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ADDRESS BY MR CHAN CHUN SING, MINISTER FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY AND
MINISTER-IN-CHARGE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE AT THE 2018 PSC SCHOLARSHIPS
AWARD CEREMONY ON 18 JULY 2018, AT 1700HRS, GRAND COPTHORNE
WATERFRONT HOTEL, SINGAPORE

Chairman and Members of Public Service Commission.

Recipients, Families, Teachers, Principals, Friends and Colleagues.

Let me first start today’s sharing by thanking Mr Eddie Teo, who has served Singapore for almost five decades.

When I was a young officer, Mr Eddie Teo was one of my superiors, a mentor, and he had kindly shared his time and experience with us, the younger generation. So, today, as I stand before you, a part of me has been guided and moulded by people like Mr Eddie Teo, who has contributed their time, talent and treasures to the course of Singapore. So thank you very much.

Mr Eddie Teo was one of the first few batches of scholarship holders from Singapore. Today, I must say that I do feel a bit old because amongst the recipients today, are children from my own batch, who are here with us. But before I carry on, I must also welcome Mr Lee Tzu Yang for taking over as the Chairman of PSC and I hope that all of you would give him the support that you have given to Mr Eddie Teo as well. So, thank you Tzu Yang for joining us.

For all the recipients present here today, let me start off by sharing with everyone that we are here, not only because of our hard work or our intelligence. We are here because of the support given to us by our families and the opportunities given to us by society.

I always remember that when I took the scholarship many years back and went to Cambridge University, there were many more people in my cohort from other countries who are equally, if not more talented than myself and our fellow Singaporeans. But today, they do not necessarily excel or have the same opportunities as us. That is a constant reminder to all of us here, that we are here not just because of our intelligence and hard work but because of the support and love from our families and also the opportunities given to us by our society, which is why, later, when we take the pledge, we take the pledge in front of our family members and our community partners.

Many of you, today, will start on a new journey. This will be a milestone in your life, and you will be wondering how far you will go and what you will achieve. Perhaps at this point in time, it’s useful for us to think about our own definition of success in time to come. In 50 years’ time, will you be in a position like Mr Eddie Teo, or will you be serving in other capacities in different stations in life? Regardless of what our station in life might be, it is important to remind ourselves, what should that definition of success be. And here, perhaps, I would just offer two perspectives on what our definition of success can be for all the scholarship recipients today.

One, we are here not because of ourselves. We are here because of the kind of values and system that our society has. This is a country where we pride ourselves that we will build a nation regardless of race, language, and religion. And I dare say that it is also a country where we pride ourselves that one will be able to succeed regardless of one’s ancestry and one’s personal connection. Our promise to each and every generation of Singaporeans is this, that so long as you are capable and committed, our country will provide you with the best opportunities possible for you to fulfil your potential. That in fulfilling your potential, your definition of success is not just of how well you do for yourself or for your family.

It is also about how able we are to uphold the values and system that have brought us thus far. If all of us believe that we are here because of the system that has given us opportunities, then let us challenge ourselves that we will build an even better system for the next generation. For generations after generations, every Singaporean can be proud that they can excel regardless of race, language, religion, ancestry or connection. This is the kind of system that will inspire generations of Singaporeans to continue to serve, not just for themselves but for the greater good.

It is never easy for Singapore to survive and to thrive. We have done that for the last 53 years, despite the odds, despite the challenges. We were able to do that because we have been able to recruit and develop generations of leaders, whose hearts are at the correct place, who put the country before themselves. They were committed to turn every constraint, every challenge into an opportunity for Singapore. If we do not have enough water, we will make sure that we build sufficient capacity for us never to be held ransom. If we are a small country without resources and sufficient market, we are determined to build the links to connect ourselves to the rest of the world, so that we will transcend the limitations of our size and geography. And there will be many, many more challenges that Singapore will confront in the years to come.

But what will set us apart is not just how intelligent we are but how able we are to continue to recruit and attract the best to come forth and serve the nation over and beyond defining success for ourselves.

