1 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the specific measures to ensure widespread implementation of the new salary guidelines for the community care sector; (b) what are the incentives in place to encourage community care institutions to comply with the guidelines; (c) how will the Ministry conduct the monitoring of salaries; and (d) what factors will be considered when reviewing the guidelines.
2 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the rationale for the existence of separate salary guidelines for the community care sector issued by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social and Family Development through the National Council of Social Service; and (b) whether the Ministries will collaborate to develop a unified set of salary guidelines to avoid confusion within the community care sector and to ensure consistency and clarity for both employers and employees.
3 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the projected increase in operational costs for community care institutions to adopt the new salary guidelines; (b) how will institutions run by voluntary welfare organisations with a tight budget be affected; (c) whether the increase in service costs will be passed on to beneficiaries; (d) whether the Ministry will help institutions to subsidise salary increments; and (e) what support will be provided to help institutions to attract and retain staff.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 1 to 3 in today's Order Paper together?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please proceed.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: The salary guidelines for the community care sector have been published to provide greater transparency and clarity to jobseekers and community care workers on salaries in the sector. Through in-depth engagement sessions with Community Care Organisations (CCOs), the Ministry of Health (MOH) provides them with guidance on implementation, such as establishing the appropriate banding of staff and salaries.
It is in the CCO's own interest to abide by the guidelines, or they will not be competitive in attracting and retaining their staff, or pay them salaries that is commensurate with their contributions.
We will continue to monitor the salary movements of community care staff against the recommended salary levels through yearly surveys. In reviewing the guidelines, we will consider salary movements in relevant labour markets.
MOH and the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF's) salary guidelines apply to the healthcare and social service sectors respectively, as there are differences in the job roles and benchmarked to different sectors. Nonetheless, MOH and MSF will continue to exchange salary review plans and information on a regular basis.
Higher salaries will lead to higher operating costs for all CCOs. Since 2020, MOH has funded CCOs through the community care salary enhancements exercise. MOH will continue to fund and support CCOs to adopt the salary guidelines. However, CCOs will need to co-fund some of the salary increases and these could translate into modest increases in their fees.
Beyond ensuring that salaries in the community care sector are competitive, MOH and our agencies support the CCOs to ensure that their workforce is future-ready through training and development programmes. We have also worked with CCOs to redesign job roles to elevate community care careers and improve their attractiveness.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Yip.
\tMr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for her reply. I declare that I am an advisor to the Healthcare Services Employees' Union (HSEU). I have several supplementary questions. How are the salaries in the community compared to the acute hospitals and is there a significant difference? If so, will the pay alone be a significant factor in drawing manpower either way to institutions or to the community? Will there be any effect on our priorities in staffing the community hospitals or the hospitals in the acute sector?
Secondly, we need to think of ways to attract and retain talent beyond salary. To this end, what are the Ministry's plans to address other factors influencing staff satisfaction and retention, such as career progression, opportunities or mental health support? How are the unions involved in this?
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the question. With regards to the public healthcare institutions (PHIs), as the Member is an advisor to the HSEU, he would then be aware that the PHIs already have prevailing collective agreements signed with HSEU. These collective agreements include information on salary ranges and other information such as leave benefits. This is something that can be accessed through the HSEU's website and that provides a comparison with the CCOs.
The Member mentioned effects on staffing. Since 2020, MOH has been funding CCOs through the Community Care Salary Enhancements Exercise. Salary guidelines are published for purposes of transparency and clarity to jobseekers. It is intended to encourage them to see the benefits and salaries, but CCOs also have to do their part. They also have to attract and retain their staff.
For PHIs, MOH also does the same thing. We work with them to regularly monitor and review their salaries to keep it competitive against the market.
I would like to highlight to the Member that all these are costs. As you would know, our manpower costs already account for 50% of our expenses. This means that we are actually increasing the costs as we increase the services, and Government expenditure is expected to go up. I think all parties have to play a part in this. Already as it stands, we are looking at an increase and this increase has been growing in tandem with the healthcare demands.
The Member had also asked about the efforts to attract and retain workers. I think the Member had also filed a written Parliamentary Question, which is also scheduled for answer today, in relation to this. We have done many different efforts. As mentioned earlier, we also look at training and development. There is different funding support for a suite of initiatives to attract, develop and retain workers in the community care sector.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Use of Different Devices or Cards when Entering and Exiting Buses and MRTs, and Claims for Refunds","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"4 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport in 2023 (a) what is the number of times public transport commuters who were charged twice for the same bus or MRT trip because they used a different SimplyGo device or card for their entry and exit; (b) what was the total amount charged; (c) how many applications for refunds were made; (d) how many applications were acceded to; and (e) what was the total amount refunded.
5 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will consider providing educational materials and instructional procedures to commuters (i) to avoid using different devices or cards when entering and exiting buses and MRTs and (ii) to apply for refunds should any double charging occur; and (b) whether fare gates can prevent commuters from exiting if they attempt to use a different device or card from the ones they used during entry.
\tThe Minister for Transport (Mr Chee Hong Tat): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 4 and 5 together?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, you do.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Thank you. Sir, to ensure public transport fares are computed accurately, commuters need to use the same device or card to tap in and tap out at fare gates and bus card readers. If a commuter taps in with one device or card, and taps out with a different device or card, two separate transactions are recorded.
This can occur for a variety of reasons. For example, a commuter may have multiple cards in their wallet and tapping the entire wallet at the reader could result in different cards being detected at entry and exit. A commuter may also have used a different device, such as a smartphone, smartwatch, or physical bank card, to tap in and tap out. As the digital identifier of each device or card is different, even if they are linked to the same bank card, these are also recorded as separate transactions.
The vast majority of transactions in public transport are carried out accurately with commuters using the same card or device to tap in and out. The usage of different devices or cards at entry and exit led to refunds for two out of every 100,000 trips made on public transport, with each refund amounting to $2.70 on average.
It is not possible to identify and reconcile such transactions automatically, since a single card can be used by different commuters. For example, the same bank card can be set up on multiple devices for use by different family members.
It is also presently not operationally feasible to stop commuters who are using SimplyGo from exiting if they use a different device or card from the one used at entry, as this would require a check with the backend system, which will slow down the flow of commuters and lead to long queues during peak hours. This is the same latency problem for account-based ticketing systems that prevents fare deduction and card balance information from being displayed immediately at fare gates and bus card readers.
These errors can be avoided, by using the same device or card to tap in and tap out. That is why other public transport systems like in London and Hong Kong who face similar issues have taken steps to raise awareness among commuters to reduce such occurrences.
Similarly, since the Mastercard pilot for SimplyGo started in March 2017, we have carried out publicity efforts to remind commuters to use the same card or device to enter and exit, such as by placing posters at fare gates and on buses, putting up outdoor banners, making in-station announcements, using radio advertisements, as well as publicising on the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SimplyGo websites and social media platforms. We will continue with these publicity efforts to raise awareness among commuters.
Commuters can check their transactions using the SimplyGo app or at ticket machines. If they find transactions which are wrongly computed, they can apply for a refund via the app, or seek assistance at ticket offices.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Giam.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Can I ask a few supplementary questions? First, are the commuters charged the maximum fare twice, if they use the same device linked to the same SimplyGo account for tapping in and tapping out?
Secondly, I understand the difficulties in doing the immediate reconciliation, but can this reconciliation be done in the backend so that even if they are charged twice, they can be refunded automatically without having to apply for the refund?
Thirdly, from what I observed, I hear the Minister say that there are posters put up and I do notice those posters, but I notice that they are mostly only in English. Can they also be published in different languages so that all commuters are aware of this issue?
\tMr Chee Hong Tat: First, I would like to thank Mr Giam for raising these two Parliamentary Questions and also for his supplementary questions. This is an important initiative that we want to raise awareness for. We use this opportunity to let more commuters know that the best way to avoid this issue from cropping up in the first place is to use the same device or to use the same card.
But Mr Giam is right that errors do occur. That is why it is important for us to look at how we can improve the system design where possible to make the refunding process easier, more convenient. I will certainly take on board his suggestion as we look at how to enhance SimplyGo's overall system design and user experience. Which is what we wanted to do for the project as a whole, but I will also pay attention to this particular aspect; in case there are some fares that need to be refunded, we will see what is the process to allow that to happen in a more convenient manner.
I will also take on board Mr Giam's suggestion for the languages on the posters so that we are able to reach out to more commuters and to raise awareness.
For Mr Giam's first question, it depends on whether you are referring to rail or bus because the calculations are slightly different. For rail, if there is a missing entry or a missing exit, that means when you tap in with a different card, it will record as two separate transactions with a missing entry and a missing exit, each one will be charged at $2.30. So, not quite the maximum, but quite close to the maximum.
For the buses, it depends. If there is a missing entry, for example, you will look at distance from the first bus stop to where you exit, because there is a missing entry. If there is a missing exit tapping, it will look at distance from the point of entry to the end of the bus route. This is because there is no record to calculate the actual distance, so they use the maximum possible distance to compute.
But as I mentioned earlier, I think the best way to protect commuters against such occurrences is to raise awareness and help them to avoid this in the first place by using the same device or the same card.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Companies Voluntarily Imposing Charge for Disposable Carrier Bag","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"6 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will consider imposing a charge for small disposable carrier bags; (b) how many companies have voluntarily introduced their own disposable bag charge; and (c) if the data is not available, whether the Ministry will start collecting the data.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Mr Baey Yam Keng) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): Mr Speaker, the mandatory disposable carrier bag charge at larger supermarkets was implemented on 3 July 2023. My Ministry and the National Environment Agency (NEA) will monitor the effectiveness of the bag charge and review its impact upon the completion of the first full year of implementation. The charge applies to all disposable carrier bags, regardless of size.
Other retailers have the prerogative to decide whether to charge for disposable bags and many have been doing so. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and NEA do not track retailers that have voluntarily implemented disposable carrier bag charges and have no plans to do so. Nonetheless, we are heartened that many major retailers, including convenience stores, have voluntarily implemented charges.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Thank you, Sir. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. Could I just ask why are we not keen on tracking how many of these retailers are voluntarily imposing this bag charge? I think that would be useful to tell the effects of the bag charge that we have implemented on how many people out there are already doing it on their own, without the legislation.
\t
\tMr Baey Yam Keng: Sir, as I have said earlier, the disposable carrier bag charge was only implemented recently, about half a year ago. So, we will continue to monitor the effectiveness, the impact and then assess whether we would like to expand the scheme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":" Removal of Proverb or \"Peribahasa\" Section from GCE \"O\" Level Malay Language Examinations from 2024","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"7 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Education with the implementation of the changes to the Malay Language subject in the Teaching and Learning Measures for Secondary Schools revised in 2021 and, particularly, the removal of the proverb or \"Peribahasa\" section from the GCE \"O\" Level Malay Language Examinations from 2024, how will the Ministry ensure that students will still have exposure and familiarity on the usage of proverbs in their cultural and literary sense and of its application in the modern context.
\tThe Second Minister for Education (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, while \"Peribahasa\" or proverb will no longer be examined as a standalone component in the national examination, it will continue to be assessed within texts and passages, so that students will apply their inferential skills and understand its contextual use. Students will continue to learn Peribahasa in the Malay Language lessons. Through discussions, presentations and research, students develop an appreciation for the rich values and culture encapsulated in the Peribahasa.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Zhulkarnain.
\tMr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): I thank the Second Minister for the answer. Peribahasa has a unique philosophy and rich heritage within us and there are lessons passed on from one generation to the next, promoting keen observation and critical thinking. So, I would like to ask the Second Minister, notwithstanding that it is not being examined in the exams and still being taught in the lessons, what other ways are there for schools to inculcate the spirit of using Peribahasa and promoting critical thinking among our students in their daily lives, perhaps in a literary event among schools?
\t
\tDr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: I thank Mr Zhulkarnain for the supplementary question. Sir, I totally agree with the Member that Peribahasa provides a very deep insight into our culture and our values far and beyond just the language itself. And we do want to promote the understanding of Peribahasa, the use of Peribahasa or proverbs that would allow our students to appreciate the culture that they are experiencing and learning. Within the school environment, teachers continue to teach their students Peribahasa and how to use them contextually in lessons.
Our textbooks are already embedded with Peribahasa through the various themes across different sections of the textbooks. In the Ministry of Education (MOE), there is a committee called the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee that engages community groups, including the Majlis Bahasa Melayu or the Malay Language Council, to look at events beyond schools where we provide opportunities for students to learn and express their understanding of proverbs or Peribahasa.
We also need to look at how we can ride with the times, because children today have difficulties learning the language itself, let alone the complexities of Peribahasa. So, we want to make sure that they understand it and we are also encouraging them to use new technologies like the production of videos and TikTok, so that they can get interested in understanding not just the Peribahasa, but also the meaning behind it and an appreciation of the values through their own lenses. We encourage that and are looking at the possibilities of having TikTok competitions and video production competitions among students. The teachers can guide them through that process and let the students appreciate and enjoy that learning.
\t
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Babies Born to Teenage Mothers in Past Five Years and Assistance Provided","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"8 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) for each year in the past five years, how many babies are born to mothers who are (i) below 14 years old (ii) above 14 years old but below 16 years old and (iii) above 16 years old but below 20 years old; and (b) what assistance is provided to such families?
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Sir, the data the Member requested can be found in the Annual Report on Registration of Births and Deaths published by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
Pregnant mothers who are minors receive emotional and practical support from a multidisciplinary team that includes doctors and nurses, counsellors and medical social workers. Following childbirth, the team will also continue to follow up with the mother for review.
In addition, support for the mother and her family is also available in the community, depending on their specific needs. The medical social workers will assess the needs of the mothers and make the relevant referrals to the social service agencies. For instance, the Social Service Offices (SSOs) can provide ComCare assistance to young mothers in lower-income households.
Eligible pregnant mothers can also join KidSTART, which will provide additional support to help them keep well physically and mentally before childbirth and equip them to nurture their child's development after their child is born. They can also be referred to Family Service Centres or FSCs, if they require support to address any social and emotional needs.
\t
\tMr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I think the report does say the number of births from teenage mothers, but it does not have the breakdown of the data that I have requested in my Parliamentary Question (PQ). So, if I could ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether that data could be provided.
Second, I do understand that some support is given to these teenage mothers, but could I just ask whether there is a specific social worker that is attached to these teenage mothers to journey with them along the way and how long exactly is this help provided to them?
I am asking all these because I am helping this child now who has been sentenced to a Girls' Home and I just realised that her mother actually gave birth to her when she was 15. So, I think there might be a vicious cycle ahead that we might need to address.
\tMr Eric Chua: Sir, I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. I would refer the Member to file a PQ with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for a breakdown of the statistics as they reside in ICA.
Regarding the Member's second supplementary question, I think he will agree with me that the nature of such cases are that, in each case, the conditions are complex and there are many stakeholders, many parties involved. And it is not enough for us to take each case and take an approach that is not just sensible, but also sensitive, and delicately handle the situation.
So, I think it really calls upon the entire village, if you will, to detect such cases early and for each of us – it could be the social worker or grassroots leaders on the ground or anyone who raises the alarm – to alert us to such a case, so that we can assess each unique case and then provide that wrap-around.
The provision of a dedicated social worker is one example of how we can journey together with each of these cases, but I think there is more to it than just the provision of social workers. We are talking about a multidimensional approach so that there is a better chance that this problem does not persist, as in the case that Mr Louis Ng brought up, across generations.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Sir, could I just go back to the point where I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that it is a medical social worker that does the first, sort of, diagnosis. Is that the case or could we have another scenario where once the child is born, then a social worker would already come to see how we can help journey with this teenage mother?
\t
\tMr Eric Chua: Sir, I would like to clarify. The point I was trying to make was that actually anybody can raise the alarm. So, it could well be the medical social worker at the point of a visit to the hospital or the clinic by the person in view, by the teenage mom, or it could well be the family members who raise the alarm, or it could well be teachers and staff from the school. So, what I was trying to say earlier in my reply to the Member's supplementary question was that anyone, any number of stakeholders and parties within this figurative \"village\", has to step up and raise the alert to social service agencies, to social service officers, so that we can all provide a wrap-around 360-degree-support for each of these cases.
\t
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":" Products Certified under Singapore Green Labelling Scheme and Efforts to Promote Wider Adoption","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"9 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what have been the changes in the number of products certified under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme in the past three years; and (b)what will the Ministry do to promote more companies to have more green-labelled products.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Mr Baey Yam Keng) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): The Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) is administered by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC). We understand that, to date, SEC has certified over 4,300 products from more than 800 companies.
SEC's SGLS is one of the several green labelling schemes in Singapore. Others include the National Environment Agency's (NEA's) Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS), the Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS), the Singapore Food Agency's (SFA's) Farm-To-Table (FTT) Recognition Programme and the Singapore Green Building Council's (SGBC's) Singapore Green Building Product (SGBP) certification scheme.
As a major buyer of goods and services, the public sector plays a role in encouraging companies to provide greener products and services. Under the GreenGov.SG initiative, the public sector has introduced green procurement requirements for nine categories of goods and services, some of which involve the use of green labels. For example, electrical appliances should meet the specified tick-rating under NEA's MELS, relevant building products are to be accredited with SEC's SGLS or SGBC's SGBP certification scheme, and white printing paper is to be accredited with SEC's Enhanced SGLS. Food and beverage establishments that are accredited by SFA's FTT Recognition Programme can also earn evaluation points when bidding for public sector catering contracts.
The public sector regularly reviews and updates its green procurement policies. These include incorporating reputable green standards, certification schemes or labels where applicable. We will also work with the industry and relevant non-Government organisations to gradually expand the goods and services covered under the public sector's green procurement policies. We hope that this will spur companies to produce, develop or supply more green products and services.
Mr Speaker: Ms Ng Ling Ling.
\tMs Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio): Speaker, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the very comprehensive reply. My one supplementary question is that as Singapore strengthens our move towards more proactive and deliberate efforts to mitigate climate change and further our sustainability efforts, does the Ministry also have plans to further incentivise our local private sector companies to buy from all these sustainability labelled or certified products because some have given feedback that they are a bit more premium priced and add to their operating costs in an already increasing cost environment?
\t
\tMr Baey Yam Keng: I thank Ms Ng Ling Ling for the question. I believe under Enterprise SG, there could be some schemes or grants to help local companies procure more productive or environmentally friendly equipment or products. I do not have the details now but I believe NEA would also have such grants and schemes. We will continue to look at what other ways we can nudge the private sector to be greener in their procurement.
Essentially, it is good for environment, but it must also be something that is available in the market readily and at a price point that makes sense for such commercial decisions. We will continue to look at that.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Multi-Mode Passive Detection System for Illegal Shipments of Wildlife and Wildlife Products","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"10 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development whether he can provide an update on the testing undertaken by the Ministry of a prototype of the Multi-Mode Passive Detection System to detect wildlife and wildlife products in shipments; and (b) whether the Ministry is exploring the use of other technologies to detect illegal shipments of wildlife and wildlife products, especially through our ports.
\t
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Question No 10, please.
\tMr Speaker: Anyone from the Ministry of National Development? There is none. Let me move on to the next Parliamentary Question then.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Births from Women above 30 Years Old","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"11 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Prime Minister in each of the past three years, what is the proportion of annual births from women who are (i) 30 years old and below (ii) between 31 and 35 years old and (iii) 36 years old and above, respectively.
\tThe Minister, Prime Minister's Office (Ms Indranee Rajah) (for the Prime Minister): In 2021 and 2022, around 33% of total live births were from women aged 30 years old and below. Around 44% were from women between 31 and 35 years old, and around 23% were from those 36 years old and above. Figures for 2023 are still being finalised.
The information is published annually in the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's (ICA's) Report on the Registration on Births and Deaths, which contains key demographic statistics, including total live births by age of mother. The report is available on ICA's website.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Ng Ling Ling.
\tMs Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio): Speaker, I thank the Minister for the reply. I am referring to the higher proportion of women who are giving birth between the ages of 31 and 35. From my conversations with some of these women, they are not aware that their fertility health get challenged during that period and sometimes there can be complications.
So, I wanted to ask one supplementary question. Given our low total fertility rate (TFR), will the Ministry consider investing in more longitudinal research and studies on young Singaporean women's awareness, attitudes and considerations towards fertility health and childbirth, so that we can proactively find interventions along the way to mitigate the declining TFR?
\t
\tMr Speaker: Minister, a short reply please.
\tMs Indranee Rajah: Mr Speaker, I just need to clarify the first part of Ms Ng's question about longitudinal studies. Could the Member just repeat that?
\tMs Ng Ling Ling: Yes, I wanted to check if the Ministry will consider investing in the longitudinal studies to understand young Singaporean women's awareness, attitudes and considerations towards fertility health and childbirth.
\tMs Indranee Rajah: We can certainly look at those studies, but what is happening at the moment is a global phenomenon where, across the world, women are either choosing not to get married or deferring having children after they get married.
If you look deeper into this, a lot of it has to do with the opportunity cost as well as the sense of wanting to be able to achieve certain milestones. In the past, the first milestone was to get married and have children. Now, there is a sense of \"I need to achieve a career milestone\", \"I need to be able to travel and visit this country\", \"I want to be able to achieve other things\" and then, marriage and children come further down along the line.
These are personal choices, personal decisions. We have to see what we can do to encourage it and make it easier for people to get married and have children. And that was the focus of my speech in the Committee of Supply, looking at all of the various factors which operate in people's minds before they decide to get married and have children. So, fundamentally, we have got to move towards a society that supports family formation and parenthood.
\t
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng, with regard to your Question No 10, I will get the Ministry to give you a written reply.
Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the day.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Estimates for the Financial Year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 ","subTitle":"Committee of Supply – Paper Cmd 27 of 2024","sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [3rd Allotted Day]. (proc text)]
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply – Head R (Ministry of Law) ","subTitle":"A safe and resilient nation in turbulent times","sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Head R (cont) – (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resumption of Debate on Question [1 March 2024], (proc text)]
[(proc text) \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head R of the Estimates to be reduced by $100.\" – [Mr Murali Pillai]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Question again proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Raj Joshua Thomas (Nominated Member): Sir, I am grateful for your indulgence to allow me to take my cuts today. And I declare, Sir, my interest as a practising lawyer.
Sir, the Public Defender's Office (PDO) commenced operations on 1 December 2022 and, as of September 2023, had received around 1,300 applications, of which close to 580 were assessed as ineligible. Could the Minister provide an update on the number of cases the PDO has taken up to date, as well as whether there would be a review of the means testing criteria, seeing as about half of rejected applications were because the applicants did not meet the prescribed means criteria?
My second cut, Sir, is on supporting small law firms. Sir, our legal industry generated $2.4 billion in nominal gross value in 2019 and Singapore has also grown to become one of the top international dispute resolution hubs in the world.
Domestically, we have over 1,000 law firms, with over 80% being small law firms with five or less lawyers. These firms, however, contribute to only about 40% of value-add.
Could the Minister elaborate on what the Ministry is doing to help small law firms get a firmer bite of the pie of the international work that is coming into Singapore? And second, would the Ministry consider encouraging consolidation in the industry, including through incentives, to help small law firms come together to form larger practices that are more full service and that would place them better to seize opportunities in the market?
The Chairman: Minister Shanmugam.
The Minister for Law (Mr K Shanmugam): Mr Chairman, thank you. The Ministry of Law's (MinLaw’s) work, as Members will know, touches on a number of aspects. This includes maintaining a legal system that is robust, fair and effective; enhancing access to justice; and supporting our economic and social vibrancy. We have made good progress and we intend to do more.
I will focus on two areas: one, how can we help the vulnerable better get help when they deal with the criminal and civil law systems; and two, how can we better help resolve family law disputes. My colleagues, Minister Edwin Tong and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam will touch on the other key areas in MinLaw’s work.
First, on access to the criminal and civil law systems, we are focused on ensuring access to justice, especially for the most vulnerable in our community. In this context, the Public Defender’s Office (PDO) and the Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) have been doing good work.
PDO helps to facilitate access to justice for accused persons. It was set up in December 2022, as a department within MinLaw, to institutionalise public defence within our criminal justice system. Before that, the Government funded access to criminal defence via the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS), which was run by the Law Society.
When PDO was established, criminal defence aid was made available to more people, by raising the means threshold from the 25th to the 35th percentile of resident households based on per capita household income and allowing aid for most non-capital criminal offences, with some exceptions.
Mr Raj Joshua Thomas and Mr Derrick Goh asked for updates on PDO’s work. As of December 2023, we have received about 1,700 applications. Of these, almost half were assessed as eligible for criminal defence aid. With our ongoing partnership with Pro Bono SG, eligible applicants receive representation from either PDO or from criminal lawyers working with CLAS. As of December 2023, PDO has a team of 16 Public Defenders and they represented more than 440 accused in Court.
As pointed out by Mr Goh, the complexity and impact of PDO cases go beyond legal matters.
Let me give you one example. I will call the gentleman “Mr N”. He is a tingkat delivery driver. He is married with two young children with special needs. He brings them to childcare and school. He meets with their teachers, attends their speech therapy classes and follow-ups at the hospital. His wife is not actively involved in the caregiving.
He needed money urgently to cover daily living expenses and his children’s therapy sessions. He borrowed $1,000 from an unlicensed moneylender and he was subsequently harassed. Threats were made against his children. He felt he had no choice but to assist the unlicensed moneylender in its illegal operations and he was subsequently charged for doing so.
We have to take a serious view of this because that then potentially leads to scams and people losing lots of money, including the elderly. So, if you want to prevent all of that, you need to take tough steps and draw a line when people assist illegal moneylenders.
Prior to these charges, he had a clean record. Mr N could have expected a sentence of around eight to 12 months’ imprisonment. This would have meant that his children with special needs would be left without care during Mr N’s prison term. The Public Defender explained his situation to the Prosecution, and also pleaded with the Court for a lighter sentence. The Public Defender also referred Mr N to a social service agency to assess the care plan for his children.
Eventually, the Court gave a sentence of six weeks’ imprisonment with a fine. The Court also agreed to defer his sentence, to allow Mr N to ease his child’s transition into Primary 1 at a special needs school. I will add that Mr N recently surrendered himself to the Court and he will serve his sentence.
This is one of many examples where PDO has positively impacted the lives of accused persons. And it is a good start. We will continue to strengthen PDO, its capability and capacity to help more vulnerable persons.
Moving to civil legal aid, last year was LAB’s 65th year of providing legal aid, assistance and advice to the less privileged. It was set up in 1958, started out as a small team of 15 staff to provide legal aid to needy persons. Today, it is a department with about 50 in-house lawyers, support staff, as well as 140 Assigned Solicitors. These are lawyers from private practice who work with LAB.
LAB helps with various civil matters, including matrimonial matters, monetary claims and probate matters. Over the years, it has helped many people. Again, I will give you one example of a 101-year-old lady. LAB helped her to reclaim her life savings from her own daughter.
This old lady spoke no English, only Hokkien. She had been put in a nursing home by her daughter. Her daughter began withdrawing monies from the old lady’s bank account and directed the applicant’s Government financial assistance payouts to her, meaning the daughter’s own bank account. Her daughter alleged that the applicant had no mental capacity and refused to return the monies. The applicant, the old lady, checked herself out of her nursing home and asked LAB for help. LAB helped her to secure a Court order for her daughter to return all her monies, with interest.
To ensure that aid is provided to those who cannot afford a lawyer, we require applicants for aid to undergo means testing, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam will speak about the means assessment of our legal aid and criminal defence aid schemes.
There are also other possible mechanisms to increase access to justice besides Government legal aid and assistance. One of them is conditional fee agreements (CFAs).
CFAs have the potential to help people access justice faster, easier when they do not qualify for legal aid, but also find it challenging to pay the full costs of litigation in the Courts. CFAs can help litigants, who are unable to fork out full legal fees at the outset, by providing an additional funding option, to pursue their claims.
However, it is not an unvarnished benefit, if you look at the examples in other countries, which is why we have been and we continue to be careful about it, because you have got to weigh against these possible benefits, some well-known potential negative consequences of CFAs, and these are visible in other places.
So far, in Singapore, we have permitted CFAs in arbitration proceedings, certain proceedings in the Singapore International Commercial Court, and court and mediation proceedings, which are related to these proceedings where CFAs have been allowed.
So, we refer to Mr Zhulkarnain’s question on whether we will extend CFAs to other categories of proceedings. Our approach is, as far as possible, we will see what other means there are available to allow access to justice in an easier way and then study the applicability of CFAs, the usefulness of CFAs, the positive and negative consequences, by extending to other domestic litigation proceedings.
I will move now to the second part of my speech.
We have invested considerable time, energy and resources to streamline and help people in the family justice system. Where families have breakdowns, their relationships fray, they go to Court, we want to try and minimise the pain for those who have to be involved in the legal process.
The disputes often involve a lot of emotions, psychological wounds and children are often caught in the crossfire. That is why for some time now, we have taken a different approach from the usual litigation process. For family cases, our Courts focus on therapeutic justice, which is about getting parties to establish common ground and move on with their lives. The changes we have made, over the years, to the family justice system reflect this approach, this philosophy.
As Ms Hany Soh referred, a major review was done in 2013, which resulted in amongst other things, the establishment of the Family Justice Courts (FJC). Specialised FJC with specialised judges, with its own head of the FJC. Measures were introduced in divorce cases to help these cases proceed more smoothly and reduce animosity as much as possible. And the focus was also on seeking to protect the children's welfare.
One very important measure is the simplified divorce track. For those on this track, it saves a lot of time. Parties do not need to attend court. The divorce proceedings are concluded within a much shorter timeframe and is available to all parties who agree on the divorce and ancillary matters at the outset and, you can imagine, it helps to reduce acrimony. It is an incentive for parties to come to an agreement on the issues. They spend less time in Court.
If you take the past year, there were a total of about 6,220 divorce cases. Of that, more than 4,000 – to be precise, around 4,150 or 66% of divorce cases – went on the simplified track and almost half of these cases involved children. You can imagine if these 4,000 cases were handled under the normal litigation process. The amount of time, the money, the acrimony and the impact on the children. So, all of that has been considerably reduced. This is a significant number of couples, over 4,000 couples, their children, who we hope were better able to move on with their lives with as little acrimony as possible.
Of those cases that go on the simplified track, the 4,150, 94% were resolved within six months. So, it is much quicker, much less costly.
Where the divorce or ancillary matters are contested, FJC offers free in-house mediation and counselling, if certain criteria are met. Around 930 out of 1,060 cases that went through mediation were fully or partially settled. That is about 88%.
In September 2019, we set up a second Committee co-chaired by MinLaw, the Ministry for Social and Family Development (MSF) and FJC. And a slew of further recommendations were made to strengthen the therapeutic justice elements and address some of the challenges in the new family justice system. The recommendations of this new Committee have been progressively implemented: the Women's Charter was amended last year; MinLaw's and MSF's Family Justice Reform Act was passed last year; and a number of other non-legislative initiatives have been undertaken by MSF and FJC.
One of the key issues that the Family Justice Reform Act addressed, is the enforcement of maintenance orders. Members of Parliament have spoken about this. We observed a fairly high incidence of non-compliance with maintenance orders and a significant number of repeat applications for enforcement, usually by the ex-wife applying repeatedly to enforce the maintenance orders.
The Family Justice Reform Act introduced a new Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP) which would help to address these issues. Under the MEP, there is a new unit of officers called Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs). They will be established under MinLaw.
MEOs will be empowered to obtain information about the parties' financial circumstances directly from the parties or from third-parties, such as banks and Government agencies. That will relieve applicants from having to go around, instruct lawyers to apply to Court to get the information, that takes time, effort and cost – and usually, there is also non-compliance. So, when the respondent is non-cooperative, it can go on and on for months, sometimes years. But the MEOs will be empowered. People have to answer them. The information, hopefully, should be obtained faster.
With more accurate and clear information, the MEO and the Courts will be better able to distinguish between respondents who cannot pay and respondents who refuse to pay. For those who refuse to pay, the system, the MEP, strengthens the deterrence against them. The Court will monitor payments, typically for around six months and failure to pay can lead to imprisonment. This system should hopefully help reduce repeated defaulters.
Ms Hany Soh asked about the implementation of the Family Justice Reform Act.
Some of the technical amendments were commenced in January this year. The other reforms will be implemented in stages. In particular, we are targeting to operationalise the MEP in phases, starting from the second half of this year.
Ms Soh also asked about collaborations with stakeholders. MinLaw works closely with MSF and FJC to improve the family justice system. Between us, we have regular conversations with the family bar, counsellors, mental health experts and community partners about how best to support families in distress. We also conduct regular outreach to various segments. I ask the public to share about family justice initiatives and therapeutic justice.
The aim remains pretty much the same: reduce acrimony, preserve relationships and protect children. And we can say, the situation has vastly improved since these amendments were put in place for some time now.
Mr Chairman, to sum up, we have been building steadily on our progress over the last few years. We have taken significant steps and will continue to work on helping the vulnerable through the criminal and civil law systems; and enhancing dispute resolution in family disputes.
The Chairman: Mr Edwin Tong.
The Second Minister for Law (Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai): Mr Chairman, Singapore is a small city-state. Much of our growth depends on our ability to develop strong enterprises and attract foreign investments into Singapore. Today, Singapore continues to be the partner of choice for many businesses – from the world's multinational corporations to the fastest growing startups. We have the highest number of regional headquarters in Asia Pacific.
About 4,200 multinational companies (MNCs) host their regional headquarters here, using Singapore as the gateway into ASEAN, Asia and even the world. We have a vibrant innovation ecosystem with research and development labs for leading Fortune 500 companies; as well as over 150 venture capital funds, incubators and accelerators.
But this did not happen by chance. Businesses come here in large part because of our strong rule of law, trusted legal system, under-pinned by a well-respected Judiciary. They trust that their investments will be safe and that their rights will be protected. Businesses also work out of Singapore because they can access the best legal services – be it dispute resolution, intellectual property (IP) transactions, restructuring and insolvency or banking, financial and commercial transactions.
It is therefore important for Singapore to continue to build a strong legal framework that is business-minded and forward-looking; develop first-class legal services and jurisprudence; and really be at the forefront of legal thought leadership. And all these will strengthen our value proposition as a global business centre.
In addition, legal and IP sectors are also growth engines in and of themselves, contributing to the economy and jobs. Our legal services sector has grown steadily over the years. The nominal value-added of our legal services sector increased by more than 25%, from $2.36 billion in 2018 to $2.98 billion in 2023. Our exports of legal services have also increased by nearly 35%, from $1.04 billion in 2018 to $1.40 billion in 2023.
We are today amongst the most preferred arbitration seats in the world.
The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) administers many cases which do not have a connection directly to Singapore. It shows their international reach. The Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC) also has an increasing caseload. In fact, last year, it had its most number of cases since it started operations. The Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) saw an increased caseload as well last year, up by about 30%.
Our IP regime and innovation environment are also internationally recognised. We were ranked top in Asia and fifth in the world in the 2023 Global Innovation Index. But as Mr Murali says, we should not rest on our laurels. Indeed, we cannot because we are facing a challenging and competitive external environment. If we do not continually improve, others will come in, fill the gap and take our space. Sir, MinLaw is therefore working to improve our value proposition in a number of ways.
First, we need to continue strengthening our legal hub. Our approach is a very practical one – to ensure that parties' commercial needs are met and we ensure party autonomy as far as possible, whether in the choice of law; choice of forum for dispute resolution, be it mediation, arbitration or the Singapore courts, including SICC; as well as the choice of counsel. We are also plugged in to the latest trends and developments, so that we can quickly move to update our laws and it moves in tandem with evolving mercantile needs.
Let me give two examples.
First, we introduced various enhancements in international arbitration, which Mr Zhulkarnain mentioned. In 2020, we provided a default mode of appointment of arbitrators in multi-party arbitration and recognised that the arbitral tribunal and the High Court have the power to enforce confidentiality obligations amongst the parties. In 2017 and 2022, we introduced additional funding options that were available in some other international arbitration centres, such as third-party funding and conditional fee agreements.
Second, the Singapore Convention on Mediation (SCM) also mentioned by Mr Zhulkarnain, provides a uniform and efficient framework for parties to enforce their mediated settlement agreements across borders. Currently, there are 56 signatories and, as of today, 14 Parties, including Sri Lanka, who just ratified the Convention two days ago.
We have been actively encouraging countries to adopt the SCM and to promote mediation, through events and trainings, some of which, we do overseas as well. And we do this because, as the number of Convention Parties grow, mediation will also become more attractive for businesses. Singapore parties who trade with parties from any other Convention country, will be able to effectively use mediation as a means to resolve their disputes. This can translate into time and cost savings, not to mention the preservation of goodwill and relationship.
We are also involved in shaping international instruments, which may impact or potentially benefit Singapore. For instance, the Hague Judgments Convention. MinLaw participated in the negotiations from 2015 until its completion in 2019, because we recognised its potential to increase enforceability overseas of Singapore judgments in commercial or civil matters. To Mr Murali Pillai's specific query, we are now assessing whether to sign on and on what terms we will do so.
Along with a good legal framework, we need a robust, strong legal profession to serve businesses – law firms and lawyers, who can be trusted advisors to help businesses navigate different legal systems. On this, we aim to anchor top international law firms to strengthen our foreign and international law offerings; as well as continue to maintain a strong core of Singapore law practices. I am heartened to see Singapore law practices expanding their presence and networks overseas.
