Hoey Sing Goon and Woo Choy Yeuck, had 5 sons and 6 daughters besides him.

His father, Hoey, moved to Melbourne, Australia, from China. He opened a store in Melbourne's Chinatown that sold Chinese goods. There, he met Woo, who was the daughter of a herbalist. They got married and started their family.

After his father passed away, Kenneth's older brothers took over the family business. This allowed Kenneth to focus on his studies. He went to Melbourne High School from 1939 to 1941, where he was excellent at math and physics. He was the only one in his family to go to university. In 1945, he graduated with high honors in Civil Engineering from the University of Melbourne.

Engineering Career

Kenneth Gin had a long and successful career, helping to design and build many important structures.

Early Engineering Work (1946-1959)

After graduating in 1945, Kenneth worked for a company called Messrs, Scott & Furphy until 1955. He specialized in projects related to water supply, sewage systems, and drainage. He even opened a branch office in Tasmania in 1949 and managed it for a few years. He worked on a big water project called the North Esk Regional Water Scheme, which included tunnels, water pipes, and pumping stations.

In 1955, Kenneth decided to move to Singapore for work. He joined Hume Industries (Far East) in 1956 as a Project Engineer. Here, he designed and oversaw the making of special concrete beams and piles used in buildings. He helped build bridges and design steel buildings. He was the site engineer for making the concrete beams used in the famous Merdeka Bridge. In 1959, he left Hume Industries to join Singapore's Public Works Department.

Building Singapore's Infrastructure (1959-1969)

When Singapore was still quite new and developing, it needed a lot of money to build roads, sewers, and other important structures. The World Bank agreed to lend Singapore a lot of money, but only if Kenneth Gin oversaw the projects. So, in 1959, he joined Singapore's Public Works as a deputy director.

He was in charge of a huge team of engineers and workers. Their job was to build and maintain Singapore's roads, highways, sewage systems, schools, hospitals, and public buildings. During this time, big projects like the Pan Island Expressway (a long highway across Singapore) and the Mass Rapid Transit System (Singapore's first metro train system) were started.

In 1962, Kenneth became the acting director of Public Works. In 1966, the Public Works Department was renamed the Public Utilities Board (PUB). Kenneth was appointed General Manager of PUB. He helped develop Singapore's electricity grid, power plants, water supply, and gas distribution for a growing population. Under his leadership, they built the new Jurong Power Station and the Kota Tinggi Waterworks. Kenneth left Public Works in 1969.

Developing Properties and Sentosa (1970-1975)

From 1970 to 1972, Kenneth Gin was the Group General Manager of Singapore Land & Investment Co. Ltd. He worked on building offices, homes, and hotel expansions. He helped plan new land developments and managed properties. He also started to work as an Arbitrator, helping to solve disagreements in engineering projects. For example, he helped settle a contractor's claim for extra work. He was also in charge of building the Cuscaden House Hotel extension and designing the Clifford Centre, a large 29-story building in Singapore's business district.

In 1973, Kenneth became the General Manager of the Sentosa Development Corporation. His job was to develop Sentosa, an island off Singapore's coast. Sentosa was once a military base and a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II. In 1972, it was decided to turn it into a popular tourist spot.

Kenneth oversaw the building of roads, sewage systems, and utilities on Sentosa. He also helped create attractions like a gun museum, a monorail system, the island's first 18-hole golf course, a lagoon, and a Coralarium. The Coralarium was the first of its kind in Asia, with a tall coral tower and a long display of corals and seashells. Sentosa is now a very popular place, attracting over 20 million visitors each year!

Consultant Engineer and Arbitrator (1976-2000)

After 1975, Kenneth Gin started his own engineering consulting business. He worked on many projects, including a big railway study for the Malaysian Government in 1978.

From 1979 to 2000, he mainly worked for Mobil Oil Singapore (now ExxonMobil). He helped with huge oil refinery projects, which are places that turn crude oil into useful products like gasoline. These projects were located on Jurong Island, which is now Singapore's largest industrial area. The ExxonMobil complex there became one of the biggest refining and chemical complexes in the world.

During this time, Kenneth also continued his work as an Arbitrator. This meant he helped solve disagreements and provide expert opinions in many engineering disputes in Singapore and nearby countries. He helped settle claims for large amounts of money between companies and contractors, often finding fair solutions after hearings.

Personal Life

Kenneth Gin met his wife, Wee Kit Lee, while they were both studying at the University of Melbourne. They met on a fishing boat because Wee knew one of Kenneth's sisters.

They got married in 1956. They had three children. Two of their children also graduated from the University of Melbourne, and one graduated from the University of Oxford.

Kenneth Gin passed away on 15 October 2021, at the age of 96.

Awards and Memberships

In 1963, Kenneth Gin received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) for his excellent service to Singapore. After Singapore became independent in 1965, he held many important leadership roles.

From 1964 to 1966, he was the President of the Board of Architects, Singapore. He was also part of committees that planned city development and industrial facilities. In July 1966, Kenneth Gin founded the Institution of Engineers, Singapore, and was its very first President from 1966 to 1968.

He was also a member of the Jurong Town Corporation and the People's Association of Singapore, which helps connect people in neighborhoods. From 1972 to 1997, he was the Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Institution of Civil Engineers in Singapore. He also helped with the Institution of Engineers, Australia.

Kenneth Gin represented Singapore at international conferences, like the World Power Conference in Tokyo in 1967. He was also a senior vice-president of the YMCA in Singapore. He served on the council of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and became its President in 1987. Later, he was appointed to panels that helped settle disputes through arbitration and mediation.