2014/15 IPS-Nathan Lecture Series by Mr Ho Kwon Ping

Politics and Governance 

The first lecture in the series is titled Politics and Governance and ponders the next decades of political administration in Singapore. It discusses the prospects of the People’s Action Party in the age of social media, and broadly sets out the historical trends that other dominant political systems have undergone. How should governance evolve as our democracy matures? Can our current model of governance benefit from any reforms? And what of our political system? Simply put, will there even be a PAP in 50 years time?

00:09 mins - Opening Remarks: Prof Tommy Koh, Special Adviser, Institute of Policy Studies 
06:09 mins - Speaker: Mr Ho Kwon Ping, 2014/15 IPS Nathan Fellow
1:06:11 mins - Q&A chaired by Mr Janadas Devan, Director, Institute of Policy Studies 

Date: 20 October 2014
Time: 6.00 pm - 7.45pm
Venue: Theatre, University Cultural Centre

2014/15 IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture I by Mr Ho Kwon Ping

Economy and Business 

No economic forecasting can cover both the known unknowns and unknown unknowns for the next 50 years. We return to fundamentals and question whether the basic strategy for Singapore’s success in the past – leveraging off the Three L’s of Location, Land, and Labour – are still valid, especially the role of manufacturing when other city-states have moved entirely into services provision. Then, a few sacred cows or below-the-radar issues which will impact on the very long term future of business and the economy are examined in more detail. These include the need for a more integrated immigration and foreign worker policy, changes to the education, land and housing policies, the need for new indices of economic well-being, and the creation of an innovation-attracting social environment.

00:10 mins - Speaker: Mr Ho Kwon Ping, 2014/15 IPS Nathan Fellow
1:05:42 mins - Q&A chaired by Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Member, Academic Panel, Institute of Policy Studies 

Date: 12 November 2014
Time: 6.00 pm - 7.45pm
Venue: Auditorium, Shaw Foundation Alumni House

2014/15 IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture II by Mr Ho Kwon Ping

Security and Sustainability

Security is discussed through the four dimensions of external, internal, civil and societal security, and policies are examined in terms of their sustainability for the next 50 years of Singapore’s development. Questions asked include: what demographic constraints underpin the challenge of the Singapore Armed Forces, and what implications does this spell for its future? In light of the threat of domestic terrorism and the need for greater internal vigilance, what measures can we take to balance the protection of individual rights versus the needs of state security? To what extent is judicial corporal punishment justified by simply its deterrent effect as we aspire to become an increasingly humane and civilised society? And in the interests of societal cohesion, what possible policy initiatives might be considered?

00:10 mins - Speaker: Mr Ho Kwon Ping, 2014/15 IPS Nathan Fellow
45:28 mins - Q&A chaired by Amb Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies 

Date: 5 February 2015
Time: 6.00 pm - 7.45pm
Venue: Auditorium, Shaw Foundation Alumni House

2014/15 IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture III by Mr Ho Kwon Ping

Demography and Family

Security is discussed through the four dimensions of external, internal, civil and societal security, and policies are examined in terms of their sustainability for the next 50 years of Singapore’s development. Questions asked include: what demographic constraints underpin the challenge of the Singapore Armed Forces, and what implications does this spell for its future? In light of the threat of domestic terrorism and the need for greater internal vigilance, what measures can we take to balance the protection of individual rights versus the needs of state security? To what extent is judicial corporal punishment justified by simply its deterrent effect as we aspire to become an increasingly humane and civilised society? And in the interests of societal cohesion, what possible policy initiatives might be considered?

00:10 mins - Speaker: Mr Ho Kwon Ping, 2014/15 IPS Nathan Fellow
50:19 mins - Q&A chaired by Ms Dawn Yip, Founder and Principal Consultant, Soulbreath Consulting 

Date: 4 March 2015
Time: 6.00 pm - 7.45pm
Venue: Auditorium, Shaw Foundation Alumni House

2014/15 IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture IV by Mr Ho Kwon Ping

Society and Identity

Society and Identity in Singapore is as amorphous as it is ambiguous in our context, yet has possibly the biggest impact on our future. How do we maintain the Singapore Dream as a purposeful aspiration for all Singaporeans amidst the plurality of, at times, competing ambitions? Three issues will be discussed – firstly, the strengthening of a cohesive diversity which underpins the Singaporean Identity; secondly, improving social mobility and a culture of egalitarianism; thirdly, embracing a more collaborative style of governance as we transition into the next fifty years of our independence.

0:10 mins - Speaker: Mr Ho Kwon Ping, 2014/15 IPS Nathan Fellow
51:26 mins - Q&A chaired by Mr Janadas Devan, Director, Institute of Policy Studies 

Date: 9 April 2015
Time: 6.00 pm - 7.45pm
Venue: Theatre, University Cultural Centre

2014/15 IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture V by Mr Ho Kwon Ping

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) was established in 1988 as an independent think-tank to study and generate public policy ideas in Singapore. IPS became an autonomous research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore in 2008. Today, IPS continues to analyse public policy, build bridges between thought leaders, and communicate its findings to a wide audience. The Institute examines issues of critical national interest across a variety of fields, and studies the attitudes and aspirations of Singaporeans through surveys of public perception. It adopts a multi-disciplinary approach in its analyses and takes the long-term view in its strategic deliberation and research.