DPM Gan Kim Yong at the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony 2025

Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Mr Chan Chun Sing;
Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Members of the PSC;
Head Civil Service, Mr Leo Yip;
Distinguished guests, colleagues;

Opening and Acknowledgments

Good afternoon to all of you. I am very happy to join you today at this year’s Public Service Leadership Ceremony.

Each year, this Ceremony brings together public service leaders at different stages of their leadership journeys, and serves as a good reminder that the work of building Singapore never stops, and must be carried forward by generations of public servants.

I would like to congratulate the newly appointed 20 Public Service Leaders and 111 PSLP officers here today. You are taking on leadership at a time of rapid change. Your work will be demanding, but it will also be one of the most meaningful callings – to shape Singapore’s future.

I would also like to recognise four Permanent Secretaries who have stepped down this year – they are Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Mr Chan Yeng Kit, Mrs Ow Foong Pheng and Mr Jeffrey Siow – and 19 senior leaders in the public service who have relinquished their appointments recently.

Whether in finance, defence, health, national development or the economy, your contributions have strengthened the nation. You leave behind strong institutions, capable teams and a legacy of service for others to build on. My deepest appreciation to all of you.

SG60 and Beyond

This year, we celebrate 60 years of our independence. It is more than just a milestone; it is also an opportune moment to reflect on how far Singapore has come.

In 1965, we were a new, independent country with no natural resources, few external friends, and limited options. Today, Singapore is well-connected to the world, respected for our governance, and home to a society that is cohesive and forward-looking.

The Public Service has been integral to this transformation. From building our public housing estates and world-class infrastructure, to establishing strong economic, healthcare and social institutions, the Public Service has been at the centre of every chapter of Singapore’s national development.

These achievements are not because of chance, but a result of three key features and strengths of our Public Service:

One, our ability to plan long term. Right from the start, we have made long term investments into education, infrastructure and industrial development. These have laid the foundations for us to build a strong, dynamic and resilient economy, provide good jobs for Singaporeans, and nurture a highly skilled workforce.

Two, by being pragmatic. We have always maintained a clear-eyed view of our circumstances, so that we can realistically assess the options, weigh the trade-offs, and decide pragmatically to adjust our course whenever necessary.

Our economic journey is a good example. In the 1960s, we focused on labour intensive factories to create jobs and reduce unemployment; in the 1980s we moved to higher value-added manufacturing to raise wages; and to services and finance in today’s digital and R&D-driven economy to stay globally competitive. Each shift was a decisive move of what we needed to do at that time to raise Singapore to the next level. Our pragmatism and our willingness to change course when the circumstances demand it is at the heart of Singapore’s ability to transform and adapt.

Three, by executing with determination and discipline. Good plans and bold policies matter little if they are not carried through and implemented well. One of our defining strengths has been our ability to deliver, to translate intent into results on the ground. This has not only enabled us to implement and realise our long-term plans, but also to deal with crises swiftly, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Our reliability to follow through on our commitments is a key reason for the trust people have in the Government.

These are the three qualities that define the Public Service, and they continue to matter. But the world we face today is getting more complicated.

Global economic and geopolitical shifts are gaining pace.

AI and emerging technologies are transforming the way we live, work and interact – reshaping industries, reconfiguring jobs, and redefining people’s expectations of the Government.

And here in Singapore, society is becoming more heterogenous, with Singaporeans espousing more diverse views, aspirations and expectations.

This is the context in which our Public Service must operate in going forward. To continue serving Singapore well, there are three key imperatives our Public Service leaders must embrace:

First, to stay agile;

Second, to refresh our approaches for a digital and AI-driven era;

And third, to reinforce trust and legitimacy in a more contested society.

Staying Agile

The first imperative is to stay agile. We may not have the size or might of larger countries or economies, but in a rapidly changing world, our size can be an advantage if we are able to move fast and respond swiftly.

Many of you would have heard of or even supported the Inter-Ministry Committee on Pro-Enterprise Rules Review. We had set up this Committee last year to reduce compliance burden for businesses and strengthen our pro-business environment.

This effort has taken on additional significance amidst the global tariff turbulence. By reducing red tape and increasing regulatory agility, our businesses can better navigate a more complex operating environment, and move faster to seize new opportunities amidst shifting supply chains.

But this initiative will not succeed without an equally agile Public Service.

Earlier this March, we had set out three Statements of Commitment.

One such commitment is for all agencies to publish their service standards for the processing of business regulatory applications, and where feasible, to keep the service standards to within 30 days.

I am glad to note that by the end of this month, all Government agencies will have published their service standards for regulatory applications.

Let me thank our public servants for your efforts.

Over and above these Statements of Commitment, we must also identify ways on the ground to streamline our regulatory processes for businesses.

Together with the SME Pro-Enterprise Office, agencies across Government have identified a number of areas that we will work on to streamline our regulatory approvals. These include setting up of migrant worker dormitories, application and renewal of industrial land leases, and many more.

Besides regulatory agility, we must also be open to experimentation.

