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Directors of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Fund

Distinguished guests

Lee kuan yew scholars, past and present

Ladies and gentlemen

        Welcome to the 2010 Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Award Ceremony.

2       In a few days’ time, Singapore will be celebrating its 45th birthday. We are a young nation, with less than half a century of independence. Over that short period, our people have built a modern nation where many opportunities are available to those willing to work hard. Our achievements as a nation are the result of the contributions of talented and outstanding Singaporeans with the heart to serve their fellow Singaporeans and their community. The key purpose of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship is to recognise and nurture such people.

The Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship

3       Established in 1991 in honour of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship is synonymous with a passion to serve Singapore. It is given out to the most deserving candidates in different professions and disciplines. We look beyond stellar academic and professional achievements to individuals with sound character and a strong sense of duty to serve their fellow Singaporeans. To date, 28 Singaporeans have been awarded the scholarship, of whom 17 were sponsored for masters programmes, 10 for PhD programmes and 1 for a post-doctoral fellowship.

2010 Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Recipients

4       This year, the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Board received 85 applications for the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship. Of these, 8 were interviewed and 4 were selected for the award. Today, it is my pleasure to present the scholarship to this group of worthy individuals. They are Mr Chan Xiaohui Darius, Senior Lieutenant Colonel (SLTC) Chew Chih Chiang Frederick, Ms Phua Puay Li and Mr Tan Jek Chen Kelvin.

5       All of them will be heading to the United States for their studies. Both Frederick and Puay Li will read a Master of Science in Management at Stanford University while Darius will pursue a Master of Law at New York University. Kelvin is currently pursuing his PhD in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University.

6       It is an honour and privilege to be awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship. As recipients of one of the most prestigious postgraduate scholarships in Singapore, you belong to a small fraternity of outstanding individuals. I trust that you will continue with your good work and become the best in your professional disciplines. I have full confidence that your future contributions to society will be just as significant as those of your predecessors.

7       My congratulations to all of you. I wish you success in your studies, and look forward to your continued contributions to Singapore when you return.

8       Thank you.

Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman, Public Service Commission

Distinguished guests, principals, parents, teachers, scholarship recipients

Ladies and gentlemen

         It is my pleasure to join you today at the PSC Scholarships Ceremony. First, let me congratulate the 70 recipients who will be receiving one of the country’s most prestigious scholarships. Let me also thank the parents, principals and teachers for teaching, nurturing and mentoring these fine young men and women to who they are today. You should be proud of them.

2       To our award winners, accepting your PSC scholarship means that you have decided on a career to serve the people of Singapore and to make a real difference in their lives. Today marks the start of your journey as an officer in the Singapore Public Service.

3       In 1973 I was in your very same position, as I made the commitment to take up a PSC scholarship and join the Singapore Armed Forces. Looking back, it was possibly the best decision that I have made because I believe what I am today has been shaped very much by the wide range of challenging experiences in my twenty years in the SAF.

THE SINGAPORE PUBLIC SERVICE

4       As a member of the Singapore Public Service, you can serve with pride. Internationally, the Singapore Public Service is well-regarded. The Political and Economic Risk Consultancy or PERC, recently rated our Public Service as the most efficient Civil Service in Asia. The 2010 World Competitiveness Yearbook by the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland rated Singapore 2nd in the world for government efficiency. We frequently receive requests from civil services from other countries to study our system and to have exchanges with us. They know that having an efficient and effective, clean and committed public service is key to their countries’ economic competitiveness, social development and the betterment of the lives of their people.

5       They acknowledge the high calibre of our public officers and want to learn how we attract, retain and develop them. They want to know how we make the Public Service an attractive career option for our bright young people and are able to keep our Public Service nimble and forward-looking. They are impressed by how our public officers from different government agencies have been able to work together as one government, and how our officers remain clean and trustworthy. Quite a few countries send their civil servants, at their own expense, to be trained at our Civil Service College – they want to find out the “secret” of how this is done.

6       While all these accolades are good testaments of what we have achieved to date and say much about the professionalism of our Public Service, we cannot take our success and reputation for granted. What is clear to us and many of our visitors is that the quality of the Public Service is only as good as the calibre of the people we bring into it – people with the passion, commitment and understanding that when they join the Public Service, it is not for self gratification but for the long term interest of the country. And this is the real test - not the accolades we receive from ranking tables and foreign visitors – but whether we are making a positive difference to the lives and future of our fellow Singaporeans. That is the ultimate goal and the ultimate source of satisfaction for our public officers which no other career in Singapore can offer.

