Singapore Perspectives 2021 "Reset"

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) will hold its annual flagship Singapore Perspectives (SP) conference, on 12, 14, 19 and 25 January 2021.

The theme of SP2021 is “Reset”. The conference aims to bring together international thought leaders, academics, activists and community leaders with each other to consider the challenges presented by the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as pre-existing trends and issues in different domains: political, social, economic, technological, ethical, and environmental.

This conference has three content tracks, framed around the key values articulated in the Singapore Pledge: progress and prosperity; happiness, justice and equality; and a democratic society. With the conference theme of “Reset”, we hope to explore what are the possible pathways for our nation after this period of uncertainty, as we plan and make decisions for the future.

Given the constraints but also the opportunities that the pandemic has surfaced for us all, the conference format will be unlike previous years. SP2021 will comprise nine online interactive forum discussions, and a final conference day event featuring in-person plenary sessions which will be broadcast to an online audience.

The nine online forum sessions will feature Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam as well as international and Singaporean public intellectuals and civic leaders including Professors Tyler Cowen, Joel Kotkin, Margaret Heffernan, Jared Diamond and Ambassador Chan Heng Chee. The final conference day on 25 January 2021 will involve panel discussions with business leaders and representatives from the three political parties with representation in Parliament and will close with a final dialogue session with Minister of Education Lawrence Wong.

Please click here to view the conference brochure.

Forum 1: Jobs and Skills

• Summary of Forum 1
• Report on Forum 1


Forum 2: Environment and Sustainability

• Summary of Forum 2
• Report on Forum 2
• Presentation Slides of Associate Professor Alex Edmans
• Presentation Slides of Associate Professor Simon Tay


Forum 3: Global Economy

• Summary of Forum 3
• Report on Forum 3


Forum 4: Identities and Cohesion

• Summary of Forum 4
• Report on Forum 4
• Presentation Slides of Ambassador Mohammad Alami Musa


Forum 5: Technology and Liveability

• Summary of Forum 5
• Report on Forum 5


Forum 6: Soul of the Nation

• Summary of Forum 6
• Report on Forum 6


Forum 7: Multilateralism and Global Cooperation

• Summary of Forum 7
• Report on Forum 7


Forum 8: The Values and Qualities of Leadership

• Summary of Forum 8
• Report on Forum 8
• Speech by Ambassador Chan Heng Chee


Forum 9: Global Trends, Social Movements and Democracy

• Summary of Forum 9
• Report on Forum 9
• Presentation Slides of Dr Roberto Foa


25 January 2021 — Opening Address


25 January 2021 — Summary of Conference Proceedings


• Report on Summary of Conference Proceedings
• Presentation Slides of Mr Christopher Gee


25 January 2021 — Panel 1: Business in Singapore 2030

• Summary of Panel 1
• Report on Panel 1


25 January 2021 — Panel 2: Politics in Singapore 2030

• Summary of Panel 2
• Report on Panel 2
• Speech by Mr Gerald Giam at the IPS Singapore Perspectives Conference 2021
• Speech by Ms Hazel Poa at the IPS Singapore Perspectives Conference 2021


25 January 2021 — Dialogue with Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Finance

• Summary of Dialogue
• Report on Dialogue
• Speech by Minister for Education Mr Lawrence Wong at the IPS Singapore Perspectives Conference 2021


Downloads
• Summary: Singapore Perspectives Conference 2021 "Reset"
• Full Report: Singapore Perspectives 2021 "Reset"


