CENTRE for LiveableCities SINGAPORE LEE KUAN YEW CENTRE CITIES FOR INNOVATIVE
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore in celebration of his 90th birthday
18 September 2013 About the Organisers LEE KUAN YEW CENTRE CITIES FOR INNOVATIVE
LEE KUAN YEW CENTRE FOR INNOVATIVE CITIES
The Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (LKY CIC) was officially established in September 2012. It is one of the first research centres in the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to focus on the integrated use of technology and design to derive solutions for urban planning, design development and management. The Centre’s mission is to become a thought leader on the critical issues of cities and urbanisation, to provide breakthrough urban solutions, and to better understand the necessary accompanying governance and social frameworks.
lkycic.sutd.edu.sg
CENTRE for LiveableCities SINGAPORE
CENTRE FOR LIVEABLE CITIES, SINGAPORE
Set up in 2008 by the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) has as its mission “to distil, create and share knowledge on liveable and sustainable cities”. CLC’s work spans three main areas – Research, Capability Development and Promotions. Through these activities, CLC hopes to provide urban leaders and practitioners with the knowledge and support needed to make our cities better.
www.clc.gov.sg
Cover photo credits: CC by flickr.com/photos/tolomea. CC by flickr.com/photos/yeowatzup. CC by flickr.com/photos/jirka_matousek. CC by flickr.com/photos/rain9394. CC by flickr.com/photos/januariouslll Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore in celebration of his 90th birthday
18 September 2013 / Regent Hotel We wish to express our sincere appreciation to
Pontiac Land Group
for their support of
this Conference
Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities and Centre for Liveable Cities Contents
07 Welcome Messages
09 Conference Theme
11 Conference Programme
13 Administrative Guide
14 Guest-of-Honour
15 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators Welcome Message
Chairman Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
This is an important and significant Conference to celebrate the 90th birthday of Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
It provides an opportunity for us to revisit our history and development process that created the Singapore we know today and focuses our attention on challenges to come. Crucially, it highlights Mr Lee’s vision and potential of Singapore and how he sets out systematically to implement that vision. It is an inspiring story that should be told and retold.
Singapore grew from a swampland and lair of pirates in the 19th century to become a city in 1952. But, it was not until the late 1960s and 1970s that we really began to construct a modern day city. Further economic and urban development continued through the 1980s, raising the standard of living, developing infrastructure, implementing a large-scale public housing programme and evolving from a developing nation to becoming a global city.
Today, Singapore’s airport, port and road systems are ranked among the best in the world. It has moved from unhygienic squatter settlements to a slum-free city where 90% of the resident population owns their homes. Such high home ownership is unheard of in many parts of the world, bringing disbelief and admiration from visitors.
On behalf of Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, I would like to thank our partner, Centre for Liveable Cities, for working with us to make this Conference possible. We thank Pontiac Land for their gracious and generous support to host this event at Regent Hotel.
We hope the audience will enjoy the Conference and leave mulling over what we have achieved as a nation and Mr Lee’s pivotal role in shaping Singapore, the city and the country.
Chan Heng Chee Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 6 Welcome Message
Executive Director Centre for Liveable Cities Singapore
In an interview last year with Centre for Liveable Cities Chairman Dr Liu Thai Ker, Mr Lee Kuan Yew outlined the key elements of Singapore’s liveability: safety, cleanliness, mobility, spaciousness, connectivity and equity. That interview reminded us that Singapore’s journey over the last half century was about more than building a shiny modern city – it was about transforming lives.
Many emerging economies are now engaged in a headlong push to urbanise, industrialise and modernise. However, this growth often also generates tremendous challenges, from pollution and congestion to social tensions. In contrast, Singapore adopted a unique strategy of balancing our social, economic and environmental objectives right from the start. Instead of impeding our growth, this has become one of our enduring strengths.
The Centre for Liveable Cities has attempted to formulate a Framework that describes this approach, which we argue rests on long-term integrated planning and development as well as dynamic urban governance. This can be seen across diverse sectors, from city planning and public housing to urban greenery and water management. The result is a city that enjoys a competitive economy, sustainable environment and a high quality of life.