7       The Public Service Commission has assessed that you have the potential to excel in the Public Service and to contribute to the nation based on your record of leadership, social consciousness and intellectual ability thus far. The PSC sees your potential; the Public Service will help you grow it; but you have the responsibility to realise it.

8       What are the qualities that we are looking for?

A PIPELINE OF STRONG LEADERS FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE

9       Some of you may be aware that recently, the Public Service Division launched a book entitled “Pioneers Once More: The Singapore Public Service 1959-2009”. The book chronicles stories of previous generations of passionate and committed public officers over the past 50 years. Many of them dared to try new ideas and persevered even when faced with daunting challenges. There are many inspirational stories in the book that make us proud of their contributions. Some worked with more visibility in the public; many more worked tirelessly behind the scenes. It is people like them, working with the political leadership, who have helped make Singapore what it is today. I am quite sure that a number of these public officers when they looked back, must have also felt, with quiet satisfaction and pride, that they and their colleagues have each played a part in making a difference to Singapore.

10       We want you to be inspired and feel a sense of pride in belonging to this Public Service that you have decided to join. We are thus presenting each of you with a copy of the book so that it may serve as a guide and inspiration to you as you begin your own journey in the public service, and help take Singapore into the future.

11       The challenges of the future will be even more complex than in the past. Issues are rarely single dimensional; they are often multi-faceted. For example, SARS and more recently the H1N1 pandemic were not merely health issues – we had to quarantine those affected so it was a housing problem as well. It also became an education issue when some students were affected and schools had to be closed and classes rescheduled. It was a logistics issue as we had to suddenly buy more than a million thermometers for every student and every household, and stock up on protective gear for our doctors and nurses. It was a technology issue as we had to develop IT systems to do contact tracing and infra-red sensors for rapid fever detection. And it was a public communication and community bonding issue as public confidence had to be maintained.

12       Many challenges are no longer localised but globalised. For example, the recent Icelandic volcanic ash problem did not just cause chaos in many cities in the path of the ash, but also massive disruption to air travel and air freight worldwide. There are many more examples like these, some immediate and dramatic, others longer term but more insidious, be it climate change, global economic meltdown, terrorism and so on.

13       Because of the nature, complexity and scale of such challenges, all the more must we continue to have public officers who can anticipate the future, but who are equally aware that there can always be surprises that we did not anticipate. We need people who are curious and bold to explore new ideas. We must have officers and institutions that are nimble and adaptable to changing circumstances. We require officers who are in touch with what is happening around us, in the capitals of the world, and in the heartlands of Singapore. Traditionally, public officers are great problem solvers; in future they must also be able to identify and seize opportunities for the long term interest of Singapore.

14       It is with this in mind that since the inception of the Public Service Commission scholarships in 1961, the PSC has been offering scholarships to the best and brightest in every cohort to groom them to serve Singapore through a career in the Public Service. Over the last 49 years, PSC scholarships have been effective in providing top-tier talent for our Public Service to lead an effective and responsive Public Service committed to improving the lives of the people in Singapore.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR A CAREER IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

15       Your journey into a Public Service career begins today. Over the next few years as you pursue your studies, make full use of the time and opportunities to train your mind, build your character and hone your leadership skills. Over time, you will realise that it is not so much the course of study that will determine your usefulness to the Public Service but rather the rigour of your learning process. Go out of your comfort zone in your learning. Enjoy your new environment. Learn from your professors and debate with your peers. Open your eyes and ears to the diversity of views, needs and aspirations of the people around you. Learn how to be discerning, and to relate theory to real world practical application especially to the context of Singapore. Remember too that in all your exchanges and interactions, you will be ambassadors of the Singapore Public Service, and of Singapore.

16       In short, use the next few years to nurture a mind and heart that will prepare you for a career in the Singapore Public Service.

CONCLUSION

17       Many cohorts of Public Officers have journeyed on the path that you are now taking, dedicating themselves to working towards a first class Public Service that is committed to creating a brighter future for Singapore.

18       I wish you success in the years ahead.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Civil Service and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

         Welcome to the 2010 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony. This is a proud day for all of you. My congratulations to the scholarship recipients for your achievements; to the principals and teachers for your dedication; and to the parents for nurturing your children into who they are today.

2       PSC Scholarships are awarded to the most outstanding students who demonstrate a commitment and passion to serve the country and the people of Singapore. Beyond academic results and intellectual ability, the PSC looks for candidates who care for the ordinary Singaporean and have the ability to lead with humility and integrity.

