Commissioner
of Inland Revenue Koh Cher Siang receiving
the SQA on behalf of IRAS.
-
The
Quality movement in IRAS officially started with
the introduction of WITS in 1982. In 1993, the
WITS, SSS and Productivity programmes
were brought under the common theme — “Quality
Belongs
to Me”. IRAS staff were encouraged to take personal responsibility for
quality in the organisation.
In 1995, IRAS initiated a programme called “Excellence in Tax Administration
for the 21st Century”. It aimed to promote a quality mindset and culture
of continuous improvement. The organisation’s focus in its early years
as a statutory board was to put in place systems and structures to enhance operational
efficiency and clear assessment backlog.
In 1998, to propel the organisation to greater heights of excellence, IRAS set
up the Quality Steering Committee (QSC). The theme “Quality — Go
for It” was introduced to reinforce the need to continuously improve quality
in IRAS. The new focus was on delivering excellent service to taxpayers so as
to reduce compliance cost and tax collection costs.
In July 1999, IRAS attained the Singapore Quality Class status. The SQA Framework
served as a model for IRAS to advance its commitment to quality excellence. Armed
with a passion to serve taxpayers with a quality mindset, IRAS went about fervently
reviewing its policies, rules and processes to make it easier for taxpayers to
comply with their tax obligations.
Various feedback mechanisms were put in place. IRAS also learnt best practices
from other organisations.
Processes have been ISO-certified to ensure continuous review and consistency
in application. A committee coordinates and monitors the cross-divisional efforts
and ensures that changes in the organisation are effectively communicated to
staff.
Staff contribute actively to the SSS and also submit their novel ideas to the
Commissioner of Inland Revenue under the Golden Bit or Eye-on-Innovation Schemes.
IRAS first applied for the SQA in 2002. The results confirmed that it was on
the right track but there were some weaknesses in its public responsibility and
comparative/benchmarking performance results.
From there, IRAS began focusing on involving the community in its taxpayer education
efforts. During the recent tax-filing period, IRAS worked closely with the People’s
Association (PA) and Infocomm Development Authority (IDA). This partnership allowed
IRAS to leverage on PA’s existing network of community clubs and e-clubs,
and IDA’s e-ambassadors, to bring assisted e-filing service closer
to taxpayers.
For all its efforts and contributions to the nation, IRAS received the SQA this
year. It also won the Distinguished Public Service Award for Organisational Excellence
(see this story).
“I
feel so privileged to be part
of a world-class
organisation!”
•
“I
truly am proud to be in IRAS — it’s
a sense of achievement that simply
cannot be put into words.”
Comment
from foreign agency:
•
“Singapore
is way ahead of us in adopting e-services,
and we have much to learn from your
experiences.” — Sir Nicholas
Montagu, Chairman of British Inland
Revenue, Permanent Secretary in the
British Government, 2001
