A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 1

INTEGRITY

IMPARTIALITY

MERITOCRACY

SINGAPOREPUBLICSERVICE

COMMISSION

CHAIRMANS REVIEW 2

MEMBERS OF THE SINGAPORE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 4 PSCChairman&Members 5ThePublicServiceCommissionsRole 7

PSC SCHOLARSHIPS 2011 8

PSC SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS 2011 13 PSCScholarships2011 14ThePresidentsScholarship 15SAFOverseasScholarship 16SPFOverseasScholarship 17OverseasMeritScholarship 18Local-OverseasMeritScholarship 21LocalMeritScholarship(Medicine) 22SingaporeGovernmentScholarship(Open) 23

APPOINTMENTS, PROMOTIONS, APPEALS AND DISCIPLINARY CASES 26

VISITS BY FOREIGN DELEGATES 29VisitsbyForeignDelegates2011 30

PSC SECRETARIAT 31 OrganisationChart 32

CONTENTS

ThePSCwasconstitutedon1January1951tooverseetherecruitment,promotionand termsof serviceofcolonialcivil servants. Following theexodusofBritishexpatriateofficersinthelate1950s,thegovernmentturnedtoPSCtorecruitofficersforthepublicservicethroughtheawardof government scholarships. Today, the PSC continuesto be responsible for appointing and promoting seniorpublicservants,aswellasdecidingondisciplinarymatters,appealsforpromotion,andawardsofPSCscholarships.

ThePSCismindfulthataforward-lookingPublicServiceneeds to adapt to the changing needs of the PublicService. Hence, PSCs structure and roles have evolvedoverthelast60yearssothatitstaysrelevantandeffectiveasthecustodianoftheprinciplesofintegrity,impartialityandmeritocracyoftheSingaporePublicService.Hence,inthe1990s,thePSCdevolvedsomepersonnelfunctionstoasystemofPersonnelBoards,toallowMinistriesgreaterautonomy to appoint and promote public officers toensurethatthePublicServicestaysnimble.

Similarly, the scholarships system has evolved over theyearstomeetthelong-termneedsoftheService,againstthe backdrop of the global competition for talent. In2002, the PSC delegated ministry-tied scholarshipsto the respective ministries so that it could focus onbringing in talent for key leadership roles across thePublic Service through PSC Scholarships. This also gaveministriesgreaterautonomytorecruitsuitablecandidatesfor specialised work. In 2010, the PSC started makingprovisionalscholarshipofferstoahandfulofhighcalibre

CHAIRMANSREVIEW

Image courtesy of Challenge magazine

PSC Annual Report 2011

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students,before they sit for theirA-levelsorequivalentexaminations.Thishelpsourbeststudentsgainentryintobetteruniversities,especiallyintheUKandUS.

The Public Service today requires capable officers withthecommitmenttoserveSingaporeandimprovethelivesof fellow Singaporeans. Public servantsmust also havethe highest standards of professionalism and integrity.Increasingly,publicservantsneedtohavetheempathytolistentoandunderstandpeoplesdesires,aspirationsandanxieties,bothinformulatingandimplementingpolicies.

InresponsetothechangingneedsofthePublicService,thePSChasrefinedtheselectioncriteriaofPSCScholarshipsovertheyearstofocusmoreonwhole-personqualities,with emphasis on character, integrity, commitment andempathy.ThePSCrefinesthescholarshipselectionprocesstoselectpeoplewithcapabilitiesthatarerelevanttothechangingtimes. In2009,we introducedanAssessmentCentre to add rigour to the selection of PresidentsScholars. Comprising a series of exercises that presentscenariosandchallengesrelatedtoPublicServicework,theAssessmentCentreprovidesanadditionaltoolforthePSCtoassessthecandidates.In2011,werefreshedthebatteryofpsychometrictestsusedinourselectionprocesstomaintainhigh standardsof academic and leadershipabilities among PSC Scholarship holders. A study wasalsoconductedwithover300publicofficersfromvariousschemes of service to validate the effectiveness of thepsychometrictoolsinpredictingon-the-jobperformance.

ThePSCcontinuestoreviewtherangeofdevelopmentalopportunities and milestone programmes that PSCscholarship holders undergo to ensure that they arebetterpreparedforwork inthePublicService. In2011,the content of two key milestone programmes, thePreparatoryCourseandtheDevelopmentsinPublicPolicySeminar(DPPS),wererevampedtoensurethatscholarshipholders are attuned to the challenges facing the PublicService today, and more importantly, appreciate themeaningandpurposeofservingintheSingaporePublicService.Insodoing,thePSCaspirestocultivatetherightethos and values among our scholarship holders earlyandsetthemontherightfootingfortheirroleaspublicofficerstobetterserveSingaporeandSingaporeans.

WhilethePSCchangesovertime,itscorevaluesdonotchange.ThePSChascontinuedtoupholdtheprinciplesofintegrity,impartialityandmeritocracythehallmarksoftheSingaporePublicService.Thesevalueshavewithstoodthetestoftime,andwillcontinuetotaketheSingaporePublicServiceintothefuture.

