By Professor Tommy Koh: The India of My Dreams

My political awakening happened when I was in secondary school in the 1950s. I became aware that there was a worldwide movement of people living under colonial rule, and these people were rising up against their colonial masters. They wanted self-determination and independence.

The struggle by India against the British rule caught my imagination and support. There were two heroic figures in that struggle. They were Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Gandhi’s rejection of violence and his use of civil disobedience as a weapon against the British were contrarian and astonishing to a young student. Gandhi’s victory in gaining independence for India in 1947 seemed like a miracle.

When Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948, many of us cried. I am, therefore, shocked that there is a movement in India to glorify Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Vinayak Godse. Something must be seriously wrong in India if the assassin of its national hero is being glorified instead of being vilified.

What is the India of my dreams?

First, I dream of an India which is secular. By this, I mean that the Indian state has no religion and all Indians have the constitutional right to choose their own religions.
Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, Jews, Bahais and atheists would live harmoniously with one another. The Hindus, who form the majority, would respect the other faiths and would not persecute any religious minority. India could be an example to the world of religious diversity and religious harmony.

Second, I dream of an India which is a strong and vibrant democracy. India has a population of 1.339 billion people. It will soon be the most populous country in the world.

Some people say that China cannot become a democracy because it is too big. Those who make this argument have obviously forgotten the case of India.
The success of the Indian democracy is particularly impressive as the country is culturally and linguistically diverse.

It is, of course, true that the Indian democracy is not without its flaws. But it is impressive that a country with such a big population could go regularly to the polls to elect a government of its choice. Transitions of power take place peacefully. I dream of a day when vote-buying, corrupt politicians and criminal politicians and other irregularities will be a thing of the past.

Third, I dream of an India which is admired for its strong adherence to the rule of the law.

The rule of law is one of humankind’s most precious achievements. What it means is that no one is above the law and everyone is subject to the law. It means that the policeman, the prosecutor and the judge cannot be bought. In other words, justice is not for sale. It also means that the judiciary is independent of the executive.
In the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2019, India ranked 68 out of 126 countries. One of the reasons for India’s low ranking is judicial delay.

In India, it can take years for an aggrieved person to obtain justice through its courts. There are 4.3 million cases pending in the country’s high courts, with 800,000 being over 10 years old. Another problem is the abuse of the legal system by unscrupulous persons as a means to extort money from persons they have sued. I dream of the day when India will be ranked among the top 10 countries of the world for the rule of law.
Fourth, I dream of an India in which girls and women will enjoy equal rights with boys and men.

In the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, India is ranked 112 out of 153 countries. In the UNDP’s Gender Inequality Index, India is ranked 135 out of 187 countries. The female literacy rate in India is 60.6 per cent compared to 81.3 per cent for men. The rates of malnutrition are exceptionally high for adolescent girls and pregnant and lactating women. Violence against women, especially sexual violence, has been on the rise.

I dream of an India in which no person, no matter what caste he or she belongs to, will be discriminated against. I dream of a day in which the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the two covenants will be enjoyed by all Indians, irrespective of race, religion, gender and caste.

Fifth, I dream of an India in which the abject poverty we see today will no longer exist. According to the Indian government, 29.8 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. This means about 360 million people. This is based upon a poverty line fixed at US$0.65 a day. The World Bank draws the poverty line at US$2 a day.
Whatever the figure, the number of poor people in India is shockingly high. Who are the poor people? They are farm workers in villages, casual workers in cities, the tribal people, the Dalits or Untouchables and the Muslims.

To reduce poverty in India, we need the Indian economy to grow at a much faster rate than the present. We also need a fairer distribution of the fruits of economic progress. We need Indian leaders who will make the reduction of poverty, a national priority, not in words but in deeds.

Sixth, I dream of an India whose economy is on par with that of China. The two countries have populations of approximately the same size. However, in 2019, the Chinese economy was 4.78 times bigger than that of India. India has been grossly under-performing.

In order to catch up with China, India has to raise its annual rate of growth to between 8 and 10 per cent and maintain it at that level for two to three decades. Can it be done? The answer is yes if the government and people of India have a shared political will to accomplish that ambition.

Seventh, I dream of an India which is high for good governance and low for corruption.

In Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index for 2019, India was ranked 80 out of 179 countries. Corruption is a serious problem in India. At present, India is ranked high for corruption and low for good governance. I would like to see that reversed.

Eighth, I dream of an India which is admired for its soft power.

India has a rich and ancient civilisation. Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism are four of the world’s great religions. India is renowned for its Bollywood movies and its cricket stars. Gandhi, Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore and Amartya Sen are world icons.