And in that, yet another perspective beyond building the system is upholding the values. Upholding the values whereby meritocracy is at the core of what we believe in.

But I don’t mean meritocracy in a narrow definition or meritocracy in a uni-dimensional way. We practise continuous meritocracy. We practise meritocracy with multiple peaks. And this becomes even more important as Singapore goes forth into the next 50 years, where our challenges are much more complex. This is the reason why PSC spares no effort to continuously build diverse leadership teams for Singapore going forward.

Diversity comes with resilience. If we are uni-dimensional in our search for leadership potential, then we will become fragile in our leadership capacity. This is the reason why we send students to many different countries to undertake many different subjects of studies, and we try to look for people with diverse experience, diverse backgrounds because this diversity provides the resilience that our country needs.

We need to be like the Swiss-knife, so that regardless of the challenges going forward, we will have the diverse skillsets within Team Singapore for us to overcome the challenges together.

So to me, I hope, when we look back one day at this very moment, that we remind ourselves our definition of success for all scholarship holders cannot just be how well we do for ourselves, but how well we are able to build a better system for future generations of Singapore, and how well we uphold the values that define us as Singaporeans.

As you move forth to do your various studies in various countries, I hope you will also remember these 4 ’A’s.

First, be alert; alert to the challenges facing our country, facing the world. Never, never, confine ourselves just to the subject of study. When I was in Cambridge, my subject of study was Economics, but I took the time to understand Game Theory, Sociology, Psychology, Science and so forth. Because it is the best time for us to keep alert to what is happening around us.

Next, always analyse why something is happening or not happening. Do not accept what people say on face value. Ask ourselves, “why is this happening” or “why is something not happening”.

Third, try to apply it to Singapore; and if not, find the alternative. It is easy for us to go to a new country, look at the model, either to say “yes, this is very good, I should copy wholesale”; or “No, this is not good enough and I will reject it.” Both are not particularly useful. Even if something works in another country, we need to ask ourselves “will it work in our context”. Even if something does not work in another country, we have to ask ourselves “why is it not working in that country”.

Last but not least, I hope all scholarship holders will remember to anticipate. It is very difficult for us to foretell the future moving forward and the ability to anticipate and adapt will determine whether Singapore will continue to do well and excel.

Singapore is at the forefront in many areas of our governance in the way we develop our systems. We can never be complacent, because if we do not anticipate the challenges that we will face, we will not adapt and we will not be agile, then history will pass us by. Our job is to continue to defy the odds of history as Team Singapore - people with diversity of talents and the commitment to serve, constantly asking ourselves how we can not only survive, but thrive for another 50 years or more in the history of this land that we stand on now.

We have always been part of a larger entity because it has always been difficult for small states to survive without access to a larger hinterland for resources and markets. But we have transcended our geography and size because we remain connected to the rest of the world. We make it a point that we will never, never be constrained by geography or size. Instead, we turn geography and size into opportunities by connecting to the rest of the world as our hinterland, we have greater access, greater diversity of avenues to get resources and markets. That is why and how Singapore has thrived, and there will be many, many more of such challenges that we will need to face.

All I ask for is that you never be complacent that we have arrived. We must constantly be alert to the challenges facing our country; analyse what is happening around us; apply our abilities and anticipate the future.

If we can do all this collectively as a team, I am confident that the next generation of Singaporeans will have even better opportunities than this generation. And perhaps, that is the reason why we are all gathered here today.

Today, I stand on the shoulders of those who have come before me. They have made the path for my generation. It is the duty of my generation to similarly lend our shoulders to your generation to stand taller and see further. I hope that in time to come, all of you will also lend your shoulders to the next generation to stand taller and see further.

If we can do this for generations after generations, I am sure that the Singapore Public Service will distinguish itself for our country to continue to defy the odds of history, to not only survive, but to transcend. This is our collective responsibility as Public Servants for our nation.

I wish you all the very best for your future endeavours and I look forward to your contributions to take our country to the next higher peak.

