Last week, top ex-civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow's wide-ranging interview in the September edition of the Singapore Medical Association newsletter criticised Singapore's "tamer" public service and called the ruling People's Action Party "a bit too elitist".

Ngiam has since stand corrected and clarified his earlier remarks.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomed Ngiam's clarifications, saying that he was "glad that he has clarified the statements he made, especially his comments about my ministers".

Here are six possible reasons why Mr Ngiam backtracked, based on our reading of his latest clarifications and PM's FB post:

1. Mr Lee Kuan Yew is his hero -- still.

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2. He learned from his civil servant colleagues how "robust" Cabinet discussions are these days.

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"ERP must go up by $1!"

"No! ERP must go up by $2!"

*back flip*

3. He reasoned that ministers may not speak up because they earn high salaries is really illogical.

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Because ministers have given up high-flying and well-paid careers in the private sector in order to serve the public at a fraction of their original or potential income.

Or they could have easily become big-time bloggers.

4. He did not realise the humble backgrounds of the current crop of leaders before calling them elitist.

Because if they are elitist, wouldn't he be too?

5. Friends and colleagues who read his interview published in SMA News have given him feedback.

"... but I still think the F1 is lame though. And the current generation that harps on work-life balance are weak. And the concept of "soft power" is Western ideological construct. And Singapore is still frivolous. The people who wrote the White Paper should have their salaries docked... And..."

6. He wanted to support the institutions and systems that he helped build during his long and illustrious career.

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Sure.

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