However, in spite of these assets, India’s soft power today is weak. In the 2019 Soft Power 30, India is not included in the top 30 countries for soft power. I have asked the author of the index why India is not included. He said that there were too many negatives about India, for example, poverty and inequality, oppression of women and other minorities, polluted cities, poor state of education and public health, etc.

The India of my dreams is a secular India and a model of religious diversity and harmony. It is a vibrant democracy with a strong adherence to the rule of law. It protects the rights of girls, women, Dalits, the tribal people and other minorities. India will have caught up with China economically. Poverty will be reduced to below 10 per cent. India’s soft power will be admired by the world. I hope that the India of my dreams will, one day, become a reality.

Dr John Van Wyhe Unveils Manuscripts of Naturalist Charles Darwin

Dr John van Wyhe, Tembusu Fellow and senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences unveiled an extraordinary collection of priceless manuscripts of naturalist Charles Darwin on Evolution Day (24 Nov 2020). This included two rare pages from the original draft of On the Origin of Species, now made accessible from the Darwin Online website, 161 years since the initial publication of Charles Darwin’s seminal book in 1859.

Check out the following links for details about the media coverage:

2020, 11.24 Interview with John van Wyhe on new Darwin manuscripts online. BBC World Service TV

2020, 11.24 See 2 new pages from Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species’ draft onlineFuturity.

2020, 11.23 [Interview with John van Wyhe.] Lessons from Darwin and evolution, 161 years on. The Straits Times, p. B10. (online editionPDF of print edition)

2020, 11.23 [Interview with John van Wyhe.] Darwin’s handwritten pages from On the Origin of Species go onlineNUS Research News

2020, 11.23 Darwin’s handwritten pages from On the Origin of Species go online for the first time. EurekAlert!

2020, 11.23 Darwin’s handwritten pages from ‘On the Origin of Species’ go online for the first time. Phys.Org

By Professor Tommy Koh: Islam And Europe: Should Caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad be Protected by the Freedom of Speech?

Introduction

On 30 September 2005, the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, published 12 editorial cartoons.  Most of the cartoons depicted the Prophet Muhammad.  The newspaper stated that it was an attempt to contribute to the debate about criticism of Islam and against self-censorship.

When the cartoons were published, the Muslims in Denmark protested against them.  The protest was taken up by the Muslim communities all over the world.  Some of the protests became violent and led to the death of 250 individuals.  Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries in the Middle East, organized a boycott of Danish products.

 

Charlie Hebdo

On 2 November 2011, the French satirical weekly newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, published an issue with the Prophet Muhammad, as the alleged guest editor.  A day after its publication, the premises of the newspaper were firebombed.

In September 2012, the same newspaper published a series of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, in very bad taste.  Speaking at the UN, soon after the publication of the cartoons, the US President, Barack Obama, said:

The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.  But to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated, or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied. 

On 7 January 2015, two gunmen forced their way into the premises of Charlie Hebdo.  They opened fire and killed 12 members of the staff.  The world reacted in horror to this outrage.  Many of the leaders of the world, including those from Muslim countries, joined the President of France, in a public display of solidarity.

 

Samuel Paty

Samuel Paty was a French school teacher.  He taught at a junior high school in a commune called Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, not far from Paris.  In early October 2020, Paty was teaching a class on the freedom of expression.  He showed his students two cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, from Charlie Hebdo.  Some of his students and their parents were unhappy with his action.

On the 16 of October 2020, an 18 year old Muslim immigrant from Russia, Abdoullakh Abouyezidovitch Anzorov, went to Samuel Paty’s school.  He asked a number of the students to identify Mr Paty.  He followed him, killed him with a knife and decapitated him.  Anzorov was shot dead by the police.

In a speech made on 2 October 2020 against “Islamist separatism”, President Macron described Islam as a religion that is currently in crisis. On 21 October 2020, at a national memorial in honour of Samuel Paty, at which the Legion of Honour was conferred posthumously on the slain teacher, the President said that France would not disavow the cartoons.  Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, from Charlie Hebdo, were also displayed on some public buildings in two cities in the south of France.

On 31 October 2020, in response to criticisms about his remarks, Macron gave an interview with Al Jazeera to emphasise that there is no stigmatisation of Islam in France, although the government has the duty to uphold French values of freedom of expression. He also published an op-ed in the Financial Times on 4 November 2020 to make similar points.

 

Netherlands

On 2 November 2020, a teacher at a high school in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, went into hiding after receiving threats following a classroom discussion on the killing of French teacher Samuel Paty. During the discussion, some students took offence with a satirical cartoon hanging in the classroom and a photo of the image began circulating on social media within a day. A young woman has been arrested on suspicion of inciting threats. There was a similar incident at another school in Den Bosch on 5 November and the offending teacher was also subject to threats.  The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, has called the threats to the teachers, “absurd” and “intolerable”. 

