Declaration of gifts and meal invitations by civil servants and political officeholders

[disconsolate]

Declaration of gifts and meal invitations by civil servants and political officeholders​

08 MAY 2024

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on the declaration of gifts and meal invitations by civil servants and political officeholders

https://www.psd.gov.sg/declaration-...y-civil-servants-and-political-officeholders/

Parliament Sitting: 8 May 2024

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister (a) in 2023, what is the number of gifts declared by civil servants and political officeholders respectively to their Permanent Secretaries that is valued (i) above $50 and (ii) below $50; (b) what is the mean and maximum value of these gifts; (c) how many officers have chosen to retain the gifts; (d) what is the number of meal invitations declared to their Permanent Secretaries; and (e) how many meal invitation requests have been denied.

Written Reply by Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service

1. Civil servants and political officeholders must not ask for gifts or favours, especially when they are in a position to influence or affect any decision involving the other party. If it is not possible or it is impractical to decline gifts or meals, officers should declare and account for it according to established processes.

2. For gifts that are less than $50, the officer may be allowed to retain the gift without payment after taking into account considerations such as conflict of interest. For gifts that are $50 or more, an officer may be allowed to retain the gift if he pays its value to the government.

3. In 2023, there were about 3,450 gift declarations made by civil servants and political officeholders. Of these, officers were allowed to retain 60%. About 14% of the declarations were for gifts valued $50 or more. We do not collect data on meal invitations centrally.

 

[disconsolate]

Chan Chun Sing said in May 2024 that PAP do not collect data on meal invitations centrally...means what?

 

[disconsolate]

Did Ong Ye Kung, Chee Hong Tat and Ng Chee Meng declare their meal invitations?

Singaporeans have a right to know.

 

[TanSong]

Did Ong Ye Kung, Chee Hong Tat and Ng Chee Meng declare their meal invitations?

Singaporeans has a right to know.

As I understand , this meal is at least 20k. However it was not declared by ministers and would be minister.

This is not a cheap fong Seng nasi lemak beside nus

 

[mojito]

Popiah is a snack! Not a meal. No need to declare.

 

[jsctan]

My ex finance director last time need to write down the people that ear with you when making claim for expenses.
If they don't need to claim that's means it's not on official business & it's personal.

 

[bigozt]

This cheebye Hazel Poa of the soon to be dissolved Indian Cheef party PSP. Obviously neber worked in Ceevil Service before. Does she know the difficulty of collecting the data for (b) to (e)? It involves so much admin that 99.9% rank and file CS prefer not to take it in first place. Most meals involve higher ups, very hard for line CS to get the data from personal assistants. Get data already so what? No central database to put in. File on paper?No wonder all CS voters vote against her. The higher ups say check ownself right? You all 65% trust them mah. So pls dun create low value work for the poor CS worker. I salute Kee Chiu's reply to her stoopid question.

 

[jsctan]

My ex-company finance director required writing down names of guests to claim clsim for expenses.
If the Hokkien gang has no claims, it means personal party.

 

[50000]

This cheebye Hazel Poa of the soon to be dissolved Indian Cheef party PSP. Obviously neber worked in Ceevil Service before. Does she know the difficulty of collecting the data for (b) to (e)? It involves so much admin that 99.9% rank and file CS prefer not to take it in first place. Most meals involve higher ups, very hard for line CS to get the data from personal assistants. Get data already so what? No central database to put in. File on paper?No wonder all CS voters vote against her. The higher ups say check ownself right? You all 65% trust them mah. So pls dun create low value work for the poor CS worker. I salute Kee Chiu's reply to her stoopid question.

you must be an old timer that used to work in the CS and continues to vote with the 65%. (b) to (e) can easily be solved via an online solution as long as you want to get it done. If it is not already being used, means the higher ups have more to hide

 

[jsctan]

Go out makan in Pte sector need to let boss know. Even more so need to declare in public sector especially using taxpayer money to entertain. Or is it same as Iswaran case received expensive F&B & didn't declare? The public has the right to know.

 

[birdie69]

Popiah is a snack! Not a meal. No need to declare.

Will CPIB investigate this Popiah King for involving criminal money laundry activities with this Fujian gangster?

 

[batman1]

Will CPIB investigate this Popiah King for involving criminal money laundry activities with this Fujian gangster?

Wait for green light from LW.

 

[jsctan]

Wait for green light from LW.

No wonder don't answer to the public.

 

[disconsolate]

Wait for green light from LW.

No wonder don't answer to the public.

PAP of today appears beholden to businesses and those wealthy people behind those businesses.

I think it's a fair statement to make given this saga and not forgetting the Iswaran & Ong Beng Seng saga.

It seems that the party does not work for the people anymore. It's more like they represent businesses' interest far greater than Singaporeans' interest.

 

[batman1]

PAP of today appears beholden to businesses and those wealthy people behind those businesses.

I think it's a fair statement to make given this saga and not forgetting the Iswaran & Ong Beng Seng saga.

It seems that the party does not work for the people anymore. It's more like they represent businesses' interest far greater than Singaporeans' interest.

PAP is a pro-business pro-elite party.

 

[50000]

PAP of today appears beholden to businesses and those wealthy people behind those businesses.

I think it's a fair statement to make given this saga and not forgetting the Iswaran & Ong Beng Seng saga.

It seems that the party does not work for the people anymore. It's more like they represent businesses' interest far greater than Singaporeans' interest.

PAP's system of purely relying on the scholar admin service has failed badly. After 1-2 generations of scholars, everyone of them is pursuing the same track and in the same direction of achieving "fame and fortune". Buddy/buddy cliques have formed and they are now operating on a "you scratch my back, i'll scratch your back" and probably not with the country's benefit in mind. Scholars and especially the SAF scholars have proven many times that they are not the best ministers / CEOs. They should be left in the admin service and be best left to do the background and "brainy" work.

There should be a second track, maybe taken from the private sector and professional bodies for the cabinet and Temasek roles. This way, there will be a natural check and balance from the 2 different groups that hopefully will generate positive debates and discussions.

Look at the 1G PAP leadership, the cabinet were not scholars and had the drive for the betterment of the country. The "scholars" at the time were mainly put into the CS to be in the background. The earliest batch of scholars that went into politics (namely, LHL, TCH, GY etc etc) tried but have shown that they were not really the best to run the country.

 

[jsctan]

PAP of today appears beholden to businesses and those wealthy people behind those businesses.

I think it's a fair statement to make given this saga and not forgetting the Iswaran & Ong Beng Seng saga.

It seems that the party does not work for the people anymore. It's more like they represent businesses' interest far greater than Singaporeans' interest.

The majority gave 65% blank checks but pawn 100% sinkies to do what they seem fit mah.