upholding integrity in the public service€¦ · upholding integrity . in the public service...

UPHOLDING INTEGRITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

EDITORIAL TEAM

Writers: EddieCHOO,CindyTAN,TOHBoonKwanEditorialAdvisors: LukeGOH,LIMTengLeng,PremaraniSOMASUNDRAM,

KeithTAN,TANLiSan,StephanieTANEditorialsupport: LizaLEE,SheilaNGPreparedandpublishedbytheInstituteofGovernanceandPolicy(IGP)attheCivilServiceCollege.IGPisanodeforresearchonstrategicpolicyissuesfacingSingapore.Itaimstofurthernewinsights,catalysethoughtleadershipinthePublicService,andadvanceSingapore’smodelofpublicgovernance.TheCivilServiceCollege(CSC)SingaporeisastatutoryboardunderthePublicServiceDivisionwithamissiontodeveloppeopleforafirst-classPublicService.Asthepublicsector’scoreinstitutionfortraining,learning,researchandstaffdevelopment,CSCbuildsstrategiccapacityingovernance,leadership,publicadministrationandmanagementforanetworkedgovernmentinSingapore.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TheInstituteofGovernanceandPolicy,CivilServiceCollegeacknowledgestheassistanceprovidedbytheCorruptPracticesInvestigationBureauandthePublicServiceCommissionSecretariatinthewritingofthispaper.

ISBN: 978-981-09-3673-0 (pbk)ISBN: 978-981-09-3674-7 (ebk)©2015CivilServiceCollege,SingaporeAllrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,modified,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionfromtheCivilServiceCollege,Singapore.Forfeedbackorcomments,[email protected] Service College31NorthBuonaVistaRoadSingapore275983www.cscollege.gov.sg

3

“Corruptionmustneverbetolerated.Itstunts

economicdevelopment,underminespublictrust

anderodesoursocialfabric.Fightingcorruption

isanunceasingchallenge.”

PrimeMinisterLeeHsienLoong,20121

Singapore’sreputationforincorruptibilityishardwonthrough

determinedeffortsinthedecadessinceindependence.Intheperiod

beforeindependencein1965,corruptionranrifethroughoutthepublic

service.Anti-corruptioneffortswereineffective,withthePrevention

ofCorruptionOrdinance(POCO)providingaweaklegalenforcement

frameworkandtheAnti-CorruptionBranch(ACB)withinthepolice

forcestymiedbyalackofresources.Corruptioninthepoliceforce

exacerbatedthesituation.Incontrast,present-daySingaporehas

consistentlyattainedahighrankinginTransparencyInternational’s

CorruptionPerceptionsIndex,sustainingatop-5positionfrom

2009to2013.

Singapore’stransformationfromacorruption-riddensocietyto

oneofthecleanestcountriesintheworlddeservescloserscrutiny.This

bookletsummarisesthemajorfactorsthathavecontributedtowards

Singapore’stransformationintoacleancountrywithlowlevelsof

corruption,namelystrongpoliticalwillagainstcorruption,aneffective

anti-corruptionagency,anindependentjudiciary,effectivelaws,apublic

servicethateschewscorruptionandazerotolerancetowardscorruption.

INTRODUCTION

4 UPHOLDING INTEGRITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

ZERO TOLERANCE TO CORRUPTION

POLITICAL WILL

IND

EPEN

DEN

TJ

UD

ICIA

RY

EFFE

CTI

VE

LAW

S

EFFE

CTI

VE

EN

FOR

CEM

ENT

RES

PO

NSI

VE

PU

BLI

C S

ERV

ICE

Dealing Effectively with Corruption

Source: Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Reproduced with permission from the CPIB.

5

ThemostsignificantdriverforSingapore’santi-corruptioneffortsis

thepoliticalwilltofightcorruptionatalllevelsofsociety,evenatthe

highestlevelsofpoliticalleadership.Asasignoftheircommitmentto

eradicatecorruption,LeeKuanYew,Singapore’sfirstprimeminister

andhiscolleaguesofthePeople’sActionParty(PAP)tooktheoathof

officein1959wearingwhite,tosymbolisepurity.Noone,noteven

CabinetMinisters,isexemptfrominvestigationsintoallegationsof

corruptbehaviour.

