A commemorative publication by Challenge magazine Remembering Lee Kuan Yew Our Founding Prime Minister 1923 – 2015 His ideas and impact on the Singapore Public Service P • 1 FOREWORD FOUNDING OurPRIME MINISTER... of his legendary attention to detail, his exacting performance standards and the clarity of purpose he applied to every problem. They also found the side of him that was a caring boss. But underpinning all these was Mr Lee’s unwavering dedication to keeping Singapore successful. For Mr Lee, if something was worth doing for Singapore and Singaporeans, it was worth doing it very well. We saw this, for example, in his dedication to the cause of the trade unions, so that Mr Lee Kuan Yew at the 2014 National Day Parade. Source: Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images workers can have a share in the fruits of the nation’s progress; his promotion of home ownership so that every Singaporean has a stake in the country; his Our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, personal attention to the greening of Singapore died on March 23, 2015, at the age of 91. which he saw as a means of gifting to every Singaporean, no matter his station in life, a very To say that Mr Lee served Singapore and Singaporeans conducive urban environment. The list is endless. for almost all of his adult life would be understating his extraordinary contributions. Mr Lee and his Mr Lee’s passing is a poignant moment in Singapore’s Old Guard colleagues played indispensable roles in history, a moment for all of us to pause and reflect transforming Singapore from a Third World country on his contributions to Singapore. As we celebrate into a First World country that is peaceful, cohesive the life of a great leader, an astute statesman and and prosperous. Without him and his colleagues, an exceptional Singaporean, let us seek to emulate Singapore will not be where it is today. his passion and dedication in serving Singapore and Singaporeans. Let that be Mr Lee’s legacy to the Mr Lee Kuan Yew was also singularly instrumental in Public Service. creating the Public Service ethos that we have today – clean, efficient, effective and indeed exceptional. As a tribute to Mr Lee, the Public Service Division As a young civil servant, Mr Lee’s leadership left a has produced this publication to commemorate his deep impression on me and I had the great privilege ideas and impact on the Public Service. of watching, from close up, the way he handled many important issues, such as relations with major Sincerely, countries, in both good and bad times. Those of our Peter Ong colleagues who have worked closely with him speak Head, Civil Service Cover photograph by Tara Sosrowardoyo, National Museum of Singapore Collection Published by PS21 Office, Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office Email: [email protected] Web: www.challenge.gov.sg Produced by Tuber Productions Pte Ltd Email: [email protected] Web: www.tuberproductions.com Copyright of the materials contained in this publication belongs to PS21 Office, Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office. Nothing in here shall be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this publication are not neccessarily those of the Public Service Division or Tuber Productions Pte Ltd and no liabilities shall be attached there to. All rights reserved. All information correct at time of printing. INTEGRITYOn Mr Lee Kuan Yew knew right from the start of his career that a clean and ethical government – built on a sound legal system and the rule of law – was vital to Singapore’s survival and prosperity. He saw it his mission to eradicate corruption and empowered the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) to go after the “big takers in the upper echelons”. To counter systemic corruption, Mr Lee staunchly championed the policy of paying political leaders as well as all public officers competitive salaries. He introduced the idea of a “clean wage” – guiding the Public Service away from the provision of staff quarters, staff cars, and pensions – so that there are no hidden benefits to serving the public. With the help of these measures, the Service has developed a reputation for integrity, and Singapore has been ranked consistently as one of the least corrupt nations of the world. This has gained the trust of foreign investors, whose investments helped to propel Singapore from a developing economy Source: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore to a developed one in just 40 years. “What is often highlighted publicly are the salaries of political leaders and administrative officers who lead the public service; what is less often highlighted is that we pay competitive salaries for all jobs and all schemes of service across the entire public service. “He tackled corruption earnestly after 1959… This has enabled the Service to professionalise [Now] it is in our DNA that we expect civil servants jobs across the public sectors, including teachers, to provide the public with services without asking lawyers, accountants and statisticians. We even for ‘under the table’ money.” give performance-based bonuses, a practice that distinguishes the Singapore government from – shared on Cube by Loh Yoon Min, virtually all other governments.” Senior Assistant Director (Financial Investigations), CPIB – Yong Ying-I, Permanent Secretary for Public Service Division, in The Big Ideas of Lee Kuan Yew P • 3 INTEGRITYOn “My theme to you is simply this. You and I have a vested interest in the survival of the democratic state. We the elected ministers have to work through you and with you to translate our plans and policies into reality. You should give of your best in the service of our people… It is in our interest to show that under the system of ‘one man, one vote’ there can be an honest and efficient government, which works through an efficient administration in the interests of our people. If we do not do our best, then we only have ourselves to blame when the people lose faith, not just in you... but also in the democratic system of which you and I are working parts…” – Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s speech at the Civil Service Political Study Centre on August 15, 1959, as cited in Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and His Ideas Mr Lee Kuan Yew at the opening of the Civil Service Political Study Centre at Goodwood Hill on August 15, 1959. Source: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore In 1995 Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong ordered an investigation into purchases of two properties each made by my wife on my behalf and by my son Lee Hsien Loong, then deputy prime minister. The developer had given them unsolicited 5-7 per cent discounts on these purchases, as he had given to 5-10 per cent of his buyers at a soft launch to test “…when the core leadership is clean, corruption the market. Because my brother was a non-executive can be gradually diminished. [Countries] must be director of the company, a rumour went around that prepared to take on the big ones in the highest my son and I had gained an unfair advantage. The echelons of the government. This is most painful to Monetary Authority of Singapore investigated the do as I know from experience... matter and reported to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong that there was nothing improper. In November 1985 one of Teh Cheang Wan’s (Minister for National Development) old associates Nevertheless I asked the prime minister to take the told the CPIB that he had given Teh two cash matter to Parliament. In the debate, opposition payments of S$400,000 each in 1981 and 1982, MPs, including two lawyers, one a leader of the to allow a development company to retain part of opposition, said that such discounts were standard its land which had been earmarked for compulsory marketing practice and was not improper. This open government acquisition… Teh denied receiving the debate made it a non-issue in the general elections a money. He tried to bargain with the senior assistant year later. director of the CPIB for the case not to be pursued. The cabinet secretary reported this and said Teh had Leaders must be prepared for such scrutiny to keep asked to see me. I told the Cabinet Secretary that I the system clean. could not see him until the investigations were over. A week later, on the morning of 15 December 1986, We have to keep our own house clean. No one else my security officer reported that Teh had died and can do it for us.” left me a letter: – Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s speech at the Prime Minister Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s “World Ethics and Integrity Forum 2005”, I have been feeling very sad and depressed for the April 28, 2005 last two weeks. I feel responsible for the occurrence of this unfortunate incident and I feel I should accept full responsibility. As an honourable oriental “We (the Public Service) take great pride today in gentleman I feel it is only right that I should pay the being clean and capable, effective and exceptional. highest penalty for my mistake. We probably take for granted the policies and practices, ethos and values, that shaped these Yours faithfully, outcomes. Many of our core policies were shaped by Teh Cheang Wan Mr Lee, with our pay policies and our investment in talent being two examples.” Teh preferred to take his life rather than face disgrace and ostracism.