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 KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND MINISTER-IN-CHARGE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE CHAN CHUN SING AT THE 2021 PSC SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY, 28 JUL 2021

Introduction

1.   A very good afternoon to all of you, Chairman and members of the Public Service Commission, parents, teachers, principals, and recipients.

2.    First, a warm welcome and my congratulations to all the award recipients.

3.    All of you could have chosen a different path, but you didn’t.

4.    You have decided to join the ranks of many who have come before you, to commit your future to taking care of our country and people. For that, thank you very much.

5.    The challenges that will confront our country and our people in the coming years will be no less daunting than those that we have overcome. 

6.    COVID-19 has accentuated many of the trends shaping our future – for example: digitalisation, the political flux of our region, and many others.

7.    COVID-19 has also compounded many of our challenges – from the security and sustainability of our supply chains, to our connectivity with the world, just to name some.

8.    Yet COVID-19 has also provided new opportunities for us to transcend the tyranny of geography and demographics to reinforce our brand, as a trusted and principled partner that brings relevance to the parties we deal with.

9.    So what has the Public Service learned from the COVID-19 pandemic thus far? There are many lessons, but I will share three aspects today – Agility, Connectivity and Trust.

10. No country in the world could claim they were ready for COVID or had fully anticipated its impact. Even now, we are all grappling with the surprises that COVID continues to throw at us.

11. However, in such an uncertain environment, agility is key. Countries that survive best are not necessarily the biggest or strongest, but those that are most agile in adapting; countries that do not just tackle COVID, but also seize the unexpected opportunities that come their way.

12. These are the ones that have done relatively better than us. We have not done too badly thus far. But we should not be complacent.

13. Our Public Service has to reconfigure ourselves to have new organisations and processes to keep Singapore going through this pandemic.

• We had to change our processes in double quick time to determine the industries and businesses to keep open, and those whose operations had to cease, as the situation evolved.
• We had to start up a new Assurance, Care and Engagement Group, or ACE Group, to take care of the wellbeing of migrant workers in a very short time.
• We worked out new ways to manage our airports, ports and points of entry to maintain our connectivity while safeguarding our public health.
• These are just some examples of what we had to do to keep our country going, and our people safe.
• Our responses may not be perfect, but they have allowed us to keep going, hopefully better than our competitors.

14. The lesson learnt is that no organisation and structure of yesterday can fully prepare us for the future and tomorrow’s crises. We all have to be agile and adapt quickly – faster than the competition if we are to keep our lunch.

15. How did we get things done in an uncertain and chaotic environment?  How did we secure critical supplies and vaccines? The answer lies in Connectivity.

16. We tapped on our whole of nation network, our public, private and people sectors working together. We leveraged our extensive network of overseas contacts.

17. Take the example of the disruption to our food chains. We kept supplies flowing by pulling out all stops to leverage our domestic and overseas networks to secure supplies ahead of time.

18. All these would not have been possible if our people did not have a culture of anticipation and working together across sectors and domains as a habit, and these were all developed in times of peace.

19. All these would also not have been possible if our Public Service operated in silos and not in close partnership with the private and people sectors, leveraging each other’s perspectives, capabilities and capacities.

20. Hence, it is of utmost importance that we continue to enrich the public sector with private and people sector perspectives, experiences and contacts.

21. To this end, we will introduce the Mid-Career Leaders Track to strengthen our recruitment of mid-career professionals with the heart to serve, and the skills and experience to contribute. Doing so will inject diversity and consequent resilience to the public sector.

22. There is one very important aspect that brought us this far, much further than many other countries, in the fight against COVID. And that is trust.

23. Trust between people and Government. Trust between Singapore and partners beyond our shores.

24. If we did not have a reputation of being a principled and trusted partner globally, we would have had a much harder time securing the things that we need in a crisis.

25. If we had not built up a reservoir of goodwill and trust with our people, we would not have been able to execute our responses so effectively in a collective and cohesive manner. This is what distinguishes us from many others in the world.

26. However, this trust must be earned, and renewed every generation.

27. So to all the award recipients today, I hope you will remember the significance of today’s ceremony where you commit to help take care of Singapore and Singaporeans in time to come.

28. I hope you will always strive to help Singapore and Singaporeans find opportunities amidst challenges by staying agile and adaptable.

29. I hope you will help build up our network of ties with the world, and with the private and people sectors, for us to be able to mobilise a whole of nation effort, in times of peace and in crisis.

30. I hope you will work hard and earn the trust of Singaporeans and partners beyond Singapore, so that we will always have a reservoir of goodwill to call upon.

