Second perm sec Jeffrey Siow resigns; most senior civil servant to step down ahead of GE2025
[SINGAPORE] Jeffrey Siow, the second permanent secretary of two ministries, has resigned from the civil service and is set to enter politics.
Siow, who is at the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), is the highest-ranking civil servant to resign so far, and the latest in a string of departures ahead of the general election.
He has held various senior roles in the public service over his career, including managing director of statutory board Enterprise Singapore and principal private secretary to Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong when he was prime minister.
His last day is on Apr 1, The Straits Times has learnt.
Siow, 46, currently leads efforts to grow Singapore’s economy, and to develop a productive workforce and progressive workplaces.
Before becoming second permanent secretary, he was the first managing director and chief operating officer of Enterprise Singapore, where he took charge of growing and transforming local businesses.
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He was principal private secretary to Lee from 2017 to 2021 – a role which has among its alumni Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who worked with Lee; as well as Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat who worked with the late Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
Siow has also had stints at the Transport, Education and Manpower ministries.
ST has contacted Siow for comment.
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Former permanent secretaries – the highest rank in the civil service – who entered politics have later made it into the Cabinet.
Chee was second permanent secretary at MTI before joining politics in 2015. He was appointed minister of state after the election, and subsequently became Transport Minister and Second Minister for Finance in 2024.
DPM Heng was also permanent secretary at MTI before becoming Singapore’s central bank chief and later running in the 2011 election. He was made Education Minister in his first term in government.
Siow is the most senior among a raft of civil servants who will leave the service ahead of the election, which is widely expected by mid-year.
Earlier on Mar 25, ST reported that Goh Han Yan, a director overseeing Singapore’s Smart Nation and AI policies, had resigned and is set to join politics.
Goh, a director in the Smart Nation Strategy Office and the national AI group for policy and strategy in the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), will leave the service on Apr 3.
ST had earlier reported on the resignations of deputy secretary Jasmin Lau from the Ministry of Health and Foo Cexiang, a director from the Ministry of Transport.
The PAP has traditionally tapped public service leaders when sourcing for candidates. Those who are chosen to stand often resign in the lead-up to the election, as they are not allowed to participate in political activities while in service.
In the past, public servants have quit their roles close to the start of the hustings. THE STRAITS TIMES
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