Speaking at a propaganda monologue session with 400 students from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Minister of State Chan Chun Sing shot the students down saying that they are too conservative when they responded that security and stability are key selling points to attract foreign investments.
“Your response revealed a mindset that is way too conservative. If you are trying to convince people to come because of stability… Singapore has essentially become a bond market.”
Instead the former army general who has never worked a day in the private sector starting waxing lyrical about innovation, “adapting to changes” and the economy:
“Isn’t it true … that if you want to sell an idea to somebody to attract investments here, you have to convince me that you have one or more of these factors, over and above stability and security? The ability to anticipate and adapt to changes around the world is key for the next generation. Fluctuations in the economy can present tremendous opportunities for those who wield them to their advantage. But if you are on the wrong side of the value chain, you might end up in the minus 2%, and that is scary.”
Minister with no portfolio Chan Chun Sing then started fear mongering telling students that foreigners might take over their job if they are not hungry:
“Whoever can use technology to complement them better and evolve their business model wins. The same technology, if not well applied, will cause us to be fearful of our jobs, because indeed, someone might steal our lunch over the Internet… Because someone who is hungrier, someone who can adapt faster, will overtake us… So long as we stay hungry, not complacent, always watching out for the next competitor who might take our lunch away … I have no fear for your generation.”
The former army general then used the Israelis army as an example on adapting to changes:
“The Israeli Defence Forces’ approach of training versatile combat soldiers to deal with a wide variety of scenarios — with different missions, various enemies, across varied terrains…the importance of continually evolving and not being stuck in tried-and-tested methods of approaching problems.”