On 11 Dec 2025, I finally managed to have lunch with my Master, George Yeo, and the author of his musings (3 series), Tai Ho. George Yeo was kind, friendly and a good host. Tai Ho was ever interested and curious. Both of them even agreed to autograph Series 1 of the musings as below:
Musings Series One
Over sessions which lasted two to three hours each time, every week for half a year, George Yeo met and mused over a wide range of topics with Tai Ho and research assistant, Keith Yap.
In this series, George Yeo talked about the importance of identity, why Singapore is “big” and diverse and why Singapore has to be “bigger”. He mused about his “passage to India”, and his mythical Nalanda Trail (Journey to the West). He elaborated on the homogeneity of China and the Chinese people, and finally his love and working in Hong Kong. To him, the latter could be “Wukong” but the former will be the “Monk” who could simply control him. George Yeo also included many photographs, as “they evoke emotions” for him. The Question 1: That I had asked George over lunch was how does he reconcile the concept of Big Singapore in Chapter 3 with that of “a little red dot” in Series Two by ex-President Habibi? His answer was that the former is a conceptual one based on culture and diversity, while the latter is one based on geography and religion–They are related but distinct.
Musings Series Two
If Series One is an appetizer, Series Two would be the main course. (In fact, at 590 pages, it is the thickest among the three series.)
In George Yeo’s words, “This second series of Musings covers a lot of ground…..there should be something for everyone.” Here George Yeo and Tai Ho bring the readers to the world. They started with the Vatican, somewhere every close to George Yeo’s heart as he is a devout Catholic. Then, from the Middle East struggles, they quickly brought us to the ‘European Smorgasbord. These are followed by the changing of political tides and powers from the West to the East. George Yeo next reminiscence his time in the USA and mused about “Whither Pax America?” Finally and rightly, he return to ASEAN, where he think that must be the Centre of Gravity for Singapore’s foreign relations. Question 2: Again in Chapter 3: “Is the Jihad by the extremist Muslims a modern version of the Crusades by the extremist Christians in ancient times?”
Musing Series Three
I thought after the main course in Series Two, Series Three should be an easy dessert. How wrong was I. George Yeo and Tai Ho, especially in the second half of the series, brings the readers upto another higher philosophical and conceptual level. And we only allow to “rest” when George Yeo finally finds and state his meaning in life in the final Chapter 18.
Series Three started innocently with the various government ministries and their affairs when George Yeo was a Minister– health, infomation & the art, industy & trade and foreign affairs. The next section is easy to me when George Yeo covers his time in the SAF. Next, working with Lee Kuan Yew is sensitive, difficult and taxing. George Yeo is one of the few who had done this well when the former was alive. Beyond this point, George Yeo talked about Taijigong, the Qi Field, the coding of life, etc. These are all very abstract and philosophical. I’m glad that I didn’t give up at this point. Good but difficult read. Question 3: Also from Chapter 3–“In the UN, there is the GGG (Global Governance Group). In China, there is the GGI (Global Governance Initiative). Are there the similar or different?“
Key Takeaways
- These 3 series of musings by George Yeo are a must read by all–for politics, civil service, military, history geography….–To me in reading, writing and speaking, he is my Master, and I’m the Disciple.
- Never give up when you reach the second half of Series Three, for this is the real gem. Press on and you will enrich yourself greatly!
- George Yeo is quintessentially a Singaporean Father. He could be in the mountain in Nalanda, in the city in China, in the Vatican in Italy….but his heart and loved ones are always in Changi, Singapore.