 

The Central Question

Almost all the countries of the world, including Muslim countries, have condemned the killing of Samuel Paty.  At the same time, many thoughtful persons, outside Europe have appealed to Denmark, France, the Netherlands and other European countries, to refrain from insulting Islam and its prophet.  The central question is whether the freedom of speech includes the right to slander Islam or any other religion.

 

The Secularization of Western Europe

Over the past 50 years, Christianity has been on the decline in northern and western Europe.  In a 20 May 2018 report, by the Peace Research Centre, it was stated that the majority of European Christians are non-practising.  Western Europe has become one of the world’s most secular regions.

The report found that only a minority, about 22 percent of the Christians of Europe, attend monthly services.  In every country, except, Italy, the non-practising Christians outnumber those who attend church regularly.

The secularization of western Europe may explain why Europeans see nothing wrong in mocking the prophet of Islam and naming bars and restaurants after Lord Buddha.  Europeans must understand that while western Europe has become less religious, this is not the case in all parts of the world. 

For example, there is increasing religiosity among Muslims.  Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.  At present, Islam has 1.9 billion adherents, accounting for 24.9 percent of the world’s population.  Christianity has 2.4 billion adherents, or 31 percent of the world’s population.  Islam is projected to overtake Christianity as the biggest religion of the world by 2070, according to Peace Research Centre.

 

Limits To Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is an important human right.  It is protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International  Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

All legal systems, however, recognise certain limits to the freedom of speech, such as, defamation, perjury, incitement to violence, pornography, obscenity, sedition, blasphemy, etc.  In 16 European countries, including France, the denial of the Holocaust is not protected by free speech.  The Holocaust led to the death of 6 million Jews.  To deny that this tragedy had happened is deeply offensive to the Jews of the world.  For this reason, the denial of the Holocaust is made a crime in those countries.  This is laudable.

 

Europe and the World

Both Asia and Europe do not exist in isolation. We are   part of the world and we want to live in harmony with the rest of the world.  In order to do so, both Asia and Europe must consider the feelings of the other regions and countries of the world.

We live in a very diverse world.  We have peoples of different races, religions, languages, cultures and ideologies.  We live on the same planet and we must learn to live at peace with one another.  For this to happen, we must show tolerance and respect for the faiths of others.

Religion seems to be less important to many western Europeans, it is, however, very important to the followers of many religions, including Islam.  In Singapore, we value religious harmony. 

 

Appeal to Europe

In order to preserve that harmony, we show respect for all religions, even if we are irreligious.  Your freedom of speech must not violate my freedom not to have my religion satirized or mocked.  I make this sincere appeal to my European friends to reconsider the wisdom of recent actions which might be misconstrued as disrespect for Islam and its prophet.

 

By Professor Tommy Koh: Biden’s Foreign Policy: A Prognosis

I have known the President-Elect, Joe Biden, since 1984. During the period, 1984 to 1990, I served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States. I called often on Senator Biden, who was a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I found him to be knowledgeable and friendly. It helped that he had enormous respect for our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

President Barack Obama respected Mr Biden’s knowledge of foreign affairs. He delegated to his Vice-President, responsibility for Iraq, Ukraine and Latin-America. With his experience and his vast network of influential friends, Mr Biden is well-prepared for the presidency and the challenges of America’s foreign relations.

America First

With Mr Biden in the White House, we will be closing the chapter on President Donald Trump’s signature ‘America First’ foreign policy. The policy expresses itself in many ways but let me cite one example : during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a global shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). President Trump issued an order to all American companies, manufacturing PPEs outside America, to ignore their contractual obligations and to send their production back to the United States.

I don’t think a President Biden would have issued such an order. He knows that America cannot be the leader of the world, if it thinks only of itself.

Strengthening The Alliance

One of the strengths of America’s foreign policy is its alliance system. The best-known example is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).

Mr Biden knows that Nato serves America’s national security interests and can be expected to strengthen it rather than undermine it by, for example, withdrawing troops from Germany.

Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand are also treaty allies of the United States. As with Nato, a better appreciation of these allies can be expected from the Biden administration. What we will see is a strengthening of these alliances, taking into account the big picture of America’s national security interests instead of focusing and fighting over how much the Japanese and South Korean governments should pay US taxpayers for stationing US troops in their countries.

End Trump’s War On Multilateralism

President Trump believes strongly in US sovereignty. He believes that multilateralism and multilateral institutions weaken American sovereignty.