This Conference is an opportunity to celebrate Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s 90th birthday, to glean lessons from Singapore’s journey of urban transformation, and to then think about our challenges for the future.
We at the Centre for Liveable Cities are pleased to co-organise this Conference with the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, and we thank them for their partnership. We also thank our sponsor, Pontiac Land for their generous support. Last but not least, we are indebted to our distinguished speakers and moderators, as well as you our audience, for participating in this important discussion – we hope you find it stimulating and enriching.
Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director Centre for Liveable Cities
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 7 Conference Theme
The Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative said he was most satisfied with the extensive Cities and the Centre for Liveable Cities have reconstruction of the city, which he called “a jointly organised this Conference on Lee chance of a lifetime”. Urban planning and Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation redevelopment have made Singapore a more of Singapore to mark the 90th birthday of competitive, sustainable and liveable city. In Singapore’s first Prime Minister. the face of future challenges, what lessons can we draw from these experiences? Contemporary Singapore is built on the radical transformations wrought - and the Some 90% of resident households now solid foundations laid – by a generation of own their homes in Singapore, a level citizens who were led by Prime Minister that has been maintained since Mr Lee Lee from 1959 to 1990. The World Bank stepped down in 1990. As Prime Minister, data shows that Singapore’s per capita GDP he spearheaded one of the world’s most (current US$) grew from $395 in 1960 to successful homeownership and public $11,845 in 1990, and then to $46,241 in housing programmes. Speaking about the 2011, among the highest in the world. But importance of homeownership, Mr Lee has beyond this economic miracle, the city- noted “there must be a sense of equity, that state is also ranked amongst Asia’s most everybody owns part of the city.” What can liveable and green cities, highly regarded we learn from these past achievements as as a well-planned garden city, with one we retool our housing policies for the future? the world’s highest homeownership rates, and remarkable achievements in water Mr Lee is closely associated with greening sustainability. This Conference will focus Singapore, and his annual ceremonial tree on Mr Lee’s role - and explore our future planting dates back to 1963. In contrast challenges - in these areas. to other cities, green canopy cover in Singapore has grown despite industrial, Large scale land acquisition and urban urban and population growth, and the city renewal changed the face of Singapore, and enjoys a cooling green mantle provided by equipped the city with an integrated modern its tree-lined streets and beautiful public infrastructure of transport, economic and parks. This strong leadership and consistent social facilities. In a 2012 interview, Mr Lee focus on urban greenery - which is globally
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 8 fashionable now but was rare in the 1960s - leading public officials and intellectuals was because Mr Lee saw strategic economic – past and present – to reflect on the value in turning Singapore into a garden contributions of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and city, to help attract tourists and investors, in his pioneer generation, and to use that as addition to making the city more liveable for a point of reference to explore our future citizens. In the face of future growth, how challenges and directions. can we preserve and build on this legacy?
Water was a strategic priority for Mr Lee from the moment of independence. Singapore depended on Malaysia for much of its water, and droughts and floods were a common occurrence. Mr Lee set up the Water Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Office in 1971 and has noted that “every other policy has to bend [at] the knees [for] our water survival” – underscoring the importance of leadership in Singapore’s water achievements. Over the years, drainage and sewerage infrastructure was steadily improved, reservoirs were expanded, rivers were dammed and urban water catchment was initiated. With reclaimed and desalinated water, Singapore is now on the road to water self-sufficiency, supports a thriving water industry, and is gearing up to face the challenges of climate change. What does the future hold for water management in Singapore?
