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SINGAPORE – Singapore’s leading philanthropist and statistical expert, Professor Saw Swee Hock, died on Tuesday (February 16) at the age of 89.
During his lifetime, Professor Saw gave generously to institutes of higher education, most notably the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the London School of Economics (LSE).
The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS, which has been at the forefront of Covid-19 research in the Republic, was named after him.
Paying tribute to him, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said Tuesday: “Professor Saw Swee Hock was a close friend of NUS, and we are deeply grateful for his contributions to the university in many ways: as an academic, as an educator, benefactor and member of our board of directors.
“We are deeply saddened by his passing and our hearts go out to his family at this difficult time.”
Professor Saw donated $ 30 million to establish the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in 2011.
The school, which offers undergraduate and graduate courses, trains students to address the threats of infectious diseases and chronic disorders as public health professionals.
Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the school, said the current Covid-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the increasingly complex public health issues facing Singapore.
“We are determined to continue Professor Saw’s legacy by continuing to play a transformative role in improving the standard of public health in Singapore and the surrounding region,” he added.
While at NUS, Professor Saw served as the President’s Honorary Professor of Statistics.
Statistician by training, he supported the Saw Swee Hock Chair in Statistics at NUS in 2002.
Under the chair, top statisticians from foreign universities are invited to visit NUS to teach and conduct research while interacting with students.
Beyond Singapore, Professor Saw’s distinguished academic career included visiting positions at prestigious universities such as Princeton, Stanford, Cambridge, and LSE.
He obtained his Ph.D. in Statistics from the LSE in 1963.
Prior to that, Professor Saw received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Malaya in Singapore in 1956 and 1960.
In 2014, LSE announced that it had received a “significant” donation from Professor Saw to establish a new academic center focused on urbanization, connectivity and governance in Southeast Asia.
Outside of academia, Professor Saw served on the United Nations Committee on Salary Adjustments. From 1972 to 1975, he was the first chairman of the National Statistical Commission of Singapore, the predecessor of the Singapore Department of Statistics.
In recognition of his contributions to society, Professor Saw received the Public Service Medal at the National Day Awards in 2013.
According to the website of the National Environment Agency, he will be cremated at the Mandai Crematorium on Thursday.
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