Thank you very much.

OPENING ADDRESS BY MR EDDIE TEO, CHAIRMAN, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY ON 18 JULY 2018 AT GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL GRAND BALLROOM  

Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade and Industry, and

Minister-in-charge of the Public Service,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Welcome to the 2018 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony.

2. My warmest congratulations to the 93 PSC scholarship recipients this year. You were selected
because you demonstrated the commitment to serve Singapore and Singaporeans with integrity, empathy and excellence, and we think you have the potential to become public sector leaders.

3. There are high expectations placed on all scholarship holders. The Public Service, your teachers, your family, and the people of Singapore all expect you to do your best and prepare yourselves to serve the nation with distinction. While they join you in celebrating your achievements thus far, it is imperative that you have the humility to appreciate that your success is due not only to your own effort, but also to the support and guidance your family, teachers, principals and peers have given you on your journey so far.

A TALENT PIPELINE THAT SERVES SINGAPORE’S FUTURE NEEDS

4. All the scholarship recipients here today form a part of the future corps of public officers, who will help shape Singapore’s future and lead us forward. For Singapore to continue to prosper and progress, we need a good spread of talent, with the necessary knowledge, skills and capabilities to tackle our increasingly complex national challenges and keep Singapore exceptional. The PSC’s responsibility is to recruit the right talent with leadership potential to help Singapore achieve its goals. We do so by maintaining high standards in our selection process which is based on merit.

DIVERSITY

5. To remain relevant and effective, the Public Service must challenge old assumptions, and be open to experimenting with novel ways of tackling difficult problems and delivering services to the people. We need a Service that is able to connect with Singaporeans from all walks of life, and a Service with different points of view to tackle complex issues. This underscores the importance of having diversity in our leadership talent pool.

6. We have always kept this in mind each year, as we searched for candidates to award the PSC scholarships. PSC scholarships are awarded on merit regardless of candidates’ backgrounds. Through a multi-dimensional selection process that focuses on whole person qualities, we evaluate and identify individuals who exemplify the potential to take on leadership roles in future in the Public Service. Besides attaining diversity by recruiting students with different backgrounds, we also expose our scholarship holders to different cultures and experiences.

7. I am pleased to announce that this year, we have 4 scholarship recipients who have chosen non-traditional countries for their studies. I am sure they will bring home different experiences, networks and perspectives which will enrich the Service. Mr Foo Suon Chuang and Mr Jonathan Koh Jian Yi will be heading to Peking (北大) University in China, while Mr Teo Kai Jin and Ms Nicole Wong Yifei will be studying in Germany. We hope that as they take these less trodden paths, they will enrich and add to the diversity of views when they return to serve.

8. Diversity of background remains important. This year, the PSC awarded scholarships to 7 students from non-IP institutions, including ACJC, PJC, SAJC, and the Singapore Polytechnic. In addition, some of our scholarship recipients come from challenging family and personal circumstances. That they have done so well shows their resilience and determination - qualities that are as vital as high intellect and academic excellence.

DIGITAL AND ENGINEERING CAPABILITIES

9. PSC is helping Singapore become a Smart Nation, through recruiting talent to build digital and engineering capabilities in the Public Service.

10. This year, the PSC is pleased to have given out a total of 22 awards under the PSC Scholarship (Engineering) scheme. This is a threefold increase from last year, when we first introduced the scholarship. I believe this group of future Engineers will have challenging and interesting work in store for them, when they return to serve in the Public Service. They are passionate about engineering and technology, and they are keen to practise as Engineers. They are ready to roll up their sleeves, be part of the team re-thinking how to improve the lives of citizens and tackle our urban challenges with the help of technology.

