Transcript of the doorstop interview with Foreign Minister George Yeo and Deputy Governor of Hadramout Ahmed Janned Al Janned at Tepak Sireh Restaurant on 11 June 2008

Q: Minister, maybe you can give us an update on the efforts to foster closer ties between Singapore and Yemen.

Minister : Since my visit to Yemen last year in the month of May, our relations have taken a step further and we have appointed a Non-Resident Ambassador to Sanaa, Helmi Talib is himself of the Hadrami descent and he has relatives there. This will help us revive an old link. For instance, Governor Ahmed Janned Al Janned who is now here in Singapore, he is the great-great-great grandnephew of Syed Omar Aljunied, who was the Arab merchant from Palembang by Stamford Raffles, who gave the name to Omar Mosque, the oldest mosque, and to Aljunied Constituency his name. We are very happy to welcome to Singapore a relative and a friend.

Q: So what roles can the local Arabs play to build the bridge between Singapore and Yemen?

Minister : There is a strong reflection of Middle East, not only in Singapore, but also throughout South East Asia, along the entire rim of the Indian Ocean. And with globalisation, all these links will be revived. Recently, when I was in Surabaya, I visited the one of the tombs of the Walis, Sunan Ampel and that makam is in the Arab quarter of Surabaya. And in every major city of South East Asia, of Malaysia, of Indonesia, there are Arab communities and they are linked by culture, by blood, by trade and Singapore has always been a very important node in their network.

Q: So do you think Singapore can become a hub for Arabs around the region?

Minister : Singapore would be one of the hubs of Arabs in the regions and of new links between South East Asia and the Middle East, and indeed of a much greater east-west trade between the Middle East and Asia.

Q: Minister, last year you talked about setting up a centre for Arab culture and (inaudible)..., any updates on that?

Minister : There is some progress and a lot of work is being done. We will be establishing an Arab Centre and plans are being drawn up. We are hoping that in this effort, the Governor of Hadramout can help us. I have with me this evening, the CEO of National Library Board, Dr Varaprasad, who has some interest in doing work on Hadrami culture in Singapore. And happily, there is an Aljunied working in National Library to provide us a ready link in the person of Sharifah Zahra. Now over to .....

Q: Can you give us your impression of Singapore so far?

Governor of Hadramout (translated): The relationship between Singapore and Yemen has existed for about 200 years and Singapore has educated and influenced many of the people of Hadramout, in particular, in very positive ways and some of that influences you can also see them reflected in Hadramout. Some of the institutions created in Hadramout were actually done by Hadrami descents who lived and made their wealth and fortunes in Singapore. I am looking forward to renew this relationship and I am looking forward to bringing more Singapore expertise to Hadramout in particular and Yemen in general to help develop these ties further and further. And Minister George Yeo's visit to Yemen was an excellent initiative to open the doors to this relationship.