Unlike Mr Trump, Mr Biden believes that America cannot operate alone in this inter-dependent and inter-connected world. He believes that the US has to work with its allies, partners and friends and that the Post-World War Two international order and its institutions serve American interests. He will therefore put an end to Trump’s campaign against globalism and multilateralism.

Mr Biden has already announced that the US will rejoin the World Health Organisation, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear programme signed between Teheran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council together with Germany.

Whether Mr Biden will be able to carry out the full extent of his campaign promises is likely to hinge on who will control the US Senate, and that question will depend on the outcome of two elections, which will be held in January 2021, to fill the two senate seats for the state of Georgia.

While that lies ahead, there are things that Mr Biden can do that may seem small scale on first sight but has a bigger positive impact. For instance, I hope he will stop blocking the appointment of appellate judges of the World Trade Organisation, an indispensable international organisation. The much admired dispute settlement system of the WTO has been paralysed by Trump’s refusal to approve the appointment of such judges.

 

Will The US Join CPTPP?

One of the most important achievements of the Obama administration was the conclusion, after five years of negotiation, of the free trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP. The agreement had 12 partners, on both side of the Pacific Ocean. On his first day in office, President Trump withdrew from the TPP.

The remaining 11 partners of the TPP, led by Japan, decided to keep it going. After further negotiations, to reflect the withdrawal of the US, the TPP was reincarnated as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership or CPTPP. It came into force in 2018 among the first six countries to ratify the agreement – Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore. It has since grown with Vietnam, Malaysia and Chile among its new members.

The question is whether under Mr Biden, the US will join the CPTPP. Ideally, the US should join. However, I don’t think it will, for the time being. Why? Because the US politicians have demonised free trade and the TPP. Even if Mr Biden is prepared to pay the political cost of joining the CPTPP, it may be blocked by the US Congress.

ASEAN-US Ties

The Obama-Biden Administration elevated the importance of Asean in US foreign policy.

I hope that Mr Biden will continue Mr Obama’s legacy. Unlike Mr Trump, who has skipped three Asean summits in a row, I am more hopeful of Mr Biden showing up for the annual ASEAN summit and related summits. If he is unable to attend, I expect him to send his Vice-President, Kamala Harris, to represent him.

North Korea

I don’t think Mr Biden and Chairman Kim Jong Un will be writing ‘love letters’ to each other in the way President Trump and the North Korean leader did in their unlikely ‘bromance’.

I don’t expect Mr Biden to agree to meet Mr Kim unless Pyongyang shows concrete evidence, and not just words, of its commitment to the complete and irresponsible de-nuclearisation of North Korea.

Russia

I expect Mr Biden will be tougher on Russia than Mr Trump. He will hold Russia accountable for its actions in Georgia and the Ukraine. However, I expect the US and Russia to cooperate where their interests converge.

China

I expect Mr Biden to stop the so-called new Cold War which Mr Trump has launched against China.

However, I do not expect the US-China relationship to go back to the state it was in during the Obama Administration. US public opinion and elite opinion in both the Democratic and Republican parties have become anti-China. Even the US business community, which used to support China, has become critical.

The new consensus in the US is that China is a strategic competitor. In view of thisI expect Mr Trump’s Cold War to be replaced by a Cold Peace. A cold war is a contest between two adversaries.  The competition is waged on many fronts, including trade, technology, military, ideology, culture, and diplomacy.  In contrast, a cold peace is a situation in which the two countries do not regard each other as adversaries.  They are at peace with each other but there is no warmth in the relationship.

Joe Biden is not an isolationist or unilateralist. He is a multilateralist.

His vision is not of an America against the world or America alone in the world. His vision is of an America with the world and leading the world. He will uphold international law and the rule of law and will support a rules-based international order.
In keeping with the values he espouses, one can expect a Biden administration o restore Asean’s importance to US policy. In Asia, even as we can expect a Cold Peace with China, it is likely that Mr Biden will maintain America’s extremely close relationship with India.

He will pay more attention to Latin-America and will treat Africa with respect and not derision. He will not be anti-Islam.

Mr Biden is a team player and not a solo player. He is likely to appoint experienced experts, both within and outside the Democratic Party, to key positions in his administration.

Given what we know of Mr Biden’s character and the early statements from his transition team, the world can, hopefully, look forward to four years of stability, rationality and principled leadership.

By Professor Tommy Koh: The 2020 US Presidential Election – A Quest For Understanding

Introduction

The United States of America is a very complicated country.  Although I have spent over 20 years of my life in that country, I am frequently surprised and puzzled by events in that country.  This essay is an attempt to understand the 2020 elections which have been won by President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris. I should add that President Donald Trump has not conceded defeat and intends to challenge the results in the courts. 


