The world is at an inflection point, hence the ability to adapt and change is extremely relevant as the fundamental rules will change and with it, the fate of nations, said Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.
Delivering his remarks at the opening ceremony of the Yale-NUS College Asia Pacific Model United Nations on 13 January 2017, Dr Ng said that the world has not seen such an acute inflection point since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which marked the end of the Cold War.
He listed three global fault lines which would affect the world in the years ahead.
The first fault line, said Dr Ng, was the one between globalisation and nationalism. He noted that while globalisation has created massive wealth, increased life expectancy and reduced extreme poverty, the “stresses of globalisation” show up in two aspects – immigration, and jobs.
Even though migration provides benefits to recipient countries, Dr Ng said it is difficult to convince a worker who has lost his or her job of these benefits.
Referring to the developments in other parts of the world such as Brexit and anti-immigration parties in Europe, Dr Ng said that the backlash against globalisation is “emotional and will take time to resolve”.
Secondly, Dr Ng highlighted that the global system governing trade, commerce and security may change in a world in which the United States was no longer the sole global power, given the rise of bigger countries such as China, India and Indonesia in the region.
Thirdly, he addressed the rise of populism, which he said means that “individual interests must be given greater attention than the collective good”.
“If all individual interests are taken into account, the shared interests must necessarily shrink,” he said. “That kind of domestic politics will polarise communities, as we are witnessing today.”
With these changes on the horizon, Dr Ng urged Singaporeans to ask themselves how they can keep the country relevant and how to avoid the divisiveness that populism brings.
He also urged Singaporeans to face the challenges with the “Singapore spirit” and ensure the country’s place in the 21st century.
Watch highlights from his address:
Photo credit: Minister Ng Eng Hen’s Facebook