As I mentioned at the outset, Singapore is a small market. Our population is 5.5 million. So, we need to view the region as our hinterland. ASEAN alone has a population of about 660 million and fast growing. Asia, about 4.7 billion. And both these regions are the beneficiaries of increasing foreign direct investments. So, MinLaw is committed to supporting our law firms in their internationalisation efforts.
One of the key markets, to give you an example, is China. We introduced the Singapore-Shanghai Lawyers Exchange Programme together with the Law Society last year. Our firms in Singapore hosted the inaugural batch of 10 Shanghai lawyers. We received feedback that this helped them to better understand the Singapore legal market and form new connections. And in turn, our Singapore lawyers through interaction with the Chinese lawyers, also understand the Chinese legal market better. They also formed new connections. Later this year, we will be sending our Singapore lawyers to Shanghai on the return leg of the exchange programme.
This programme will help them also build networks, understand the nuances of doing business in a foreign jurisdiction and strengthen their value proposition as a lawyer. If there is demand, we will explore similar programmes with other jurisdictions.
Our support also extends to smaller firms. As Mr Raj Joshua Thomas highlighted a moment ago, they are an important part for our legal ecosystem. Many of our small firms have deep expertise in niche areas and some of them take on international, high-value work. In fact, most of the Singapore lawyers who are going on this Shanghai exchange that I spoke about, come from smaller firms.
Mr Thomas also asked how we can support small firms, joining practices together to form a larger entity. Small Singapore practices can come together to form Singapore group practices with other freestanding law practices now, if they wish. This enables firms to reach broader, allow them to reap benefits of co-branding, reap economies of scale in office as well as resource costs.
Besides law firms, we are also look at developing our lawyers – from the time they enter law school, right through to when they go into practice and beyond.
Last month, the Working Group for the Reform of Legal Education made recommendations on legal education and training. Essentially, to keep pace with developments and shifts in other jurisdictions.
One recommendation was to enhance the coverage of civil law concepts. Why? We see this as an important area, because more than half of Singapore's top trading partners operate in civil law jurisdictions.
Earlier, we also accepted the Committee for the Professional Training of Lawyers' recommendations aimed at lifting overall standards. One key recommendation – to lengthen the practice training period from six months to one year – will be implemented this year.
Ms Nadia Samdin asked about the readiness of the firms and students. In fact, Ms Samdin would recall that we announced this in 2018, some six years ago, precisely to give sufficient lead time to trainees and firms to make that transition. It was to have come into effect last year, but we deferred it by one year, taking into account the impact of COVID-19, as well as industry feedback.
These changes, overall, will help our lawyers better meet the challenges of competition. However, as we all know, learning should not stop, even after one is called to the Bar and out in practice. Legal practice is always evolving, as the world keeps moving and commercial needs keep evolving.
As Deputy Prime Minister Wong emphasised in his Budget speech, we also need to equip our workers for life, likewise lawyers. For the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which is applicable to all Singaporeans aged 40 and above, this programme will also apply to legal professionals.
Besides broad-based support, MinLaw has also introduced specific, targeted support for the legal industry. Let me give some examples. For instance, Ms Nadia Samdin would be pleased to know that we have introduced a secondment programme for young lawyers.
These secondments seek to provide young lawyers with exposure to high-growth areas in our economy, such as block-chain technology, as well as international sustainability financing. This allows our lawyers to deepen industry knowledge and skillsets, also build contacts and networks with the relevant industry path makers.
And we will do our best to create opportunities for young lawyers, but they will need to also step up to seize these opportunities. Indeed, Ms Nadia Samdin spoke about the challenges faced by young lawyers, including the intensified pace of work that they experience today.
This is feedback that we have heard in our regular engagements with young lawyers. Those of us who are lawyers in this Chamber were once young lawyers, maybe some are still young lawyers, we know that sometimes, practice can be challenging, clients are demanding, hours are long. And we should collectively do our best to improve the work culture, allow for more mentoring of young lawyers, guide them in the profession, expose them to opportunities.
But we also have to recognise the reality that we have to live with. We live in a globalised world today, I spoke about the competition earlier. We are competing with not just the lawyers within Singapore, but also from overseas. If we are not careful, we will lose our competitive edge and lose work and our market share to other jurisdictions. Fundamentally though, I think our young lawyers are resilient, very forward looking, very determined to do well.
So, on our part, we will continue to enhance our legal industry and seek out opportunities for young lawyers.
These efforts, overall, will also deepen the strength of our legal industry, which Mr Murali Pillai highlighted, and ensure that Singapore continues to be a strong legal hub, one that encourages businesses, including MNCs, to choose Singapore for their operations and meet their legal needs.
Finally, a few words on technology, which Mr Christopher de Souza, as well as Mr Zhulkarnain spoke about – the use technology to work smarter and meet complex demands. Generative artificial intelligence, or GenAI, has received attention recently, some good, some not so good. We will continue to encourage law practices to embrace technology to help them level up.
Members will know that we introduced the Legal Technology Platform (LTP) for lawyers previously. In October 2023, MinLaw and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) introduced the Legal Industry Digital Plan (IDP), and as part of the Legal IDP, we identified tools that will help automate knowledge work. For example, document review and assembly tools can drastically cut down the time needed for some rote tasks. Lawyers can then be freed up to do higher-value work, or client-facing work. And the IDP is designed to work in tandem with the LTP.
We are also looking to include tools in our current grant, the Productivity Solution Grant for the Legal Sector, to help Singapore law firms level up on the technology front.
Sir, let me now turn to our strategies in intellectual property, or IP. The value of an enterprise now increasingly lies in IP and intangible assets, or IA. This can be seen from the increase in IP filings globally. In Singapore, our patent filings grew by 40% and our trademark filings grew by 35% over the last decade. It is, thus, important for us to continue to maintain a strong regime that is business-friendly and very forward-looking as well.
In recent years, we have updated our laws to keep pace with developments. In 2021, we overhauled the Copyright Act, in light of new technologies and also market developments in the digital age. In 2022, we made amendments to improve the IP registration processes, made it more business-friendly.
Our Courts have also contributed with important jurisprudence, such as the I-Admin decision that changed the law on breach of confidence. But having a strong network and protecting IP is really just the beginning for us. What will add value to a business is the ability to commercialise and monetise their IP, and use it as a stepping stone to grow their businesses.
MinLaw, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) therefore launched the Singapore IP Strategy or SIPS 2030 in 2021. SIPS 2030 is designed to help enterprises unlock the value of their IA and their IP; spur innovation in the economy, as Mr de Souza said; and also support overall economic growth, particularly for the small and medium enterprises.
We will better support businesses in their IP journey. And let me give Members some examples of the programmes that the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has. Last September, IPOS launched GoBusiness IP Grow, an online platform with a wealth of IP resources, including free tools, guides, programmes, as well as access to Government grants. This adds to existing programmes, such as the IP Business, as well as the Legal Clinics.
IP is also important for youths, budding entrepreneurs and arts creators, as Ms Nadia Samdin mentioned. To increase awareness, IPOS has a wide range of resources on various platforms made available and it constantly refreshes and updates them in response to market trends.
For example, we have the recent AskTheExpert video series on copyright and trademark matters. IPOS also works with industry partners to support microbusinesses, as well as freelancers. And often it is this segment of society or the economy, who are not able to unlock the value in their own IP.
So, IPOS, for example, has worked with the National Library Board and the Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association Singapore, and we held a session recently for creators to come together, and learn from IPOS on how to better protect their works with IP. This helps them level up, monetise and go further.
As I mentioned, it is also critical to support growing businesses with more sophisticated IP strategies and management processes. In September last year, IPOS launched IP Ready. This pairs local businesses with experts, coming together to develop IP strategies in a curated way, institutionalise IP management processes, and also, overall, help to build IP capacity to sustain business growth.
IP Ready will support the development of key innovation sectors, such as the information and communications technology (ICT) as well as the biomedical technology.
We will also support businesses in monetising the value of IP and other intangible assets. Last September, we launched the Intangibles Disclosure Framework, which helps businesses disclose their IA in a systematic and consistent manner.
We are also working on guidelines for valuing these IA, so that there is a common platform and a common standard and then, that value and the way that you use the value to monetise, can be interoperable across different markets. Together, these initiatives will help businesses and investors appreciate and leverage on the true value of a business' IA.
Sir, before I conclude, let me touch on the Community Dispute Management Framework, an issue that Mr de Souza, Mr Lim Biow Chuan, Mr Sitoh Yih Pin and Mr Derrick Goh spoke about. Sir, we understand and agree with the points which Members have made. It is also important that we tackle community disputes quickly, before the disputes become intractable, causing irreparable rifts in society. This rift could then lead to neighbourly friction and ultimately, loosen the threads in the fabric of our cohesion.
As Members know, we have been working on a revised framework to address this issue. This will come in three parts.
One, the Ministry of National Development (MND) has been stepping up efforts to promote and encourage, as well as enforce pro-social norms upstream and will also set up a dedicated team of personnel to respond on the ground, something I will come back to in a moment.
Second, mandating mediation in the appropriate cases.
And third, where parties end up at the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT), we want to enhance the processes and the powers of the CDRT to make it a far more expedient and efficient process.
Let me start with mediation, which Members will agree is effective and particularly useful in community disputes, mainly because we are dealing with disputes between two known parties or neighbours and sometimes, the disputes have a strong emotional undercurrent as well. These are parties who will continue to have to live side by side and probably see each other every day.
So, rather than look at a legal right or legal wrong in a vacuum, mediation helps to bring parties together, look at the bigger picture, look at the overall relationship, and come to reach an understanding and compromise on the matter far more easily. This also helps to keep the parties on good terms.
The Community Mediation Centre (CMC) has, therefore, increased the number of volunteer mediators by 15% over the past year, in anticipation of such increasing cases, given that we are mandating mediation. Today, we have close to 160 volunteer mediators and we will continue to grow this pool.
The CMC has also set up satellite mediation venues in the neighbourhoods, so that residents can take part in mediation closer to their homes. In the past year, we have grown the number of satellite centres from six to 10 and have plans to add more in the neighbourhoods. CMC has also started using Zoom for mediation, in the appropriate cases, to make mediation even more accessible.
To drive more cases towards an early and amicable settlement, we will, therefore, mandate mediation in appropriate cases. This is in line with the suggestion that some Members have spoken about. So, the dedicated response team that I mentioned earlier will be given powers to come onto the ground, understand the problem, triage and identify suitable cases, and direct the neighbours to go to mediation.
In many community disputes cases, quick intervention can often help to prevent the matter from escalating further, before emotions set in and parties become intractable in their positions. So, apart from mandating parties to attend mediation, this team will also, in the appropriate cases, be present on site at the location of the disamenity and will be empowered to issue warnings and advisories.
If this team is satisfied that there is evidence of persistent nuisance or otherwise egregious conduct, it can also issue an abatement order, which is a direction for the particular nuisance to stop, pending a mediation or a CDRT adjudication. Non-compliance with an abatement order will be an offence.
We are now preparing to set up this dedicated team of officers, which will take some time. But for a start, we intend for this unit to cover community disamenities, like noise and hoarding, which could have a serious impact on community harmony.
Finally, as I have said earlier, it is not ideal for neighbours to turn to litigation immediately to deal with a community dispute. Hence, going to the CDRT should really be a measure of last resort, only if all the other upstream intervention measures that I spoke about do not yield a successful outcome.
But for those who have to turn to the CDRT, it probably means you have gone through a process, you are unable to resolve it and it has been an issue for some time. We want to turn the CDRT process into: one, that allows parties to obtain relief quickly and effectively. We have, therefore been working closely with the CDRT to identify several process areas which we will improve.
For example, in serious cases, the CDRT will be empowered to make interim orders on an expedited basis and based on a lower threshold. This will allow affected residents to obtain quick relief, even as the case awaits a full hearing.
This framework has been the subject of public consultations. On these ideas, generally the responses have been positive and supportive, and we will take onboard this feedback, make some adjustments as may be appropriate, and frame the legislation, because these measures will require legislative support. And we are targeting to introduce this later this year. Further details will be shared in due course.
Sir, I thank the various Members for their comments and suggestions and I look forward to their continued support for MinLaw's work.
Mr Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law (Ms Rahayu Mahzam): Mr Chairman, the last key thrust of MinLaw’s work relates to state assets.
The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) plays a key role as custodian of state land and property, optimising land resources for our economic and social development. We continue to plan for the long term, to optimise our limited land and invest in our shared tomorrow.
Mr Patrick Tay asked how SLA optimises state assets to meet market needs. SLA remains continually attuned to market needs through extensive engagements, in order to unlock the value of state land and properties.
A few examples of SLA’s innovations and curation of new uses include: the former St Andrew’s Mission Hospital in Tanjong Pagar which will be transformed into a creative lifestyle space. SLA has also made available state properties such as 79 to 95 Hindoo Road and 26 Evans Road to meet the emergent demand for co-living spaces.
We also recognise that spaces play an important role in forging social cohesion and promoting social good in our community. SLA has been repurposing spaces to serve the community. One example is The Foundry at 11 Prinsep Link, which was the former Elections Department office building. This space will be a collective impact hub that houses social purpose organisations.
The Foundry was set up in partnership with The Majurity Trust, Tote Board and the recently launched Singapore Government Partnership Office, and will facilitate the gathering of non-profit startups and social sector partners. Bringing these partners together in a common space will create strong synergies to encourage civic participation. It will act as a base for non-profit organisations and social sector enablers to come together to incubate ideas, drive impactful innovation and build communities.
Another new site is the former Kampong Chai Chee community centre. We have launched a tender to create a new space for social activities and interaction among diverse communities. We are seeking innovative ideas for facilities and programming that will appeal to residents.
On Ms Usha Chandradas’ comment relating to use by arts groups, SLA works with our partner agencies to identify suitable properties for arts uses. In general, SLA will consider factors such as market demand for the specific use, as well as feedback from community and stakeholders, including partner agencies. The rental of state properties to arts tenants will be based on the assessed market rate for such arts-related uses.
Mr Leong Mun Wai asked about SLA’s management of state land and properties, in particular heritage bungalows. Mr Leong and Mr Patrick Tay also asked about the occupancy rates of state properties.
Many of the points raised by Mr Leong were already addressed in Parliament last year. The occupancy rates for residential heritage bungalows from January 2017 to January 2023 were shared publicly last year. In addition, the overall occupancy rate for usable state properties is published annually.
In financial year 2022, the occupancy rate for all usable state properties was 99%. This is publicly available information published in MOF’s Budget Book. So, the Member’s statements relate to the remaining 1%.
Let me recap some of the points that were shared previously. Occupancy rates of state properties generally move in tandem with changes in market conditions. When market conditions are weak and the demand for leasing is low, occupancy rates will generally be lower, as was the case for the Ridout Road estate in 2018, when a number of bungalows in that and other estates were vacant. In addition, for heritage bungalows in particular, the pool of potential tenants is limited, because tenants often have to put in considerable additional work to install modern amenities to make the property more liveable.
SLA’s approach is to make basic additions to ensure that the properties are in a reasonably good condition so that tenants are able to reside in these properties safely. The incoming tenant will also retrofit and enhance the property based on their preferences. Since the tenant will have to spend a fair bit of money, that reduces the pool of tenants further.
SLA will install modern amenities and facilities for selected properties, where the overall circumstances make it advantageous to do so. We have and will continue to rejuvenate properties, with an external private sector partner where possible to place-make the area.
It would, however, not be the best use of public resources to always renovate properties to a high standard before a tenant is found. This is because the condition of the property will deteriorate if there is no take-up such as in a poor market. Taxpayers' money would have to be used again, to redo some works and carry out additional works, when a tenant is found. It is also wasteful and inefficient if we retrofit a property in a particular way only for the tenant to redo it in a different way.
It was also explained in detail that SLA deploys state properties to a variety of different uses. Likewise, the surrounding state land is used in a variety of ways, having regard to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Master Plan.
While we continue to retain heritage bungalows for their original residential use on the market, some have been demolished as a cluster to make way for newer developments. Others have been re-purposed for different uses, such as commercial and retail. These are subject to the URA Master Plans.
If the heritage bungalows are located amidst or amongst an area zoned for landed properties, removing the properties or redeveloping them and the land around them would not change the area much. The cleared land can only be similarly used for low intensity development.
It should be kept in mind that SLA’s portfolio of state properties cannot be directly compared to that of a typical private commercial landlord, as SLA manages a number of heritage bungalows which are conserved or marked for study for conservation.
SLA has carefully broadened the usage and deployment of its properties to meet the evolving needs of Singapore over time. A judicious balance continues to be needed, between protecting heritage properties in Singapore and redeveloping them altogether.
SLA diversifies the management of its portfolio to include private sector managing agents as they are professional organisations, experienced in managing properties in the public and private markets. Today, overall, the total revenue collected by SLA from state properties significantly exceeds the total maintenance cost incurred.
Sir, turning to geospatial technology, this is a crucial tool to optimise land use, enhance productivity and advance new ways of working and living.
On the issue of building local capability in geospatial data, SLA will be launching the refreshed Singapore Geospatial Master Plan in March this year. Building on the first Geospatial Master Plan, this will guide our national geospatial initiatives over the next decade. The Master Plan has three priority areas.
First, to mainstream geospatial information and technology to benefit Singaporeans in their daily lives. One initiative is the introduction of barrier-free routes in OneMap. These routes have been piloted with more than 100 wheelchair users, covering about 1,100 kilometres across nine planning areas, including Gardens by the Bay and the Orchard Road precinct. This will help make Singapore a more inclusive society for persons with disabilities.
Second, to deepen Singapore’s geospatial capabilities to support national needs. SLA will conduct the third national aerial mapping exercise to capture and update Singapore in 3D in March this year. This supports strategic use cases, such as urban planning, national security, coastal protection and flood mitigation.
To address Ms Nadia Samdin’s query on harnessing AI, SLA launched the OneMap GPT Challenge with IMDA in October 2023. This explored the usage of GenAI technology to enhance OneMap’s usefulness and relevance to the daily lives of Singaporeans.
Third, to project Singapore’s leadership in geospatial development globally. Since 2022, SLA has been co-chairing the UN Expert Group on Land Administration and Management. This is a strong recognition of Singapore’s achievements in maintaining a robust framework and mapping technology for land registration and ownership management.
We have been sharing our experience and contributing to the global shift towards using geospatial information and technologies to address climate change challenges, such as coastal protection and flood mitigation.
I turn now to speak about strengthening our criminal justice system, a point which Mr Patrick Tay had asked about.
Earlier this month, Parliament passed the Criminal Procedure Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill. The amendments were significant and focused on: protecting the public by strengthening our levers to tackle crime, including serious sexual crime; and enhancing transparency, fairness and coherence in our criminal court processes.
Key amendments included: setting out a clear legislative framework on the conduct of forensic medical examinations; the introduction of a new sentence for enhanced public protection to better protect the public from dangerous offenders; and the introduction of new provisions on criminal disclosure to provide greater clarity, certainty and coherence.
Together, these amendments will facilitate more effective criminal investigations, enhance public protection and result in greater transparency and fairness in criminal proceedings.
Separately, the inter-agency Sentencing Advisory Panel, which MinLaw is represented on, alongside stakeholders such as the Courts, the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Public Defender's Office and the Defence Bar, issued its first Guidelines on Reduction in Sentences for Guilty Pleas in August last year. The Guidelines provide more clarity, consistency and transparency to existing sentencing practice. They are intended to encourage accused persons who wish to plead guilty to do so earlier. This has significant benefits, especially for victims, as they can find closure sooner and are spared the need to testify in court.
Sir, I will now elaborate on our efforts in ensuring access to justice and build on what Minister Shanmugam mentioned earlier.
First, for our civil legal aid scheme and criminal defence aid scheme, we will be revising the quantum of eligibility thresholds for per capita household income (PCHI) and annual value (AV). This is in light of the increase in household income and property value in recent years. The PCHI thresholds will be increased for civil legal aid from $950 to $1,050, and for criminal defence aid from $1,500 to $1,650. The AV threshold for both types of aid will also be increased from $13,000 to $21,000, in line with MOF’s revision of the AV threshold for social assistance schemes. This will cover all Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. We are working towards implementing these changes by the second quarter of this year.
On a related note, Mr Derrick Goh had asked whether exceptions are being considered for those who do not meet the means test criteria. We will continue to exercise flexibility for deserving cases. For instance, a Means Test Panel appointed by the Minister can consider and recommend aid be granted to applicants who cannot afford basic legal services due to extenuating circumstances.
Next, we are simplifying the application process for divorce matters in the Syariah Court. In November 2023, LAB launched eBantu. Applicants can use eBantu to get an estimate of the nafkah iddah and mutaah claimable. eBantu also uses a series of guided questions to help the applicant fill in originating documents. This can help applicants minimise form-filling errors, and be better informed of their rights and entitlements.
We are looking to translate the tool into the Malay language in the next phase of development. This is related to the point that our services need to be accessible to non-English speakers, which was also mentioned by Ms Sylvia Lim.
When an applicant approaches MinLaw for services, we will try to find officers who speak the applicant’s preferred language to assist the applicant. If this is not possible, we will find other ways to get translation done.
MinLaw also has non-English versions of brochures relating to some of our services.
In addition, MinLaw is also looking at making it easier for litigants to enforce their judgments, as said by Mr Vikram Nair and Mr Patrick Tay. We have received feedback that sometimes, the time and costs spent to enforce judgments may be disproportionate to the outcome. It may simply not be worth the effort to seek enforcement of lower-value judgments.
One of the issues is that the current civil enforcement process is overly reliant on the compliance and cooperation of the judgment debtors.
Under the Rules of Court, the current process to locate and identify a judgment debtor’s assets is for the judgment debtor to be examined in Court on his or her assets. However, the effectiveness of this procedure is dependent on the truthfulness and cooperation of the judgment debtor. An uncooperative judgment debtor could provide selective or insufficient information, or wear down the judgment creditor by failing to turn up for hearings or bring the required documents.
We are thus studying potential enhancements, such as giving the Court greater powers to identify the assets and means of judgment debtors, to help the judgment creditor decide whether and how to enforce the judgment. We are also looking to introduce new powers to deter and punish non-compliance with court orders and to streamline further the process of civil enforcement.
Mr Vikram Nair had asked about the status of these proposed reforms. MinLaw has made good progress on refining its proposals, having sought inputs from various stakeholders in the past year. We target to introduce the Bill later this year and will provide details in due course.
Another area which MinLaw and the FJC have been working on is probate and intestacy matters. The FJC launched its Probate e-Service in 2023 for straightforward probate applications where the estate is not more than $2 million. In response to Mr Murali Pillai on the potential expansion of its scope, the FJC will monitor its use first, as the e-Service was only introduced recently.
Separately, the FJC also intends to roll out its revamped Family Justice Rules later this year, which will simplify and streamline the rules on family proceedings, including probate and intestacy proceedings.
On other possible areas for law reforms, I thank Mr Murali Pillai for his suggestions. Given the full slate of work outlined earlier, which MinLaw is committed to delivering, some of these reviews will have a longer tail.
To round off the MinLaw Committee of Supply (COS), let me highlight the key thrusts of our work. We will in 2024 strive to increase access to justice for more in the community, especially the most vulnerable; strengthen Singapore's position as a leading international legal services hub and seize new opportunities; and finally, optimise our state assets and leverage geospatial technology to support the economy and serve the community.
The Chairman: We have some time for clarifications. Ms Hany Soh.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Mr Chairman, my clarifications concern the Family Justice Reform's MEP component which Minister shared earlier that it will rolled out in stages.
In this regard, I wish to find out what will be the Ministry's efforts when the MEP is being rolled out in stages to ensure that there is sufficient awareness on the ground, particularly the litigant-in-person, to make sure that they know where to seek help and what will be the procedures in line.
Mr K Shanmugam: Sir, the MEP is part of the court process, whether it is a litigant-in-person or whether it is a lawyer. Lawyers will be expected to know the Act, the provisions, the powers. For a litigant-in-person, the primary touchpoint will be the Courts, because the MEOs report to the Court and that is where he will get the information. The Courts will be expected to talk to the litigant-in-person and this is one process that is available. So, through both the legal process as well as physically in the Courts, the information will be available.
Beyond that, we work with community partners. For example, last year, there was a major conference on these developments and the non-government organisation SG Her Empowerment, or SHE, partnered the Ministry in having the conference, and the Family Justice Reform Act was widely discussed. We will continue to do more of that.
The Chairman: Mr Raj Joshua Thomas.
Mr Raj Joshua Thomas (Nominated Member): Thank you, Sir. I just wanted to clarify on my speech earlier. I think I said 580 cases out of 1,300 were ineligible. Actually, it should be 580 were eligible.
Separately, I have got two clarifications. The Minister mentioned that there were about 440 cases that were handled by PDO and by CLAS as well. May I ask for clarification as to whether CLAS assesses cases on its own separately? What criteria does CLAS use and will the threshold changes apply to how CLAS assesses whether it should be giving aid as well?
Mr K Shanmugam: I think those questions are best addressed to the Law Society. But broadly, what the Member can assume that those cases that do not qualify through the means testing of PDO, go to CLAS. And CLAS has its own set of criteria. CLAS, for example, has the power to act for non-citizens, whereas PDO will only act for citizens.
The Chairman: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Thank you, Chairman. I have a clarification for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ms Rahayu Mahzam on the access for non-English speakers.
Earlier on, she mentioned that there are brochures in different languages and indeed, it is true for some of the departments. But what I noted that was also very good that MinLaw did was that for the Community Mediation Centres, there are videos in different languages which are also narrated in the different languages and subtitled. So, this is very useful for our older residents.
I was hoping that MinLaw could also consider having videos in other aspects of community legal services so that we can direct our residents to watch them.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for her suggestion. Indeed, I think that would be a useful endeavour. We will take this back and see how best we can enhance this further.
The Chairman: Mr Christopher de Souza.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): I thank Minister Edwin Tong for his response in relation to the IP hub. First, I declare I am a lawyer in private practice and part of my practice encompasses IP.
I think in order for us to become a solid IP hub, we need to ramp up our ability to value intangible assets. If I may be permitted just to give an example. Most of the cases that go to Court are trademark infringement, patent infringement, copyright infringement. And then, assuming the plaintiff wins, he has got a judgment saying that his patent has been infringed, there is actually a dearth of case law on how to value that infringement. There is a dearth of case law globally, regionally.
If we want to become an IP hub, what we really need, in my humble view, is to increase our ability to monetise and value that IP. Nowadays, so much of what companies' asset is, is in intellectual property; it is not in the building, it is not in the bricks and mortar. It is in the trade secrets, it is in the confidential information.
So, I would like to know, in order to advance Singapore's position as an IP hub, what are we doing to bolster our valuation of IP capability and thereby attracting people here to dispute their IP, to protect their IP and to advance their IP.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: Sir, Mr Christopher de Souza is indeed right. If you take the Standard and Poor's 500 list of companies as an example, over the last five, 10, 15 years, a growing number of those companies reported that the majority of their assets are in intangible assets, no longer brick and mortar. And that is the trend. I think we have to be ahead of the curve if we want to be an IP hub that is of value to the business community.
Indeed, also Mr Christopher de Souza is right that valuing it, how you do valuation, what standards, what parameters you look at, what are some of the features of an intangible asset that ought to go into valuation – all that has to be looked at.
So, as I mentioned in my speech earlier, we are working with MOF and MTI, three Ministries coming together, to look at the landscape. In valuation, what is important is you must have a clear, objectively assessed and accepted standard. If you do not have that across different jurisdictions, different markets, it is going to be very hard for something to be marketed, to be monetised or even if you want to use it to raise money, raise capital or provide security, it is going to be difficult.
So, the first thing that we have got to do is to agree on a set of standards and that is what we are working on now, working with leading industry professionals, not just in Singapore, but elsewhere in other jurisdictions, coming together.
When we can do that, then, we will begin to build on that body of case law that Mr Christopher de Souza mentioned, because then, you will have cases that deal with transactions of intangible assets and how they are valued. You then have industry experts coming forward to give expert evidence on how to value intangible assets, in the same way as we now have industry experts who can quite easily value property and other types of assets.
So, that is the trajectory that we are on. It is not something we can jump forward ahead by ourselves because what we do and how we do it has necessarily got to be done in tandem with other jurisdictions and other markets.
The Chairman: Mr Christopher de Souza.
Mr Christopher de Souza: I thank the Minister for his response. I would like to put on record that indeed, IPOS has been doing quite a lot of effort on this. You see a lot of seminars. They are trying to go into valuation of intangible assets. So, I acknowledge the work of IPOS and its ecosystem.
But if we can steal the march, as it were, if we can be ahead of the curve in different regions, then, this can really be an asset valuation hub and give that fillip and advantage to Singapore being an IP hub. I wanted to put that on record.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: And I want to assure the Member that that indeed is our aspiration. We do want to be ahead of the curve and that is why we have set up the framework. We have set up our working committee amongst the different Ministries, working with industry professionals and experts from around the world, precisely to do that.
The Chairman: Ms Nadia Samdin.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, I would like to thank Minister Edwin Tong for hearing and acknowledging some of the stresses faced by young lawyers. I would just like to go back to the clarification which I sought.
I understand that the Ministry has decided that we are not going to prescribe a minimum quantum in terms of the honorarium which trainees will receive during this lengthened training period, but that the Ministry as well as Law Society was looking into granting leave days and medical leave to support trainees during this extended one-year period. May I please ask for an update on that?
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: Yes, we do not think we should prescribe how much each trainee will be paid across this duration. That is something that they can work out with the firms at which they are training.
But we can and we have worked with Law Society to see what additional support can be given and whether it is in terms of leave days or indeed the mentoring scheme that Law Society has put in place. All of these are options for young lawyers whilst at training to level up and to be supported on their journey of learning as they seek to qualify and get called to the Bar.
If the Member has other suggestions, as she often does, we are very happy to work with her, bring them on board and also work with the Law Society to ensure that our young lawyers benefit from these programmes.
The Chairman: Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman. I have three questions for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary.
First question, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that the rental income from the state properties far exceed the maintenance cost. Can I specifically ask for the total rental income and total maintenance cost attributable to the black and white bungalows?
Second question, what are the various plans under study now to manage the black and white bungalows to generate a higher return for the Government and, in turn, for the taxpayers? How is the Ministry going to publicise these plans? Because the feeling is that currently, there is not much publicity on the heritage properties and how to invite more Singaporeans or investors to come and suggest ideas to better the performance on these bungalows.
Third question, as an overall strategy, is there a review on whether there is a need to preserve so many black and white bungalows for heritage purposes?
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: Chairman, I would just like to give a few responses to address Mr Leong Mun Wai's questions.
Firstly, I just want to highlight that the issue in relation to the black and white bungalows and the details that have been asked have been something we have repeatedly addressed in Parliament last year as well as the various questions that Mr Leong Mun Wai had also put up.
Suffice to say that the key thing is this. There were assertions Mr Leong made about the management of SLA in respect of these properties. We have also specified and explained quite rigorously and I have also repeated that in the bulk of my speech to explain how efforts are being taken in managing this, in making sure that we do not necessarily overspend or waste resources.
I think this actually shows how we have taken great efforts in managing the assets and, as you can see, the figures that I have also given, a large percentage of them are occupied. And we have indicated that the rental that is received far exceeds the maintenance.
Mr Leong had also suggested that, perhaps, there is not enough publicity or information about the efforts that SLA is doing in managing state assets and optimising the resources we have. I actually spent a bulk of my speech explaining all the different uses and the different efforts we are taking with different partners.
I think that goes to show that there is a lot of thought put into it. It also ties in with the last question he raised about the overall strategy in deciding what to keep, what not to keep. I have also mentioned that in my speech because it is looking at the overall portfolio and deciding what are the best measures to take in light of the uses that are relevant at that time and in light of the partners that we are working with.
So, I believe a lot of this has already been addressed in my speech and I just want to re-assert the point that SLA takes a lot of effort in looking at the overall market, the overall demands of the nation in the decisions they make in the management of these.
The Chairman: Ms Usha Chandradas.
Ms Usha Chandradas (Nominated Member): Thank you, Chairman. I have two clarifications for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu. I thank her for her detailed response to my question.
My first clarification, if I understand the Senior Parliamentary Secretary correctly, is it the case that presently, no rental subsidies are provided by SLA to tenants that are either artists or arts groups? And if that is the case, would SLA be open to reconsidering this position, given the important role that arts groups play in place-making in Singapore?
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I note the Member's concern in this space. The rental subsidies are administered and managed by the agencies that are overseeing that sector. So, the feedback that you have raised and the concerns that she has raised, I would have to take it back to the different agencies and we can see what other support can be provided.
The Chairman: Minister Edwin Tong, do you want to add to that?
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: I thought I would jump in because if we do not answer it now, you might ask me during the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) COS. So, I thought I might as well deal with it now.
Indeed, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu is right. For the arts spaces, they are managed centrally by the agencies, in this case, the National Arts Council (NAC). As the Member knows, NAC has the Arts Housing Scheme over different versions. I will not go into detail now, but depending on the size of the company, the nature of the artist, NAC has a programme where it subvents at the central level. So, it gives a subsidy at the central level, not through SLA because it comes through NAC. And when NAC is of the view that this company or this artist adds value in terms of the field of art or is able to place-make, amongst other considerations, it then decides on subventing the particular group or groups. That is how the arts companies and artists get their subvention – not directly from SLA but through NAC. I hope that clarifies.
The Chairman: Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Chairman, I agree with the Senior Parliamentary Secretary that since the Ministerial Statement last year on Ridout Road, a lot more information has emerged about the black and white bungalows. But that does not mean that there is no further information that Singaporeans would like to know.
For example, up to today I do not think the Ministry has shared what is the total income derived and what is the total maintenance cost spent on managing the black and white bungalows, and what is the total land area occupied by the black and white bungalows and all that.
So, these are questions that Singaporeans would like to know and if enough information is being given, then we can assess better whether we have a big underutilised asset here or not.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I note that the Member is really quite pre-occupied with the details and the specifics, and he has repeatedly asked these questions.
But I think the point we are making is this. At the end of the day, what is the larger point that is being made? And our concern is the larger assertion that is being made that there is mismanagement, that SLA is not doing its part in ensuring that there is proper utilisation, optimisation of the state assets, state properties. That is something that is more important for us to debunk.
The truth is we have given a lot of other facts to show that the market dictates some points like the occupancy rates, vacancy rates. All these are things that we have already highlighted to Mr Leong. We have also explained what are the considerations that SLA takes into account in deciding what to do with the different portfolios, the different state assets and state properties that it has in its bucket.
I think there is a distinction between just vulgar curiosity and actually what are the assertions that are being made on this front. And I am really concerned because I think at the end of the day, it has been repeated many times that SLA has not been looking at this thoroughly, has not been managing this well. I think that is something that is most important for us to address. Which is why I have repeatedly explained that the assets have been managed, we have explained how SLA does this, what SLA takes into account in dealing with these matters. And I think it is important for us to understand and reiterate the point that there is optimisation, there is proper management of the state assets and state properties.
The Chairman: We are approaching the guillotine time. So, for any further clarifications, please keep it short. Mr Leong.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Chairman, I just want to make one point. It may not be a clarification in the strict definition. But we did not start off stating that SLA has mismanaged the properties. We were just raising questions. And we want answers to the questions. A lot of things have been said, but there are still many questions that are unanswered.
So, that is the state of affairs. We did not start off saying that SLA has mismanaged this or mismanaged that, but we are saying that there are questions.
So, if you can provide the answers, then you will be able to erase the doubts in the minds of many Singaporeans.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I will take note of Mr Leong's suggestions, but I do want to also highlight that in your speech you did indicate that there were areas that SLA could look into in improving and you did say that it could do better, suggesting that there were some gaps in the things that have been done. So, that is where I draw reference from.
But I do note that things constantly evolve, there may be developments and there may be updates that we can give. So, over time, that is something that we are prepared to do and provide information that is relevant to address concerns that Singaporeans and yourself may have.
The Chairman: Ms Usha Chandradas, did you raise your hand earlier? I think we have time for one more clarification.
Ms Usha Chandradas: Thank you, Mr Chairman. Just a very quick statement. I thank the Minister and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their comments. I just wanted to clarify that I am well aware of NAC's very, very good initiatives on arts housing, but what I have heard from artists on the ground is that demand for these schemes far exceeds the supply. So, the reason why I was raising this query through a cut for MinLaw was to see whether SLA could expand the scope of what it does and consider extending some subsidies to arts groups.
I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for her confirmation that this is something that she will take into consideration.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: I thank Ms Usha Chandradas for saying that the scheme is really good. I hope you will say that again at the MCCY COS.
But the point is noted and, in most cases, the demand, especially for land in Singapore, does outstrip the supply. That is one of the challenges we face, not just in the arts sector, but really across a number of different sectors, including the sports sector.
What we do through the scheme is to best optimise it, to understand the needs of the landscape. So, for example, we do not just give the land or the arts spaces to established companies for long periods of time. We try and ensure that there is a turnover so that newer, nascent arts companies in emerging areas, developing areas of artworks can have an opportunity to be in these spaces. So, that is how we manage it through NAC.
I would also add to Ms Usha's point that we do from time to time try to expand the number of spaces. Ms Usha might know that later this year, Kampong Java will be open. Kampong Java is a space that NAC worked with SLA to obtain. It is a new space altogether, meant for artists and will be artist-run so that artists themselves will decide how to run the space, what kind of exhibitions to hold there, which arts companies will come in and use the spaces. So, it is our way also of working with the community to expand the number of spaces in tandem with the growing interest that arts companies have shown.
