THE TEMASEK REVIEW

By Eugene Yeo

I read with amusement this letter written by Mr Peter Ho, Head of the Civil Service purportedly to Singaporeans which was published in the Straits Times Forum today.

Mr Ho wrote:

” Mr Tan has apologised to me, acknowledging that his article was ill-judged and insensitive to the feelings of Singaporeans.”

May I ask Mr Ho his purpose of writing the letter ?

Is he apologizing to Singaporeans on behalf of Mr Tan or is he simply conveying the message to Singaporeans that Mr Tan is remorseful for his ill-timed article ?

Since Mr Tan has realized his mistake, why wasn’t the letter written by him instead ? Is Mr Ho trying to tell us indirectly that Mr Tan lack the language ability to draft a simple letter of apology ?

Is this just another ruse to defray rising disgruntlement and anger on the ground towards bloated salaries received by the upper echelons of the civil service ?

I seriously do not see any sincerity in Mr Ho’s letter.

When I was young, I was often taught by my parents that a man should be brave enough to own up and apologize for one’s own mistakes. Once, I got into a fight with my neighbor’s son and punched two front tooths off his mouth. My mother dragged me to my neighbor’s house to apologize to his parents in person. She did not tell them: “Eugene has apologized to me, acknowledging that he was wrong to punch your son.”

During the 2006 general election, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made an unreserved apology to Singaporeans a day after making his now infamous “fix the opposition” gaffe.

He did not ask his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew to write a letter to the Straits Times Forum saying: “Hsien Loong has apologized to me, acknowledging that his choice of words – ‘fix the opposition’ was ill-judged and insensitive to the feelings of Singaporeans.”

If even the Prime Minister can be humble and gracious enough to apologize for his mistake, why can’t Mr Tan Yong Soon, who is after all, a “servant” of the people do so ?

Is he too proud to apologize to us ? Or he feels that we are merely “lesser mortals” who do not deserve a personal apology from him ?

I don’t see any sense or meaning in him APOLOGIZING to Mr Peter Ho. It is utterly ridiculous ! It is unlikely that Mr Peter Ho will take offence to Mr Tan’s article since both of them belong to the same elite “supergrade” civil servant clique.

Is Mr Tan apologizing to Mr Peter Ho for causing him embarrassment and inconvenience for his ill-timed article with the end result that his superior has to clear up the mess he has left behind ?

A man should be responsible for his own words and actions. I will be flabbergasted if our civil servants go running to hide behind the skirt of their boss each time they commit a mistake. Are we paying the top salaries to the right people ?

Mr Tan Yong Soon has apologized to the wrong person and Mr Peter Ho has apologized for the wrong reason.

Mr Tan Yong Soon should apologize to Singaporeans and NOT Mr Peter Ho. And Mr Peter Ho should apologize for failing to inculcate the right values and attitude in his senior civil servants as their immediate superior in charge of them.

This letter is NOT ENOUGH to assauge the feelings of hurt and aggrieved Singaporeans. You guys are paid by taxpayers’ monies to serve the people and you should have a modicum of honesty, sincerity and respect in your liaisons with us instead of treating us like idiots ! What do you take us for ? As masak-masak for you to toy around ?

As a save-facing gesture for Mr Tan Yong Soon, we will not call for him to issue a public apology. A letter to the Straits Times expressing his regret over his ill-timed article in person should suffice to bring the matter to a proper closure.

2 Responses to “What is Tan Yong Soon apologizing to Peter Ho for ?”