Effective political leaders needed, civil servants no substitute: PM Wong
Remuneration affects availability of capable ministers, he says amid salary review
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasized the need for strong political leadership, even with a capable civil service, during a salary review [SINGAPORE] on Tuesday (Sep 8). He explained that remuneration is significant because it impacts whether enough capable individuals are willing to assume the responsibilities of a minister role.
Wong stressed that good government hinges on good leadership, stating that institutions are only as effective as the people who steer them. He warned that having less capable ministers could compromise the quality of the civil service, as officers aspire to serve leaders who make sound judgments and are respected. Wong cautioned that weak political leadership could ultimately diminish the effectiveness of the civil service, drawing parallels to other countries whose civil services deteriorated when top political leaders weakened.
He firmly stated that civil servants should not be tasked with making strategic political decisions, such as determining tax rates, and emphasized that ministers must set their ministries' direction, establish priorities, and make the crucial strategic calls.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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