Blue States and Red States

The Democratic Party is represented by the colour blue.  The Republican Party is represented by the colour red.  A very striking feature of the election result, is that the 3 states on the west coast and the 10 states on the northeast coast, are blue states.  The reason is probably that the people on the two coasts are better educated, more cosmopolitan and liberal.  This is why most of them voted for the Democratic Party.


Why is the South Coloured Red?

Another striking feature is that most of the states in the south, which were part of the confederacy during the Civil War, are red states.  Georgia is the only exception to the rule.  Historically, the southern states were blue states.  However, when Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, decided to end segregation in the south, and introduced the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, the south felt betrayed by the Democratic Party.  As a result, all of them switched their allegiance to the Republican Party.  The Republican Party, the party of Abraham Lincoln, has forgotten his legacy and become the champion of the white voters.


Why are most of the states between the two coasts are red states?

It is also very striking that most of the states between the two coasts are red states?  Is there an explanation for the phenomenon?  I think there is. The people who live in the middle of the country tend to be more conservative than those living on the two coasts.  They also tend to be more religious.  Many of the Americans who live in the rural America and in the west, tend to own guns and hunt for recreation.  The Republican Party has weaponised Christianity against the Democratic Party.  It has also embraced the National Rifle Association and the gun lobby.  To understand this better, please read Joe Bageant’s excellent book, Hunting with Jesus.


Urban and Rural Voters

There is another interesting phenomenon.  It is the political divide between the voters living in cities, who tend to vote for the Democratic Party and the suburban and rural voters, who tend to vote for the Republican Party.  We saw the same divide in the British Brexit referendum.  This could be explained by the fact that people who live in cities tend to be more liberal than those who live in the suburbs and rural areas.


The Education Divide

Education is another divisive factor.  There appears to be a political divide between the white college-educated voters and non-college-educated white voters.  Those with college degrees tend to vote for the Democratic Party and those without tend to vote for the Republican Party.  I think the explanation is that those who have had the benefit of a university education, tend to be more liberal than those who do not.


The White Working Class

Until the 2016 Presidential Election, neither party had focused on the white working-class voters.  Historically, the Democratic Party was the champion of the working class.  The party made the mistake of taking this constituency for granted.  The party’s leaders, such as, Hillary Clinton, also became elitist and lost touch with this constituency.  In 2016, President Trump saw the opportunity to be the champion of this constituency. The Republican Party has succeeded in capturing the support of the white working-class voters. To understand this development better, I recommend two excellent books:  Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance and the White Working Class by Joan C Williams.


White Voters and Black Voters

There is also a racial divide in the behaviour of the voters.  By a big majority, the black voters voted for Joe Biden.  Most of the Asian Americans, Hispanic-Americans and the Native Americans also voted for him.  However, in Florida, there were two groups of Hispanic-Americans who voted for Donald Trump.  These were the Cuban-Americans who were ideologically anti-left and the Venezuelan-Americans who were grateful to President Trump for his opposition to Venezuelan President Maduro.  In the case of the white voters, especially the male white voters, a majority voted for Donald Trump.  A majority of white female voters voted for Biden.


The Gender Divide

There is also a gender divide in the voting behaviour of male and female voters.  In every election, a higher percentage of women voters than men took part in the election.  There is a 4 percent gender gap between men and women.  More women voted for the Democratic Party.  About 56 percent of registered women voters identified themselves as Democrats or leaning towards them whereas only 38 percent of such voters identified themselves as Republicans or leaning towards them.


The Young Voters

Who did the young voters, below the age of 30, vote for?  This group of voters constitutes 17 percent of the electorate.  According to www.vox.com, 53 percent of the young voters cast their ballots this year.  The young voters did not vote as a bloc.  A slight majority of young male voters voted for Trump.  A big majority of young female voters voted for Biden.  Youth of colour voted overwhelmingly for Biden.  According to a report, of 7 November 2020, by the Tufts Tisch College, the youth vote was one of the factors which powered Biden to victory. 


A Divided America

Thirty years ago, American was a different country.  In the old America, the two political parties did not see each other as enemies.  They saw each other as competitors.  The leaders of the two parties consulted frequently and were often able to achieve a consensus on contentious issues.  In those days, there was agreement to put nation before party and party before self.   In the recent past, some American leaders seemed to put self before party and party before nation. 

I recall for example, that Senator Joe Biden (D) and Senator Richard Luger (R) would alternate as Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, depending on which party had a majority in the Senate.  The two Senators were friends and were able to work closely together. 