One example is MAS’ FinTech Regulatory Sandbox, that enables financial institutions and start-ups to test new products and services in a controlled environment. By providing a safe space for experimentation, MAS has been able to encourage innovation within the financial sector, while balancing the need to protect consumers.

There are many other good examples across Government today, including MOT and LTA’s Autonomous Vehicles Regulatory Sandbox and MOH’s Licensing Experimentation and Adaptation Programme Sandbox.

These sandboxes are practical examples of how we can pilot ideas safely, learn from our experience, and scale what works. With experimentation, we must also expect and accept that there will be failings. We can learn from them so that there is a better chance of succeeding next time.

Such experimentation will be increasingly important in an environment of accelerating technological advancements. It allows us to push the boundaries of innovation while managing any risks responsibly.

Refreshing Our Approaches for an AI-driven Era

The second imperative is for our Public Service to recognise the impact of AI and refresh our approaches for an AI-driven era.

AI will be one of the defining technologies of our time.

It is transforming how economies and societies function.

Businesses are already using it to sharpen competitiveness and create new value, whether to drive greater productivity, to discover new products and services, to accelerate time to market, or to enhance customer experiences.

The Public Service must not only keep up with these changes, but also lead in applying AI-driven tools to govern better and serve better.

This begins with adoption at scale.

Today, about one-third of our 150,000 officers regularly use Pair, our in-house AI assistant, to support their work in research and writing.

Many have gone even further – to date, our officers have created more than 16,000 custom AI bots to automate tasks and improve responsiveness.

We also see a growing culture of ground-up innovation, with our people participating in hackathons and incubator programmes to tackle real operational problems.

To raise the level of responsible AI use in our Public Service, we will launch a mandatory AI literacy course for all officers, to complement digital leadership training for leaders at different levels.

As leaders, we must set the tone by being open to using AI in our own work, encouraging our teams to do the same, and guiding our people to use these tools effectively and thoughtfully.

But adoption alone is not enough. We must apply AI meaningfully.

We can already see the value of AI in various cases.

We should challenge our teams to think of meaningful use-cases in each of our respective domains, where we can apply AI-driven solutions to improve services and outcomes.

We must also recognise that high impact AI use cases depend on strong digital foundations such as good governance and capabilities. And we must deepen our AI capabilities.

Our mastery of these tools will also enhance our ability to regulate and protect.

For example, with stronger capabilities in AI and data, we can detect scams earlier, respond faster to cyber threats, and reduce online harms.

We must also build deeper expertise through partnership with the wider ecosystem.

One such platform is Lorong AI.

I am glad to learn that since its establishment earlier this year, Lorong AI has built a community of more than 250 AI practitioners, providing opportunities for them to work together and share knowledge.

I hope this new co-working hub will help foster deeper collaborations across government, academia and industry.

As leaders, we are well placed to enable such partnerships, so that the Public Service can tap into a much richer ecosystem to generate new ideas, test them quickly, and scale up workable solutions.

Reinforcing Trust in a More Contested Society

The third imperative is reinforcing trust.

Trust between the people and the Government has always been the bedrock of our system – built on the basis that we govern fairly, deliver on our promises, and always act in Singapore’s best interests.

We cannot take this trust for granted; trust must be renewed continually by the way we serve. Especially in an age of instant communication and rampant misinformation, we must work even harder to maintain people’s trust in Government – by communicating openly, listening carefully, and engaging meaningfully.

At the heart of this is our commitment to an inclusive Singapore – where everyone has a place in society, and no one feels left behind.

We have taken meaningful steps to build a more inclusive society, such as through the Progressive Wage Model to uplift lower-wage workers, and stronger protections for platform workers under the Platform Workers Act.

These are not just policies – they are concrete ways in which we demonstrate that we care, and what we stand for.

Amidst a more volatile and turbulent global economy, new vulnerabilities will emerge. Some groups – like fresh graduates, gig workers, or mid-career PMETs – will be more exposed to disruption from AI or automation. Others – like children from low-income families or people with disabilities – may find it harder just to keep up with the pace of change. We must stay vigilant to these potential divides in society, and intervene promptly. Most of all, it means sustaining hope — that every Singaporean can still succeed, regardless of their starting point. This is what we mean by a “we” society.

As Public Service leaders, we must demonstrate not just competence, but also compassion and empathy in how we lead. We must believe in what we do.

We must connect national priorities with the everyday concerns of Singaporeans, and make sure that our policies reflect both long-term goals as well as immediate problems. This will reinforce mutual understanding and trust with the public.

And we must be consistent across Government, so that we can speak with one voice, serve as one team, and act as “One Public Service”.

Conclusion

Let me end by coming back to what has defined Singapore’s journey – the spirit of transformation. We have never been content to accept the status quo; instead, we have always asked: what else can we do, and what more can we be?

The Public Service has led the development of Singapore by planning ahead, being pragmatic, and executing with discipline. These remain vital. But the years ahead demand more. We must stay agile, embrace and prepare for the AI era, and continually reinforce trust with Singaporeans.

I am confident that we can do this; and that the Public Service will remain a cornerstone of Singapore’s success and exceptionalism – grounded in values, driven by purpose, and committed to a better future for every generation of Singaporeans.

Thank you.

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