3       This year, the PSC received more than 2,000 scholarship applications. Of these, we interviewed a total of 316 candidates. I am glad to announce that 68 have been selected this year, and together with 1 mid-term scholar and 1 Master’s scholar, 70 will be receiving their awards today. Amongst them, 37 will be pursuing their studies in the UK, 22 in the US, 8 in Singapore and 3 in China.

4       PSC Scholarships are awarded solely on merit. There is no cap or quota. Any applicant who meets PSC’s high standards will be made an offer, regardless of his or her background. This ensures a diversity of views and perspectives in the Public Service, to enable the Government to continue to be responsive and empathetic. A public service with officers who have different backgrounds and skills will contribute to more robust policy making.

5       In fact, we are seeing more and more applicants from different educational backgrounds - from a wider range of JCs, schools and polytechnics. This shows that our educational system has been evolving to cater to different talents and interests. This has offered us a richer and more diverse pool from which to select our scholarship recipients.

6       I am happy to note that we have 3 polytechnic graduates receiving the scholarship awards today. Two of them attended Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Mr Tan Jun Liang topped his Aerospace Technology diploma course, and will be reading Aerospace Engineering at the Imperial College in the UK. Mr Tan is both an environment advocate and an active member in his community. Mr Low Hong Wei graduated with a Diploma with Merit in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and will be reading Chemistry at the National University of Singapore. Ms Tan Yan Jun Joy graduated from the Singapore Polytechnic with a Diploma with Merit in Business Administration. She will be reading Business in the UK.

7       We also have our first two scholarship recipients from a local international school - SJI International. Mr Ian Ernst Chai Yang and Ms Samantha Chua Le Ling are two of the first cohort of SJI International’s graduates with International Baccalaureate Diplomas. Mr Chai will be reading Law in the UK, while Ms Chua will be studying Accountancy at the Singapore Management University.

8       I am also pleased to announce our first PSC scholar from Pioneer Junior College. He is Mr Tan Chiang Wee, Nicholas, who will be proceeding to the US to read Engineering.

9       PSC places great emphasis on the development of our scholarship recipients. This process begins before they embark on their further studies, and continues during and after their undergraduate courses.

10       The first development programme we put our scholarship recipients through is the Preparatory Course, which gives them a foundational understanding of our governance principles and Singapore’s socio-political landscape. As part of the 3-week course, they spent three days at the Outward Bound Singapore.

11       There will be many more training and development opportunities for them during their term breaks. And after they graduate, there will be more structured milestone courses to equip them for their careers as public officers.

12       I am confident that all of you will do us proud, not only in your studies but also in your service to the community and nation.

13       And on that note, I wish you every success in your studies and all the best in your endeavours.

14       Thank you.

The President has appointed Mr Philip Antony Jeyaretnam as a member of the Public Service Commission (PSC) with effect from 24 November 2009, for a term of five years in the first instance.

Under the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the PSC shall have a Chairman and not less than five and not more than 14 other members.  With the appointment of Mr Jeyaretnam, the PSC will have eleven members assisting the Chairman. The current Chairman is Mr Eddie Teo.

Mr Jeyaretnam, 45, who was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003, is a partner in Rodyk & Davidson LLP.  He graduated from Cambridge University, United Kingdom, in 1986, was admitted to the English Bar in 1987 and the Singapore Bar a year later.   In 1990/91 he held a Fulbright Fellowship at Harvard Law School and the University of Iowa.

He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the Regional Panel of Arbitrators, Singapore International Arbitration Centre and an adjudicator with the Singapore Mediation Centre. He was the President of the Law Society of Singapore from 2004 to 2007, and was the founding chairman of the Society of Construction Law, Singapore, holding that office from 2002 to 2004.  

He is also an adjunct professor teaching construction law in the National University of Singapore and is a Board member of the Singapore Tourism Board and of the Singapore University of Technology and Design.  He is Chairman of the Board of the Theatre Training and Research Space Ltd (formerly part of Practice Performing Arts Centre Ltd), a not-for-profit theatre school, founded by the late Kuo Pao Kun. 

Mr Jeyaretnam is an award-winning writer and received the Young Artist Award in 1993, the Montblanc-NUS Centre for the Arts Literary Award in 1997 and the Southeast Asia Write Award in 2003.  He was a member of Council for the National Arts Council from 2000 to 2008, and chaired the steering committees for the Singapore Writers’ Festivals 2007 and 2009.

Mr Jeyaretnam is married with three children.