Remarks by Minister for Transport, Mr S Iswaran for Mr Khaw Boon Wan on being Conferred the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of The Republic of Poland

Her Excellency Magdalena Bogdziewicz 
Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Singapore

Mr Khaw Boon Wan, 
Former Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport

Friends and colleagues, 

1.     A very good evening. I am pleased to join you at this happy and timely ceremony.  Happy, because it is an occasion to celebrate the sterling contributions of Mr Khaw Boon Wan to the strong ties between Poland and Singapore.  Timely, because it comes in the lead-up to the 53rd anniversary of our diplomatic relations  in just a few days. 

2.     Singapore and Poland enjoy longstanding and warm relations. As recent events around the world remind us, these are ties that we cannot take for granted and should not take for granted. Equally important, we must fiercely defend the norms and values that underpin the ties and relationships between nations. Poland, for Singapore, is an important trading and investment partner. Over 100 Polish companies are based in Singapore to tap on opportunities here and in our region. Singapore companies also use Poland as a strategic gateway to Central and Eastern Europe. Some examples include PSA International’s investment in the Deepwater Container Terminal Gdańsk, as well as Mapletree’s investments in warehouses.  

3.     More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has served to accentuate the importance of our friendship. We worked with LOT Polish Airlines and others to bring Singaporeans home, not just from Poland but from as far afield as Argentina.  We are glad to have been able to help many Polish nationals to return home from various parts of the Asia-Pacific, using Singapore Changi Airport as a transit point.  We also facilitated crew change in Singapore involving more than 2,300 Polish seafarers so that they could be reunited with their loved ones. This was important also for the global shipping industry to keep international supply chains functioning, and trade flowing despite the pandemic. This week is the Singapore Maritime Week, and in fact, at the Conference earlier today, it was observed that the unsung heroes of the pandemic were the nurses and the seafarers, and we were glad to be able to do our part to safeguard their welfare. 

4.     Much of this was made possible by the strong foundation of our warm bilateral ties, which was built through the work of many. Mr Khaw Boon Wan is one such architect who contributed a great deal during his tenure as Co-ordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport from 2015 to 2020. As he has mentioned, he welcomed the inaugural direct flight by LOT Polish Airlines from Warsaw to Singapore. This paved the way for LOT’s invaluable assistance in repatriating Singaporean and Polish nationals more recently. Also in 2018, Mr Khaw welcomed the Polish tall ship, Dar Młodzieży, when it made a special call in Singapore on a voyage to mark Poland’s centenary. Thousands of Singaporeans visited the ship while it was moored at VivoCity – it is this kind of vivid experience that makes a palpable contribution to people-to-people ties between countries, in this case, between Poland and Singapore. 

5.     I have worked with Mr Khaw over many years in different capacities.  Singapore’s robust bilateral ties with Poland are one of his many contributions in a life of public service. He is richly deserving of today’s honour and on behalf of the Government and people of Singapore, I thank the Polish government for bestowing it on one of Singapore’s finest sons.  Please join me in congratulating Mr Khaw Boon Wan on being awarded the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.  

6.     Thank you.