31. Thank you for your service to our nation.

32. In partnership and with teamwork, we fear no challenges too big for us.

Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service

Chairman and Members of the Public Service Commission

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon.

1. The President’s Scholarship is awarded annually to exceptional young Singaporeans who pledge to serve Singapore through the Public Service. Besides achieving excellence in academic and cocurricular activities, they have demonstrated a strong ethos for public service, outstanding leadership qualities, and a steadfast drive to improve the lives of Singaporeans.

2. This year, I am happy to confer the President’s Scholarship on Alyssa Marie Loo Li Ann.

3. Alyssa is passionate about serving the community and envisages a kind and inclusive Singapore that demonstrates compassion for the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. As part of the Youth Corps Leaders Programme in 2019, Alyssa volunteered with Beyond Social Services to visit residents in rental flats to learn their stories and strengthen their sense of belonging to the community. Youth Corp Services proudly shared that Alyssa’s interpersonal skills and wide-ranging talents made her a treasured team member, while the residents were drawn to her warm personality and authenticity and opened up to her willingly. This experience has helped her become an empathetic and compassionate individual, and strengthened her resolve to serve disadvantaged children, youths and families. Today, Alyssa continues to serve children and youths under SG Exams, an online platform for the local student community to share resources, collaborate and volunteer in community service.

4. Alyssa will pursue her studies in Linguistics at Brown University and will serve in the Public Service upon her graduation.

5. Alyssa, congratulations on being awarded the President’s Scholarship. I would also like to congratulate your family, friends, principals and teachers, for their part in shaping your character, values and passion for service.

6. The start of your journey in public service comes at a critical point in modern history. The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted the global economy and every aspect of our lives. As a small and open economy, Singapore’s economic outlook depends heavily on the global environment. We must stay nimble as we navigate the new economic landscape and adjust to new ways of living and working. Businesses and workers need to adapt, transform and seize opportunities to maintain their relevance and competitiveness. Amidst these challenges, Singapore must tend to our social fabric, as we can only emerge from this crisis and continue our progress as a nation if we stay united.

7. A strong and effective public service is also essential for seeing Singapore through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Public Service values of integrity, service and excellence form the foundation of trust that Singaporeans have in the government’s ability to execute the policies, plans and initiatives. Strengthening this foundation is especially critical as it is no longer business as usual. We have a population that is more discerning, with strong views on what is in their best interests and wants to be more engaged in decisions affecting them. They also have a strong sense of fairness and equality and want these values reflected more clearly in whatever we do. In the years to come, there will be new paths to forge and difficult decisions to make. This is a challenge for this generation of Singaporeans – a trial of our fortitude and a test of our resilience. Economically, COVID-19 has changed the environment around us drastically, challenging us to re-examine some of our time tested ideas and strategies. We need civil servants who can not only think critically but who also have unorthodox ideas or unique solutions in a situation where the path to growth is not so clear. We also need agile and bold leaders with both the ability and the heart to unite Singaporeans and see us through these tumultuous times.

8. Alyssa, as a recipient of the President’s Scholarship, you bear a special responsibility to lead and inspire fellow Singaporeans to join you in tackling these challenges and driving the nation forward. I enjoyed getting to know you better earlier, and am glad to learn that you are humble, curious and down to earth. Your humility and desire to always learn from others are admirable traits that will stand you in good stead for taking on the responsibilities of a President’s Scholar. As you embark on the next phase of your journey, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, open yourself to new experiences and seize every opportunity to develop the skills and expertise Singapore will need for the future.

9. During your overseas studies, do take the opportunity to broaden your horizons, expand your networks and develop fresh perspectives to better serve the needs of Singaporeans. At the same time, I hope that you remain connected to Singapore, such as through the Youth Corps Leaders Programme. Keep volunteering, encouraging and inspiring your peers to do the same. In doing so, you will give yourself an anchor in the communities you will return to serve.

10. Alyssa, I am confident that you will continue to do Singapore proud, and uphold the values of our Public Service - Integrity, Service and Excellence. Embrace this honor and responsibility. Devote yourself to go the extra mile in serving the nation and our people. May you also inspire more young Singaporeans to join you in the pursuit of excellence to build the Singapore you see in your heart.

11. I wish you success in your journey ahead, and look forward to you serving our country with passion as a public officer.

Thank you.

Mr Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security

Ministers

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening.

Every year, the President’s Scholarship is conferred on outstanding young men and women, who have committed to serving Singapore and Singaporeans through the Public Service.

This evening, we recognise and celebrate the achievements and commitment of four outstanding young Singaporeans. They are:

1. Midshipman Allison Tan Sue Min;
2. Mr John Chua Je En;
3. Mr Muhammad Dhafer Bin Muhammad Faishal Khan Surattee; and
4. Mr Siow Mein Yeak, Yue.

