Tag: MFA

MFA: Navigating a Fragmented World

27 Feb 2026

Committee of Supply Debate 2026, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The global order has shifted. Relying on traditional partners continues to be necessary but is no longer sufficient for Singapore to survive and thrive. We may become vulnerable if we over-depend on frameworks that no longer hold in this volatile era.

While we often speak of ASEAN centrality, we must not let regional cooperation remain primarily a matter of diplomatic process while global giants rewrite the rules. Singapore must be a catalyst within ASEAN to coordinate our positions to exert collective bargaining power with middle and major powers.

To do this, we must invest more in ASEAN’s architecture. This could include seconding MFA officers and having Singaporeans serve in leadership positions in the ASEAN Secretariat. How is MFA planning to deepen regional integration and encourage ASEAN to move together as a cohesive economic and political grouping during our Chairmanship next year?

This new era also requires small states to step up diplomacy. We cannot assume nations will respect us simply because of our economic success. Our political leaders, diplomats and senior officials in all Ministries must cultivate deeper relationships with their counterparts in other countries. The US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement was reportedly struck over a golf game in 2000 between then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and President Bill Clinton. Today, world leaders often communicate directly to strike deals. Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland, which has a smaller population than Singapore, has shared how he is able to text message both President Donald Trump and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Do our leaders maintain that same level of direct access to global decision makers?

Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s early travels across Africa and Asia built friendships that established support for Singapore in the Global South for decades. He also built very strong personal relationships with the leaders of world powers. We must build on this and not take this for granted.

In response to my question if Singapore will be accepting the US’ invitation to be on the Board of Peace, the Minister said Singapore is still “assessing” it. In the meantime, the Board has held its first meeting and, it turns out, the European nations that initially appeared to be staying out, were there as observers. Our neighbour, Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has also joined it. Has Singapore made any decisions in this regard, including at least being an observer? To be clear, I’m not calling for any commitment of funds or troops to the Board.

Overseas missions serve as important frontlines in promoting Singapore’s interests and safeguarding the well-being of Singaporeans abroad, as well as listening posts to understand what is really happening. We currently lack resident ambassadors in Italy, Sweden, Canada, Brazil and Nigeria. Establishing more resident missions in middle powers must take a higher priority as we diversify our partnerships.

Finally, we must develop greater people to people relationships with our neighbours, particularly among our youths.

MFA: Navigating US-China Relations

Committee of Supply Debate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
3 Mar 2025

Singapore’s most pressing foreign policy challenge today is managing the escalating rivalry between the United States and China. As a small state with an open economy, Singapore is highly vulnerable to disruptions from this great power competition.

Balancing strong military and economic ties with the US, with deep economic links with China requires careful diplomacy, strategic autonomy and economic adaptability.

To mitigate these risks, Singapore should diversify its economy by strengthening trade and investment ties with ASEAN and the EU, as well as with India, Japan, South Korea and other growing economies, ensuring these relationships are based on stable and predictable legal and institutional frameworks.

Changes in US engagement in Asia and rising military tensions with China create new security challenges for Singapore. To strengthen its defence resilience, Singapore should strengthen its defence partnership with the US while expanding security cooperation with more countries, including with our some of neighbours in Southeast Asia. At the same time, Singapore must continue building up the capability and competence of the SAF to ensure it remains a credible deterrent against emerging threats.

Building diplomatic goodwill through bilateral engagement and assistance will also be important in winning international support for Singapore in times of crisis.

MFA should expand efforts to educate businesses, NGOs and the public about our strategic interests through town halls and closed door briefings. It could also make better use of social media, podcasts and short videos to ensure foreign policy messaging reaches wider domestic and international audiences.

Could the Minister outline what MFA is doing in these areas and how it plans to strengthen such efforts?

MFA: Engaging Singaporeans on foreign policy

Of all the Ministries, MFA’s work is probably the most esoteric to many Singaporeans. Some think that foreign policy is too complicated, is not as relevant to their daily lives as many domestic issues or is too sensitive to have open discussions about. As a result, foreign policy is often left out from public discussions. This is not healthy in a nation as educated, and with as much access to information from around the world as Singaporeans are. 

In a speech in July 2017, the Foreign Minister stated that “our diplomacy is only credible, if we are able to maintain a domestic consensus on Singapore’s core interests and our foreign policy priorities.”

If there is insufficient engagement with Singaporeans on foreign policy, it will be close to impossible to build and maintain that “domestic consensus”, especially in the face of a plethora of news and information from abroad, including disinformation.

How is MFA engaging Singaporeans on foreign policy matters and explaining our core interests to citizens of all ages and education levels? Do our Missions engage overseas Singaporeans on foreign policy?

How is the Ministry countering some of the narratives put out by foreign actors that attempt to influence Singaporeans’ views on policy that may go against our national interest?

During the debate on the FICA (Foreign Interference [Counter Measures]) Bill in 2021, Minister K. Shanmugam acknowledged that a whole-of-society effort is required for public education and that he “welcome(s) everyone’s assistance in helping to engage and educate the population.”

How is MFA facilitating this? Is the Ministry working with schools, academic institutions, NGOs, and business chambers here and abroad to engage, inform and involve them in Singapore’s foreign policy?

