Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong on Sunday praised Sony Corp. Chairman Norio Ohga for his advice that the government should spend more on promoting cultural and artistic activities.
"Ohga speaks with authority," Goh said in his National Day Rally speech. "He is an accomplished opera singer, a musician and a conductor."
Singapore is trying to promote entrepreneurship to avoid overdependence on foreign investors for jobs, especially amid fierce competition for foreign investment.
Goh said studies in the United States have shown entrepreneurship is dependent cultural vibrancy.
Ohga, who sits on an international advisory panel of the Economic Development Board, Singapore's investment promotion agency, was awarded a "public service star" this year.
Saying that Ohga invented the compact disc, Goh said, "The story goes that engineers . . . originally proposed a CD of 60 minutes playtime, but Ohga insisted that it should be 75 minutes.
"You know why? Because that is the length of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony! And that is how we have 75-minute CDs today."
Goh spent part of his speech chastising Singaporeans for devoting their creative energy to idle pursuits and for having unrealistic attitudes when seeking jobs during the current economic downturn.
Last year, Singapore saw a 2 percent contraction, in part due to weak electronics demand.
He also rapped "fair-weather Singaporeans (who) run away whenever the country runs into stormy weather," apparently referring those who choose to work and live in other countries.