Allison will be studying International Relations, and will serve in the Singapore Armed Forces. John and Dhafer will pursue their studies in Liberal Arts at Stanford and Harvard Universities respectively, and Mein Yeak will read Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. The three gentlemen will serve in the Public Service upon graduation.

My heartfelt congratulations to you.

Today is a memorable occasion for you and your families. It is even more meaningful to receive the award in Singapore’s bicentennial year. The bicentennial year reminds us to look back with gratitude to our pioneers who had worked hard and tirelessly to build our thriving modern city, and to look forward with humility and optimism. We all know that no matter how brilliant we are, without the right support and opportunities provided for us to develop to our fullest potential, our growth will be limited. Our forefathers helped to build a strong foundation and we have benefitted from it. Now it is your turn, to play a role in helping Singapore forge ahead for the next 200 years.

During the launch of the Singapore Bicentennial Experience a couple of months ago, I spoke about key traits of the Singaporean DNA that has brought us to where we are today – openness and connectedness to the world, multi-culturalism, and determination to survive as a nation no matter what the circumstances are. The same traits will bring us ahead.

I encourage Allison, John, Dhafer and Mein Yeak to think about how you can prepare yourselves to contribute to the future Public Service. To enable the Public Service to be more open and receptive to the evolving needs of citizens; to help Singapore continue to forge stronger relationships with our allies amid uncertain times; to continue to be aware of the fault lines and actively promote inter-racial and cultural understanding; and to stay resolute in the face of our national challenges. Above all, how to ensure that we remain a progressive, contemporary and globalised city state but, at the same time, one that is inclusive, caring and compassionate where no one is left behind.

The President’s Scholarship is an honour and also a responsibility. We believe that you have exemplified, and will continue to espouse, the values and ethos of the Public Service. Within your cohort, we expect you to be leaders and role models. Public service goes beyond doing a job well. It is a complete dedication to the people and nation.

I hope you will bring Singapore forward by shaping a cohort of future public officers through your actions, inspiring them to lead by example, to be connected to the ground and the community; and to put the needs and interests of the nation and our citizens at the core.

This is a weighty responsibility to shoulder. I am confident that you are ready for this. Through public service you can improve lives and the world around you. Its greater reward, however, is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring to your own life.

Today, you are joined by your families, principals, teachers and friends who have supported your growth, shaped your character and values, and helped you develop your potential. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate them on their role in your development.

Allison, John, Dhafer and Mein Yeak – I wish you success in your journey ahead and look forward to you serving the nation with passion when you begin your careers in the Public Service.

Thank you.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MINISTER FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY AND MINISTER-IN- CHARGE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE,
MR CHAN CHUN SING AT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY
ON 17 JULY 2019 AT PARKROYAL HOTEL, GRAND BALLROOM

1.  A very good afternoon Chairman and members of the Public Service Commission, parents, teachers, principals, and recipients. First, let me thank the Public Service Commission for your hard work. They have been working hard, not just this year. A few of them actually interviewed me when I took the scholarship, and they are all volunteers. It is not easy to sift through 2,000 to 3,000 applicants to find the 90 plus of you. 

2. On such occasions, the first thing that I always tell all the recipients is this - you are here, not because of your intelligence and your hard work alone. I am also not here because of my intelligence and hard work alone. We are all here, because this country has given us the opportunities to be here. When I was in Cambridge University, I was always reminded that there were many people who were more hardworking, more intelligent than me. But in life, they did not necessarily have the same opportunities that I have today. And their children, do not necessarily have the opportunities that our children have today. So today, we are here because of the opportunities given to us by society, the love and support given to us by our parents, and teachers and principals. Now as I was preparing this speech, I wondered what to say to you. Because from my experience, none of you will remember anything I say 12 months from now. I could have used my speech from last year, and not many people may have even noticed the difference. So I asked my staff to ask around, what would all of you like to hear from me? 

3. Boils down to three questions - Why I joined, why I stayed, and what worries me about the Public Service of Singapore. I am going to just share with you three stories. Three real stories. 

4. Why I joined. I did not join the Public Service because of some lofty ambition to change the world and bring Singapore to the next higher plane. I joined the Public Service because I needed a scholarship to continue my studies. Otherwise, like many in my generation, I would have to start working after my ‘A’ Levels. Even getting to my ‘O’ Levels and ‘A’ Levels had required many scholarships and bursaries for me to be there. I did not aim to be a Minister, I wanted to be a librarian – it was a very logical choice.

