SINGAPORE — In a more challenging environment where the public has higher aspirations and is more ready to air its views, the Civil Service needs to formulate effective policies and implement them well, involve the public more in working out solutions and not neglect the intangible things that matter to the people’s well-being.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam highlighted these three areas of governance that need “special attention” if the Government is to retain public trust and govern well.

Addressing about 300 officers at the Administrative Service dinner and promotion ceremony last night, he said that compared with larger and older countries, the trust of the public is more important for the effective functioning of government in Singapore.

“If we fail to manage public trust and if we end up with the deep scepticism about government seen in many other countries, it will reduce our space (to) manoeuvre, both in making difficult domestic policy decisions in Singaporeans’ long-term interests and in managing our external relations,” said Mr Tharman.

Elaborating on the three areas, he said implementing policies effectively must be “the bread and butter — and the jam — of the Public Service”, because the public will believe what they see and experience, rather than what is announced as policy intent.

There is “considerable scope yet” for the Civil Service to include the public in coming up with solutions, he added.

“This has to be an increasingly important aspect of governance, because the problems and challenges are becoming increasingly complex and many of our citizens can and want to contribute to helping to tackle both municipal and national issues,” he said.

And although having good jobs and better pay remain fundamental to people’s interests, “there are many other things that cannot be measured as easily, which matter to people’s sense of well-being”, such as having green spaces near homes, said Mr Tharman.

“These are things that do not have market prices, but they are no less important to the quality of life. We have to focus on these intangibles as we go forward.”

Citing findings from the Edelman Trust Barometer that revealed weak trust in governments in more than half of the countries surveyed last year, Mr Tharman noted that public trust in Singapore remained higher than the global average but that “the ease with which trust slipped” in many countries is “a warning”.

In his opening speech, Head of Civil Service Peter Ong said more operational postings have been introduced to help Administrative Officers build closer links with the ground, such as overseeing career centres or working on the Bus Service Enhancement Programme. The Government will work towards giving all officers at least one such posting in the course of their career, he added.