A FOND FAREWELL TO MR TEO AND ASSOC PROF KOO

Together, they have dedicated a combined total of about 50 years of service in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

In appreciation of their contributions to defence, more than 230 guests turned up at a farewell dinner held on 15 Jun for Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean and former Minister of State for Defence Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee.

Enlisting in the Republic of Singapore Navy in 1972, Mr Teo held various appointments and went on to become Chief of Navy in 1991. He took on the roles of Minister of State as well as Second Minister for Defence in subsequent years before helming the defence ministry in 2003. After eight years as Defence Minister, he recently moved on to head the Home Affairs Ministry.

Assoc Prof Koo joined MINDEF in 2001 as Senior Parliamentary Secretary and later became Minister of State in 2006. He has since retired from politics, after his 10-year stint at MINDEF.

But the measure of a man and his work should not be only in terms of the time spent, said Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.

In his opening address at the dinner, Dr Ng paid tribute to the key role Mr Teo had played in "leading MINDEF and the SAF through complex and changing security challenges".

Noting that "today's 3rd Generation SAF speaks of the effectiveness of his leadership", Dr Ng praised the quick and decisive action of Mr Teo in rallying the SAF to help in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in Indonesia.

"He provided the vision, defined the national interests and mission. Most importantly, he gave us the confidence to take a big step forward and assume a larger role in enhancing international and our own security."

When asked the question, ''What will you defend?'' during the 25th anniversary of Total Defence in 2009, Mr Teo replied: ''My family, my home, my country, Singapore!''

And indeed, Mr Teo's contributions to MINDEF and the SAF have left Singaporeans with a strong foundation to secure the nation's future and keep their home safe, said Dr Ng.

Dr Ng also recognised Assoc Prof Koo's "passion and energy in engaging our stakeholders". He said that Assoc Prof Koo's "warm and personable leadership style" made him an ideal candidate to head various committees and activities.
These include RECORD V (the 5th Committee to Recognise the Contributions of Operationally Ready National Servicemen to Total Defence), ACCORD (the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence) and the TDA (Total Defence Award) Committee.

Under his guidance as chairman of RECORD V, the committee made 18 recommendations to appreciate the efforts of servicemen, as well as their families and employers. To date, 14 have been fully implemented, with the remaining four making good progress.

Assoc Prof Koo also initiated the first visit for Permanent Residents to the Basic Military Training Centre in 2006 to give them a better understanding of the National Service (NS) experience. "Over the last five years, he has hosted 24 such visits, never missing a single one of them. This is testimony to his commitment and sincerity in engaging people," said Dr Ng.

Calling both Mr Teo and Assoc Prof Koo as dear friends whom he respects immensely, Dr Ng added: "Their contributions have left us a precious legacy and have certainly paved the way for future milestones."

In his farewell speech, Assoc Prof Koo was effusive in his praise for the "bright, diligent and determined" people of MINDEF and the SAF that he has worked with over the years. He also expressed his confidence that new leaders Dr Ng, Minister of State for Defence and Education Lawrence Wong and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and National Development Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman would lead MINDEF well.

Echoing his sentiments, Mr Teo noted that it is ultimately the dedication and professionalism of the people that make the difference: "When I look back over my years in the SAF, it's always the people that I remember. I had the privilege of working with many good colleagues and wonderful people all over the SAF, from the Chiefs of Defence Force down to the individual officer, who have done their duty and whom I can depend on to get things done."

"The most important thing you can do is prepare your successor well, then you depart from your position in peace, because you know that those who come after you can carry on with the good work," he added.

"From that point of view, I'm leaving with a certain optimism for the future, because I know that I leave the SAF and MINDEF in good hands... So press on, achieve excellence in all that you do and I wish you all the very best."