Mr Lee’s 90th birthday and this Conference present an opportunity for Singapore’s
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 9 Programme
8:15am – 9:00am Registration & Light Breakfast (Guests to be seated by 9:00am)
9:00am – 9:05am Welcome Remarks by Professor Chan Heng Chee Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
9:05am – 9:15am Opening Remarks by Guest-of-Honour Mr S.R. Nathan former President of Singapore 9:15am – 10:15am Session 1: The Planning of a City-State
Speaker: Mr Peter Ho Chairman Urban Redevelopment Authority
Moderator: Professor Chan Heng Chee Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
10:15am – 11:15am Session 2: A Comprehensive Housing Policy for Singapore
Speaker: Dr Liu Thai Ker Chairman Centre for Liveable Cities
Respondent: Professor Chua Beng Huat Head Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore
Moderator: Professor Chan Heng Chee Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
11:15am – 12:15pm Session 3: Imagining the Garden City
Speaker: Dr Tan Wee Kiat Chief Executive Officer Gardens by the Bay
Respondent: Mr Simon Tay President Singapore Institute of International Affairs
Moderator: Mr Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director Centre for Liveable Cities
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 10 Programme
12:15pm – 1:30pm Lunch
1:30pm – 2:30pm Session 4: The Water Story
Speaker: Mr Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director Centre for Liveable Cities
Respondent: Ambassador Burhan Gafoor Chief Negotiator, Climate Change Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Moderator: Mr Chew Men Leong Chief Executive PUB, National Water Agency
2:30pm – 4:00pm Session 5: Transformational Challenges for the Future
Panellists: Mr Aaron Maniam Director Institute of Public Sector Leadership, Civil Service College
Dr Aline Wong Academic Advisor Singapore Institute of Management University
Mr Liew Mun Leong Chairman Changi Airport Group
Mr Ho Kwon Ping Executive Chairman Banyan Tree Holdings
Moderator: Professor Tommy Koh Ambassador-at-Large Ministry of Foreign Affairs
4:00pm – 4:05pm Closing Remarks by Mr Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director Centre for Liveable Cities
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 11 Administrative Guide
Session Venue The Conference proceedings will be held in the Royal Pavilion Ballroom (lobby level).
Breakfast 08:15-09:00 Breakfast will be served during Registration outside the Royal Pavilion Ballroom. All drinks consumed except coffee and tea will be charged on individual accounts.
Lunch 12:15-13:30 Lunch will be served in the Royal Pavilion Ballroom. All drinks consumed except coffee and tea will be charged on individual accounts.
If you have not informed us of your dietary constraints, please let a member of the Conference Secretariat know of them before the end of Registration and Breakfast.
There will be no official coffee breaks during the Conference.
Media The Conference is fully open to media coverage except where anyone, speaker or participant specifies otherwise. We trust all media representatives will respect this simple guideline.
Please note that speakers are sharing their views at the Conference in the capacity that is posted in the Programme and not in any other capacity he/she may be associated with.
It is our goal to make the Conference both rewarding and enjoyable. Please let the Organisers know if there is anything we can do to ensure that is the case.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 12 Guest-of-Honour
Mr. S. R. NATHAN Former President of Singapore (1999-2011)
Before he was elected President in 1999, he had an illustrious career in Singapore’s Public Service, holding diverse positions in his 50 years career. These included: Medical Social Worker; Seaman’s Welfare Officer; Director with the rank of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence; First Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; among others. His many and varied contributions to Singapore included serving as Executive Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (1982-1988), Chairman of Mitsubishi Singapore Heavy Industries (1973- 1986), Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia (1988-1990), Singapore’s Ambassador to the US (1990-1996), Ambassador-at-Large (1996-1999) and the establishment of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (now the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies) at Nanyang Technological University.
He has written several books including “Why Am I Here” that describes his travails helping seafarers,“Winning Against The Odds” about his experience in the post-independence Labour Movement and the formation of National Trades Union Congress, and his memoirs: “An Unexpected Journey: Path to the Presidency” and “50 Stories from My Life”.