Committee of Supply Debate,  Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 27 Feb 2023

Photo by Kyle Glen on Unsplash

MFA: Strengthening ASEAN’s credibility

The Workers’ Party supports Singapore’s efforts to work with our neighbours to bolster ASEAN. The regional grouping plays an important role in fostering deeper social, cultural and economic ties, enhancing regional stability and integrating Southeast Asian economies. An effective ASEAN can help countries in the region — including Singapore — punch above their weight when dealing with major powers. 

Despite all its benefits, ASEAN’s flaws have been laid bare on several occasions, most recently with the crisis in Myanmar.

A key tenet of ASEAN is the requirement for decision-making to be based on “consultation and consensus”, effectively giving any member the veto power over decisions. This requirement can hamper ASEAN’s ability to address critical security issues.

How is Singapore working with ASEAN to overcome situations where consensus is hindered by a minority of member states? According to Article 20 of the ASEAN Charter, “where a consensus cannot be achieved, the ASEAN Summit may decide how a specific decision can be made”. 

Has there ever been any push by Singapore at the ASEAN Summit for a decision to be taken by majority vote, on issues where arriving at a consensus is impossible?

Has Singapore asked ASEAN to adopt stronger mechanisms to enforce its own consensus decisions? For example, little progress has been achieved by the Myanmar Armed Forces in the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus to put Myanmar back on the path to peace following the military coup. Does the ASEAN Summit have the authority to decide by a vote to suspend Myanmar from participation in all ASEAN meetings and initiatives? This will send a strong signal to the country’s military rulers that their violent actions against their own citizens are not compatible with ASEAN’s principles.

Committee of Supply Debate on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 27 Feb 2023. Cover photo by nguyenthuantien on Pixabay

Visit to Singapore by the former President of Sri Lanka

Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka and arrived in Singapore on 14 July 2022 on a social visit pass. He was allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit and submitted his resignation as President of Sri Lanka shortly after his arrival. According to the Straits Times, Mr Rajapaksa arrived at Changi Airport on board a Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) flight at 7.17pm. TODAY saw a Saudia plane moving to Changi Airport’s VIP Complex two minutes after it touched down. Both newspapers reported that a convoy of three vehicles —  a white BMW, a black Mercedes Vito and a black Toyota Alphard — accompanied by two Certis Cisco riders on motorbikes were seen driving out of the premises around 8pm. TODAY reported that shortly after, two cars were seen leaving the adjacent JetQuay terminal, which is catered to “commercially important persons”, with at least one police car accompanying it. It should be kept in mind that Mr Rajapaksa was still the President of Sri Lanka at the time he arrived in Singapore.

On the 1 Aug 2022 sitting of Parliament, I asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) what privileges, immunities and hospitality are accorded to former Heads of State or Heads of Government who visit or transit through Singapore; (b) whether any public resources are expended in such instances; and (c) whether the former Sri Lankan President was accorded any privileges, immunities and hospitality in Singapore following his resignation.

The Minister gave this written reply: “In general, the Singapore Government does not accord privileges, immunity and hospitality to former Heads of State or Heads of Government. Consequently, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was not accorded any privileges, immunity or hospitality.”

Parliament debates HDB rental flats, upgrading, e-engagement and Gaza crisis

PARLIAMENT on Friday [6 Feb] debated the budgets of three ministries – Foreign Affairs, National Development, and Information, Communications and the Arts.

Ministry of National Development

Mr Low Thia Khiang (WP-Hougang) queried the Minister for National Development about the recent demolition of flats on Hougang Avenue 7. He lamented that the demolition took place just seven years after Hougang Town Council used its own funds to upgrade the lifts in those flats. (Hougang, being an opposition ward, is at end of the queue for the Lift Upgrading Programme [LUP]. The LUP expenses for PAP wards are typically borne by HDB with small co-payments by the local town council and residents.)

Mr Low remarked that much of the money was wasted because of the early demolition. He said that in future, HDB should inform the Town Council earlier of its redevelopment plans, lest such waste took place again.

In her initial response, Senior Minister of State (National Development) Grace Fu, skimmed over the issue. Mr Low later pressed Ms Fu for an answer, adding that HDB ought to reimburse Hougang Town Council for the money that went to waste.

Ms Fu reiterated the Government’s earlier commitment to complete the LUP by 2014. Given the time needed to complete the works, HDB would have to make their selections and announcements of contractors by 2011.

Regarding the flat demolitions, the Senior Minister of State explained that HDB regularly reviews its land use, and that her Ministry “can’t tell seven years in advance” of redevelopment plans – “not even seven months”.Mr Masagos Zulkifli (PAP-Tampines) and Mdm Ho Geok Choo (PAP-West Coast) asked the Minister about the shortage of subsidised HDB rental flats for needy residents.

Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan revealed that there were currently 4,550 applicants in the queue for subsidised rental flats. He said that “two-thirds of them have reasons not to be in the queue”. He cited examples of retirees who had no income but significant savings from the sale of their flats, yet qualified for rental flats. His ministry’s solution to this housing crunch would be to further tighten the eligibility criteria for rental flats.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (PAP-Aljunied) expressed dismay at this proposal, emphasising that in times of economic downturn, the Government “should have more love” instead of tightening the rental housing criteria for old folks. Mr Mah responded, saying that the purchase of a $90,000 two-room flat is “easily affordable” to someone earning $1,200. Continue reading “Parliament debates HDB rental flats, upgrading, e-engagement and Gaza crisis”