DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the launch of Singapore, My Country – Biography Of M. Bala Subramanion

Mr and Mrs Bala Subramanion;
Mr Kesavapany, President, Singapore Indian Association;
Prof Kok Khoo Phua, Chairman, World Scientific Publishing;
Ms Nilanjana Sengupta;
Ladies and Gentleman

It is a pleasure for me, like everyone else here, to be at this launch of Mr Bala Subramanion’s biography, “Singapore, My Country”. It’s an interesting and inspirational story of Bala’s life, and aptly titled as it has been a life shaped by the ups and downs of Singapore’s history, and the life of a man who has contributed to Singapore.

I was happy to attend the launch as Bala’s personal story is also the story of the older generation of pioneer Singaporeans, who started with so little and contributed so much, to their families and to Singapore.

I was also happy to come because Bala’s life has been about public service, from the time he joined as the public service in 1936 as a probationary clerk in colonial Postal Services Department, right here in this building, to his years as the first Singaporean Postmaster-General, which he became in 1967.  He was instrumental in helping Singapore postal service to improve its service standards, from taking a week for a letter to be delivered locally, to the next working day. At 99 years today, Bala Subramanion must be one of our oldest living former public officers.

Bala also has a lot to do with the POSB that we know today. When POSB separated from the Post Office Service Department, he was appointed Chairman of the Savings Bank Committee that led to the transformation of the POSB, making it the enduring brand that generations of Singaporeans have grown up with.

Beyond his day job, Bala has long been involved in the community development. He has a passion for uplifting the less privileged, and especially among youth. His involvements in the Indian community have been many. He has always too been one who has wanted the Indian community to contribute to the Singapore identity,  and to contribute to its mostest to the betterment of our country.

I would like to commend Nilanjana Sengupta for this very captivating narrative of Bala’s life, set in context of the history of Singapore and colonial Malaya. Her work has ensured that Bala’s contributions will remain permanently in the pages of Singapore history.

I would like to thank the Singapore Indian Association for organising and inviting me to be part of this very special occasion.

Mr Bala Subramanion is a wonderful example of a life well lived. I hope many will read his biography and be inspired. Thank you, Bala.