Keynote Address by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong SC at SLA’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

Introduction

1.                 I want to start by saying Happy 25th Anniversary, SLA! A very good afternoon to all of you.

2.                 It is really nice to be here, to be part of the occasion, and to celebrate this occasion of the 25th anniversary with you.

3.                 Milestone anniversaries like this, of course are a time to celebrate achievements. But I think at the same time, it is also an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we have come, honour the people who have brought us here, as well as think carefully about the responsibilities that we carry and steward into the future.

4.                 In SLA’s case, looking back 25 years tells us only part of the story. Because while SLA was established on 1 June 2001, the work that you do today traces its roots back to almost two centuries.

5.                 As Chairman Mr Loh Lik Peng has shared, SLA was formed by bringing together four organisations – the Land Systems Support Unit, the Singapore Land Registry, the Survey Department, and of course, the Land Office.

6.                 But what you may not know is that the Survey Department and the Land Office trace their origins back to the 1800s. Long before there were HDB towns, long before there was Changi Airport, long before any MRT line, public officers at that time were already surveying land, recording ownership, and safeguarding the integrity of Singapore’s land records.

7.                 They say that if you want to know where you are going, then you should first know where you came from. But do not worry, I am not going to stand here this morning and give you a history lesson!

8.                 But I thought we could start with a few pieces of interesting SLA trivia. I have asked the staff to help me dig out a few photographs from the National Archives, which I thought to share with you. The first map which properly captured the outline of Singapore was in 1828. The oldest land deed found in Singapore was also in 1828. And Singapore’s first Land Titles Ordinance was in 1956. All of them before our independence.

9.                 They all seem like small moments, a bit of trivia, a bit of history. But I think together, they tell the story of this institution, SLA, that has quietly underpinned Singapore’s development for generations. In 2001, that rich legacy was brought together under a single organisation, that is SLA.

The Origins of SLA

10.             When Parliament established SLA, then Minister for Law Professor Jayakumar made clear that the objective was not simply to merge four organisations into one. It was not an exercise to bring four under one umbrella and then operate as per status quo. It was to bring together the different aspects of land administration under a single agency, so that Singapore could manage our scarce land resources more strategically, more efficiently, and more holistically. I think those are very important ideals and objectives.

11.             Looking back today, 25 years on, it is easy to see how forward-looking that decision was. Surveying, land registration, state property, geospatial information – all of these appear to be somewhat different functions, different aspects of the work that you do. But collectively, they form one holistic, integrated system that gives you a very important touchpoint into how we manage land in Singapore. Reliable land titles depend on accurate surveys. Good planning, in turn, depends on trusted geospatial data. And perhaps, crucially, unlocking the value of State land depends on bringing all of these capabilities together.

12.             25 years on, I am very happy to say that that vision has really stood the test of time. Today, having built on the work of generations that have come before us, we now stand on the cusp of being able to push on from here. As Chairman said, what more do we do with the progress that we have achieved.

Evolution of SLA’s Role

13.             While SLA’s purpose has remained constant, Singapore’s needs have continued to evolve. Today, SLA manages 2,600 State properties and oversees 11,000 hectares of State land right across Singapore.

14.             That scale of responsibility reflects just how much we ask of our land, to support our homes and our businesses, to strengthen our communities, to placemake, to preserve our heritage, and to create spaces for culture, recreation and sport, and to build a greener, a more liveable Singapore.

15.             Perhaps the best way to see that evolution is to just give you some examples.  Think of Dempsey. Many of us visit Dempsey, a former army camp. In fact, I went to army at Dempsey. But today, it is transformed into a lifestyle enclave. I must say that I still have a bit of PTSD going back to Dempsey. But thanks to the great work of SLA, you beautified the place so much that I do not feel any trepidation going back to Dempsey.

16.             What about the former Elections Department, another very somewhat serious building. But today it is a collaborative social impact hub, and I visited that several times. You see the interaction that goes on at the Foundry, and the social impact that we make when they collide with one another – ideas becoming collaborations and projects. I think this is what placemaking really means – to turn an old space into something that goes and pushes beyond the boundaries of just the space alone.

17.             Or what about St Andrew’s Mission Hospital, a century-old institution that once tended to the sick and vulnerable, now reimagined as a lifestyle destination? And what about Henderson Primary School, given new life as a co-living accommodation? All these and many other projects.

