Singapore at 60: Our boldest chapter yet

As Singapore turns 60, what will the next 60 years look like? One thing's certain: what got us here won't get us there.

Since yesterday, my feed is filled with warm National Day messages - from those born in Singapore and those who made their homes here.

But here's what I keep thinking about: continued progress isn't a given, and the road ahead is arguably harder than anything we've faced.

Sustainable energy transition

Singapore is serious and committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. As a small island state with no hinterland, this is its most daunting challenge yet.

The field is littered with:

• Unproven technologies that may not scale.
• First-of-their-kind concepts with no playbook.
• Chicken-and-egg puzzles with no clear beginnings.

We've built a nation without natural resources before. Now we must power it without carbon.

Data centres

Much like skyscrapers heralded the relative progress of a city or nation, data centres are the modern bedrock of today's digital-centric marketplaces.

But how can we allow more data centres when S'pore already has one of the highest densities of data centres globally and very little renewables?

Yet the digital economy won't wait while we figure out the energy equation.

AI

Generative AI is reshaping everything as we know it. As there is no putting it back, the only alternative is to harness it to benefit citizens and businesses.

But how? With no AI giants, no chip fabs, no massive compute. Our edge has to be different.

The countries that get this right will define the next century.

This time is different

The previous challenges around water and energy involved sheer grit, perseverance, and belief in self. The current challenges are far harder.

It requires:

• Harnessing cutting-edge innovations.
• Partnering with neighbours.
• Inventing new pathways.

Success will demand bold moves, fresh thinking, and the guts to look wrong until we're right.

One cultural change

The road ahead won't be perfect. Anyone who thinks we'll nail every decision is delusional.

So if there's one cultural change that absolutely must happen, it would be this: a willingness to take calculated risks and make mistakes.

The irony is that our past success came from near-flawless execution, but the future belongs to those who embrace imperfection while learning and adapting.

Or as a senior data centre executive recently told me: "Do better. Screw up less."

The next 60 years won't be perfect. But they'll be ours to shape.

Majulah Singapura!