EPISODE · Apr 7, 2026 · 47 MIN
Charles Ngui – EDB’s Masters & Apprentices Part 2 | Chronicles of Old Singapore
from Chronicles of Old Singapore · host Loh Kah Seng
Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Charles Ngui remembers the 'espionage' in industrial services in the 1970s. The EDB's Light Industries Services made prototypes and did reverse engineering for its clients. Singapore did not need money to industrialise, but industrial expertise. He later joined the National Engineering Services, a government-owned company, as a marketing officer. He talks about its struggles and why it eventually failed.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/6-u7rymWSKk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/UtyDCpVboNY Part 3 | https://youtu.be/v2eHkDbDJ3Y Part 4 | https://youtu.be/Tz-PjDMHJvk00:00 Why Light Industry was Crucial06:43 Returned Scholars11:43 Prototypes & Production16:13 Working with local & foreign companies22:27 Reverse Engineering27:12 Clients & Cases35:59 National Engineering Services42:03 Closure of NESWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore
What this episode covers
Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Charles Ngui remembers the 'espionage' in industrial services in the 1970s. The EDB's Light Industries Services made prototypes and did reverse engineering for its clients. Singapore did not need money to industrialise, but industrial expertise. He later joined the National Engineering Services, a government-owned company, as a marketing officer. He talks about its struggles and why it eventually failed.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/6-u7rymWSKk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/UtyDCpVboNY Part 3 | https://youtu.be/v2eHkDbDJ3Y Part 4 | https://youtu.be/Tz-PjDMHJvk00:00 Why Light Industry was Crucial06:43 Returned Scholars11:43 Prototypes & Production16:13 Working with local & foreign companies22:27 Reverse Engineering27:12 Clients & Cases35:59 National Engineering Services42:03 Closure of NESWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore
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Charles Ngui – EDB’s Masters & Apprentices Part 2 | Chronicles of Old Singapore
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