Goh Eng Wah

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Goh Eng Wah (1923–2015) was a pioneer in Singapore’s cinema industry, known for distributing films and building a large chain of Chinese-language cinemas.

Early life
Goh was born in 1923 in Muar, Johor, in British Malaya (now Malaysia). He was the eldest son in his family. He finished secondary school in Malaya but could not continue his education because of the Japanese occupation. He moved to Singapore to escape the war and lived there from 1942 to 1945 during the occupation.

Career and impact
Goh started his film business in 1945 with a friend, opening a cinema at Victory Theatre in the Gay World Amusement Park in Geylang. The program mainly showed Japanese propaganda films at first, and the venture later moved to the nearby Happy Theatre. After two years he became the sole owner and began acquiring more theatres.

In 1968, Eng Wah Theatres Organization Pte Ltd was established. He financed several movies and acquired Jubilee Theater (now part of Raffles Hotel) and King’s Theatre at Tiong Bahru in 1966. In the 1970s, he opened cinemas in new HDB towns, starting with Toa Payoh and then Clementi, Ang Mo Kio, and Kallang Bahru.

Goh led Eng Wah to become Singapore’s leading film distributor in the 1980s and the company became the first cinema operator listed on the Singapore Exchange in 1994 (July 4).

Other ventures
He also explored other entertainment ventures, including opening a Crazy Horse Paris Cabaret in December 2005.

Properties and later life
Under his leadership, Eng Wah’s group owned about 26 cinema halls. He later bought them back personally with his daughter, Goh Min Yen. He owned several properties, such as Hotel Fort Canning, The Legend Fort Canning, The Legends Golf & Resort Sdn Bhd, 321 Clementi, and Jubilee Square. WE Cinemas was located at 321 Clementi.

Personal life
Goh was married to Mok Yuet Heng. Their children included Goh Keng Beng (James), Goh Keng Soon (Bob), Goh Min Lu (Cynthia), and Goh Min Yen.

Names and recognition
His Chinese name is 吳榮華 (Traditional Chinese: 吳榮華; Simplified: 吴荣华). He received recognition in the Asian film community during the 1960s.

Death and legacy
Goh Eng Wah died on 5 September 2015 in Singapore, at the age of 92. He is remembered as a cinema pioneer who helped shape Singapore’s film distribution and cinema landscape, especially for Chinese-language films from Hong Kong and Taiwan.