Stefanie Yuen Thio was quoted in South China Morning Post by Jean Lau.

In the article on the Iswaran case and Section 165, Stefanie is quoted saying that if an individual is hired for a full-time public service job, it is certain that these restrictions apply to them. However, for someone in the private sector giving up time to take on public service appointments, there are more grey areas.

The article mentioned how Stefanie had also been invited to serve on a panel in an unpaid, voluntary capacity and would thus be considered a “public servant”, but did not wish to disclose the name of the panel. While many private sector firms have clear guidelines on gift-giving, she noted that Section 165 lacked similar clarity in defining the length and breadth of the provisions, especially if a potential jail term is attached.

She shared that many in the private sector would be happy to volunteer time and expertise and undertake these roles out of a sense of national service, but there needs to be clarity as to where they come within the restrictions applied to public servants. The lack of clarity could deter people from the private sector from taking on public roles, especially since the giving and receiving of meals and small presents such as wine over Christmas or a Lunar New Year hamper are commonplace in the business world.