MA, David Kwok Leung
The Public Service,
Accession Number 003020
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 3
Total Reels
- Santanu Gupta
Interviewer
- 02:34:40
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg
Reel/Disc 1 of 3
Metadata
- 21 Feb 2006
Recording Date
- 00:55:57
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:28) Personal background.
(0:02:14) What he experienced during his initial working years in Hong Kong.
(0:03:58) He was selected for the Administrative Service in Singapore.
(0:06:27) His first impressions of Singapore.
(0:08:21) He was first posted to the Ministry of National Development (MND), State and City Planning Department. He met Ong Teng Cheong for the first time.
(0:15:15) Posted to the Ministry of Labour (MOL).
(0:16:33) The nature of his work at the MOL.
(0:19:17) Recalled that the civil servants did not seem to take well to foreigners at the MOL.
(0:21:43) His impressions of the Parliamentary Secretary (MOL) Fong Sip Chee.
(0:23:11) Anecdote of a dressing-down he received after a speech he delivered at an employment event.
(0:27:59) Received a scholarship to do a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree in Canada.
(0:29:26) Recollection of his time studying and living there.
(0:33:55) On his return in 1976, he was posted to the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Administration Department and then to Pupil Placement.
(0:38:14) Anecdote of how Dr Goh Keng Swee forced his boss, Chua Yong Hai, to release him to the Education Development Division.
(0:41:22) Recollection of his encounters with Dr Goh.
(0:42:43) The Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore (CDIS) was set up.
(0:44:17) His impression of the unhappiness of the MOE professionals with the changes initiated by the systems engineers.
(0:52:01) He was posted to the MOE in 1976 and stayed there for 8 years until 1984. He had fond memories there and was promoted numerous times.
(0:54:06) Recollection of a blunder he made over an evaluation system between school principals and their teachers.
Personal background - date, place of birth, parents etc. Initial working years in Hong Kong. Selection for Administrative Service Singapore. Posted first to Planning Office, then Ministry of Labour (MOL). Interesting interaction with Parliamentary Secretary (MOL) Fong Sip Chee. Incident about talk to women's group. Scholarship to do Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree in Canada. Time there. On return in 1976 posted to Ministry of Education (MOE), first to Pupil Placement. Experiences there. Entry of systems engineers into MOE; encounters with Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee. Placed in Curriculum Development. Unhappiness of MOE professionals with changes initiated by systems engineers. Was in MOE for eight years until 1984. Fond memories.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 2 of 3
Metadata
- 21 Feb 2006
Recording Date
- 00:57:33
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:52) Compared the working styles of the Permanent Secretary Herman Ronald Hochstadt and Goh Kim Leong.
(0:02:20) Talked about an incident between Dr Goh Keng Swee and a deputy director during a ministerial committee meeting.
(0:04:36) His impression that you needed to be well-prepared before you challenged Dr Goh.
(0:07:00) Posted to the Ministry of National Development (MND) Planning and Development Control department in 1984, talked about his work duties.
(0:10:59) Posted to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in 1986 to head the Management Services Department (MSD).
(0:12:56) His impression that the MSD was used by some of its staff as a means to achieve their ends.
(0:16:42) He left the MSD because of his differences with Ngiam Tong Dow on the future direction of the MSD.
(0:19:57) Posted to the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) in 1989, where he was responsible for psychological defence.
(0:20:57) Campaigns and activities he implemented to boost a sense of belonging in Singaporeans.
(0:24:36) His admiration for the intellect of George Yeo.
(0:29:49) Posted to the Ministry of Community Development (MCD) in 1992. An overview of his responsibilities.
(0:32:02) Enjoyed the working environment at the MCD and found it easy to work with Yeo Cheow Tong and Abdullah Tarmugi.
(0:34:28) Posted to the Public Service Division (PSD) in 1995, where he managed the Foreign Talent Unit (FTU) and the Public Service for the 21st Century (PS21) initiative.
(0:35:04) Talked about the FTU and the challenges of getting Singaporeans abroad to return.
(0:36:47) Challenges faced in getting foreigners to consider migrating to Singapore.
(0:41:03) Anecdote of how an American company paid for a business class ticket for a Singaporean Economics student.
(0:46:00) Believed that some Singaporean schools had rigid entry requirements that may have discouraged overseas students from studying here.
(0:47:46) Worked with the other ministries to fast-track the Permanent Residence status for the Indian and Chinese immigrants qualified to work in Singapore.
(0:50:41) His views on why Singaporeans wanted to leave Singapore.
(0:52:40) Felt that the objectives of the PS21 were not realised and the reasons for it.
Talked about Permanent Secretary Hochstadt and differences in style with successor Goh Kim Leong. Talked about style of Minister Dr Goh and incident at ministerial committee meeting. Posted to Ministry of National Development (MND) in 1984 and work there. Turmoil in MND arising out of case against Minister Teh. Posted to Ministry of Finance (MOF) in 1986 to head Management Services Department (MSD). Differences with Permanent Secretary Ngiam Tong Dow on future directions of MSD. Scope of work there. Posted to Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) in 1989 - in charge of psychological defence, challenges. Split of Ministry into two. Admiration for intellect of Minister George Yeo. Posted to Ministry of Community Development (MCD) in 1992. In charge of systems, statistics and research. Nice colleagues there. Posted to Public Service Division (PSD) in 1995. Handled Foreign Talent Unit (FTU) and PS21 initiative. Difficulties of getting Singaporeans abroad to return. Incentives to get foreign talent. Felt that objectives of PS21 (Public Service for the 21st Century) not realized and reasons for it.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 3 of 3
Metadata
- 21 Feb 2006
Recording Date
- 00:41:10
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:04:05) His impression that the senior civil servants were cynical towards the Public Service for the 21st Century (PS21) initiative.
(0:05:38) Challenges he faced when he tried to promote PS21 to the civil servants.
(0:06:04) Felt that the practice of rotating leadership of the Permanent Secretaries was not beneficial to the civil service.
(0:07:31) His impressions of Lim Siong Guan’s working style.
(0:10:44) The initiatives that Lim Siong Guan introduced as the Permanent Secretary.
(0:11:37) Played a dual role when he was posted to the Civil Service Consulting Group (CSCG) and the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM).
(0:12:40) Talked about the scope of his work, which included consultancy and training.
(0:16:16) Decided to retire in 2002, and why.
(0:22:00) Had no regrets about his 31-year career.
(0:22:47) What he did after retirement.
(023:43) His impression that the connections that he made during his working years were important.
(0:27:15) He continued giving talks at the Civil Service College after his retirement.
(0:30:12) Did a Masters in Social Science at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
(0:34:53) Compared the civil service of the 1970s with the present day.
Senior civil servants cynical about PS21 (Public Service for the 21st Century). Worked with Head/Civil Service Lim Siong Guan on PS21. Difficulties with selling concept to civil servants. About Lim Siong Guan. Felt constant rotation of Permanent Secretaries not good for civil service. Posted to Civil Service College (CSC) in 1998. Handled training and consultancy. Decided to retire at age 57 in 2002; reasons for this. No regrets about his 31-year career. Treated well in service and adapted well to life here (he was from Hong Kong). What he is currently doing. Compared civil service of 1970s with that of today.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