CONCLUSION : ROLES AS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

11. This is my last month as Chairman of the Public Service Commission. It has been a memorable and
rewarding experience serving in this capacity over the past 10 years. One of the joys of this job is that I get to glimpse into the future of Singapore by listening to the views of our best and brightest students. I learn how they feel about themselves and their fellow citizens, how they regard Singapore today and in the future, what they think needs fixing and has to change, and what role they hope to play in making these changes. I come away hopeful and optimistic because many of our best future public sector leaders show the courage to express their own views, even if they contradict current thinking and existing policies. For we can only improve if our public servants do not blindly follow orders but also question and challenge assumptions, in order to seek the best possible solutions to our problems. When public servants see that a decision or policy is wrong, they must be prepared to speak truth to power. In discharging their duties, they must act impartially, without fear or favour.

12. To the 93 recipients, I would like to remind them that this is not just the start of your scholarship award. It is also the beginning of your career in the Singapore Public Service.

13. Start by thinking about what skills, experience and traits you need to acquire to be an effective officer in the Public Service. Do not limit your learning to just where you study. Go beyond the classrooms, lecture halls and campuses. Be inquisitive and explore. Travel widely and as you explore, stay in touch with developments back home and remain tuned into the needs of Singapore and Singaporeans. I am confident that you will live up to the trust placed in you, and that you will do your part to contribute when you return.

14. Finally, I want to say a special “thank you” to my fellow PSC members, who have given so much of their time to help me make better and more rounded decisions in selecting, promoting and disciplining public servants. A word of thanks also to the PSC Secretariat - people who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often forgotten and under-appreciated.

15. Thank you.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mrs Teo

Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng

Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung and Mrs Ong

Chairman and Members of the Public Service Commission

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening.

Every year, the President’s Scholarship is awarded to outstanding young men and women who have the passion to serve our nation through a career in the Public Service.

Talent for the Public Service

Awarding scholarships is one important avenue for the Singapore government to build up a talent pool of future leaders to ensure our nation’s continued survival and success. Recipients of the President’s Scholarship represent the best in their cohort, distinguished by their leadership qualities and strong commitment to serving the nation and the people.

In my term as President, I have presented 24 President’s Scholarship awards. Some of the Scholars are still pursuing their studies and others are currently serving in different capacities across the Public Service. All of them share the same commitment to contribute meaningfully to Singapore.

2017 President’s Scholars

This year, I am pleased to award the President’s Scholarship to five outstanding individuals selected by the Public Service Commission. These five young men and women possess not just intellectual capabilities and leadership qualities, but also the passion and values needed to serve Singapore and Singaporeans.

The recipients are:

1. Miss Agatha Sacha Lim Lee;
2. Mr Jasdeep Singh Hundal;
3. Mr Lee Tat Wei;
4. Officer Cadet Lionel Oh Wei Hao; and
5. Miss Wee Jin Ting Cheri

Agatha will pursue her studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Jasdeep will read Social Sciences and History, and Tat Wei will study Liberal Arts. Both of them will join the Foreign Service upon graduation. Lionel will study International Relations and serve in the Singapore Armed Forces after graduation. Cheri will read Psychology and Philosophy.

My heartfelt congratulations to the five of you. I would also like to acknowledge your families, Principals, teachers, and friends for their unwavering support, and their roles in developing your potential and shaping your character and values.

Challenges Ahead

Our world is changing rapidly. Balancing bilateral relationships in a more volatile global environment, sustaining economic growth amid disruptive change, igniting the innovative spirit of our young Singaporeans and safeguarding Singapore’s social fabric are just some of the challenges which we can already see on the horizon.

Singapore’s Place in the World

Our global environment is constantly changing. As a small nation, Singapore has to constantly find our place in a world that does not owe us a living. Our forefathers, through their relentless hard work and determination, have laid a strong foundation for us – a foundation based on meritocracy, integrity and impartiality. Building on this foundation, Singapore has enjoyed remarkable success as an independent nation, going from Third World to First in a single generation.

But we must not become complacent. Instead, we should strive for continuous progress in order to earn our place on the global stage. Singapore’s strength lies in being a trusted partner to our neighbours and other countries, and establishing relationships which are mutually beneficial.