To be sure, there was some ideological differences between the two parties.  The Republican Party stood for free trade and the Democratic Party was more protectionist.  The Democratic Party tended to give a higher priority to democracy and human rights in its foreign policy agenda. The differences were however, of degree rather than kind.  There were more commonalities between them than differences.

Over the past 30 years, America has become more polarized and divided.  The paradigm shift probably began with Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican who viewed the Democratic Party as enemy and advocated confrontation over compromise.  The relations between the two parties have become toxic and they view each other as the enemy of the people.


The Future

Joe Biden is a healer and unifier.  We must wish him success in uniting a deeply divided nation. I hope the Republicans in Congress will not rebuff him as they did to President Obama.  The Democratic and Republican parties must put aside their petty differences to tackle the monumental challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic recession, the just demand of the Blacks for equality and justice, climate change and the formulation of a new foreign policy. 

The election of Kamala Harris as the Vice-President-elect is a historical first in three ways.  She is the first woman, the first black woman and the first Asian-American, to hold that high office.  She is a tremendous asset to Joe Biden.

I have a final message to my friends in the Democratic and the Republican Parties:  America leads best abroad when she is united at home.


Tembusu Ambassadors Are Recruiting!


Your Ticket to the World!

Can’t stop talking about Tembusu and eager to share your love for our college to the world? Look no further!

As Tembusu Ambassadors, we promote and showcase our Home of Possibilities to prospective students and their parents at various tertiary institutions and members of the public during outreach events, such as NUS Open Day and college admissions interviews.

On special occasions, Tembusu Ambassadors also suit up to host distinguished local and foreign guests when they visit Tembusu College or UTown. It is a great opportunity to hone your leadership and communication skills, while creating memorable experiences as representatives of the college.

What do Tembusu Ambassadors do?

  • Promote residential college education to prospective students at various tertiary institutions e.g. High Schools, Junior Colleges and Polytechnics
  • Welcome visitors and distinguished guests
  • Conduct campus tours around Tembusu College
  • Assist in managing college events (e.g. Tembusu Forums and tour management for Open Day)
  • Be involved in a working group within the team (AY19/20: Experiential Learning, Social Media, Outreach Review and Open Day)*

*Working groups are reviewed and formed during our annual retreat so they are subjected to changes

Who is an ideal candidate?

We are looking for responsible, personable and committed Tembusu College students (Freshmen, Seniors) who are team players and are excited to share their love for the college to prospective students and external guests!

“Joining the Tembusu Ambassadors provided me the opportunity to get involved with the College’s various external engagements which ranged from sharing my Tembusu experience with prospectus students during school outreaches to hosting foreign dignitaries on behalf of the College. While the Tembusu Ambassadors is a meaningful platform to serve the College, it is also an avenue for personal growth – throughout my six years as a Tembusu Ambassador, I was able to develop into a confident and effective communicator. My role as an Ambassador has also enabled me to meaningfully reflect on my holistic development in the College. Alongside these opportunities, I also forged friendships with diverse and dynamic team members who are deeply passionate about sharing and curating the Tembusu experience. If the thought of these opportunities excite you, go for it; apply to be a part of the Tembusu Ambassadors family!”

— Murni Marisa graduated from NUS with a M. Soc. Sci in Political Science. She is currently working at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

“If I had to choose some of my best memories in NUS, my experience as a Tembusu Ambassador would definitely be on the list. Presenting our college to high-profile university administrators from around the world, acquainting with diplomats and other distinguished guests, and not to mention, working with the most passionate and brightest students in the college who later became some of my closest friends; are only small glimpses of the many things that I got to experience as a Tembusu Ambassador. If you wish to make your university life meaningful, there is no doubt that joining the Tembusu Ambassador family will help you realize that. Hope to see you in the future at our Tembusu Ambassador family gathering!”

— John Hong Hoon Seock graduated with a B.A. in Political Science. During his time as an undergraduate, John was an active student leader of the Korean community in NUS. He is currently serving in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

“Four years ago, due to my lack of knowledge, I did not apply to Tembusu College. When I realised that some of my friends had secured a place there, I was compelled to apply. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions of my university life. Similarly, I regretted not applying to Tembusu Ambassadors in my freshman year. I always sought for a community that aims to achieve, be it winning in sports, fighting for a cause or serving the college. After spending a year in college, I knew that Tembusu Ambassadors was a place I wanted to be part of. Thankfully, I had a second chance and applied. Looking back at the events I was part of and how much I grew during my time in Ambassadors, I can safely say I have received much more than I had expected. At the same time, I had the opportunity to serve the college through various platforms and in doing so, prevented many students from making the same mistake I had made a long time ago – take the plunge!”