“Wehadadeepsenseofmissiontoestablisha

cleanandeffectivegovernment.Whenwetook

theoathofofficeattheceremonyinthecity

councilchamberinJune1959,weallworewhite

shirtsandwhiteslackstosymbolisepurityand

honestyinourpersonalbehaviourandourpublic

life.Thepeopleexpectedthisofus,andwewere

determinedtoliveuptotheirexpectations.”

LeeKuanYew,FirstPrimeMinisterofSingapore2

STRONG POLITICAL WILL AGAINST CORRUPTION


Group photograph of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (right) and his Cabinet outside City Hall after the swearing-in of the new government of Singapore, 5 June 1959.

Sour

ce: M

inis

try

of In

form

atio

n an

d th

e Ar

ts C

olle

ctio

n, C

ourt

esy

of N

atio

nal A

rchi

ves

of S

inga

pore

7

PAST POLITICAL LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED FOR CORRUPTION

Case of Tan Kia Gan

TanKiaGan,formerMinisterforNationalDevelopment,was

investigatedin1966forallegedlyacceptingbribestohelpafriend

sellaircrafttoMalaysianAirways.Aswitnessesdidnotwant

toimplicateTan,hewasadministrativelystrippedofallpublic

appointmentsbytheGovernment.3

Case of Wee Toon Boon

WeeToonBoon,formerMinisterofStateforEnvironment,was

chargedincourtforcorruptionin1975foracceptingbribesfrom

apropertydeveloper.Weewasjailedfor18monthsandorderedto

payapenaltyof$7,023.4

Case of Teh Cheang Wan

TehCheangWan,thenMinisterforNationalDevelopment,was

investigatedin1986forallegedlyacceptingbribesfromproperty

developers.Tehcommittedsuicidebeforehecouldbeformally

chargedincourt.5


Formedin1952,theCorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau(CPIB)

replacedthecolonialACB,whichwasineffectiveandunder-resourced.

CPIBreporteddirectlytotheColonialSecretary.WhenthePAPcame

intopowerin1959withtheadventofinternalself-rule,oneofitsfirst

prioritieswastostampoutcorruption.CPIBwasgivenanewleaseof

lifewiththeenactmentofthePreventionofCorruptionAct(PCA)in

1960.PCAwidenedthescopeofwhatconstitutedacorruptacttoinclude

“variousformsofgratification”.Thefinewasalsoraisedto$10,000

and/or5years’imprisonmentifconvicted.Thefinewaslaterraisedto

$100,000in1989.

THE PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT, AN EMPOWERED BUREAU AND AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY

“Therefore,thisGovernmentisdeterminedto

takeallpossiblestepstoseethatallnecessary

legislativeandadministrativemeasuresare

takentoreducetheopportunitiesofcorruption,

tomakeitsdetectioneasier,andtodeterand

punishseverelythosewhoaresusceptibletoit

andengageinitshamelessly.”

OngPangBoon,formerMinisterforHomeAffairs,19606

9

Enactment of the Prevention of Corruption Ordinance (POCO).

The Public Service Commission was established.

Then Minister for National Development Tan Kia Gan was removed from office for allegedly accepting bribes in connection with the sale of aircraft to Malaysian Airways.

Self-government attained. PAP government elected into office with the promise of cleansing Singapore of corruption.

The PCA was amended to raise the fine from $10,000 to $100,000.

Singapore was ranked first, jointly with Denmark and New Zealand in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) established.

Then Minister of State for Environment Wee Toon Boon was

jailed and fined for accepting bribes from a property developer.

The Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) was enacted.

Former Director of the Electricity Department and Deputy Chief

Executive (Operations) of the Public Utilities Board Choy Hon Tim was

convicted and sentenced to a 14-year jail term. Choy’s case involved the

largest amount of bribes uncovered in CPIB’s history — $13.85 million.

Peter Lim Sin Pang, former chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)

was convicted of one count of corruptly obtaining sexual gratification in

relation to the awarding of information technology contracts. He was

jailed for six months.

