Statement by Singapore at the Panel Discussion on a Human Rights-based Approach to Good Governance in the Public Service on 24 September 2015 at the Human Rights Council

Mr Vice-President,

I thank the panelists for their insightful presentations on a human rights-based approach to good governance.  But allow me to present a different perspective on good governance.

Today, Singapore is ranked 9th on the UN’s latest Human Development Index; 9th in World Justice Report’s Rule of Law index; and 7th on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index.

As a small state with no natural resources, good governance is critical to Singapore’s competitiveness, as it allows us to organise ourselves better and apply our limited resources more effectively to overcome our challenges and build better lives for our citizens.

We therefore adopt a Whole-of-Government, or even a Whole-of-Society, approach to tackle highly complex challenges like ageing or the Future of Work.

Small states like us also have to live with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.  So we focus on outcomes and results, adopt policies in a pragmatic and clinical manner, rather than adhere to dogmatic political or economic ideologies. 

This is the only way we can protect the interests of our minorities; take care of the most vulnerable groups in our country; preserve the common space to maintain our multi-religious harmony; and ensure that we remain an inclusive yet resilient society.

We realise our commitment to meritocracy, equality before the law, zero tolerance to corruption, free trade and markets, protection of the rights of our citizens through firm rule-of-law. 

We place significant emphasis on the effective implementation of policies, which is as important as the formulation of fair and just policies. That is why our public servants pay attention to detail, consult as widely as possible when formulating policies, socialize policies widely, and think through implementation with broad outcomes in mind.

The 2015 Edelman TrustBarometer global survey showed that 70% of Singaporeans trust their government. 

But we do not take the current state of affairs for granted.  The Singapore public service is continuously planning for the long-term even as it deals with today’s challenges to build a fair and inclusive society. 

We also learn the best practices from others, and share our governance experience with other developing countries through the Singapore Cooperation Programme. 

Our view is that there is no one-size-fits-all governance model.  Every country is unique and every country must find its own path to success. The interpretation and implementation of rights therefore cannot be divorced from their societal context.

Thank you Mr Vice-President

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