— Rajesh Mishra graduated with a B.Sc (Honours) in Physics. He is currently a Research Assistant with the NUS Centre for Quantum Technologies and pursuing a MSc in Mathematics at NUS.

“Being a part of the Tembusu Ambassadors has been an invaluable experience. As a freshman, I was interested in the way we communicated with others; students, parents or visitors to the College – participating in outreach sessions, Tembusu Forums and Open Days were great platforms for us to bring Tembusu to the world. However, I also learnt that the Ambassadors was (and still is) more than that. Every passing year with the Ambassadors presents new challenges, mainly because the team is always questioning – what has gone well, what can be improved, and how can we learn from it? At the same time, we are encouraged to grow as individuals through these driving questions too. As much as some of my greatest personal hurdles stemmed from the Tembusu Ambassadors, this was also the place where I gained the most self-awareness and growth. Through the Ambassadors, I’ve met peers whom I truly look up to, and am slowly growing to be a better version of myself.”

— Cheryl Lim graduated with a M.Arch from NUS.

“I was attracted to the role of a Tembusu Ambassador as I treasured the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds; whether it was the occasional foreign dignitary that came to visit or the fresh-eyed prospective student. What I most enjoyed about being an Ambassador was representing the college at various outreach events. While sharing about Tembusu, I also had the chance to challenge these students to think more deeply about their university education and in my own way inspire them to see their experience as more than just their academics I saw it as an opportunity to help them imagine how Tembusu could be a home of possibilities for them as well, and that made the experience very meaningful for me.”

— Dawn Seow graduated with a B.Soc.Sci in Psychology and Social Work. She is currently an Associate Librarian with the National Library Board.

“I joined the Tembusu Ambassadors because I was interested in serving the College by developing its external image and reputation. I was also keen on engaging with foreign dignitaries on behalf of the College. Here, I learnt important networking skills, as well as how to lead others. The flat structure of the Ambassadors developed our ability to lead each other through respect and service, rather than out of one’s formal position. The main highlight is definitely the camaraderie that came out from serving, and organizing events together. Although our tenure lasts a couple years, the friendships forged are timeless.”

— David Wong holds a MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy (Distinction) from the University of Oxford, and a B.Soc.Sc. in Political Science from NUS. He is currently a Consultant with Bain & Company.

“Joining the Tembusu Ambassadors offers you a unique platform and opportunity to serve and give back to the College we all love, as custodians and curators of the Tembusu brand externally. We bring the first impressions of our “Home of Possibilities” into the hearts and minds of prospective students and parents – in other words, in many ways we set the ball rolling for future cohorts of Tembusians – as well as prominent guests at events like the Inaugural and Annual Dinners and Tembusu Forums. A heavy responsibility, yes, but also an immensely exciting one. Along the way, you will find yourself honing your creativity, communication and teamwork, skillsets that will hold you in good stead for life’s subsequent challenges. The diversity within the team, and our own College experiences, only adds to our lustre, and perhaps you too, like me, will find yourself forming the most fulfilling and enduring friendships of your University days among your fellow Ambassadors. Go ahead, give it a shot – for those up to the task, being a Tembusu Ambassador will only make your time at the College all the more richly memorable and rewarding :)”

— Vinod Ashvin Ravi graduated with a B.Soc.Sci (Honours) in Political Science. He is currently working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“When I was first applying to be an Ambassador, I wanted to grow my confidence in engaging and communicating with external stakeholders. My Ambs experience enabled me to grow in so many other aspects than what I imagined. Over the years, more than giving me the opportunity to lead, being a Tembusu Ambassador gave me the opportunity to plan college-wide events, think big without losing attention to details and most importantly share what makes Tembusu special to so many prospective students.

Whether you are interested in growing yourself personally or are keen on leading initiatives to bring Tembusu to the world, do consider applying to be an Ambassador because the experience will give you that, and so much more.”

— Sai Surya is currently pursuing a Double Degree Programme in Engineering & Economics in NUS. He is the Co-Founder of Young Sustainable Impact SEA.

“Joining the Tembusu Ambassadors provided me the opportunity to get involved with the College’s various external engagements which ranged from sharing my Tembusu experience with prospectus students during school outreaches to hosting foreign dignitaries on behalf of the College. While the Tembusu Ambassadors is a meaningful platform to serve the College, it is also an avenue for personal growth – throughout my six years as a Tembusu Ambassador, I was able to develop into a confident and effective communicator. My role as an Ambassador has also enabled me to meaningfully reflect on my holistic development in the College. Alongside these opportunities, I also forged friendships with diverse and dynamic team members who are deeply passionate about sharing and curating the Tembusu experience. If the thought of these opportunities excite you, go for it; apply to be a part of the Tembusu Ambassadors family!”

