Quora Answer: How are Corrupt Government Officials Treated in Singapore?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How are corrupt government officials treated in Singapore?”

Singapore has an official policy of zero tolerance for corruption, which is expounded In various codes of conduct, and general orders.  The definition of corruption also includes instances that may be viewed as inducement. This stands in stark contrast to many other countries in the developed world.

In the US, it is not uncommon for a police officer, or a first responder, to have his odd coffee, or bagel, “on the house”.  There is no such thing in Singapore, and a police officer, on duty, may not even accept a drink, if it may be construed to sway his decision.  Civil servants who meet vendors, and customers, must pay for all meals and drinks, and the expenses are scrutinised.  There is no such thing as lobbying, or the revolving door between government, and lobbying firms that is prevalent in the US.  Here, that is also considered corruption.

A civil servant, especially a police officer, committing a crime, serves twice the penalties.  There are specific sections in the Penal Code (Cap 224) where there are severe penalties for theft as a servant, and criminal breach of trust.  Anyone fined more than $2,000, no matter the offence, is immediately precluded from having an RNF code, and working in any financial situation.  People running for office must not have a criminal record.  Ministers are removed from office for infidelity, since a person who cannot be faithful to his or her spouse, cannot be trusted to be faithful to the state.

On the other hand, everybody in the civil service is compensated well relative to the private sector.  We pay our people extremely well, and there are privileges of being in the civil service, and administrative service.  Our ministers earn enough to be millionaires in a few years, and there are generous bonuses for all levels.  No one starves, or has to moonlight.  There is no excuse for corruption.

Accordingly, the law is strict, and the penalties are extremely severe.  Changi Prison is not a holiday resort.  It is nothing like American prisons, which allow more movement and interaction. There are sentencing guidelines for major crimes, and there is no such thing is lenient sentences.  There is also judicial caning.  The system works.