2/21/2015

Spare the civil servants



Chee Hean reported that cases of abuse against civil servants are on the rise. Among the agencies affected are:

Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), Housing and Development Board (HDB), Inland Revenue Authority (IRAS), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), National Environment Agency (NEA), Ministry of Health (MOH).

Why are civil servants becoming the target of public abuses? They are just carrying out their duties as officers of the ministries or govt? There could be many reasons, like people getting out of the bed from the wrong side, had a bad night’s sleep, losing money in gambling, losing their jobs, money no enough, and the list could go on and on. These reasons are not important. What is important is why the anger is being vented against civil servants.

There could always be the case of the individuals at fault, the abuser or the abused, a case of bad attitude. But to state that it is against civil servants, it meant something else. It implied that the abusers are angry with the govt and taking it out on the civil servants as an excuse.

Another major reason could be bad policies. When policies are bad, and hurt the people the wrong way, the people will be angry. But this does not lead to abuses unless it becomes a case of ‘beh tahan’.  When policies are badly thought out, contrived, when they got out of control and hitting the people badly, when the pain is unbearable, the docile and meek citizens would flare up as a last resort.

The other possibility is the politicisation of the civil service and civil servants. Are the civil servants carrying out their duties fairly and impartially or are they affected by political influence? This is difficult to determine as what is political or what is not is a matter of perception unless it is outright abuses. When the later, then anger will flow and the reaction of the people can be unpredictable, can be violent and can lead to lighting fire, causing bodily harm.

The civil servants must be spared from becoming the bogey man, becoming an excuse for abuses if it is not their fault. Spare the civil servants from getting into a compromising position, to compromise their integrity and objectivity. Remove whatever sources of conflict in their jobs and let them work objectively, fairly and honestly to serve the interest of the people and to serve the people, as civil servants.

Now, would there be a need to set up a committee to investigate this new development? Would the committee members be neutral people that could provide a neutral view and findings and a decent and workable solution to the problem? Spare the civil servants from being compromised or abused by all quarters. Let them carry out their jobs with dignity and respect that money cannot buy.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the civil servants are also quite well paid lah, even the lower level ones, at least compared to those in the private sector. And private sector lower level jobs are dominated by cheaper, younger and faster foreign talents, u know.

So sometimes they need to take the abuse as being part and parcel of a comparatively well paid job lah. Give and take lah.

Anonymous said...

I think the civil servants are also quite well paid lah,...
Anon 11:27 am

They, and together with the new Sinkies and their families formed a substantial portion of the 60% that voted PAP every election.

From IRAS records, PAP can already tell how many Sinkies are well off, relatively well off and so on. And from there also roughly how many % are likely to vote PAP. Of course this info is not available to the Sinkie opposition lah. That's why there are huge advantages by being the incumbent in an election.

Anonymous said...

I think the civil servants are also quite well paid lah, even the lower level ones, at least compared to those in the private sector.
Anon 11:27 am

Maybe RB, being a former civil servant and PM (Personnel Manager) can enlighten more on this?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

It is not an issue of whether they are highly paid or not. It is a case of their mission. Who are they serving, people or party?

If civil servants are partial and seen to be serving the party instead of the people, they deserved to be abused by the people when there is a conflict of interest.

Yes, it is an issue of conflict of interest.

Anonymous said...

"If civil servants are partial and seen to be serving the party instead of the people,...."
RB 11:53 am

Aiya, if the party is the incumbent govt, this is only to be expected lah, and this happens all over the world, not just in Sinkieland. And the incumbent, and for other reasons, can change the civil servants if they do not.

So if WP is ready and become the incumbent, I am sure the same may happen too. Then how? Change party and govt again?

jjgg said...

Why should civil servants be accorded more than they deserve? Which civil servant do you know goes beyond their kpi..which civil servant wears a courtesy smile if it was not part of what they were told to do ..one must be realistic..the civil servants who were chided n been rude to are in positions of their own choosing..surely it's up to the fatter cats to provide adequate training for their little kitties....ever heard of civil servants resigning from their jobs cos of public abuse? Or...MPs n ministers resigning cos of public ridicule? Money's too good man...hehe

Anonymous said...

Why should civil servants be accorded more than they deserve?
February 21, 2015 12:08 pm

Ya hor.
Why also should PAP Ministers be accorded more than they deserve?
Why also should Aliens be accorded more than they deserve?
ANSWER
Because Singaporean citizens are daft slaves. That's why.
And if we don't wake up, our grandchildren will also be slaves.

Anonymous said...

They got big dignity mah.

patriot said...

Me got this impression, however, not too sure if it is correct wish others can share their views.
.
The 'Cheng hoo'(Government) is now by and large found to be overly oppressive and bullying. Civil Servants(Cheng Hoo Langs) act like full of Authority, lacking compassion and flexibility. Go to any ministry or authority to plead or beg and one is likely to be told 'go and plead in the Court'. They are not there for You to 'bargain'(plead). They are there to make sure You admit and accept whatever enforcement on anything You have violated.
There is absolutely no 法/條律不外人情(compassion) to talk about. When the Generals issue instructions, the Soldiers will obey blindly, making them as regimental as all military men tend to be.
Dealing with civil servants is akin to 秀才遇到宾 dealing with folks full of authority and zero compassion.
Any wonder why most people 'beh tahan' FIND CIVIK SERVANTS OVERBEARING?

patriot

Virgo 49 said...

Fifty years of PAP rule with them rambling policies down the throats of the citizens also had the civil servants behaved like them.