Mr Nathan is now a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Singapore Management University as well as in Nanyang Technological University, Institute of South East Asian Studies and National University of Singapore. He is the Chairman of CapitaLand Hope Foundation. He has received many awards including Singapore’s highest award – The Order of Temasek, First Class.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 13 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Professor Chan Heng Chee Mr Khoo Teng Chye Ambassador-at-Large & Chairman Executive Director Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Centre for Liveable Cities
Ambassador Chan Heng Mr. Khoo Teng Chye is Chee is Ambassador-at- currently the Executive Large with the Singapore Director for the Centre Foreign Ministry, for Liveable Cities, Chairman of the Lee Ministry of National Kuan Yew Centre for Development, Singapore. Innovative Cities in the He has previously been Singapore University of the Chief Executive of Technology and Design (SUTD). She is Chairman PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, Chief of the National Arts Council (NAC). She Executive Officer/Chief Planner at the Urban was appointed a Member of the Presidential Redevelopment Authority, Chief Executive Council for Minority Rights in July 2012. In Officer/Group President of PSA Corporation, November 2012, she was appointed Singapore’s President and Chief Executive Officer of representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Mapletree Investments and Managing Director Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). (Special Projects) of Temasek Holdings. He is Ambassador Chan has served as Singapore’s the Chairman of Singapore International Water Ambassador to the United States, Singapore’s Week Pte Ltd, sits on the Boards of Tropical Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Marine Science Institute of National University High Commissioner to Canada and Ambassador of Singapore, the International Desalination to Mexico. Previously, she was Executive Director Association, GDF Suez’s Urban Strategy Council, of the Singapore International Foundation and the Advisory Board of the World Future Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Foundation, the Advisory Committee for the Studies. She was the founding Director of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) School Institute of Policy Studies. of Civil & Environmental Engineering. He is an Adjunct Professor at the NTU and at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Mr. Khoo graduated with First Class Honours in Civil Engineering from Monash University, Australia. A President-cum-Colombo Plan Scholar, he also holds a Master of Science in Construction Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore. He attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School and Raffles Institution. He was awarded the Public Administration (Gold) in 1996 and the Public Administration (Silver) in 1987 by the Singapore government. He was also conferred the Meritorious Service Award by the National Trade Union Congress in 2008 for his contributions to the Singapore Labour Movement.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 14 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Mr Peter Ho Dr Liu Thai Ker Chairman Chairman Urban Redevelopment Authority Centre for Liveable Cities
Peter Ho Hak Ean is Dr Liu Thai Ker, a currently the Senior renowned architect- Advisor to the Centre for planner, was Chief Strategic Futures. He is Architect & CEO also a Senior Fellow in the of Housing and Civil Service College. He Development Board is an Adjunct Professor (1975-1989) where he with the S Rajaratnam saw the completion School of International Studies, and a Visiting of over half a million dwelling units. He was Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Chief Planner & CEO of Urban Redevelopment Policy. When he retired from the Singapore Authority (1989-1992), during which he Administrative Service in 2010 after a career in spearheaded the major revision of the Singapore the Public Service stretching more than 34 years, Concept Plan 1991. Since 1992, he has been he was Head, Civil Service, concurrent with his Director of RSP Architects Planners & Engineers other appointments of Permanent Secretary (Pte) Ltd, a consulting firm, which has projects in (Foreign Affairs), Permanent Secretary (National Singapore and over a dozen other countries. He Security and Intelligence Coordination), and has been appointed as planning advisor to nearly Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) in the Prime thirty major cities in China. He is concurrently Minister’s Office. Before that, he was Permanent the Chairman, Advisory Board of Centre for Secretary (Defence). He is Chairman of the Urban Liveable Cities. He is also Adjunct Professor of Redevelopment Authority, Chairman of the the School of Design & Environment and of the Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National Engineering, Chairman of the Management University of Singapore as well as Nanyang Board of the Institute for Engineering Leadership Technological University. He is also a member of and Chairman of the Singapore Maritime several governmental bodies in Singapore. Dr Liu Institute’s International Advisory Panel. He is is also a recipient of several awards, both locally a member of the National University Board and internationally. of Trustees, a board member of the Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellowship, an advisor to the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, a member of Nanyang Technological University’s Complexity Advisory Board, a council member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies, and a Society Fellow of the Asia and the Pacific Policy Society. