To PM Lee Hsien Loong

eastcoastlife with PM Lee Hsien Loong at a Istana Chinese New Year Party.
He autographed the photo a few months later at a Mountbatten Walkabout.

Dear PM Lee Hsien Loong,

In the past, Singapore civil service was messy and rude. Although it is orderly and polite now, it just isn't able to shake out of its bureaucratic, rigid, kiasi and kiasu frames and become thinking and self-responsible.

Instead of doing what is best for Singapore, the aim to please their employers and further their own career takes precedent. And ordinary Singaporeans as a whole loses out.

As a Singaporean who loves her country, I always strive to do my best for Singapore. I follow the laws and observe a strict code of discipline that my late grandma and father taught us. In school, I was made to study Civics and Moral Education which I blindly obeyed and later taught to my students and children.

Now I realise, most of the educators and civil servants in Singapore don't carry out what they preach. It's unbelievable how they are so devious.

For years I have feedback complained to the various ministries on the problems I faced when dealing with their civil servants. Most of the time, my complaints were not taken seriously. Either questions were not answered or promises not kept.

Ordinary Singaporeans like me don't have an alternative avenue to pursue our concerns and problems. I was pushed from department to department, ministry to ministry. There is long waiting time for replies and the replies were either standard official ones which don't address my concerns or they totally avoided the issues.

I'm sick of our civil servants' inept and incompetence. The last straw was when I received a threatening note in my mail box ordering me to stop my whistle-blowing or else my only son will be harmed.

Unfortunately, I'm not one who will back off even when I come face to face with Death. I have no faith in our police. On my own, I started my investigations.

I went through a lot in order to have my complaints heard. I approached the media ...., The Straits Times (Jane Ng - not published), Zaobao(ignored), Xinmin (ignored), New Paper (story published but retold in their own words), TV programme Frontline (ignored). A PR officer from MOE even threw her weight around when the editor of New Paper approached her for clarifications.

Undaunted, I discovered blogging and started writing and publishing my own book, listing all the people involved and the events.

On 1st February 2008, my son's Friendster and Hotmail accounts were hacked. Contents were replaced with pornographic photos and vulgar language. A police report was made and until this day, the case is still pending investigation...

My husband has been a loyal PAP supporter and grassroot leader for more than 30 years. I have many opportunities to approach you, but I want my stories to have a huge impact on the civil service.

To my family and friends who are concerned for my safety, thank you. I have decided to give up my life, they can sue me, arrest me, make me a bankrupt...... the stories need to be told. The Time has come..... 8 years of Hell for me, it's pay back time.

Hear now, the journey of one woman's determination to save her son and expose the ugly faces of the civil servants in Singapore........

*************************ooOoo************************

Former senior civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow (The Straits Times,2003) :
"Some civil servants behave like they have a mandate from the emperor.
We think we are little Lee Kuan Yews."

**************************ooOoo************************

'We must admit our mistakes openly and honestly, put them right, and act against those who have been culpable.

If and when something goes wrong, we have to deal with it decisively and effectively. Our first priority is to respond to the immediate crisis, and then to identify shortcomings and put them right. We must also take steps to ensure that the problem does not recur. This means not just quick fixes, but also where necessary fundamental changes to systems and organisations to address deeper problems revealed by the lapse.

We demand high standards of integrity and performance from every public servant, MP and office-holder. We assess them rigorously and objectively, and apply disciplinary rules fairly and impartially to all. This is what Singaporeans expect from their Government. And this is what we have delivered and will continually strive to achieve.'

- PM Lee Hsien Loong