Director at Transport Ministry resigns ahead of General Election

SINGAPORE:  A senior official from the Transport Ministry (MOT) has announced his resignation in the lead-up to the anticipated general election. Director Foo Cexiang, 40, will step down from his role on 1 April, as reported by The Straits Times. His departure comes at a time when several senior public servants are expected to leave their positions as part of the customary lead-up to a general election. Foo has held his current position overseeing private and future mobility at the MOT, a role that includes managing the policy surrounding electric vehicles. He has been with the Singapore public service for more than a decade and previously served as the director of futures and transformation at the ministry. Throughout his career, Foo has worked on key national initiatives, including Singapore’s efforts to advance public transport and shift towards an electric ecosystem. Notably, Foo was a prominent figure at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), where he spoke about Singapore's ambitions to build a sustainable transport system. His work has contributed significantly to the Ministry’s strategy for greener, more efficient transportation options for the country. Foo’s career in the public sector began at JTC Corporation, where he gained early experience in urban development and infrastructure. He also held positions at the Ministry of Education, where he focused on preschool education and after-school care, as well as at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry. His diverse public sector experience has provided him with a broad range of skills, which he brought to his role at the MOT.

MOH deputy secretary Jasmin Lau to retire from civil service on 1 April

Foo’s resignation follows the departure of another senior civil servant, Deputy Secretary (Policy) Jasmin Lau from the Ministry of Health (MOH). Lau, who served in various roles within MOH between 2013 and 2019, including overseeing healthcare finance and regulating medical and long-term care insurance, also resigned ahead of the general election. Her last day in the administrative service is set for 1 April, the same day as Foo's resignation. Lau returned to MOH in November 2021 after a stint at the Economic Development Board (EDB), and has since overseen key areas within the healthcare system, including workforce management, financing, and regulatory measures. Both Lau and Foo are part of a wave of resignations expected from senior public servants ahead of the general election. The timing of these resignations is closely tied to Singapore's upcoming general election, which is widely anticipated to take place by mid-year. The announcement of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s report on 11 March has further fueled speculation that the election will be called soon. As is customary, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) typically recruits candidates from the public service, and individuals chosen to stand in the election are required to step down from their official roles before they can participate in political campaigns. This trend has been observed in previous elections, with public servants often leaving their positions just before the start of the election season. For instance, during the 2020 General Election, East Coast GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Tan Kiat How resigned from his post as Chief Executive of the Infocomm Media Development Authority in June, five days before the announcement of the writ of election. Tan, who is now Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, as well as National Development, was one of the final public service officials to resign before the election that year. Similarly, Desmond Tan, the former Chief Executive of the People’s Association, resigned less than a month before the 2020 Polling Day.