Dear PM Lee,
Good Evening and Selamat Hari Raya Eid-ul-Fitr.
Your late father LKY laid down working rules that were followed to the hilt by every civil servant.
His approach to departmental rules were exemplary for he came down hard, fast and furious on malpractices and corruption. None was above those rules.
Every department of the Civil Service worked under fear and without favour.
The Civil Service was warned many a times that they were servants of the people and not masters.
We worked hard and made a swift turnaround from attap slums to cheap public housing with modern amenities.
We respected your late dad and did our work with proffesionalism.
Soon our hard work was realised and the community became closer to us.
Whatever national issues came up we handled it to the best of our ability and with whatever tools we had. Floods, communism, communalism, criminal elements and other social issues. We did not complaint.
The CPIB operated relentlessly and worked hand in hand with the other departments and the AG Chambers.
Our Nation became a talk of ASEAN. We achieved excellence in a short time.
The SPF embarked on State-sponsored policy and saw the establishment of Neighborhood Police Post System or NPPs in all constituencies.
Even corrupted politicians were brought to the book. That was the beauty then. LKY may be strict but he commanded well.
From the day he stepped down, the scenario has changed for the bad.
Civil servants today are different from our times. I recall the late Mr Lim Kim San warning newly commissioned policemen
that the government will not hesitate to sack officers who commit abuse of authority at the parade in Police Academy. Today things are different.
Even photographing civil servants have been outlawed. Pictures convey the true meanings.
Look at signboards at government departments today warning the public of harsh consequences!
Is this good?
No it isn't.
It only embolden the civil servants.
Look at the way NEA issue summonses to litterbugs.
Where is the discretion of yesteryears?
What took place this last few years in Singapore have proven that we are once again descending into the gutters that we came out from in the 70s.
We are seeing the rising public anger never seen before.
So many issues have accumulated and will continue unabated.
You must act decisively now.
Let the Courts, SPF and CPIB work like it did in the early years without fear and favour.
That is true democracy and that will earn you the respect of the people.
Please don't keep depending on "highly educated people" to head departments.
Use those that rose from the bottom. It is more effective.
Remember we even had barbers and postman as MPs before.
Stop these overcrowding of our teeny weeny island nation.
Heed the true wishes of the Rakyat or people and you will not repent.
I am just a humble retired servant of the people.
Sukhdev Singh Gill.
Retired Policeman
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