Cooking up a perfect storm

Only in the overpaid Singapore civil service do we have an immediate superior (Peter Ho) eat humble pie on behalf of his subordinate (Tan Yong Soon) for blowing taxpayers' money on a personal extravagance and further rubbed salt into the wound by highlighting that he could have shirked work longer than five weeks if he had wished to. Read the following letter published in the Straits Times on January 4:

I thank everyone who has given views on Permanent Secretary Tan Yong Soon's article ("Cooking up the holiday spirit", Jan 6). The Civil Service agrees with the sentiments expressed by several of the writers that, while what Mr Tan does on holiday is his personal decision, civil servants, particulary the senior leadership, must be sensitive to and empathise with Singaporeans whom we serve. This had been clearly stated in Parliament by the Minister in charge of the Civil Service, Mr Teo Chee Hean, and conveyed by my letter to Mr Tan. Mr Tan has apologised to me, acknowledging that his article was ill-timed and insensitive to the feelings of Singaporeans.

Peter Ho
Head, Civil Service

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