President's Message

Dear SIP members,

I am deeply honoured to take on the position of President for the 2026–2028 SIP Council. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Djoko and the members of the 2024–2026 Council for their dedication and contributions. I am humbled by the trust placed in me, and I am committed to building upon the strong foundation laid by my predecessors.

During my tenure, I aim to further develop SIP along three key dimensions: Length, Breadth, and Depth. Together with the Council, we will work to strengthen the Institute across these areas.

Length reflects the longevity and continued relevance of our profession. I would like to enhance the relevance of Certified Planners in upholding professional standards in the delivery of both public and private planning projects. In tandem, it is important that we recognise and celebrate the good work of our planning professionals. Beyond the bi-annual SIP Planning Awards, SIP will further develop PlanEx as a key platform to promote excellence and showcase best practices within the planning profession.

Breadth focuses on expanding our outreach and engagement. Beyond Singapore, SIP will build on the Memoranda of Understanding we have established with our counterparts in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, translating these partnerships into actionable outcomes. Within Singapore, SIP will continue to actively engage both our young planners and senior members. We will extend our outreach to an even younger generation, cultivating a strong pipeline of future professionals into the planning industry.

Depth emphasises strengthening technical capabilities and fostering deep, applied knowledge. I would like to leverage on the SIP network for meaningful knowledge sharing through the organisation of more overseas study trips. In parallel, SIP will undertake more research initiatives to nurture a robust SIP Knowledge Bank. It is also my aspiration to establish an academy by SIP which utilises the wealth of knowledge within our members to meet the ample requests for SIP to deliver training for foreign officials and professionals.

I hope the three dimensions of SIP resonate with you. Ultimately, SIP exists because of each and every one of you. Its success depends on how well we address your needs. I look forward to working closely with all of you to advance SIP and support the continued growth of our profession. In closing, I am reminded of the words of our beloved late Dr Liu Thai Ker: “We need to work hard to face these challenge, and help the world to create better environment.”