18.             These outcomes did not happen overnight. I have had many long discussions with SLA about how we can make better use of State properties for community purposes. I know that they had that discussion internally as well as externally with stakeholders. Part of the answer, I think, lies in requiring a genuine change in mindset and a genuine change in approach, supported by leadership.

19.             For a long time, the default, especially in Singapore where land is so valuable, was quite straightforward and simple. The highest bid wins. But for spaces with heritage and community potential, price alone is not, and cannot be, the only right measure. What will this space become? Who will it serve? We have seen some examples earlier.

20.             Those questions now matter, perhaps, as much as the financials in some of the spaces. I think that this shift in mindset has really made a real difference in the way in which we manage properties, and through that, the way in which we impact Singapore and Singaporeans.

21.             Across Singapore, many more historic State properties have found new purposes as homes for charities, for social enterprises, for sports organisations and community groups. In my last role as the MCCY Minister, we benefited much from these collaborations in sports, in arts, in heritage, and in recreation.

22.             Land may be finite, but as you heard earlier, the opportunities it creates need not be. This is why SLA’s vision, “Limited Land, Unlimited Space” strikes a real chord with me, and I think it does with you too.

23.             To me, that is one of SLA’s greatest achievements over the past 25 years. Not simply just managing land well, keeping the records, dusting off the records process-wise, but really helping every parcel of land that you are stewarding create greater value for Singapore and Singaporeans.

Technology

24.             The way that SLA fulfils that mission also changes dramatically as technology shifts a gear up, as society evolves and our aspirations change.

25.             Imagine buying a property two centuries ago. Title deeds were handwritten with a feather pen. They all had nice cursive handwriting. Survey plans were hand-drawn meticulously. Transactions were all lodged physically. Surveyors headed into the field carrying chains, compasses and theodolites.

26.             Today, however, almost every part of that process has been transformed. Transactions are completed digitally. Surveying relies on satellite positioning, drones and laser scanning. Digital cadastral maps are updated continuously all the time. Information that once took days, if not weeks, to retrieve is now available almost instantaneously.

27.             But yet one aspect of what we do at SLA has not changed and I hope will not change, is that Singaporeans and the users of the system will continue to have the confidence that our land records are accurate, that ownership is secure, and that the system can be trusted always.

28.             I remember being briefed about SLA’s geospatial capabilities in my early years at MinLaw. Like many others, I thought geospatial technology was just about producing better maps, perhaps 3D or more funky looking. But I remember leaving that briefing with a very distinctly different impression and also appreciation.

29.             I saw how digital twins could simulate how sunlight falls on a new development even before the ground is broken or a single foundation is laid. How the same technology can determine where a new hospital or school or charity or social service should be sited. How it can help to plot an accessible walking route for someone in a wheelchair, accounting for kerb heights as well as shelter coverage.

30.             These are not abstract capabilities. These are all real, tangible impact that we make in people’s everyday lives, and they touch real lives through the work that you do. I use these examples to illustrate that while we are a land agency, the impact that we make goes well beyond land alone. It touches lives directly.

31.             It struck me then that geospatial technology is no longer simply about showing us where things are. I came from a generation where maps meant you had that big bulky book you put by your bedside or in your car or open up before you take the bus. It is an old generation, but that is the progress of technology today. Geospatial technology today helps us more deeply. It is not just about navigation. It is about understanding how Singapore works, how we can make better decisions through the use of geospatial information, and ultimately, make better use of the limited land we have.

32.             Singapore, today, is recognised internationally as a leader in geospatial innovation. When I travel overseas and I meet our counterparts, they speak of us, and I am tremendously proud of our achievements. I think people look up to what SLA has achieved in geospatial innovation.

33.             But again, like much of the work that we have done, this did not happen by chance too. It is the result of years of quiet but determined work – building capabilities, investing in infrastructure, looking ahead, looking beyond the horizon, anticipating what the needs might be downstream, and also forging strong partnerships across the public and the private sectors. Every time SLA pushed the boundaries of what geospatial technology could do, it was, in some way, investing in Singapore’s future.

