Chan Chun Sing: Public Servants Must Work With Singaporeans, Not Just for Them

At the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony on 18 September 2026, Chan Chun Sing called for a public service that does more than deliver programmes. As Singapore faces more complex challenges, officers should bring people together, make difficult choices understandable and develop solutions that keep the country relevant. 122

Work with citizens, not simply for them

Chan urged public servants to shift from doing things for Singaporeans to doing things with them. That means listening to different interests, finding common ground and helping groups act towards a shared outcome—not merely seeking agreement on one issue at a time. 12021

It also requires judgement about the government’s role. Officers should consider what the state must do, what citizens and other partners can contribute, and how those contributions can be brought together. The aim is collective action rather than an expectation that government alone will provide every answer. 122

Explain the trade-offs behind contested decisions

Working with people does not mean promising that everyone will get their preferred outcome. Chan pointed to debates over plans for Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks as examples of decisions involving strongly held, differing views. He said the public service should articulate policy trade-offs honestly so people can understand the competing considerations, even when they disagree with the eventual choice. 2023

Build capacity for change at home and abroad

Chan described pressures that public servants cannot address through routine administration alone. At home, workforce transformation means responding to disruption from AI while making use of its opportunities, against a changing demographic backdrop. Officers need the judgement to weigh those challenges, not treat technology as a solution by itself. 111

Abroad, he called for stronger international links and experience to help Singapore navigate uncertainty. His wider challenge to public service leaders was to create room for Singapore to act, develop distinctive value and mobilise collective action so the country remains a partner of choice at home and overseas. 12224

Innovate before change is forced on the public service

Chan’s call for leaders to act more like entrepreneurs was a call to anticipate problems and develop better ways of governing, rather than wait for established approaches to stop working. In his account, effective governance matters beyond service delivery: it helps Singapore retain the confidence of its people and its relevance in a contested world. 122