Tommy Koh: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man
Tommy Koh
World Scientific Publishing: 2025
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Anyone who’s heard Tommy Koh speak at events or followed his writings will know how often he refers to others as his “good friends”. He expands on this proclivity in his memoir, Tommy Koh: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man. Lamenting what he perceives as Singaporeans’ “transactional attitude” towards friendships, he says his philosophy is to “make friends for life”. He describes how he’s made good friends at every job he’s had, and highlights how friendships with other diplomats have helped his professional career and advanced Singapore’s interests on the international stage.

This is a recurring theme throughout the book, particularly in the chapter on his work as co-chair of Singapore’s dialogues with China, India, and Japan, where he mentions how Singapore has “made many friends in those three countries”, fostering greater understanding of one another’s policies and concerns. This is unusual, considering that a common adage in international relations is that there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests.

This idealistic and highly personal approach to foreign policy is what sets Koh apart from many of his fellow luminaries in Singapore’s diplomatic sphere. Compared to others like Kishore Mahbubani and Bilahari Kausikan, who epitomise a more cynical or realist approach, Koh eschews theoretical approaches to geopolitics or diplomacy. In almost every chapter on his diplomatic journey, whether about his experiences at the UN or as ambassador to the US, it’s notable how often a well-placed call or outreach to a “friend” ends up being beneficial for Singapore’s interests.

• Tags: Isaac Neo, Issue 42, Singapore, Tommy Koh