Singapore has evolved from a developing country to a developed one, in only a few short decades. Its gross domestic product per capita has soared from just US$517 (S$697) in 1965, to US$64,582 (S$87,128) in 2018.
Impressed, visiting university students from Mexico and the United States, in early 2019, asked the city state’s Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh for its secret of success.
His reply: there was not a single secret but many, which he would consider curating a new book on.
The result: Fifty Secrets of Singapore’s Success.
The collection of 50 essays, written by leaders and experts in their fields, sheds light on how the small state has scored significant success in not only economics but also eight other areas.
Among other things, Singapore is one of the world’s least corrupt countries, has one of the highest home ownership rates worldwide — of more than 90 per cent — and has world-class schools, healthcare and environments.
Singapore has also been a good global citizen. It has played a significant role in the development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). At the United Nations (UN), Singapore has played a leadership role in the negotiations of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the UN Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (also known as the Singapore Convention on Mediation) and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.
Many of the contributors are well-known names. They include Economic Development Board’s former executive chairman, Philip Yeo; Changi Airport Group’s and Surbana Jurong’s chairman, Liew Mun Leong; Singapore Airlines’ chief executive officer, Goh Choon Phong; National Wages Council’s founding chairman, Lim Chong Yah; National Trades Union Congress president and former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Mary Liew; Housing & Development Board’s chief executive officer, Cheong Koon Hean; Singapore Management University’s president, Lily Kong; the National Institute of Education’s former director, Leo Tan; Public Service Commission’s and The Esplanade Co’s chairman, Lee Tzu Yang; Singapore’s first and longest-serving Chief of Defence Force, Winston Choo; former Singapore Police Commissioner and INTERPOL president Khoo Boon Hui; National Parks Board’s and Gardens by the Bay’s founding chief executive officer, Kiat W Tan; former ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong; veteran diplomat Chan Heng Chee; former NMP and the Association of Women for Action and Research’s former president, Kanwaljit Soin; and World Toilet Organization’s founder, Jack Sim.
Veteran journalists of The Straits Times — Vikram Khanna, Christopher Tan and Sandra Davie — have also contributed essays to the book.
