Singapore Perspectives 2015

Choices

Singapore reaches an important milestone in its national development in 2015 when it celebrates its 50th year of independence. It has earned many accolades for the progress it has made in governance, the economy and societal development. However, with changing demographics, resource constraints and the emergence of regional competitors, Singapore's future is fraught with uncertainty.

The book is a collection of papers presented at Singapore Perspectives 2015 by leading thought leaders and eminent speakers, reflecting on the critical decisions made in Singapore's past so as to envision strategic paths that the country should take in the future.

The contributors include experts in their fields: Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan, Professor Evelyn Goh, Professor Tan Kong Yam, Professor Linda Lim, Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Tong Yee, Vikram Khanna and Associate Professor Eugene Tan. The inter-generational dialogue session with Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress Chan Chun Sing carries the central theme of looking at the choices Singapore made in the past and the choices that have to be made moving forward.

In line with reflecting on Singapore's past, the book will include a full report on a survey of 1,500 Singaporeans' perceptions of 50 historical events from independence to now.

Contents:

• Preface (Janadas Devan)

• Acknowledgements

• Introduction: Looking Back to Look Forward (Carol Soon and Hoe Su Fern)

• Sovereignty:

  • Sovereignty for Small States (Bilahari Kausikan)
  • Singapore's Future in a World of Hybrid Sovereignty (Evelyn Goh)

• Global City:

  • Managing Singapore's Globalisation and Its Discontents: A Long Term Perspective (Tan Kong Yam)
  • Beyond the "Global City" Paradigm (Linda Lim)

• Debate:

  • Pragmatism Should Be Retained As Singapore's Governing Philosophy (Kishore Mahbubani, Tong Yee, Vikram Khanna and Eugene K B Tan)

• Inter-Generational Ministerial Dialogue:

  • Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister Chan Chun Sing

• Background Paper:

  • Study on the Perceptions of Singapore's History (Leong Chan-Hoong, Magdalene Choo, Elaine Ho, Varian Lim, Paveena Seah and Yang Wai Wai)

Readership: Students, academics, policy makers, corporate sector officials and civil society activists, and general public interested in Singapore.
Key Features:

• Records important speeches by prominent public intellectuals and academics on pertinent issues facing Singapore as it approaches its 50th year of independence
• Serves as a valuable record of an inter-generation dialogue between two ministers who spoke on political, economic and social issues that will resonate with different segments of the society for years to come
• Features the report of a study on people's perceptions of Singapore's history and the findings will appeal to policymakers, academics, community organisations and educators