1937

1960

1951

1966

1952

1975

1995

1959

1989

2010

2013


Inaddition,CPIBofficersweregivenpowersofarrestandsearch

ofsuspects.PCAwasfurtheramendedin1981,empoweringtheCourts

toordertheoffendertorepaythegratificationcorruptlyobtained,

inpartorinfull.UnderthePCA,theamountormoneyvaluemaybe

recoveredasacivildebt.TheCorruption,DrugTraffickingandother

SeriousCrimes(ConfiscationofBenefits)Actcanalsobeinvokedto

confiscateanybenefitsderivedfromcorruptionfromanyoneconvicted

ofthecrime.Publicofficersconvictedofcorruptionmayalsolosetheir

jobs,benefitsorpension.UnlikeACB,CPIBwasplaceddirectlyunderthe

ColonialSecretaryalthoughadministrativelyattachedtotheAttorney-

General’sChambers(AGC).Afterattainmentofself-governmentin1959,

CPIBcameundertheMinistryofHomeAffairs.Followingindependence

throughmergerwiththeFederationofMalaya,NorthBorneoand

SarawaktoformMalaysiain1963,CPIBcameunderthePrimeMinister’s

Office.AfterSingaporewasejectedfromMalaysiain1965,CPIBbriefly

cameunderthewingofAGCagain,beforerevertingtothejurisdiction

ofthePrimeMinister’sOffice.

CPIBnotonlyactsagainstcorruptioninthePublicService,italso

actsagainstcorruptionintheprivatesector.CPIBhasinvestigated

corruptioncasesrangingfrompettyonesinvolvingrestaurantchefsand

supplierstohigh-profilecasesinvolvingcriminalsyndicatestryingtofix

soccermatchesorlotteryresults.CPIBhasalsoinvestigatedcorruption

withinthepoliceforce.UpontheconclusionofCPIBinvestigations,

allallegedcorruptioncasesarehandedovertoAGCtoobtainthe

PublicProsecutor’sconsenttoproceedwithcourtproceedings.Asa

result,CPIBhasafearsomereputation,andistrustedbythepublic

11

duringinvestigations.IfthePrimeMinisterwereevertostopaCPIB

investigationonhimselforamemberoftheCabinet,thePresidentcan

ordertheCPIBdirectortoresumeinvestigations.7

AsLeeKuanYewputsit,“CPIBhasbeenandisatenaciousand

effectiveinstrumentagainstcorruption.TheBureauanditsofficershave

contributedtoSingapore’sstanding,givingconfidencetoinvestorsthat

hasledtoourprogressandprosperity”.8

Anindependentjudiciaryfurtherprovidesprotectionfrompolitical

interference.TheChiefJusticeisappointedbythePresidentonadvice

fromthePrimeMinisterandtheCouncilofPresidentialAdvisers.

DistrictjudgesandmagistratesareappointedbythePresidentwith

advicefromtheChiefJustice.VariousprovisionsoftheConstitution

guaranteetheindependenceoftheSupremeCourtjudiciary.Ajudge

mayonlyberemovedfromofficebythePresidentontheadviceofa

tribunalofjudgesoftheSupremeCourtorthosewhoholdorhave

equivalentofficesintheCommonwealthongroundsofmisbehaviour,

inability,infirmityofbodyormind,oranyothercausethatprevents

judgesfromproperlydischargingthefunctionsoftheiroffice.


