On 30 May 2014 this year, the Ministry of Finance finally admitted for the first time ever that they take the CPF of Singaporeans to invest in the GIC. It was reported that, “The CPF Board invests CPF monies in Special Singapore Government Securities (SSGS)” which are “are transferred to GIC to be managed”. The MOF said, “The Government’s assets (which our CPF is part of) are therefore mainly managed by GIC.“ Lee Kuan Yew denied this truth in 2001. Lee Kuan Yew had also denied this truth in 2006. Then-Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen had also denied this truth in 2007. The Ministry of Finance, via a speech by then-Second Finance Minister Lim Hwee Hua, also denied the government’s involvement in the GIC in 2008: Madam, let me explain how the Government relates to GIC and Temasek. GIC and Temasek operate independently of each other and of the Government. Their mandates are to maximise the overall returns of their investments within their respective risk tolerance limits. GIC’s and Temasek’s performance are assessed and monitored on the basis of the overall returns of their respective portfolios. Up to now, they have done creditably, with GIC averaging an annual return of 9.5% in US dollar terms over a period of 25 years to March 2006, and Temasek’s Total Shareholder Return (by market cap) since 1974 has averaged over 18% annually in Singapore dollar terms. Both have achieved these good returns because they have professional management teams, drawn from all over the world, and without interference from the Government. They do their jobs with the single objective of maximising the long term returns on their portfolios, without any political agenda whatsoever. That said, it does not mean that the Government has no responsibility to ensure that these institutions continue to be managed well. The Government ensures that both GIC and Temasek have competent Boards who oversee their performance and risk management frameworks. The Government regularly reviews reports from GIC and Temasek on their overall investment performance, portfolio risk profile and risk management. This is the right balance when exercising oversight. The danger of any higher level of oversight is that the Government could end up micromanaging. It would give others the mistaken notion that the Government influences the individual investment decisions of GIC and Temasek, and will raise even more concerns. Mr Singh suggested that the Government have some level of coordination between the investments by GIC and Temasek so as to limit risks for Singapore as a whole. The Government does not coordinate GIC’s and Temasek’s investments, but does look at the risks in totality to ensure that firstly they are within the Government’s overall risk thresholds, and that secondly GIC and Temasek are likely to be able to provide Government with good long term returns on their overall portfolios. Madam, it is absolutely critical that GIC and Temasek remain strictly independent of each other in their strategies and execution, and that Government does not get involved in managing their investments. The role of the Government in the investment process is clear. It is to ensure that the right structures, processes, systems and controls are in place to fulfil our objectives. We set our expectations and constraints for the investment agencies, but these agencies make their own independent commercial and operational decisions. Both GIC and Temasek are well regarded in global markets as savvy and reputable long-term investors; and their track records stand as testimony. Both Mr Singh and Ms Sylvia Lim have suggested that our investment agencies work towards more transparency and accountability. We already have a clear accountability framework in place – and one which has worked well thus far. The Government – as shareholder, in Temasek’s case and as fund owner, in GIC’s case – holds the respective Boards of Directors accountable for delivering good overall financial returns. In turn, the Boards oversee the respective management teams, which are responsible for each company’s investment and operational decisions. Ms Lim Hwee Hua had said, “It would give others the mistaken notion that the Government influences the individual investment decisions of GIC and Temasek, and will raise even more concerns.” It is clear that this time has come. There are now “more concerns”.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 03:56:14 +0000
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