Ong Keng Yong is best known as the former secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Singapore’s ambassador to various countries. And yet, when asked to recall the most satisfying part of his career, his reply is unrelated to any diplomatic experience.

Instead, it was the period of his life between 1998 and 2002. This was when he was temporarily transferred out of Singapore’s foreign service to become the press secretary to former prime minister Goh Chok Tong and, concurrently, chief executive director of the People’s Association.

The People’s Association is a government-linked organization that encourages social cohesion through setting up community-related programs in the city-state.

“It was a unique time and not like anything I had done in the past 20 years as a diplomat,” said the 62-year-old, who is currently the executive deputy chairman of the Singapore-based S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).