Public Speeches and Writings by Senior Officials

5 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what are the guidelines applicable to (i) permissible public speeches and writings undertaken by senior officials, including accredited ambassadors and ambassadors-at-large of Singapore (ii) distinguishing between speeches and writings done in a private capacity and in an official capacity by such individuals and (iii) addressing situations where speeches and writings by such individuals may negatively affect Singapore's national interest.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Diplomacy is a very labour-intensive exercise. Even in this era of emails and video-conferencing, there is still a need for human beings to meet, to assess the warmth of the handshake and sincerity in their eyes. However, in the case of Singapore, because we are so small and the limits of our talent pool, we have found the need to induct talent from both within and outside the Civil Service.

Consequently, we supplement our pool by appointing outstanding persons with relevant skills from society at large, including successful businessmen, senior executives and retired senior civil servants, and they may serve as our Non-Resident Ambassadors, Ambassadors-at-Large or Special Envoys. In fact, we also have distinguished foreign businessmen, non-citizens of Singapore, who have volunteered to be our Honorary Consuls General in a number of countries and these gentlemen or ladies will provide assistance to Singaporeans who are travelling overseas in countries where we do not have a Mission. All these individuals, that means, the Non-Resident Ambassadors, Ambassadors-at-Large, Special Envoys or Honorary Consuls General are all expected to discharge their duties of safeguarding and advancing Singapore's national interests, explaining and defending Singapore's policies, as well as upholding the integrity and reputation of Singapore at all times.

However, I want to make this very important differentiation. Non-Resident Ambassadors, Ambassadors-at-Large and Special Envoys are not civil servants. They are engaged for a specific role only. Beyond their specific Ministry of Foreign Affairs commitments and role, we do not restrict their private engagements and this includes giving speeches or contributing articles in their personal capacities.

Nevertheless, all of them are expected to exercise good judgement and to do their best to uphold and promote Singapore's national interests and I believe all of them do so in good faith, honourably and diligently.

Mdm Speaker: Mr Leon Perera.

Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister for his reply. I just have a few supplementary questions. I would like to clarify that in the case of Non-Resident Ambassadors who are technically not civil servants, in the event that they make statements about the internal politics of other countries that may or may not be prejudicial to Singapore's national interests, would that be viewed as permissible by the Ministry or would that be discouraged and action taken in such cases?

Specifically ‒ I think the Minister is well aware ‒ there was an instance last year when one particular Ambassador-at-Large did actually make a statement about the internal politics of another country. My aim is not to highlight the case of that individual, but more of a general point. Would that sort of intervention ‒ even if it is made in a different capacity, not in the person's ambassadorial capacity ‒ be considered permissible and, if so, how then would the Ministry manage the reaction or the impact to Singapore's diplomacy which might result, because I think in that particular case, politicians in another country did actually respond in a hostile fashion to that particular Ambassador-at-Large's intervention?

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Would the Member like to be more specific as to which particular case and which Ambassador-at-Large he is referring to?

Mr Leon Perera: I was referring to Ambassador-at-Large Mr Bilahari Kausikan and his comments on Malaysian politics, which I believe were made in October last year.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Let us go back to the basics. He is not a civil servant. He is a retired civil servant. He is not our ambassador to Malaysia or to any other specific country. And as I have explained just now, his speeches, his essays are not cleared by me, they do not reflect or represent nor does he even attempt to say that they are the positions of the Singapore Government. He is free to speak and to comment, in the same way you are free to speak and comment as a private citizen.

Mdm Speaker: Mr Leon Perera.

Mr Leon Perera: A supplementary question for the Minister: notwithstanding that in general, a particular individual may not be a civil servant and he may not be the ambassador to that country, and he may be speaking in his private capacity or another different capacity, would the Minister not recognise that there could be an impact on Singapore's diplomatic relations with a foreign country if someone who holds the title of an ambassador, makes a statement that interferes in the politics of another country? There could be that impact and it would appear that there was some degree of impact in the particular case I cited. What is the Ministry's strategy for dealing with such a case, should it happen?

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Mdm Speaker, the person here that the hon Member refers to is not a member of this House and is not a civil servant. I am not going to defend his positions or his speeches or articles. If the Member has a question on Government policy, I will answer it. Otherwise, the Member can have a discussion with the person in question outside this House.

As far as Government policy is concerned, we have designated ambassadors to conduct diplomacy with the respective countries that we need to engage and if there are any messages that need to be transmitted or any negotiations that need to be conducted, they will be done through proper channels. I do not want to open up this House into an avenue for any Member, regardless of which party you are from, to discuss the writings and the speeches of other citizens, private citizens of Singapore.