Public Service Commission (Delegation of Disciplinary Functions) Directions

Constitution of the Republic of Singapore

(Article 116(3))

Dir 1

G.N. No. S 96/1997

REVISED EDITION 1998

(15th June 1998)

[1st April 1997]

Citation

1. These Directions may be cited as the Public Service Commission (Delegation of Disciplinary Functions) Directions.

Definitions

2. In these Directions, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Commission” means the Public Service Commission;

“officer” means —

(a)	a public officer of substantive grade equivalent to MX12 or below, but excludes an administrative officer; [S 687/2017 wef 01/12/2017]
(b)	a General Education Officer of any grade; [S 687/2017 wef 01/12/2017]
(c)	a police officer serving in the Police Service of any grade in the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police or Inspector;
(d)	a prison officer serving in the Prisons Department of any grade in the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Prisons, Rehabilitation Officer or Senior Chief Warder; [S 687/2017 wef 01/12/2017]
(e)	a civil defence officer serving in the Singapore Civil Defence Service of any grade in the rank of Captain or below; or
(f)	a narcotics officer serving in the Central Narcotics Bureau of any grade in the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police or below,

whether such officer is holding a permanent, temporary or contract appointment.

“Permanent Secretary” includes —

(a)	the Solicitor-General;
(b)	the Chief Executive, Attorney-General’s Chambers;
(c)	the Auditor-General;
(d)	the Clerk of Parliament;
(e)	the Secretary to the Public Service Commission;
(f)	the Chief Executive, Office of the Chief Justice;
(fa)	[Deleted by S 698/2022 wef 27/08/2022]
(g)	the Principal Private Secretary to the President;
(h)	the Secretary to the Prime Minister;
(i)	the Secretary to the Cabinet; and
(j)	a Head of a Diplomatic or a Consular Mission of the Republic of Singapore overseas. [S 173/2021 wef 15/04/2021]

Delegation to Permanent Secretary

3.—(1) The functions of the Commission relating to disciplinary control of officers may be exercised by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry in which the officer is serving acting in accordance with and subject to these Directions.

(2) The Commission may, in its discretion, exercise such functions as are delegated to a Permanent Secretary under paragraph (1) notwithstanding such delegation.

Procedure when complaint is lodged

4. When a complaint is lodged against an officer alleging the commission by him of any misconduct referred to in the Schedule, the following procedure shall be adopted:

(a)

the complaint shall be communicated in writing to the officer who may be required to submit a written explanation within 24 hours or such further time as the Permanent Secretary may allow; and

(b)

where the Permanent Secretary is of the opinion that the complaint requires further investigation, he shall appoint to conduct the investigation a public officer —

(i)	of substantive grade equivalent to MX13 and above; and [S 687/2017 wef 01/12/2017]
(ii)	of a rank or grade senior to that of the officer under investigation.

Penalties

5.—(1) The Permanent Secretary may upon a consideration of the written explanation of the officer or the results of such investigation, if any, if he is of the opinion that the officer is guilty of any misconduct, impose one of the following penalties:

(a)	a reprimand;
(b)	stoppage of increment of up to 2 years; or
(c)	a fine not exceeding an amount equal to the total annual increments the officer would, if not for this Direction, receive in a period of 2 years, except that in the case of an officer who has attained or will, within 2 years, attain the maximum of his current salary scale or salary range, the last annual increment provided in that officer’s salary scale or salary range shall be reckoned to determine the maximum amount of fine. [S 687/2017 wef 01/12/2017]

(2) The Permanent Secretary may, either in addition to or in lieu of the penalties specified in paragraph (1), issue the officer with a written warning.

[S 497/2003 wef 01/11/2003]

Variation by Commission

6.—(1) Notwithstanding direction 5, the Commission may, within 2 months of the imposition of a penalty by the Permanent Secretary, vary the penalty by way of enhancement, reduction, substitution or otherwise.

[S 497/2003 wef 01/11/2003]

(2) Where the Commission varies the penalty by way of enhancement, the enhanced penalty shall not be imposed on the officer unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

Report by Permanent Secretary

7. The Permanent Secretary shall, in every case where he has imposed a penalty on an officer under these Directions, submit a report within 7 days of the imposition of the penalty to the Commission containing a summary of the facts of the case and the penalty imposed.

Recommendation for more severe penalty

8. Where the Permanent Secretary considers that a more severe penalty than that provided for under these Directions should be imposed, he shall submit a recommendation to the Commission, forwarding with it a report containing a summary of the facts of the case.

Saving

9. Nothing in these Directions shall be deemed to prevent the prosecution of an officer in accordance with the provisions of any written law for the time being in force, or to prevent any disciplinary action being taken against him under any other disciplinary regulations as may be in force, except that the officer shall not be punished twice in respect of the same facts giving rise to the misconduct.

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