They had to implement the directives by them and any complaints or protests of against their policies will be met with blind eyes and deaf ears.

Take for example, the HDB allowing the rental of flats to the foreign refugees.

Any complaints of nuisances or abuses will be met deaf ears by them as they would not dare to go against their Top directives of solving the housing problems of these trashes.

Same time benefited the greedy flat owners who had passive incomes and will vote for the PAP as they di not need to work their butts out.

Any farcas with the trashes with reports to the SPF will also meet the same fate. They would not want to be too hard with these talents as they feared will go away.

Refer to the Courts, they will recommend mediation.

The other party refused to mediate, they said well sorry if they refused to mediate. There is no way we can enforced them to come

And many many other injustices, how not to be angry with the government servants???

Every year, gets bi annual or tri annual bonuses whereas some private firms do not even have their annual ten dollars increment.

Sat in thousands dollars chairs and ride on thousands dollars bikes. Some private chinese firms still sit on wooden bugs infested chairs.

The private companies churned the monies for the civil servants salaries.

Goh said...

I have no problem with those civil servants mentioned above at all except URA and another .

The authority are trying their best to provide good service but its just few of those who think too highly of themselves who are high handed and oso few incompetent one who unknowingly destroy a citizen future becos of their incompetency but refuse to admit.
Help to think of a solution instead of blaming one another as civil servants are also Sinkies out to earn a honest living.Its also wrong to say its becos people Tulan with cheng hoo..

Its a matter of upbringing by the parent and nothing to do with the Garmen.
Civil servant should be cool when dealing with public.
Customers who speak dialects , Singlish or tend to talk loudly should not be seen as rude .Many ways to handle such customers who have difficulty in expressing themselves in English or those unhappy one.
Many cases of so call abuse can actually be avoided
and is not abuse if one is experience enough.
Its not a gentleman to abuse others .
Many ugly Sinkies even abuse private screwty guard just becos they are not civil servant.

NongNong time ago during every CNY gathering dinner on the zeekow meh ,my ah kong will remind everyone in the famiy to obey law before giving his ang pows.
He will specially remind all the soonkia who are in the civil service esp.those in uniform not to be corrupted or flame others just to get promotion and do their duties without fear or favour.
Put yourself in the citizen shoes , understand them and never wan ong anyone. Anyone who are not confident are to return their uniform immediately and not to be a disgrace to the family.
Nowadays where got such ah kong.Every parent only hope their children make more money or boast about their holidays.
Its parents who fail to teach the children well.

Still got Chap Go Meh.
Take this opportunity to remind your children and grandchildren, not on who to vote but on how to be good citizen and civil servant.

Hell Rider said...

Civil Servants who aligned themselves with PAP, as though PAP is Singapore, then they deserve to be tekan by the people, who cannot tahan any more.

They simply had to let go steam at someone, anyone, not necessarily civil servants.

It could be on that day at that time, the unlucky civil servant was dealing with him/her. Steam or pressure has to be released. He/she just simply burst like a balloon. Pop!

Looks like Hell IS GETTING TO BREAK LOOSE. Can it be so soon? May be?

Anonymous said...

So should we ask??? :
Are they civil servants or PAP servants?

Anonymous said...

So should we ask??? :
Are they civil servants or PAP servants?
Anon 4:59 pm

Of course they are servants to the incumbent PAP govt lah.

If WP or any other party is ready and hence voted by the 60% to become the new incumbent govt, then of course they will be servants to WP lah.

So they will be servants to the incumbent, meaning whichever is the party or coalition of parties that got voted in by the 60% lah. Understand?

Anonymous said...

Looks like Hell IS GETTING TO BREAK LOOSE.
Anon 3:54 pm

Sure or not? Just look at Hong Lim Park when there is a rally. Where the hell are the crowds? And it's legal some more, yet they didn't turn up in large numbers, let alone hell breaking loose illegally.

That's why PAP no worry one, because by just looking at Hong Lim turnout they know Sinkies very well already.

Anonymous said...

Permanent and Impartial Civil Service
--------------------------
The United Kingdom has a Civil Service that acts impartially and does not change when the Government changes.
This is in contrast to most other countries around the world where civil services are politically appointed, at least at their most senior levels.
This feature of the UK system of government makes the relationship between ministers and civil servants somewhat different to how it is elsewhere.

http://www.policy.manchester.ac.uk/resources/civil-servant/reform/civilservicereformdetailedhistory/civilservicereformhistory3/


If WP or any other party is ready and hence voted by the 60% to become the new incumbent govt, then of course they will be servants to WP lah.
++++++++

"So they will be servants to the incumbent, meaning whichever is the party or coalition of parties that got voted in by the 60% lah. Understand?"
February 21, 2015 5:34 pm

This PAPig is unashamedly admitting that he believes in politicizing the civil service.

market2garden said...

~秀才遇到宾~

don't label civil servants as soldiers. Wrong labeling, or else you are no different from our ..........

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Hell Rider, welcome to the blog.

This may prove to be a very traumatic year for Singapore with imminent great changes going to take place.

patriot said...

Mr Agongkia is right.

Civil Servants indeed have nothing to do with their Emloyers. Likewise children's misbehaviours got to do with their upbrings, we should not blame their parents, schools and our leaders for their poor conducts, for the Children are just going with the Prevailing Culture. They too, should not be blamed.

patriot

patriot said...

Apology

'Likewise children's misbehaviours got NOTHING to do wth their upbringings.......'

patriot

Goh said...

@patriot
慈母多败兒:-)

Goh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.