NUS Honours Law Alumni for Outstanding Contributions to their Alma Mater, Society and the World

At the prestigious NUS Alumni Awards 2023, the National University of Singapore (NUS) honoured the achievements of 21 outstanding alumni, and three alumni teams comprising another 14 alumni. NUS Law alumni who received honours comprised Madam Halimah Yacob, former President of the Republic of Singapore; Justice Andrew Phang Boon Leong, Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore; and Samson Leo, the Chief Legal Officer of Fazz.

The Awards were presented in four categories: the Eminent Alumni Award, the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and the Team (Alumni) Award. Mdm Halimah was conferred the Eminent Alumni Award, while Justice Phang received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, and Samson received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Held biennially since 2005, the Awards recognise alumni who have distinguished themselves through significant and impactful contributions to their alma mater, society and the world.

Eminent Alumni Award 2023 Recipient – Madam Halimah Yacob ’78

NUS conferred the Eminent Alumni Award on former President of the Republic of Singapore, Mdm Halimah Yacob, for her achievements in public service, as well as her exemplary service to the University as the former and 10th Chancellor of NUS. As the eighth President of Singapore, Mdm Halimah spent her career advancing the lives of individuals and communities, particularly the underprivileged.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the Eminent Alumni Award from my alma mater. NUS has played a formative role in my life, shaping not only my academic development but the values I have carried throughout my career,” said Mdm Halimah.

After obtaining her Bachelor of Laws in 1978 from the University of Singapore, she joined the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), where she advised unions and workers on industrial relations and their employment rights. She spent 33 years with the labour movement, rising to the position of Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC. In 1999, Mdm Halimah became the first Singaporean to be elected to the Geneva-based International Labour Organisation (ILO), where she served for 12 years, representing workers globally.

Making her political debut in the 2001 General Election, Mdm Halimah served as a Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2017. She was appointed Minister of State for Community Development and Sports in 2011, where she introduced programmes for seniors and enhanced services for the disabled, including the Enabling Village. In 2013, Mdm Halimah became the first woman in Singapore to be appointed Speaker of Parliament. This was followed by another first in 2017 when she was sworn in as the country’s first female President.

As President, Mdm Halimah continued to give a strong voice to the disadvantaged, while also promoting social cohesion and inclusivity. She initiated the Empowering for Life Fund, to help disadvantaged groups through measures such as upskilling; the Enabling Employment Pledge, which saw over 280 employers commit to training and placing people with disabilities; as well as the first International Conference on Cohesive Societies, which brought people, local and international, together to discuss topics such as faith, culture and identity.

She continued her education, obtaining her Master of Laws from NUS in 2001. As a member of the NUS Council from 2004, and later the NUS Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2011, Mdm Halimah often stressed the importance of helping students in need of financial aid access a wide range of programmes. In 2017, she became the 10th Chancellor of NUS, where she conferred close to 76,000 undergraduate, masters, doctorate, and honorary degrees over six years and presided over the Main Commencement ceremonies for graduates and honorary graduates.

Mdm Halimah’s outstanding leadership and contributions have been recognised through the years with many accolades and awards, including the Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award 2001, Her World Woman of the Year Award 2003, and AWARE Heroine Award 2011. She was also inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2016, NUS bestowed upon her its highest honours, conferring on her the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. She also received the Order of Temasek (With High Distinction), the nation’s highest civilian honour, in 2023.

Distinguished Alumni Service Recipient – Justice Andrew Phang ’82

Eight NUS alumni were conferred the Distinguished Alumni Service Award for their achievements in their chosen fields, as well as their excellent volunteer service to NUS, its predecessor institutions and/or the community. Among them is Justice Andrew Phang, who has made a significant impact in both legal academia and the courts. He retired on 15 December 2022 and is currently a Senior Judge.

Graduating with first class honours from the NUS Law Faculty in 1982, Justice Phang obtained his master’s and doctorate degrees from Harvard Law School. He taught for 18 years at the NUS Law Faculty and was appointed Professor of Law in 1999. He was also the recipient of an NUS Outstanding University Researcher Award.

In 2004, Justice Phang became the first legal academic to be appointed as Senior Counsel despite not making any application for the title. He was appointed Judicial Commissioner on 3 January 2005, appointed High Court Judge on 8 December 2005, appointed Judge of Appeal (since re-designated as Justice of the Court of Appeal) on 28 February 2006 and was appointed Vice-President of the Court of Appeal on 28 September 2017. He chaired the NUS Law Advisory Council between 2019 and 2022, during which time he and the Council proposed as well as advised the NUS Law Faculty in relation to the setting up of a compulsory law and technology course.

Justice Phang has published in the leading Commonwealth journals and has contributed to over forty local as well as international journals in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. In addition to over 260 publications, many of which have been cited in articles and books published both locally and overseas, he has also authored close to 400 judgments.

His judgments have been published not only in the local law reports but also in many international law reports. Many of his judgments have been the subject of academic commentary in local and international journals, and been cited and/or discussed in many books and articles as well as leading textbooks both locally and internationally. His judgments have also been referred to in both local and international courts, including the highest appellate courts in the UK, Australia, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

In recognition of his contributions to legal scholarship both as a legal academic as well as a Judge over a period of four decades, the President of the Republic of Singapore awarded him the Meritorious Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Gemilang) in August 2022. He also became only the third member of the Singapore Judiciary in modern times to have had a Valedictory Reference (a formal sitting of the full Bench to honour a retiring Judge).

Outstanding Young Alumni Award Recipient – Samson Leo ’11

Among the twelve young NUS alumni honoured for their achievements and outstanding contributions to their chosen fields is Samson Leo, the Chief Legal Officer of Fazz, a digital financial services start-up that promotes financial inclusion within Southeast Asia.

Fazz was formed in 2020 from the merger between Payfazz and Xfers, the latter of which had been co-founded by Samson and three fellow NUS alumni six years prior. He was instrumental not only in leading Xfers’ merger, but in negotiating and closing fundraising for the combined Fazz group, securing more than US$150 million between 2020 and 2022. With more than 600 personnel across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, the start-up is now within striking distance of unicorn status.

As a fintech co-founder, Samson has been at the forefront of emerging trends in digital payments, blockchain and cryptocurrency. In 2019, he led Xfers to become the first digital wallet to obtain Widely Accepted Stored Value Facility approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and in 2020, the company launched stablecoin XSGD, backed by the Singapore dollar. Fazz (Xfers) has also continuously demonstrated how payment start-ups can fight cyberscams, helping numerous victims recover their funds, and receiving recognition from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Singapore Police Force for their efforts.

Samson is actively involved in his community, currently serving on the Executive Committee of the Jalan Besar Community Centre Management Committee to increase social and community cohesion. He frequently participates in mentorship events, talks, and panel discussions organised by universities and the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association, helping to guide and mentor undergraduates in their career development. He is also a mentor with the NUS Law Alumni Mentor Programme.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said: “On behalf of the University, I would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to this year’s 35 award recipients. Their remarkable accomplishments across a diversity of fields – from government, business, arts and culture to sustainability and mental wellness – serve as inspiration to the NUS community and Singapore. We celebrate how they have exemplified the NUS values of innovation, resilience, excellence, respect, and integrity, and served as torch bearers of distinguished and outstanding service for future generations of NUS graduates.”