Q. The national museum has decided to eract a statue infront of its entrance.They have to choose between Stanford Raffles and Tan Tok Seng.If you were working for the museum,who would you choose?Why?
If i were working for the museum i would not choose a statue which is the most famous or well-known. I would choose a statue of a man who helped during trials and tribulations of Singaporeans and a man who had a for passion for Singapore thus Tan Toack Seng fits the bill.Raffles fonded Singapore but all he did was sign a treaty for singapore to become a harbour and trading port etc.. He did not stay or returned back to singapore.He probably hardly cared for singaporeans except for the country's trade and how it helped fellow british merchants.Tan Toack Seng may had been from Melaka but he had helped people during the early years of Singapore more than anyone else.To me Tan Toack Sengs profile showed that he had alot of passion for singapore.
He took care of the sick and poor and even supplied over a thousand coffins to chinese funerals.Not only did he spend his fortune to help the poor he even help bury unclaimed bodies which was an extremely unusual thing for any wealthy man to do.This had made an impact on me on how devoted and kind he was to others.He did not want any profit.However Raffles had no intentions of helping the lives on singaporeans.All he ever wanted was a harbour place for his fellow british people to rest and stalk up. 
This would be why i would choose to erect a statue of Tan Tock Seng.To commemerate his good deeds and his passion for singapore.
This would be why i would choose to erect a statue of Tan Tock Seng.To commemerate his good deeds and his passion for singapore.