Finally, my last point is to say that I am actually quite heartened that there is a lot more demand than there is space. Because it does show that there is a growing arts ecosystem and people are interested: people want to make art a way of life and they want to be able to work, perform as well as exhibit. All these bode well for our overall arts ecosystem, which I am sure, no doubt, we will discuss more of next week.
The Chairman: Any other clarifications? None. Can I invite Mr Murali, if you would like, to withdraw your amendment?
Mr Murali Pillai: Thank you, Sir. Sir, listening to the hon political appointment holders' responses to the speeches made by the hon Members, it is evident to me that MinLaw, which is a relatively small Ministry, has and continues to make outsized contributions.
It has the heaviest legislative workload. It deals with high policies, dealing with the internationalisation of Singapore, maintaining our status as a legal hub and so on, and at the same time, it focuses on the small man. The poignant example given by the hon Minister about how the PDO helped a gentleman named Mr N to get an equitable sentence is very heartwarming indeed.
Also, the processes outlined by the hon Second Minister on how to maintain peace in the community – something all hon Members can ascribe to. Last but not least, the processes to allow the common man navigate the courts better, as outlined by the hon Senior Parliamentary Secretary.
With that, Sir, I seek leave to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $322,221,900 for Head R ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $386,904,000 for Head R ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply – Head V (Ministry of Trade and Industry)","subTitle":"A resilient economy with diverse pathways and opportunities for all","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Chairman: Head V, Ministry of Trade and Industry. Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Mr Chairman, I beg to move, \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head V of the Estimates be reduced by $100.\"
Sir, having a growing and vibrant economy is very much a part of our efforts to build a strong social compact. We need a growing economy to create good, fulfilling jobs for Singaporeans and to generate the resources to tackle our social and longer-term challenges. If our economy stagnates, it will dampen aspirations and hopes for a better future and may lead to unease and insecurity among our people.
Sir, we know that growing our economy is going to get even more difficult in the years ahead. The inherent constraints facing us – land, labour and carbon – will become more acute. We have also got to content with a more fractured and contested world, with greater willingness of countries to use economic leverage to exert their interests.
There are also profound shifts in the economic landscape. The rapid rise of new disruptive technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and the wider adoptions of big data analytics, cloud computing, e-commerce and automation technologies present both challenges and opportunities to Singapore.
All these may sound daunting but fortunately, we are able to respond from a position of strength.
So, how do we grow the economy going forward? Allow me to just touch on three areas.
Firstly, Singapore must continue to be a choice destination for high value-adding investments, investments that put us at the forefront of cutting-edge of technology. Having state of the art companies' hub and base here helps overcome our scale limitations and enable the proliferations of technologies and the development of skilled talents here.
To achieve that, we must tick the boxes in the list of checklist that investors look for. Among the key requirements are excellent infrastructure and connectivity, diverse talent pool, trusted and innovative hub, strong financial standing and political stability.
Despite being a small economy, Singapore is the fourth largest recipients of foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the world. However, the implementation of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Pillar Two will reset the playing field in the competition for investments and would have implications in our efforts to attract high-quality and high-value investments.
And that is why we must keep working on enhancing our overall propositions; continue to invest heavily into our workforce, in infrastructure and also innovation; as well enhancing our connectivity, our economic fundamentals; and to have sound and consistent policies.
Secondly, we must continue to strengthen the two wings of our economy – manufacturing and services. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has in earlier Budget Committees of Supply (COS) outlined our manufacturing and services strategies. Although manufacturing now accounts for less than 30% of our gross domestic product (GDP), it remains a very important pillar in our economy.
Singapore is the eighth largest exporter of high-tech goods in the world and home to many high-value industries like precision engineering, MedTech, aerospace, semiconductors and so on. Besides the jobs and value-add that it creates, the manufacturing sector helps add further resilience to our economy and also helps contribute to the growth in the services sectors. Other than attracting and anchoring frontiers global manufacturers to base here, we should also keep working on developing and growing the manufacturing capabilities of our local enterprises, with the aim grow them into regional champions in their own right.
Sir, I will now move on to the services sector. Our services sector covers a wide spectrum of businesses, including both outward-oriented sectors like financial services, logistics, trade as well as domestic-facing ones like food and beverages (F&B) and retail trade.
At last year's MTI COS, Minister Gan shared that our Services 2030 vision seeks to harness the growth opportunities in the areas of digitalisation and sustainability and to anchor Singapore as a leading, vibrant hub for businesses, lifestyle and tourism. This strategy and the focuses would play to our strengths and minimise our shortcomings.
The one services sector that plays to our strengths and not easily replicable by others is our premiere position as a financial hub and as the international financial centre of the East. I am glad we are not resting on our laurels and have announced another $2-billion injection into the Financial Sector Development Fund to further up our game in this year's Budget.
To continue to be the service hub of choice for global businesses, we need to make our city the among the most business-friendly and among the most liveable city in the world. Hence, the longer-term urban planning such as the Masterplan by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the infrastructure upgrades in transport, recreational facilities, healthcare, convention facilities and so on – all adds to making us a conducive hub to offer services to the consumers and businesses of the world.
Thirdly, we grow our economy by continually investing in new technologies and capabilities. Last year, we saw the rapid emergence of AI powered applications and systems, and the momentum is likely to continue and increase this year. We need to develop homegrown AI technologies, grow the AI talent pool and encourage adoption of AI technologies among enterprises.
Besides AI, we would also need to sustain our investment in research and innovations to deepen our scientific capabilities and bolster the startup ecosystem here to capture value.
Sir, Budget 2024 also took a major step to safeguard our energy security which has a bearing on our longer-term economic competitiveness. Some of the major moves include building a second liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal as well as the setting up of the Future Energy Fund with an initial $5-billion injection to further develop the critical infrastructure and to transit to clean energy.
Sir, to do all the above, Singapore must have the requisite skills and talent pool. We are investing big time to grow our own timber, such as the SkillsFuture Level-Up, Career Health and others; but we have also got to be open to have external workforce that complements and strengthens our overall proposition.
Sir, in that context, allow me to frame a few questions for the Minister.
First, given these unsettling times, how is the Government ensuring that Singapore will remain globally competitive and relevant?
Second, how does MTI plan to continue supporting our enterprises, to capture future growth opportunities in the region and in growth sectors such as AI and the green economy?
Third, can the Government share more about its plans to enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector?
Fourth, to strengthen our connectivity and international linkages, can the Minister share more details on our international collaboration efforts and how Singapore companies can benefit from these partnerships?
Fifth, in the Deputy Prime Minister's Budget Statement and in his round-up speech as well, he mentioned about developing local pipeline of corporate leadership talent and more support to help Singaporeans gain overseas experience. Can I ask for more details of this plan?
Finally, sixth, on tourism, MTI announced that the Government has earmarked half a billion dollars to support tourism recovery. So, can I seek an update on our tourism revitalisation effort? What more can we do to ensure that Singapore remains an attractive tourist destination amidst the intense global and regional competition?
Sir, I Iook forward to the Minister's response.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Chairman, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) forming the majority of our business landscape are currently navigating a myriad of challenges that threaten their growth and sustainability.
The rise in manpower costs is a major concern. This, combined with the increased costs of raw materials, rents, utilities and other operational expenses is exerting immense pressure on their already thin margins. The heightened interest rates environment also adds further pressure on financing costs, adding challenges to SMEs' access to capital for growth and innovation.
Sir, adding to all this, the manpower shortage has left many SMEs in a dire situation, unable to fill essential roles and sustain their operations, let alone the capacity to innovate and transform. The need for digital transformation has shifted from being a luxury to a necessity for survival and growth.
Another pressing issue is the environmental impact and the increasing demand for green compliance. Many SMEs lack the knowledge and resources to transform towards greener practices, even as they face increasing pressure from counterparts and regulations requiring adherence to green standards. This gap further hinders their ability to compete effectively and sustainably.
Sir, Budget 2024 Enterprise Support Package will provide SMEs with some relief immediately. But the most significant support measures are those tilted towards firms that can restructure and transform. Therefore, to support SMEs to embark on this transformation journey, I would like to ask the Government to double down on three fronts.
First, we must strongly promote collaborations between larger companies and SMEs in the area of supplier development and co-creation. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong rightly pointed out that, \"We cannot force MNEs to choose only local suppliers, but we can and we will help Singapore enterprises to meet the high standards and to form win-win partnerships with MNEs.\"
I welcome the expansion of the Partnerships for Capability Transformation scheme to encompass broader areas of collaboration. However, to further enhance this initiative, I propose that the Government consider an additional step – and this is an important step – by integrating the involvement of Singapore-based SMEs as a positive criterion for multinational enterprises (MNEs) and larger corporations when they access Government grants.
This inclusion – to include SMEs in the application – should be particularly emphasised for high-value investments such as research and development (R&D) and innovation related grants. By doing so, it will not only incentivise large entities to collaborate with SMEs, but also ensure the benefits of such Government-backed programmes extend across the broader business ecosystem.
Secondly, the Government Enterprise Financing Scheme (EFS) is designed to assist SMEs with various financing needs. A key feature is its risk sharing component, where Enterprise Singapore shares the loan default risk with participating financial institutions in the event of enterprise insolvency. The Government's risk sharing can reach up to 70%, therefore providing a significant safety net for banks. This arrangement should enable banks to take on more risk and provide more favourable terms to our SMEs.
By offering this level of support, the Government is really in a good position to expect participating financial institutions to improve loan conditions for our SMEs. How can the Government support SMEs to secure more favourable interest rates, more flexible security requirements and more favourable payment terms for those that are on EFS loans versus those that are on standard bank loans?
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): Mr Chairman, Singapore has been bracing itself for a period of slow growth and high inflation as Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has pointed out in his Budget Speech this year.
Our population is rapidly ageing, our local workforce growth will eventually slow down to zero. An ageing population will lead to increase in social spending, decreased consumption and decreased labour output. There are also constraints of land, power and carbon.
How will our GDP look like over the next decade? Studies have shown that super ageing Japan's GDP was expected to drop by about 5% relative to the baseline scenario of a stationary population. We must not let this happen to Singapore.
Could the Ministry share what are its overarching plans over the next 10 years to grow our GDP despite our constraints?
I have three suggestions for the Ministry to consider.
First, we must increase the amount of capital and adoption of innovation and technology by our SMEs. Singapore is already amongst the world's leaders in automation, especially in industrial robots. It was just behind South Korea in 2021.
For our growth to continue, we need to intensify automation and innovation in our SMEs. What is the current progress and plans to intensify capital investment and adoption of innovation by SMEs? Could the Ministry provide an update on the take-up of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) T-UP programme and how can we continue to improve take-up by SMEs?
Next, we need to have more of our companies operating abroad to bring in income and job opportunities. Economically, we need to focus on our gross national income (GNI) per capita as much as GDP per capita. Singapore is fortunate to be in Southeast Asia, one of the fastest growing regions in the world. With a young and still-growing population of 650 million, Singapore can have access to a large market and pool of talent.
Our companies must seize the limited window to expand in the region. How has MTI helped our Singapore companies to expand in the region? What are the future plans to help SMEs go regional?
Lastly, we must seize the opportunity provided by AI for Singapore to continue to punch above our weight. AI has the potential to improve our workers' productivity tremendously.
Yet, AI will require significant resources, especially power and talent, for R&D. How is the Ministry ensuring that Singapore has the requisite infrastructure and talent for companies to keep pace and deepen AI work?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong): Chairman, in an era where global economies are increasingly interconnected and digital technologies are rapidly evolving, the need for our businesses to stay competitive has never been more critical. As we navigate through the complexities of the 21st century – including the pressing challenges posed by climate change – the imperative for digital innovation, global market expansion and sustainable practices is paramount to not only surviving but thrive in the global marketplace.
Digitalisation and sustainable practices are essential pillars for resilience and growth in the complex web of global supply chains and commerce. Digitalisation by enabling seamless integration of technologies, facilitates unparalleled efficiencies, agility and connectivity among businesses worldwide, thereby enhancing competitiveness and access to markets. Concurrently, sustainability practices address the urgent need to minimise environmental impact and promote responsibility sourcing and production methods.
As such, what are some of the key measures that MTI is undertaking to support our sectors and firms in their transformation efforts, particularly in digitalisation, internationalisation and sustainability?
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): Sir, with the impending implementation of BEPS 2.0, many jurisdictions around the world are grappling with the need to strike a balance between attracting investments and ensuring fair taxation. Several countries have implemented various policies, including new tax incentives and credits, enhanced investment allowances, targeted sectoral support and direct subsidies to individual companies.
Mr Speaker, those of us who have worked in the frontline in organisations, like the Economic Development Board (EDB) as well as those of us in country teams of MNEs, know the sheer effort it takes to anchor good investments in Singapore. This land scarce little red dot, with no domestic market to speak of, where wages and living costs are higher than in many other jurisdictions. We cannot be complacent and a competitive tax regime is critical.
The Refundable Investment Tax Credit is therefore very welcome. It directly alleviates the tax burden for businesses while allowing EDB and Enterprise Singapore to target the companies and sectors that will best contribute to economic growth; as well as opportunities and jobs for our people and our local enterprises. A good understanding of how the scheme will be implemented and its potential benefits for the Singapore economy and Singaporeans is therefore helpful for both businesses and the public. To that end, I have a few questions for the Minister.
One, how will the scheme keep Singapore attractive as an investment destination when taking into account the measures that other jurisdictions are putting into place? Two, the list of economic activities and qualifying expenditures appear to be quite broad; can the Minister give more specifics on the sectors and qualifying expenditures that can be expected? Three, how can we ensure that the tax credit will incentivise capital investment and drive desired outcomes, such as higher productivity or decarbonisation targets; and help MNEs achieve those targets? And lastly, how else is the Government supporting businesses to stay competitive?
The Chairman: Ms Jessica Tan, please take your two cuts together.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast): Thank you, Mr Chairman. With geopolitical uncertainties, rapid technology development, structural disruptions and inflationary pressures, Budget 2024 signals the urgency for businesses to transform. It is no longer a good-to-do but a must-do if businesses want to stay relevant, continue to do business and grow.
Business transformation is not easy as it involves business process and operational changes; the adoption of relevant digital technology; as well as the need to build new and deep capabilities of employees to address the structural disruptions. With climate change, we see increasing legislation of sustainability standards and disclosures. This will require that companies commit to and transition to sustainable ways of doing business, if they want to do business.
With the Industry Transformation Roadmaps and the myriad of support measures to help businesses transform, can MTI share the progress of companies in Singapore, including SMEs, in their business transformation?
How will the various measures announced in Budget 2024 come together to support businesses, including SMEs, in their transformation efforts especially in digitalisation, cybersecurity, sustainability as well as growing internationally? How many Singapore companies have taken on the support measures to transform?
Mr Chairman, Singapore has retained our position as the world's leading business hub. But Singapore's hub status is challenged with increasing geopolitical uncertainties, emerging disruptive technologies and BEPS 2.0. What efforts is the Government making to ensure that Singapore continues to be attractive and competitive globally? As the hon Ms Mariam Jaafar has said, for MNEs to anchor their investments here, in Singapore, it is not an easy decision and it is extremely competitive. And in today's world, even more.
What strategies are we exploring to continue to make Singapore a place that the best global companies will choose to locate their regional and global businesses? This is important for Singapore to have good growth as well as bring investments in cutting-edge technologies, know-how and good jobs.
Can more details be shared on international partnerships and how these partnerships can ensure that Singapore remains at the centre of global trade? Leveraging on Singapore's status as a global business node, how can Singapore companies tap on the enhanced support measures announced in Budget 2024 to expand and capture growth opportunities to play an important role in regional and global value chains?
The Chairman: Mr Neil Parekh, please take your two cuts together.
Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant (Nominated Member): Chairman, in the Asia Pacific region, the digital economy, including AI and the green economy, present immense growth opportunities. Southeast Asia's Internet economy is forecasted to reach US$1 trillion by 2030 and over five to six million new jobs are expected to be created through the green economy.
In Singapore itself, we expect to create more than 50,000 green jobs by 2030. In 2023, MTI announced enhanced support under the Enterprise Development Grant for sustainability projects to support more firms in capturing new growth opportunities in sustainability as we transition to a green economy.
Sir, there is no doubt that both the digital and green economies are growing in importance and Singapore's enterprises must seize these opportunities in these growth areas to further progress in these spaces.
My question for the Ministry is: how does MTI plan to continue supporting our enterprises and capture future growth opportunities in the region and growth sectors, such as AI and the green economy? At the same time, given the promising growth potential in Southeast Asia, how does MTI plan to strengthen Singapore's links and collaborations with the region for new growth opportunities in green economy and AI, so that our businesses and people can tap on the opportunities beyond our shores?
Chairman, as we navigate through an increasingly interconnected global economy, we must recognise that our nation's growth is intricately linked to our ability to venture beyond our shores. Singapore, although small in size, possesses boundless potential. But to fully unlock it, internationalisation becomes not just a choice but a necessity for sustained economic growth.
However, the lingering effects of the pandemic, geopolitical tensions and the macroeconomic uncertainty have given rise to an increasingly fragmented world. There are headwinds to economic growth with high inflation rates and increasing volatility in the world.
In Singapore, we have achieved quite a bit thus far. Today, we have forged an extensive network of 27 implemented Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) along with being a signatory to many regional agreements in the Asia Pacific like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
On its part, MTI, Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) also offer several schemes and programmes, such as the Global Innovation Alliance, to support companies' internationalisation efforts. Moving forward, Singapore needs to identify new opportunities and build new engines of growth as well as continue to build on our international partnerships.
My question for the Ministry is: how can MTI continue facilitating our companies' endeavours to seize new economic opportunities in the fast-growing markets in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa? Also, how do we protect the investments of Singaporean companies in these emerging markets?
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Chairman, in his Budget speech, Deputy Prime Minister Wong shared that the international environment has darkened dramatically – major powers are prioritising national security over economic interdependence in this current geopolitical climate and there are other potential headwinds, like BEPS 2.0, that may affect Singapore's competitiveness to attract investments.
In light of this, how do our global FTAs remain relevant and create conditions for cross-border investments and boost Singapore's competitiveness?
The Chairman: Ms He Ting Ru, please take your two cuts together.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang): Sir, today's world is increasingly uncertain and contentious, not least because of growing United States (US)-Chinese competition. With these, come greater risk of Singapore facing economic coercion. Not necessarily because of anything we may have done but because major powers and others believe that it is possible to force us into certain positions.
We have seen US limits on technology transfers helm in some of the world's ability to export. During the Trump Administration, Singapore was placed on a list of potential currency manipulators that could face sanction. China has published a list of countries from Australia to Czechia from Canada to Japan and South Korea for acting in ways that it does not like.
Economic coercion can be arbitrary and sudden. This may get worse of shifts and domestic politics in China and the US. What are the concrete efforts being taken to prepare for and mitigate economic pressure that may come our way, both on our own and in conjunction with partners? After all, any such plans must involve active public and business participation, sooner rather than later, to be effective.
The European Union (EU) is currently proposing a law, which requires larger companies to identify actual or potential negative impacts on human rights and their supply chain; and to prevent, mitigate and remedy these impacts. This is on top of existing laws that already require large companies to perform due diligence on supply chains to ensure that they have a plan of vigilance to identify risks relating the labour practices, health and safety or environmental issues.
Our policies relating to recruitment fees have an impact in Singapore's ability to attract investment and business, particularly in sectors like the maritime industry, where companies have to employ many migrant workers. What are the reputational and legal risks for companies in the development of the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) policies and allocation of resources for enforcement?
Agreement has been reached between the European Parliament and Council and we are likely to see further progress on rules enforcing labour rights in global supply chains soon. These are seen to foster a business environment with legal certainty, a level playing field and sustainable competition that does not benefit from worker exploitation.
Germany has already enacted similar laws. In 2019, the International Labour Organization (ILO) governing body approved the definition of recruitment fees and related costs, emphasising that recruitment fee should not be borne by workers or jobseekers, as workers must not be required to pay for access to employment or it takes time for workforce structures to change.
There are international standards ready for adoption by EU legislators and EU-based MNCs. Migrant workers continue to pay high recruitment fees of up to $12,000 to have the opportunity to work in Singapore. This is an area of concern, given the risk of debt bondage to workers' rights as well as their practical ability to make economic decisions, such as a choice to leave a job with poor working conditions. Specifically, what are our recruitment fees? The Workers' Party reiterates our call for the creation of a Government jobs' portal that advertises all open positions for migrant workers to cut fees workers pay to agents in Singapore and overseas.
I note the response to a Parliamentary Question last year that we are considering facilitating direct recruitment channels for returning workers. Are there any updates? It is also said that we have no legal jurisdiction to influence the recruitment fees migrant workers pay in their home countries. But are MOM and MTI engaging with source countries on the recruitment fee issue, given the impact that it will have on MNCs' supply chains in Singapore?
The Chairman: Mr Mark Lee, you can take both your cuts together.
Mr Mark Lee (Nominated Member): Sir, as Singapore looks towards new engines of growth while overcoming domestic resource constraints like for example, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, a portion of development efforts may need to be conducted outside Singapore utilising offshore resources. These offshore activities will ultimately contribute to tangible and intangible assets that benefit Singapore, enabling our businesses to reduce costs and maximise value capture.
Will MTI consider revising current grant schemes to include coverage for business expenses incurred during offshore development activities? This adjustment can significantly aid local companies in leveraging international resources while ensuring the resulting benefits bolster Singapore's economy.
Sir, I support the PACT scheme for its role in promoting collaborations between MNEs and SMEs and now ask, how MTI intend to incentivise participation in the PACT Scheme to facilitate the creation of beneficial partnerships between SMEs and MNEs?
Local businesses have shared their struggle to retain and develop talent because MNEs and aiming to swiftly expand their operations, often offer high and yet unsustainable wages to fulfill their foreign worker quotas, disadvantage SMEs in talent development and acquisition. Given these concerns, how does MTI plan to nurture our local SMEs to navigate these challenges effectively?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: Chairman, in recent years, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic, SMEs have faced unprecedented challenges that have tested their resilience, adaptability and sustainability.
MTI has been instrumental in introducing various support measures to aid these enterprises as they navigate the complexities of recovery and seek new opportunities for growth. As such, how will the Government continue to support these SMEs?
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mr Chairman, Sir, before the onset of the pandemic, considerable efforts were dedicated to assisting our local enterprises in seizing opportunities abroad and expanding their global footprint. As we transition from the pandemic, the external landscape and supply chains have undergone significant shifts due to the heightened emphasis on resilience and geopolitical tensions, leading to increased polarisation and \"friend-shoring\".
In light of these changes, how is MTI adapting its programmes – such as Scale-up – to align with this evolving external environment, ensuring that support for regionalisation remains effective?
Moreover, considering MTI's success in securing Foreign Direct Investments in recent years and the presence of MNEs, how will these factors empower local businesses to capitalise on emerging opportunities? Will this integration be part of the enhanced PACT programme and if so, what is the synergy between Scale-up and PACT?
Furthermore, MTI's proactive approach to signing FTAs with various jurisdictions presents additional opportunities for local enterprises to expand its overseas revenues. How does MTI facilitate local businesses in seizing these opportunities? What contributions do trade associations and chambers (TACs) make in this regard and how is MTI enhancing its support to TACs to bolster secretariat manpower and capabilities further?
Another area that has changed post-pandemic is the tourism landscape. Businesses operating within the tourism and related sectors are encountering notable challenges stemming from several factors. One, escalating manpower costs due to tight labour markets. Two, increased energy expenses. Three, sluggish recovery of tourism arrivals from key traditional markets. And four, strengthening of the Singapore dollar against key tourism markets.
What are MTIs strategies to mitigate these challenges?
Despite efforts, tourism arrival figures and projections have yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels of 19 million per year. While the sector witnessed a robust resurgence in the past two years – largely attributable to schemes like the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) that retains capabilities and capacities – other global tourism hubs have regained momentum and competitiveness. Competing markets have also unveiled substantial new initiatives and attractions, vying for a share of the tourism market.
In light of these circumstances, what are MTI's specific strategies to restore our tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels? Furthermore, within these strategies, what specific initiatives are in place to enhance local content; empowering local enterprises to cultivate robust Intellectual Properties (IPs) instead of solely relying on imported IPs?
Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon): Sir, digitalisation remains an imperative for our SMEs in a rapidly evolving technology space, to thrive and capture opportunities in the new economy. The year 2023 saw the breakthrough of AI and its use cases in the real world. But as is always said, AI will not replace humans but the person using AI will. In essence, SMEs who will succeed better are those that can adapt and transform quicker, by viewing digitalisation and AI as a friend instead of a foe.
As a practitioner using various forms of AI, including GenAI, in my work to sharpen effectiveness and productivity in risk management and auditing, I can understand why SMEs may face and see AI as intimidating. There is a need to help SMEs dispel a \"fear of the unknown\" and the notion that AI is reserved only for MNEs.
In this regard, can MTI share its plans to help SMEs further accelerate their digitalisation so that more local businesses can harness AI to transform and increase productivity?
On sustainability, I am glad that Budget 2024 has covered key aspects of going green as a competitive advantage, because MNEs have started on their sustainability journey earlier and would expect the same for our own SME suppliers. I am also glad to learn that SMEs in more sectors will benefit from green loans and the Energy Efficiency Grant, which I had asked for at last year's Committee of Supply debate and Government support to be more inclusive.
Yet, while advancing in the green journey is essential and more Government funding is available, a DBS study in 2023 found that only 37% of SMEs had a clear roadmap on how to achieve their sustainability goals. Many cite having to navigate complex reporting standards as a hurdle.
On this note, what is MTI's assessment of the progress and effectiveness of existing grants and initiatives, such as the Enterprise Sustainability Programme and how may they be enhanced to help our SMEs be more ESG-savvy?
While opportunities in the digital and green economy are aplenty, we know that transformation is not easy and more funding on its own is not sufficient. What matters more fundamentally, is for SMEs to shift their mindsets and be willing to accelerate their efforts. For those who are, they should be provided with ready-access to expertise. This is where SME Centres and TACs, as critical nexus for engagement and advisory, can play a more proactive role to nudge and help SMEs digitalise and go green.
In my engagement with the industry, a feedback suggested by SMEs was for such Centres to go beyond the marketing of grant options and providing generic guidance; and offer more in terms of business development advice and more customised expertise and guidance.
As such, can MTI share on three areas.
One, whether there are plans to boost the effectiveness of SME Centres by enhancing its advisory capabilities and sharpening its own key performance indicators (KPIs) from Level 1 or baseline targets, such as number of SME visits, to be more aligned with the outcomes, such as SME productivity and customer growth of the portfolio of SMEs they cover?
Two, whether TACs can be guided to deepen understanding of their own members' profile to provide more targeted facilitation and support as well as more effective cross-learning between its members?
Thirdly, whether we can build a more comprehensive support ecosystem for SMEs, such as by (a) synergising the roles of SME Centres and TACs with the enhanced Partnerships for Capability Transformation Scheme for SMEs to connect more easily to learn digital and green strategies; (b) deepening collaborations with Institutes of Higher Learning for training; and (c) leveraging clan associations with wide business connections for advocacy.
Ms Mariam Jaafar: Sir, rapid developments in AI are transforming businesses and industries. Yet, businesses struggle to scale up AI beyond pilots and POCs and therefore fail to derive value and impact from their efforts.
As I spoke about in my Budget debate speech and again, I would like to declare my interest as a Managing Director and Senior Partner of a consulting firm that does the work of AI. Scaling AI requires more than just buying a platform and hiring a few data scientists. I spoke about the 10-20-70 rule: 10% of the effort is in the algorithms; 20% in the technological and IT foundations – the infrastructure, the data architecture; 70% though, is about people and processes – ways of working, business-process reinvention, how to drive adoption at scale, organisation, talent strategy and change management.
Businesses therefore need to move beyond experimentation and POCs. They need to have a clear strategy and roadmap of how they will build the AI platform, data, process, organisation and other enablers and sequence the development of use cases so that they are able to fund their AI transformation journey and win in the medium-term.
MTI has launched a number of good initiatives, such as AI Innovation sandboxes and hands-on workshops aimed at identifying AI and GenAI use cases; and the AI Trailblazers initiative, which helps organisations to identify GenAI use cases and build solution prototypes.
How will the Government now help organisations take the next steps to implement AI at-scale, beyond POCs and pilots?
Mr Keith Chua (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, retrenchments and redundancies are expected to continue. MNEs, Lazada, Amazon and Google in the technological sector have reduced staff. The closure of Tetra Pak will affect 300 workers. From time to time, local enterprises also succumb to changing conditions and downsize or cease operations.
Such realties are not new. We need to continually find new foreign investments and also keep building up and strengthening local businesses. The local business sector was built over the decades, possibly centuries, by individuals with the entrepreneurial spirit. While the majority are classified SMEs, we also have large successful local enterprises and collectively, these employ many Singaporeans.
My question to the Ministry and to all of us is: what will we do to keep the entrepreneurial spirit thriving, especially in challenging times and when business conditions may not be conducive? Also, with Forward Singapore (Forward SG), there may well be a resurgence in social entrepreneurial initiatives. How can we support these agents of change?
Ms He Ting Ru: Sir, the enhancement of the Enterprise Financing Scheme and the Energy Efficiency Grant is welcome. Incentives and grants are critical in providing seed support and are crucial in driving SME growth and are important signals in the industrial strategy we are developing, especially for our green transition. Yet, a DBS survey found that 63% of SMEs in Asia identified as their top challenge transitioning to a sustainable business model.
In a survey reported in the Singapore Business Review last month, 58% of small and microbusinesses polled are less confident about prospects in 2024. The survey also said that apart from grants, SMEs feel they need more support in areas ranging from subsidies for talent and acquisition schemes, indicative of the tight labour market, more support for international expansion and rental assistance and rental support.
The same survey also found that a streamlined grant application process was on the wishlist. We should continue to simplify the adoption process for grants and in particular, green grants.
For many SMEs, daily operations are a priority and not grant applications and associated administrative work. Perhaps, one way to improve the system would be for Enterprise Singapore to provide a one-stop web page offering advice and guidance to SMEs on how they can green their business and what the associated grants are. Also important, are the money itself and the time value of money. Could the Government provide some of these grants on a cash rather than a reimbursement basis, to help firms who would not normally look at environmental matters in their cashflow planning?
Additionally, in order to properly understand whether our grants are properly supporting our SMEs, we should publicly announce how we track their success. For example, alongside how much has been disbursed for green grants, we should state how many tonnes of emissions have been mitigated per dollar spent, so that the public, civil society and Members of Parliament can be sure that these taxpayer-paid subsidies are working; and to measure how they have achieved their goals. Other commentators have noted that the lack of standardised measurement in reporting standards have made the environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance efforts challenging for SMEs.
Finally, a conversation article reproduced in the Business Times last year also stated that workers and managers in SMEs often have less resources and know-how to understand and properly tackle mental health challenges, partly because most research about mental health and well-being at work is usually undertaken in larger organisations. I hope that we would study how to tackle mental health and well-being at work in the context of our smaller enterprises in order to understand the particular challenges that they face and to ultimately develop interventions that are targeted to work to raise the well-being of our workers in SMEs; and see if any interventions can be made beyond those which currently form part of MOM's Total Workplace Safety and Health programme.
Mr Mark Lee: Sir, as SMEs navigate the challenges of integrating sustainable practices within an evolving regulatory framework, the Enhanced Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) aims to bridge this gap, especially for sectors like food services, manufacturing and retail, with plans to extend it to reach new sectors. Could MTI provide insights into EEG’s effectiveness in these areas, highlight successful strategies and share lessons to encourage broader uptake across newly included sectors?
Furthermore, in recognising beyond financial and technical hurdles SMEs encounter in adopting energy-efficient practices, is there a consideration from MTI to expand EEG to encompass a more holistic support package, covering consultancy, execution and training costs, to facilitate in this transition?
Moreover, in the context of shifting towards clean energy and the high associated costs, can MTI outline any assistance for SMEs, particularly in adopting electric vehicles for commercial and industrial use? Lastly, could MTI explain the exclusion of crucial sectors like Process and Logistics from EEG, given their importance in decarbonisation, and are there plans to integrate these sectors into the programme?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: The vitality of our heartland enterprises is indispensable to the socio-economic fabric of our nation, serving not just the backbone of our local economy but also the heartbeat of our community life.
In 2022, MTI and Enterprise Singapore launched \"Our Heartlands 2025\" initiative to revitalise local neighborhoods. As such, can MTI provide an update on the support measures for heartland enterprises under this initiative?
Ms Foo Mee Har: Chairman, in today's world, where large retail chains and online shopping platforms dominate the market, our neighborhood shops are facing unprecedented challenges. Yet, these small establishments offer something invaluable that transcends mere commerce – they are the lifelines of our localities. Our heartland enterprises provide a unique social value that nurtures the spirit of our communities. These are places where personal connections are made, where the shopkeepers know your name, family and preferences.
These businesses, often run by families and local entrepreneurs, are deeply rooted in the community. They contribute to the local community, create jobs and frequently offer personalised services that larger stores cannot. Therefore, it is crucial that the Government proactively step in to support these vital community assets.
I applaud the Government in launching various initiatives to energise and support our heartland shops. So, I would like to ask the Minister to share the progress of \"Our Heartlands 2025\" and \"Heartlands Go Digital\". These initiatives are crucial in helping our neighborhood shops sharpen their competitive edge and carve out a distinct role for them to thrive in the years to come.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mr Chairman, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, MTI and Enterprise Singapore launched the \"Our Heartlands 2025\" initiative to boost the growth and efficiency of our heartland shops which had demonstrated “incredible resilience and mettle to transform and thrive” during the pandemic.
There are a fair number of heartland F&B and retail shops in my constituency of Toa Payoh East, most notably around the Lorong 8 Market and Hawker Centre, and Kim Keat Food Centre. The charm of these open, ground floor establishments cannot be replicated by our shopping malls and complexes, not to mention the convenience that they offer to the seniors living in the neighbourhood.
May I ask the Ministry what are the KPIs to be met in 2025 under the initiative and would the Ministry be able to provide an update on the support measures for heartland enterprises under \"Our Heartlands 2025\"?
Mr Keith Chua: Mr Chairman, trade associations played a valuable role during COVID-19. These included closely working with the Government and Members, providing input on business realities and proposing ways to ride through the pandemic and to retain jobs.
Historically, trade associations have brought like-minded businesses by sector to work cooperatively, share best practices, improve productivity and, in many instances, to internationalise. Recovery from COVID-19 has been patchy for some sectors and many continue to face the recent challenges of higher costs across many fronts. Trade associations will remain relevant, though some sectors may face consolidation while others see opportunities for growth. The broad-based Budget support measures will help many companies.
How will MTI best support trade associations in this challenging phase of global and domestic business disruption? How will MTI approach those sectors and their trade associations that see consolidation but still remain viable?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: Chairman, in the intricate tapestry of our nation's economy, trade associations and chambers (TACs) stand out as pivotal enablers that bolster the capabilities, reach and resilience of our businesses across various sectors. By offering a platform for advocacy, sharing best practices and facilitating collaborations, TACs play a crucial role in the upliftment and sustainability of businesses, particularly SMEs that form the backbone of our economy. As such, what are we doing to ensure that TACs are sufficiently equipped to play this role effectively?
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: Mr Chairman, our manufacturing sector is a key part of our Singapore Economy 2030 vision. After all, manufacturing accounts for approximately one-fifth of our annual GDP and around 11% to 14% of jobs in the last 10 years. Our strategy is to attract frontier investments into Singapore to create good manufacturing jobs for Singaporeans. Dyson, Hyundai and GlobalFoundries are just some of the big names that have recently opened or announced plans to open advanced manufacturing plants in Singapore.
However, in the past decade, companies, such as IBM, Coca Cola and display maker AU Optronics, have closed their multi-million-dollar manufacturing facilities here as well. Being a country with natural resource constraints, our higher land, labour and transport costs make it challenging for global manufacturers. We do not want to draw a manufacturing giant in only to lose them five to 10 years later to cheap countries which have caught up in technology and know-how. Can the Government share more about its plans to enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector, keep them here, and how our local companies can benefit from these plans?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: Chairman, the marine and offshore engineering sector has long been a cornerstone of our nation's industrial landscape, contributing significantly to our economic development and global trade capabilities. However, in the face of evolving global energy demands, technological advancements and the urgency for sustainability, there is a pressing need to transform and future-proof this vital sector. As such, can the Government share more on how the industry transformation plans to assist the marine and offshore engineering sector?
Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant: Chairman, the tourism industry is vital for our economy. As a key pillar of our economy, the tourism industry, besides creating jobs and opportunities for our citizens, also enhances our international brand as a global business hub with a vibrant lifestyle.
The pandemic had impacted tourism flows across the world and also affected Singapore. However, with support from the Singapore Tourism Board, tourism receipts have bounced back to an estimated $14 billion in 2023. As we move into a new world after the pandemic, it remains crucial for Singapore to continue to capture the tourism market.
In 2022, MTI announced that the Government had earmarked half a billion dollars to support tourism recovery. Can MTI please provide an update on the tourism revitalisation efforts? What will MTI do to ensure that Singapore remains an attractive tourist destination amidst growing global competition?