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Engineering Singapore. He is a member of Statoil’s Strategy Advisory Council, and the McKinsey Center for Government Advisory Council. He is also a director of a number of Singapore-based companies.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 15 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Professor Chua Beng Huat Dr Tan Wee Kiat Head,Department of Sociology Chief Executive Officer National University of Singapore Gardens by the Bay
Chua Beng Huat, Provost A native of Singapore, Chair Professor, Faculty of Dr. Tan began his tertiary Arts and Social Science, training as a botanist and received his PhD from horticulturist at Williams York University, Canada. College, Massachusetts, He is concurrently Head, USA, in 1965. He Department of Sociology, trained in Orchidology, and Research Leader, first in the Michigan Cultural Studies in Asia Research Cluster, State University where he received his M.Sc in Asia Research Institute, National University 1967, and subsequently in the University of of Singapore (NUS). Before joining NUS, he Miami, Florida, receiving his Ph.D. in 1974. His was director of research at the Housing and professional career began as Assistant Director Development Board. His research areas include: in the development of the Marie Selby Botanical housing and urban studies, cultural studies in Garden in Florida, where he also served as the Asia, East Asian pop culture and comparative first Director of the Orchid Identification Center politics in Southeast Asia. He is a founding co- of the American Orchid Society, and the Director editor of Inter-Asia Cultural Studies. of the Museum of Botany and the Arts of Selby Gardens.Returning to Singapore as the Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation of Research and Advisory Services in 1983, Dr. Tan became the Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens when the National Parks Board was established under his initiative in 1990. When the Parks and Recreation Department of Singapore came under the auspices of the National Parks Board in 1996, Dr. Tan became its first CEO and Commissioner of Parks. In recognition for his distinguished service, Dr. Tan was awarded the Public Administration Silver Medal followed by the Gold Medal. In 2007, he was decorated with the Medal for Meritorious Service. He is a recipient of the American Orchid Society’s Gold Medal Achievement Award, Fellowship of the Orchid Society of South East Asia, and the Royal Horticultural Society’s Veitch Memorial Gold Medal for advancing and improving the science and practice of horticulture. Michigan State University conferred the Distinguished Alumni Award upon him in October 2010. Singapore conferred the President’s Award in 2011 upon Dr Tan for exceptional contributions towards protecting and enhancing the environment.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 16 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Mr Simon Tay Ambassador Burhan Gafoor President Chief Negotiator, Climate Change Singapore Institute of International Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Simon is a public Ambassador Gafoor intellectual as well graduated with a as private advisor to Bachelor of Social Science major corporations and (Honours) degree in policy-makers. He is Political Science from the concurrently Chairman of National University of the Singapore Institute of Singapore in 1988. International Affairs, the He received a Masters country’s oldest think tank and founding member degree in Public Administration from the John of the ASEAN network of think tanks. He is also F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard an Associate Professor, teaching international University in 1997. He also obtained a degree in law at the National University of Singapore. His public administration from the Ecole Nationale commentaries feature regularly in newspapers d’Administration (ENA) in France in 2002. such as TODAY, Jakarta Post (Indonesia) and From 2007 to 2010, he was Ambassador to the China Daily. He also featured on television France and concurrently accredited to Portugal. with BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC & Channel Prior to that, he was the Ambassador and News Asia. Simon is also a Senior Consultant at Permanent Representative of Singapore to the WongPartnership, a leading Asian law firm. He World Trade Organization (WTO) and to the serves on the Global Advisory Boards for Toyota United Nations (UN) in Geneva, from 2004 to Motor Corporation and MUFG, the world’s 2007. Ambassador Gafoor was the Governor of second largest financial group. Furthermore, Singapore in the Board of Governors of the IAEA he sits as a board member for two major in Vienna, from 2004 to 2006. During this time, Singaporean corporations, Hyflux Ltd, a billion he was concurrently accredited as Ambassador dollar water treatment company, and Far East to the