— Murni Marisa graduated from NUS with a M. Soc. Sci in Political Science. She is currently working at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

How to apply:

  1. Submit the Tembusu Ambassadors Application Form. Do note that the application period is 01 December 2020, 0000 to 12 December 2020, 2359.
  2. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of their interview slots by 14 December 2020.
  3. Interviews will be conducted either on Zoom or in person between 16 December 2020 to 19 December 2020 (inclusive). More details will be shared with shortlisted candidates. You are highly encouraged to attend the interview in business attire, if possible.

Period of Appointment: One Academic Year (subject to review after first semester of service)

Do come for our information session on 16 November 2020, 8:00PM-9.30PM on Zoom. We’d love to tell you more about our experiences and the application process! Please register here for the information session before 16 November 2020, 7:00PM. We may close registration once the capacity is reached so do register early!

For any inquiries, please feel free to drop an email to: tambassadors@nus.edu.sg.

TechWeek 2020

A3_reveal

Refer to Gallery for event posters and details. 

Mock Presidential & Vice Presidential Debate

Click to enlarge
PROGRAMME:
6.50pm: Login to Webinar
7.00pm: Associate Professor Kelvin Pang, Master of Tembusu College, will introduce the Tembusu Forum
7.02pm: Professor Tommy Koh, Rector of Tembusu College, will introduce the topic and speakers
7.10pm: Ms Tina Datta - Representative of President Donald Trump
7.25pm: Mr Phong Quan - Representative of Mr Joe Biden
7.40pm: Mr Jeff Paine - Representative of Vice President Mike Pence
7.50pm: Ms Tina Forbush - Representative of Ms Kamala Harris
8.00pm: Question & Answer session (Questions from Prof Koh and Student Panel to speakers)
8.40pm: Closing remarks by speakers
8.55pm: Audience will vote and the results will be announced once the votes are in
9.00pm: End of forum
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF SPEAKERS:

*Speakers are not speaking as representatives of their employers

 

Representative of President Donald Trump

Ms Tina Datta, Chairman of the Republican Overseas Singapore 

Representative of Joe Biden

Mr Phong Quan is Californian at heart but has also called Saigon, San Francisco, New York, Beijing, and Singapore, home. He is admitted to the bar in New York and has practiced corporate law in New Yok, Beijing and now Singapore, specializing in cross-border mergers & acquisitions and venture capital investments in early-stage technology companies. He received his undergraduate degree from UC Irvine and his law degree from UC Berkeley.

He also holds a lifelong interest in US policy and politics, doing competitive policy debate in high school and interning for both Republican and Democratic politicians as a university student. He served on the executive committee for Democrats Abroad in China and currently serves on the executive committee in Singapore.

He enjoys spending his time in Singapore catching no ball and trying to write postcolonial science fiction, and you can find his work published or forthcoming in Metaphorosis and Cast of Wonders. You can find him online at phongquan.com or on Instagram and Twitter as @pqwrites.

Representative of Vice President Mike Pence

Mr Jeff Paine is a Singapore-based professional with more than 25 years’ experience at leading multinational corporations including Visa, Microsoft, Reuters and the Royal Bank of Canada.  He has been based in Singapore for more than 20 years and has held regional roles covering Southeast Asia for more than twelve years.   In 2014, he established PS-engage, his own government relations consulting firm.  PS-engage works with leading IT, e-commerce, finance and payment companies to provide guidance on constructive engagement with governments and to assist with regulatory and policy work.   He is also currently the Managing Director of the Asia Internet Coalition, a leading industry body that promotes smart policy guidance and promotes reforms that will enable the digital economy.   Jeff is also a Co-Chair of the Financial Services Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and a member of the Tax Feedback Panel at the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).

Jeff has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario in Canada and an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University in the U.S.A.  He also attended  the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he has completed a diploma program on Innovations in Governance. 

Representative of Kamala Harris 

Ms Tina Forbush, Esq., is currently the Director of College Counseling at the Singapore American School (SAS), where she has worked since 2016. She has coached both Mock Trial and Debate at SAS. Prior to moving to Singapore, she served as the Director of College Counseling and taught history at the Park School of Baltimore for sixteen years. At Park School, she coached the Mock Trial Team, which won the Maryland state championship three times. She has also worked as a lawyer in Washington, DC, clerked at the Supreme Court of Hawai’i, and taught at Punahou School in Honolulu. Tina holds an undergraduate degree from Yale College and a law degree from Yale Law School.