Singapore cannot allow public trust in institutions to erode: Edwin Tong

SINGAPORE: Singapore cannot allow doubt and erosion of public trust in institutions to take root, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said on Thursday (Jul 27).

Mr Tong, who is also Second Minister for Law, was delivering the opening keynote address at this year's CNA Leadership Summit, under the theme of "Trust Matters".

The minister referenced the case of police officer Uvaraja Gopal, who had alleged racism and workplace bullying shortly before he died on Jul 21.

Police said Sergeant Uvaraja's complaints over the years had been investigated and dealt with, but some of them were being investigated again in light of his latest allegations.

Mr Tong said the authorities would have to review and thoroughly investigate claims when such incidents happen.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs "almost immediately" acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and confirmed that the police would get to the bottom of the matter.

"These responses in my view are important. It tells the public that no one is above the system, and in turn helps to preserve the integrity of the systems that serve us, and also be accountable to the public," said Mr Tong.

"If we had let it go, not done an investigation or assumed that there was nothing about it, doubt and suspicion will ensue."

He added that it would be "very difficult for the police to carry out law enforcement effectively" should there be doubts on their impartiality and fairness.

"And this is why, using this as one example, we must constantly strive to ensure we get the system right each time and every time."

POLICIES PROMOTING TRUST

In his speech, Mr Tong spoke about policies that promote both people-government and people-people dimensions of public trust, giving the example of the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP).

Under the EIP, a homeowner of a minority race can only sell his or her Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat to another member of a minority race, once the quota for the majority race has been reached.

The policy was introduced to promote racial integration and harmony by ensuring a balanced mix of ethnicities in public housing towns, said Mr Tong.

"Back then and now, it has been said that the EIP infringes on individual choice and results in a less flexible housing market – not much free choice for some."

This can happen "on occasion" and HDB will step in to mitigate, he said.

But the government was firm on the policy because it understood "the importance of intervening early in where and how our people live".

Mr Tong said the EIP would allow people of different races and religions to understand each other and avoid the communal riots of the 1960s. "And by and large, we have succeeded on this account," he said.

He also cited the Presidential Council on Minority Rights and Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act as examples of social policies to maintain multiculturalism.

"TRUST HAS TO BE CONSTANTLY EARNED"

Trust in political leaders gives them the legitimacy to govern, and this extends to trust in the institutions set up to implement policies, said Mr Tong.

"This trust, in turn, has to be constantly earned by showing that policies improve people's lives," he added.

This involves a reciprocal arrangement where citizens support policies because they trust the government has their best interests at heart.

"And in our system, as in any democratic system, when people stop believing that the government is doing a good job, or not doing right with the policies, they can go to the ballot box and choose a different government," Mr Tong said.

He pointed to a concept of how public trust lowers "transaction costs" of governance, making it less difficult to implement unpopular policies that are "right for the country".

In addition, the higher the level of public trust, the more likely a society will see socio-political stability and economic progress, said the minister, adding that the government looks closely at its own studies on the matter as well as surveys like the Edelman Trust Barometer.

"I remember what Mr Lee Kuan Yew once said about law and order: That while good laws lead to good order, it may sometimes be more accurate to invert the two, to look at how order gets us good laws."

TRUST UNDER THREAT

At the same time, the data shows that public trust levels have been falling around the world, said Mr Tong.

He highlighted three forces that tend to weaken public trust. First, "anti-establishment populism" where political parties move to the extremes of the political spectrum, resulting in outcomes like Brexit.

Second, the rise of social media, which has accentuated a "post-truth environment" where truth and facts could be less relevant when trying to shape public opinion.

In this environment, "people say what they want to say, often using divisive rhetoric as a clickbait" while remaining anonymous, said Mr Tong.

Third, lines being increasingly drawn based on identity, with people more mindful of their differences rather than what they have in common, hence leading to more divisiveness.

"These collective factors mean that we will continue to be challenged in the foreseeable future. Public trust will come under increasing pressure," he said.

The government must therefore actively build public trust, and Mr Tong pointed to the Forward Singapore conversations to review the country's social compact as one way.

Singapore is facing a number of inflexion points, he said, citing the country's quickly changing demographic and newer aspirations that must be met.

"Our society can only advance and resilience be built when everyone recognises they have a place in this society, where they can realise their aspirations fully, where they feel cared for and included. That is our challenge."

CORPORATE LEADERS ON TRUST

Corporate leaders at the CNA Leadership Summit also spoke about building a culture of trust in the workplace, with panellists stressing honest communication with employees.

This could mean explaining to employees how and why the company makes certain decisions, as well as giving reasons when information has to remain confidential, said Ms Pearlyn Phau, group CEO of financial services company Singlife.

She spoke about the importance of making sure that organisations are as flat as possible, and that as many people as possible participate in decision-making.

"If the truth is only held in the hands of ... the hallowed few, it's very difficult to have it cascade down," she said.

National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) CEO Tony Soh talked about the importance of an organisation's response in "moments of truth" such as when someone comes forward with a difficult question.

Responding with openness, humility and acceptance of the feedback will build trust, compared to minimising matters, he said.

A lack of trust creates a culture of blame, and this makes it difficult for companies to achieve agility and collaboration, said EZ-Link CEO Nicholas Lee.

He said that to build trust, leaders must be consistent and do what they say, communicate the right expectations and create a safe operating space where people can voice alternative views.