Republic of Turkey.Ambassador Gafoor Organization. From 1992 to 2008, he served has served in various positions in Singapore. in public positions for Singapore, including as From 2002 to 2004, he was the Press Secretary Chairman of the National Environment Agency, to the Prime Minister, in the Office of Prime reporting to the Minister as an independent Minister Goh Chok Tong. He held positions Member of Parliament, and to coordinate the in various policy planning directorates in the Singapore Volunteers Overseas. He has taught Ministry between 1994 and 2001. Ambassador as a visiting professor at Yale University, the Gafoor received the Public Administration Medal Fletcher School and Harvard Law School. Mr Tay (Gold) in 2013 from the Singapore Government. is a prize-winning author of stories and poems In 2011, the French Government awarded him a and, in 2010, his novel City of Small Blessings medal with the title of “Grand Officier de l’Ordre was awarded the Singapore Literature Prize. He National du Mérite”. graduated in law from the National University of Singapore (1986), where he was president of the student union for three terms, and from Harvard Law School (1993), where he won the Laylin prize for the best thesis in international law.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 17 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Mr Chew Men Leong Mr Aaron Maniam Chief Executive Director PUB, National Water Agency Institute of Public Sector Leadership Civil Service College Mr. Chew Men Leong Aaron Maniam graduated is the Chief Executive of with double First Class Public Utilities Board, the Honours in Philosophy, national water agency Politics and Economics in Singapore, which from Somerville College, oversees the country’s Oxford University integrated water and a Master of Arts management system. As (International and the Chief Executive, he is responsible for ensuring Development Economics) degree from Yale an adequate and affordable water supply, as University. From September 2013, he will pursue well as efficient water reclamation and drainage a Masters in Public Policy at Oxford’s Blavatnik systems for the population of Singapore. School of Government on a Lee Kuan Yew Mr Chew is also concurrently the Executive postgraduate scholarship. Aaron has worked with Director of Environment and Water Industry the Singapore civil service including the Ministry Programme Office (EWI), an inter-agency outfit of Foreign Affairs, North America Desk (2004- that spearheads the growth of the environment 2006) and Singapore’s Embassy in Washington and water sector in Singapore. Prior to PUB, Mr DC (2006-2008), and the Strategic Policy Office Chew served 25 years in the Singapore Armed (SPO) at the Public Service Division (2008-2010), Forces (SAF). He was the Chief of the Republic of where he began working on scenario planning Singapore Navy (RSN) from 31 August 2007 to 29 and analysis of long-term trends and emerging March 2011. As the Chief of Navy, he played an issues relevant to Singapore. He was the first instrumental role in operationalising key aspects Head of the Singapore government’s Centre of the RSN’s 3rd Generation, transforming its for Strategic Futures (2010) while retaining his force structure, capability development plans and SPO portfolio, and a Brand Ambassador for the its people development framework. Mr Chew public service. Since July 2011, he has been was awarded the SAF Overseas Scholarship in Director of the Institute of Policy Development 1987. He graduated with First Class Honours at the Civil Service College (recently renamed degree in Engineering from the Imperial College as the Institute for Public Sector Leadership). of Science, Technology and Medicine, United Aaron has served on inter-agency teams dealing Kingdom in 1990, and earned his Master of with such cross-cutting issues as Singapore’s Science (Management) from Stanford University, economic regulation system, how Singapore can United States in 2002. He was awarded the be a “reference voice” in Asia, how to manage Public Administration Medal – Gold (Military) by Singapore’s evolving social compact and how to the Singapore Government in 2008. restructure the government’s leadership/talent development. He was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and received the Singapore Youth Award in 2012.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 18 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Dr Aline Wong Mr Liew Mun Leong Academic Advisor Chairman Singapore Institute of Management University Changi Airport Group
Dr Aline Wong has been Liew Mun Leong has an Academic Advisor spent 22 years in the of the SIM University public service developing (UniSIM) since 2005, Singapore’s Changi where she performs Airport, military airports a consulting role in and establishments, and charting its strategic plan, heading two science supporting key thrusts, and technology statutory establishing institutional linkages and providing boards (SISIR, NSTB – formerly of SPRING advice on academic matters, including course Singapore and A*Star). He was the Registrar and programme development. Before taking of the Professional Engineers Board, granting on that role at UniSIM, she served as Chairman engineers’ licenses to practise in Singapore and of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) regulating engineering practices in