Professor Lam Khin Yong – Singapore’s top scientist

In the news, thenewpaper reported, ‘For more than three decades, Professor Lam Khin Yong has pushed for scientific research that impacts society and has personally played a key role in shaping Singapore’s pool of scientific talent.’
 
The Vice President of NTU ‘pushed strongly for collaboration between industry, academia and public agencies and led multiple mergers and organizations, such as the Institute of High Performance Computing.’
For a life time of work, the professor was the recipient of the President’s Science and Technology Awards, the country’s highest honours for scientific achievement.
 
With such an accomplished academic, a full fledged Singaporean, why was there a need to go around the world to head hunt third world academics to head our universities? Why are Singaporeans not good enough, after contributing a life time of good work to benefit Singapore and Singaporeans, to head our academia?
 
When would Singaporeans like Professor Lam be deemed good enough to be head of NTU? Would it be easier for him to take on a foreign citizenship then be scouted from across the globe by foreign headhunting companies before he is good enough to head NTU? Would he be made President of NTU earlier if he was an angmoh or foreigner?
 
There is a saying, a prophet would not find honour in his home town. A local talent would not be recognized at home, only foreigners are considered good, because you did not know the full background of the foreigners. A local, probably you know him well, with all the scars and black spots, so not too attractive.
It would be sad if highly qualified and accomplished Singaporeans would have to make way for unknown foreigners for top positions in our very own country and have to be hired by other countries, to be recognized by other countries than their own countrymen.
 
There must be many distinguished Singaporeans academics in our midst waiting to be found to head our academia but found wanting by their Singaporean decision makers because the grass over the fence is greener. Ang moh tua kee or foreigners are better than Singaporeans. Fake or dubious certificates are tolerable, bearable, acceptable, no crime.
 
What do you think? If a country does not nurture and promote its own talents and always looking out for foreign talents, its own talents would have lesser chance to gain the experience and recognition in top positions. And the sillies would say they don’t have the experience, the exposure, because their fucking country would give the opportunity to foreigners to gain the exposure and experience.
 
What do you think?