Speech by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Conferment Ceremony of the Great Gold Medal On President Tan at the Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon

        It is an honour to be conferred the Great Gold Medal of Comenius University and a privilege to be able to address you today.

Singapore and Slovakia

        At first glance, Slovakia and Singapore seem like very different countries.  Singapore is a tropical island with a land size of about 710 square kilometres, while Slovakia is a temperate nation of about 49,000 square kilometres, many times that of Singapore’s. But, on deeper examination, we share many similar characteristics. Both nations are considered high-income advanced economies, with Slovakia dubbed the “Tatra Tiger” while Singapore is an “Asian Tiger”.  We both believe in having open and pro-business economies. We are an integral part of a larger network of nations, which are the EU and ASEAN respectively. Furthermore, our populations are roughly similar, in the region of five million, with a mix of ethnicity, and regarded as being well-educated and skilled labour forces.

Research, Innovation and Enterprise

        Slovakia and Singapore are small countries in an increasingly complex and uncertain world. We cannot change the hand that nature has dealt us. But we can punch above our weight, remain relevant to the world economy and create a better future for our people, by building our societies and economies on knowledge and innovation, and nurturing our people and talent for the next stage of development. For Singapore, this is a matter of national survival because our people are our only resource. Let me take this opportunity to share some thoughts with you on our development story.

Singapore’s Development Journey

        If one were to make a broad sweeping narrative of Singapore's economic history since independence in 1965, three successive and overlapping stages of development can be described. 

        In the first phase during the 1960s and 70s our principal concern was economic survival.  As a new nation with independence thrusted upon us, and the withdrawal of the British from their naval base in 1971, our economic priority then was to create jobs for a young population with high unemployment. The government of the day successfully did so and established Singapore’s viability as a nation. 

        During our next phase of growth from 1980s to 2000s, we transited from a labour-intensive economy to a capital and skill-intensive one. This was a period of higher value-add which enabled wages to rise.  Through hard work and sound policies, we caught up with the rest of the developed world. Our GDP per capita now ranks among the highest in the world. 

        Now, in the 2010s, we stand at the cusp of a new phase of development that is based on knowledge and innovation. To continue growing, we need to develop new solutions for the rest of the world. We do this by investing in the future – in research and innovation to create new knowledge and ideas, and programs to develop talent. This forms a strong foundation for a resilient and competitive economy.

        In particular, we see a niche for Singapore in developing urban solutions for a resource-constrained world, especially for developing countries where urbanisation is taking place at an unprecedented pace. As a resource-constrained and land scarce country, we have had to fashion different and sometimes unusual approaches to developing a liveable and vibrant city – for example, in the way we transport ourselves, get access to clean water, power our lives and manage wastes. The expertise and knowledge that we have developed in these areas can be shared with the rest of the world. Let me illustrate what I mean with the Singapore experience in water management.

Water Story

        Our water story is a good example of how our investments in research and innovation transformed a national vulnerability into a competitive advantage and strategic asset. Even though we have one of the highest annual rainfall at an average of 2,400mm, our key challenge is having limited land to collect and store the rainwater. Today, however, Singapore is capable of producing all the water that it requires in a sustainable and cost efficient way.

        By investing in water R&D and adopting an integrated approach to water in the last 50 years, we have put in place a robust, diversified and sustainable water supply system, comprising what we call the “Four National Taps”. First, water from local catchments.  Second, imported water. Third, NEWater – our own brand of high-grade reclaimed water. And fourth, desalinated water.

        We identified the environment and water industry as a key growth sector in 2006, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) under the Prime Minister’s Office, committed S$470 million, over 10 years, to the promotion of R&D and building of capabilities in the water sector. The Environment and Water Industry Programme Office (EWI) was also established with the aim of transforming Singapore into a vibrant and global hydrohub. We built up the relevant technological knowhow, manpower capabilities, and are attracting international water companies to anchor their R&D base and business in Singapore.

        Leveraging on the water infrastructure and the capabilities that we have developed, Singapore established itself as a ‘living laboratory’ for water technologies and solutions.  Since 2002, more than 140 test-bedding projects involving over 70 companies have been seeded in Singapore to develop innovative solutions to address the world’s most pressing water and environmental challenges. 

        Our universities have, over the years, built strong research capabilities. We are very pleased that the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University took the top two spots, respectively, in an independent review of global water research institutes conducted by Lux Research in April 2013. The study underscores our efforts in desalination, water reuse and membranes, with the latter two topping global agendas as well.  This bodes well for our continued development of research in water technologies, but Singapore is not resting on its laurels.

        Through Research, Innovation and Enterprise, we are realising our aspiration of transforming Singapore into a global hydrohub. In 2006, there were about 50 water companies in Singapore. Today, we have over 130 companies and 26 research centres providing water solutions based on innovations such as reverse osmosis, ion exchange and chemical treatment for ultra-pure water purification or used water treatment. A notable example of a home grown water champion is Hyflux, alongside other integrated solution providers such as Keppel Corp, and Sembcorp. By 2015, the sector is expected to contribute up to 0.6% of GDP.

        Our water journey is one success story that we hope to emulate across other sectors to remain relevant to the world economy and create a better future for our people powered by knowledge and innovation.

Conclusion

        Thank you once again for the opportunity to share our experiences with you.

        Research and innovation has had an important corollary effect and underpin the transformation of our economy, by upgrading existing industries and catalysing new growth areas.  It ensures the continued competitiveness of our key sectors. With strong funding commitment and an environment conducive to scientific discovery, Singapore hopes to build up a critical mass of researchers, who together with enterprises would develop innovative path-breaking solutions for Singapore and the world.

        As both our nations continue to progress, I believe that we have a lot of learn from one another. I look forward to the deepening of our relationship. Finally, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to the Comenius University for this great honour and to all Slovaks for the very warm hospitality I have experienced over the course of my visit to your great country. 

        Thank you.