Yesterday, Worker’s Party (WP) MP Gerald Giam filed an interesting parliamentary question:
How many retired SAF officers with the rank of Colonel or Military Expert 7 (ME7) and above have held senior positions in public sector organisations?
The question seemed to have ties to the appointment of SAF Brigadier-General Tan Chee Wee’s as the CEO of the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
Some have questioned the appointment, asking why someone with no seeming early childhood or educational experience was appointed to look after the pre-school sector.
This led some, like Mr Giam, to ask, how many other former SAF officers have been appointed to similar positions.
Well, now we have an answer.
15 Former SAF Officers Now in Holding Senior Leadership Positions in the Public Service
As of 24 Sep, there are 15 former high-ranking SAF officers who are now holding senior leadership appointments in the public service, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing replied.
They have either taken up positions as chief executives, deputy secretaries, and permanent secretaries, taking up 10% of such appointments.
Since 2010, 7% of SAF personnel holding the rank of Colonel or ME7 and above who retired have gone on to assume senior public service appointments.
In his speech, Mr Giam also questioned how these officers are deemed to have the necessary competence to take on their leadership roles despite not having had civilian work experience.
The WP MP also asked if these officers are required to spend several years developing the relevant knowledge and skills before they assume their leadership roles.
In response, Mr Chan said the public service looks for the “best available person for the job” when hiring people for senior appointments.
Public service agencies would typically recruit candidates from within the organisation, Mr Chan said, as well as the wider public service, which includes the private sector and uniformed services.
When it comes to former uniformed serviced officers, agencies will take a “considered view” of the officer’s career experience and competencies or qualities”, as they would with other available candidates.
He noted that these officers would have skill sets that are generally relevant to senior management positions in the public service, including:
- serving in roles that develop skills such as strategic leadership, organisation transformation, and running of large-scale operations, among other things
- “valuable experience in working with, understanding, motivating, and winning the confidence… of Singaporeans from all walks of life”
Those who are deemed to be capable for such roles are then tested and prepared through “challenging postings and leadership programmes, Mr Chan said.
Questioning Tan Chee Wee’s Appointment
WP MP He Ting Ru narrowed her colleague’s question down to a particular individual, questioning what factors and qualifications were considered for Tan Chee Wee’s appointment as ECDA CEO, despite his lack of early childhood or educational experience.
In response, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, said that while several candidates were considered for the role, Mr Tan was assessed to be the most suitable.
He did not elaborate further, but disagreed that Mr Tan lacks the necessary experience for the role, pointing out that he had previously served in the then-Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports from 2006 to 2008 and is not unfamiliar with the social sector.
Mr Tan is set to assume his post as ECDA CEO on 15 Dec, replacing the current CEO Jamie Ang, who has helmed the agency since 2019.
