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STELLAR SERVICE: PM Lee praised Dr Chew (above), 78, a medical doctor by training, for his 'singularly outstanding' contribution to Singapore. -- ST FILE PHOTO
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THE chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Dr Andrew Chew, has won high praise from the Prime Minister as he retires today.
Mr Lee Hsien Loong said Dr Chew's contribution to Singapore was 'singularly outstanding'.
'We have a high-quality Singapore public service today which is admired across the world, because of the exacting standards placed on identifying, selecting and developing talent.
'You exemplify the best traditions of the public service and have done Singapore proud,' he said in a statement last weekend. In it, he also thanked Dr Chew for the 52 years he had 'tirelessly put into public service'.
Taking over from Dr Chew, 78, is Mr Eddie Teo, 61.
Dr Chew, a medical doctor by training, began his career as a medical officer at the General Hospital (today's Singapore General Hospital) in 1956, and was appointed deputy director of medical services in the Health Ministry in 1971.
He became the ministry's permanent secretary in 1978.
In 1984, he became head of the civil service, a position he held until 1994, when he moved to chair the Central Provident Fund Board.
He was appointed PSC's chairman in 1998.
As its head, Dr Chew led the PSC in its appointment and promotion of senior civil servants and chief executives of statutory boards.
The PSC also appoints officers to the elite Administrative Service, maintains discipline in the civil service, and is the final board of appeal when public officers disagree with decisions taken by the civil service.
However, most people know it as the body that interviews young Singaporeans for top government scholarships. It gave out 73 scholarships this year.
Under Dr Chew's watch, the PSC strengthened the scholarship programme to make the civil service a more attractive career choice for talented Singaporeans.
It introduced, among others, the management associates programme in 2002 to groom promising officers and launched mid-term and master's degree scholarships last year.
His successor, Mr Teo, said Dr Chew has led the PSC 'wisely and impartially, without fear or favour'.
'During PSC meetings, I have been particularly impressed by how skilfully he balanced the right dose of consultation with swift and clear decisions,' he added.
Mr Teo, a President's Scholar, began his civil service career in the Security and Intelligence Division of the Defence Ministry in 1970. The division is Singapore's external intelligence agency.
He became its director in 1979, and was concurrently director of the Internal Security Department from 1982 to 1986.
Mr Teo was the Defence Ministry's permanent secretary from 1994 to 2000 and a permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's Office from 1998 to 2005.
After his retirement from the Administrative Service, he became Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia from 2006.
In March this year, he was made the No.2 in the PSC.
Now the No.1 man, Mr Teo made it plain that the public service will not relent in pursuing top talent.
He told The Straits Times: 'I continue to believe strongly that having a fair share of Singapore's top talent in the public service is vital for Singapore's future growth and prosperity.'
zakirh@sph.com.sg
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