10 Facts About George Goh Ching Wah, Founder of Harvey Norman Ossia Who’s Running in the Presidential Election 2023

Last Updated on 2023-06-14 , 11:27 am

A new player has entered the game for the presidential elections, and it’s none other than George Goh Ching Wah, the founder of Harvey Norman Ossia.

Don’t know much about the man who potentially just gave us a free public holiday? It’s alright; Goody Feed knows.

Here are ten facts about the prospective candidate challenging SM Tharman for the presidency.

George Goh Ching Wah Brought Harvey Norman to Asia

Perhaps the number one fact you need to know about George Goh Ching Wah is that he founded Harvey Norman Ossia.

You read that right—the electronics and furniture retailer you see everywhere with that familiar “Go, Harvey Norman, Go” jingle? He’s the one who brought it to Asia.

Perhaps you should rush down to Harvey Norman now, purchase a toaster, and get him to autograph it for you during his campaigns. If he does become President, congratulations—you just copped yourself a future commemorative toaster.

“Go, Harvey Norman, Go,” indeed.

He is Involved in Running Seven Listed Companies Across Singapore

That’s not all that the 63-year-old has under his belt.

George Goh Ching Wah is involved in running seven listed companies in Singapore. And there’s at least one other household name that the entrepreneur is responsible for.

Remember World of Sports? That’s part of the VGO Corporation, which George Goh founded.

If you don’t know what World of Sports is, you’re too young—go back to shopping for Air Force Ones at Footlocker or wherever you Gen Zs shop these days.

George Goh is also the chairman of ITG International, which worked on a mixed-development project worth approximately S$1 billion.

Yet, perhaps his most impressive feat is his role as the chairman of Ossia International, an SGX-listed investment holding company he co-founded with two of his brothers.

The Independent Candidate vs The Former Deputy Prime Minister

Most of us might be shocked by the news of someone being brave enough to run against SM Tharman for President, but George Goh Ching Wah gives a good reason for his decision.

He might be a philanthropist but no, it’s not because he wanted to help Singaporeans out with a free public holiday.

Let’s simplify why the prospective candidate is running. Do you know Batman vs Superman? The 2023 Singapore presidential election version is more like the Independent Candidate vs the Former Deputy Prime Minister.

We know the title is not as catchy and a bit long lah; give chance—it’s a working title.

What George Goh Ching Wah is offering to Singaporeans is his independence. Unlike SM Tharman, George Goh Ching Wah has “no political party affiliations – past or present,” according to his statement.

Due to SM Tharman’s close alignment with the People’s Action Party (PAP) and long history in politics, George Goh Ching Wah doubts SM Tharman’s independence from political affiliations and questions whether SM Tharman is even “the right man to become President”.

In contrast, the 63-year-old shares that he has the requisite skills to “scrutinise the government’s books” and to determine “a person’s suitability for an important post”.

The former sounds like opposition party cosplay, but I guess you do you.

“All four of Singapore’s past elected presidents were political appointment holders or from the public sector. It is time to have a truly independent person with a pair of fresh eyes to play the role the elected President was created for,” the prospective candidate’s statement added.

Let’s see what Shirwin Eu has to say to that.

He was Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Morocco 

But wait—if George Goh Ching Wah presents himself as the independent candidate, what about his position as Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Morocco? Doesn’t this position make him related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)?

Oh, you didn’t even know he held this position ah?

Well, no point knowing this now. In anticipation of his presidential candidacy announcement, the 63-year-old resigned from his position as Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Morocco, a position he has held since 2017.

Moving on to bigger things.

A Heart of Gold: George Goh Chin Wah Co-Founded a Charity With His Wife

If all that talk about our second prospective candidate’s achievements in business has convinced you that he’s the stereotypical cold-hearted entrepreneur, wait till you read this.

Here’s another fact about George Goh: he has a heart of gold.

Not only does he sit on the council of the Red Cross Society, but he also co-founded a charity with his wife in 2015—the Border Mission Charitable Foundation.

Locally, the charity supports elderly cardboard collectors and people with disabilities and their families. However, the charity also reaches out to those in need in the Himalayas and developing nations.

We’re surprised he doesn’t have an MRT station named after him yet. Perhaps that’s why he’s running for President.

Next stop: George Goh Station… It has a nice ring to it—it sounds like it might belong on the blue line.

From Rags to Riches: George Goh Chin Wah wasn’t Born into a Wealthy Family

It’s almost too easy to anticipate what sort of comments Singaporeans would have about the presidential candidates—born into privilege, only know how to do business or politics, out of touch with the masses, probably never even tried the chicken rice at my house downstairs’ kopitiam before…

Yet, George Goh Chin Wah will have you know that he’s not like the rest. He wasn’t born into a wealthy family and a position of privilege. His origin story will leave you heartbroken.

The prospective candidate was born in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, and grew up in a small kampung. He had eight siblings—but this wasn’t always the case.

Unfortunately, a struggle to make ends meet forced his parents’ hand in giving away two of his sisters. One of his brothers died at four weeks old because the family couldn’t afford medical help.

So, tone it down with your “silver spoon” comments.

George Goh Chin Wah Dropped Out of School at the Age of 16

Due to his family’s financial situation, the then-16-year-old dropped out of school and started working to support the family.

Independence once again, but in another way.

He came to Singapore and started working as a sweeper in a shoe factory, working 16 or 18-hour days. Along the way, he picked up shoe-making skills and eventually started his own shoe business a few years later when he was 22.

What were you doing at 22? Thinking about whether you can check out your Shopee cart full of things you don’t need? Pfft.

More Than Meets the Eye: He Has A Degree in Music from Trinity College London

While George Goh was working at the shoe factory, he fell in love with music.

According to his interview with Salt&Light, he started going to an old church near the shoe factory and eventually joined the church choir. As of now, he’s been singing for over 40 years.

In fact, when it comes to George Goh Chin Wah, there’s more than meets the eye. The 63-year-old is so passionate about music that he obtained a degree in music from Trinity College London last year.

Yes, you read that right. At the age of 62, George Goh Chin Wah got a degree in music.

We’d suggest SkillsFuture recruit him to promote lifelong learning, but that would mess with the whole “independence” image, so…

George Goh Chin Wah on Faith & Religion

If there’s something else you should know about the prospective candidate running against SM Tharman, it’s that he’s big on faith and religion. Specifically, he is a Christian.

What’s funny, however, is that when George Goh Chin Wah, then 18 years old, travelled back to his kampung to inform his father about his new-found faith, his father wasn’t pleased with it.

His father screamed at the then-18-year-old, but Goh went ahead to get baptised in the church in 1978 regardless.

The 63-year-old is currently an executive board member at the Presbyterian Community Services and Presbyterian Preschool Services and still regularly sings at the church choir every month.

Imagine singing alongside the President.

His First Wife Passed Away When He Was 40; Current Wife is His Second Wife

Unfortunately, the prospective candidate’s first wife passed away when he was 40, leaving him with three children, the youngest only three months old.

Regardless, he eventually met his current wife, Mdm Lysa Sumali. Currently, the pair has four children—three daughters and a son.

The pair also eventually co-founded the Border Mission Charitable Foundation we mentioned earlier.

Talk about a power couple.

The presidential election may be happening any time now, and currently, there are only two prospective candidates—SM Tharman and George Goh Chin Wah.

But just so you know, George Goh might not meet the eligibility criteria despite his impressive background. Watch this to the end and you’ll understand: