We thank Mr Danny Chow for his letter “Have scorecard of improvements civil service has made” (Oct 24) and feedback on government agencies’ response to Forum letters. The public service is committed to continuously improving and delivering better services for our citizens.
Government agencies strive to respond to letters published in the media within an average of three to 10 working days, depending on the complexity of the issues raised. At times, agencies may privately reach out to writers to address their specific concerns instead of responding through the media. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that there may be inconsistencies in the quality of responses provided, and we can and will do better.
We agree with Mr Chow that it is important to serve the public well and with empathy. One way we do so is through our ServiceSG centres that were set up with citizens’ needs in mind.
Our centres make it more convenient and accessible for citizens to transact with the Government. For example, seniors who have difficulty making online transactions can visit our centres and be served by our officers who are trained to help them complete different digital services online, as well as to apply for schemes on their behalf. Today, seven ServiceSG centres provide close to 600 government services across more than 20 agencies.
Mr Chow also asked about a scorecard of improvements. Every two years, the Ministry of Finance releases the Singapore Public Sector Outcomes Review that takes stock of how Singapore has fared in key areas, including how the public service has fared in serving our citizens. The review can be accessed at go.gov.sg/SPOR
We thank Mr Chow for his feedback and reminder about how the public service should constantly improve how we deliver our services and care for our citizens. We are committed to doing so, so that we can uphold the public’s trust in us.
Lee Mui Ling
Chief Operating Officer, ServiceSG
Public Service Division
Prime Minister’s Office
Ho Moon Shin
Senior Director, Media Division
Ministry of Communications and Information