Theenforcementbytheanti-corruptionagenciesneedstobesupported

byapublicserviceculturethatvaluesintegrity,incorruptibilityand

transparency.Thepracticeofmeritocracyinthepublicserviceensures

thatthebestperson,regardlessoffamilybackground,ethnicity,religion

andgender,ishiredforthejob.Inaddition,aneffectivepublicservice

helpswithcorruptioncontrol.Regularreviewofadministrativerules

andprocessestoimproveefficienciesreducetheneedtopaybribesto

hastenapplicationprocesses,improvepublicservicedeliveryandraise

customersatisfactionlevels.10

CPIBmay,inthecourseofitsinvestigations,comeacrosscasesin

thepublicsectorwhichrevealcorruption-proneareasorloopholesin

theprocedures.Basedonitsfindings,CPIBreviewstheadministrative

processesthatmaybepronetocorruptpractices,subsequently

recommendingchangesintheprocesses.11

AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT ESCHEWS CORRUPTION AND A ZERO TOLERANCE TOWARDS CORRUPTION

“TheGovernmentisdeeplyconsciousthata

governmentcannotsurvive,nomatterhow

gooditsaimsandintentionsare,ifcorruption

stillexistsinitsranksanditspublicserviceson

whichitdependstoprovidetheefficientand

effectiveadministrativemachinerytotranslate

itspoliciesintoaction.”

OngPangBoon,formerMinisterforHomeAffairs,19609

13

Asaresult,theSingaporePublicServiceiswellregarded

internationally.IntheWorldBankWorldwideGovernanceIndicators

project,from2008to2013,Singaporewasrankedamongthetop10

percentileforeffectivenessofgovernance,corruptioncontrolandruleof

law(seeTable1).

YearControl of Corruption Regulatory Quality

Government Effectiveness Rule of Law

2008 98 99 100 92

2009 95 98 100 92

2010 99 98 100 93

2011 97 96 100 93

2012 97 100 100 96

2013 97 100 100 95

TABLE 1. SINGAPORE’S PERCENTILE POSITION IN THE WORLDWIDE GOVERNANCE INDICATORS PROJECT12

ThecleanPublicServicetodayistheresultofapoliticalwill

thatpassedlawswithdeterrentsentencestoreducetheincentivesof

corruption.Subsequently,payinthePublicServicestartedtoincrease

in1972tomatchthepayintheprivatesectorasatalentretention

measure.BymakingpayinthePublicServiceequitabletotheprivate

sector,corruptionwaschangedfromalow-risk/high-rewardactivitytoa

high-risk/low-rewardactivity.13


Opportunitiesforcorruptionwerealsoreducedbyusingopen

marketsratherthanclosedadministrativemechanismstoallocate

resources.Asanexample,duetoland-scarcityinSingapore,thedecision

wasmadetoreducethespaceallocatedforroadsandtolimitthe

numberofcarsinSingapore.Assuch,peoplepurchasingcarshadtobuy

aCertificateofEntitlement(COE)toownthem.Anopenauctionsystem

wasestablishedforthepricingoftheseCOEs.Ifaclosedadministrative

systemofallocatingCOEshadbeenadopted,theopportunitiesfor

corruptioncouldhaveincreased,sincepublicofficerscouldbebribedto

guaranteeCOEstospecificindividuals.

ThePublicServiceCommission(PSC),aneutralandindependent

body,wasconstitutedin1951asanindependentorganofstateto

appoint,promote,transfer,dismissandexercisedisciplinarycontrol

overpublicofficers.ThePSCSecretariat,whichprovidessecretariat

supporttothePSC,isresponsibleforsettingconductanddiscipline

policies.Itensuresthatofficersmaintainthehigheststandardsof

personalconducttoupholdtheintegrityofthePublicService.

Inaddition,thePublicServiceisguidedbythevaluesofIntegrity,

ServiceandExcellenceandaCodeofConductwhichsetsoutthe

standardsofbehaviourexpectedofpublicofficers.Forexample,the

GovernmentInstructionManualforpublicofficersstatesthat:

• apublicofficercannotborrowmoneyfromanypersonwhohas

officialdealingswithhim;

• apublicofficercannotuseanyofficialinformationtofurtherhis

privateinterest;

15

• apublicofficerisrequiredtodeclarehisassetsathisfirst

appointmentandalsoannually;and

• apublicofficercannotreceiveanygiftofferedtohimonaccountof

hisofficialpositionorofficialwork.

Officersalsoreceiverelevanttrainingonvaluesandconduct

throughprogrammesofferedbytheCivilServiceCollege,someofwhich

arecompulsoryfornewofficers.Trainingisalsoconductedatvarious

pointsinanofficer’scareer,throughrelevantmilestoneprogrammes.

