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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Condolence Letter to Mrs Howe Yoon Chong

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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Condolence Letter to Mrs Howe Yoon Chong PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG'S CONDOLENCE LETTER TO MRS HOWE YOON CHONG 22 August 2007 Mdm Wan Fook Yin 9 Binjai Walk Singapore 589742 Dear My wife and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr Howe Yoon Chong. Please accept our deepest condolences and sympathies. Mr Howe led a distinguished 30-year career in the civil service. He was the Permanent Secretary of several key ministries, including Finance and National Development, and later served as the Head of Civil Service. He was a man of action, with a relentless drive to get things done. As a civil servant, he formulated and implemented many major policies. He was the first CEO of the Housing Development Board (HDB), and worked with the Chairman, Mr Lim Kim San to set up the organisation almost from scratch. Under their leadership, HDB rolled out its first programme for affordable, quality public housing. 21,000 flats were built within three years, easing the acute housing shortage and enabling the government to deliver on its promises to the people. Mr Howe was also the Chairman of the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA). He saw the growth of the port and its ancillary services as an inseparable element of the nation’s progress. He built up the organisation, and left PSA with healthy financial reserves which enabled it to grow from strength to strength. Against the advice of professionals, he made a strategic move to build Singapore’s first container terminal, at a time when the technique of handling cargoes with containers and container ships was still relatively new. This far-sighted decision gave Singapore first-mover advantage, and set PSA on the path to become one of the top container ports in the world today. As Head of Civil Service, Mr Howe chaired the Special Committee on Airport Development to study how the future needs of aviation in Singapore could best be met. He strongly advocated scrapping the expansion plans for a second runway in Paya Lebar, and building a new international airport at Changi. There were many sceptics, but Mr Howe was convinced that this was a major investment worth making to exploit Singapore’s strategic location in the heart of Asia. The success of Changi today is a tribute to his vision and tireless energy in bringing his ideas to fruition. Mr Howe also played a key role in the development of the MRT system. He was strongly in favour of the MRT as the backbone of our public transport, arguing against Dr Goh Keng Swee who advocated a more economical all-bus alternative. The Government eventually decided to build the MRT, and the outcome today has shown that Mr Howe was one of the rare persons to prove Dr Goh was mistaken on something. In 1979, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew persuaded Mr Howe to leave the civil service and enter politics. He was elected Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir. Mr Howe looked after his constituents conscientiously, but not all were accustomed to his direct manner with them. His heart was in the right place, but he was not a politician, as he himself declared. Upon election, Mr Howe was appointed Minister of Defence. As a young officer on the General Staff in the early 1980s, I served under Mr Howe. I attended the MINDEF HQ meetings, which he chaired every Monday morning. He had clear views which he held firmly to, one of which was the importance of building up the air force. Under him, the RSAF built up its organisation and strength, and began its development into a high technology, high capability force. Those of us who had the privilege of working with Mr Howe know that under the gruff exterior was a kind and caring man. He showed heartfelt concern for the well being of national servicemen. He was harsh on commanders who failed to look after the welfare of their men. Whenever some training accident happened, his first thought was for the national servicemen who were involved, and their parents and families. Mr Howe subsequently served as Minister for Health. There, he chaired the Committee on the Problems of the Aged. The Report proposed several long-term strategies to prepare for an ageing population. Among them was the suggestion to raise the CPF withdrawal age from 55 to 60. This stirred up a huge controversy, but in fact the report was correct in identifying and anticipating the problem of inadequate savings for old age. The problems which Mr Howe foresaw are very much with us today. We did not implement the exact solution that Mr Howe proposed. But the CPF changes that we have made over the years, such as the Minimum Sum scheme, have been in the same spirit. They were motivated by the same need to ensure that Singaporeans have enough savings to see them through old age. It is a poignant tribute to Mr Howe’s soundness and foresight on this issue that we should be embarking on further major changes to the CPF scheme right now, as we mourn his passing. After serving in office for slightly over a term, Mr Howe stepped down in 1984. But he continued to lead an active life, and contributed in diverse roles, as the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), Executive Chairman of Great Eastern, and President and CEO of the Straits Trading Company. Mr Howe cared deeply for the country’s development, and dedicated himself to improving the lives of his fellow citizens. Singaporeans are indebted to him for his devotion to public service, and his many outstanding contributions to our nation. He was truly a civil servant without compare. His passing is a deep loss to all of us. Yours [sincerely] .
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