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NCPA Distinguished Speaker Lecture by Mr Lim Swee Say
In his lecture titled "2C+SD => Better Life for All", held on 11 November 2019, Mr Lim, who has served in the public service for over 40 years, shared his thoughts and experiences as a member of Singapore's third-generation leadership and a member of the Cabinet of Singapore. He also shared his insights on the future development of Singapore. More than 200 participants, including staff, faculty and students of NPCA, attended the lecture.
On Singapore's development, Mr Lim outlined the three pillars of Singapore's growth, namely economic competitiveness, social cohesion, and sustainable development. He also spoke about how Singapore has managed to attract foreign investment and stayed competitive since its early days. He summed this up in three words: "cheaper, better and faster", referring to relatively cheaper production costs, better productivity and faster industry transformation.
On preserving social cohesion, Mr Lim cited Singapore's Ethnic Integration Policy as an example to illustrate that Singapore is a multi-ethnic society and the need for government policies to promote the integration of various ethnic groups. He also highlighted the various challenges that Singapore faces in enhancing the country's cohesiveness, including the integration of new immigrants and migrant workers, all of which has to be thoroughly considered.
In terms of maintaining sustainable development, Mr Lim felt that political stability is key to the government fulfilling its commitments to its people. He shared that both China and Singapore are countries that stay committed to their promises to its people. He has been making yearly visits to China and has witnessed its tremendous growth since his first visit in 1984.
As the moderator of the lecture, Professor Liu Hong, Director of NCPA, expressed his appreciation to Mr Lim for serving as NCPA’s Adjunct Professor and for sharing his experiences and insights of Singapore’s future development with students of the Master’s degree programmes. He shared that Mr Lim has devoted more than 40 years of his career to public services and is an important member of Singapore’s third-generation leadership. He also appreciated Mr Lim’s sharing on how Singaporeans had come together in nation building and how this tiny red dot had achieved sustainable growth and development. Prof Liu also presided over the subsequent Question & Answer session, where students eagerly asked questions, cherishing the opportunity for a dialogue with Mr Lim.
As the moderator of the lecture, Professor Liu Hong, Director of NCPA, expressed his appreciation to Mr Lim for serving as NCPA’s Adjunct Professor and for sharing his experiences and insights of Singapore’s future development with students of the Master’s degree programmes. He shared that Mr Lim has devoted more than 40 years of his career to public services and is an important member of Singapore’s third-generation leadership. He also appreciated Mr Lim’s sharing on how Singaporeans had come together in nation building and how this tiny red dot had achieved sustainable growth and development. Prof Liu also presided over the subsequent Question & Answer session, where students eagerly asked questions, cherishing the opportunity for a dialogue with Mr Lim.
After the lecture, Mr Lim was interviewed by both local and international media, including NetEase, Inc., and Lianhe Zaobao. There were also news coverage of the lecture on Mediacorp Channel 8.
The following information is extracted from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Valedictory Letter to Mr Lim Swee Say):
Minister Lim has made significant and impactful contributions to government policy-making and the society in his 20-year political career. As Minister for the Environment, he had introduced NEWater, and was complimented by Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, as "a game-changer in our water story". Under Mr Lim's leadership, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) saw a significant growth in its membership. Mr Lim even reviewed and revised the Employment Act together with the Government to raise standards and provide protection for more workers. Mr Lim is committed to ensuring workers remain employable, and he firmly upheld the importance of creating jobs for Singapore citizens. The two initiatives by Mr Lim, namely, Skills Redevelopment Programme, and Employment and Employable Institute (e2i), have benefited more than 600,000 Singaporean workers. In 2015, Mr Lim was appointed Minister for Manpower, where he managed "strong political pressures" and "balanced the interests of workers with the needs of businesses". His dedication eventually led to both businesses and workers recognising him as a "reliable, trusted partner who understood their concerns and aspirations".
NCPA Distinguished Speaker Lecture Series has been organised by NCPA for the third year running. It was first launched in October 2017 at NCPA's 25th anniversary ceremony, where distinguished leaders in the public and private sectors with international prestige in their respective fields were invited to deliver a public lecture. The lecture series features diverse topics, including globalisation, public administration and governance. Speakers of the last three series include Professor Justin Yifu Lin, a renowned economist; Ms Janice Lachance, former President of the American Society for Public Administration; and Professor Subra Suresh, President of NTU.