Technological Innovations

Today we are leveraging technology and innovative practices to improve the living standards of our citizens, to create new businesses, and to safeguard our nation’s interests. We are taking steps towards realising our Smart Nation vision, trialling self-driving vehicles, increasing automation of manual processes and boosting our artificial intelligence capabilities.

These technological advancements have to be matched by a skilled workforce that is prepared to improve itself constantly. The deep skills must be complemented by a desire to do more for Singapore and the skills to translate ideas into reality. Singapore’s progress is dependent on both Government and citizens playing their roles and taking ownership of the nation’s success.

Remaining Cohesive and Resilient

A week ago, we celebrated Singapore’s 52nd year of independence as “One Nation Together”. It was a wonderful display of the solidarity of our people. In a globalised world where cross-border mobility allows many Singaporeans to live and work overseas, and as our population continues to grow in numbers and diversity, we must continuously safeguard our social cohesion. We should continue to celebrate the unity among Singaporeans from different backgrounds.

At the same time, we must be mindful of the global realities. The recent spate of attacks reminded us of what harm the scourge of terrorism can cause. We cannot allow external forces or extremist ideologies to jeopardise the harmony in our society, and endanger the peace which we have so carefully built and nurtured over the past 52 years. Against all challenges, it is paramount that we remain rooted to our principles and stand together as one united people.

Conclusion

Agatha, Jasdeep, Tat Wei, Lionel and Cheri – The challenges I have mentioned are just some that you can expect to tackle in the public service ahead of you. To do so, you must lead your peers and make every effort to understand the needs of Singaporeans.

As recipients of the President’s Scholarship, you must inspire others by being role models. As the future generation of the Public Service, Singaporeans trust in your abilities to improve their lives and steer the nation to greater heights. In all that you do, always bear in mind the ethos of the Public Service: Integrity, Service and Excellence.

I am confident that you will do us proud. I wish you all the best in your journey ahead as you start to pursue your studies. I look forward to you serving the nation and all Singaporeans with pride and passion.

Thank you.

ADDRESS BY MR TEO CHEE HEAN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, COORDINATING MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND MINISTER IN CHARGE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AT THE 2017 PSC SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY ON 12 JULY 2017, AT 1700 HRS, GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL, SINGAPORE

 

“Building a future-ready Public Service to serve Singapore and Singaporeans”

 

Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman of the Public Service Commission,

Members of the PSC,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

          Good evening to all of you. I am happy to join you at the 2017 Public Service Commission Scholarships Award Ceremony.  First of all, congratulations to all our 71 scholarship recipients this year. I would also like to thank the families, principals, and teachers who have put in much effort to nurture, guide and support our scholarship recipients.

          Please join me in also giving our scholarship recipients, their parents, families, principals, and teachers another round of applause.

New Challenges in the New Global Environment

           We face many uncertainties in today’s global environment and Singapore faces many new challenges. Many drivers that have brought global growth and prosperity – free trade, openness to talent and immigration and a safe and secure operating environment – are no longer taken for granted in many developed countries. Governments worldwide are seeking new pathways for success and new sources of growth.   

          At the same time, rapid advances in technology such as artificial intelligence and robotics are disrupting existing ways of doing things and can be a source of anxiety for many workers and in fact, people in many countries. But these disruptive technologies can also provide new opportunities for growth for Singapore-based companies and workers and can provide an opportunity for Singapore to stay ahead, if we can master them, and we can organise our society to take full advantage of them.

            So to continue to harness these opportunities, Singaporeans need to deepen our skills and have a positive and innovative mindset to constantly upgrade ourselves to be future-ready. This applies to the Public Service as a whole and to our public officers.

Deepening Skills

            First, deepening our skills. By encouraging our officers to acquire technical skills in engineering, digital and related fields, the Government is sending a strong signal on the skills required to help Singaporeans prepare for the future. We are developing a stronger engineering core in the Public Service. We also need more public officers with expertise in areas such as digital technology, who are constantly exploring ways to make lives better for our people by leveraging new technology. For instance, to succeed in our vision of a Smart Nation, officers skilled in data and cybersecurity can help our agencies to better address the threats from cyber-attacks, and also put in place policies and measures to help Singaporeans benefit from advances in digital technology.

