MR WONG NGIT LIONG

Former chairman, National University of Singapore Board of Trustees

The Distinguished Service Order

Over the years, Mr Wong Ngit Liong has been actively involved in shaping Singapore's education and economic landscapes.

The 77-year-old, who is the chairman and chief executive of electronics manufacturer Venture Corp, was chairman of the Board of Trustees at National University of Singapore (NUS) from 2004 to 2016. For his contributions to the nation and to the education sector, Mr Wong will be awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

But he finds the act of service in itself rewarding enough, he said.

"The privilege and joy of serving and contributing to the progress and advancement of the education and economic domains in Singapore are already more than adequate reward," he said.

"To be awarded with the prestigious Distinguished Service Order for doing what one enjoys is pure ecstasy."

When the local universities - NUS, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University - were corporatised in 2006, Mr Wong led the NUS team in shaping the university's vision and charting its directions.

"These were instrumental in positioning NUS for its next stage of growth... NUS has transformed itself into a leading global university, achieving excellence in both teaching and research," said the award citation.

Mr Wong was also part of the Economic Review Committee in 2001, which was tasked with reviewing policies and proposing strategies to promote the growth and development of Singapore. He served on the Constitutional Commission set up in 2016 that was tasked to review the Elected Presidency.

A full list of this year's National Day Award recipients is available at PMO website: http://www.pmo.gov.sg/national-day-awards