Ms See Jinli Jean (Nominated Member): Chairman, taking deliberate steps to infuse Singapore firms with the capabilities of Singapore’s creative professionals in arts, culture, media and design is the game changer that can bring forth an industry renaissance. Like how the advent of the printing press led to unprecedented change, digital technology and AI are initiating new ways to produce and trade. Thus, if technology and AI are the tools that a firm uses to reimagine its operating model, then a creative lens must be what a firm applies to redefine its business model.
To engender the meeting of minds between progressive firms and creative freelancers, I offer three possibilities for the Minister’s consideration.
First, would the Ministry work closely with NTUC’s Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association (VACCPA) and relevant sector agencies to develop and share use cases of when and how firms could tap Singapore's different creative forms to create new value? For instance, retailers could tap freelancers to create novel, virtual shopping experience using 3-D digital asset creation. Economic funding schemes could be expanded to cater for such creative use cases.
Second, could the Ministry expand the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit to cater to creative micro-firms of one to two persons?
Last, could the Ministry facilitate opportunities for creative freelancers to work and learn on international projects supported by the economic agencies? For instance, opportunity could be created for Singaporean freelance lighting designers to augment international touring acts courted to Singapore. Such stints can be underpinned by robust hiring and accreditation and the relevant Tripartite Standards. Freelancers would appreciate the boost to their development and portfolio.
Through these three possibilities, Singapore businesses and creative freelancers can unlock synergies and develop new competitive advantage to stay ahead of change and global competition.
Ms Usha Chandradas (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, Singapore has a vibrant and flourishing creative economy which includes sectors, such as the arts and culture, media and design. According to the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), in response to a Parliamentary Question filed by me earlier this year, the nominal value added from these three sectors increased by close to 50% over the past five years and the increase was from $7.9 billion in 2017 to $11.7 billion in 2022.
MCCY has also stated that in the coming years, the outlook for the creative economy in Singapore is positive. According to MCCY, while the growth of the sector depends on many factors, there are opportunities for creative practitioners, especially if they are able to capitalise on growing demands and trends. This includes the leveraging of technology and working with regional and international partners to reach audiences beyond Singapore. MCCY also provided assurance that the Government will continue to provide support to help the sector grow by injecting funding, providing skills development opportunities and brokering partnerships with the private sector to open up opportunities for creatives.
Could MTI clarify how much of its own development or other expenditure will be allocated to the growth and development of Singapore's creative economy in the coming financial year? For example, will any significant expenditure be incurred by the Singapore Tourism Board for the promotion of tourist consumption of Singapore arts? Can we expect to see more expenditure in the profiling of Singapore as a premier destination for creative and cultural consumption? We saw this very recently with the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert and the Government's outreach to Swift's team.
Will EDB and Enterprise Singapore be working on any specific projects or plans in the coming financial year that are related to the development and growth of our creative economy? If there are any specific plans underway related to the creative economy, can the Ministry share the particular areas of focus?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: Chairman, R&D fuels the creation of new products, services and processes, enabling businesses to innovate and stay ahead of competition. This continuous innovation is essential for sustaining long-term economic growth, as it leads to the development of unique offerings that meet emerging consumer needs and adapt to changing market conditions. Through R&D, companies and economies can find new methods of production, utilise resources more efficiently and improve operational processes. It also encourages entrepreneurship by providing the knowledge base and technological advancements necessary for the creation of startups. As such, what are some R&D initiatives and sectors that MTI will be focusing on to grow our Singapore economy?
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: Mr Chairman, to enhance Singapore's R&D efforts, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced additional investments of $3 billion to the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan (RIE2025) in Budget 2024. The additional funding will go towards research and related investments in national priorities, which include deepening our capability in advanced manufacturing, sustainability, the digital economy and healthcare.
Can MTI share the progress of the RIE2025 plan since its launch in 2020? What initiatives will MTI be focusing on to build Singapore's innovative capability to grow our economy? How will we grow the talent pool in Singapore to help bring these innovations to market and strengthen the capabilities of our enterprises?
During the Budget debate, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat spoke about the importance of building greater linkages and collaboration at all levels and of the innovation ecosystems. Can more be shared about these innovation ecosystems and the impact for Singapore as an innovation and business hub?
Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant: Chairman, science and technology are instrumental to Singapore's survival and success and has helped us overcome the constraints of our small size and somewhat limited resources. The RIE ecosystem remains a cornerstone of Singapore's development into a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy and society.
The RIE's ecosystem is also a key enabler in creating new avenues of growth and raising Singapore's economic competitiveness.
Under the RIE, local enterprises' business expenditure on R&D increased from $1.1 billion in 2010 to $1.6 billion in 2020, while the number of local enterprises involved in research and development grew from approximately 450 to almost 600 now. The recent announcements by Deputy Prime Minister Wong during the 2024 Budget have underscored our Government's commitment to fostering innovation and driving research and development initiatives to propel our economy forward.
A key area of Singapore's research and development efforts would be unlocking new economic opportunities and helping Singapore's economy and businesses transform to remain competitive.
This could include new opportunities in advanced manufacturing, health technology and emerging areas, like AI. R&D can also enable companies' green transition and our push towards greater sustainability. Sir, during the 2024 Budget, the Government announced additional investments to RIE2025 to step up research and development efforts.
My questions for the Ministry are: first, can MTI share some of the research and development initiatives and sectors the Ministry will focus on to grow our economy? Also, how does MTI plan to leverage on research and development to tap into promising growth sectors and facilitate Singapore's transition to a low-carbon economy?
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: Mr Chairman, besides labour, capital and enterprise, land is an important scarce resource for Singapore as a small country.
It is difficult to imagine that the land where Marina Bay Sands (MBS) stands today was all sea until the Marina Bay area was reclaimed from 1992 to 2004. Three months ago, it was announced that we will reclaim and create a new \"Long Island\" off Singapore's eastern coast, expected to be double the size of Marina Bay.
But our maritime boundaries and our shipping hub status means there is a limit to how much we can claim further land from the sea. Hence, we have been deliberate about allocating scarce land to our competing land needs, through our Concept Plan and Master Plan. In 2021, it was announced that the review of Singapore's long-term land use plans will also need to cater for uncertainties, such as land buffers, which can be quickly converted for contingency uses.
May I ask the Ministry, how does the Government ensure that we have sufficient land for our many competing land needs, such as industrial, housing and recreational needs? How can we optimise our land use and unlock our resource potential?
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: Mr Chairman, Singapore's power sector makes up 40% of our emissions. Singapore has set very ambitious plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
As a small country with limited renewable energy potential, it is challenging to balance delivering sustainable, secure and affordable energy. The Singapore Energy Transition (SET) was launched in 2021 as a blueprint laying out the broad plans for the power sector to decarbonise and help Singapore achieve its climate commitments. The SET involves using natural gas more sustainably, maximising solar deployment, introducing regional power grids and electricity imports; and preparing for deep decarbonisation using hydrogen and emerging low-carbon alternatives.
Can MTI share the progress of Singapore's plans to decarbonise our power sector? Is Singapore making other investments to green our power sectors with sources of low-carbon alternatives?
In Budget 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Wong announced the new Future Energy Fund with an injection of $5 billion to help the nation transition towards cleaner energy sources. What are the key initiatives that will be invested in to catalyse Singapore's transition to clean energy?
Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong): Chairman, all the energy that powers life on Earth today ultimately comes from the Sun. And so, what if we can replicate that energy production in the core of the Sun, here on Earth?
This, simplistically, is the promise of fusion energy.
I must clarify that nuclear fusion is completely different from nuclear fission. Fusion does not produce the same radioactive waste; does not risk meltdowns; and does not entail dependence on other countries for fuel, such as uranium. Given the advantages of fusion, I hope that when we say we are studying the option of nuclear energy in our future clean energy mix, our bet is weighted towards fusion energy.
And I will go further, to say that while we can and will import clean energy, through regional grids and/or hydrogen, ultimately, energy imports may not be enough and not secure enough for Singapore.
And so, I think we will need domestically produced fusion energy to secure our clean energy future in the long term.
But fusion technology is not yet mature. Furthermore, our net-zero target is 2050 and Deputy Prime Minister Wong has also said that we will take the next 20 years to build our clean energy mix. So, one could argue that we have some time, and should take some time, to decide if we want to adopt fusion. But that is only considering the energy security standpoint.
From an economic standpoint, because fusion does also presents tremendous economic opportunities for Singapore and the world, we actually have a lot less time to decide. And paradoxically, precisely because the technology is not yet mature, we should move fast.
To paraphrase my Jurong colleague, Dr Tan Wu Meng, we can be the first mover or we can find ourselves too late to move. Fusion technology has made major strides in the last two years and the real breakthroughs could come in the next five years with what the industry calls \"net energy production\".
This will put on track the first utility-scale plants to be constructed in the early-to-mid 2030s. Countries around the world have started to make serious moves in fusion.
The United Kingdom (UK) has announced an additional $1.1 billion equivalent, in additional funding for its fusion programme. President Biden has set a \"Decadal Vision\" for the US to produce commercial fusion energy by 2032. China has invested more than $1 billion dollars in fusion research and Japan has recently launched the world's biggest experimental fusion reactor.
So, if we start now, there is already catching up to do with the leaders. But if we do it right, Singapore could become the Asia-Pacific manufacturing hub for fusion machines. This would mean a whole suite of new, exciting jobs for Singaporeans – the next generation of fusion scientists, engineers and operators, all designing and making the technology that will power the world in future.
To get there, we need to do three things now.
First, lead and support our universities, research institutes and local SMEs to build capabilities to get into the fusion supply chain, get into the fusion supply chain now for prototypes and pilot plants; second, work with leading countries to design fusion-specific regulations; and third, importantly, we need to feature fusion energy in our 2050 energy roadmap to formally set the ambition for ourselves and to signal to the global fusion community that Singapore wants to be a player and wants to contribute.
On nuclear fusion, we should dream big, start now and signal strong.
Mr Mark Lee: Chairman, the business community welcomes the Government's commitment through the $5 billion Future Energy Fund aimed at bolstering clean energy initiatives. As Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong highlighted, transitioning to green energy necessitates substantial investments in infrastructure and technology, supported by Government-led catalytic funding.
Yet several businesses are already pioneering projects to import clean energy into Singapore, such as building a high-voltage subsea cable between Singapore and our neighbour. Given this context, I am seeking clarification is the Government planning to work with these businesses who are engaged in these initiatives and will the Ministry consider leveraging the Future Energy Fund to enhance the financial viability of these ongoing projects?
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: Mr Chairman, I would speak on addressing our energy constraints while meeting our climate commitments. This is crucial for our economy and environment.
Firstly, it is crucial for our national grid to efficiently integrate diverse energy sources without significant loss during transfer. In addition, it is essential to improve the efficiency of electricity generation, storage and transmission. Hence, what are MTI's plans to modernise our energy grid to efficiently integrate diverse sources of energy and improve overall efficiency? In addition, how will the modernisation of the energy grid be financed and what are the cost implications to consumers and businesses?
Secondly, as we secure our position as a data and AI centre, there will undoubtedly be a need for more energy to run the data centres and chip manufacturing facilities. So, what is MTI's projection of future energy needs to support the growth of our digital economy, especially in the domain of AI?
As the cooling demands in data centres and chip manufacturing facilities contribute significantly to the overall electrical consumption, what measures are being taken to optimise cooling in Singapore? Furthermore, with the escalating temperatures induced by climate change, Singapore faces heightened electricity usage for cooling purposes. I have highlighted in this Chamber – Singapore's strides in developing District Cooling Systems and their advantages. Are there plans to intensify efforts in this domain and cultivate local enterprises to bolster their capabilities in this sector and export this expertise to other global regions?
In Budget 2024, the Government announced an expansion of the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG). However, we need to evaluate the effectiveness of such programmes.
Earlier this month, I asked a Parliamentary Question on the status of the EEG and the Minister shared that Enterprise Singapore has approved nearly 5,000 applications for the EEG. What is the total projected energy savings from equipment purchases supported by the grant thus far? Also, what is MTI's target for the total energy savings with the expanded EEG?
Furthermore, considering the potential for significant systemic impact, I would like to ask whether there is room for additional upstream energy efficiency grants targeting plants, buildings and districts. Such upstream savings could have substantial benefits to the overall energy conservation efforts.
The $5 billion FEF is a positive step towards cleaner energy. However, it may not suffice for our clean energy transition. Will there be future top-ups or will the fund collaborate with borrowings, such as through the SINGA bonds? How will it catalyse private-sector investments?
As we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable growth, our limited access to clean energy stands as a key limiting factor to economic growth. This could impact the real income growth and living standards of Singaporeans. Hence, we must address our clean energy constraints.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Despite transformative changes in how consumers engage with businesses, the approach to safeguarding consumer rights in Singapore has not evolved, appearing to maintain a somewhat indifferent stance toward consumer protections.
We only need to look at the many high-profile and recent consumer incidents in Singapore – from the Sentosa Sky Lantern Festival, the abrupt closure of gym franchises, the chronic overbooking of cruises and flights, errant renovation contractors, \"lemons\" in the used car trade and the unsatisfactory customer service that has become synonymous with certain carsharing and food courier operators. These are just a few of the specific areas which are found wanting when it comes to protecting the interests of consumers.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) reported a 24% year-on-year increase in prepayment losses in 2022, with consumers reporting more than $645,000 in losses. In many of these cases, you should not need a consumer association to tell you that businesses cannot just sell subscriptions and then shut down, leaving consumers with no recourse, or that a refund with \"platform credits\" is not quite the same as cash payments in kind, or that if an airline overbooks and is unable to accommodate your trip, it is solely on them to provide an acceptable alternative to the customers' satisfaction. Moreover, even though many used cars are sold by dealers on a consignment basis, unbeknownst to many consumers, such purchases do not fall under the \"lemon law\" – ironic, given the prevalence of lemons in the used car industry.
While the Government has undertaken some initiatives to address unfair trading practices, it falls short of the robust protection framework that a first-world economy like Singapore should have. We need to transform the prevailing mindset of caveat emptor or buyer beware into one where individuals can confidently stand against the might of big business and know that the customer is not always right, but at least we will always be treated fairly.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): Chairman, I declare my interest as President of CASE. Price transparency is a core principle that safeguards our consumers and ensures that we make well-informed purchasing decisions.
To address the issue of shrinkflation, where retailers seemingly maintain the price of a product but secretly reduces the portion size, can MTI work with CASE to examine the prevalence of this practice in Singapore and encourage local retailers to deploy unit pricing in-store? Since 1 January 2023, CASE has rolled out unit pricing on more than 6,000 items listed on the Price Kaki app. With MTI's support, CASE is prepared to assist retailers to implement unit pricing.
According to CASE's annual complaint statistics, the number of complaints relating to e-commerce transactions surged by 47% in 2023. The most frequent issues pertain to failure to receive orders within delivery timeframes and failure to receive refunds. This is deeply concerning. We must take urgent actions to better protect our consumers, particularly as purchasing behaviour has shifted and many consumers now rely on e-commerce.
The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act was last reviewed in 2016, a time when e-commerce had yet to boom in Singapore. I urge MTI to review the Act to account for the evolution in consumers' purchase habits. CASE stands ready to partner MTI on this so that we can all better protect consumers.
The Chairman: Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Gan Kim Yong): Chairman, let me first thank Members for their thoughtful comments.
The past few years have been very challenging. As a small and open economy, Singapore felt keenly the impact of uncertainties arising from the pandemic and structural shifts in the global economy. But we did not let this put us down. We pressed on with our transformation journey and helped our businesses turn challenges into opportunities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced our worst recession since Independence. Our top priority then was to support our companies through this unprecedented crisis and protect jobs for Singaporeans.
Even before the pandemic was over, new challenges surfaced. Global food and energy prices rose sharply due to supply chain disruptions, which then led to global inflation. Interest rates were raised, as central banks around the world sought to counter inflationary pressures. Geopolitical contestation and strategic competition between major powers, such as the US and China intensified. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East erupted and there is a growing urgency to address climate change.
Amidst these challenges, our economy grew 1.1% in 2023. For 2024, we expect our GDP to grow by between 1% and 3% and inflation to moderate.
Nonetheless, our external environment remains volatile and uncertain, as several Members have pointed out. Many businesses, especially SMEs, are concerned about increased business costs and access to financing. They have also asked for more support to pursue transformation and training to stay competitive and capture new opportunities.
Mr Shawn Huang asked about support for enterprises. We are setting aside $1.3 billion for the Enterprise Support Package to address these near-term challenges. The Package has three components: Corporate Income Tax Rebate to help with cash flow; adjustments to the Enterprise Financing Scheme to help businesses access loan financing; and an extension of the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit to support transformation and skills training efforts.
First, let me explain the Corporate Income Tax Rebate. Companies due for corporate income tax in Year of Assessment 2024 will receive a 50% rebate, subject to a cap of $40,000. To ensure that smaller companies, even those that pay little or no income tax, can also benefit from the rebate, companies that employed at least one local employee in 2023 will receive a minimum cash payout of $2,000. The corporate income tax rebate will benefit many enterprises, especially the SMEs.
Next, we will adjust the Enterprise Financing Scheme (EFS) that facilitates access to loan financing. During the pandemic, we significantly enhanced the EFS to provide stronger support for businesses. We have since reviewed and adjusted the EFS to better suit current business needs. For example, internationalisation plans were significantly disrupted during the pandemic when global markets came to a standstill. To help companies sustain their efforts, we doubled the maximum loan quantum for the EFS-Trade Loan to $10 million and increased the Government's risk-share to 70%.
One company that has used the EFS to internationalise is Apeiron Bioenergy, which produces clean fuel from waste products. The company tapped on the EFS-Trade Loan and EFS-Green to deliver its first contract of used cooking oil, a clean biofuel feedstock to the US market and expand its facilities in Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
As the global markets are still recovering, we will extend the enhanced maximum loan quantum of $10 million for one year until 31 March 2025, but at a 50% risk-sharing. This is in line with Mr Mark Lee's call to support Singapore businesses as they expand overseas.
During the pandemic, we had also expanded the EFS-Project Loan scheme to include domestic construction projects which were badly affected. Most construction projects are now back on schedule and the sector is generally recovering, although some companies are still facing challenges. Hence, we will extend the support for domestic construction projects under EFS-Project Loan (Domestic) by one year until 31 March 2025 to help the industry, but at a lower maximum loan quantum of $15 million instead of $30 million.
In addition, we will permanently increase the maximum loan quantum of the EFS-Working Capital Loan to $500,000. We temporarily increased the cap during the pandemic when businesses were facing severe cash flow constraints. Since then, while cash flow has improved, the working capital needs of SMEs have, in fact, increased, amidst the increased business volumes and costs. Making the higher maximum loan quantum permanent will better support our SMEs.
Since 2020, more than 30,000 enterprises have utilised the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) to support the training and upgrading of their employees and to pursue enterprise transformation.
This includes Aux Media Group. This is an event and concert organiser. It used SFEC to offset costs of their digital workflow transformation project. The company also used SFEC to send their employees for SkillsFuture training courses, ranging from human resource to drone piloting, to meet the company's needs.
To allow businesses to benefit more from SFEC, we will extend the claims submission deadline by one year to 30 June 2025. We will continue refining our support for enterprises to deepen workforce and enterprise transformation.
Minister of State Low Yen Ling will also speak about additional measures to specifically support our heartland enterprises.
While we tackle near-term challenges, we must continue to invest in our longer-term future and build a resilient and vibrant economy. To achieve this, we need to be GUTC. By GUTC, we mean four strategies: Grow our economy; Unlock our resource potential; Transform our businesses; and Connect to strengthen our status as a global business hub and, therefore, GUTC.
Let me focus on our strategy to grow our Singapore economy, while each of my colleagues will elaborate on the other three strategies.
We will grow our economy through three key thrusts: leveraging our trade networks; promoting investment and the adoption of new technologies; and developing our talent.
First, on leveraging our trade networks. Singapore is well-placed to benefit from growth in our region and beyond. Our extensive connectivity has been and will continue to be our key competitive advantage. Singapore has established a strong reputation as a well-connected, reliable and trusted logistics and transportation hub. Amid shifts in global supply chains, businesses and investors continue to be attracted to Singapore due to our robust infrastructure, pro-business policies and skilled workforce. FDI has grown by over 50%, from $1.9 trillion five years ago, to reach approximately $2.9 trillion as at end of 2023. This trajectory is expected to continue.
To sustain our economic growth, Singapore, as a small economy, cannot afford to turn away from the global market; nor can we have the global market turn away from us.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Sharael Taha asked what the Government is doing to ensure Singapore will remain competitive and attractive to global investors. For a start, we must expand international and regional connectivity by continuing to strengthen the rules-based trading architecture, to widen our economic space and tap on global opportunities. This will allow us to evolve innovative trade cooperation models across different geographies, enlarge our community of trading partners and establish connections with new markets.
We will continue to deepen cooperation with our global partners to grow trade and attract investments. We will engage our partners through current platforms, like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, as well as via bilateral partnerships, like the US-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation, China-Singapore FTA and the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable.
Closer to home, the Southeast Asian region is projected to grow more quickly than the global economy over the next five years.
Within ASEAN, trade in goods grew by about 30% from US$645 billion in 2018 to US$857 billion in 2022. ASEAN, as a grouping, is also strengthening external relations with our partners. Under Indonesia's Chairmanship last year, ASEAN concluded negotiations to upgrade the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA. We are currently negotiating an FTA with Canada, as well as upgrading and reviewing ASEAN's Agreements with China and India.
We have also stepped up cooperation with our immediate neighbours. For example, we are exploring the establishment of a Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone to bolster our economic cooperation with Malaysia and Johor. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in January this year and agreed to work towards improving cross-border flows in goods, people and investments.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Ms Foo Mee Har and Mr Neil Parekh asked how MTI intends to capture future growth opportunities.
First, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Wong, we will enhance our investment promotion toolkit by introducing a new Refundable Investment Credit (RIC). This is a tax credit with a refundable cash feature. RIC will support qualified firms in developing high-value and substantive economic activities in Singapore, such as the setting up of manufacturing facilities or an expansion of these facilities, commodity trading, R&D and innovation as well as decarbonisation activities.
As pointed out by Ms Mariam Jaafar, the RIC will bolster our competitiveness in attracting and anchoring quality investments to create more opportunities and good jobs for Singaporeans.
We will also help our companies ride the global wave of technological advancement and pursue opportunities in new growth areas, such as advanced manufacturing, AI and sustainability. By being early movers and adopters, we can sharpen our companies' competitive edge, capture the rapid growth of these new markets and develop world-leading enterprises.
Manufacturing is a key pillar of our economy. As Mr Saktiandi Supaat has noted, it contributes about one-fifth of our GDP and employs about one-eighth of our workforce. We will double down on our strengths in robotics and automation to target high-value opportunities in advanced manufacturing and secure new growth pathways.
In the biomedical sciences sector for example, the nascent field of Precision Medicine has strong growth potential, with a global market size of US$74 billion in 2022, which is expected to grow at an average rate of 11.5% a year up to 2030. We will identify and nurture potential promising local startups, with the potential to develop cutting-edge solutions.
One such company, Engine Biosciences, has developed a proprietary platform which uses AI, machine learning and gene editing to discover gene interactions to yield promising new therapies. Engine Biosciences is currently in the pre-clinical stage and intends to leverage its R&D base in Singapore to expand into the international market.
The unprecedented growth of AI will accelerate in the coming years, with its market size projected to rocket from US$150 billion in 2023 to US$1.35 trillion in 2030. We must stay abreast of these developments and ensure that our businesses can reap the AI dividend. We will take both a company and sectoral approach to drive AI adoption. We will partner 100 companies to build internal AI capabilities, develop and adopt AI solutions. We hope that each of these companies will become a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for AI in its own right.
We will also set up sectoral AI CoEs to address sector-wide use cases and build domain-specific capabilities. As a start, A*STAR will launch a manufacturing sector AI CoE by the end of this year. The CoE will convene stakeholders from industry, research and the startup scene to develop AI-enabled solutions that addresses use cases in the manufacturing sector.
We will learn from this pilot and study how we might expand the same thing to the other sectors. The transition to a low-carbon and sustainable economy will also present new green growth opportunities. For instance, we have established a vibrant carbon services and trading ecosystem to take advantage of the growth in the global carbon market.
There are also opportunities to develop sustainable products, such as biofuels, Sustainable Aviation Fuel and green chemicals, which support our green growth objectives. For example, Neste expanded its biorefinery in Singapore in 2023, making us the world's largest producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. In addition, chemicals company Arkema has built its bio-factory on Jurong Island to produce high-performance polymers made from sustainable materials.
We are also working closely with the marine and offshore engineering (M&OE) sector to ensure that it is productive, globally competitive and well-positioned to leverage new growth opportunities. This requires the sector to rethink its operating model, pivot to higher-skilled, higher-value activities and reduce its reliance on foreign manpower. To catalyse this shift, we will adjust the marine shipyard sector's concessionary Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC), from a ratio of 3.5:1 to 3:1 in 2026. We will monitor developments in the sector before making further adjustments.
We will also proceed with the increase in foreign worker levies announced in 2013, but deferred in view of the M&OE downturn and COVID-19 pandemic. These moves will be discussed further in MOM's COS segment, as part of the Government's broader manpower strategy.
We recognise that transformation, while necessary, is never easy. We will thus provide the M&OE Support Package, totalling around $100 million over the next five years – to help companies transform, uplift our workers and position the M&OE sector for new growth opportunities. This will enable us to become a globally impactful and thriving hub that can deliver sustainable solutions in an M&OE value chain.
One growth opportunity that we are exploring is offshore wind, with a global market which is projected to grow rapidly at an average rate of 22% per year until 2030. Some companies have already embarked on this journey, such as Seatrium, which is working on several large offshore wind projects. We will identify and capture opportunities along the value chain and anchor them in Singapore.
One promising local startup is BeeX, which designs, builds and deploys hovering autonomous underwater vehicles (HAUVs) to conduct inspections of offshore windfarms. BeeX built its first HAUV with a $500,000 Startup SG Tech grant. Its solutions have been validated internationally and it is currently working on a high-specification, second-generation HAUV+.
I have outlined our plans to continue attracting quality investments into Singapore. We will also support enterprise collaborations and invest in our innovation ecosystem. First, Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Mark Lee and Mr Edward Chia will be happy to know that we will enhance the Partnerships for Capability Transformation scheme, or PACT scheme.
Today, the scheme encourages partnerships between larger and smaller enterprises, between MNCs, large local enterprises (LLEs) and the SMEs, on supplier development and co-innovation. Going forward, we will expand PACT to more industries and modalities, including capability training, internationalisation and corporate venturing.
Allow me to share a few examples of collaborations facilitated by PACT. GlobalFoundries was able to work closely with its supplier, Forefront AM, to scale up its capability in additive manufacturing, so that it can repair some of GlobalFoundries' high-value semiconductor manufacturing tools. Another example is SATS, which has organised capacity building workshops with PACT support, to help its SME suppliers understand and track their carbon emissions. SATS also intends to encourage its suppliers to embark on decarbonisation initiatives.
We aim to facilitate 100 new PACT partnerships over the next five years. This will provide more opportunities for SMEs to level up their capabilities, enhance their competitiveness and plug into global and regional value chains.
We will also invest in innovation efforts, including upstream research, translation and commercialisation. Since its launch in 2016, the Startup SG Equity Scheme has catalysed over $2.3 billion in private-sector funding for over 230 Singapore-based startups, including in new growth areas, such as advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and biologics or pharmbio, medical technology or medtech, and agriculture-food technology or agri-food tech. And we are working on further enhancements to the Startup SG Equity Scheme and will announce details later this year.
Third, while we will need to continue tapping on global talent to complement our local workforce to grow our economy, we will redouble our efforts to strengthen our local talent pool, so that Singaporeans can benefit from this growth. As Mr Liang commented, amidst this intensifying global competition for leadership talent, we will have to ensure that our companies have access to a pipeline of Singaporean corporate leaders in line with recommendations from the Forward SG consultation.
We will introduce a new initiative, the Global Business Leaders Programme (GBLP), to support companies in sending their Singaporean middle to senior managers with leadership potential, for overseas postings and other developmental opportunities. GBLP participants will be inducted as Singapore Leaders Network Fellows, where they will receive mentoring and grow their professional networks.
The GBLP will support companies in their regionalisation efforts and in growing a pipeline of Singaporean corporate leaders who can take their businesses to new heights. This will complement MOM's local workforce development efforts to support career resilience, better career health and longer career trajectories for all levels of workers.
Sir, in summary, I spoke about providing near-term support to our enterprises via the Enterprise Support Package, to help them address immediate challenges. And at the same time we need to invest in our longer-term future and drive economic growth. We can achieve this by leveraging our trade networks, spearheading the adoption of new technologies and developing our talent.
Economic transformation has always been a key priority for us. Deputy Prime Minister Heng earlier underlined the importance of transformation in our growth journey. Indeed, transformation is the constant in this fast-changing world. We must remain agile and continue to grow our economy by seizing new opportunities, making ourselves ever more productive, innovative and competitive.
While there will still be uncertainties and challenges in the future, if all of us work together as Team Singapore – with workers, businesses, trade associations and chambers and unions each playing our part, we can remain relevant on the global stage and enhance our heft. We can seize new opportunities for growth, improve the lives of all Singaporeans and build our shared future together. [Applause.]
Mr Chairman: Dr Tan See Leng.
The Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng): Mr Chairman, Singapore is a small nation with limited resource endowments. Despite so, we have grown to become a leading global city that we are today. But to sustain this growth, we will need to maximise our resource potential and turn these potentials into the next bound of success.
My speech today would touch on how we can continue to push boundaries, to unlock our resource potential and to bring in new opportunities in four areas: first, energy and carbon; second, research and development; third, manpower; and last but not least, land.
First, on energy and carbon. Climate change poses an asymmetric, long-term challenge to all countries across the globe. As a low-lying island-state, Singapore is disproportionately impacted by climate change. Our resource constraints are more stark compared to many other countries, which makes decarbonisation even more challenging.
But even so, we firmly believe that Singapore can rise above these constraints and achieve and thrive in a net-zero future. Today, I will share more about our efforts to invest in new decarbonisation pathways, while ensuring a stable power system.
First and foremost, a stable electricity market along with a reliable and secure power system must be the foundation upon which we advance Singapore's energy transition. Over the past year, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), has implemented guardrails to strengthen our electricity market structure and reduce market volatility. These include: one, introducing a centralised process to facilitate and guide private investments in new generation capacities; two, placing more stringent regulatory requirements on electricity retailers to better protect consumers; and three, implementing a Temporary Price Cap mechanism to mitigate extreme price volatilities in the wholesale electricity market.
This year, we will also centralise the procurement of natural gas to ensure longer-term fuel adequacy for our power plants. Alongside a stable electricity market, we need a reliable grid. Mr Edward Chia asked whether our power grid is robust enough to integrate diverse energy sources. While largely fueled by natural gas, our grid today already takes in other energy sources, such as solar power and waste-to-energy, while maintaining high grid reliability. Over the next few decades, we expect more diverse energy sources to enter our grid and we are upgrading our grid management systems in preparation for this.
Looking ahead, we expect electricity demand to grow with increasing digitalisation, economic growth and electrification, as Mr Edward Chia mentioned. EMA works closely with agencies to ensure that we have sufficient capacity to meet this demand. That is why we have launched tenders for new generation capacity in the form of greener and more energy-efficient power plants. EMA recently awarded YTL Power Seraya the right to build, own and operate a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT). This CCGT will have a carbon intensity 10% lower than that of existing CCGTs in the system. It will be the third CCGT to be built that can run on hydrogen, which is a potential low-carbon fuel and will be up by 2028. This is in addition to Keppel's and Sembcorp's hydrogen-ready plants which are currently under construction.
Singapore's energy transition will be a multi-decade journey. In the meantime, natural gas will still play an important role over the next one to two decades. SLNG is, therefore, developing a second Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal to meet our gas needs and to strengthen our energy security.
While natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel, we have to green our power supplies if we want to achieve our net-zero commitments. We are working on realising low-carbon electricity import projects and studying low-carbon energy alternatives, such as hydrogen and ammonia. Ms Jessica Tan would be glad to know that we have made good progress. For low-carbon electricity imports, our target is to import up to four gigawatts (GWs) of low-carbon electricity by 2035, making up around 30% of Singapore's electricity supply then.
To Mr Edward Chia's question, we are on track to achieve this target. Last year, EMA granted Conditional Approvals to import up to 4.2 GW of low-carbon electricity from Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Companies are currently conducting feasibility studies and securing regulatory approvals from source and transit countries. When realised, these projects will also form the building blocks of an ASEAN Power Grid.
We are also studying the potential of various other low-carbon energy sources. For hydrogen, we will start with a small-scale pathfinder project to test and to deploy a direct ammonia combustion power plant, alongside ammonia bunkering. The Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a lead developer for this project is ongoing and we will close this later this month.
Geothermal is another potential energy source that we are studying. We will be conducting a nationwide non-invasive geophysical study to assess Singapore's deep geothermal resource potential for power generation. EMA is evaluating the RFP proposals and we will also announce the award soon.
Advanced nuclear energy technologies and fusion energy are also potential game-changers. We engage international organisations widely and countries with deep capabilities in nuclear energy to broaden our understanding of advanced nuclear energy technologies, including Small Modular Reactors. This is so that we can assess the suitability of these technologies for Singapore, once they are proven to be safe and viable.
Mr Xie Yao Quan spoke about the potential of the energy from the sun – fusion energy. While there have been significant breakthroughs in the fusion energy space in recent years, there still remain engineering challenges. Beyond the fact that there are no demonstrator plants today that can generate electricity, there are also other challenges, including the low global supply of tritium, which is an important fuel for fusion. As such, there is a big difference in opinions among experts on when fusion can be commercialised safely.
We are also keeping a close watch on the development of fusion energy and we are collaborating with overseas research entities to build up capabilities in this field. We will continue to identify capabilities in our local ecosystem that are fusion-relevant and where we could potentially play a role in the fusion supply chain.
At the same time, R&D investments, such as those under the Low Carbon Energy Research, or LCER Programme, can help us realise the potential of low-carbon alternatives and support efforts to expand the range of technological solutions suited for Singapore.
The Directed Hydrogen Programme under the LCER Programme supports research into technologies that can help Singapore import and use hydrogen safely and economically. I am pleased to announce that we will be awarding around $43 million to support six research projects. These projects collectively seek to address key challenges that Singapore faces in deploying hydrogen in areas, such as energy efficiency, durability and safety.
Beyond hydrogen, we also want to support research into emerging technologies with the potential to sprout into needle moving solutions. As part of the inaugural Emerging Technology Grant Call, we will award around $12 million to support 10 research projects, which span a range of low-carbon technology pathways, such as energy harvesting.
Lastly, our close relationships with International Organisations help us to build capabilities to accelerate energy transition. Last month, we announced the establishment of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Regional Centre in Singapore. This Centre is the IEA's first office outside of its headquarters in Paris and is also Singapore's first energy-focused international organisation. The Centre will provide technical advice and policy support to governments and regional bodies to accelerate the energy transition, for example, through scaling up the deployment of renewable energy and other clean energy technologies. We expect the Centre to be operational by the end of this year.
Members, I have spoken at length on our plans to transition and decarbonise our power sector. Despite our lack of indigenous renewable energy resources, Singapore must still embark on the energy transition to stay relevant in a world that is moving towards net-zero. I am glad that several businesses are already pioneering such clean energy projects, as Mr Mark Lee pointed out earlier.
But to decarbonise, we will need to deploy clean energy at scale. This will likely involve nascent technologies, come with significant commercial and geopolitical risks, or require high upfront capital expenditures. All these would require substantial investment from governments and companies alike.
The International Renewable Energy Agency earlier estimated that the world would require an estimated US$150 trillion worth of investments across all energy transition technologies to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
In instances where projects are of strategic value to Singapore's decarbonisation journey, the Government will provide support to catalyse the development of such projects. This will help Singapore secure reliable and cleaner energy supply, at the scale and speed required to meet our climate goals.
It is with this in mind that the Government will set up the new Future Energy Fund, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The Fund can support the infrastructure investments we need to deploy low-carbon technologies, such as for hydrogen, when they are viable.
And we need to start saving for these investments now. We will establish the Fund within EMA, with an initial injection of $5 billion and we will make legislative amendments to establish the Future Energy Fund later this year.
Mr Edward Chia asked if we would need to top up the Fund further. We will do so when our fiscal space allows for it and depending on our development plans for the energy transition. The path ahead is not straightforward and we will need to adapt and be nimble when circumstances change. But rest assured that the Government will take great care in charting our energy transition, to ensure that even as we decarbonise, we maintain our energy security and we will remain cost-competitive. In particular, we are mindful of the potential impact of energy transition on electricity prices.
I would like to assure households and businesses that we will do our utmost best to calibrate the trajectory of our energy transition and its impact on electricity prices. We will also continue supporting our lower- and middle-income households to mitigate the impact that the transition will have on electricity costs and we will continue helping our businesses reduce energy consumption, improve energy efficiency and, in turn, lower their energy costs.
Members, other than the power sector, our industrial processes also contribute a significant portion of Singapore's emissions. We will need to actively pursue pathways to decarbonise our industrial processes.