Eddie TeoChairman

PSC Annual Report 2011

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INTEGRITY

IMPARTIALITY

MERITOCRACY

MEMBERSOFTHESINGAPOREPUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

PSCCHAIRMAN&MEMBERSThePublicServiceCommission(PSC)isconstitutedunderPartIXoftheConstitutionoftheRepublicofSingapore.TheConstitutionprovidesforthePSCtohaveaChairman,andatleastfivebutnotmorethan14otherMembers.Asat31December2011,thePSCcomprisedtheChairman,2DeputyChairmenand10otherMembers.

PSC Annual Report 2011

Mr E

ddie T

eo (Chairman)

Mr T

an Ya

m Pin

(Deputy Chairman)

Dr

Cha

rles T

oh (Dep

uty Chairman)

Mr Kw

a Chong Sen

g

Mr Da

vid Wong

Mr Mi

chael Lim

5

PSC Annual Report 2011

Mr Po

ad Mattar

Mr Ed

ward DSilva

Mr Ri

chard Ma

gnus

Ms Ch

ua Sock

Koong

Prof Lil

y Kong

Mr Ala

n Chan

Mr Ph

ilip Jeya

retnam

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THEPUBLICSERVICECOMMISSIONSROLE

ThefunctionsofthePSCundertheConstitutionareasfollows.

(a) Appoint;

(b) Confirm;

(c) Emplaceonthepermanentorpensionableestablishment;

(d) Promote;

(e) Transfer,and

(f) Dismissandexercisedisciplinarycontroloverpublicofficers*.

*ThefollowingcategoriesofofficersdonotfallunderthePSCspurview:SingaporeArmedForcespersonnel,officersintheJudicialandLegalServices,PoliceOfficersbelowtherankofInspector,anddaily-ratedemployees.

With effect from 1 January 1995, the following personnel functionswere devolved to the Personnel Boards in theMinistriesundertheConstitutionoftheRepublicofSingapore(AmendmentNo.2)Act1994:

(a) RecruitmentandappointmenttotheCivilServiceexceptthattotheAdministrativeServiceandAuditingService;

(b) Confirmationandemplacementofofficersonthepermanentorpensionableestablishment;

(c) AppointmentandpromotionofofficersuptoSuperscaleGradeE1/Grade8(exceptthatofofficersintheAuditing Service),and

(d) TransferofserviceexceptthattotheAdministrativeService.

Followingthedevolution,thePSCservesasthefinalappellatebodytoconsiderpromotionappealsagainstdecisionsoftheAppealsBoard.ThePSCalsoretainstwokeynon-constitutionalroles:

(a) PlanandmanageundergraduateandotherscholarshipsprovidedbytheSingaporeGovernment.Scholarship recipientsarerequiredtoservetheGovernmentforanumberofyearsaftertheirgraduation,and

(b) Consider the suitability of candidates recommended by the Special Personnel Board for appointment as Chief Executive Officers of Statutory Boards whose job grades are Superscale Grade D/Grade 7 and above, and the suitabilityofChiefExecutivesOfficersofStatutoryBoardsforpromotiontoSuperscaleGradeD/Grade7andabove.

PSC Annual Report 2011

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LEADERSHIP

POTENTIAL

ENGAGEMENT

PSCSCHOLARSHIPS

2011

PSC Annual Report 2011

PSCSCHOLARSHIPS2011

PSC Scholarships have served as a key sourceoftalentfortheSingaporePublicServicesince1961. It providesoutstanding youngmenandwomen,whohave thepassionand convictionto serveSingaporeandSingaporeans, througha rewarding Public Service career. Thesescholarshipholdersstudyattop-tieruniversitieslocallyandoverseas,andundergodevelopmentalprogrammes to hone their leadership skills tobetterservethepublicwhentheyreturn.

AboutPSCScholarships

In 2011, there were more than 2000 applicants for PSCScholarships. Of these candidates, 72 were awarded PSCScholarships.Ontopofassessingcandidatescharacter,schoolreports,andCommunityInvolvementProgramme(CIP)records,thePSCalsotookintoaccountotherinformationsuchasacademicresults andCo-CurricularActivities (CCA) achievements. 4outof these 72 scholarship holders were found suitable for thePresidents Scholarship,which is regarded as Singaporesmostprestigiousundergraduatescholarship.

2011PSCScholarshipsSelectionExercise

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NurturingTalent

Strong emphasis is placed on the training anddevelopment of PSC Scholarship holders from thetime they are awarded a PSC Scholarship. Theyparticipate in PSC keymilestone programmes such asthe PreparatoryCourse and PSCScholarsMid-CourseProgramme.Theyarealsoencouragedtoexploreotherdevelopmental opportunities such as summer school,exchange programmes, seminars, conferences andcommunity service activities. In addition, scholarshipholders participate in dialogue sessions and seminarswith politicians and senior public sector leaders todiscuss key developmentsand issues in Singapore.These experiences ensurethat they are attunedto the challenges andopportunities faced by theSingaporePublicService,aswell as the concerns of allSingaporeans.TheirtraininganddevelopmentcontinuesaftertheygraduateandjointhePublicService.

Preparatory Course, 4 - 18 Jul 2011ThePreparatoryCourseaimstopreparenewly-awardedscholarshipholdersfortheirPublicServicecareersand