Recently, our LKYSPP Alumni Singapore Chapter hosted a fireside chat with Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment that saw an engaging discussion across a broad range of topics.
Moderated by MPP alumni See Haojun, Dr Janil took questions and discussed how education policy, coordinated public service delivery, and citizen engagement helped rebuild trust and resilience in a time of transition.
This event is part LKYSPP AlumIdeas - an alumni-led series that explores emerging trends, disruptions, and pressing public policy challenges.
Read more below from Haojun of his takeaways from the fireside chat, which is also available here:
Last night, we had the rare chance to sit down with Dr Janil Puthucheary at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy for an open and reflective dialogue on Singapore’s future at the first installment of the AlumIdeas: Botanic Firesides.
We had no shortage of questions—from both alumni and students—that filled the 90 minutes we had together.
Many questions were raised for discussion. Zhong Yi Ng asked about the evolving meaning of meritocracy. Bernard Oh raised a timely concern: how should governments respond to the growing threat to social cohesion posed by social media, generative AI, and encrypted apps—without reaching for heavy-handed regulation? We covered a good amount of ground the evening, from social cohesion and class divides to whether the education system is keeping pace with the digital age.
Dr Janil reminded us that race, language, and religion—named in our pledge—remain critical lines to protect. But he also noted how new fractures may emerge, particularly around class, if we don’t stay alert as Singapore evolves.
One moment that stood out: Dr Janil shared how playing PS4 with his three sons was something that didn’t necessarily feel “productive” at the time but became a source of good memories and connection. That personal story lingered. It reminded me that policy is ultimately about people: what we value, what we protect, what we build into daily life.
I’m grateful to Keith Yap for encouraging me to organise this. Moderating the session was a personal highlight. And I deeply appreciate Kartini Rahman, Peiyi S., Zubaidah Nazeer, and Hilman Sobahri from the LKYSPP team for making the dialogue possible!
A heartening detail: many alumni came, including those from earlier cohorts. There’s a quiet shift happening too; more Singapore-based alumni are re-engaging with LKYSPP events. As part of the alumni committee for LKYSPP, I hope we continue nurturing that.
We’re already planning the next dialogue. If there’s someone you think we should invite, do let us know!