Thesesessionstaketheformoftalks,seminars,andworkshopsinvolving

theCodeofConductandPublicServicevalues.

Internaleffortsinreducingopportunitiesforcorruptionare

complementedbytheworkattheAuditor-General’sOffice(AGO).

AGOconductsauditsonpublicagenciestoensurethatgovernment

agenciesadheretoproperaccountingstandardsandprovidefinancial

accountabilityofpublicmonies.Everyyear,AGOsubmitsitsauditreport

tothePublicAccountsCommittee,comprisingvariousmembersof

Parliament.Thereportcontainsobservationsofsystemicweaknesses,

non-complianceofcontrolprocedures,orwastefuluseofpublicfunds.

Agencieswithlapseshavetorespondonhowtheyhaveremediedthe

situationtopreventsimilarlapsesinfuture.14


CASES OF SENIOR PUBLIC SERVANTS CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION

Case of Choy Hon Tim

ChoyHonTim,aformerdeputyChiefExecutiveOfficerofthe

PublicUtilitiesBoard,wasprosecutedin1995andjailedfor14years

forreceivingbribesamountingto$13.85millionfromvarious

contractorsoverseveralyears.15

Case of Peter Lim Sin Pang

PeterLimSinPang,aformerCommissioneroftheSingapore

CivilDefenceForce(SCDF),wasprosecutedin2012andjailedfor

6months,forobtainingsexualgratificationfromasalesdirectorof

aninformationtechnologycompanyinreturnforawardingSCDF

contractstohercompany.16

ThePublicServiceisalsotransparentaboutthelapsesthat

haveoccurred,eventhosecommittedbyseniorpublicservants.The

visibilityofthesecasesshowsthatthePublicServiceisswiftand

decisiveindealingwithcorruptionregardlessoftheseniorityofthe

personnelinvolved.

17

ThePublicService’sstrongstanceagainstcorruptionhasbeenably

supportedbySingapore’ssocialattitudesandculturalnormsdeveloped

sinceself-governmentwasattainedin1959.ThePAPgovernmentwas

electedinthatyearonanelectoralplatformthatincludedapolitical

commitmenttotakepromptandcomprehensiveactiontocleanse

Singaporeofcorruption.Singaporesocietyhassinceembracedthevalues

ofincorruptibilityandmeritocracy.Thesevalueshavebecomeimportant

benchmarksinassessingtheeffectivenessofthePublicServiceand

therulinggovernment.Thus,acultureofzerotoleranceagainst

corruptionhasbeeningrainedinboththePublicServiceandsociety

asawhole.AnypersonororganisationinSingaporethatfailstolive

uptothesehighstandardsofproprietywillbebothseverelypunished

andstigmatised.Thisconstitutestheultimatedeterrenceagainst

corruptacts.


CONCLUSION

Thecombinationofsiximportantcomponents—strongpoliticalwill,

aneffectiveanti-corruptionagency,anindependentjudiciary,effective

laws,apublicservicethateschewscorruptionandazerotolerance

towardscorruption—hasearnedSingaporeastrongreputationfor

incorruptibility.InTransparencyInternational’sCorruptionPerceptions

Index,Singaporehasbeenrankedconsistentlyasoneoftheleastcorrupt

countriesintheworld.Sustainingthisrenownedreputationwillbe

thegreatestchallengeforSingapore.Theleaders,theinstitutions,the

PublicServiceandthepopulaceasawholewillhavetoremainvigilant

forSingaporetocontinuetoberegardedasoneoftheleastcorrupt

countriesintheworld,andtocontributetoSingapore’ssocialand

economicprogress.

19

ENDNOTES

1 CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau(CPIB),The Journey: 60 Years of Fighting Corruption in Singapore (Singapore:CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau,2012),4.

2 LeeKuanYew,From Third World to First: The Singapore Story, 1965–2000(Singapore:TimesMediaandTheStraitsTimesPress,2000),183.

3 SeetheCPIBwebsiteoncasesinvolvingpoliticians,http://app.cpib.gov.sg/cpib_new/user/default.aspx?pgID=237(accessedJuly30,2014).

