Minister K. Shanmugam Engages SJI Year 6 Students in Dialogue

On 7 March 2025, Mr K. Shanmugam SC, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, was at St Joseph’s Institution to engage with Year 6 students through a dialogue session. Members of the school leadership and teaching staff were also in attendance. The dialogue session was aimed at raising students’ awareness of national issues and to help them better understand the underlying rationale of government policies. This year, the Year 6 dialogue session in SJI touched on three main topics: drugs and the death penalty, governance, and racial and religious harmony.

During the Q & A segment, the lecture theatre was abuzz with anticipation as students formed a queue to ask Minister Shanmugam various questions on a wide range of topics. Minister Shanmugan shared his perspectives and provided valuable insights in response to the questions. A key takeaway was that while Singapore can learn from other countries, our laws and policies should ultimately prioritise Singapore’s unique needs and interests, to keep the country safe and united. Minister Shanmugam referred to our laws on drugs, corruption, hate speech, and public assembly as examples of this principle at work. The dialogue session provided a clearer perspective on how Singapore navigates domestic challenges in an evolving global landscape.

Our country is known internationally for its safety, strong economy and high standards of education and healthcare. However, as Minister noted, we often take these for granted. In this season of Lent and Ramadan, I hope to notice and become more appreciative of what we have. This way, we can protect and uphold the traits which have brought Singapore to the success it enjoys today. – Kayden Ee (MN616)

I understood more about certain rationale and intentions behind policy-making for law and order in Singapore as well as the importance of racial and religious harmony. The thing that I will remember most is when he said, while we should learn from the good of other countries, Singapore’s policy should still ultimately be crafted with the interest of Singaporeans at its core. – Matthew Pang (LE606)

I learnt a lot about the reasoning behind Singapore’s harsh stance on drugs and the death penalty. As someone who lives in a bubble and who hasn’t seen the dangers of drugs firsthand, I feel very fortunate to have such measures in place to safeguard and deter our people against using such substances. I also learnt more about our country’s long-term goals and how our policies help to achieve them through thorough planning and reasoning. – Tong Guy Ian (LE609)

The dialogue with Minister K. Shanmugam provided valuable insights into Singapore’s approach to law enforcement, governance, and racial harmony. He highlighted the global drug crisis and defended Singapore’s strict anti-drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers, as a necessary deterrent to protect society. He also emphasized the importance of good governance, where pragmatism and accountability shape policies that ensure stability. The dialogue reinforced my understanding of the complexities in policy making and Singapore’s data-informed approach to long-term societal well-being. – Rachel Lim (LE607)

Thank you, Minister, for your meaningful engagement with the students and staff. Your insightful sharing, coupled with your passion and eloquence, left a lasting impression on Josephians, inspiring us to serve with kindness and compassion.