As mentioned by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean in Prime Minister's Office's COS, one such pathway we are developing is carbon capture and storage (CCS). CCS involves the capture of emissions from point sources, such as chemical plants or power plants. The carbon dioxide is then transported to suitable geological formations where they are injected and stored deep underground.
We have been engaging companies interested to pursue CCS. Today, I would like to share that the Government will be working with S Hub, an industry consortium comprising ExxonMobil and Shell, to study the viability of developing a cross-border CCS project capturing emissions from Singapore. The Government will work with S Hub to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility of aggregating emissions from Singapore and collaborate with regional partners to study potential carbon dioxide storage sites.
We are keen to work with like-minded partners to make cross-border CCS projects a reality and realise the potential of our entire region as a CCS hub. Singapore recently signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on Cross-Border CCS with Indonesia. Under the LOI, both countries will set up a workgroup to advance CCS cooperation between Singapore and Indonesia.
Moving on to R&D. Continued investment in R&D is critical in ensuring that we maintain our edge and competitiveness in other areas. As mentioned in the Budget speech, the Government will invest an additional S$3 billion to our RIE2025 efforts to keep up our momentum in research.
To Ms Jessica Tan's, Mr Shawn Huang's and Mr Neil Parekh's questions, MTI will double down on our efforts to support R&D investments, particularly in deep tech R&D for critical and novel technologies. Deep tech typically requires a long development in commercialisation period due to the extent of tech validation and the risks involved. Investments in deep tech would enable us to entrench R&D that diversifies our economy by growing new industry clusters, thereby generating new economic opportunities for Singapore, propelling us towards innovation-led growth.
We are creating new R&D translation platforms and providing additional resourcing to catalyse four key sectors.
First, A*STAR will establish a National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre (NSTIC) at a budget of about $180 million to foster collaboration and boost R&D translation outcomes in the areas of flat optics and silicon photonics, both of which are emerging areas relying on semiconductor fabrication technologies. Semiconductor is a sector with significant barriers to entry due to high investment costs, with clean rooms and machines that can cost millions of dollars. NSTIC aims to help companies and researchers overcome this by providing them access to semiconductor infrastructure and supporting prototyping and small volume manufacturing.
I recently visited MetaOptics Technologies, a local startup that designs and fabricates flat lens and optical devices. These flat lenses are hundred of times thinner than a human hair, allowing for size reduction for devices like optical sensors and cameras. MetaOptics intends to leverage NSTIC's research expertise and fabrication services to make devices locally, instead of having to outsource to overseas foundries which have higher costs and longer turnaround times. MetaOptics is also being supported by two scientists seconded to the company from A*STAR, through its Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading Programme (T-Up), which Mr Desmond Choo asked about earlier.
Second, A*STAR has launched a $97-million Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi) to position Singapore as the regional node for research, clinical translation and commercialisation of RNA drugs and vaccines.
Most of us would have heard about RNA vaccines during COVID-19. Singapore has actually been developing capabilities in RNA research over the years through sustained investments in biomedical research and development. Through NATi, Singapore will accelerate the development of RNA drugs and vaccines and grow our RNA manufacturing capabilities. We currently have at least 10 local SMEs across the value chain for RNA therapeutics, and NATi will support and grow more local SMEs and startups and attract more companies here.
Third, A*STAR will launch MedTech Catapult – a $38 million initiative to accelerate the development of novel Life Science Tools and Medical Devices, by working with companies and product owners to translate research into commercial products.
This initiative will help intermediaries, like local contract manufacturing organisations, to move up the value chain so that they can not only manufacture but also develop their own MedTech product design and capabilities. Through MedTech Catapult, we also aim to train and upskill product engineers who can then go on to serve in the industry.
Fourth, a new tranche of about $60 million funding will be provided to the National Robotics Programme (NRP).
Started in 2016, the NRP has delivered good outcomes, such as the development of the Robotics Middleware Framework, which enables different brands of robots to work seamlessly with each other by standardising communications and de-conflicting navigation routes.
Moving forward, the NRP will step up translation of our robotics research and development capabilities, particularly in sectors, such as manufacturing, logistics, facilities management and healthcare. It will do this through “RoboClusters”, bringing together public sector researchers, end-users and robotics companies to foster collaborations and co-development of solutions with economic potential. NRP will also help to accelerate the growth of promising Singapore-based robotics SMEs and startups.
Ms Jessica Tan asked how MTI will grow the talent pool in research and development.
Together, the four platforms that I just mentioned are expected to train over 200 specialised research talent, such as product and robotics engineers and research scientists. They will also deliver more than 75 projects and licence out over 40 technologies, amongst other outcomes. All these will contribute to the development of an open and inclusive ecosystem where research, innovation and enterprise can come together to create commercially meaningful outcomes for businesses and help our industry partners to scale-up.
Third, on my pet topic, manpower. We need to strengthen our workforce competitiveness in tandem with our economic competitiveness. As Minister Gan shared earlier, we are committed to creating good opportunities for Singaporeans as we grow our economy. To empower Singaporeans to seize these opportunities, our workforce will need to be equipped with the relevant skillsets.
So stay tuned, I will share more details in my MOM COS speech on MOM's plans to support workers at all levels to enhance their employability, strengthen their career health and acquire overseas work experience; and how the Global Business Leaders Programme, as mentioned earlier by Minister Gan, will support Singaporean middle to senior managers with leadership potential to acquire the relevant overseas work experience and leadership skills to become corporate leaders.
This will complement the bilateral manpower programmes MTI is developing with Indonesia and Vietnam. When launched, the Tech:X programme with Indonesia and Innovation Talent Exchange (ITX) programme with Vietnam will allow Singaporeans to pursue work stints in the areas of technology and innovation in Indonesia or Vietnam respectively, and vice versa. This will support our companies and Singaporeans to tap on exciting opportunities in our fast-growing region.
Finally, on optimising our scarce land resource. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about the Government's efforts in ensuring that we have sufficient land to meet our competing industrial, housing and recreational needs. The Ministry of National Development will share more on the Government's master-planning process and how we balance across competing land use needs.
In planning for industrial estates, the JTC Corporation seeks to optimise industrial land usage through land intensification and recycling, as well as the siting of industrial uses within mixed-use districts near to housing and recreational facilities. Our upcoming new industrial districts like Punggol Digital District (PDD) and Jurong Innovation District (JID) are designed to embody this philosophy.
PDD will house the new Singapore Institute of Technology campus alongside digital tech companies to create opportunities for applied learning and to build a robust pipeline of local technological talent. One of PDD's anchor tenants is United Overseas Bank, which will be building its 300,000 square foot global technology and innovation centre to house around 3,000 technological talents. JID supports Singapore's Manufacturing 2030 ambition to become a global business, innovation and talent hub for advanced manufacturing.
The anchoring of companies alongside A*STAR's Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC), which has collaborations with about 100 industry players – inclusive of Government agencies, research institutes and academia; will help to accelerate innovations to create an advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
JTC will also rejuvenate key industrial estates in Sungei Kadut, Ang Mo Kio and Kallang-Kolam Ayer. JTC's tenants can look forward to smarter and more sustainable facilities and infrastructure. Suitable existing buildings and structures will also be identified for potential adaptive reuse and will serve as activity nodes for workers and the surrounding community. More details will be provided within the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA's) Draft Master Plan 2025.
Mr Chairman, to conclude. I spoke about how we would unlock potential in the areas of energy and carbon, research and development, land and manpower. That said, the path forward would not be easy. In fact, it has never been easy for a resource-constrained nation like Singapore. But as the Chinese saying goes, \"时势造英雄\", which translates to \"tough times create not just heroes, but also heroines\".
That has been our story. We were small, with no natural resource endowment. But together, our people managed to make it work, by carefully optimising whatever resources we have coupled with human ingenuity and innovation. With good planning and strong support from businesses and Singaporeans, I am confident we can and we will be able to unlock our resource potential to strive for the next bound of growth. Only through this way, our businesses can continue to stay competitive, keep our edge and bring more opportunities and benefits to Singapore and Singaporeans for many more decades to come.
The Chairman: Minister of State Low Yen Ling.
The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Low Yen Ling): Chairman, the world we face today is vastly different from what it used to be. Earlier, Minister Gan Kim Yong shared how the global uncertainties have strained our small and open economy. It is no longer business as usual. Change, continual transformation and innovation form the present order of things.
To thrive in the new normal, we need a positive mindset to embrace transformation. Change is always challenging. We know that. However, if you recall, during the COVID-19 pandemic, our businesses managed to overcome the resistance to change, including the heartland enterprises. I will touch on that later.
Our enterprises have shown the ability to transform to secure a better future. I want to assure all the Members that MTI and our economic agencies, the Government is committed to supporting our businesses' transformation journey for the long haul.
Today, I will elaborate on how the Government is ramping up critical support for companies to transform and thrive. As highlighted earlier by Mr Shawn Huang, we are determined to help businesses seize fresh opportunities in new growth areas, such as sustainability and digitalisation.
I will also delve into how, for instance, we will drive sectoral transformation for the M&OE industry as mentioned by Minister Gan Kim Yong earlier; and continue the momentum of positive change in our heartland enterprises. I will also share how the Government will help accelerate the green transition of our Singapore enterprises to benefit and to future-proof our business.
In addition, I will touch on how we will help companies capture emerging digital opportunities for their next bound of growth. Finally, I will update you all on how we will deepen our partnerships with TACs, as mentioned by many Members in their cuts, to drive industry transformation plans and efforts.
Sir, to help Singapore companies and our industries future-proof themselves and transform, the Government has rolled out 23 Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and refreshed the plans for 2025. These efforts cover strategic areas such as innovation, digitalisation, jobs and skills, internationalisation, productivity and sustainability. Many sectors have shown progress in their roadmap and we will not let up our efforts to support their transformation.
The M&OE sector, as Minister Gan has mentioned earlier, is undergoing substantial changes. I agree with Mr Shawn Huang that this traditionally labour-intensive sector will need to transform to stay competitive. To this end, we aim to turbocharge the M&OE sector to capture emerging opportunities in areas, like offshore wind and maritime decarbonisation.
Today, several trailblazers in the sector have pivoted their businesses to serve in these growing markets that I mentioned.
I will give you a quick example. One company that really stands out for raising their green capabilities is Penguin International. Now, this is a homegrown shipbuilder, homegrown ship owner and one of the world's largest aluminium shipbuilders. Penguin International has spent the past few years future-proofing themselves, building up their in-house capabilities in designing, constructing and operating green vessels. Currently, the company is working with Shell to build and operate three electric ferries.
These eco-friendly ferries are expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 6,000 tonnes annually. How much is 6,000 tonnes? This is comparable to the environmental impact of roughly 18,000 one-way road trips from Singapore to Bangkok. That is the impact of three electric ferries.
In the next five years, MTI will support the M&OE industry's transformation with a $100-million Support Package for enterprise and workforce transformation. Companies can raise their productivity with funding support from the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) and also strengthen their new capabilities with the help of the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG).
Besides offering near-term transitional support for M&OE companies to fulfil their pre-committed contract deliveries, we will refresh the M&OE Industry Digital Plan to encourage greater adoption of sector-specific productivity-boosting digital solutions as well. To equip our M&OE workers for the future, Workforce Singapore and Enterprise Singapore will work together and develop an M&OE Jobs Transformation Map that charts emerging career pathways and highlights capability-building opportunities.
In addition, new career opportunities are being identified. The Association of Singapore Marine and Offshore Energy Industries (ASMI), Workforce Singapore and Enterprise Singapore will work together and launch the Marine Digitalisation Champion Programme later this year.
This will equip Singaporeans with fresh digital skills for higher-value work in the M&OE sector. Furthermore, Workforce Singapore will expand its Career Conversion Programme to include offshore wind to develop local, mid-career talents for offshore wind farm development and operations.
Crucially, we will lay the foundation for a strong talent pipeline by nurturing interest in M&OE careers amongst our youth. MTI will work closely with the industry and ASMI to enhance the sector's attractiveness and encourage more M&OE companies to offer industry scholarships.
I am glad that together with our agencies, ASMI has developed a new Industry Plan that sets out the strategies to enable the businesses to seize new green growth opportunities and get equipped for longer-term transformation. ASMI will share their plans in the next few months.
Sir, over in the heartlands, we are see encouraging signs of growing business transformation. Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Shawn Huang they spoke very passionately about this topic. I want to assure them that our heartland enterprises are making good progress in digitalisation and retail innovation.
Today, more than 17,000 heartland enterprises have adopted e-payment solutions. More than nine in 10. Today, more than 12,000 heartland enterprises now have online presence, about two-third. Those who have embraced digital transformation have gained a bigger customer base, beyond their neighbourhoods, beyond footfall, to even online customers and some shops have even attracted overseas customers as well.
Bee Choo Origin, a hair product company that started in Ang Mo Kio as a hair salon in 2007, is a good example. Its owner, Mdm Cheah Bee Chew, who began as a home-based hairdresser, grew her humble salon into a global hair treatment company. It began selling its products online in 2020, again due to COVID-19, and then saw their revenue rise by 25% in just three years. Today, Bee Choo Origin has 170 stores spanning 11 markets and is entering its next lap of growth under the leadership of Mdm Cheah's 34-year-old daughter, Estee.
The retail sector is evolving rapidly, with the growth of technology, e-commerce and fast-changing consumer preferences. The Government is committed to supporting the retail sector and businesses to transform, innovate and capture opportunities.
I think Members will remember last year, during the MTI-COS debate, I announced the Sprout@AMK initiative – the Chinese name is 宏茂桥创新天地, or to introduce fresh retail concepts to heartlanders in Ang Mo Kio Town Centre. I am happy to share that these novel retail kiosks will be rolled out very soon.
Alongside this, we also welcome the first batch of retailers under the Heartland Innovation and Transformation (HIT) Programme, or 创新在邻里计划, who will be unveiling their products in Ang Mo Kio.
I am very heartened that some of these retailers from these new waves of shops have come up with concepts and innovative products for better health and well-being to meet the needs of the society. I thought I would give Members a preview of some of these novel concepts. Every year, I will bring something representing the heartland enterprises. For example, this fun puzzle. This company is called Project Enigma, and they use 3D printing to produce this puzzle and many other puzzles as well as toys to improve people's learning and health. Besides their retail kiosk in Ang Mo Kio, Project Enigma has started a puzzle museum and library at Henderson Community Club (CC) and it is also running community workshops. So, they do not just confine their presence to their shop. They went out beyond that to the CCs to do events to raise awareness.
My MTI colleagues have placed many of their interesting puzzles and toys in the Members' room because we are keenly aware that after one whole week of Budget and COS debates, Members might want to tinker with this and exercise different parts of your brain muscles.
Another interesting example is Tea Dojo. Now, let me show Members. Tea Dojo offers freshly brewed, healthier, syrup-free bubble tea. I alerted Minister Ong Ye Kung and the Health Promotion Board that I am going to do this. The nutri grade of this oolong tea, the peach oolong tea, is grade A. Today, we brought three flavours: peach oolong as well as grape boba, and the third flavour is mango pomelo. We have prepared many of these drinks and after we have the clarification time, we can all have our break soon and Members can choose from any of the three flavours.
Mr Chairman, you work very hard. I have set aside two cups for you in your office and, if you need more, you can let us know.
So, this is our freshly brewed, healthier, syrup-free bubble tea made from a specially invented tea machine. Many of our heartland enterprises are coming up with novel concepts, business models and revenue models.
Besides the retail transformation in Ang Mo Kio, we will pilot two heartland rejuvenation projects in Bukit Gombak and Tampines West. Bukit Gombak Neighbourhood Centre will be turned into a Modern Heritage Heartland Hub or 邻里特色文化基地. From 5 to 7 April next month, Bukit Gombak will hold the Rasa Gombak Day Out, a first of its kind festival that will showcase the history and heritage of the popular neighbourhood centre. Over at the other side of the island, Tampines West Neighbourhood Centre will be transformed into a Heartland Events Hub, or 新兴社区活动站.
Last October, Tampines West Merchant Association worked with the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) to organise Wunderground. This was a pop-up event featuring collaborations between urban city lifestyle brands. The event at the heartlands attracted more than 30,000 visitors in just 10 days, an average of 3,000 a day. Residents can look forward to more such events in the future.
In the past three years, we have ramped up our efforts to transform and to revitalise the heartlands. We supported the Federation of Merchant Associations Singapore (FMAS) and Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS) to hold more than 60 placemaking activities all over Singapore in different neighbourhood centres, including the three successful runs of the Heartland Festival.
Through these campaigns, businesses have reported a one-third increase in footfall and a 20% increase in sales. Collectively, this initiative strengthens each precinct's identity and allows businesses to differentiate their products and also enhance their value proposition.
On the ground, we are glad that heartland shops and merchants are stepping up with fresh ideas to co-curate events to make our neighbourhoods more exciting and vibrant. For example, Bold at Work is a co-working space provider and a youth engagement consultant in Jurong East. They turned parking lots in Yuhua into an interesting space for live music performance, carnival games and workshop. That, in turn, drew a lot of people to that whole place, also catalysing demand for the products and services of the heartland shops there.
We will encourage more creative ways to reach out to audiences and customers in the heartland. We will launch the Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant, or 邻里企业社区营造计划, to support our heartland enterprises in creating delightful experiences in the housing estates. We will make available funding of up to $10,000 for eligible heartland enterprises to organise placemaking projects.
I am sure many good ideas are out there waiting to be explored. So, we want to encourage our heartland enterprises to come forward with exciting proposals. Let us look forward to new possibilities that we can co-curate together. Chairman, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, our SMEs are the backbone of our economy. SMEs account for 99% of the total number of registered companies in Singapore, employing up to 70% of the workforce, bringing dynamism and vitality to our economy.
Our neighbourhood businesses, besides playing an important role in the economy, also serve as emotional hubs for the community, carrying many of our growing-up memories and enhancing the cohesion of our neighbourhoods. Therefore, MTI is committed to supporting our SMEs and neighbourhood businesses, equipping them with the capabilities to address the challenges of the future economy. This includes various plans and measures to assist SMEs in their transformation as well as to revitalise neighbourhood businesses, injecting more vitality into these communities.
Over the past three years, we have supported the Federation of Merchants’ Association Singapore and Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore in organising over 60 neighbourhood placemaking activities, including the annual Heartlands Festival.
During these events, some businesses reported a one-third increase in footfall and a 20% growth in sales. Through this series of activities, Singaporeans have gained a deeper understanding of the history and unique aspects of each neighbourhood, while neighbourhood businesses have gained confidence in building their brands, using technology to expand their customer base, and even expanding their businesses overseas. For example, Bee Choo Origin, which expanded from one outlet in Ang Mo Kio to 11 overseas markets, providing the company with new business and development opportunities.
In addition to projects led by the Government, business associations and Chambers of Commerce, our neighbourhoods, businesses have also taken the initiative to organise events. These activities transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, bringing new vitality to the neighbourhood community.
To encourage more of such initiatives, MTI has announced a Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant to provide eligible businesses with grants of up to $10,000 to support them in creating unique experiences for the community, driving the development of the neighbourhood economy.
Through this series of new initiatives and grants, we hope to encourage SMEs, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and neighbourhood businesses to unleash their creativity, seize the opportunities for economic transformation and drive sustainable development for Singapore.
(In English): Chairman, the green transition presents both opportunities and challenges to enterprises. I want to assure Ms He Ting Ru and Mr Neil Parekh that the Government will continue to deepen and widen our support for businesses through the different stages of their sustainability journey.
First, we are enhancing our existing support to help businesses to become more sustainable through the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG). In 2022, we launched the EEG to help our enterprises defray rising energy costs. Since then, Mr Edward Chia and Mr Mark Lee would be glad to know that almost 2,000 companies have used EEG. For example, CF F&B, a drink stall in a food court. I want to give Members examples like that so that you know that EEG is not just used by bigger SMEs but can be used by heartland merchants or even a food stall in a food court. So, CF F&B is a drink stall in a food court. They used the grant to procure three energy-efficient water heaters that led to cost savings of about 80%, 80% cost savings. We will help more businesses invest in energy-efficient equipment. From 1 April, local food services, retail and manufacturing companies can continue to receive enhanced support of up to 70%.
EEG will be open to other industries, such as maritime, construction and data centres by the end of this year. MTI is working closely with the industry to onboard additional sectors as necessary. We will also streamline the application process by consolidating all the EEG applications from different sectors on the Business Grants Portal.
EEG complements existing schemes like the Enterprise Sustainability Programme (ESP) to provide holistic end-to-end support. For example, companies can tap into ESP for consultancy support to pinpoint areas for efficiency gains before applying to buy the energy-efficient equipment under EEG.
Secondly, we will enhance the existing Resource Efficiency Grant for Emissions (REGE) by lowering the qualifying carbon abatement threshold from 500 tonnes to 250 tonnes per annum. This will enable more businesses to tap into the grant for their projects.
Finally, we will extend the Enterprise Financing Scheme (Green) or EFS (Green) till 31 March 2026 and expand its scope to cover companies adopting green solutions. As Mr Edward Chia pointed out, data centres and chip manufacturers would do well to use schemes like the EFS (Green) to reduce their emissions.
A company that has benefited from EFS (Green) is Koollogix. They provide cooling technologies for data centres. It tapped into this scheme to transform and complete a new lab facility. This, together with other transformation efforts, led to a tenfold increase in their revenue just within two years.
Sir, as the world embraces sustainable goals and practices, customers and investors will increasingly expect businesses to be more transparent about their carbon footprint. The Ministry of Finance has announced that climate-related disclosures will be mandated for large companies in Singapore in the coming years. Therefore, businesses need capabilities and resources to track and report their carbon footprint.
To this end, we will provide funding support of up to 30% to large companies to kickstart their sustainability reporting journey. While smaller companies will not be affected by the new regulations, sustainability reporting will help them to stay relevant as disclosure of carbon footprint data becomes commonplace.
Mr Derrick Goh would be pleased to know that we will provide funding support of up to 70% and work closely with carbon service providers to offer a basic sustainability reporting package for small businesses. This will complement the pre-scoped carbon accounting solutions offered under the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) Advanced Digital Solutions Scheme.
In addition, to help businesses pursue sustainability-related collaborations while maintaining healthy competition, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) has developed an Environmental Sustainability Collaboration Guidance Note. Sir, for businesses to be successfully sustainable, I think all of us in the House will agree workers must also keep pace. Hence, we are boosting our support for the workforce to upskill and reskill to seize new opportunities in the green economy.
Last year, we set up the Green Skills Committee to develop skills and training programmes aimed at fostering a low-carbon economy. This year, we will continue to build on two focus areas: (a) sustainability reporting; and (b) energy. To develop skills in sustainability reporting, we will provide salary support to sustainability reporting service providers to train interns. This year, we will launch training programmes for the energy sector to address clean energy skills gaps identified by the sector.
Minister Gan spoke about how Singapore is establishing a vibrant carbon services and trading ecosystem. I am glad to announce that EDB and Enterprise Singapore are working with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to develop training programmes in carbon management, services and trading. These courses will certainly help workers capture their potential in this growth sector.
Chairman, another emerging area which offers exciting prospects is the digital economy. Singapore companies have made good progress in digitalisation. In 2022, digital technology adoption by SMEs reached 94%, a 20% jump from 2018. Many of us will agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has really catalysed the adoption of digital tools and technology.
Many Members spoke during your cuts about AI. With the rise of technologies, like Generative AI, digitalisation has become more urgent and dynamic than ever before.
Currently, only 4% of businesses use AI and machine learning. We want to share more about how we are helping our SMEs to adopt GenAI and I want to assure the Members, Mr Derrick Goh, Mr Keith Chua, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Mr Neil Parekh, that MTI will support businesses in the next lap of enterprise digitalisation.
We encourage businesses to start exploring and using AI. Interested firms can tap on Enterprise Singapore and IMDA's newly-launched Generative AI Sandbox for SMEs to gain hands-on experience with GenAI. The Sandbox will feature affordable and easy-to-use solutions applicable to a broad spectrum of sectors. I will cite two ways they can use it.
For example, our SMEs can use marketing and sales solutions. This will really them to grow their topline and bottom-line. They can use GenAI to help them use marketing and sales solutions to generate unique content, such as customised emails and product images for their marketing campaigns.
Another area is customer engagement solutions, which can also allow the SMEs to engage customers on a much larger scale better. These GenAI-powered chatbots can simplify the information search process and then allow businesses to free up their resources and become more productive, so they can allow their staff to focus on higher value-add work, serve customers and maybe allow them to focus on the business development kind of functions. We want to encourage our SMEs to participate in the Sandbox and get a head start in using GenAI solutions.
Chairman, sectoral transformation, the green transition and seizing digital opportunities. The Government cannot drive these efforts alone. Many Members talked about the importance of trade associations and chambers (TACs). And indeed, TACs are critical industry multipliers we work with to drive industry transformation. Let me elaborate.
Since 2022, we have supported 30 TACs to spearhead industry initiatives benefitting some 14,000 companies through the Local Enterprise and Association Development Programme (LEAD).
We partnered with TACs to set up SME Centres island-wide to offer SMEs capability development programmes. Last year, more than 30,000 SMEs benefitted from these services. I want to reassure Mr Derrick Goh that the SME Centres will continue supporting business transformation efforts, particularly in digitalisation and sustainability.
TACs also represent the interests and needs of the respective industries and form a vital bridge between the industry, the private sector and the Government. Our close partnerships with TACs help us to better understand and address critical concerns on the ground.
Business costs and competitiveness are top-of-mind issues for many SMEs and many businesses today. We are very cognisant of that. While there is no magic bullet for these pain points, the private and public sectors and the union representatives have come together to co-create solutions to overcome these challenges.
We will form an Alliance for Action (AfA) on Business Competitiveness co-chaired by myself and hon Member Mr Mark Lee, who represents SBF. The AfA will forge solutions with the industry and adopt recommendations to help businesses become more competitive in the long term. This complements existing efforts by the Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) to enhance the regulatory journey for businesses.
To enable TACs to be effective change agents, the Government has invested significantly in developing their capabilities.
Mr Derrick Goh, Mr Keith Chua and Mr Shawn Huang would be glad to know that MTI is working with SBF, our apex business chamber, to develop more capability programmes for the TACs, including their staff.
Over the next five years, SBF will build shared resources for TACs to support their members in critical areas like digitalisation, sustainability and internationalisation. We will continue to work with SBF to boost the capabilities of TACs' secretariats to serve their members better. SBF will share more details on this effort in the later part of this year.
Finally, with the TACs and the industry, we will improve business practices and strengthen consumer protection. The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, or CPFTA, already provides for civil remedies for unfair practices, such as deception and false claims. Thank you to Mr Melvin Yong, who is also the President of CASE, and Mr Louis Chua for their suggestions on enhancing consumer protection.
We appreciate the close partnership with CASE, and all the work that CASE has done to support consumers. For example, CASE's Price Kaki app allows consumers to compare the prices of many different household items and cooked food and the unit pricing features makes it even easier to compare. MTI, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) and the economic agencies will continue to work closely with CASE to protect consumer interests as consumer purchasing habits evolve.
Chairman, this sustained spirit of collaboration and cooperation between the private sector, public sector and industry associations gives us the grit, give us the resilience to overcome challenging circumstances.
Our gumption to embrace transformation will set a formidable front against the odds. Let us stay the course. Let us keep up the momentum of transformation, from reshaping industry, whether it is M&OE or heartland enterprises, energising our heartland shops as well and also seizing potential in digital economy as well as the green economy. Because by taking shared ownership of our transformation path, we will set sails of positive change and ride new waves of opportunities to reach the harbour of a thriving future for Singapore and Singaporeans. [Applause.]
The Chairman: Minister of State Alvin Tan.
The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan): Mr Chairman, we have recovered robustly from the difficult pandemic years. Amidst geopolitical and macroeconomic tensions, global inflationary pressures and heightened investor uncertainty, Singapore, through EDB attracted $12.7 billion in Fixed Asset Investment commitments in 2023. These projects will create 20,045 new jobs. This exceeded EDB's medium-term goals and is partly why Singapore remains Asia's most competitive economy and the world's fourth most competitive, according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
As the world's Global-Asia or Singapore as a hub for cultures, ideas and commerce, how can we strengthen our position as the world's hub? First, by strengthening our appeal as a vibrant destination for both businesses and tourists alike and residents; and second, by deepening and widening our international partnerships.
Let me begin with our tourism sector, which has rebounded strongly. There has been a resurgence in visitor arrivals and an energetic revival of our city as a bustling hub of eclectic experiences.
In 2023, our international visitor arrivals recovered to 13.6 million, which is 71% of our 2019 levels, while our tourism receipts for the first three quarters of 2023 reached 98% of the same period in 2019. We have launched new local experiences to capture the winds of recovery. Minister of State Low Yen Ling was your heartland guide. I will be your tourism guide.
We opened the Bird Paradise at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, HyperDrive at Sentosa and Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience at Resorts World Sentosa. We also enjoyed a vibrant calendar of signature events, like the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix or the inaugural edition of ART SG as part of Singapore Art Week. Then, we have live entertainment which resumed with unparalleled vitality, as Singapore played host to prominent acts, such as Blackpink, Ed Sheeran, Jacky Cheung and, of course, a particular act that is currently taking Singapore by storm.
Our Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions industry, or MICE for short, have also made a very strong comeback. In 2023, we hosted some of the world's largest MICE events, like Asia Tech x Singapore, Gastech and Herbalife APAC Extravaganza. We also welcomed new events, like the 25th World Congress of Dermatology, which is our largest medical congress to date; and the transport logistic and air cargo for Southeast Asia, with the first in the edition for the region.
Then, we have also our homegrown events, which many of you have participated in, such as Singapore International Energy Week, our Singapore International Cyber Week, the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) and, of course, the Singapore Fintech Festival, which continued year after year to attract a significant turnout.
Conference organisers tell me that they choose Singapore because of our position as a global meeting point for talent, ideas and for business. Even during massive disruptions like COVID-19, Singapore continued to deliver, safely and reliably and these conference organisers are bullish about our prospects to continue to play host to world-class events if there are disruptions in the future. So, confidence in us is strong. through world class events.
Similarly, we remain confident in our tourism sector. This year, we expect international tourism or visitor arrivals to reach between 15 and 16 million visitors and to bring approximately $26.0 to 27.5 billion in tourism receipts.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Neil Parekh and Mr Edward Chia asked how we plan to facilitate tourism recovery and ensure we remain attractive despite intensifying global competition. We are doing so in two ways.
First, through investments. We will provide a boost to our tourism sector, through an injection of over $300 million to our Tourism Development Fund 4. This will develop and market new products and experiences, including supporting local enterprises as they develop new intellectual properties, rejuvenate existing tourism offerings and also upskill our tourism workers.
We are boosting this Fund 4 because it has introduced exciting attractions and lifestyle events here. And I got to launch some of these, including TRIFECTA, which is Asia's first snow, surf and skate lifestyle destination and also, of course, the year-round exclusive homeporting of Disney Cruise Line's latest cruise ship, Disney Adventure, which will start in Singapore next year.
Over the past two years, this fund has also helped over 100 local tourism businesses become even more productive and more sustainable. So, we encourage all of our tourism companies to make full use of the top-up to grow your business.
Second, we are also developing a pipeline of high quality and first-of-its-kind experiences here in Singapore, that we will launch in the coming years. This will help us to maintain international mindshare and strengthen our appeal as a compelling destination. Let me share some more exciting news as your in-house tour guide.
First, we are improving accessibility in Sentosa with Sensoryscape which is a new attraction that will connect Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Sentosa's beaches. It has multi-sensorial gardens that pique the senses and showcase digital light displays in the night. Some of us had a sneak peek and we look forward to the soft launch this month.
Staying at Sentosa at RWS, I broke ground on Universal Studios, Singapore's Minion Land just two years ago and we look forward to the launch next year. Next year, RWS will also launch the new Singapore Oceanarium which is an expansion of the current SEA Aquarium but three times its size. As part of RWS' expansion, there will also be a new waterfront lifestyle development and a driverless transport system between the mainland and RWS.
Third, we have a strong line-up of leisure and business events. Together with the suite of world-class live entertainment events, we will host high quality MICE events this year, such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Global Conference, which is the first in Singapore and NRF 2024: Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific, which is a significant tradeshow for our region’s retail industry.
Also, when MBS' expansion is completed in the later part of this decade, it will allow us to host more notable live entertainment and MICE events. The expansion will include a 15,000-seat world-class entertainment arena, more MICE spaces, and an iconic, luxury all-suite hotel tower with a public rooftop attraction.
To continue enhancing Singapore as a vibrant lifestyle and economic hub, we must continue to build our creative economy, as Ms Usha Chandrasdas suggested. I will share how we are doing so.
First, Singapore hosts many high-quality arts and cultural experiences that enhance our attractiveness as a lively lifestyle hub or lifestyle destination. Our year-round arts and cultural calendar features events such as Singapore Art Week and Singapore International Festival of Arts, as well as cultural festivals in Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Gelam.
These events which many of you have attended are popular not just with our locals but also our visitors alike, and STB will continue to work with event organisers to improve and grow their appeal and also look for new themes, new arts and cultural experiences which have international appeal.
The DesignSingapore Council, which is a subsidiary under EDB, drives the growth of our design sector. This council provides funding and coaching for design research and product development, partners with companies to adopt design for business growth, and nurtures industry-ready design talent.
Ms Jean See also highlighted the potential of harnessing creative talent to redefine businesses.
In addition to DesignSingapore’s efforts, broad-based schemes such as our Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) will allow businesses to engage creative professionals to build their strategic brand as well as their marketing capability.
There is more good news. Singapore and China implemented a mutual 30-day visa exemption starting on 9 February 2024. We expect this to boost arrivals and spending across our retail, F&B, and tourism-related sectors. This longer visa exemption has made it more convenient for Singaporeans to travel to China for leisure and business, boosting two-way traffic.
As we continue to put Singapore on the world map, we welcome people from all around the world – not just as a tourist destination, but also as a business hub. Minister Gan shared how our trade networks help grow our economy. I will focus on how we are extending our connections to be a stronger and more vibrant business node.
Mr Neil Parekh emphasised the importance of trade to Singapore given our very small size and small domestic market. Between 2005 and 2023, our total trade in goods and services more than doubled, from around S$890 billion to more than S$2 trillion; and currently stands at around three times our GDP.
Amidst growing geopolitical tensions and protectionist trade policies, which was also a concern raised by Ms He Ting Ru, we must continue to strengthen Singapore’s global trade competitiveness. How? Let me suggest three ways: first, we must continue to advance our trade and investment with partner economies, especially in the growing markets; second, we must help our local companies to scale up and internationalise; and third, we must encourage new trade flows for in-demand areas.
Mr Parekh asked how we are helping companies to seize new opportunities in growing markets. Well, my MTI colleagues and I have been travelling the world to strengthen these economic ties. We are uncovering new markets, new business opportunities and new partners for our many companies. Some of these journeys are 30 hours one way, but they are worth doing even though they are very tiring. And I will be making more of these trips this year because Minister Gan has asked me to. But let me take you around the world from a trade and also a business lens.
First stop: let us go to India, a country I visited a few times last year. We continue to advance our collaborations with India, which the World Economic Forum projects to be the world’s third largest economy by 2030. It is already the world’s most populous nation and one of its youngest too.
Between 2012 and 2022, Singapore’s investments into India grew by more than five times. In 2022, India was Singapore’s 11th largest trading partner and India will remain a key market of strategic importance to Singapore.
At the inaugural India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable in 2022, our countries identified five mutually beneficial areas of collaboration. And we have started to see some fruits of success from this work.
For example, on the digital front, India and Singapore operationalised the world’s first paperless Letter of Credit transaction backed by interoperable electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs) using IMDA’s TradeTrust framework. This showcases how digital tech can make international trade easier and also more accessible.
We are also helping our students gain greater exposure to India’s markets. Enterprise Singapore, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) announced the India Ready Talent (IRT) internship programme in February 2024. IRT offers our University and Polytechnic students internship opportunities in India to deepen their understanding of India’s business environment.
From India let us travel to Latin America – a region I have been travelling to extensively over the last few years:
Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and I were just in Brazil in December to sign a new FTA with the MERCOSUR. MERCOSUR is the Common Market of the South comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. This is our first FTA with all four South American economies, which will strengthen our ties with this market comprising over 270 million people and business opportunities in infrastructure development, agri-food trade, oil and gas, as well as advanced manufacturing, just to name a few.
To date, more than 150 Singapore companies have commercial interests in Latin America. This builds on the FTA we signed with the Pacific Alliance bloc in 2022, which comprises Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. With these two agreements, we have combined access to a market in Latin America of more than 500 million people, half a billion people.
From India and Latin America, let us now travel to the Middle East and Africa.
During Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in October 2023, we signed several agreements including MOUs on recognition of halal certifications. Singapore companies can now look forward to exporting halal food products to both countries.
Africa also presents many opportunities. Africa is the most youthful population in the world and by 2050, more than a quarter of the world’s population will be African.
Last year, I joined Prime Minister Lee on his visit to Africa, where we signed agreements with South Africa and Kenya. In August, we hosted African business and political leaders at the 7th Africa Singapore Business Forum (ABSF) organised by Enterprise Singapore. This business forum attracted over 500 delegates and connected 200 businesses from Asia to Africa to explore collaborations while using Singapore as a node to facilitate Asia-African trade.
SBF led business delegations to many of these regions and we met with them on the ground. They were there to explore commercial opportunities and I invite more companies to join SBF and other business delegations to expand their reach into these very promising and high potential emerging markets.