34.             That same spirit of ambition and innovation will be even more important as we look towards the next 25 years. In the next 25 years, we will be living in different times with different priorities and different challenges as well.

Looking Ahead

35.             If the first 25 years were about building an integrated land authority, then I think the next 25 years will really be about helping Singapore navigate increasingly complex choices – an increasing and ageing population, underground development that we need to exploit, climate change, new industries. These are some of the challenges that lie ahead of us. Each will place new demands on SLA. It will place new demands on a resource that we know can never grow, and that is the challenge.

36.             The question is no longer simply: “How do we allocate land?” Increasingly, it is “How do we create the greatest value from every square metre that is entrusted to us?”

37.             Answering that question will require creativity, a high level of innovation and adaptability, and also a willingness to try new things.

38.             Perhaps more enduring is the same qualities that have defined SLA from the very beginning – the ability to think beyond the immediate, to exercise sound judgement under uncertainty, and the courage to make difficult choices for the long-term good of Singapore.

39.             I have every confidence that SLA will continue to rise to that challenge.

People Behind SLA

40.             Of course, none of these ambitions will mean anything without the people behind them. I want to just, in the last few minutes of this speech, pay a real tribute to the people – past and present – who have built up SLA to turn SLA into what it is today.

41.             Over the years, I have had the real privilege of working with many SLA officers, both in my role at the ministry as well as a grassroots adviser in my constituency in Joo Chiat.

42.             Singaporeans come to us with all sorts of land-related issues. All of you know this better than I do – questions about State land, Land Betterment Charge (LBC), access, road reserves, boundaries, temporary occupation licences, and so on.

43.             On paper, they sound like technical questions or grumbles or feedback. But behind every case that we get, every query that we get, as a local advisor, we know it lies a business, a family, or a community with real hopes and also real concerns. Very often, there is no perfect answer.

44.             Each case requires, especially in the context of land allocation, a very delicate balancing of competing interests – immediate needs against longer-term possibilities. If we give in to some of the immediate demands, it might knock us out of being able to develop more holistically in the longer term. Or individual requests alongside the wider public interest. This often comes to play.

45.             What has consistently impressed me about our SLA officers is not just your technical expertise, but your sense of professionalism, your patience, your willingness to listen, the ability to explain difficult decisions with clarity, empathy and respect, always understanding the real value of what you do, and coherent with Singapore’s policy on land.

46.             I have seen this, myself, first-hand through some projects in my own ward. There is Yarrow Park some years ago, Willing Hearts, Kampung Siglap, Vivistop at Kampung Eunos, and Block 1 East Coast Road. This weekend, we are launching my new Community Club as well.

47.             SLA has been intricately involved in each of these, SLA officers were never constrained by the mindset of, “This is how we always do things and that is why we will do it in the same way moving forward.” Instead, they have worked across agencies, balanced different interests, and found practical solutions.

48.             That combination of competence, compassion, and spirit of collaboration and innovation, it really comes genuinely, not just from someone administering land, but really someone delivering purpose through the use of land. I think that is the fundamental difference in what we do. that, I think, is one of SLA’s greatest strengths.

Conclusion

49.             So, as we celebrate SLA’s Silver Jubilee today, we also celebrate the people who have made this journey possible.

50.             Our past and present Chairmen and Board members, thank you very much for your continued investment in SLA, the time, talents and treasures that you have devoted to the work of SLA, for your stewardship and for your guidance. Our Chief Executives, past and present, thank you very much for stewarding this family.

51.             To all our SLA officers, past and present, I want to thank you for your dedication, day in and day out. I want you to know that is really very much appreciated, even though it is behind the scenes. And it will be remiss for me not to also thank our many partners. We cannot work alone, and we cannot work in a silo. So, thank you to our partners across both the private as well as the public sectors. Thank you for your collaboration, your trust, your willingness to be as innovative as we are when dealing with land.

52.             And to everyone else who has contributed to SLA’s success over the past 25 years, this milestone really belongs to all of you. You have been the ones that have brought SLA into what it is today, transformed the initial, somewhat more modest objective 25 years ago into something that is innovative and forward-looking, and really stands to benefit Singapore for generations to come.

53.             So congratulations once again on your Silver Jubilee. Thank you for everything you have done, and continue to do, for Singapore.

Last updated on 14 July 2026