        To nurture the next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and strengthen Singapore’s engineering leadership pipeline, the Public Service Commission introduced the new PSC Scholarship (Engineering) last year. This scholarship aims to attract talented and passionate young Singaporeans who are keen to pursue a career in engineering and related fields within the Public Service.

        To develop them into specialist leaders, the PSC Scholarship (Engineering) holders will undertake stretch postings in one of three engineering clusters in (i) the Defence & Security cluster, (ii) the Information & Communications Technology and Smart Systems cluster, or (iii) the Infrastructure and Environment cluster. The technical demands of their postings will sharpen their domain skills and groom them into experts in their selected engineering field. This will add valuable, high-technology expertise to the Public Service and advance our capabilities to address complex challenges in defence technology, Smart Nation, climate change and scientific skills. Their analytical and technical skills will also be very useful when they apply them in broader jobs which are applicable all across the Public Service, and not just in their engineering specialties.

Developing an Innovative, Bold and Creative Mindset

            Second, developing an innovative, bold and creative mindset. Knowledge and hard skills need to be complemented by a spirit of innovation, boldness and creativity. We did not get here by simply following what others did. We were daring. We were bold. We were prepared to experiment, and we were prepared to adapt what others had done elsewhere to our own environment in creative and innovative ways. In our constantly evolving operating environment, we must update our policy assumptions, and challenge the status quo. Our officers must also help spot “pattern-breaks” early so that we can adjust our policies, act fast and put in place the necessary measures to test new ideas, and scale up good solutions for the benefit of Singapore and Singaporeans.

            We are committed to making the Public Service a conducive place for innovation. We are looking into streamlining processes such as procurement. We are also encouraging pilot projects, and creating new spaces for experimentation. The introduction of “regulatory sandboxes” in our government agencies will allow officers to experiment with new regulatory methods before making changes to existing regulations or laws on a wider scale.

             For instance, we have been testing autonomous vehicles in one-north and Cleantech park since 2015. As autonomous vehicle technologies are evolving rapidly, we need to have adaptive rules as well. The Road Traffic Act was amended earlier this year so that the Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority can better support innovations in the transport sector, while safeguarding commuters’ interest. These changes will support the trials of autonomous vehicles on our public roads so that we can reap the benefits as technology advances. This will also create a vibrant ecosystem of companies skilled in autonomous technologies which can be used in other sectors such as healthcare and service delivery.

            I visited our hospital and healthcare clusters recently and the innovations that they are putting in place in healthcare are quite ground-breaking – from the way they do imaging and using data analytics, to the work that our nurses and our doctors do at the bedside with the hospitals and the patients. All these are remarkable innovations which we are putting in place to deliver better healthcare in a cost-effective way to Singaporeans. And we hope that such ongoing efforts will spread all across the public sector in the Public Service and encourage greater innovation.

            Our public officers will be supported in formulating new solutions. Bold, creative, and innovative mind, together with deep skills, will enable our public officers to better serve Singapore and Singaporeans in this new global environment. We must continue to have the boldness, innovativeness and creativity, and dare to break new grounds to take Singapore further. The Public Service must be at the forefront of this.

Conclusion

            To our scholarship recipients, I commend you for taking this first step. By accepting the PSC scholarship, you have taken on a commitment to serve Singapore through a Public Service career. In the next few years, make the best of your education. Use the opportunities wisely to deepen your skills, make new friends, learn with an open mind.

           When you return, I am certain that you will have opportunities to work on exciting issues and projects. At the same time, remember to live up to the Public Service values of integrity, service and excellence, and develop policies and programmes that will serve Singapore and our people well into the future.

           Once again, my congratulations to all of you! I wish you all the very best as you embark on your studies and your career to serve Singapore and Singaporeans.

            Thank you.