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

6 SingaporeParliamentReports,Prevention of Corruption Bill, sess.1,vol.12,cols376–377,February13,1960(speechbyOngPangBoon,MinisterforHomeAffairs).

7 Chapter1,Article22GoftheSingaporeConstitution.

8 CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau(CPIB),The Journey: 60 Years of Fighting Corruption in Singapore(Singapore:CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau,2012),9.

9 SingaporeParliamentaryReports,Prevention of Corruption Bill,sess.1,vol.12,cols375–378,February13,1960(speechbyOngPangBoon,MinisterforHomeAffairs).

10SeeLimSiongGuan,“IntegritywithEmpowerment:ChallengesFacingSingaporeinCombatingCorruptioninthe21stCentury”,speechdeliveredattheSeminaronHongKongintothe21stCentury—MaintainingIntegrityintheCivilService,May21,1998,http://app.cpib.gov.sg/data/website/doc/ManagePage/247/Speech.Lim.Siong.pdf(accessedJuly30,2014).

11SeetheCPIBwebpage,“OrganisationsWeWorkCloselyWith”,http://app.cpib.gov.sg/cpib_new/user/default.aspx?pgID=124(accessedJuly30,2014).

12ThisisbasedontheworkofDanielKaufmann,AartKraayandMassimoMastruzifortheWorldBank.Thedatasetisavailablefordownloadat:http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/index.aspx#home(accessedNovember26,2014).

13JonS.T.Quah,Public Administration Singapore Style (Singapore:Talisman,2010),189.

14SeetheAGOwebpage,“WhatDoWeDo?”,http://www.ago.gov.sg/ourwork.html(accessedJuly30,2014).

15SeetheCPIBwebpageoncasesinvolvingseniorpublicofficers,http://app.cpib.gov.sg/cpib_new/user/default.aspx?pgID=236(accessedJuly30,2014).

16ThamYuen-CandLimYanliang,“Ex-SCDFChiefPeterLimFoundGuiltyofCorruption”,The Straits Times,May31,2013,http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/ex-scdf-chief-peter-lim-found-guilty-corruption-20130531(accessedJuly30,2014);MelissaLin,“FormerSCDFChiefPeterLimDismissedfromPublicService,The Straits Times,August31,2013,http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/former-scdf-chief-peter-lim-dismissed-public-service-20130831(accessedJuly30,2014).


CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau,The Journey: 60 Years of Fighting Corruption in Singapore(Singapore:CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau,2012).

Lee,KuanYew,From Third World to First: The Singapore Story, 1965–2000(Singapore:TimesMediaandTheStraitsTimesPress,2000).

Oehlers,Alfred,“Corruption:ThePeculiaritiesofSingapore”,inNicholasTarling,ed.,Corruption and Good Governance in Asia(Abingdon,Oxon:Routledge,2005):149–164.

Quah,JonS.T.,Public Administration Singapore Style(Singapore:Talisman,2010).

Quah,JonS.T.,Curbing Corruption in Asian Countries: An Impossible Dream?(Singapore:InstituteofSoutheastAsianStudies,2013).

ADB/OECDAnti-CorruptionInitiativeforAsiaandthePacific,http://www.oecd.org/site/adboecdanti-corruptioninitiative/

Attorney-General’sChambersSingapore,www.agc.gov.sg

Auditor-General’sOfficeSingapore,www.ago.gov.sg

CorruptPracticesInvestigationBureau,www.cpib.gov.sg

e-IntegrityLearning&ResourceCenter,http://e-integrity.net/elearning/index/index.php

Globalethics.net,http://www.globethics.net/

InternationalAssociationofAnti-CorruptionAuthorities,http://www.iaaca.org/

SingaporePublicServiceCommission,www.psc.gov.sg

TransparencyInternational,www.transparency.org

FURTHER READING

ONLINE RESOURCES

Civil Service College, Singapore31 North Buona Vista RoadSingapore 275983Tel: (65) 6874 1733Fax: (65) 6874 1735

www.cscollege.gov.sg

upholding integrity in the public service€¦ · upholding integrity . in the public service...

Documents