5. I like to read books. The old library at Stamford Road, the red brick building, was one of the few places in Singapore that had air conditioning and allowed you to read books free of charge. And if I was a librarian, they would even pay me to do the job. I went to the PSC, got a scholarship application form and I indicated PSC (Open) so that I could be a librarian. But there were two blanks there. My teacher taught me that in any test or examination, never to leave a blank. I asked around about the other scholarships the PSC offered, someone shouted SAF, so I dutifully put SAF. 

6. When I went for my interview, the PSC members asked me if I would be prepared to serve in the SAF. So I said did not choose the SAF, I wanted to be a librarian. The PSC told me, no, second choice the SAF, second choice is still a choice. So I joined the SAF. I did not wear spectacles. I was supposed to go to the Air Force. My mother told me in Mandarin - “做 人要脚踏实地” - keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. So I joined the Army. And to be even more specific, I joined the infantry. 

7 I started learning to take care of my buddy, then my fellow section mates and another eight fellow soldiers. Then when I graduated, I became a platoon commander to take care of 28 men. Progressively, they trained me to take care of 100 men, a few hundred men, a few thousand men, a few ten thousand men, and eventually, a few hundred thousand men. 

8. Why do I share this story with you? Moral of the story is that life has many twists and turns. Very often, we start off aiming very high to try to change the world, but it is often very useful to start doing things small and practically. And a good way to start to take care of the country is to learn to first take care of our fellow men who work with us. If we can take care of our buddy, then we can take care of our section mates, then we can take care of a few tens of people, a few hundred, we will get there. So do not worry as to why you decide to take up the Public Service Commission Scholarship. You may have loftier ideas than what I had, but I can assure you, you will go through the same path that I had. So long as your heart is at the right place, we will get from a few men to a few hundred thousand men, and these are fellow Singaporeans under our charge, looking forward to our service so that they all can have a better life than their forefathers. 

9. Second story. Why did I stay? Now, more than 30 years in the Public Service. I will just tell you one story. During the course of my Public Service career, I had a chance to be posted overseas, to go on overseas missions, to go on overseas trips to talk to counterparts. And I will just share with you one very vivid example as to why I stayed. 

10 I was in a foreign country. I was to call on one of the regional leaders away from the capital city. I submitted my request to meet that regional leader. I tried to get a breakfast meeting, it did not happen. I tried for a lunch meeting, it also did not happen. I tried for a dinner meeting, it still did not happen. Then I tried, why not the next day, I will wait for you, lunch, breakfast or dinner, any one will do. It still did not happen. On the second night, at about nine plus pm, a call came. “This particular personality has a slot at 10pm. Would you like to meet him for 15 minutes, maybe half an hour?” 

11. I rushed over to meet him at 10pm after he had finished all his engagements. He looked at me and asked. 

“Where are you from?” 

“I am from Singapore.” 

“And why do you want to see me?” 

“I am from Singapore. I am here to establish friendship.” 

And he looked at me, “Yes?” 

12. And you could see the eyes politely trying not to ask the question “and of what value are you going to bring me or my region or my area?” And suddenly he turned around, “Where exactly is Singapore?”, asking his assistant. 

“Ah,” he said. "Now I remember, that place south of the Malay Peninsula.” 

“Yes”.

13. We continued the rest of the conversation. But this left a deep impression on me. Sometimes in Singapore, we take for granted our very existence. Sometimes we forget that we are a small country trying to defy the odds of history by ensuring that we continue to remain relevant to people. Others who are bigger, stronger and mightier do not necessarily have to find reasons to engage us. We have to be the one to create the relevance for others to want to engage us and for us to be of value to others. Relevance. 

14. What keeps me going. I have never taken for granted that Singapore will always be what it is. In my conversations with students and young people, I always ask them, “Do you think we will celebrate SG100 with greater pride and confidence?” Many of them say so and say yes, and I am very proud and very happy that they do so. I always start from the other assumption that we might never get there, unless we work hard, unless we continue to create relevance within the means that we have. I always start from the other assumption that we might not get there, unless we work hard as a team, muster the resources that we have, create value for other people, create relevance, and we will get there. 

15. Finally, what worries me about the Public Service that I am so proud of? The more established and matured our system, the greater the dangers of ossification. The greater our success, the greater our dangers of complacency. The longer we defy the odds of history to not only survive but thrive, the greater the risk of hubris. And this comes to why we are here today. We are here today because we want to be eternally vigilant to guard against ossification, to guard against complacency, and to guard against hubris. 

16. Like Tzu Yang, we are all proud of the Public Service not because the Public Service is perfect. We are proud of the Public Service because the Public Service constantly challenges ourselves to do better for our country and our people. 

