Tommy Koh, Singapore's Ambassador-at-large, paid tribute to former top civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow, who recently passed away. He was 83.

In a Facebook post on Aug. 21, Koh said the nation owed Ngiam a "big debt of gratitude" for his "outstanding service", and called him a "loving critic" of Singapore.

Parked the car in Harvard Yard

Koh shared that he and Ngiam studied at Harvard University together in Boston, Massachusetts in the U.S. back in 1963.

They met for dinner every week together with Professor Lim Tay Boh, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore who was also there on sabbatical.

Their association didn't end after school.

Koh recalled that Ngiam appointed him to the board of DBS Bank when he was its chairman. Their paths also crossed when Ngiam was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, and Koh "begged" him for more funding for the Singapore Sympathy Orchestra.

Ngiam said no until Koh reminded him it was established by his mentor, Goh Keng Swee.

Loving critic

Added Koh:

"The nation owes Tong Dow a big debt of gratitude for his outstanding service to the country. The fact that he was a loving critic of Singapore should be appreciated. He did it out of love for his country."

Koh's use of the term "loving critic" to describe Ngiam recalls his use of the same term to refer to playwright Alfian Sa'at, defending his right to be critical of Singapore and to disagree with the government.

Ngiam was known for being outspoken, not afraid to express his views whether he was in government or out of it.

You can read the full post here.

PM Lee: Benefited greatly from his experience as a young office-holder

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his condolence letter to Ngiam's widow Jeanette, praised Ngiam's intellect, empathy and "willingness to speak his mind".

PM Lee highlighted Ngiam's appointment as a Permanent Secretary at the tender age of 33, Singapore's youngest, and his 40 years of service in various ministries and statutory boards.

He also recalled that Ngiam was the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry when PM Lee joined as Minister of State.

"As a young office holder, I benefited greatly from his considerable experience and sage advice. Tong Dow served on the Economic Committee that I chaired in 1985 that recommended measures to help Singapore recover from our first major economic recession after independence."

President Halimah Yacob: Singapore is "deeply grateful" to Ngiam

In her condolence letter to Jeanette, President Halimah Yacob said that Singapore is "deeply grateful" to Ngiam for his selfless devotion to Singapore and Singaporeans.

In addition to commemorating his sterling public service, President Halimah also mentioned that he "spoke passionately" on issues and that he believed in the contestation of ideas within the public service.

Chan Chun Sing also extended his condolences to Ngiam's wife and family.

Chan, who is the current Minister for Trade and Industry, highlighted that Ngiam was the Ministry's first Permanent Secretary and played an "instrumental role" in shaping and implementing Singapore's economic policies.

You can see his post below:

Goh Chok Tong: Singapore's economic czar

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong also shared his own tribute to Ngiam on Aug. 20, via Facebook.

Goh wrote that he was "deeply saddened" by Ngiam's passing, calling him a friend, colleague and "highly-respected civil servant".

He invited Ngiam to lunch on occasion when Goh became prime minister, as he found his views on Singapore's economy "worthwhile" to listen to, and regarded him as Singapore's "economic czar."

You can see the full post below:

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Top image via Tommy Koh & MParader