Category: Singapuraku

Ho Kwon Ping: Singapore Should Embrace Diversity

Singapore’s sense of nationhood and unity has never been stronger than in the past weeks when hundreds of thousands of people came together to mourn the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, said businessman Ho Kwon Ping on Thursday night.

In the next 50 years after Mr Lee, however, the country will be increasingly diverse, he added.

Singapore’s challenge is to embrace this diversity as a strength and an integral part of itself, said Mr Ho in his fifth and final lecture as the Institute of Policy Studies’ S R Nathan Fellow.

The lecture was held at the National University of Singapore’s University Cultural Centre and attended by 560 people including students and civil servants.

In his 50-minute speech, Mr Ho examined how this openness and acceptance of Singaporeans who may be different from the mainstream can be a defining characteristic of Singapore’s identity.

He noted that Singapore is ethno-culturally more similar to New York City, where culturally distinct neighbourhoods coexist cheek by jowl, than to the homogeneous cities of Tokyo or Shanghai.

“New Yorkers, for all their amazing diversity, all love their city. Like New Yorkers, Singaporeans must also embrace each other as individuals and not as categories,” said Mr Ho.

At the end of the lecture, IPS director Janadas Devan announced the next SR Nathan Fellow will be ambassador-at-large Bilahari Kausikan, 60.

Details of Mr Kausikan’s lectures will be given in August. The veteran diplomat will research public policy and governance issues.

Mr Ho’s lectures will be compiled into a book and published by IPS later this year.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 10, 2015
Masagos Zulkifli Sworn -In As Full Cabinet Minister

Mr Masagos Zulkifli was sworn in yesterday as a full Cabinet Minister, following Wednesday’s Cabinet reshuffle announcements.

With his promotion, Mr Masagos will be a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs. He had been Senior Minister of State in both ministries since 2012. The news of his promotion — which means there are two Malay-Muslim full Ministers for the first time — had garnered strong support from the Malay and Muslim community leaders.

Writing on his Facebook page today, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he had witnessed Mr Masagos’ swearing in. “His sincerity, ability and hard work have earned him the respect of colleagues and Singaporeans,” Mr Lee noted.

Foreign Minister K Shanmugam wrote on his Facebook page: “(Mr Masagos’) appointment strengthens our MFA work. The world is shrinking, and our interests around the world, economic, political, have grown. We need to engage many countries actively, much more so than we have had to … Masagos has promoted Singapore at every opportunity, and has been very good for us. We are fortunate at MFA to have Masagos with us. With his promotion, I will now be able to give him even more responsibilities, at MFA.”

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong congratulated Mr Masagos on his Facebook page. “He is humble, sincere and dedicated. A good addition to the Cabinet team,” he said. “The Cabinet reshuffle will add depth and breadth to those who will lead Singapore forward. Stretching the younger Ministers will strengthen their resilience. Best wishes to them.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

April 10, 2015
Malay And Muslim Community Leaders Happy With Promotion For Masagos Zukifli

Malay and Muslim community leaders yesterday welcomed news of Mr Masagos Zulkifli’s promotion to full minister, the first time there are two Malay members of Cabinet.

Mr Masagos, 51, will be sworn in as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs today. He has been Senior Minister of State in both ministries since 2012.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said of his promotion: “It is the first time we are having two Malay full ministers, which reflects the progress of the Malay community.”

Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who is also Minister- in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said: “I am happy that Masagos has been promoted to a full minister.”

Association of Muslim Professionals chairman Azmoon Ahmad said the promotion is further proof that “Malays can stand tall in this meritocratic nation”.

“It will create impetus for the community and encourage us and give us the confidence that Malays can succeed,” he added.

Former Nominated MP and political watcher Zulkifli Baharudin said the appointment debunks the long-held idea in some quarters that there could be only one Malay minister. The move shows “we have moved forward, progress has been made”.

Mr Masagos told The Straits Times that having two Malay full ministers for the first time in the nation’s history “reflects the trust and recognition the Government has on the good progress made by the Malay/Muslim community”.

“However, our value system puts meritocracy above all when appointments are made. That gives us the assurance that appointment is based on merit, not favour,” he added.

“It’s a good system that ensures confidence and respect for whoever is appointed.”

Mr Masagos was chief executive officer of Singtel Global Offices before he entered politics in 2006. He was also a respected community leader, chairing Muslim welfare group Perdaus, and starting its humanitarian offshoot Mercy Relief.