17 Many foreign commentators say that we have one of the best, if not the best, Public Service in the world. Some of them even give us a backhanded compliment and ask, "is your Public Service for hire?" No. It is not for hire nor for sale. But we are never complacent and this is why the Public Service Commission is constantly evolving and reviewing the way we select the next generation of Public Service scholars who hopefully will in time take over the leadership responsibility of this country. This is why we constantly challenge the Public Service Division to evolve and review the way we develop our officers, the way we deploy them, and the way we keep them agile. 

18. Today's Public Service is different from the Public Service of the past. But that need for diversity has never changed; the need for teamwork has never changed. 

19 And now, the last story that I promised you.

20 I grew up in the Singapore Armed Forces. I had the privilege to train with the militaries overseas, and I will just share with you one particular vignette of my training history. This was in the 1990s. I was in the US. I met a lady in my Command and Staff course. She was at that point in time 40 plus years old. She was five-foot plus, not exactly very tall by American standards, not exactly very fit from the look of it. And she was in the US Special Forces Reserves. And I looked at her, "Special Forces... No bulging biceps? No six-foot tall physique? Special Forces, really? Did you get it wrong?" No. In the US Special Forces, everybody has some minimum physical criteria, but that is just the entry level. One of the characteristics in all of US Special Forces selection was that everyone must bring a unique skill to the Special Forces. 

21. The first Special Forces guy that I met in Fort Benning, my buddy. Besides being fit, he was an expert in astronomy. And what has astronomy to do with Special Forces? The lady whom I met – she was an expert in IT and computer system. That was in the 1990s. That was when the internet was just taking off. That was a time where the terms bugs, viruses, advanced persistent threats were not heard of. But for those learned people, these were already talked about; later, micro-robots that could fly in-between the gaps of a window, enter a room and spy on people – in the 1990s. 

22. My laptop broke down. My very expensive, very heavy laptop broke down. At that point in time to get it fixed, I would have to send it to Texas. I passed it to her. She passed it back to me, back in original condition. That was almost 20 over years ago. Why do I tell you this story about the US Special Forces? Because I think it is a good value for us to have. Everyone brings something special to the team, and we need different teams to form the Special Forces. They have diverse capabilities that they can put together for a mission to surprise and outwit the enemy. The Singapore Public Service can take a leaf from this story. 

23. I hope all of you will be like my friend, the lady. That in your studies, you will bring back a special unique skillset to Singapore, to the team; that one day while each of you having possessed that special skill will come together and wield those special skills as a team to take Singapore forward. 

24. This is why in the Public Service, it is no longer sufficient just to have policy-making skills. You need policy-making skills. You need operations skills. You need communication skills. You need skills to mobilise the public to come along with us. And you need exposure beyond the Public Service. And we will systematically put everyone in the Public Service through the paces. Because the Public Service that we want is not a monolithic Public Service that can only answer the challenges of today. The Public Service that we aspire to be is one that will not only take care of fellow Singaporeans today, but to be able to anticipate the challenges and solve them ahead of time, even before fellow Singaporeans may become aware of it. 

25.  I learned lessons from the Special Forces lady who was skilled in computers. I knew about bugs, viruses, advanced persistent threats 25 years ago. Because I knew a bit more, I could help my own organisation become a bit less unprepared. And that, perhaps is all that we need to make sure that we keep Singapore staying ahead.

26 Finally, I would just like to end on this note.

27. Today, Singapore is no longer the same as the Singapore of 1965. The resources that we have are much more. The challenges that we have are also much more. The Pioneer Generation and the Merdeka Generation had much less, but they work hard individually and as a team to leave us with what we have today. 

28. My generation has the duty to continue to build on this. By working as hard, as smart, if not harder and smarter to make sure that your generation will do even better than us. And I hope your generation will continue to maintain this sense of mission for Singapore to defy the odds of history, to not only survive and thrive as a small nation state without a hinterland. But instead, our hinterland is the world. 

29. We will get there. We will get there, so long as each and every one of us in this room remember that we never defined our success by how well we do for ourselves in this generation only. We will get there. We will distinguish ourselves as fellow Singaporeans because each and every one of us in this room is committed to making sure that the next generation will do even better than us. Our definition of success is not how well we do for this generation alone. It is how well we enable the next generation to do even better than us. 30 20 years, 30 years later, maybe one or more of you might be standing on this stage to give out the awards to the next generation of scholarship recipients. The room may change, the challenges may change, but may our values never change. Always put our country before ourselves and always strive to take Singapore to the next level and ensure that every Singaporean has a better life tomorrow. 

31 Thank you very much for your commitment.