Former Minister Yaguo receives Information Technology Leadership Hall of Fame Award

Former Communications and Information Minister Dr Nga Kok (centre) was awarded the "Hall of Fame" award at the Singapore Computer Society's IT Leadership Awards on Friday. Pictured with him are Singapore Computer Society Chairman Liu Lianwan (left) and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Ministry of National Development Tan Kit How. (Photo by Li Ziyi)

When the new licensing regulations for news websites were proposed to be implemented in 2012, there was strong opposition from the online community. Dr. Yaguo, who was the Minister of Information, Communications and the Arts at the time, decided to personally talk to the relevant groups. When he recalled it 12 years later, he pointed out that although it was not an "obvious success", it allowed both sides to understand each other's starting point and position, which made Yaguo unforgettable to this day.

The Singapore Computer Society's Information Technology Leadership Award Ceremony was held on the evening of Friday (May 10), and Yaguo was awarded the "Hall of Fame" award. In an email interview with Lianhe Zaobao before the award ceremony, he said: "Without this exchange process, the government, and even myself, would not be able to play a mediating role in mediating some of the more extreme views."

During Yaguo's tenure as minister, the Ministry of Communications and Information also proposed the "Personal Data Protection Bill" and the "Cybersecurity Bill" to Congress, and they were passed on third reading. In 2020, Yaguo retired from politics and returned to academia.

Committed to helping students graduate from college and reducing the inequality gap in Singapore

Yaguo said that perhaps because he came from an academic background, returning to university after retiring from political positions was not a difficult transition. He said that he has always been concerned about the inequality gap in society. As a professor and principal advisor at Singapore Institute of Technology, he is committed to helping students obtain undergraduate degrees. Some of these students are the first in their families to obtain an undergraduate degree. It gives Yaguo great satisfaction to see these graduates move into the middle class and reduce the inequality gap in Singapore.

Regarding the challenges Singapore will face in the future in the fields of artificial intelligence, network security and other technologies, Yaguo believes that the government has stated that if the benefits far outweigh the concerns, it should adopt new technologies. However, these concerns must also have solutions, and the police and other agencies should respond to fraud in a timely manner. and phishing attacks are good examples. “We can’t put the genie of technology back in the bottle. What we need to do is ensure that everyone feels comfortable and meaningful in a technology-driven environment.”

Information Technology Leadership Award Three groups and five individuals were recognized this year

When attending the award ceremony as the guest of honour, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development Tan Kit How pointed out that despite the positive prospects of the digital economy, a series of recent unfavorable factors have also had an impact on the technology industry.

Tan Kit Ho said that over the past 56 years, the Singapore Computer Society has played an important role in improving the level of our country's technical workforce, especially skills development, promoting innovation and encouraging diversity.

The Singapore Computer Society's annual IT Leadership Awards were presented this year to three groups and five individuals in recognition of their significant contributions to the technology sector. The awards are divided into four categories, namely "Hall of Fame", "Technology Leader of the Year", "Digital Achievement" and "Future Technology Leader" awards.