Holistic approach needed to keep Public Service on even keel

I refer to the report, “Half of errant civil servants from enforcement units: Study” (July 27). At first glance, the 197 public-sector cases investigated over the last five years may seem insignificant in absolute terms.

I find it unsettling, though, that 23 per cent of the errant public officers had a university degree and 18 per cent of the cases involved sums exceeding S$30,000. On the whole, were the latter committed by senior and, presumably, trusted officers?

Our total labour force numbered 3.36 million last year, of which 136,000 were in the Public Service.

The 35 cases from the public sector last year, as a percentage of the public workforce, is close to six times higher compared to the cases from the private sector as a percentage of the private sector workforce.

This is discomforting, given the perennial emphasis on the integrity and clean administration standards of the Civil Service and its robust staff selection.

There are various avenues and reasons for fraud, and various ways to enjoy the fruits of fraud. Inadequate internal controls and human failings are some of the apparent factors.

I hope other important actions will be taken beyond the possibility that “Public servants may face tighter rules on casino visits” (July 27).

Audits and prosecution are useful processes, but prevention is better than cure. Has the Public Service adequately heeded similar past frauds and taken a holistic organisational approach in strengthening its standard operating procedures and risk management for fraud?

Human failings and greed are harder to eradicate. Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean is right that there is “a strong culture in Singapore and in the Public Service which rejects corruption”, as he said in the report, “1 in 5 CPIB probes involve public officers” (July 25).

But the societal environment and within it, the values of individuals, can change, especially in an increasingly stressful and materialistic society.

High salaries and positions alone are not enough to incentivise some officers to stay clean of monetary and non-monetary indiscretions.

Education, both formal and set by the example of managers and leaders, are also important in keeping values and ethics on an even keel.