Media Coverage
• 8 世界. 2021. 尚达曼：政府应同企业工会有效协调 为求职者配对适合的工作. 1 月 12 日.
• 8 世界. 2021. 尚达曼：政府应同企业工会有效协调 为求职者配对适合的工作 (Video). 1 月 12 日.
• 8 世界. 2021. 黄循财：疫情加剧社会不平等 我国须保护弱势群体. 1 月 25 日.
• 8 世界. 2021. 黄循财：疫情加剧社会不平等 我国须保护弱势群体 (Video). 1 月 25 日.
• 8 世界. 2021. 【冠状病毒 19】黄循财预测疫情可持续四到五年. 1 月 26 日.
• Berita Harian. 2021. Covid-19 buka peluang bina naratif baru bagi S'pura. 16 January.
• Berita Harian. 2021. Isu identiti kaum terus jadi cabaran: Panelis. 16 January.
• Berita Harian. 2021. Ubah cara niaga, tetap takat melalui pendigitalan. 18 January.
• Berita Harian. 2021. Pandemik buka ruang bagi masyarakat 'kemas kini sofwe': Lawrence. 26 January.
• Berita Mediacorp. 2021. Pemulihan pasaran buruh perlu penyelarasan yang berkesan: SM Tharman. 12 January.
• Berita Mediacorp. 2021. S'pura mesti perteguh jalinan rangkaian global; sistem perdagangan terbuka. 19 January.
• Berita Mediacorp. 2021. S'pura perlu siap sedia hadapi lebih banyak perubahan dunia pasca COVID-19: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• Berita Mediacorp. 2021. Ahli politik PAP, WP & PSP bahas isu PM bukan berbangsa Cina di Forum IPS. 26 January.
• Berita Mediacorp. 2021. Kes import naik bukan kerana lebih ramai pelawat masuk S'pura, tegas Lawrence Wong. 26 January.
• Bloomberg. 2021. In Singapore, Soul-Searching Is a Post-Virus Luxury. 29 January.
• Channel NewsAsia. 2021. Singapore's labour market recovery depends on partnership between govt, firms and unions: Tharman. 12 January.
• Channel NewsAsia. 2021. COVID-19 pandemic could last 4 to 5 years: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• Channel NewsAsia. 2021. Singapore needs 'resets' in policy thinking, lifestyles and mindsets after COVID-19: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• Channel NewsAsia. 2021. When will Singapore have a non-Chinese prime minister? It's up to Singaporeans, says Janil Puthucheary. 25 January.
• Channel NewsAsia. 2021. Singapore Perspectives 2021: Dialogue With Minister Of Education Lawrence Wong. 29 January.
• Malay Mail. 2021. Jangan berat sebelah terhadap pekerja lebih matang: SM Tharman. 13 January.
• Malay Mail. 2021. Is Chinese Privilege a myth?. 17 January.
• Mediacorp Tamil Seithi. 2021. முதிய ஊழியர்களுக்குப் பயிற்சியளித்து வேலை ோய்ப்புகலள ேழங் கவேண் டும் மூத்த அலமச்சர் தர்மன் சண் முகரத்னம். 12 January.
• Mothership. 2021. S'pore must 'get better' post-pandemic, or 'muddle through' & face climate crisis in the future: IPS forum. 12 January.
• Mothership. 2021. Idea of Chinese privilege is 'intellectual scarcity': S'porean panelist at IPS forum. 14 January.
• Mothership. 2021. I don't think S'pore will ever have an Elon Musk: US economist at IPS forum with SM Tharman. 19 January.
• Mothership. 2021. 'Chinese privilege not as appropriate to use in S'pore' says Chan Heng Chee, but minorities face 'institutional racism'. 19 January.
• Mothership. 2021. What makes a good S'porean leader? Humility, transparency & creativity wanted: IPS Forum. 19 January.
• Mothership. 2021. If LKY had social media, 'maybe he would have been feared, but also loved': S'porean panelist at IPS forum. 20 January.
• Mothership. 2021. S'pore & US should learn from Finland as it's prepared for every crisis: US scholar. 20 January.
• Mothership. 2021. 100% work from home not doable: Lawrence Wong on S'pore's Covid-19 future. 25 January.
• Mothership. 2021. S'pore public ready for non-Chinese PM: PSP's Hazel Poa & WP's Gerald Giam. 25 January.
• Mothership. 2021. Lawrence Wong on 'golden age of ignorance' & Covid-19 'armchair epidemiologists' at IPS conference. 25 January.
• Mothership. 2021. PSP still needs Tan Cheng Bock to lead in near future: Hazel Poa. 25 January.
• Mothership. 2021. In societies everywhere, merit has become narrowly defined by academic abilities: Lawrence Wong. 26 January.
• Mothership. 2021. Lawrence Wong: It may take 4 to 5 years before Covid-19 pandemic ends. 26 January.
• Mothership. 2021. Is Singapore ready for a non-Chinese PM? | Singapore Perspectives Conference 2021. 26 January.
• Mothership. 2021. Lawrence Wong shares Covid-19 experiences in the past year | Singapore Perspectives Conference 2021. 26 January.
• Mothership. 2021. Comment: Lawrence Wong's speech offers fresh take on how 4G leaders can lead post Covid-19 S'pore. 27 January.
• MustShareNews. 2021. Covid-19 Pandemic May End In 4-5 Years, Lawrence Wong Says We Must Emerge As Fairer Country After. 26 January.
• Reuters. 2021. Marina Bay beckons as Singapore gears up for 'Davos in Asia'. 26 January.
• Seithi Mediacorp. 2021. COVID-19 ந ோய்த்ததோற்று இன்னும் 5 ஆண் டுகள்வரை கூட ீடிக்கலோம் : அரமச்சை்லோைன்ஸ் நவோங். 25 January.
