On June 29, a day before Nomination Day, member of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Lee Hsien Yang, who is the brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, published a post, asking Singaporeans to vote against the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

Lee Hsien Yang said that "Singapore wants different" and quoted retired senior civil servant Philip Yeo.

Lee Hsien Yang said Yeo mentioned that "the government is suffering from 'Eunuch Disease', adding that there are no leaders that possess the spark, only 'paper shufflers' who 'exist to keep the emperor happy’."

Here, we interviewed Yeo and ask for his take on Lee Hsien Yang quoting him.

1. We noticed two opposition members, Lee Hsien Yang and Paul Tambyah, mentioned your quote about the "eunuch disease" or the "eunuch syndrome". Do you want to clarify what you mean by the "eunuch disease"?

I mentioned it (the eunuch disease) a few times during my interviews over the years.

This term became more well-known after Peh Shing Huei's book, Neither Civil Nor Servant, on me, was published.

In the book, I described my approach to managers.

In every organisation, there are three types of people: the emperors at the top, the workers at the bottom, and the eunuchs in the middle.

The ruler says, “I want my pyramid,” and the workers are the people who build it.

The eunuchs are the ones who shuffle papers. They don’t do any real work. Their objectives are to keep the emperor happy. How to do that?

Keep the emperor entertained or distract him with other preoccupations.

Eunuchs destroy empires. It was true in China and also in the West. The Ottoman Empire was brought down by eunuchs too.

(Yeo's full quote is available online here)

2. Who are the "eunuchs" in the Singapore context?

We call them "staffers".

I advise CEOs and top civil servants to go into the field, visit the companies and spend time with the workers.

But many still prefer to hold meetings and presentations.

3. PSP member Lee Hsien Yang mentioned your quote that the government is suffering from "eunuch disease" in his widely shared Facebook post before Nomination Day. What is your take on his Facebook post?

I've known Hsien Yang for a long time.

I was not making any reference to or commentary on the Singapore government.

In my book, I described emperors, and I described myself as being an emperor too!

4. Have you spoken to Lee Hsien Yang recently?

I contacted him on Nomination Day, after his post referencing my quote was widely circulated.

I told him what I've just shared with you, that my description of the "eunuch disease" as a persistent tendency for organisations to become bureaucratic pyramids and has no reference to or commentary on the Singapore government.

He knows that I have no interest in party politics and have no wish to be drawn into a debate about the Singapore government.

Some people may misinterpret my "eunuch disease" commentary to describe an emperor in Singapore being served by civil servants who are eunuchs. This was not what I said or implied.

Those who choose to misinterpret my eunuch commentary for their own purposes do so without my consent or approval and obviously will be personally accountable.

5. What did Lee Hsien Yang say?

Hsien Yang was warm in his reply.

He said he noted my request not to make references to me in his political views or criticisms of the government.

It is his right to express his views and criticisms on the government, by the way.

Hsien Yang also told me that he read my candid book cover to cover carefully. So I must thank him for buying the book!

I thanked him for his understanding.

I have been reading and following vaccine developments, so I told him that I expressed my hope that the Covid-19 vaccines will be available soon.

Philip Yeo is the chairman of Mothership.sg's board.