Opening Address by Minister Josephine Teo at MDDI Family Scholarship Ceremony

OPENING ADDRESS BY MRS JOSEPHINE TEO, MINISTER FOR DIGITAL  DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION, AT MDDI FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP CEREMONY ON 14 AUG 2024

Colleagues and Friends,  

Introduction  

1. Good afternoon! It’s well past 9 August – but I’d still like to wish you a happy  National Day! 

2. There have been many celebrations held all over Singapore to mark our nation’s 59 years of independence. On these occasions, I meet lots of residents in Jalan Besar GRC where I serve as MP.  

3. When I ask my residents what their work is, some of them whisper “Min Jo, I’m a civil servant.” They are teachers, Home Team uniformed officers, GovTech or CSA engineers, librarians, policy and comms officers in agencies like IMDA and ministries like  MDDI… you name it. And my response is almost always, “Thank you for serving the nation!” 

4. I mean this from the bottom of my heart. A very big part of why we live in a country we can all be proud of is that we have had generations of good public officers who take  their jobs seriously and discharge their duties faithfully.  

5. It is even more so today when school-leavers have very attractive options in the  private sector. Some of our graduands land jobs overseas too, especially if they completed their education abroad. 

6. It is therefore not a given that the public service continues to be staffed by officers of the right calibre and who are willing to strive for excellence not just for themselves but  for the benefit of other Singaporeans. This is not to say that there’s anything unpatriotic about working outside Government, but simply to recognise the special contributions of public officers to helping Singapore progress.  

7. Equally important is the need to develop top talent in areas like AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, media through the SG Digital Scholarship, an industry scholarship to boost Singapore’s digital economy.  

8. Over the years, many SG Digital scholars have graduated and done well. They are in demand not just within the tech sector but have also secured employment in other  sectors, such as finance and healthcare. They now hold leadership positions in MNCs, drive innovation in local companies or may even have founded enterprising startups.  

9. One such example is Carro, an online automotive marketplace and Singapore unicorn. Unknown to many people, it was started by three SG Digital Scholars – Mr Aaron Tan, Mr Kelvin Chng and Mr Aditya Lesmana and is today, valued at more than US$1.5 billion. Backed by Temasek and the Softbank Vision Fund, Carro is rapidly expanding into  Southeast Asia with over four thousand staff in the region. 

10. We will continue to offer scholarships to capable young citizens to pursue their  tertiary education and serve the public. We will also support our industries with the right talents to help Singapore stay competitive in the global digital economy.  

11. In fact, our Ministry has awarded around 480 scholarships over the past 5 years. But this year is special because it is the first time that we are presenting scholarships as  the Ministry of Digital Development and Information – MDDI. 

12. As you may know, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the new ministry MDDI in May this year, along with his first Cabinet line-up. He explained that the name  change – from MCI to MDDI – was a natural extension of the ministry’s work and a  reflection of an important national priority.  

13. After all, digitalisation is a mega trend no one can ignore, and our ministry has been  at the forefront of policymaking and capability development for Singapore’s digital  economy, digital society, digital government and digital security.  

14. Last month, during our first staff conference for the MDDI-family, I explained why  we had settled on being a ministry for “Digital Development” rather than “Digital  Technologies”, “Digital Advancement” or “Digital Innovation”. This is because we are not just interested in the technologies, advancements or innovations, but also their impact on people and communities.  

15. In addition, we believe we should strive to be a best-in-class developer of Digital  Singapore so that our Smart Nation is one that we can trust, that helps us grow, and that  keep us together. A key part of this is also how we preserve the infrastructure of fact and  uphold trustworthiness in our info space. 

16. We can only fulfil our mission if our talent stays at the forefront of changes in the digital and information landscape.  

17. This means challenging our ourselves to keep abreast of developments in the digital and information domains, and to design suitable responses that will help Singaporeans make the most of new opportunities while protecting all of us from harms.  

18. It also means working in partnership with the private, people and public sectors to complement each other in terms of our capacities and resources, and be more effective. 

19. We have identified 84 promising individuals who we believe can strengthen the work being done by the already excellent team in the MDDI-family.  

20. In addition to these 84 scholars, we also have three PSC Engineering scholars, who will be joining the MDDI-Family upon their graduation. They are Eleanor Cheak, who will be  joining CSA; Krishnan Adaikkapan who will be joining GovTech; and Quek Teck Yong, who will be working at IMDA. Teck Yong is unable to join us today, as he has to see to his NS  commitments. 

21. Whether you will be working in the public or private sector when you graduate, each of you brings something to the table. From mentoring young techies in your communities to flying Singapore’s flag high at international events, you have shown the potential to take our Smart Nation forward.  

22. The opportunities you have been given as part of your scholarship are not just a recognition of your good work, but also an encouragement to pay it forward. For example, you may want to think about applying your knowledge and skills to uplift others. 

Fostering a thriving digital future for all  

23. 68 of you have been awarded SG Digital Scholarships to pursue undergraduate,  masters, and PhD courses in top universities.  

a. One recipient, Yao Yiheng, is pushing boundaries through his cutting-edge  interdisciplinary research in machine learning. His scholarship is part of our multi year National AI Strategy to build a thriving AI ecosystem in Singapore. Yiheng is  also passionate about giving back and does so by mentoring undergraduates.  

24. Several of our Smart Nation scholarship recipients, have already demonstrated remarkable dedication to using technology for the betterment of their communities. 

a. Euan Lim and Varshan Balakrishnan have helped those around them enhance their tech skills. Upon completing their studies and joining GovTech, they will continue to  translate their learning into tangible products and policies that benefit  Singaporeans. 

b. Huang Wei'En built a Telegram bot to streamline the venue booking process at his  university. He will join IMDA after his studies, bringing his innovative approach to  uplift our digital society and ensure that every individual is given the opportunity to thrive in the digital age.  

Engaging hearts and minds  

25. Our NLB scholarship recipients will support our efforts to reimagine the future of libraries and archives in a digitalised world.  

a. For instance, Ho Li Xuan wants to see how technology can enhance citizens’  experiences of libraries. I eagerly await seeing her ideas turn into reality!  

26. In an age of social media and fake news, how we communicate and engage Singaporeans’ hearts and minds is crucial too. 

a. Our Information Scholarship recipients, like Joi Chan, are well-equipped to navigate  evolving communication trends and effectively engage with diverse groups. Joi's  active volunteerism with ex-offenders and children demonstrates her empathy - a crucial skill for effective communication, across different segments of society.

Conclusion 

27. There are many more scholarship recipients that I did not name but whose stories  are no less inspiring. They give me hope that we can together shape a thriving digital future  for all Singaporeans. 

28. It is also with this thought in mind that we have considered what the new logo for MDDI should project.  

29. Before I present it to you, let me just say that it embodies the Ministry’s dynamic work leading Singapore's digital development. Inspired by the iconic Old Hill Street Police Station, the vibrant colours reflect our commitment to effective communication, embracing technology, and a forward-looking vision for Singapore.  

30. As we plan for the future, we are also investing in our next generation of leaders who will be integral to shaping our digital landscape. 

31. All of you have tremendous potential, and I invite you to advance the mission of  MDDI, to better serve the needs of Singaporeans in the digital age. 

32. Once again, my heartiest congratulations to each and every one of our scholars. I want to also say a big thank you to the parents for allowing your children to build their  careers in the MDDI-Family, and to contribute to Singapore in their own unique and special ways.  

33. Thank you.