Singapore Prison Service to get new head as first female commissioner takes new MHA leadership appointment

SINGAPORE: On February 2 (Monday), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced a leadership change in the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).

Starting on April 1, the current Commissioner of Prisons, Shie Yong Lee, will take on a leadership appointment in MHA, and Matthew Wee Yik Keong, the Deputy Commissioner of Prisons (Operations and Rehabilitation), will step in to head SPS.

Mr Wee, 51, has been with the Home Team for 27 years. Notably, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Yellow Ribbon Singapore, the organisation under the MHA that is dedicated to helping inmates and ex-offenders reintegrate into society.

As CEO of Yellow Ribbon Singapore, the organisation’s Skills Masterplan and Careers Masterplan were launched. This transformed the training and placement model to lifelong learning and long-term career growth for inmates

“These initiatives contributed towards achieving the goals of uplifting ex-offenders’ lives, reducing recidivism, and promoting second chances for a more inclusive and cohesive society,” wrote MHA, adding that Mr Wee also spearheaded efforts for the SPS to grow its research capabilities and implemented evidence-based rehabilitation approaches to ensure low and sustainable recidivism rates.

First woman to head the SPS

Ms Shie, 53, is the SPS’s first female commissioner. She has been with the Home Team for three decades, with such prior positions as Deputy Commissioner of Prisons, Chief of Staff, and Director (Civil Defence and Rehabilitation) for Policy Development Division in MHA Headquarters.

The MHA said in its announcement that the prison service has not only been recognised in the international correctional community as a leader in corrections, but under Ms Shie’s leadership, it has consistently been one of the safest and most secure prisons across the globe, effectively managing inmates and with low rates of recidivism.

Notably, Ms Shie was at the helm of SPS during the recent pandemic and was able to effectively manage its challenges in keeping infections under control while simultaneously ensuring the continuity of programmes for inmates to support their reintegration back to the community.

One of the things introduced under her tenure was tablets for inmates to correspond with their families through e-letters.

“Ms Shie also steered SPS to expand and enhance partnerships with the community, to co-create initiatives for inmate rehabilitation and reintegration. Such efforts had helped mobilise more community partners and volunteers to support inmates’ families and increase inmates’ economic, social and community capital to better reduce re-offending, for a safer Singapore,” MHA added. /TISG

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