Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the president. The symbolism that is attached to that is we actually serve at the pleasure of a politically neutral institution. It is one of the values of the civil service that we are politically impartial.
Deputy Principal Senior State Counsel from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Owi Beng Ki
In theory, that is what its suppose to be. In reality, who is he trying to kid.
A politically neutral civil service is what protects the people from political instability preventing the proper function of society. Indonesia is a prime example of a country where institutions have been developed to ensure continued function of government in the face of political chaos.
can’t agree more with Yamasam
“It is one of the values of the civil service that we are politically impartial.”
Yeah sure, impartial?! I find that hard to believe.
And also a big correction to “Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the president.’, shoud be “Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the famiLEE”.
the true test is when an opposition take over….
i think will be quite interesting to see… o.O
Civil service is “politically impartial” – really？ I think OBK need to make an oath in front of the public to attest to that. Why not conduct a public survey and confirm? Until this very moment, our CS in control of the party in power. If people have conscience, just cover it up and keep their mum shut instead of making these noble speeches which make a mockery of the truth.
>>Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the president.<<
But who “appoints” the president?
So, in practice, who do the civil servants ultimately hold their allegiance to?
OBK, I think you should start with People’s Association, whom is the the most politically non-neutral govt organisation.
how times change
Sop what happens if the president abolishes constitution, like in Fiji? Civil service accepts it, and continues skivving?
Hi All,
This is an illogical statement. The President is nominated by the PAP, he is Pro-PAP, so how can the President be a neutral party at the same time?
Also I used to work in the Civil Service before. I can tell you…. Those staff who aspire to be in extreme top management have to join some PAP grassroot committees or some political bodies and make themselves known with a little bit of political content.
We need more civil servants like former Attorney General Francis Seow, who dares to speak what is right, not what is proper. Owi Beng Ki, please learn from him!
When somebody fr he Elections Dept said something to the effect that
governing party has no say in drawing of electoral bounderies, I wonder why
nobody from the audience challenged him.
In one of the previous election, when CSJ challenged the PAP to let Macpherson
as a single ward so that he could contest there as he had worked the ground,
GCT acceded to his request.(If the dept is independent, what authority did he
have to grant the request?)
From this, we can tell the PAP has a hand in telling the Elections Dept on how
the bounderies are drawn to their liking.
Hello people,
look on the bright side of such a comment. Since the civil service is not beholden to the government but instead serve at the pleasure of the President, then we should not be afraid to kick an incompetent government out when it does not perform to our liking.
The president will make sure that the civil servants go on to serve a new government right? Which means, the PAP government have been playing the fear card all along, telling us that the country will go down the road to damnation without the elites. Liars and scare-mongers they are.
Time for Singaporeans to wake up to this revelation!
The saddest part is not that they say it, but that they believe in what they say and thinks that we believe them.
This motherhood statement is always true: It is one of the values of the civil service that we are politically impartial. IMHO, it is not being practised. Ask yourselves why!!!
#6 aloha – If people have conscience, just cover it up and keep their mum shut instead of making these noble speeches which make a mockery of the truth.
They know what their guiding ideals are, but also know what their boundaries are. Either they leave the system or stay to do their best. How would you expect them to answer criticisms?
there is only one political party in sg, pap. the president of sg is anointed by pap. so he is very right in saying civil servants hold their allegiance to the president and politically impartial.
Huh? Beholden to pathetic and useless president ? Haven’t you heard of the word “cockle-nathan” ? If you tell me, our president is Obama then I say it is applicable, but to submissive to utterly useless and greedy president with money stuff to his money to keep him quiet and to enjoy his luxury life ?
Oh…. I forget that Owi is part of the elite that benefit from it too and it is naturally to say that.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
What an incredible joke!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!
Of course, civil servants hold their allegiance to the president – but the institution political neutrality and impartiality can only be best assessed credibly by the citizens of Singapore by ways of their actions and conducts and not by utterance from one serving under the institution.
In short, actions speak and magnify better than words.
The civil service will prove its neutrality when the PAP are removed from power. This is a certain eventuality and as the citizenry we must prepare for such an eventuality.
I have complete faith in the civil service’s ability to perform beyond the PAP. We, the citizens of Singapore, are much more than the government ruling our country. Our nation will long outlive the PAP because as a people we can and will overcome any instability.
Perhaps my faith in the Singapore people is misplaced, but I whole-heartedly believe that when an alternative political affiliation is formed that firmly demonstrates its ability the citizenry will make the right choice on the ballot. Until such an alternative voice is formed our ballot must be used as a form of indirect criticism of the governing party to ensure they are reminded that it is the citizenry that they serve.
If the politicians have no influence over civil servants, why do MPs entertain their constituents who come to them for help with govt matters? =)
Even a judge has to greet LKY when the latter burst into a court in the middle of a hearing.
What “politically impartial” are we talking about?
Who pays the salary of Civil servants?
DO THEY DARE?
>Even a judge has to greet LKY
what bout our black man, need to bow to LKY like seeing his grandfather or not?
1. Civil Service serves the President? For the past 50 years, I was given the impression and truly believe that the civil servants are supposed to serve the people. Now, then we are told that the civil servants serve the President! Something wrong somewhere or not?
