President, Diplomat, Journalist

Born in Singapore on 4 November 1915, the late Dr. Wee Kim Wee was President of the Republic of Singapore between 1985 and 1993. Before that, he was High Commissioner to Malaysia, and Ambassador to Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Dr. Wee worked in the news media for many years. He started his career humbly when he joined The Straits Times as a clerk in the circulation department. In 1966, he was the first Singapore journalist to enter Jakarta and interview the then new Indonesian leader Suharto and Foreign Minister Adam Malik. This resulted in the world learning for the first time that Indonesia was keen to end their confrontation with Singapore and Malaysia. Through his work, he became a bridge for the countries.

Dr. Wee also covered the civil war in the Belgian Congo (now Zaire) and paved the way for future journalists to bring home news of disaster/ war-stricken countries.

His expertise extended beyond the press as he was also Chairman of the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. In many ways, he was critical in shaping today's media scene.

Dr. Wee passed away on 2 May 2005.

ABOUT THE FUND

Give to the Wee Kim Wee Legacy Fund - and give our nation a chance to keep alive the wonderful qualities of Wee Kim Wee. Future generations will continue to be shaped by the indelible influence of Wee Kim Wee.

Double Tax Deduction

All gifts qualify for double tax deduction from the IRAS.

Double the Value of Your Gift

All gifts will also be matched 1:1 by the Government of Singapore. This will in effect double the impact of your donation.