‘Crazy argument’ to say Singapore doesn’t need capable ministers because of good civil servants: PM Lee

SINGAPORE: The argument that Singapore does not need experienced or capable ministers because of its good public service is “crazy”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 5). 

Speaking at this year’s People’s Action Party (PAP) convention, Mr Lee, who is the party’s secretary-general, addressed the upcoming leadership transition. 

Mr Lee, who is 71, announced that he plans to hand over leadership to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before the next General Election. 

The PAP’s priorities are governing competently, keeping clean and winning elections, which will “need high-quality leadership”, said Mr Lee. 

The party has a strong, capable team that is in touch with Singaporeans and has “shown what it can do”, he added. 

“We have a very good public service. Sometimes people argue that Singapore civil servants are so good that we don’t need ministers who are so competent or experienced,” said Mr Lee. 

“It’s a crazy argument. The civil service didn’t create itself out of thin air.” 

Singapore has a good civil service because it has good political leadership who built it up, said Mr Lee. 

“The civil servants are excellent, but they can only deliver good results because they are led by competent ministers who understand the issues, make good decisions, who command their respect,” he added. 

Ministers can then guide and complement the civil servants in their work and deliver on their political promises, said Mr Lee, comparing this dynamic to an orchestra and a conductor. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore’s ministries and agencies “performed magnificently”, he added, as an example. 

“But without the ministers to make the big and risky decisions, to take political responsibility for them, to provide national leadership, we couldn’t have come through as we did.” 

The decisions to impose the “circuit breaker”, close borders, pre-order vaccines or draw on reserves were all political decisions, said Mr Lee. 

“Remember, if you have ordinary political leaders, you’re going to have an ordinary public service and this is going to become a very ordinary country.”

If Singapore is one day no longer exceptional and cannot stand out against other countries, then it is “sunk”, Mr Lee continued. 

“So leadership renewal is a critical process for the party and for Singapore.”