Amanda Chong

The then PSC Overseas Merit Scholarship (Legal Service) was my first-choice scholarship. As I was awarded it fairly early on, it was also the only scholarship I applied for. My interest in studying law was very much tethered to the public interest as I saw law as the practical language in which ideals in society are realised, so the Legal Service was a perfect fit for me. I was assured that a career in the Legal Service would expose me to a wide range of public sector lawyering, from criminal prosecution, to advising the Government on administrative and constitutional law, and representing Singapore’s interests in the international sphere.  

As a PSC scholarship holder, I had the opportunity to participate in various pre-departure and mid-term programmes which facilitated interaction with senior Public Service leaders as well as senior scholarship holders at various stages of service. This enabled me to get a big picture of the career trajectory available to me as a public  officer, and the challenges at each juncture. I was also given an understanding of the broad nature of Singapore’s economic, social and security interests even before I embarked on my studies, which helped me to contextualise my learning. 

I also had the chance to be attached to a voluntary welfare organisation as well as a frontline social service agency, which  sensitisedme to the lived experiences of the vulnerable in society, including persons with disabilities and low-income families. 

I started out as a Deputy Public Prosecutor in Crime Division at the Attorney-General’s Chambers (“AGC”) from 2013 to 2018. My role was to exercise prosecutorial discretion and conduct criminal prosecutions and appeals impartially in the public interest. I was in the Sex Crimes Specialist Unit, prosecuting offences such as molest, rape and voyeurism. I was running my own trials for simple offences within a year into the job – only in the Legal Service would junior lawyers get the chance to accumulate so much advocacy experience at the start of their careers. AGC also provided excellent training opportunities, such as advocacy workshops with Senior Counsel and Queen’s Counsel, and an attachment to a Barrister’s chambers in London. Most memorably, I was sent to Seattle for training on how to interview vulnerable witnesses including children, without re-traumatising them.  

A career highlight in Crime Division was working on the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2014 which created a specific offence of trafficking in persons (“TIP”), in line with the definition under the United Nations (“UN”) TIP Protocol that Singapore acceded to in September 2015. I subsequently was part of the team that prosecuted the first sex trafficking and labour trafficking offences in Singapore. I even had the chance to represent Singapore as an expert in a UN Expert Group Meeting on the “International Legal Definition of Trafficking in Persons”.  

Since 2018, I have been in the International Affairs Division at the AGC, where I advise government ministries on international law issues. This has exposed me to a broad range of Singapore’s strategic interests across different agencies. The pace of work is very fast, as we are often responding to real time bilateral or multilateral developments. A highlight for me has been representing Singapore in negotiations at the UN for an internationally legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. It is fascinating to watch the dynamics of countries coming together to try to achieve global consensus while preserving their own national interests.

I remember that former PSC Chairman, Eddie Teo, always asked scholarship holders returning on vacation what co-curricular activities or personal interests we pursued in university outside of academics. There is a stereotype that PSC scholarship holders are only academically inclined or “book smart”, and Chairman Teo wanted to signal to us that he considered the other aspects of our personal development to be equally important. This includes taking up leadership roles in student organisations, furthering an artistic or sporting skill, or participating in internships in the private sector.  

I have continued pursuing my passions outside of a fulfilling Public Service career. I am a published poet and I co-founded the charity ReadAble which runs literacy programmes for children and migrant women in a low-income neighbourhood with the aim of improving social mobility. My personal interests have given me an understanding of the realities on the ground as well as potential gaps and challenges in policy delivery, since I am working with ministries such as MSF as a stakeholder.  

“Purpose-driven”. In all my postings, I have had a very strong sense of purpose, whether in the pursuit of a just outcome as a prosecutor, or in advancing Singapore’s interests on the international stage. I have always felt personally invested in the future of Singapore and I am glad to be in a job that is truly imbued with a sense of service for the people in our country. 

Before you apply for a PSC Scholarship, take time to speak to current public officers to understand whether a career in the Public Service is for you. It would be particularly useful to speak to current officers who have pursued the area of study that you’re interested in. You should ask questions about the culture of the Public Service and the demands of various roles. 

The Japanese concept of “ikigai” is achieved when “what you love”, “what you are good at”, “what the world needs” and “what you can be paid for” come into alignment. You would do well to explore that a Public Service career would bring about not only job satisfaction for you, but also excitement at the possibilities.