2. If the civil service serves the President, who does the President serves, if he is handpicked by a particular political party and entered the office in a walkover – with no other candidates available to contest the election?
3. If the civil service serves the President, why is there a need for political personality, with the political office of “Minister In-charge of the Civil Service”?
4. In fact, everybody serves the President! Even the ministers and political office bearers are supposed to serve the President; and even some of the convicted criminals also serve their sentences at the President’s Pleasure!
5. The revised function of the Elected President is to hold the invisible “Second Key” and to check on the National Reserves. If the civil service was/is supposed to serve the President as stated by the senior counsel, why didn’t they serve ex-President Ong Teng Cheong accordingly when he asked to check the accounts of our National Reserves?
6. So, is there a preference or choice for the civil service to select as to which President to serve?
7. Last but not least, civil servants are impartial? After 50 years of displaying your modus operandi to the public, can any civil servant really hold his head up high with his right hand touches his heart and sincerely, truthfully and full conscience says that he is politically impartial while looking straight into our eyes?
Doubtful answers beget more questions when under close public scrutiny in the Internet Age ….
Next time, better think through thoroughly before trying to answer off-the-cuff even to a group of students, no matter how smart one thinks one can be …..
When PAP captured power, much of the civil service was neutral due to the way the British had administered it. But LKY used his knuckle-dusters on any and everyone who did not play ball, replacing top servants who were not pliable with yes-men, trashing the futures of those whom he regarded as dispensable, and eliminating all those who could pose a threat to him.
Even this Ow chappie – if he doesnt use PAPspeak, he’ll be exiled into the wastelands of Singapore’s Siberia. He will have no future in Singapore, not even as a French cook.
Like what Tom Cruise replied to Demi Moore’s point in “A Few Good Men”, about the doctor being pressured by Colonel Jessup to cover up for the Code Red,
“You cannot prove coercion!”
Civil Service people are politically impartial??? !!!
Please tell that to the kindergarten kids!
Who appoint the President? – LKY
See how Ong Teng Cheong was pinned down by LKY!
LKY is the only GOD of Singapore! He is the truth nothing but the truth!
can you see that the taxpayers money is used to get political supporters in the process?
2 words: YA RIGHT!
but not so when unemployment is very high, for there will be less tax revenue
Politically Impartial? why WP won’t granted cycling permit and LHL & gang can cycle freely in the park without poodles interference? Why CASE can hold protest outside parliament and SDP were send to jail for doing similar things?
Than the clips, between SDP & Pap, that leaked out from kangaroo court dimisses all the talks about politically impartial situations. Unbelievable!
Let’s hope that Owi Beng Ki’s Assertion is at least true of the Singapore Armed Forces and Singapore Police Force, that is; both are functioning for the State and not aligned with political party, politician and regime .
The QUESTION THEN MUST BE ; WHY SHOULD THE CIVIL SERVICE HOLD THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE PRESIDENT and not the State? What happens if the President himself favours the Regime ?
patriot
aiyoyo
impartial here, impartial there, everywhere…
look at the economic situation, investment losses, job losses, price hike etc..
keep wonder – what’s the purpose/function of these servants/elites???
aiyoyo
We have civil servants who are still in dreamland.
They have not awaken to the fact that the people have woken up and can see things for themselves.
The govt can put up all its justifications but the people will buy them or not. The people have, until recently, only the MSM for information and dare I say disguised propaganda.. The internet has levelled the playing field.
The people are not blind. Let the elites all wake up now and not be aroused from their dreaming in a rude way.
Be honest.
I see kangarooes hopping around…. dizzy…
I can also see how far these MIW have raise… away from the people on the ground… Hope they raise higher and reach their paradise soon so that they can leave the people on the ground in peace.
It’s very hard to be impartial when civil servants are paid so much. The government is very “smart”….using public funds to pay civil servants to buy loyalty.
Civil servants under the constitution hold their allegiance to the President
President under the constitution hold their allegiance to the Cabinet
Cabinet the constitution hold their allegiance to the People
People hold their allegiance to their Mother.
All cats have 4 legs
All animals have 4 legs
Therefore all animals are cats
37) Gigi on May 21st, 2009 7.33 am It’s very hard to be impartial when civil servants are paid so much. .”
Hey give chance lah to the lowly lowly civil sevants, like the mata kia, the jaga at the High Court, the claeaners in school, not all high pay hor
They could be all uncles aunties mother father of some of us, trying to tan chiah, so don’t one stroke sweep all lah
“Hey give chance lah to the lowly lowly civil sevants, like the mata kia, the jaga at the High Court, the claeaners in school, not all high pay hor”
What do you think of of those lowly lowly ……, impartial or very partial (fearrrrrrrrr ?) ? yes poor ……….., so does it help us more or help those ELECTED HOR more ?
Can’t imagine how much $millions of the taxpayers money are being used to feed all these coffers just to protect a single party instead of the nation and its people. Sigh!!!!!!
“All cats have 4 legs
All animals have 4 legs
Therefore all animals are cats.”
You should stick to your kopitiam else you may turn to one of the above equations.