How the Singapore Civil Service handles your complaints

I found this out the hard way. As an ordinary citizen against the powerful Civil Service, you tend to lose (no brainer, right?). They are 'one big family' in their Ministries or departments. Smart to cover one another's backsides.

If any citizen wants to give feedback complain to the government, be prepared to have your email or letter forwarded to the people you complain about. They are supposed to handle their own shit and then write reports to HQ.

So, there's no such thing as 'to handle your complaint discretely'. The people you complain about know and of course your identity is no secret.

Your complaint gets read by those you complain about, so when they write report to explain to HQ, you don't know what stories they cook up. You will never get to read their reports. They get away..... you look stupid.

No cause for concern, you must be kidding? Hello, read my stories.

Nowadays, the Civil Servants are getting more cunning. They don't reply to your email or letter. They call you personally.

Smart. Because whatever they say will not be in black and white. They can twist and turn the story, even say sorry so they can quickly close the case. What they write in their report, we don't know and then suddenly you get a reply from the relevant Ministry,

'Thank you for your interest in this matter.'

'We have noted your feedback and the appropriate remedial action will be taken.'

Case closed.

My questions are still not answered. Problems are still not solved.

Recently I got an intimidating call from a school principal, who is also a Lt-colonel, and whom I complained about. I shot another complaint back to MOE and am still waiting for a reply. I'm not allowing their staff to call me, in fact, I'm not allowing any civil servant to call me. I'll post the stories on this in my later posts.

Many staff of Public Affairs Departments in Ministries probably know that I'm a big mouth now. Recently there is this 'Restricted' on their replies. :)

I will not be intimidated. No Singaporean should be if they have a valid complaint. What silly chain of command? At a certain level, the complaints are hijacked so that the TOP is not disturbed.

Why should ordinary Singaporeans have to go through great lengths just to have their voices heard? We get pushed around and ignored. The leaders are listening and relying on reports submitted by the civil servants, and not the people.

I'm determined to have my cases heard..... all the way to the TOP!

Wish me luck.