Singapore Prison Service to get new commissioner from April

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) will have a new Commissioner of Prisons from April, as current commissioner Ms Shie Yong Lee relinquishes her appointment.

Mr Matthew Wee Yik Keong will be appointed to her position on Apr 1, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Monday (Feb 2). He is currently Deputy Commissioner of Prisons (Operations and Rehabilitation).

Ms Shie will relinquish her appointment on the same day and take up a leadership position at MHA.

The 53-year-old has served the Home Team with distinction for 30 years, holding several key appointments in the prison service, said the ministry.

These included Deputy Commissioner of Prisons and Chief of Staff. 

She also served as the director of civil defence and rehabilitation in the policy development division at MHA headquarters.

She is SPS’ first female commissioner.

“Under Ms Shie’s leadership, SPS has consistently remained as one of the safest and most secure prisons in the world, characterised by effective inmate management and low recidivism rates,” said MHA.

“SPS is also well recognised amongst the international correctional community as a global leader in corrections.”

LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The ministry noted Ms Shie’s contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she led SPS in coordinating plans and actions to mitigate challenges and implement containment strategies to keep the situation during the pandemic under control.

This was done while ensuring that programmes for inmates could continue, supporting their reintegration back to the community, it added.

As commissioner, Ms Shie spearheaded the prison service’s leverage of technology, said MHA.

This included introducing tablets for inmates to correspond with their families through e-letters and automating routine tasks to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.

MHA also credited Ms Shie with steering SPS in expanding and enhancing partnerships with the community to co-create initiatives for inmate rehabilitation and reintegration.

“Such efforts had helped mobilise more community partners and volunteers to support inmates’ families and increase inmates’ economic, social and community capital to better reduce re-offending.”

NEW COMMISSIONER

Mr Wee, 51, held several key leadership appointments in his 27 years serving with the Home Team, including CEO of Yellow Ribbon Singapore and Yellow Ribbon Industries.

Yellow Ribbon Singapore is a government agency that aims to help past offenders reintegrate into society.

During his time as the organisation’s CEO, it launched masterplans to shift its training and placement model towards lifelong learning and long-term career growth for inmates, MHA noted.

“These initiatives contributed towards achieving the goals of uplifting ex-offenders’ lives, reducing recidivism and promoting second chances for a more inclusive and cohesive society,” it said.

In his present role at SPS, Mr Wee led the review of the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders Network (CARE), with a renewed focus on building up the aftercare sector's capability, said the ministry.

“This included the introduction of cross-sector mentorship programmes, strengthening of volunteer training and fostering of new partnerships to expand support for beneficiaries,” it said.

The network’s gala dinner last year raised more than S$1.7 million (US$1.3 million) for CARE Network agencies, supporting more than 2,000 beneficiaries.