The Straits Times / The Business Times News on Hyflux

S'pore 'must nurture own science talents'

Philip Yeo outlines A*Star strategy while accepting Nikkei Asia Prize; Hyflux boss is also a prize-winner

Mr Yeo, who heads the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), made this point yesterday after receiving one of three Nikkei Asia Prizes for his leadership in drafting and implementing Singapore's science and technology strategy.

The prizes have been awarded annually since 1996 by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's leading business daily, to individuals or institutions that have made significant contributions to improving the lives of people in Asia.

Mr Yeo was also cited for establishing Singapore as one of the major research and development and manufacturing bases for biomedical sciences and for creating a unique model for high-tech national development in Asia.

'Developing local talent is the key. We cannot depend on imported talent alone. We should also put priority on growing our own talent,' he told The Straits Times.

'We should be pro-foreign and pro-local,' he said.

Mr Yeo pointed out that A*Star had already built up a 'human capital pipeline' of some 500 young scholars and fellows, over 300 of whom are in the biomedical sciences, who will be returning to work in Singapore in the coming years.

They are the beneficiaries of scholarship schemes launched by A*Star since 2001, including the National Science Scholarships which allow young, talented Singaporeans to study for eight years at top overseas universities for their bachelor to PhD degrees.

Outlining Singapore's future plans in his acceptance speech, Mr Yeo also said the Republic would need a new breed of clinician scientists and clinician investigators in order to strengthen its capabilities in translational and clinical research.

'By 2015, we should have 2,500 researchers at A*Star across the various science and technology disciplines, half of them with PhDs and more than half being Singaporeans,' he said.

Mr Yeo described his prize as a 'great honour' for Singapore as it recognises the Republic's efforts over the past five years in developing its science and technology prowess.

But he said Singapore still had a long way to go, not just in science and technology development, but also in building up its own local talent pool.

Besides Mr Yeo, another Singaporean - Hyflux chief executive officer and president Olivia Lum - also received the Nikkei Asia Prize yesterday for her contribution to regional growth.

She said in her acceptance speech that she was 'at the right place at the right time'.

When Singapore developed Newater as an alternative water resource, it had engaged her company, which uses membrane technology to treat water, to develop the first Newater plant in Singapore.

Ms Lum told The Straits Times that she was honoured to receive the prize but felt at the same time that there were many people more deserving of the award.

'I cannot even consider myself a contributor to regional growth. I can only say that it is a business I created. I created wealth for myself and for many of my employees,' she said.

This year's prize in the culture category went to Ms Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, a Cambodian choreographer and dancer, for helping to rebuild Cambodia's artistic heritage which the Khmer Rouge regime had left in ruins.

The first Nikkei Asia Prize awarded to Singapore went to the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in 2000 for technology innovation.