焦點出版

Retired Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan gives his perspectives on regional and global developments that pertain to Singapore’s foreign policy.

A first collection of essays and public speeches, covering the period from Singapore’s independence in 1965 to 2017, was published under the title Singapore Is Not An Island. This second collection of articles and speeches builds on this and covers events up to 2023.

Sharing his strategic insights through various essays, talks and papers, Bilahari shows why and how Singapore and Asean should navigate the new strategic environment. Global and regional issues are examined through the realistic lens of Singapore’s foreign policy interests.

AUTHOR

 BILAHARI Kausikan

Bilahari Kausikan is currently Chairman of the Middle East Institute, an autonomous institute of the National University of Singapore. He has spent his entire career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his 37 years in the Ministry, he served in a variety of appointments at home and abroad, including as Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Permanent Representative to the UN in New York and as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry. Raffles Institution, the University of Singapore and Columbia University in New York all attempted to educate him.

EDITOR

TAN Lian Choo

A former award-winning journalist with The Straits Times, Tan Lian Choo joined the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1995, serving as then Ministry’s first Director of Public Affairs, Spokesperson for the Ministry and Press Secretary to the Foreign Minister. Her overseas diplomatic assignments included being Singapore’s Permanent Delegate to
Unesco in Paris (2007-2009), serving concurrently as Deputy Chief of Mission, Singapore Embassy in Paris (2006-2009). She was appointed Head of Mission, Singapore Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil (2012-2015). She retired from the Singapore Foreign Service in 2015.

Professor S. Jayakumar, a former minister, diplomat and law dean, shares his candid views on many facets of Singapore’s governance, including fascinating first-hand and behind-the-scenes accounts.

• On Lee Kuan Yew: first-hand recollections of events revealing the founding prime minister’s working style as well as his human side.

• On world leaders: his impressions of monarchs, prime ministers and ministers, with many of whom he developed close relations.

• On the relationships between the Government, Ministry of Law, Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Judiciary: how they interact in actual practice.

• On challenging legal issues, including: how Singapore should deal with issues such as the rule of law; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues; and tough penalties such as the death penalty and caning.

• On contemporary issues, including:

- Transition to 4G: should Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong review his handover timeline?

- General Election 2020: what are the scenarios which the election portends for Singapore’s future?

- Fight against COVID-19: was it a failure or a success story?

- Reserved Election of Presidency: was it justifiable or not?