Singapore. from 2003 to 2007, and as Professor and He has also served in international public Senior Advisor in the President’s Office, National institutions such as the Executive Board of University of Singapore from 2001 to 2003. Dr International Organization for Standardization Aline Wong holds an MA and a PhD in Sociology (ISO) for which he was later elected and served from the University of California, Berkeley, and as its President for one term. In the private a BA in Economics and Political Science from sector, he has 21 years of experience leading the University of Hong Kong. She pursued her 10 public listed companies in four countries. academic career at the National University In 2000, he was appointed as the founding of Singapore (NUS) where she became a full CEO of CapitaLand Limited, a public listed real Professor in 1990. She has published widely in estate company, which under his watch, has the fields of family sociology, women’s studies, become the largest real estate group (by market urban sociology and population issues. In 2004, capitalization) in South East Asia, operating in she was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the over 20 countries with more than 12,000 staff. Wheelock College, Boston, Mass. In 1984, Dr He currently chairs the Changi Airport Group, Wong entered politics and was elected Member Surbana International Consultants Holdings of Parliament at four successive General Elections. Pte. Ltd. and Pavilion Gas Pte Ltd. Currently he From 1990 to 1994, she was appointed Minister also sits on the boards of Singapore Exchange, of State for Health and Education, and became CapitaLand Hope Foundation (the philanthropic Senior Minister of State in 1995. She held that arm of CapitaLand), Pavilion Energy Pte Ltd, position until she stepped down from politics NUS Business School, Human Capital Leadership in 2001. Currently, apart from her consulting Institute, Centre for Liveable Cities, Chinese role at UniSIM, Dr Wong serves on a number Development Assistance Council and the of government-related Boards and voluntary Singapore China Foundation. In 2013, Mr Liew organisations. She is also an Advisor to the HDB was appointed as Provost Chair and Professor on Social-Economic Research (since 2007), and a (Practice) in NUS Business School and the Faculty Justice of the Peace (since 2003). of Engineering.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 19 Speakers, Respondents, Panellists and Moderators
Mr Ho Kwon Ping Professor Tommy Koh Executive Chairman Ambassador-at-Large Banyan Tree Holdings Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Ho Kwon Ping is Professor Tommy Koh is Executive Chairman of Ambassador-At-Large at Banyan Tree Holdings, the Ministry of Foreign which owns both listed Affairs, and Special and private companies Adviser to Institute of engaged in the Policy Studies, Chairman development, ownership of the Centre for and operation of hotels, International Law and resorts, spas, residential homes, retail galleries Rector of Tembusu College at the National and other lifestyle activities around the world. University of Singapore. He is the Co-Chairman Educated in Tunghai University (Taiwan), of the China-Singapore Forum, the India- Stanford University (USA) and University of Singapore Strategic Dialogue and the Japan- Singapore, he worked as a broadcast and Singapore Symposium. He was Singapore’s financial journalist and was Economics Editor Permanent Representative to the United of Far Eastern Economic Review, before joining Nations in New York for 13 years. He was the family business in 1981. In 1994, after the Ambassador to the United States of America success of rehabilitating an abandoned tin for 6 years. He was also the President of the mine into Laguna Phuket, Asia’s first integrated Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea. resort, he launched Banyan Tree Hotels and He chaired the Preparatory Committee for and Resorts. Banyan Tree has grown to more than the Main Committee at the Earth Summit. He 30 hotels and resorts, over 60 spas and close to had served as the UN Secretary General’s Special 80 retail galleries, as well as three golf courses Envoy to Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. with another 20 projects under development. He was also Singapore’s Chief Negotiator for the Mr. Ho has received many awards, locally and USA Singapore Free Trade Agreement. He has internationally, in education, entrepreneurship, chaired two dispute panels for the World Trade business innovations, leadership in civic causes Organisation. and lifetime achievement. These include: an honorary doctorate from Johnson & Wales University (2000); London Business School 2005 Entrepreneurship Award; Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award (2009), China Hotel Investment Summit; CNBC Travel Business Leader Award Asia Pacific 2012; top Thinker in Singapore in the Yahoo! Singapore 9 Awards (2011), among others. In 2010, he became the first Asian to receive the ACA (American Creativity Association) Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his creativity and innovation in various spheres of endeavour. As Chairman of Singapore Management University (SMU), Mr. Ho was awarded the Singapore Government’s Meritorious Service Medal for his contribution in the founding of SMU.
Lee Kuan Yew and the Physical Transformation of Singapore 20