“The dominant driving force in my intellectual life is the most subversive and yet most liberating three letter word in the English language: ‘Why’,” said SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping in a characteristically candid and entertaining speech at the launch of his first book.

“Asking ‘Why’ has led me to be thrown out of Stanford, jailed in California, barred from entry to the USA for two decades, and detained in Singapore under the Internal Security Act,” he added. He went on to explain to the rapt audience that the book seeks to “explore various aspects of Singapore society and speculate how we might think about these issues 50 years from now. I hope it will stimulate other people, particularly the young, to think about the society they live in – without, of course, getting punished by your teachers or thrown into jail.”

Mr Ho Kwon Ping talking at the launch of his book, The Ocean in a Drop – Singapore: The Next Fifty Years, at SMU Labs.

When the book was launched at SMU Labs on 30 October 2015, both the hardcover and paperback first editions had already almost sold out, as a result of advanced orders. Over 130 specially invited eminent guests readily purchased some 300 copies and the book is now being reprinted.

Titled The Ocean in a Drop – Singapore: The Next Fifty Years, the 156-page book is a compilation of Mr Ho’s five lectures as the inaugural 2014/15 S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore, established by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). Also included are highlights of the enthusiastic question and answer sessions with the audiences on each occasion. In his lectures, Mr Ho looked forward to Singapore’s next 50 years, offering innovative ideas and robust views on a number of forward-looking topics ranging from politics and governance to society and identity and how key institutions can evolve to ensure the sustainable continuation of Singapore, the “improbable nation”. Mr Ho put forward several controversial ideas, such as national service for women and doing away with caning, which were widely discussed in the press and online.

Mr S R Nathan, Sixth President of Singapore and former Patron of SMU, graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. After officiating the ceremonial launch, Mr Nathan said: "With his rich and vast experiences, it is befitting that we share his experiences in the book [in front] of us."

Among those attending were Mr Ong Keng Yong, Ambassador-at-Large at the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of Mr Ho’s family, including his wife Ms Claire Chiang, senior members of the SMU community, prominent academics from various institutions in Singapore and eminent business leaders. Mr Janadas Devan, Director of IPS, and Ms Doreen Liu, Group Managing Director of World Scientific Publishing, who published the book, both spoke at the event.

A long queue stretched the width of the room for the book-signing session. Mr Ho wrote personal messages in each copy and chatted with the purchasers for over half an hour. The following day, Mr Ho attracted a diverse crowd to a light-hearted “Meet-The-Author” session at the Kinokuniya bookshop, Ngee Ann City – typically asking questions of the audience as well as answering them.

Around 300 copies of the book were sold at the launch and Mr Ho spent nearly an hour signing copies for guests.

The Ocean in a Drop – Singapore: The Next Fifty Years, by Mr Ho Kwon Ping is published by World Scientific Publishing in collaboration with IPS. The book is available at bookstores at S$48 for the hardcover and S$25 for the paperback edition, and as an ebook at $21.

Main photo: SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping (right) presenting a copy of his first book to Sixth President of Singapore Mr S R Nathan (left).