Tommy Koh Explained

Tommy Koh
Birth Date:1937 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Singapore, Straits Settlements
Nationality:Singaporean
Children:Wei Koh (son)
Aun Koh (son)

Tommy Koh Thong Bee (; born 12 November 1937) is a Singaporean diplomat, lawyer, professor and author who served as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1968 and 1971.

Early life and education

Koh was born in Singapore on 12 November 1937. His father was originally from Tong'an, Fujian and his mother was from Shanghai. He attended from Serangoon Secondary School and Raffles Institution before graduating from the University of Malaya in Singapore (now the National University of Singapore) with a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours degree.

He subsequently went on to complete a Master of Laws degree at Harvard University, where he was classmate with Ngiam Tong Dow,[1] and a Graduate Diploma in criminology at the University of Cambridge.

He was conferred a full professorship in 1977. Koh was awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Yale University, Monash University, and the National University of Singapore. He has also received awards from Columbia University, Stanford University, Georgetown University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and Curtin University.

Career

Koh is an international law professor, action and Ambassador-at-Large for the Singaporean government. He presently serves as Special Adviser at the Institute of Policy Studies,[2] Chairman of the National Heritage Board, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Centre for International Law, and Rector of Tembusu College at the National University of Singapore. He is on secondment from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law.[3]

Koh was President of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, 1980–1982. Lax and Sebenius present Koh and his efforts in getting the Convention passed, as an example of successful negotiating.[4] 1990 to 1992 he served as Chairman of the Main Committee of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, where he presided over the negotiations on Agenda 21. He has also served as Singapore's ambassador to the United Nations and the United States.

Koh was the first Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), established in Singapore in 1997 by the countries of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

On 9 August 2008, Koh was conferred with the Order of Nila Utama (First Class) by the Singaporean government for his outstanding contributions in the Singapore legislative team representing Singapore in the Pedra Branca dispute case with the Malaysian government.[5]

In 2014, Koh received the Great Negotiator Award from Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School for his multiple contributions to diplomacy, most notably his work as chief negotiator for the United States–Singapore Free Trade Agreement, his work around developing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, his important efforts in resolving territorial and humanitarian disputes in the Baltics and Asia, and his success in leading both the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea and the UN Conference on Environment and Development (also known as the Rio Earth Summit).

In September 2018, via a Facebook post, Tommy Koh encouraged the LGBT communities of Singapore to challenge Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalise same-sex intercourse between men.[6] [7]

Koh is on the panel of mediators for Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC).

Selected writings

Honours and awards

Lectures

Personal life

Tommy Koh is married to Poh Siew Aing. They have two sons, Aun and Wei.[23]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: hermes. 2020-08-22. PM Lee, friends pay tribute to Ngiam Tong Dow. 2020-09-07. The Straits Times. en. 24 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200824234136/http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/pm-lee-friends-pay-tribute-to-ngiam-tong-dow. live.
  2. Web site: www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx . 12 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120717043146/http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx . 17 July 2012 . dead .
  3. Web site: Institute of Policy Studies, Tommy Koh biography. . 12 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120717043146/http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx . 17 July 2012 . dead .
  4. David A. Lax and James K. Sebenius, "Thinking Coalitionally: Party Arithmetic, Process Opportunism, and Strategic Sequencing," in H. Peyton Young, ed. Negotiation Analysis. (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1991), pp. 153–194.
  5. News: NDP awards. Straits Times. 8 September 2008.
  6. Web site: hermesauto. 2018-09-07. Tommy Koh's Facebook comment reignites debate on Singapore's gay sex law. 2020-09-07. The Straits Times. en. 7 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507005029/https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/tommy-kohs-facebook-post-on-gay-sex-law-reignites-debate-on-singapores-penal-code. live.
  7. Web site: Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh calls on S'pore's gay community to mount challenge against S377A. 2020-09-07. TODAYonline. 8 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180908124922/https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/veteran-diplomat-tommy-koh-calls-spores-gay-community-mount-challenge-against-s377a. live.
  8. Web site: hermesauto. 2020-01-29. New book curated by Tommy Koh tells Singapore's recipe for success in 340 pages. 2020-09-07. The Straits Times. en. 29 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200129141838/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-recipe-for-success-in-340-pages. live.
  9. Web site: Tommy Koh - Esplanade Offstage . 2024-02-27 . www.esplanade.com . en.
  10. Web site: Omar . Marista . Tan . Florence . Tommy Koh (SINGAPORE INFOPEDIA) . 27 February 2024 . National Library Board Singapore.
  11. Web site: PROFESSOR TOMMY KOH . 27 February 2024 . Tembusu College; National University of Singapore.
  12. Web site: 2006 . 2006 President's Award for the Environment Recipients . 27 February 2024 . Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.
  13. Web site: 2006 . EXPANDING MARKETS . 27 February 2024 . CH2M Hill Alumni.
  14. Web site: 2007 . Watermark Award 2007 . 27 February 2024 . Public Utilities Board..
  15. Web site: February 2021 . RHODES ACADEMY OF OCEANS LAW AND POLICY . University of New Hampshire, School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, Rhodes Academy.
  16. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
  17. [Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School (Cambridge, MA, USA)|Harvard Law School]
  18. News: Soeriaatmadja . Wahyudi . 14 October 2017 . Tommy Koh receives inaugural Indonesia award for international law contributions . 24 February 2024 . The Straits Times.
  19. News: 2018-01-26 . Tommy Koh among 10 Asean recipients of India's Padma Shri Award . 2024-02-25 . The Straits Times . en . 0585-3923.
  20. Web site: About Us: Professor Tommy Koh . 2024-02-25 . World Toilet Organization . en-US.
  21. News: Rahim . Nisha . 2022-07-06 . Tommy Koh, Wang Gungwu awarded honorary degrees by NUS for their contributions . 2024-02-24 . The Straits Times . en . 0585-3923.
  22. Web site: August 2023 . CIL INSIDER NEWS: SPECIAL ISSUE . 7 March 2024 . Centre of International Law National University of Singapore.
  23. Web site: hermes. 2016-07-03. How an 'angry fat loser' became a fashion icon. 2020-09-07. The Straits Times. en. 6 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200906173628/http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/how-an-angry-fat-loser-became-a-fashion-icon. live.

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