Editorial
ETHOS Issue 28, April 2025
Global polycrises have continued unabated, and even deepened, since the COVID-19 pandemic. Humanity's complex challenges ought to have firmed our collective resolve and unified us in common purpose. But even as societies become more connected, they have also become more estranged. Where once governments might have been looked to for authority and assurance in daunting circumstances, many around the world now look at their public officials and leaders—and at one another—with scepticism, wariness, even rancour. Some even contemplate whether the edifices of state ought to be dismantled outright. Such perspectives, downplaying the public sector's contribution to contemporary society, are corrosive on expectations and discourse at best; at worst, they serve the interests of a few, while exacting a cost on those in society least able to bear it.
Collaboration within and across sociopolitical and sectoral siloes may have become more potentially fraught, but remains indispensable. The societies best able to hold and strive together despite inherent tensions and differences are more likely to achieve a desirable shared future. The question is how to find effective ways to do so, in a volatile and uncertain environment.
Singapore still enjoys relatively high public trust in government, a cohesive society, and general confidence in the proven competence and good intentions of the Public Service. But we too are facing significant transitions as a nation and our Public Service cannot take this hard-earned goodwill for granted. Nor can we afford to squander Singapore's best resource: the diverse energies and spirit of our people. We must continue to hone and refine our ability to stir, support, steward and steer efforts across society towards causes that matter: not just great ideas but effective action. While many public agencies have long connected with the broader community as part of their service culture and institutional DNA, the recent launch of the Singapore Government Partnership Office gives fresh, concerted impetus to a more cross-boundary and collaborative approach to governance.
For any collaboration to succeed, there must be alignment on desired outcomes and what the different actions and key roles are in order to get there. In the face of complexity and uncertainty, continual learning-by-doing is key. It is not enough for the data and lessons gleaned to accrue to only one custodian: knowledge should be shared, so that all partners can be better equipped and more agile in adapting to shifting circumstances. Learning how to co-learn in this way could mean unlearning long-standing habits: such as tendencies to overclassify data as sensitive, drip-feed information on a need-to-know basis, undervalue the tacit wisdom of those on the ground, or fall prey to confirmation biases. Co-learning can enable more meaningful co-creation and more effectual co-production. But it first asks that participants embrace the vulnerability of not knowing all the answers, and to be open to radical change, in order to collectively make space for something better to come.
On a national scale, collaboration often needs to be intentionally engendered, resourced, and managed so that well-meaning efforts become impactful and are not at cross purposes. There have been recent initiatives to develop innovative frameworks for public participation that are meaningful, respectful and inclusive, and that empower communities to develop their own problem-solving capacity over time. Some of these experiments suggest that how the public is perceived and treated by public officers can determine how receptive and committed they are to working with government. For the Public Service, it may be constructive to begin with the mindset that the broader community can and will appreciate what is the national good, and contribute towards it. Putting this principle into action, one public service unit has been organising an annual hackathon to crowdsource and prototype new ways to do good for Singapore.
Government-Citizen interactions are varied, nuanced, and subject to a spectrum of private motivations, assumptions and capacities. It is possible to account for these variations in designing and implementing collaborative engagements. What may matter most is the consistent time and effort invested in building up working relationships for the long haul, based on sincerity, rapport and mutual understanding. And while it is natural to seek success stories, it could well be circumstances of difficulty or failure that truly test and hone such relations, allowing enduring bonds based on genuine trust and care to be forged.
As we mark our 60th year of independence as a nation, we should gather all the collective wisdom we can, from past and present, to help us make our best possible future together.
I wish you an engaging read.
Dr Alvin Pang
Editor-in-Chief, ETHOS