Book launch of 'Lee Ek Tieng - the Green General of Lee Kuan Yew' - Ms Grace Fu

The family of Mr. Lee Ek Tieng, 

Mr. Ng Kok Song, 

Dr. Ahmad Mattar, 

The authors of the book – Samantha Boh, Pearl Lee, and Matthew Gan, 

Former Environment colleagues, 

Friends from MAS, GIC, and Temasek, 

Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good evening to all of you.

2 It is both an honour and a privilege to stand before you today as we celebrate the launch of "Lee Ek Tieng: The Green General of Lee Kuan Yew". More importantly, we are here to honour the man himself — a leader, a pioneer, and a true architect of modern Singapore’s environmental transformation.

CLEANING UP SINGAPORE

3 Younger Singaporeans might find it hard to imagine, but our clean and green city wasn’t always this way. I remember the Singapore River from decades ago. Back then, it wasn’t the scenic waterfront we enjoy today. Instead, it was a bustling but polluted artery of the city, filled with boats, people, and "natural fragrances" that announced the river’s presence before you even saw it.

4 Some of us also remember the night soil men — unsung heroes of their time — carrying buckets of waste on their shoulders. Floods were common after heavy rain, and sanitation was a daily challenge. 

5 Today, we take it for granted that we can enjoy a morning run by the Singapore River, have a quiet dinner along its banks, or trust that our waste disappears with a simple flush of the toilet. But these changes did not happen by accident. They are the result of vision, dedication, and hard work — qualities embodied by Mr. Lee Ek Tieng.

MR. LEE’S ACHIEVEMENTS

6 While Mr. Lee Kuan Yew is rightly credited as the father of modern Singapore, he did not build this nation alone. His vision for Singapore — a thriving and attractive place to do business and yet a great home for her people — had always put protecting the environment on par with pursuing economic growth. 

7 When I was elected as a Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC in 2006, I had the privilege of working with and meeting Mr. Lee Kuan Yew on several occasions. He told me to reassure the residents in Jurong that we will ensure that Jurong is not a polluted industrial area, and that the air quality is as good as other places in Singapore. Even in the 1960s, when Singapore was only starting to develop, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew had rejected investments from some chemical companies which were highly pollutive, as he knew at the start that environmental protection goes hand in hand with economic progress and development. 

8 He needed people of skill, conviction, and resilience to turn his vision into reality. Mr. Lee Ek Tieng was one of those rare individuals — a man of action, determination, and immense capability.

9 Those who worked with him will attest that he was thorough, innovative, and not one to suffer fools. In a government that demanded excellence, he not only survived — he thrived. Under his leadership, Singapore achieved milestones that shaped our identity as a clean and green city, such as:

• The development of an island-wide public sewerage system.

• Keeping air pollution in check as Head of the Anti-Pollution Unit.

• Upgrading Singapore’s drainage system to tackle flooding in the 1980s.

• Modernising waste collection and disposal.

• Spearheading the development of NEWater and, in true practical fashion, giving it its now-iconic name.

10 His impact extended beyond the environment. He played key roles in the Ministry of Finance, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), and the Singapore Civil Service. His leadership and contributions have left an indelible mark on our nation.

LEE EK TIENG: THE GREEN GENERAL OF LEE KUAN YEW

11 This book is a tribute to a generation of civil servants who built the foundation of modern Singapore. It captures the challenges, the debates, the sleepless nights, and, of course, the triumphs of those who laid the groundwork for our nation’s progress.

12 For young Singaporeans, this book offers an important lesson: the comforts we enjoy today were hard-won by those who came before us. It is our responsibility to carry forward their legacy, applying the same spirit of resilience and innovation to tackle the environmental challenges of our time.

CONCLUSION

13 In the words of our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew: “There would have been no clean and green Singapore without Lee Ek Tieng.” Truer words have never been spoken. Mr. Lee’s life and work remind us that real change is not instant, nor is it easy — it takes vision, discipline, and unwavering commitment.

14 So as we celebrate this book, let us also celebrate the man behind its pages — a leader whose work still shapes our lives today. May his story continue to inspire generations to come. 

15 It is my personal privilege to be here, to celebrate the launch of the book, and feel connected to a man through a book. Congratulations to Mr. Lee Ek Tieng and to the authors. Thank you very much.