Beyond FTAs, we are also pioneering new agreements in new growth engines.
We now have four Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs), to facilitate end-to-end digital trade by promoting the use of digital tools, enabling open and secure data flows and building trust in digital systems.
We also developed Green Economy Agreements (GEAs) to support emissions reduction while spurring economic growth and also create jobs in the green economy. Our GEA with Australia has catalysed collaborations in scientific research, green shipping corridors, and co-innovation programmes for SMEs and we invite more companies to join us along this green journey.
Through our journey around the world, we explored abundant opportunities for our companies back home. Mr Edward Chia asked how we are using these agreements. This leads me to my second point of how we are helping our companies internationalise and also enter these growth markets.
Through SBF, we actively reach out to help companies understand and to use FTAs that we have signed, including through outreach sessions and consultations. And more than 1,600 companies have benefited from these efforts in 2023.
In the past year, Enterprise Singapore also supported Singapore companies to secure deals, access new market opportunities and grow overseas through 460 overseas projects. These companies are expected to grow their annual revenue by $5.2 billion based on Enterprise Singapore’s support.
As an open economy, our firms are inevitably exposed to global supply chains impact. Ms He Ting Ru pointed out that Singapore companies are therefore having to deal with new risks. We note that she has asked specific questions on manpower which we will defer to the Ministry of Manpower to address at this point.
But the point is we cannot fully shield our companies from these risks, but we can provide financing for them and help them to build their capabilities. For example, they can use our Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) and the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) to defray the cost of venturing outside and exploring these new markets.
We also offer a 200% tax deductible on eligible expenses for international market expansion and investment development activities through our Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation (DTDi) scheme.
Mr Desmond Choo would be pleased to know that there are many success stories from our work in helping Singapore companies internationalise. One such company is iFAST, which is a homegrown fintech firm that provides investment products and services, digital banking and pension administration services. iFAST designed a customer acquisition and onboarding strategy for iFAST Global Bank (iGB), a UK-based digital bank and developed a go-to-market strategy to strengthen its regional presence. iFAST aims to reach $100 billion of assets under administration by 2030. We look forward to more of such success stories to strengthen Singapore companies’ presence worldwide.
Beyond signing agreements and encouraging companies to internationalise, we are also pursuing new trade flows in areas such as carbon credits as well as biofuels. We have built a vibrant carbon services and trading ecosystem for our companies. Today, there are over 120 carbon services and trading firms in Singapore, an increase from 70 since 2020. There are new entrants including firms like Bain & Company which has established its Global Sustainability Innovation Centre here in Singapore, and the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) which opened its Asia hub here last year. We are also growing our biofuels ecosystem.
Our strong network of energy and agri-commodities traders makes us home to a growing pool of companies that trade biofuels and its feedstock, such as Mewah, which sells biodiesel globally. To produce the bio diesel they use various raw materials including used cooking oil.
We will continue to grow our ecosystem with our industry partners to better support the trade of goods and services that contribute to climate action – and make Singapore the heart of sustainable trade flows.
Sir, this year's Budget addresses the present challenges we face and charts the directions for our nation in a very uncertain future. To do all that we set out to do, we need the resources to provide and care for people and set them on a strong footing for the future. That is why the work that MTI does is so important.
MTI is at the forefront of growing our economy in a time where growth is elusive, unlocking the potential in resources like energy and our people, in light of new and exciting discoveries in tech and science, transforming our sectors to grow green and digital as we are confronted with climate change and connecting more widely and deeply to the world when instincts compel countries to look inward.
Sir, MTI will continue to do all this because building a strong, vibrant, innovative economy will help secure Singapore's future in a more tumultuous world. [Applause.]
The Chairman: We have some time for clarifications. Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Thank you, Sir. Much as I would like to sample the oolong tea that Minister of State Low Yen Ling recommended, I do have one question for Minister Tan See Leng. This is on the second LNG terminal. I can understand that we need this terminal to strengthen our energy resilience. We already depend heavily on piped gas and, therefore, we will need also to have, as a backup, LNG.
But can I ask the Minister how MTI sees the planned time horizon for this second LNG terminal? I ask this because, directionally, we are heading towards greener and cleaner energy. So, how would this second LNG terminal feature in our overall energy strategy, in terms of having greener and cleaner energy?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Liang for his supplementary clarification. Today, Mr Chairman, about 95% of our power generation needs come from natural gas. And we have two main sources – piped natural gas, which is from our neighbours, and LNG.
As I have shared earlier on in my COS speech, the energy needs, the electrification needs, with the newer industries, FDIs coming in with the growth of our industries, as well as the SMEs' growth, these energy needs will continue to increase and not decrease.
If Members look at the time horizon, our imports – at 4.2 GW for the conditional approvals that we have given – would constitute about 30% of our overall energy needs, and that is by 2035.
So, as we ramp up from now to 2035, we will need to factor in the building of a second LNG terminal, in part, due to our own need for energy security, because that second LNG terminal would then allow us, supplemented by the existing LNG terminal that we have today, to be completely non-dependent on piped natural gas, and all of the LNG that comes in through ships and so on, can then fulfil 100% of our gas energy needs. So, that gives us an added measure of security.
On top of that, as I have also shared earlier on energy transition in the COS speech, a number of the other pathways and initiatives that we are pursuing, whether it is the Low Carbon Energy Research (LCER) programme for hydrogen, or embarking on pathfinder projects for ammonia and hydrogen, these are actually still relatively nascent. There are also the other measures that we are looking at whether it is geothermal, or also other types of advanced nuclear energy technology, including fusion energy. So, for us, energy security, reliability and our resilience are of utmost importance.
And when we did the projection with the increase in terms of our consumption, the second LNG terminal would not run a significant risk of asset stranding, even if we were to completely transition into all renewable energy, which is unlikely to be the case. I hope that answers the Member's query and his apprehensions as well.
Mr Chairman: Ms Foo Mee Har.
Ms Foo Mee Har: Thank you, Chairman. I have two clarifications. The first one is for Minister Gan. In the area of promoting collaboration between larger companies and SMEs, I had asked whether the Government would consider integrating the involvement of Singapore-based SMEs as a positive criterion for MNEs and also the large corporations when they access Government grants. This is really to make sure that, especially in the area of high-value investments, such as R&D and innovation-related grants, the Government-backed programmes can extend to a broader ecosystem. So, if Minister can say whether we can insert that little requirement.
My second clarification is to Minister of State Low Yen Ling. I join Member Liang Eng Hwa in congratulating her for her enthusiasm in promoting innovation in the heartlands. But I want to ask a more pointed question, specifically. I would like to ask the Minister of State, in light of the CDC Vouchers that the Government has been giving in successive tranches, I want to know, specifically, how much has the support gone to supporting heartland enterprises.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Let me thank Ms Foo for the clarification, which is very important. I heard the Member's speech. I explained in my COS speech, that actually for the specific schemes like PACT, the collaboration is with the local SMEs. So, that is already naturally part and parcel of the scheme design that we encourage large companies, MNCs, may be LLEs, to work with their suppliers. And some of these MNCs, large enterprises, are actually now beginning to go overseas, and they are quite keen to bring along their suppliers to go overseas too.
And they also need to level up their capability in order to partner them in overseas markets. So, this programme is very useful in nurturing collaboration between large companies and local SMEs. But there are also other schemes that are focused on bringing in technology, bringing in strategic investments, which we may or may not have the capability among the local industries.
Therefore, we will need to assess each project's features and background to see whether it is appropriate to incorporate local enterprise collaboration. Sometimes, it may be counterproductive. Instead of being able to attract these technology, experts, network and opportunities here, you may lose them because we do not have the local capability to support them.
But where possible, we will always encourage MNCs investing here to work with our local enterprises. All our schemes have that in mind. Where possible, where appropriate, we will have the conversation with the grant applicants, to see whether local SMEs can play a part, and it is something that we always push for and encourage.
In fact, many of the investors who come to Singapore are also looking at the capability of the SMEs, the local enterprises here. This is the whole ecosystem that we are developing. That is actually one of our key selling points, and very often, when I talk to investors, they choose Singapore, not just because of our grants, but because of the ecosystem that we have developed. They can tap on the SMEs capability to augment their business and that is why they are here.
But at the same time, as I said, through PACT, we are hoping to level up the capability of SMEs, so that they, too, can continue to grow, as the MNCs are growing. We take the Member's point. Where possible and applicable, we definitely will take into account collaboration with the local enterprises.
Ms Low Yen Ling: Chairman, I want to thank the Member, Ms Foo Mee Har, for her question. I think she notes that this is a MTI COS debate and I outlined the new schemes that Enterprise Singapore colleagues have launched, which is the Heartlands Placemaking Grant (HEPG). And in her cut, I recall that she, and many other Members, spoke very passionately about the unique role of heartland enterprises in Singapore, and I completely agree with them.
That is why we are always leaning forward, going the extra mile for our heartland enterprises, especially during the COVID-19 period. And I think, we can all agree that the heartland shops are literally close to our homes and also close to our hearts.
First, they provide the convenience and also a wide assortment of products and services and, most of the time, daily necessities and essential products and services. Second, they also provide jobs to a lot of our residents who do not want to travel too far for their day job, or maybe part-time job, but just want a job nearby.
But very importantly, they inject vibrancy into all our neighbourhoods, the kampung spirit, the community spirit. And that is why in MTI and Enterprise Singapore, we are always going the extra mile to support our heartland shops in going digital, in embracing transformation and also reaching out to new customers, not just customers who cannot visit their shop physically, but also customers overseas, by going online or even adopting digital platforms.
In the same vein, we are always looking out for like-minded partners within the whole-of-Government. So, frankly, if Members remember how CDC Vouchers came about, it came about because of the circuit breaker. Coming out of the circuit breaker, we felt it was very important to support lower-income households. At the same time, our heartland shops had been closed for two months, and two months of closure can really make or break these heartland shops. Back then, it was Deputy Prime Minister Heng who launched the $20 million paper voucher, because our sense back then was that the paper voucher will be more effective. It was warmly welcomed, very well-received.
And then six months later, in January 2021, another tranche of $20 million. And then, we went digital. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched the first nationwide digital CDC Vouchers. We say digital, but we also gave assurance to residents who do not have smartphones, we assured them that they can print their CDC Vouchers in any of the Community Centres, to provide them the convenience.
And the Member's question was how much was channelled towards the heartland shops. So, on 13 December 2021, Prime Minister Lee launched the first tranche. If Members remember, that was $100 for each of the 1.22 million households. Then five months later, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong launched a second tranche. Similarly, I recall it was $100 for the 1.22 million households. Then, last year, 3 January 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong launched the third tranche, which is $300 for the 1.238 million households. Just less than two months ago, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong launched again a fourth tranche, which is $500 for the 1.267 million.
A few days ago, I just did a check on the numbers. The first three tranches basically catalysed spending in our 23,000 heartland shops and hawkers amounting to $407 million. And if we include the fourth tranche, which is ongoing, the amount that has been spent at our heartland shops and hawkers amount to $133 million. So, it means that the three tranches we have completed and the ongoing fourth tranche have catalysed spending of $540 million in our 23,000 heartland shops and hawkers.
The key point is that it is not just MTI, it is not just Enterprise Singapore that is going the extra mile to support our heartland shops for them to innovate, for them to transform, for them to future-proof themselves in this digital era. We welcome agencies within the Government. We are also working with the Federation of Merchants' Associations, Singapore (FMAS), Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS), and we welcome each and every one of you, wearing your different hats, to share with us how you would like to also synergise the efforts to support our heartland shops, because they are close to our homes and close to our hearts.
Mr Chairman: We do not have much time left. So, for those who want to seek clarifications, and likewise, for the responses, please keep them short. Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: Noted, Mr Chairman. So, just two clarifications. The first is for Minister of State Low. I mentioned lemons in my speech. So, in terms of the so-called loophole for the lemon law whereby used cars that are sold on consignment are actually not covered, does the Government intend to plug this loophole, given that it is likely the largest value item for a given household?
The second is more for Minister Dr Tan. I think the Minister mentioned the power plants that will be coming up will be hydrogen-ready. So, I just wanted to understand, in terms of the feedstock that they will be using when they are operational, is there a target percentage for them to be using hydrogen? And similar as to how we deal with LNG, does the Government intend to do a kind of centralised procurement of, say, ammonia or hydrogen feedstock for economies of scale?
Ms Low Yen Ling: Chairman, I promise to keep it short so that you can enjoy your peach oolong tea. I thank the Member Mr Louis Chua. I will just make two quick points. When the Member talked about lemon law, is he talking about owner selling to owner or business selling to owner? Can I clarify?
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: Basically, the used car dealers, when they actually sell on behalf of the owner to somebody buying a second-hand car.
Ms Low Yen Ling: Okay, I want to thank the Member for the clarification. The used cars that are sold by car dealers on behalf of the owners, they are also known as consignment cars. The Member might be aware of that. They are really considered consumer-to-consumer (C2C) transactions between the owner and the buyer.
The lemon law only covers business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions and does not cover the C2C transactions. However, I want to assure the Member that car dealers who misrepresent a C2C transaction as a B2C transaction can be taken to task under our current Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, or CPFTA, as an unfair trading practice. So, if the Member knows of any, please let us know and we will follow up. We also want to use this platform to really advise the consumers to take extra precaution when making such purchases.
Mr Chairman: Mr Neil Parekh. Sorry, Minister Tan.
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Chua for his question. The three combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) – one from Keppel, one from Sembcorp, and the third one that I just mentioned, YTL PowerSeraya – are all capable of taking up to 30% hydrogen. So, today, this is the new breed of CCGTs that, if there is any planting and so on, we envisage that they should make that transition pathway.
To the Member's point in terms of hydrogen, today, in countries particularly where they have a favourable geographical advantage, where they have solar power or wind or tidal, they can produce green hydrogen. The logistics and transportation of the hydrogen is very, very costly today because the boiling point of liquid hydrogen is very, very low. A significant amount of energy is needed to keep it at that kind of low temperatures. So, it does not make it economically viable.
Having said that, we are not resting on our laurels. Hence, we have the ammonia pathfinder project, where we started to see how, on a very small scale, we can conduct a pilot. We are also working through our initiatives to see, in terms of the supply chains, what kind of technological advancements and developments we can go further in, to make the transportation of hydrogen a lot more cost effective.
In terms of central procurement, obviously, at a point in time, when we have arrived at that technological maturity, we can certainly consider that. But at this particular point in time, even if you have nuclear power, to use it to do the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, it is still not green hydrogen. So, that is a technical specification that is needed. I hope that it clarifies your query.
The Chairman: Mr Neil Parekh.
Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant: I want to thank Minister of State Alvin Tan for answering so many questions on tourism and internationalisation, and for the $300 million boost to the Tourism Development Fund. My question for you is, which schemes have worked well for Tourism Development Fund. On a different point, what strategies were involved in bringing Taylor Swift to Singapore, which in my view has been very successful in terms of a branding on an international stature?
Mr Alvin Tan: Sir, I thank Mr Neil Parekh for his question. My answer will be very swift. And actually, next week, there are a couple of Parliamentary Questions and that will be very tailored towards this particular question in detail.
The Tourism Development Fund has a variety of different schemes. It has secured over 600 events that strengthen Singapore's attractiveness as a leisure and business destination hub. All of these different aspects that we have put in, I wanted to remind Members that our tourism sector was really, really hard hit during COVID-19. So, in 2022, we pumped in $500 million for the Tourism Development Fund. That helped significantly to prepare our very, very hard-hit tourism sector to recover. Now, they have recovered, as I mentioned in my main reply, and this $300 million top-up will also continue to boost them so that we can attract both very high-quality lifestyle entertainment acts as well as top world-class MICE events to Singapore, and just to lift Singapore to be in a very attractive lifestyle and as well as a business destination.
The Chairman: Our current guillotine time is 4.15 pm, but it included a 20-minute break. I still see many hands. So, if Members do not mind, we will have a very, very short break. I will allow more clarifications, if Members do not mind, but it will eat into our break time. Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru: Thank you, Mr Chairman. I have a couple of clarifications for Minister Gan. I think I heard Minister Gan mention earlier about precision medicine. So, I just wanted to ask for a bit more details about the Ministry's assessment of what sort of potential that precision medicine can have as a growth area in relation to the Singapore economy.
The second point relates to whether MTI is currently working with agencies like the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in relation to addressing some of the concerns around precision medicine, because at the moment, it is quite prohibitively expensive. I am just concerned about accessibility to those who might not have a high income. So, whether they can share details about the work that is being done with MOH or HPB in relation to addressing some of these concerns.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Thank you. I have given a broad perspective of the potential for the precision medicine market in my speech. I think you can refer to that in terms of the numbers. But in terms of the specific areas of potential, this is a very early stage of an emerging technology. As some Members have said, if we do not move in time, we will never have time to move.
So, I think it is something for which we have to grab the opportunity to work with companies who are in this field to develop new technologies. The potential is to find new solutions and new therapies by working on genomics and see how the genes interact with one another; and also coupled with the advent of AI that has made precision medicine even more promising. So, this is an area that we are well positioned to collaborate with leaders in the world to develop this particular sector.
On the second question, yes, indeed, we are in discussion with MOH. Because at some point in time, when companies want to conduct clinical trials, they will also have to work with MOH to ensure that they have access to patients for some of these clinical trials. When the therapies are available, I think we will then have to discuss with MOH how to ensure that their funding is adequate and the appropriate therapies are available to Singaporeans. There will always be clinical guidelines or some indications for this therapy, and I think this is something that is a work in progress. We will continue to work with MOH with regard to clinical therapy as well as funding requirements.
The Chairman: Ms Jean See.
Ms See Jinli Jean: Thank you, Chairman. The question is to Minister of State Alvin Tan. I think we are very cheered by the positive news on tourism. I just wanted to make a point that we do have a number of people coming up from our universities and our schools who are very talented in terms of being creative professionals. I think many of them would desire the opportunity to be on the stage together with many of these different acts coming into Singapore.
So, my pitch to MTI is whether we can then work very closely with the different, other agencies that are supporting the creatives, supporting the young people to give them the opportunities to come on board some of these programmes, some of these acts that come into Singapore to have the opportunity to build up their portfolio.
Mr Alvin Tan: Sir, I thank Ms Jean See for her clarification. The short answer is yes. In the tourism sector, we have a variety of programmes that, through the Tourism Development Fund that I mentioned earlier on, it is not just infrastructure and bringing in these acts and MICE events, but it is also helping to build our tourism sector. I have launched very countless scholarships that we work together with the institute of higher learning (IHLs), polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and others, to help to boost up that pool of talent.
Just wearing my MCCY hat, I will explain a little bit more. The SG Arts Plan has a very, very strong focus on all of these different talents; not just in place-making, which Minister Edwin Tong mentioned earlier on, but also to enhance our artists' capability in many of these, so that we equip them as we bring all of these acts and all of these events into Singapore, they have a good chance to be able to participate in them.
The Chairman: Mr Mark Lee.
Mr Mark Lee: Chairman, I thank Minister Gan for his insightful response to hon Member Ms Foo Mee Har. I just want to press on and maybe have further clarification to her question about nurturing our local SMEs.
I think many businesses, including ours, when we expand our international operations and doing coveted project bids where the local Government has provided tax incentives and other incentives to the client, they actually have a clear policy and practice for us to require local partnerships, even with partners that have very limited or no existing capabilities. I guess such policies are aimed to foster local participation and skills transfer. I am wondering if MTI can consider doing some research on this and see what the trade-offs are if we enforce such collaboration.
I think my second clarification is to Minister of State Low in regard to the EEG. I was wondering if MTI can allow or consider whether some of the EEG-approved equipment to be used across all industries. For example, the electric forklift is almost double the price of a diesel forklift and these are all applicable to almost all industries.
Finally, for my cut, I asked whether assistance will be allowed for adopting electric vehicles for commercial and industrial use.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Thank you. In the interest of the bubble tea, I will keep it short. The short answer is yes, we definitely will take into account the opportunity for local enterprises and also job creation for local workers. We need to balance the trade-offs and sometimes, you have to look at the potential investment. If the investment is strategic to us, it is very important for us to bring in markets, to bring in technology and to bring in opportunities. Eventually, this will spill over to local industries. Rather than to have a very hard-wired requirement that all of them must have a local partnership. You will find that you may, in the end, lose out more opportunities than gain the opportunities. So, I think it is a calibrated approach.
We are very mindful that we do want to make sure that there is a significant value capture locally, whether it is through their direct contribution to the value-add, or whether it is through collaboration with local enterprises. Even after they have come into Singapore and they have invested here, we continue to encourage them through different schemes, like PACT, as I mentioned; R&D schemes, to encourage them to have collaboration with local industries.
At the same time, we also provide schemes and support for the local industries to level them up, so that they are able to then work together with these large enterprises to add value to them.
At the end of the day, economics must make sense for both parties. Government grants and schemes are just to facilitate and to push them, to nudge them to come together. But in the end, when the two of them want to get married, the marriage must make sense. We are the matchmaker and we try to facilitate and give a little bit of encouragement here and there, but at the end, the economics must work out together for both of them.
Ms Low Yen Ling: Thank you, Chairman. I will keep it brief. I want to thank Mr Mark Lee for his request and question. I want to assure him that we certainly will help our SMEs to invest in energy-efficient equipment. As I mentioned, when we launched this two years ago, the sectors that we approved are food manufacturing, food services and retail. Because when you look at their operating expenditure, electricity was a key component. We want to continue to avail this to other sectors as well. That is why from 1 April, local food services, retail and manufacturing companies will be able to enjoy this enhanced support of 70%. I must say, it is capped at $30,000.
I want to assure him that we will continue to work with other champion agencies outside MTI to also understand what the other industries and sectors that will benefit from it. The EEG will be open to other industries such as maritime, construction and data centres by the end of this year. I welcome SBF and TACs to work with us, to be a voice for the sectors and bridge the conversation with MTI and our economic agency on this front.
The Chairman: Like many of you, I am also thirsty and a little bit hungry. So, Mr Liang, would you like to withdraw your amendment?
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, before I withdraw my amendment, allow me to congratulate MTI and EMA for successfully bringing the International Energy Agency to set up its regnional office in Singapore. It is a great achievement. And I am sure Minister Tan See Leng's personal charm must have made a difference there.
With that, I also want to thank Minister Gan, Minister Tan, Minister of State Low Yen Ling and Minister of State Alvin Tan for their comprehensive replies to our responses. I beg leave to withdraw my amendments.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $1,628,845,400 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $7,179,458,100 for Head V ordered to stand part of Development Estimates. (proc text)]
The Chairman: Order. I propose to take a short break now.
[(proc text) Thereupon the Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Senior Minister of State Tan.
The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Mr Tan Kiat How): Sir, I wish to apologise for not being in Chambers earlier during Question Time to answer Member Mr Louis Ng's Parliamentary Question. I got the Order Paper and timing mixed up, and hence, was at another work meeting when the Parliamentary Question came up. I had apologised to Mr Ng, invited him to file additional Parliamentary Questions if his question is not fully answered in the written reply.
Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.15 pm. Order, order.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 4.02 pm until 4.15 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.15 pm.
[Deputy Speaker (Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo) in the Chair]
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Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson): Mdm Chairman, I beg to move, \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Estimates be reduced by $100\".
Throughout history, the mastery of technology has been essential for a nation's progress and its ability to compete strategically. This importance has only heightened in the modern era. Hence, by investing in critical infrastructure, innovation and talent development, countries can position themselves as leaders in emerging technologies and shape the future of the global economy and geopolitical landscape.
Singapore, as a small and open economy, does not aspire to be a superpower but we too must invest so as to overcome productivity challenges, unlock new economic potential and do good for our people.
New game changing technologies emerge over time. Disruptions brought about by such technologies are happening more frequently and quickly. Amidst key digital developments, artificial intelligence (AI) is now taking centrestage. In the book, \"The Coming Wave\" by DeepMind founder Mustafa Suleyman, he argued that the coming decade will be defined by a wave of powerful, fast-proliferating new technologies and AI is central to this wave.
Some of the breakthroughs in AI took place in an unexpected manner and accelerated progress significantly. So, we must be prepared for a future in which AI is pervasive in almost all aspects of our lives.
Yet, AI, if left to develop irresponsibly, could bring about significant harms too. Hence, the task of maintaining human control over powerful technologies is an essential challenge of our time.
While that sounds ominously frightening, technology is but a tool – good or bad depends on who wields it. Singapore believes that AI can be a potent force for good – to uplift human potential and to unlock economic opportunities, as set out in the National AI Strategy 2.0. Notably, there is a shift in the AI strategy, seeing AI as a \"necessity\" and no longer just an \"opportunity\".
Given this shift in belief, Singapore needs to invest even more in digital infrastructures, talents and capabilities critical to Singapore's next bound of economic development and do more to preserve and enhance digital trust as well as leveraging digital capabilities to build communities and better lives. All these in the age of AI.
First, on digital infrastructure and resilience.
As I had articulated in my speech during the January Motion on \"Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society\", building infrastructure ahead of demand is important to maintaining competitive edge and Singapore has always done so.
Likewise, as we march on towards a smart future in the age of AI, Singapore needs to double down on our investments into higher speed networks and higher performance computing power. May I seek an update from the Ministry on what is being done to enhance investment into such digital infrastructure?
Given how critical infrastructures are to deliver essential services and drive innovation, the importance of digital security and resilience cannot be undermined as they not only ensure business continuity, but also shape public confidence.
As I had highlighted again in my January's Motion debate speech, with the likes of DBS' repeated digital service disruptions in 2023, Central Provident Fund savings lost to Android malware scams and personal data breaches in public healthcare. Even if the incidents were no direct fault of the enterprises or institutions, these incidents would have affected significant portion of our population and, in turn, affect public's trust in digital.
Regulations are effective in setting boundaries and making clear the Dos and Do nots. As technologies and especially as AI evolve, regulations will have to play catch up. But regulations alone will not be sufficient to address these issues. The solution needs to go further upstream so that companies and institutions can integrate security and resilience into their products and operations by design. Hence, may I ask what is the Government doing to update our regulations and what is being done to help companies and institutions implement higher digital security and resilience standards?
In relation to this, the Government launched the Chief Information Security Officer or CISO-as-a-Service last year. May I ask the Minister to also give an update on the implementation of the Cybersecurity Health Plan?
Secondly, to unlock economic opportunities, the industries and businesses must be able to transform adequately and quickly. The Government has introduced initiatives, such as small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) Go Digital programme in 2017, various enterprise grants over the past decade or so and implemented Industry Transformation Roadmaps that are regularly updated. These initiatives are thoughtful and beneficial.
Larger enterprises are perhaps savvier and better placed to leverage such initiatives. Some perhaps do not even need to tap into them. But for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), they often lack resources and expertise to select digital solutions that could enable them to improve their productivity. So, even with grants and solutions made available to them, they run the risk of either not employing digital solutions that are beneficial to them or undertaking digital solutions that might not be relevant to them; thereby incurring unnecessary costs and transition risks. The Government introduced Chief Technology Officer or CTO-as-a-Service in 2021 to help SMEs transform. Into the third year now, how has this service fared so far? What else will the Government do to better help SMEs adopt digital solutions that are relevant to their business needs?
As Singapore marches on in our digitalisation journey and as we shift our AI strategy from opportunity to necessity, I am heartened that that the Digital Connectivity Blueprint was launched in June 2023 with the aim of enhancing Singapore's digital infrastructure for enterprises and people to capture emerging opportunities in the digital space. Now that half a year has passed, could the Ministry give an update on the implementation of the plans within the Blueprint and share what preliminary results that we may have observed so far?
Thirdly, we need to ensure our people are ready for what is to come. We are well aware of the opportunities and challenges that come with the new technologies and in this case, AI. I spoke about it in my past speeches in this House and my hon colleagues have also expounded the merits and issues surrounding AI several times before and I believe later as well.
One of the promises of making digital advancements was to avail better job opportunities for Singaporeans. But in recent times, we witnessed large-scale tech layoffs by the likes of Lazada, Google and Grab, arguably because they want to better align their organisational structure and resources with their new AI strategies. Affected workers were caught by surprise. Some managed to get absorbed into other firms given the tight labour market. Some took longer and had to reskill. While it is the businesses' prerogative to do so, what is clear is that our workforce must be future-ready as tech disruptions will only pick up in pace and the nature of jobs will change.
In talent development, education is important as it provides us with the foundation from which we build new knowledge and skills to keep up with new developments. But education alone is not enough. We need opportunities for our young and our talents to meet other bright minds from outside of Singapore to exchange ideas and spark off new ones. We need to have the space and platform for these bright minds to come together to learn; to research and experiment; to fail and iterate; to deliver and go to market.
Therefore, what is the Government doing to support our workforce to be AI- and future-ready and to leverage AI to remain competitive?
Mdm Chairman, do I take the rest of my cuts together?
The Chairman: No, I have to put the question.
Ms Tin Pei Ling: Okay, then, I will pause here.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
The Chairman: Ms Tin Pei Ling, you can take your four remaining cuts together.
Ms Tin Pei Ling: Continuing from my earlier speech.
Fourthly, for the vision of a smart and digital future to be fully embraced by the whole-of-society, we must ensure that we use technology to bridge gaps, build communities and better lives.
Much was said about scams and how we must combat it to preserve social trust in a digital age during the January Motion debate so I would not repeat it here.
What I would like to highlight is the danger of misinformation. In my cut to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) yesterday, I spoke of how certain messages could be spread with an intent to create schisms between Singaporeans. But there could also be other harms associated with misinformation, such as discouraging vaccinations against what could have been severe but preventable diseases. Therefore, having trustworthy public service media channels that are accessible to all demographic groups is important in combatting misinformation and maintaining a common space that is safe for all citizens.
Hence, what is the Government doing to ensure that our Public Service Media continues to safeguard our social cohesion and common space and continues to reflect our societal values, such as multiculturalism?
Also, in fostering greater understanding and building communities, citizens of all ages and backgrounds must be able to communicate with each other. The ability to deliver accurate and reliable information in different languages is imperative if we are to continue engaging our seniors and various communities. Hence, what is the Government doing to preserve our vernacular capabilities and how is the Government leveraging the ever-improving technology to do so?
Finally, as our society advances; as issues faced become more complex; and as our people become savvier, the Government cannot possibly solve everything on its own. As emphasised in the January's Motion debate, a whole-of-society effort is needed. How then will the Government facilitate greater citizen involvement and participation in identifying problems and co-creating successful digital solutions?
In conclusion, technology advancement and the proliferation of AI are reshaping industries and the global landscape. Singapore will have to be ready for what is to come by investing ahead of time, preserving and strengthening digital trust and leverage digital capabilities to bridge gaps, build communities and better lives.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Chair, the first tranche of public funds was disbursed to SPH Media Trust in March 2023. Over four Ministerial Statements in this House, the Government has put out its reasons for making the taxpayers subsidise the running of SPH Media Trust or at least, partly subsidising the running of SPH Media Trust.
What we have been told is that public funding is needed for three reasons.
First, without public funding, SPH Media Trust's transformation into a digital news company will not be able to afford the investment and costs of running its professional newsrooms, which is expected to outstrip advertising revenue given the intense competition for eyeballs online.
Second, it is in the public interest to preserve local news media, particularly those in the local vernacular languages, that are important to give voice to our multiracial communities, but which are difficult to sustain financially given their inherently smaller readership or viewership.
Third, we were told public funding is necessary to support SPH Media Trust as the public will be well-served by a mainstream media that is trusted.
One example of this was the Reuters Institute Digital News Report of 2021, where 77% of respondents expressed trust in The Straits Times – up from 70% in 2018. In June last year, SPH Media Trust's Audit and Risk Committee found that SPH had indeed overstated its circulation numbers between September 2020 and March 2022 and a Police report was also filed.
Given the provision of taxpayer funding for SPH Media Trust, there is considerable public interest in how Singaporeans will be better served by the mainstream media in Singapore. This is represented by Singaporeans who seek greater editorial independence, a wider diversity of views, providing important feedback on Government policies and even investigative journalism on matters of significant public interest.
We were told that there will be key performance indicators (KPIs) for SPH Media Trust and it has to provide the Ministry of Communication and Information (MCI) with half-yearly updates on its risk management framework. Can the Minister inform the public – who are now SPH Media Trust's stakeholders; one, what are the KPIs that SPH Media Trust has to meet under the funding framework? Two, how has SMP fared on its KPIs thus far, after being subsidised for one year? Three, which KPIs did it fail to meet and why? Four, has MCI found SPH Media Trust's half-yearly risk updates satisfactory? Five, how has SPH Media Trust addressed its risk management framework?
I look forward to the Ministry's replies and request the officeholder to share under which line item and page of the Revenue and Expenditure Estimates the subsidy to SPH Media Trust is reflected at and what is the expenditure for 2023 and the amount budgeted for 2024/2025?
I ask because there is not a specific line item making reference to significant market power (SMP) or SPH Media Trust.
The Chairman: Mr Sharael Taha, you have six cuts. You can take them all together.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Thank you, Mdm Chair. Madam, in the Motion on \"Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society\" that was raised by our GPC in this House last month, the House reaffirmed our commitment to adopt a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society.
In the Budget Debate earlier this week, I shared that I am glad that we commit to invest more than $1 billion over five years for our National AI Strategy 2.0 which will focus on building the infrastructure, developing our workforce and the industry. In my next few cuts on this, I will focus on a few key items on the National AI Strategy 2.0.
Firstly, how can we provide equal and equitable opportunities such that the opportunities brought about by AI do not only benefit the few at the top? I raised this during our Motion in January, too. This includes ensuring NAIS 2.0 provides opportunities for all segments of Singaporeans, bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots and also ensuring our SMEs are involved in developing their capability.
Secondly, AI is said to be a general capability that reads across industries and will have impact across multiple industries. How will NAIS 2.0 refresh our Industry Transformation Maps and Job Transformation Maps? How do we build the talent pipeline?
Thirdly, how do we build the infrastructure necessary for Singapore to be a powerhouse in AI development?
Lastly, how do we better lives through digitalisation?
Firstly, as we go digital and embark on transformation under the National AI Strategy, how can we ensure that all segments of Singapore are able to tap on the opportunities AI and digital provide? How do we ensure the digital haves and the digital have-nots, especially school-going children from lower-income families. have equal opportunities that AI and digital provide?
From a business perspective, AI is a general purpose technology that applies across industries. The technology is not confined to just companies in the tech industries or MNEs only. How can we support our SMEs across industries to leverage AI to improve their value proposition, productivity and processes?
Secondly, some reports mentioned that 70% of workers will see AI impacting their current jobs. Can the Minister provide an update on the Industry and Jobs Transformation Maps across the industries? How has AI changed the Industry Transformation Maps? How do we proactively support workers who may be displaced by this technology?
Through NAIS 2.0, how do we identify opportunities for our workers to upskill and apply AI in their jobs to boost their productivity and add value to the industries that they are in?
It is also anticipated that more than 15,000 workers are required in the AI field. How will MCI work together with MOM to deliver the 15,000 AI practitioners required in the industry? How can we have specific Career Conversion Programmes to provide more talent with this skillset?
As we build the critical mass of practitioners, we will also have to develop our depth talent in the industry. At the top end, how do we attract world-class talents to bring AI capability into Singapore? How do we build our own depth capability with researchers in AI in our local institutions?
Thirdly, Mdm Chair, to develop a thriving AI industry ecosystem in Singapore, we must develop the infrastructure to stay ahead of the emerging trends and demands. Other than fast network speeds, high-performance computing capability is also a necessity for AI. What are the Government’s plans to build compute capacity to support our growing AI and digitalisation needs? How do we secure the chips and not be overly reliant on a single source? And how can we develop this energy-intensive, high-performance computing sustainably for Singapore?
Lastly, given the success of platforms, such as Singpass, HealthHub and so on, how can we continue to better Singaporeans’ lives through digital? How can we provide Singaporeans easier access to Government services through digital? How can we use digital and technology to assist residents with special needs, such as the visually handicapped and our seniors? How can we use digital to bring our community closer together?
Mdm Chair, for my next cut, in Malay please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Since 2023, Berita Harian has transformed and shifted its focus from a newspaper that is exclusively print-only media to a digitally-ready platform. It now offers many innovative products in the Malay language and on multiple digital platforms to engage current and new readers.
From a podcast like #notapis, Instagram Reels, TikTok, BH Hub, BH lab, innovative content, and even organising community forums, the Berita Harian team has transformed how news is delivered to Malay readers, in line with the needs of the community.
My first question is how do we continue to support Berita Harian in terms of its manpower or budget to continue developing these Malay language products?
Secondly, although the Malay language has a small user base in Singapore, there are many more Malay readers in the region.
As we strive towards building a Community of Success, how can we support Berita Harian's capabilities so that it can provide a Singaporean Malay perspective on current affairs for the region?
Mr Mark Lee (Nominated Member): Madam, the GenAI Sandbox by Enterprise Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is a welcome initiative for SMEs to tap on generative AI (GenAI) to enhance their operations, products and services. I would like to ask the Minister to consider a tiered support approach to encourage businesses to adopt increasingly advanced technologies – a lower tier of 20% for back office and operational digitalisation, all the way to top tier of 60% for using AI technology, and for grants to support further customisation requirements as well dataset creation.
Additionally, as AI adoption grows, will MCI introduce governance and ethical frameworks to ensure AI's responsible and effective use?
