Neither Civil, Nor Servant

Everyone has his/her time. So does Philip Yeo.

During his time as Chairman of EDB Singapore, I was working for CSSD (China Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd) as a Marketing Executive. My job was to promote then new China Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (CSSIP, or in short, SIP) to world renowned MNCs and SMEs.

It was a time to be remembered. As Chong Lit Cheong, my DCEO at that time correctly said to us in one occasion:

After twenty years, you will be proud of all the endeavors and achievements you made today.

And I really do.

In 1997, I was tasked to go to US with Lit Cheong on a business trip led and supported by EDB. That was my first time when I met Lee Yi Shyan, who was then head of EDB US.

During that 8-day-cross-country trip, I started to understand how EDB works. fast moving (only check-in luggage, 3 cities in a day), chasing potential clients tenaciously, and such an amazing network.

It was during that period that I came to hear about the name of Philip Yeo. These guys I met: Yi Shyan, David Lim, Lit Cheong, Josephine Teo (then Josephine Yong), Eng Cheong, Kay Chuan, they all expressed an unhidden, direct respect to Philip.

===========

It is great that my long time boss and colleague, Tong Teck that informed me of this publication “Neither Civil, Nor Servant” and took all the trouble to bring this book to me from Singapore. I finished the reading in roughly 3 days.

Obviously, his role in EDB interests me most.

His readiness to move could seem “normal” or even “easy” at the first glimpse. In China, we also had such “ready-to-go” and “ready-to-break” rules guys in the past and now. What happened to those so called Chinese “mavericks”? Or a more critical question is: what had made Philip so different from those in China, who were once perceived to be “go-er”s?

In the book, the question is never asked nor answered, partly because it is not the author’s intention to elaborate this comparison.

But as a Chinese, I have this question popped into my mind from time to time: why such a man like Philip, being bold, decisive, even in a way being despotism in the eyes of those being criticizing, be so successful and gained respect from many?

I believe the system and rules play a great part in this achievement.

Singapore is famous for its integrity in its politicians, civil servants, and business men. Under such a rigorous regime, the only goal being so “unreasonable” is to serve the country (and the government). So, the red tape is cut, the brocade is teared down, and many are pissed off. But there is no challenge on the integrity of such conduct.

What some of those Chinese “go-er”s did was just opposite. In the name of “Doing good for the country”, which ironically aligns with what Singapore “go-er”s like Philip is following,they pursue personal interests well above country interests. To make it worse, there is no such a system that can control and correct such misbehaviors, partly because of fearing such a “strong” system would ruin the economic development, i.e., these so-called “entrepreneurs” would be scared and take no actions. Alas, very droll.

=========

Everyone has his/her time. So does Philip Yeo.

You may like him or hate him; but you can’t ignore him.