• Singapore Business Review. 2021. 100% work from home ‘not doable': Wong. 26 January.
• The Independent Singapore. 2021. Lawrence Wong: Increase in imported Covid-19 cases not due to more travellers. 26 January.
• The Independent Singapore. 2021. PAP’s Janil Puthucheary on a non-Chinese PM: “Race continues to matter”. 26 January.
• The Independent Singapore. 2021. Cherian George: GE2020’s biggest revelation was people engaging PAP leaders online. 28 January.
• The New Paper. 2021. Tharman urges employers to end bias against mature workers. 13 January.
• The New Paper. 2021. US riots stress need to ensure social mobility: Tharman. 13 January.
• The New Paper. 2021. Racial, social identity issues will continue to be a challenge. 15 January.
• The New Paper. 2021. Pandemic could last 4 or 5 years: Lawrence Wong. 26 January.
• The Online Citizen. 2021. S’poreans to decide on whether the nation ready to have nonChinese PM, two-party political system: Senior Minister Janil Puthucheary. 25 January.
• The Online Citizen. 2021. It is up to PAP to decide if S’pore is ready to have non-Chinese PM, not the people: WP’s Yee Jenn Jong. 26 January.
• The Online Citizen. 2021. “Please do not twist facts”: Netizens chide Education Minister after claiming rise in imported cases not due to travellers entering S’pore. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Experts discuss how Singapore's pandemic recovery can drive regional sustainability. 12 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Do away with bias against mature workers, Tharman tells employers in Singapore. 12 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Singapore's post-Covid-19 economy should strike a balance between performance and resilience, say panelists at IPS forum. 12 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Riots at US Capitol underscore the importance of 'moving escalator' for social mobility, says Tharman. 12 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. 'We are our brothers' keepers,' says Tharman on raising incomes of low-wage workers. 12 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Call for employers to shake off bias and hire, train mature workers. 13 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Lifting wages of essential workers crucial: Tharman. 13 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Experts see role for Singapore in spurring sustainability in region. 13 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. US Capitol siege points to social, economic issues. 13 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Strike balance between performance and resilience: Economists. 13 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. IPS conference: Knowing how data works can help people avoid making wrong conclusions on tech, say experts. 14 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. IPS conference: Racial, social identities will continue to pose a challenge, observers say. 14 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. What defines the soul of Singapore? IPS forum panellists say culture, community and a spirit of solidarity. 14 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Making ours an uplifting society. 16 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Covid-19 and beyond: Pitfalls and promises of the new year. 17 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Singapore's leaders should be bold, diverse and come from all ages: IPS forum panel. 19 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Singapore Perspectives conference: S'pore not beset by political polarisation, but class, culture divides a concern: Panellists. 19 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. S'pore has role in fostering global cooperation amid challenges to multilateralism: Experts. 19 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Impact of post-pandemic global trends on Singapore. 19 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Leaders should be 'bold, diverse, come from different generations'. 20 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Look beyond domestic market, rethink approach to local, foreign labour: S'pore business leaders at IPS conference. 25 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Covid-19 pandemic could last four or five years: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Lawrence Wong outlines 'resetting' for a fairer, greener, more united Singapore. 