The Chairman: Mr Alex Yam. Not here. Mr Christopher de Souza.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mdm Chair, I have three cuts. May I take them together?
The Chairman: Yes, please take them together.
Mr Christopher de Souza: Thank you. Singapore launched AI Verify in 2022 as one of the world's first AI governance testing framework and toolkits. The idea behind AI Verify is to provide objective verifiability for AI systems used by companies so that they can show that the AI system is working as it has claimed.
As one might imagine, AI Verify can play a highly crucial role in the implementation and enforcement of AI regulations, which are starting to emerge around the world, such as the European Union (EU) AI Act. IMDA is already working on this with international partners. For instance, last year, it announced a crosswalk with the AI risk management framework of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. This is essentially a mapping exercise that maps elements of AI Verify to the US framework.
What is MCI's plan to continue to place Singapore at the forefront of AI innovation and governance, and what further plans are there to work with other countries in developing governance frameworks?
Mdm Chair, with the rise of GenAI comes the prevalence of deepfake images and other content, which allow an individual to maliciously use such content for personal gain or to harm others. This has led to a proliferation of scams, frauds and even harassment through deepfake explicit images. This also threatens commercial businesses and industries, such as through deepfake advertisements, and affects the media and political arena.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
The threat of such content is because even when people know an AI-generated image is fake, the perception that people retain could nonetheless be swayed. Similarly, even if deepfake explicit images are known to be fake, the damage to an individual might already be irrecoverable.
How is MCI monitoring the situation to ensure the dangers of such GenAI do not harm our economy and social compact?
Mr Chairman, as our society transforms, as our citizens learn to use AI, we must consider how we might protect them in the midst of the transition and going forward.
While we want to build an AI-enabled society and bring everyone along in the transition, digital security and safety are key in ensuring the transition is smooth and encouraging to all individuals. We need to ensure that the risks are properly allocated to the right commercial entities to incentivise risk management and risk thinking.
That would allow market forces to naturally balance the interests of the national economy with the interests of protecting individual consumers and users. By engaging with corporate partners, the regulation can take in industry feedback to tailor our governance for Singapore's society.
The Chairman: Mr Xie Yao Quan, you may take your four cuts together.
Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong): Mr Chairman, we have introduced AI Verify last year to help develop testing tools for the responsible use of AI. How has the programme developed and what are our next steps to ensure the use of AI is responsible and safe?
Chairman, the training of GenAI requires large amounts of data, some of which could be private in nature. How could the Government better protect our personal data from inappropriate use in this regard?
Also, GenAI requires large amounts of compute and power to train and operate, and so do our other digital needs. These require power-hungry data centres. How could we power our digital future, our future data centres sustainably?
Mr Chairman, in light of the recent outages affecting our banking and healthcare institutions, how can we enhance the resilience and security of digital infrastructure and services that are critical to our digital economy and society?
Also, quantum computing is expected to weaken or break current encryption algorithms that protect our digital communications and transactions. How can we ensure that our data and communications networks remain safe and secure?
Third, MCI had announced previously the CISO-as-a-Service last year, to help SMEs develop tailored cybersecurity health plans based on their risk profile and appetite. Could MCI provide an update on its implementation?
Mr Chairman, MCI had announced the launch of industry consultations for the Digital Enterprise Blueprint last year to bring together industry leaders, trade associations and companies across different sectors to better derive insights and solutions to meet Singapore businesses’ digital needs. Could the Ministry provide an update on the progress in this regard?
The Chairman: Mr Eric Chua, please take your two cuts together.
Mr Eric Chua (Tanjong Pagar): There have been recent media headlines: \"Youth committed series of sexual offences involving multiple victims, including minors\"; \"Eight weeks’ jail for voyeur who filmed female colleague using toilet\"; \"Teen admits to sexually assaulting his two younger sisters multiple times\"; \"A 12.3% increase in voyeurism cases from 2022 to 2023: one of five things the Singapore Police Force wants us to know from their recent annual crime brief\".
I could go on, but Members would be well aware of these recent high profile headlines. What raises the alarm for me is this: while there is a general decrease in the overall number of youth arrests over the last decade, youth sexual offending has bucked the trend. According to SPF, the number of youth offenders who committed outrage of modesty and rape offences climbed by 48.6% from 109 cases 2016 to 162 in 2020.
To better understand this, I asked to speak with some youth sexual offenders some time ago. I separately spoke to three young offenders at length, spending about an hour with each of them. The three I spoke to came from diverse backgrounds, but not all had challenging family situations. Based on what they shared with me, one commonality struck me: how each of them struggled with addiction to the consumption of sexually explicit materials.
To be sure, we are talking about anecdotes from the experiences shared by three individuals. While this is by no means representative, one also should not simply wave this revelation away.
The pervasiveness of digital technology has opened new avenues for exposure to and consumption of sexually explicit materials, especially ones of a violent nature. While I do not claim a direct causality between pornography use and juvenile crime, extensive research has shown that adolescents' pornography use is related to more sexual aggression, both in terms of perpetuation and victimisation.
A 2019 study conducted with high school youths in US found that male adolescents exposed to violent pornography were over three times as likely to perpetuate sexual teen-dating violence. The use of online pornography has also been linked to youth self-development and beliefs, influencing one's internalisation of appearance ideals and body surveillance.
Simply put, sexual offending as a consequence and endpoint is just the tip of the iceberg. Pornography addiction, for instance, while not actually manifesting in a crime in most instances, can continue to plague an individual's life, damaging relationships, disrupting daily routines.
It is akin to a persistent, low-grade fever, symptomatic of a slew of deep-seated problems, which if left untackled can leave potentials untapped and productivity flagging. Society pays the bill in the form of a weakened family institution and in the most extreme scenarios, an increased rate of perverse and violent crimes. With the high internet and social media adoption rates in Singapore, it is high time that we paid much closer attention to online harms and the widespread spillover impacts it has on society at large.
On a separate but related note, unrealistic body standards paraded on the internet fuel a mindless pursuit of perfection and external validation. Nearly 20%, or one in five Singaporean adults who are active social media users are at risk of body image anxiety – with men representing some 40% of this at-risk group. I admit I personally feel some pressure to stay in the right shape. So, I sometimes hit the gym after midnight, determined to squeeze in a workout before the end of a long day. However, I am almost always surprised by the fact that I always have company at the gym by the number of young people, most of whom are young men, who remain seriously committed to sculpting their bodies even at unearthly hours.
Yes, for as long as we can remember, traditional media like the big and small screens – that is, film and TV – has led the charge in peddling unrealistic body standards. However, the proliferation of social media and the democratisation of content creation has only intensified peer comparison and hyper-fuelled unrealistic expectations of our own body image.
Simply put, the need to be that perfect bod is as real as it gets. Much of the conversation thus far, frames body image insecurities as a women's issue, but we know that is far from the truth. Men too face pressures and in the process, are actively discouraged to acknowledge or share about their own insecurities.
At its core, we need to begin a conversation on what masculinity means in Singapore society today. I recently chanced upon an article on NPR.org and I thought would like to leverage its content and run a little thought experiment with Members in this Chamber today. I hope many of you are listening to me.
I am going to read out three pairs of descriptors and Members can decide for yourself, which set of descriptors, either the former or the latter, more aptly describes what it means to be masculine. Here we go.
The first set: expressing anger over expressing sadness. The second set: swearing that we are fine even when we are actually not versus reaching out to loved ones and trusted friends when in need. The third set: laugh in the face of fear and danger versus being vulnerable about thoughts and feelings.
In your opinion, Members of the Chamber, which group better describes masculinity? You do not have to make known your position or your answers to me, much less take a vote on this – you do not have to reach for the buttons. I hope this simple exercise illustrates the effect of stereotypes at work.
Admittedly, this is a difficult conversation to have. To some, even talking about redefining masculinity is perhaps effeminate and even emasculating. We are increasingly seeing arrangements that go against the strand of what traditional masculinity looks like: stay-home dads who step into primary caretaking roles; dating down where the woman in heterosexual relationships has a higher earning power, all of which come with their challenges and stigma to tackle.
Rounding back, the concerns I have expressed on online harms and its impact on society, especially young men, is something we collectively need to tackle: from Government, community, families, parents and that is a work-in-progress. But at the heart of it all, we also need to have a mindful dialogue on what it means to be man enough in today's context.
Sir, Queenstown is the first Housing and Development Board (HDB) satellite public housing estate in Singapore and is home to many residents who are seniors. With almost a third of Queenstown's residents age 60 and above, we have implemented several programmes and municipal enhancements to ensure that seniors can age well in place.
For instance, the hilly terrain and wide roads of Mei Ling Street and Stirling Road pose a safety concern for seniors when they cross the roads. To enhance safety and to allow seniors the respite of a brief pitstop, the central dividers between have been widened, amongst other enhancements.
There are various programmes in Queenstown that serve seniors well too. These include mental health programmes like SafePod, workshops on future care planning and a Seniors' Festival that is currently in the works. This Festival aims to empower our seniors, show them and their family members that one does not have to fear ageing and that there are many ways through which one can still enjoy their golden years.
Queenstown is also part of the Queenstown Health District pilot, which aims to leverage the diverse expertise of partners to create integrated solutions to enhance the health and wellbeing of Queenstown residents across their life stages. One such partner is the Lions Befrienders. At the Active Ageing Centre at Mei Ling, they will be launching the Gym Tonic, a strength training programme that tracks seniors' fitness and progress using senior-friendly gym machines. They have also harnessed technology to develop a system called i-Boleh, which allows seniors to self-account to Lions Befrienders' staff while offering games that help improve seniors' cognitive skills and reduce the risk of dementia.
Despite the many programmes that we have put in place for our seniors, one persistent pain point they face is catching up with technology. One constant feedback that I hear from seniors is the need for automated teller machines (ATMs), especially those with the passbook update function. Many shared with me that having to travel a distance away to the next nearest ATM is of great inconvenience to them. This is especially so when they are less mobile. I feel their pain when they narrate their challenges to me.
Despite the proliferation of digital banking, many seniors I spoke to still preferred transacting in cash. Some have expressed unfamiliarity with digital banking apps; others feared being scammed. Their concerns are not unfounded. Understanding their concerns, I have appealed multiple times to our banks although I have not always been successful. But I am not giving up.
While some seniors are hesitant, I take heart in the fact that many of them remain open to learn how to go digital and pick up tips on how to stay safe online. That is why I am appreciative that Leng Kee Community Club (CC) – located within Queenstown – has been designated by the SG Digital Office (SDO) as a SG Digital Community Hub. SG Digital Community Hubs were initiated by IMDA as part of Singapore's digitalisation push and are conveniently located in various parts of our heartlands. The hub at Leng Kee CC is open daily from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. Seniors get one-on-one guidance in a customised fashion to equip them to go digital.
The Seniors Go Digital Activity Pack gamifies the learning experience and encourages seniors to continue learning on their own with online resources. Given Singapore's rapidly ageing population and Queenstown's super-aged resident profile, SG Digital Community Hubs would become more important in equipping seniors and seniors-to-be for digital life as technology continues to evolve.
To this end, I would like to ask the Ministry what percentage of seniors, islandwide, have been engaged by the SG Digital Community Hubs and what is the take-up for these Seniors Go Digital Activity Packs thus far?
In addition to the Community Hubs, the Mobile Access for Vulnerable Seniors is another scheme that has been implemented in recent years. It provides subsidised smartphone and mobile plans to lower-income seniors who want to go digital but cannot afford them. To qualify, individuals must be aged 60 years and above, and a current beneficiary of the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Long-Term or Short-to-Medium-Term ComCare assistance or under HDB's Public Rental Scheme.
In addition, our seniors are also encouraged to step up and pick up a basic digital skill at our Community Hubs. Eligible seniors enjoy a two-year mobile plan at $5.10 per month and can purchase a smartphone for a one-off cost of as low as $20. Given the importance of online communication today, such schemes encourage more seniors to digitalise and be plugged in to the community and stay connected with the family at the same time.
So, I would like to ask the Ministry, how has the response and take-up rate been like among seniors for this scheme?
As we continue to equip our seniors for the digital age, technology can be harnessed to preserve a sense of emotional connectedness. Members may have heard of VintageRadio.sg – a digital service designed for seniors to keep them informed, entertained and engaged. Through an app, VintageRadio.sg aims to build confidence in seniors to explore an unfamiliar digital world by evoking a sense of familiarity as they do so.
Playing popular multilingual tunes from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and having veteran presenters such as Patrick Kwek, Brian Richmond, Rahimah Rahim and PN Bala guide them through the app are examples of how familiarity is injected into the digital-learning journey. These tunes and presenters will be familiar to many of our seniors and having them as company makes the digitalisation journey hopefully a little less intimidating.
At this juncture, I would like to compliment the VintageRadio team for providing one more important channel through which our seniors can stay digitally as well as emotionally connected.
Sir, in conclusion, seniors and technology does not have to be like oil and water. Adopting technology does not have to mean that services automatically become less personal or high-tech and low-touch. Instead, the use of technology must be like enhancing plain water by infusing it with fruits or herbs, adding colour, taste, nutrition even.
So, for colleagues in the Ministry, my final question is this: what then is our uniquely Singaporean-infused water recipe?
The Chairman: Ms Jessica Tan, please take your four cuts together.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast): Thank you, Mr Chairman.
Mr Chairman, as part of Budget 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that $1 billion would be put into the National AI Strategy 2.0 over the next five years to help boost Singapore's AI capability, capacity and value with the twin goals of excellence and empowerment.
AI and GenAI have the potential to transform industries and improve our quality of life, reimagining the way we live and work. AI development and deployment are however, not without risks, such as bias training data or algorithmic design, privacy concerns with the analysis of large amounts of data, the complexity and sometimes, the lack of transparency of AI systems. There are also concerns with security risks with the sophisticate use of AI to exploit vulnerabilities in systems. Despite the risks, GenAI and machine learning with capability to learn from large amounts of data efficiently can predict potential cyber threats and secure systems.
For Singapore, the strategic bets are to leverage AI to address big challenges, such as population health and climate change. How will we be able to develop capability and enable improved productivity and competitiveness of businesses and Government with AI and to prepare our workforce, especially our lower-skilled workers, that will be disrupted by the use of AI to reskill and to be prepared for the opportunities? How will we address and minimise the risks of AI?
Mr Chairman, technology is important but without having people to imagine what is possible with technology and capable of utilising, developing and innovating with technology, we would not be able to realise the potential and value of technology.
By 2025, Singapore's economy would need another 1.2 million digitally-skilled workers. These were the findings of a report in 2021, commissioned by Amazon Web Services, amongst six Asia Pacific countries.
With the push for digitalisation not just in Singapore, but around the region as well, there will be increased competition for talent. How will we ensure that we build the capability, grow and retain the talent and skills required to support our digital ambitions and growth? With the pervasiveness of technology and digitalisation, including AI, we can expect every job role to be redesigned in some shape and form.
Most jobs will need some form of digital literacy. Training and reskilling will be required. How can businesses be supported, especially less digitally-ready SMEs, to develop digital capabilities to improve productivity and competitiveness?
Mr Chairman, in Singapore, with rapid technology development, the push to digitalise and the greater use and reliance on digital technologies is very much a part of how businesses operate and how people work across many sectors. For individuals, digital is very much a part of life – from our social interactions, buying and paying for goods and services to leisure and entertainment.
With the increasing reliance on digital for how we live, work and play, how will the Government foster a trusted digital environment, resilience and security of Government services and the responsible use of digital technology, including AI? How will we assure our people of service availability, protection of their personal data and the security of their digital transactions? How is the Government ensuring that Singapore's digital infrastructure remains secure and resilient so that businesses can have the confidence to do business digitally and offer their services seamlessly, reliably and securely?
Mr Chairman, the vision of our Smart Nation is, \"a Singapore where people are more empowered to live meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all.\" At its core, the Smart Nation is about people and making lives better. The Smart Nation objectives are to improve the everyday convenience and the quality of life of Singaporeans, drive greater business effectiveness and value and support new areas of innovation and ensure that no one is left behind.
With the Smart Nation now in its 10th year and digital being very much a part of life in Singapore, how has the Smart Nation translated to opportunities for businesses and jobs for Singaporeans? How has the Smart Nation and the push for digitalisation improved lives of Singaporeans?
The Chairman: Ms Hany Soh, you can take your two cuts together.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] According to last year's Singapore Digital Society's Report, more Singaporeans are using digital skills in their daily lives. Among them, the most significant progress is in the use of mobile applications for payments and internet browsing by the elderly. However, there is still a need for improvement, in understanding and using new technologies.
Many elderly residents in Woodgrove have also expressed to me that while they acknowledge the benefits of digital technology in their daily lives, they feel almost powerless to keep up with the rapid developments and transformation of these digital technologies.
(In English): Chairman, getting the buy-in of the entire nation to embrace digital transformation is an incredible task. While the advantages of digitalisation are universally recognised, there are some who remain reluctant to adopt it. Having listened to my Woodgrove residents, I gathered that many seniors face difficulties keeping up in the nation's progress towards digitalisation. For most of them, learning with a patient and personal touch is much more preferred and effective.
As we continue to introduce new technologies, we must first understand the needs of the end-users and the overall user experience as well as ascertain the most effective modes of imparting the knowledge and skills for operation. But everyone learns in different ways. As a whole-of-society charges towards digitalisation, have we paused to ponder whether we have been sufficiently and adequately inclusive of our seniors and residents with special needs?
Therefore, I implore MCI to spearhead the effort to ensure that in-person alternatives will always be readily available for those who are lost and feel helpless in seeking to embark on their digital journey. Take our typical neighborhood library for instance: seniors would much prefer approaching the librarian or receptionist for assistance, rather than having to resort to a virtual helpdesk.
So, I ask, how will the Government ensure that our seniors are equipped with the essential skills to enable them to participate meaningfully in a rapidly transforming digital society?
Secondly, how can MCI balance the seemingly competing interests of preserving the human touch versus ensuring that our digitalisation progress is not impeded amidst our increasingly digitalised society, particularly for future Government programmes to be rolled out and engagements with the community?
Mr Chairman, every third Saturday of the month, many of my Woodgrove residents enjoy bringing their little ones to our Woodlands Regional Library – where their children aged four to six years partake in a fun-filled afternoon, listening to engaging stories and participating in book-based activities, such as crafts and quizzes.
Events like these that are meticulously planned by the National Library Board (NLB) are greatly appreciated and many of my residents have shared their feedback with me that they hope to see more similar events happening in the community, even outside the library.
In this regard, I understand that MOLLY, NLB's mobile library services may be able to fulfil such wishes. Since its inception in 2008, MOLLY mobile library has been travelling around Singapore bringing books, services and programmes to under-served communities which do not have ready access to public libraries.
Can MCI update on the outcome achieved thus far and whether there are plans to expand the scope and outreach efforts to better promote reading and lifelong learning in the community at places, such as community clubs, senior activity centres and preschools?
The Chairman: Minister Josephine Teo.
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mr Chairman, I thank all Members for their cuts.
A decade ago, we launched the Smart Nation initiative, with the vision for Singapore to be a nation where people live meaningful and fulfilled lives enabled by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all. There is no doubt that technology has become a big part of Singaporeans' daily lives. Overall, 84% say that digital technologies have made their lives easier and more than half are prepared to try new technologies.
In January, Parliament debated extensively on a Motion on digital inclusion and safety. For the Committee of Supply (COS) therefore, MCI will cover three other important aspects of Smart Nation development.
First, leveraging technology to uplift our collective potential. Second, upholding trust in the digital domain. Third, safeguarding our infrastructure of fact. During the Budget and Committee of Supply debates thus far, no fewer than 15 Members of Parliament have mentioned AI developments in their speeches. Overall, they supported the more than $1 billion committed over the next five years to catalyse AI activities in Singapore.
As Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong pointed out, AI is a general-purpose technology that will find many applications, some of which we cannot yet imagine. But it is not the only type of technology Singapore has invested in. For example, we have also built capabilities in quantum technology. Nonetheless, given the current strong interest in AI, I will expand on the Government's plans to strengthen the AI ecosystem in Singapore and guard against its risks.
Last December, we launched our refreshed National AI Strategy (NAIS 2.0), as one of the key planks of our Smart Nation effort. It builds on investments made under our first National AI Strategy that was launched in 2019. MCI agrees with Ms Mariam Jaafar that our AI ambitions should not be driven by hype.
While we have invested to build Sea-Lion as a means to grow our capabilities and test the hypothesis that that there is value in training large language models (LLMs) on Southeast Asian languages, we have avoided headlong competition with builders of big frontier models which cost much more. Like Ms Mariam Jaafar, we believe that Singapore's interests are better served through the deployment of use cases, based on the most suitable foundation models that can be developed anywhere in the world.
Among other goals, NAIS 2.0 aims to create new peaks of excellence in leading economic sectors and areas aligned with our Smart Nation priorities. Earlier today, Minister Gan Kim Yong announced plans to partner 100 companies to set up AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and spur AI development in key sectors, like manufacturing. Later, Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary will also update Members on plans to boost the infrastructure that powers AI activities.
I will focus on talent development and governance.
In the world of AI, we can think broadly of three communities: AI creators, who generate cutting-edge AI research, design frontier systems and drive novel use cases; AI practitioners, who have the skillsets to implement and deploy AI systems, models and algorithms in organisations; and AI users, who are equipped to use AI-powered solutions and services, increase productivity to take up better jobs.
Every city with some AI ambition wants these creators, practitioners and users – as many as they can get. The competition is extremely intense, as alluded to by Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Sharael Taha.
Take Dr Koh Pang Wei for example – an award-winning AI researcher who is currently based at the University of Washington. Dr Koh is highly sought after because he focuses on building AI models that can work with imperfect data, which is a common problem in real-world applications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Koh developed novel methods to estimate the movements of people from raw data. This led to models that helped governments understand the spread of the COVID-19 virus and inform reopening policies around the world.
Dr Koh is a born and bred Singaporean. As much as we would like him to come home, we also recognise the value of the networks that he is plugged into because of his current appointment.
In fact, there are other researchers like him from diverse nationalities who would like to work more with us. We welcome them and will soon launch a new AI Visiting Professorship for world-class AI researchers to collaborate with Singapore. We will also partner AI Singapore and our universities to launch a new AI Accelerated Masters Programme to grow our pipeline of Singaporean AI researchers.
At the same time, we will triple the pool of AI practitioners here to 15,000 over the next five years. Practitioners include data scientists and machine learning engineers and who develop and translate the use of AI in organisations across the economy.
Take the example of SG Digital Scholar Mr Joshua Wong. The SG Digital scholarship gave Mr Wong the opportunity to study computer science in Cambridge University, gain exposure to AI research and build networks with some of the best global talent in AI. This helped him to fulfil his dreams to be an entrepreneur.
In 2020, he co-founded Hypotenuse.AI, a startup which provides an AI-powered platform for businesses to create marketing content in seconds. Today, Mr Wong continues to enjoy networking opportunities with fellow scholars and mentors younger talent. We will support more young Singaporeans with similar aspirations as Mr Wong.
As an initial step, we will invest over $20 million in the next three years to enhance AI practitioner training for students. This will cover AI-related SG Digital scholarships and overseas internships in AI roles. Beyond students, we will also support recent graduates and mid-career workers who wish to become AI practitioners.
IMDA plans to scale up the TechSkills Accelerator, or TeSA. It will provide funding support to employers with relevant career openings to induct and equip locals through upskilling opportunities and industry-relevant training.
In parallel to efforts to grow the creator and practitioner communities in Singapore, we will equip the broader workforce to be confident AI users. This may be the best way to forestall AI-induced job displacement which many Members, including Mr Yip Hon Weng, have expressed concerns about.
As with previous waves of technology proliferation, workers worry about being replaced. With AI, it is not just rank and file workers, but professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who feel at risk, that AI tools and agents can take over the tasks that they currently perform. These include knowledge-based tasks, like research, coding and writing.
Many thoughtful observers have, however, pointed out that it is not so much AI displacing the workers, but AI-proficient workers displacing AI-deficient workers. As Members know, the People's Action Party (PAP) Government has a consistent record of investing in upskilling and reskilling workers, often ahead of demand and in partnership with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). We will continue to do so.
Let me provide an update on the Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs) and how they support workers impacted by AI, which Mr Sharael Taha asked about. There are now 16 JTMs that identify job roles affected by various technologies, of which 13 specifically outline the impact of AI. These JTMs cover at least 1.4 million workers in hundreds of job roles.
While we cannot fully predict the scope and scale of AI disruptions, these JTMs provide useful signposts for employers, unions and workers, so they can plan for job redesign or training interventions. Consequently, many of the NTUC's company training committees refer to them. Agencies responsible for sector development can also identify suitable training interventions.
For example, the IMDA appointed five training partners under the Information and Communications JTM in September last year. They now offer over 180 AI-related courses. As of December, they have trained about 1,000 people to be confident AI users. There will be thousands more in the next three years.
This year's Budget has also provided a generous top-up to SkillsFuture Credits and the Level-Up Programme for mid-career Singaporeans looking to reskill through full-time diploma programmes. IMDA will work with SkillsFuture Singapore to ensure that there are suitable offerings to help more of our people gain AI-proficiency and stay relevant in the workforce.
And, as suggested by Mr Gerald Giam, we already go beyond training programmes to promote hands-on learning. A very good example is the NLB's MakeIT programme, which allows participants to try their hand at 3D modelling and printing, robotics and coding. I spoke about it at COS previously.
The public sector itself provides both formal and informal learning experiences to build AI capabilities. For example, we have introduced tools like Pair, our secure version of ChatGPT, to help public officers in tasks, such as writing, brainstorming, research and coding. Today, around 35,000 public officers use Pair in their work to improve their productivity.
Sir, I should add that the most important strategy for sustaining high employment and minimising unemployment is continued job creation. This means ensuring that businesses continue to grow, including through the use of technologies like AI. By doing so, we need not react passively to job displacement by AI, but proactively use AI to reinstate better jobs for our people. This is why we will also invest in promoting AI adoption among enterprises, a topic which Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will deal with later.
Let me now turn to the topic of AI governance. While we welcome opportunities that come with AI advancements, we must also guard against the risks of misuse. For example, AI can intensify existing threats, such as cyber-attacks, scams, or misinformation and disinformation. Guardrails are, therefore, necessary.
Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Xie Yao Quan and Mr Mark Lee asked what we are doing to promote safe and responsible uses of AI and how we will protect personal data that may be used to train AI models. MCI recognises their concerns. At COS last year, I outlined our plan to clarify how the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) applies to AI systems.
Following extensive consultations with stakeholders, PDPC has finalised its Advisory Guidelines on the use of Personal Data in AI Recommendation and Decision Systems and will publish this today. PDPC will next consider giving guidance on the use of personal data to train generative AI (GenAI) systems.
Mr de Souza asked how MCI will continue to place Singapore at the forefront of AI governance. Indeed, Singapore has been recognised as an active and credible contributor to AI Governance. Last year, we launched the AI Verify Foundation, to harness the expertise of the global open-source community to promote responsible use of AI. This builds on the roll out of AI Verify, a testing framework and software toolkit, in 2022. Today, the Foundation counts organisations, such as IBM, Google, Deloitte, DBS and SIA as members.
At the World Economic Forum in January this year, we announced a Proposed Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI (MGF-GenAI), and sought views from our partners. This framework builds on the earlier Model AI Governance Framework and reflects emerging principles, concerns and technological developments in GenAI. More recently, Singapore led the development of the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, which was endorsed at the fourth ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting held here last month.
I will now move on to the second theme of my speech: upholding trust in the digital domain. Both Ms Hany Soh and Mr Eric Chua asked how we maintain the human touch, amidst increasing digitalisation. Sir, coincidentally, I spoke about this yesterday at the Ministry of Home Affairs' COS debate.
The reality is that there is no silver bullet. Digitalisation is taking place across multiple settings and changes our interactions with each other in so many ways. We will, therefore, have to feel our way forward and be willing to adjust our approaches. Where the Government is concerned, we are mindful that the delivery of public services through digital means should be carefully designed to cater to different population segments, including seniors.
Two days ago, Minister Chan Chun Sing also reiterated the Government's commitment to ensure that our services remain accessible to all. For example, citizens who require support for Government services can head to any ServiceSG Centre, which can help with close to 600 services and schemes from over 25 agencies. IMDA's Digital Ambassadors also stand ready at multiple community touchpoints to provide guidance to seniors.
As the digital landscape evolves, our libraries will also continue efforts to promote reading and lifelong learning. This includes NLB's mobile library service, or MOLLY, which Ms Hany Soh touched on. I thank Ms Soh, for her support and appreciation of the outreach that MOLLY has helped the NLB to achieve. Since its launch in 2008, MOLLY has served over 500 institutions, received around 1.4 million visits and facilitated about 2.7 million loans. It is obviously very proud of these achievements and will certainly continue to reach out to as many as possible.
I should also add that it is not only MOLLY that brings the library to our citizens, there are other ways in which the library makes its presence felt. For example, there are pop-ups stations in busy shopping malls and other locations with high foot fall, and you will find some representation of the library in them.
I will now address two other dimensions of digital trust that Ms Tin, Ms Jessica Tan, Mr de Souza and Mr Xie asked about: security and resilience. These largely concern the digital infrastructure and services that power our digital economy and enable citizens to meet their day-to-day needs.
In 2023, Singapore faced disruptions in online Government services, banking and payment services, and when accessing the websites of public healthcare institutions. But we were not alone. Many countries are grappling with similar issues as they become more digitalised. For example, a data centre outage in France caused widespread disruption to government and other services. A cloud service outage in the US caused many websites to be inaccessible, including those of news outlets and airlines.
To manage the impact of such disruptions, the EU, Germany and Australia have already introduced regulations to enhance the security and resilience of digital infrastructure, such as cloud services and data centres. While we cannot fully eliminate disruptions, we will do more to minimise their occurrence. An inter-agency task force led by MCI has been reviewing the evolving landscape and developing mitigating measures.
We are looking at two key moves. First, we will enhance our regulatory levers. The upcoming amendments to the Cybersecurity Act will raise the cybersecurity of foundational digital infrastructure and other systems as well as entities, beyond the Critical Information Infrastructure it covers today. The expanded coverage will include data centres, cloud services and key entities that may hold sensitive data or perform important public functions.
I am pleased to update Members that public consultations on the amendments were completed in January. We plan to introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament next week and will share more details then. [Please refer to \"Clarification by Minister for Communications and Information\", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Correction By Written Statement section.]
While enhancing our cybersecurity posture is important, it is not enough. Past outages in Singapore and elsewhere have shown that disruptions can occur due to non-cyber reasons. These include misconfigurations in cloud architecture or the outage of data centres due to fires, water leakages and cooling system failures.
The task force is, therefore, also studying the introduction of a new Digital Infrastructure Act (DIA), to address broader security and resilience concerns of key digital infrastructure and services, beyond cybersecurity. The DIA will focus on digital infrastructure that can cause significant impact on the economy and society if disrupted.
For example, large cloud service providers and data centres are crucial to the functioning of a wide array of digital services that enterprises and consumers use daily. These operators may, therefore, need to meet higher security and resilience standards, to reduce the likelihood of systemic disruptions.
The task force is conducting further studies to properly scope the DIA and develop its proposals. The challenges are complex and include the cross-border nature of digital infrastructure operators, like cloud service providers. We will also need to balance trade-offs between mitigating risks and increasing compliance costs. We will continue to consult industry players and relevant stakeholders, and ensure coherence in requirements between the DIA and the Cybersecurity Act.
Second, the task force is exploring non-regulatory measures that will complement our laws and regulations. These could include providing guidance to digital infrastructure and service providers on best practices for security and resilience. While the Government does our best to ensure that digital infrastructure and services are secure and resilient, enterprises and consumers also need to play their part.
For example, enterprises must have robust business continuity and incident recovery plans. Smaller enterprises can refer to resources like the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore's (CSA's) Cyber Essentials programme; larger enterprises should adopt CSA's Cyber Trust mark. Consumers should also be prepared to use alternatives if a digital service disruption occurs. This creates a strong incentive to service providers to buck up.
Mr Xie asked about the risks associated with quantum computing – especially in our data and communications networks.
Last June, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the launch of the National Quantum Safe Network Plus (NQSN+). Singtel and SPTel, together with another local company, SpeQtral, have since been appointed to build Singapore's first quantum safe network – the first of its kind in Southeast Asia as well. The network is expected to be ready by end 2024.
We are also building capabilities to develop solutions that enable safe and trusted data sharing – something that Ms Mariam Jaafar talked about. In July 2022, we launched the Privacy Enhancing Technology Sandbox Initiative to support businesses in piloting technological solutions that allow them to safely extract value from data whilst protecting personal data and commercially sensitive data.
Mastercard was one of the participating businesses which piloted a solution to share information on financial crime across international borders while complying with prevailing regulations. Mastercard is now studying the implementation of this in a commercial setting.
I now turn to the third and final theme in my speech: safeguarding our infrastructure of fact to uphold social cohesion. This infrastructure has several pillars.
Internationally, we have witnessed how deepfake technology has been misused to spread falsehood and manipulate public opinion on gun violence in the US; the Israel-Hamas conflict and even undermine election integrity. Their realism makes them a particularly dangerous weapon, as pointed out by Mr Christopher de Souza, Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Eric Chua. We take a strong stance against malicious AI-generated content. Targeted legislation to deal with them swiftly is thus one pillar in this infrastructure.
This includes the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, which enables us to issue corrections and label AI-generated misinformation with the correct facts. We can also consider disabling directions if the content poses serious harm to public interest.
Another pillar is public education initiatives to equip Singaporeans to be discerning consumers and producers of information. Our libraries play a key role in this effort. Last year, NLB introduced resources and workshops on GenAI as part of its S.U.R.E programme to educate Singaporeans about the benefits and perils of AI, as well as impart skills to verify and fact-check online content that may be AI-generated. These efforts have reached over 66,000 people.
Later this year, NLB will roll out new programmes and learning packages to educate Singaporeans about the risks that AI-generated misinformation can pose to society. We also recognise the need to grow new capabilities.
We previously announced that MCI and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research will launch the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety (CATOS). Among other things, CATOS will develop tools and measures to detect harmful content, including deepfakes.
In a fragmented media landscape awash with AI-generated content, audiences are finding it very difficult to separate truths from falsehoods. We therefore also need trusted news media to inform and engage our people, to keep us all on the same page. This is a critical pillar.
Mr Pritam Singh asked about Government funding to SPH Media. As a public service media entity, SPH Media plays a crucial role in: informing Singaporeans of issues of national importance; reflecting Singapore's values and way of life; reporting international events with a Singapore eye; and projecting Singapore's perspectives to the rest of the world.
SPH Media is also an institution and repository of our shared memories. Last year, Lianhe Zaobao celebrated its 100th Anniversary whilst The Straits Times is approaching 180 years of publication. Both Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu are also well-established, catering to the needs of our Malay and Tamil language communities.
However, SPH Media is facing its biggest challenge yet. The entire media industry has been severely disrupted by digitalisation and social media. Readership is declining as audiences have a multitude of choices. Traditional sources of revenue are also falling dramatically, with advertising shifting to social media and other online platforms. These problems are not unique to SPH Media.
Even an established media company like The Washington Post lost US$100 million last year and had to cut 10% of its headcount, despite extensive efforts to transform. Digital-only platforms are not spared either. The Pulitzer Prize-winning BuzzFeed News shut down last April, despite hiring top journalists and opening bureaus around the world.
According to The New York Times, one out of four newspapers that existed in 2005 no longer does.
Prior to restructuring into a company limited by guarantee, SPH posted its first ever loss. Left to market forces and commercial stresses, it would likely have gone the way of The Washington Post and BuzzFeed. This is particularly so with its vernacular titles, which have naturally smaller audiences and which members like Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Tin are rightly concerned about.
The Government decided to step in to give SPH Media a fighting chance in this new media landscape. Thus far, around $320 million has been disbursed to SPH Media across financial years (FYs) 2022 and 2023. Anticipating a more challenging environment, as outlined earlier, we have budgeted to provide SPH Media with around $260 million in funding for FY2024.
This is reflected in MCI's Budget Book, as part of MCI's overall grant disbursement provided to other organisations.
As I shared previously in the House, funding for SPH Media is targeted at three main areas: talent, technology and vernacular capabilities. They reflect the importance the Government has placed on quality journalism, digital transformation and upholding multiculturalism.
To ensure public accountability and fiscal prudence, SPH Media Trust is structured to comprise members representing different segments of society – from commercial entities like DBS, UOB and OCBC; to local institutes of higher learning like the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Technology and Design. But ultimately, SPH Media is accountable to Singaporeans. The news industry is a people-centric business and SPH Media has a crucial public service media role.
Therefore, KPIs are set to track reach and engagement across all communities, including specific targets for the vernacular outlets, youth and digital reach. MCI also requires SPH Media to report regularly on their performance in these areas and comply with relevant audits to ensure oversight of how funds are spent, as well as ownership and accountability of public service media outcomes.
So far, the funding disbursed has been put to good use. SPH Media has been strengthening its digital systems to improve its outreach, in line with what other global publications have done. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, for example, have pivoted from print to digital-first models, adopting multimedia formats to increase their readership.
Likewise, SPH Media recently adopted a new digital content management system to support its online coverage and launch mobile apps across its English and vernacular news titles. It has also made extensive efforts to improve retention and quality of its newsrooms through training, scholarships and fellowships with overseas institutions, such as the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. However, there is still considerable catch-up for SPH Media.