After the 2006 General Election, he was appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education, and later for Home Affairs as well. In 2010, he was promoted to Minister of State, and the following year, gave up his Education portfolio for Foreign Affairs.

He became Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs in August 2012.

Fellow MPs were not surprised at his promotion, citing his diligence and commitment to the job. He has been actively involved in the fight against drugs and extremism, among others. He chairs a multi-agency task force that tackles youth drug abuse, and led a Singapore delegation to the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism in February this year.

His promotion also means there are now two second ministers at Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs.

Mr Hri Kumar Nair, who heads the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Home Affairs and Law, said it was good to have three full ministers for a key portfolio like Home Affairs. He noted Mr Masagos’ work in reshaping the rehabilitation systems for prisoners and drug offenders.

Mr Alex Yam, deputy chairman of the GPC for Defence and Foreign Affairs, said as a small country, Singapore placed a lot of emphasis on good relationships with neighbours and partners.

“Mr Masagos has established a wealth of contacts. His role as Second Minister will give additional clout when he negotiates on behalf of Singapore,” he added.

BACKGROUND STORY

MERITOCRACY AT WORK

It would seem apparent that the Malay community would celebrate having two full ministers in the Cabinet for the first time, but this is also how Singapore runs on the basis of meritocracy.

That you get the post, and are rewarded for your performance and contributions because of the impact you have made. Not because you are close to a particular person or that you are the son of somebody.

This is important because it gives you the credibility to the people you serve as well as your colleagues. And I’m glad that this is the system that we have.

– Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Masagos Zulkifli on meritocracy

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 9, 2015
Lee Hsien Loong Announces Cabinet Reshuffle

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has made several changes to his Cabinet and other political appointments, including the promotion of Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs), to full Minister.

This is a part of continuing leadership renewal, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli will be promoted to full Minister with effect from Thursday, April 9, 2015. He will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and will continue in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Second Minister in both ministries.

The changes to the Cabinet are summarised below:

Mr Chan Chun Sing will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. He will relinquish his appointments as Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Defence with effect from April 9, 2015.

Mr Lim Swee Say will be appointed Minister for Manpower and will relinquish his appointment as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office on May 4, 2015.

Mr Tan Chuan‐Jin, currently Minister for Manpower, will be appointed Minister for Social and Family Development on 9 April 2015. He will hold both portfolios until he relinquishes his appointment as Minister for Manpower on May 4, 2015.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew will be appointed Second Minister for Defence with effect from April 9, 2015. He will continue as Minister for Transport.

Source: http://news.asiaone.com

April 9, 2015
High Court Judge Sets Out Sentencing Decision For Corrupt Former STE Director

His was a crime that reflected greed and abuse of influence, and which could potentially tarnish Singapore’s reputation and businesses.

As a former business development director in charge of the South Asia region for a subsidiary of ST Electronics (STE), Mark Edward Tjong had abused his position of influence, said Justice Tay Yong Kwang, in his written grounds of decision released yesterday (April 7).

Last month, Justice Tay had reversed an earlier ruling acquitting Tjong of a corruption charge, and sentenced him to an additional four weeks’ jail and a S$30,000 fine, on top of the eight weeks’ jail and S$57,387.67 fine he had been sentenced to for another corruption charge.

Tjong’s offences took place in 2006. He had recommended Bangladeshi Mujibur Rahman be appointed STE’s agent in Bangladesh and helped him acquire contracts, in exchange for bribes amounting to S$87,387.67. The district court had found Tjong guilty of corruption on one charge involving S$57,386.67, but acquitted him of a second charge involving S$30,000. Tjong appealed against his sentence for the first charge, while the prosecution appealed against the acquittal for the second charge.

In his written grounds, Justice Tay noted that Tjong’s recommendation was accepted by STE’s president unhesitatingly, as he was trusted by STE to manage and promote its interest in Bangladesh.

He also noted that STE is fully owned by Singapore Technologies Engineering, which in turn is 50 per cent-owned by government-owned Temasek Holdings. “STE could easily be viewed as a government-linked or government-owned entity. The harm caused by the offences here therefore included the possible adverse impact on the reputation and integrity of Singapore companies and of Singapore generally,” said Justice Tay, adding that the case also involved “a cross-border commercial element”.

If Tjong does not pay the additional S$30,000 fine, he will have to serve another six weeks in jail.

Source: www.todayonline.com

April 8, 2015