25 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Singapore can be more relevant as a hub if it responds well to Covid-19 crisis: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Racism still exists in Singapore, but identity politics must not take root, says Lawrence Wong.25 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Singaporeans will decide if country is ready for multi-party system, say panellists at IPS forum. 25 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Lawrence Wong: 'Resetting' for a fairer, greener, more united Singapore. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Are Singaporeans ready for a two-party system?. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Venture abroad and rethink labour strategy, say business leaders. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Education system aims to uplift all, by starting from young. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Minister: Singapore's response to crisis key to its relevance as hub. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Yes, there is racism, but Govt committed to improving situation. 26 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Covid-19 challenges and 3 resets: Lawrence Wong. 27 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Reset now for a post-pandemic future. 27 January.
• The Straits Times. 2021. Keeping a more diverse, complex Singapore together. 31 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Singapore employers need to ‘take the high road’ and hire older workers, says senior minister. 12 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Employers need to ‘take the high road’ and hire older workers: SM Tharman. 12 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Expand the CMIO model to accommodate people’s desires on how they want to be identified: Panellists. 14 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Have an NMP represent the religious sector to enhance Singapore’s secularism: Panellist. 14 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Leaders should note what the young are saying on social media to foster culture of diversity: Chan Heng Chee. 20 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Politicians from PAP, WP and PSP debate non-Chinese PM issue at IPS forum. 25 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Annual vaccination against Covid-19 a possibility as coronavirus mutates: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• TODAY. 2021. Rise in imported cases not due to more travellers entering S’pore: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• Yahoo News. 2021. SM Tharman: Singapore needs to take its mature workers more seriously. 12 January.
• Yahoo News. 2021. It is up to Singaporeans to decide if we are ready for non-Chinese PM: Janil Puthucheary. 25 January.
• Yahoo News. 2021. 'A lot of uncertainty' over duration of protection from COVID-19 vaccines: Lawrence Wong. 25 January.
• 凤凰卫视国际. 2021. 新加坡透视论坛,专家指应重构民众对国家认同. 1 月 14 日.
• 凤凰卫视国际. 2021. 新加坡透视论坛：多边主义对新加坡至关重要. 1 月 19 日.
• 凤凰卫视国际. 2021. 新加坡透视论坛: 政府与商业领袖须共建可持续发展. 1 月 19 日.
• 凤凰卫视国际. 2021. 新加坡官员：让国民更多参与政策决定过程. 1 月 25 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 尚达曼：每个社会情况各异 我国薪金制着重助年长员工保饭碗. 1 月 13 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 林愿清：不只跟随国际趋势 我国应成为“开创型”枢纽. 1 月 13 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 戴尚志：我国可促进跨国合作 为全球绿色复苏做出贡献. 1 月 13 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 学者：已非种族问题 社会要进步须改善弱势群体社会流动性. 1 月 15 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 保留文化多元性仍有必要. 1 月 15 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 社论：雇主必须充分利用本地劳动力. 1 月 16 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 韩咏梅：一件讲华语的小事. 1 月 17 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 国大高级顾问医生弗斯尔：发达国家疫情严重 尽快接种合乎情理. 1 月 20 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 海内外学者：疫情凸显国际信任赤字 要促进全球合作各国须在国内外建立信任. 1 月 20 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 华社曾被要求放弃最大种族权利 陈庆珠：“华人特权”概念未必适用于新加坡. 1 月 20 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 陈庆珠：向人民灌输勇于尝试文化 领导人具有胆识能避免我国落后. 1 月 20 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 叶鹏飞：孔子是社会主义者吗？. 1 月 20 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 新加坡透视论坛之三问黄循财部长. 1 月 25 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 新加坡透视论坛之本地三大政党谈我国10年后政治面貌. 1 月 25 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 潘群勤：是行动党而非人民未准备好接受非华族总理. 1 月 26 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 兼管教育部与抗疫小组 黄循财分享心得. 1 月 26 日.

• 联合早报. 2021. 黄循财：种族主义问题大为改善但仍存在. 1 月 26 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 普杰立：我国能否容纳两党制应由人民决定. 1 月 26 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 黄循财：后冠病时代 我国三方面“重新设定”打造更平等社会. 1 月 26 日.
• 联合早报. 2021. 社论：思维“重新设定”是艰巨工程. 1 月 28 日.