While it has maintained its overall reach and achieved a modest increase in its digital subscriptions, it did not meet all its KPIs on digital reach, youth reach, vernacular reach and average time spent on its websites and apps. Accordingly, it did not receive the full funding that was committed.
More importantly, these results show that the efforts made thus far are just the beginning. SPH Media will need to do more to maintain its relevance in this challenging media environment and will need continued support as it strives to get onto firmer footing.
Mr Chairman, I hope Members agree that in an information landscape where truths have to compete with falsehoods, public service media is a critical pillar in our society's infrastructure of fact. On matters deserving public attention, such as critical global events, community news in the vernacular; or indeed, Parliamentary proceedings, profit-driven platforms may have no interest except to sensationalise or add their own spin.
We also need public service media to tell Singapore's stories and project Singapore's voice. We cannot expect media organisations elsewhere to do so for us. At stake is our ability as a people to have a shared understanding of issues of the day, to know where our national interests lie and what we must do to ensure our continued success.
Sustained investment in our public service media entities is therefore, not a nice to-do; rather, it is a have-to-do if we are to uphold quality journalism that supports the public good. I therefore seek Members' support to sustain public investment in public service media entities to preserve our infrastructure of fact and maintain the high trust that our public has in public service media today.
Mr Chairman, with your permission, please allow me to conclude my remarks in Mandarin, returning to the topic of AI which I started with.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] AI will continue to permeate various regions and sectors worldwide including Singapore's society and economy. We must seize the opportunities to help our people and businesses prepare. To this end, I have announced several initiatives today.
First of all, we will launch a new programme to attract the world's top AI creators to come to the Lion City and collaborate with local experts and scholars to establish cutting-edge technologies in our country. In order to strengthen our country's AI workforce, we aim to increase the number of professionals in this field to 15,000 over the next five years. The Government will also invest $200 million to cultivate local talents, providing them with scholarships and opportunities for overseas internships.
However, while digital technology brings opportunities, it also brings risks. Therefore, we will introduce new guidelines governing use of personal data in AI systems. The Government is also exploring a new law to enhance the security of our country's digital infrastructure and services, ensuring that people can use digital technology with greater peace of mind.
I have always been advocating for \"digital first, but not digital only\". The Government will continue to provide non-digital options for citizens who are not yet ready to go online. However, the momentum of AI development will not slow down. The Singapore Government will uphold our forward-looking governance philosophy, and adopt a people-centric approach in implementation of the said programmes.
The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How): Mr Chairman, we have made good progress in digitalising our economy. Singapore's digital economy generated value added of $106 billion in 2022, or about 17% of our nominal GDP; up from $58 billion or 13% of our GDP in 2017.
More enterprises are going digital. For example, more than nine in 10 enterprises are using e-payment today, compared to just six in 10 in 2018. Enterprises are also deploying more advanced digital solutions, such as cloud computing and data analytics. Importantly, I am heartened that our SMEs are doing so too.
In 2023, 95% of SMEs adopted digital solutions, compared to 74% in 2018. Even hawkers are coming onboard. As of November last year, 60% of our hawkers accept SGQR digital payments. The platform has facilitated an average of 5.1 million transactions or $42 million per month.
IMDA's programmes like SMEs Go Digital and Hawkers Go Digital have moved the needle. At the same time, the pace of technological advancements, especially in AI, is picking up pace. We want to equip our enterprises and workers with the capabilities to ride this new wave.
We are developing a Digital Enterprise Blueprint to chart the next bound of our effort, which Mr Xie Yao Quan has asked about. We have been consulting extensively with sector partners and industry. We are refining the Blueprint, based on their feedback, and will put out a consultation paper in the coming months to seek views from the wider industry and from the public.
But let me take the opportunity to outline the broad contours of the Blueprint.
The Digital Enterprise Blueprint aims to \"Uplift our enterprises and workers in the Age of AI\". We will do this through three thrusts: first, we will empower enterprises to be smarter through using AI-powered digital solutions; second, we will support our enterprises to scale faster through adoption of integrated digital solutions; third, we will equip enterprises to be safer by improving their cyber resilience. So, smarter, scale faster, safer.
The Digital Enterprise Blueprint is a live document, which will be continually updated. Hence, we have started to implement some \"no regrets\" moves that received broad support. Let me elaborate.
Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Tin Pei Ling, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Mark Lee and others asked how we are supporting SMEs to benefit from AI.
We will help enterprises and workers access benefits from AI capabilities through IMDA's SMEs Go Digital programme. First, for the vast majority of SMEs, IMDA curates a list of pre-approved digital solutions suitable for broad-based adoption. We have started working with the technology industry to incorporate AI capabilities in their digital solutions. I am glad to share that as of today, around 20% of these pre-approved solutions are already AI-enabled.
For example, AI capabilities are integrated seamlessly into customer relationship management solutions which help enterprises analyse customer interactions and data to suggest personalised marketing campaigns for customers. In 2023, over 3,000 SMEs have adopted and benefited from these AI-enabled pre-approved solutions. So, that is for the broad base of SMEs.
Second, at the sector level, IMDA has worked with sector leads to co-develop industry digital plans (IDPs) which serve as roadmaps for enterprises, highlighting solutions which meet specific needs of the sector. We started with five IDPs in 2018. Today, we have 22 IDPs for various sectors, including sectors like wholesale, construction, retail and food services, and these IDPs cover a broad swathe of our economy.
IMDA will refresh the IDPs to incorporate AI-enabled solutions that would be relevant to meet the needs of the enterprises in that sector. We have started doing so in the four IDPs that we either launched or refreshed last year, namely legal, tourism, retail and security sectors.
One good example, I met a company, Ghows LLC. It is a law firm that has been using an AI-enabled proofreading tool to help check their draft contracts for conflicts and inconsistencies. I understand from lawyers that this process used to be done manually and was tedious, time-consuming and error-prone. After adopting this AI-enabled tool, Ghows saw a 50% productivity improvement and less errors. We will progressively refresh all IDPs to include sector-specific AI solutions so that enterprises can benefit from these useful solutions.
Ms Tin asked about the CTO-as-a-Service, over 92,000 users have accessed resources from the CTO-as-a-Service platform and over 1,600 SMEs have benefited from the digital consultancy services. One example is food services company, Xi Men Jie (西门街). The company was overwhelmed by the numerous technology solutions in the market. The team turned to a digital consultant under the CTO-as-a-Service scheme for help to integrate their digital systems. The company achieved 15% in both manpower savings and sales growth. So, I encourage all SMEs to tap on these schemes.
For enterprises who want to do more, we are supporting them through our Advanced Digital Solutions (ADS) scheme, which brings together the technology ecosystem to curate solutions for key problems identified by the sector leads. We launched two new schemes under the ADS for enterprises to gain experience using GenAI. [Please refer to \"Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information\", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Correction By Written Statement section.]
The first scheme is a programme by IMDA and EnterpriseSG to provide a pilot group of SMEs with access to 13 specially curated GenAI solutions for common business functions like marketing and sales. If these GenAI solutions prove useful, we will include them in the SMEs Go Digital pre-approved list of digital solutions to benefit others.
And for the second scheme, it is for larger and more digitally-mature enterprises who are looking to develop and deploy their own GenAI digital solutions in their businesses. IMDA is launching a new initiative called Generative AI for Digital Leaders, where tech partners, including tech giants, will work with participating enterprises to help them develop and implement innovative GenAI solutions. We are heartened to see early interest from enterprises and we welcome more to sign-up for these initiatives.
Sir, let me move on to the second thrust of supporting our enterprises to scale faster.
In our consultations, SMEs shared that as they started to grow, they realised that they were constrained by lack of interoperability and scalability of their digital solutions.
For example, Bread Createur, a food services SME, had adopted various sales channels and delivery platforms over time. However, they found themselves unable to collate orders automatically and track sales figures across their third-party delivery platforms and sales channels. What was an inconvenience for a small operation, quickly turned into a showstopper when they grew. Such stove-piped solutions also prevent enterprises from harnessing the full potential of digital, including deriving business insights from data analytics.
So, we will step up our effort to: (a) include more integrated digital solutions under the SMEs Go Digital programme; (b) stipulate interoperability requirements where possible for these solutions; and (c) encourage more of these solutions to be cloud-native for greater scalability.
Where integrated solutions are not available in the market, we will curate such solutions through the ADS scheme. One example is the Connected Business Suite solution available to Food Services SMEs. It enabled these SMEs to operate their frontend and backend functions in an integrated manner. With this integrated solution, Bread Createur, which I mentioned earlier, can easily track all their sales and transactions across different sales channels, including from third-party orders that are routed directly to the kitchen.
Going forward, we will work closely with sector leads and associations to introduce more pre-approved integrated digital solutions and cloud-based solutions to support our enterprises to scale quickly as they grow. Sir, at this juncture, I must stress that technology is not the silver bullet, as mentioned by others earlier. And integrated and scalable digital solutions would also require the sectors and enterprises to redesign their processes and operations.
Let me now move on to the third thrust of keeping our enterprises safer. I am heartened to see that in CSA's latest cybersecurity survey findings, 75% of organisations were aware of the importance of cybersecurity. However, while enterprises are taking steps to improve their cyber hygiene, there is still much room for improvement.
The same survey found that over eight in 10 enterprises in Singapore encountered at least one cybersecurity incident in a year and almost all of them suffered negative business impact. CSA also found that only one in three organisations implemented more than half of the five categories of cybersecurity measures under CSA's Cyber Essentials Certification Scheme. Lack of knowledge on how to implement cybersecurity solutions, was commonly cited as a challenge.
Ms Tin and Mr Xie asked how are we helping SMEs to then improve their cyber resilience. While we will flesh this out in the Digital Enterprise Blueprint, let me give Members a broad sense of our three-tier approach.
First, we will support SMEs in taking steps to improve their cyber hygiene. We will launch a cybersecurity health check tool for enterprises so that they can assess their cyber hygiene, benchmark themselves against their industry peers and access resources for them to plug the gaps.
Those who require more support can tap on the CISO-as-a-Service scheme to engage cybersecurity consultants to develop tailored cybersecurity health plans. Enterprises that are eligible can receive co-funding support to defray the cost for this service. Thus far, 55 SMEs have benefited from this scheme.
Second, we will go upstream and raise the cybersecurity standards of the digital systems used by our enterprises. This will especially benefit SMEs with no inhouse cybersecurity resources. We will start with the pre-approved digital solutions under IMDA's SMEs Go Digital programme.
Third, we will also work with sector leads to develop industry-specific guidelines for cybersecurity. In healthcare for example, CSA worked with the Ministry of Health to develop cybersecurity guidelines to improve the cybersecurity posture amongst healthcare providers.
So, Mr Chairman, I spoke briefly about the three thrusts of the Digital Enterprise Blueprint to uplift enterprises and workers in the Age of AI by being smarter, scale faster and becoming safer.
Let me now turn to how we are developing tech capabilities within our workforce.
At the broader workforce level, more of us will need to be equipped with the right skills to effectively use digital tools in our work. With more rapid technological changes, we need to see reskilling and upskilling as part of our workplace culture and see this as a continual investment in ourselves.
Employers must also view the reskilling and upskilling of their employees as investments, so as to fully benefit from the digital systems that have been put in place. An analogy would be like having a very powerful car but not being able to go beyond the first gear. We need to upskill our employees, so that we can make full use of that more powerful engine.
That is why each IDP does not only include a suite of curated digital solutions for enterprises, but also comes with a comprehensive list of relevant training courses for these digital tools. For example, the retail IDP includes courses for employees to learn how to make good use of social commerce solutions to generate more sales – including how to sell items on livestreams.
IMDA has also worked with SkillsFuture Singapore to provide funding support for many of these courses. So, I encourage employers and workers to make full use of these schemes.
Sufficient quality and quantity of tech talent is also crucial to realising our ambitions. Understandably, there have been concerns about prospects in the technology sector, given the layoffs by technology companies, as mentioned by Ms Tin.
Technology companies across the world have been right-siting and right-sizing their operations to prioritise new areas of growth, amidst a more challenging economic climate. Unfortunately, this sometimes results in layoffs which can be very painful and distressing for those involved. Singapore is no exception and has similarly seen some layoffs by technology companies which have largely impacted those in non-technology roles.
Fortunately, Singapore remains a key node in many of these technology companies' global strategies. As they deepen and expand their involvement in the region, demand for technology talent in Singapore will continue to grow. Currently, the demand for technology talent remains strong with technology jobs across the economy account for a rising share of total employment: from 4.5% in 2018 to 5.2% in 2023.
This was driven by demand from both the information and communication sector and non-information and communication sectors, with the latter accounting for around 57% of technology jobs in 2023.
As more companies adopt digital, including using more advanced digital solutions like AI, we expect that this will also fuel demand for tech talent. And these are good jobs for Singaporeans. A case in point, university graduates of information and digital technology courses continue to take home the highest median monthly starting pay at $5,500 a month.
Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Tin Pei Ling, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Sharael Taha have asked about how we will ensure a steady pipeline of tech talent. Minister Josephine spoke earlier about our efforts to develop a pipeline of AI talent and AI-equipped workforce, including efforts to enhance the existing TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) initiative which, to date, has placed more than 17,000 locals into tech jobs and upskilled and reskilled more than 231,000 professionals.
We are also working hard to strengthen Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnic graduates' employment outcomes in tech and provide more development pathways for them throughout their careers. We set up TeSA for ITE and Polytechnics Alliance (TIP Alliance) in 2022 to bring together like-minded partners – school leadership, tech industry associations and leading employers of tech manpower like NCS, Accenture and ST Engineering – to come together to drive change.
I am heartened that employers are changing their mindset and human resource (HR) practices. Instead of just looking at academic qualifications, employers are giving sufficient weight to the applicants' skills and capabilities to assess their suitability.
To push for change across the industry, IMDA and the TIP Alliance launched the Skills-Based Hiring Movement, together with a handbook providing practical guidance for firms to attract, assess and develop tech talent based on competencies. Within three months, I am glad to share that the number of companies pledging their support for skills-based hiring has doubled from 100 to 200.
Oracle is an example of a company that has pledged its support for skills-based hiring and has been recruiting based on skills for their openings. As part of their commitment, their recruitment team has chosen not to highlight the education requirements in their job postings for all technical roles in Singapore.
Accenture is another company that has adopted skills-based hiring. They adopted a rigorous multi-stage assessment, focusing on skills, competencies and growth potential which proved to reduce time to hire by 75% and increased quality talent pipelines by 40%. The skills-based hiring approach aligns with the shifts that we are making as part of Forward SG to embrace learning beyond grades and create diverse pathways.
Schools are playing their part. For instance, in respond to industry feedback, the Information and Digital Technologies (IDT) schools in our ITE and polytechnics have lengthened internship durations from six to 12 months. Last year, more than 400 of such polytechnic and ITE students undertook year-long internships to gain greater industry experience. I have met many of them. We will support companies which provide these year-long internships, by providing co-funding to cover the cost of training.
Ms Queenie Ng is a beneficiary of this programme. While at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, she embarked on a year-long internship with OCBC as a full stack developer, working on dashboards and architecture projects to improve operational efficiency. Queenie found the scale of the projects to be an eye-opener. In contrast to the smaller-scale school projects, the internship exposed her to more complex systems and their interconnections. This experience expanded her understanding of the dynamic tech industry and the many exciting career options it has to offer. Sir, let me speak a few words in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, AI is taking us further down the digitalisation path. Besides bringing competitive advantages to our businesses, it also enhances the productivity of our workforce. Therefore, the Government will assist businesses, especially the SMEs and their employees, to harness AI for their benefit.
So far, IMDA has collaborated across various sectors to launch 22 Industry Digital Plans (IDPs). In the upcoming updates of these IDPs, the authority will also incorporate sections on AI. Furthermore, under the SME Go Digital Programme, the IMDA will collaborate with the tech industry to incorporate AI technologies into the pre-approved digital solutions. Presently, 20% of digital solutions are driven by AI, benefitting over 3,000 SMEs. More importantly, we will collaborate with various industries to plan relevant training courses and assist workers in mastering skills, staying updated and seizing the new opportunities brought by AI.
(In English): Sir, Singapore does not have the natural advantages of many other economies. We do not have a sizeable domestic market, large local workforce to tap on, natural resources. But we can well punch above our weight by being agile and making full use of technological enablers like digital and now AI, to continue enlarging market opportunities for enterprises and creating good and exciting jobs for Singaporeans and we are building on a very strong foundation.
The Government will be a steadfast partner for enterprises and workers in the next phase of our digitalisation journey to uplift enterprises and workers in the age of AI. It will be an exciting journey. So, I welcome more like-minded partners to work together with us and invite all our enterprises and workers to join us on this exciting journey ahead.
The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their cuts and their questions.
Today, I would like to take the opportunity to explain MCI's approach towards Digital Government: how we need to create and are creating effective digital products, being citizen-centric by looking at Singaporeans' needs by experimenting and embracing experimentation and how we are investing in digital infrastructure and research and development. All these, so that Singapore is well-equipped to realise our Smart Nation ambitions.
Sir, good Digital Government begins with understanding what citizens need and solving the problems that matter to them. Our most successful products are the result of asking the same question: what challenges do Singaporeans face?
One example is RedeemSG. This lets residents claim and spend Government-issued digital vouchers, including the CDC vouchers. It has been a key enabler in our shift away from paper vouchers. The drawbacks of paper vouchers for the consumer are obvious. Merchants have faced challenges, too. The paper vouchers received had to be bundled together daily, then collected, manually processed. Reimbursement took days or weeks. RedeemSG provided a better way. Households have claimed over $1 billion in digital vouchers since 2020. Simple effective digital products can have a tangible impact on people's lives.
Ms Tin Pei Ling asked how the Government can facilitate greater citizen participation in identifying problems and co-creating successful digital solutions. Mr Sharael Taha also asked how the Government can continue to better Singaporeans' lives through new digital products.
Build For Good is a good example of how we do both. This brings together volunteers to build digital solutions for fellow citizens. We adopt a problem-first approach. Ahead of Build For Good 2023, the organisers collected over 700 problem statements from the public. One of the teams tackled the problem of student counsellors having to spend time writing case notes. Their solution is a product called the NoteFlow. It is a tool for transcribing and summarising case interviews and counsellors can then focus on caring for their students. NoteFlow and other promising ideas coming out of Build For Good are prototypes and we are hopeful that some of them will mature in time and make their own contribution to the public good.
Having identified the problem, we explore different solutions to tackle it: build prototypes quickly; test them out with real users; and scale the ideas which show promise. The problems the Government has to tackle are challenging, and trying different things to figure out what works best is our best bet to solve these problems for Singapore.
The ideas that we experiment with, as I have described, multiple approaches to a single problem means that some of the ideas that we experiment with will not work out. Let me provide one example. This was a product called MoneySound. The team had observed that it is sometimes difficult for hawkers, especially elderly hawkers, to visually check for proof of an e-payment on a customer's device. So, having identified this problem, within a couple of months, a small team from GovTech had built a \"proof-of-concept\" prototype for MoneySound. It is a device which reads out incoming digital payments so that the hawkers' hands are not occupied and they do not have to look to then check this digital payment.
We tested it with the hawkers but we found out that they were not keen. Their feedback was negative. They had some concerns about the installation, the maintenance of the device and also about how it worked. So, after considering these insights, the team has paused the development on MoneySound three months after it began. Come up with an idea, move quickly, establish through \"proof-of-concept\" whether it is likely to be well-received and, if it does not, we have to press pause.
It is disappointing when these ideas do not work out as expected. But this is the process of experimentation that our Digital Government engineers are working through. But the insights from such an approach are useful and they will help us to tackle the next problem or the next iteration of the product.
This experimentation approach also allows us to try multiple strategies at the same time to tackle big problems. For instance, GovTech teams have been exploring how to help citizens access relevant information from Government websites. Providing the right information for citizens in the right way is a big problem. Instead of searching for a single silver bullet, we have launched several products. Each targets a different segment of users to address different needs.
Singaporeans in need of assistance can use SupportGoWhere. It is a one-stop portal to find Government schemes or funded services. One of its key features is the Care Services Recommender for caregivers to find care services, financial support schemes and future planning tools suited to their circumstances. This enables them to find support conveniently, instead of having to navigate various Government websites in search of relevant information. They do not need to know where to go to find the relevant information. They just have one portal.
But sometimes, if there is a need for more general information, so we produced another product, SearchSG, which is a search engine that uses AI to provide citizens with relevant up-to-date search results scrapped from a variety of Government sources.
So, multiple strategies and try to solve the same problem. In doing so, we are able to learn about the needs and experiences of our users as they engage with our digital products. And the faster we learn, the faster we improve.
Ms Jessica Tan asked how the push for digitalisation has improved Singaporeans' lives as the Smart Nation initiative enters its 10th year. Between 2014 and 2023, citizen satisfaction with Government services has improved from 73% to 83%. Over the same period, business satisfaction with Government services has also risen, from 69% to 83%. Allow me to share some of the key strategies that we are applying, that we think have resulted in this improvement. There are three strategies.
One is that we have to work to improve the day-to-day lives of Singaporeans. Secondly, in doing so, we have to offer better and more integrated Government services. Third, in doing so, we have to be more inclusive. If I could, perhaps, share some examples in each of those categories.
There are many digital services available through websites, app stores or other channels. There are also needs that the market does not address or finds it difficult to address.
One example of this and it keeps Singaporeans safe from scams is ScamShield. It is difficult for there to be a market solution that can adequately protect Singaporeans in quite the same way. It is a difficult problem that affects us on a day-to-day basis. And now, we have a product, ScamShield, and it appears to be well-received – 850,000 downloads. It is one of our most wide-reaching tools in the fight against scams and I would encourage Singaporeans to use it.
Second, is offering better and more integrated Government services and a couple of examples here. One is the Health Appointment System (HAS). Users can easily make appointments for vaccinations, for screenings, such as mammograms. This product is available in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Again, that is an aspect of the service that is difficult for the market to solve in the way that we need it to, in multiple languages. This product also allows users to see what subsidies are applied to their health appointments from schemes, such as the Community Health Assist Scheme and MediSave.
And so, we are bringing together two or three different aspects of the service the market is unlikely to do – an appointment scheme provided in multiple languages and so that you can see the subsidies that you would get for these appointments at the time to help you make your decision.
Another example is MyLegacy@LifeSG. This goes a step further. It brings together reliable information and digital services related to end-of-life planning as well as post-death matters in a convenient portal. Because navigating such matters can be difficult. It is difficult, even for those of us who have thought ahead. These times of our lives do not happen very often; a lot of stress, a lot of uncertainty and a lot of things to get done, a lot of services and transactions that we need to get done. So, every bit of support helps at a time like this.
One example of this sort of experience is Mr Christopher Hamzah. He is married, he has got a four-month-old daughter. And back in 2021, Mr Hamzah saw first-hand the challenges his close friend faced in settling his late father’s affairs in the midst of grieving. Learning from this experience, Mr Hamzah and his wife decided to start planning early and turned to MyLegacy for help. With the MyLegacy product, Mr Hamzah could easily record important details – his various accounts, his insurance policies – and share that information with trusted persons. He describes the portal’s dashboard as intuitive, very easy to use and navigate, and he takes heart from the assurance that this information would not be used for third-party marketing, and he has become an enthusiastic advocate for MyLegacy among his friends and family. Again, I would encourage Members to look at the MyLegacy product and encourage their residents and constituents to consider signing up for it.
The third part of our strategy is to be more inclusive. Mr Eric Chua had some questions about this and brought up some points. He asked about the mobile phone access of our seniors.
Chairman, 89% of seniors aged 60 years and above own a smartphone in 2022 and this has increased from 74% in 2017. And our Mobile Access for Seniors' scheme has approved more than 16,000 assistance packages for low-income seniors since the launch of the scheme in 2020. Mr Chua also spoke about the need to better support seniors in general to navigate the digital space. And to do this, we launched the Seniors Go Digital programme, and over 280,000 seniors have been trained so far.
At the same time, we also have to take efforts to be inclusive in our design and development; take the process to our seniors. We test our digital services with a wide range of users, including seniors, to ensure that their needs are met. We have also built tools specifically to support those with differing needs.
One example, and Members can try this out for themselves at Level 1, is a product called “ReadLiao”. This is one of the prototypes that emerged from our recent Hack For Public Good hackathon. Today, seniors sometimes struggle with long and complicated letters and often have to rely on caregivers, including children, to summarise the information for them. Those with older relatives might be familiar with the experience of looking at these letters, explaining such letters to them. It is often not just the language but also how the material is presented.
So, ReadLiao uses Optical Character Recognition together with an AI platform, repackages and displays documents in a clear and comprehensible format to better communicate the content to seniors. We intend to pilot ReadLiao within the community in the coming months and hopefully build it into a full-fledged product. It is literally only a few weeks’ old, at the prototyping stage.
We have another tool which is more mature. This is called “Purple A11y”, GovTech’s open-source, automated testing tool. It scans webpages and it identifies potential accessibility issues. Developers can use it to identify improperly labelled buttons or images. For most of us, these are things we do not notice. These are not necessarily errors that we pick up and we do not see the difficulty that such a design might present. But if you are visually impaired, if you use a screen reader to navigate digital services, getting this type of design correct makes a huge difference. Since 2023, we have used Purple A11y to make Government digital services more accessible, and it has been directly integrated into the development for websites like MyCareersFuture, to ensure that they are accessible.
Sir, I have so far focused on digital products. But there is another aspect to the work that we have to pay some attention to – the infrastructure, the interconnected systems that must work together to make such products even possible. I would like to now explain how we are strengthening Singapore’s digital infrastructure and investing in research and development so we can continue to have a conducive environment for digital innovation.
Mr Sharael Taha asked how MCI is equipping Singapore to make the most of latest technological developments, especially in AI. Ensuring Singapore has the foundational infrastructure to power AI activities is vital. To that end, we will be investing up to $500 million to ensure that Singapore can have sufficient high-performance compute to support our ambitions in AI innovation and capacity building.
We envisage that these resources will support use cases across sectors, such as financial services, healthcare, transport and logistics. And over time, we hope for this seed funding to catalyse greater development and the use of AI in Singapore and spur additional industry investment in compute infrastructure.
Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about plans to implement the Digital Connectivity Blueprint. Launched last June by MCI and IMDA, the Digital Connectivity Blueprint (DCB) outlines Singapore’s strategy for building the next generation of our digital infrastructure. It covers various infrastructure components – the hard infrastructure like submarine cables which connect us to the world; the middleware that links diverse systems, applications and devices for them to work together; and many other factors. The DCB is about integrated master planning to ensure we have what we need, when we need it.
And over the next few years, we can look forward to seeing the DCB’s bold ideas come to life. This has already begun.
For example, one of the DCB’s strategic priorities is to enable seamless 10 giga bits per second (10G) domestic connectivity within the next five years. We are setting aside funds to enhance the capacity of our Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN) to make such 10G broadband a reality. IMDA will be investing up to $100 million to support operators in upgrading their infrastructure and offering innovative services at competitive prices.
Like with the NBN back in the 2000s, we are investing ahead of demand. This is to cater for upcoming opportunities in areas, such as AI, immersive digital experiences and autonomous solutions, which will require higher bandwidth connectivity. We target to complete the upgrade to the 10G NBN by 2026 and expect more than half a million households to sign up for and benefit from higher-speed broadband in the next five years.
Mr Xie Yao Quan asked how we can power our digital future more sustainably. As mentioned in the Budget Speech, the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) will be extended to the data centre industry. With the rollout of the EEG to the data centre industry by the end of 2024, we hope more data centre operators and end-users will adopt energy-efficient equipment. EEG is just one of several efforts to grow our data centres sustainably under the Green Data Centre Roadmap, which IMDA will be launching later this year.
Beyond the products, beyond the infrastructure, we also need to make sure we have access to the right technologies. This is vital. Singapore needs strong research and development capabilities to develop and tailor technologies for our local context.
For cybersecurity, we have established a CyberSG research and development (R&D) Programme Office at the Nanyang Technological University, with allocated funding of $62 million to support cybersecurity research. Launched last September, the Programme Office serves as a coordinating body to spearhead Singapore's efforts in translating research into commercial solutions for Government agencies and the industry. It is a key enabler to both strengthen our digital security and grow our digital economy.
Mr Sharael Taha also asked how MCI is building Singapore’s research capabilities in AI. Over the last five years, we have invested more than $500 million on AI research, and our investments have borne fruit. We rank among the top 10 countries based on publications at top AI conferences. Our researchers have won international accolades, such as the Google AI PhD Fellowship, which recognises about 50 graduate students worldwide each year for their exceptional and innovative research work. In addition, we have supported close to 150 research collaborations with Government and industry partners. Some big projects, some small, some in areas that you do not expect, such as AI Singapore working with a dental chain, Q&M, to help dentists detect diseases from X-rays, perform automated dental charting and recommend dental treatment plans. I recommend all Members to have their teeth regularly checked, with AI, if necessary.
With access to the newest technology becoming increasingly necessary to attract investments, we must continue to invest in R&D to maintain our competitive edge in the global market.
Sir, allow me to conclude. Digital technology is one of our most powerful tools to meet the needs of citizens and businesses. We embrace bold development and agile experimentation so that we can wield this digital technology to create the greatest possible impact for Singaporeans and for Singapore. At the same time, we have to look ahead to the horizon and invest in digital infrastructure, research and development so that we can facilitate ahead of time our goals for digitalisation. So far, this approach has been successful, and there is much more that this approach can deliver for Singapore as we enter the second decade of our Smart Nation journey. [Applause.]
The Chairman: We have reached the clarification time. Ms Jessica Tan.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: Thank you, Mr Chairman. I would like to ask Senior Minister of State Janil on the upgrade of the NBN. When we saw the upgrade happening in 2006, we did see quite a few residents not signing up. So, as you talked about the half a million expected to sign up, I hope that there will be good communication to residents and businesses to ensure that they do sign up for it and not miss the cycle. And we just saw so much logistic challenges there. So, I hope that there will be a lot of communication to ensure that people understand what to do and when to sign up, so that we do not see a repeat of that.
Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I thank Ms Jessica Tan for making that point. Indeed, a new product and a transition to a new – it may or may not be a new business model, depending on what the operators do – and we have to make sure that we adequately communicate this to the consumer base. So, her point is well taken and we will certainly follow up on that.
The Chairman: Mr Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh: Thank you, Chairman. I thank Minister Josephine Teo for responding to my cut. Just two quick questions for the Minister.
On the first point with regard to the question I asked on the specific line item in the Budget Book, which would essentially flesh out the funding to SPH Media Trust, and I thank the Minister for pointing out that it is under \"Grant Subventions and Capital Injections to other Organisations\". In view of the large grant, can I invite the Minister to consider, perhaps in the future, a separate line item for SPH Media Trust? I say this because, in view of the funding framework and how the Government has stepped in into the public service media space, if I can call it that, I think it will be helpful for people to track, on an ongoing basis, how much taxpayer funding goes into the funding of SPH Media. That is just a suggestion for the Ministry.
The second point pertains to some of the KPIs that the Minister shared, certain KPIs that were mapped were not met. At the end of every Ministry in the Budget Book, there is a section on KPIs with key indicators of how the Ministry looks upon what services are rendered to the public and so forth. It would be helpful also perhaps, in view of the longer-term funding of SPH Media, I would suggest, to include some of those KPIs in that KPI section in the Budget Book, so that the public also can be informed of where it is doing well and where it is not. For example, I think the Minister spoke about reach, engagement, vernacular targets. So, that is just something for the Minister to consider and I would be grateful if she could comment on that, please.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Singh for his suggestion.
I think it is not entirely up to MCI to decide how these things are reported in the Budget Book because there is a certain convention that the Government follows. I do not recall exactly, but my impression is that say, you take public transport subsidies, for example. I do not believe it is reflected in the Budget Book as line items that it goes to SMRT; it goes to SBS Transit; it goes to another bus operator. It does not quite work like that.
Certainly, I think if you consider the funding for preschool services, I do not recall that it also goes down to entity level. It is just we provide for a cluster of activities. We do not necessarily reflect in the Budget Book exactly what sums go to which entities. I could be wrong, but it is certainly something that we will look at. But it is not entirely up to MCI how to show these things in the Budget Book.
The same goes for KPIs. In the Budget Book, we report on the KPIs that the Ministry is required to meet. The Ministry interacts with many other stakeholders.
For example, for MCI, we are responsible for IMDA. IMDA has got interactions with telecoms companies (telcos). We may not provide funding to them, but we license them. They are also very critical service providers in Singapore. They also have KPIs to be met in order to continue to hold their licence. It does not mean that we lock, stock and barrel, transport the KPIs into the Budget Book. It is quite a different way of representing the scope of our responsibilities.
I thank the Member for raising these as possibilities. I think his broader point is that the public would benefit from more information about how these entities, the public service media entities are doing.
I think these are very reasonable questions. We will have to find more ways of putting information out that is reasonable. I would, however, add, Mr Chairman, that we can continue to look at things like reach, readership, engagement. But if we come back to the fundamentals of why we are supporting public service media, it goes back to the question of whether Singaporeans have media sources that they can trust. It is trust that is the most important.
I think in that regard, at least the Reuters Institute, which Mr Singh himself mentioned, does have an annual report that is quite useful. It looks at, amongst media organisations, the most trusted brands in Singapore. Mr Singh cited the findings of 2021, where he said that The Straits Times, which is one of the titles belonging to SPH Media Trust, came in at 77%, I believe.
I think, if I could just say how useful that report is in helping us to shape our own thinking. The latest report that has already been made available is of 2023. If you look at the 2023 report, you will find that within Singapore, amongst the top five most trusted brands, all are public service media entities from Singapore, homegrown. If you look at the top 10, then eight of them are our own public service media entities.
If we were to remove our own public service media entities, what we are really left with will be CNN, which is a US company. We are left with the BBC, which is a UK company. Then we are left with Yahoo News. If you then use that as a lens of thinking about why and how we should continue to resource our own public service media, I think in some sense that beats all the indicators that we can put in place.
I am not saying that those KPIs are not important. I think they have to be continuously evaluated together with other kinds of validation which Mr Singh himself highlighted.
The Chairman: Ms Hany Soh.
Ms Hany Soh: I thank the Minister on her earlier clarifications to Mr Singh. On the same note in relation to KPIs, I also strongly urge MCI, in terms of the KPI considerations, we should look at several factors, notwithstanding that certain KPIs are unfortunately not met due to the existing circumstances. We should also focus in terms of other priorities, emphasising perhaps on other KPIs' importance in terms of, for example, what the Minister has said on public trust.
To me, another very important critical factor to also take into account is branding. For example, brands like The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao – how it relates back to our Singapore's brand and identity, reflecting to the outside world of what is exactly happening in Singapore, inviting for more foreign investors to come to Singapore. These are the good avenues and ways where we want to reach out to the outside world. And that should never be forgotten.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Chairman, I fully agree with Ms Soh. It is true. In management speak, we like to say what gets measured gets done. So, there is a certain interest in ensuring that there are KPIs.
But within MCI, we ourselves are fully cognisant that it does not fully reflect what we need our public service media entities to achieve. The standing that they enjoy in the world is not entirely measurable. The identity that they help to foster among Singaporeans, the unity, you also cannot quite put a number to it. It is not so easy to apply a metric.
We are very cognisant of the fact that the set of indicators that we use today is probably going to be very inadequate. So, we are constantly in discussion with our public service media entities on whether there are better ways to reflect their progress. So, Ms Soh's points are very well taken.
The Chairman: It looks like there are no more clarifications for the Minister and the two Senior Ministers of State. Could I invite Ms Tin Peh Ling, if you would like to withdraw your amendment?
Ms Tin Pei Ling: With so much to do, Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $2,378,410,000 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $327,254,700 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]
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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): Sir, I beg to move, \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100\".
We are living in a disruptive world where the pace of change is rapid and relentless. Faced with unprecedented technological advancements such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and an increasingly complex global order, education must evolve beyond static textbooks and a conventionally didactic model, where there is a one-way transmission of knowledge from teacher to student.
As the Ministry strives towards these goals, I recognise that this work is shared with our educators and school staff, as well as those based in our institutes of continuous learning. It is their dedication that will ensure the success of our endeavours. I thank all of them for their invaluable contributions as architects of our future.
The relevance and resilience of our education system was affirmed when Singapore emerged as the top-performing education system for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) last December.
I am heartened that our students demonstrated strong ability in applying thinking and reasoning processes to solve complex real-world problems, and we must continue to uplift our students with diverse abilities from diverse backgrounds by building on their 21st century competencies.
To this end for this year's Committee of Supply (COS) debate, I will focus my speech today on what I call the multi-vitamin strategy.
The concept behind the multi-vitamin strategy is simple. We do not rely on a single vitamin for our health needs. Why then should we expect learners to follow a singular academic path based on the same curriculum? Therefore, just as a multivitamin supplement provides an assortment of nutrients for overall health from young to old, supporting the holistic development of all students and learners, allow me to elaborate on the ingredients of the multivitamin strategy from vitamins A to K.
Vitamin A – able, agile and adaptable. Our next generation will need to grapple with existential-level challenges such as climate crisis and Singapore's place in an increasingly fragmented and adversarial global environment. They will need to be highly able, agile and adaptable, driven by passion and purpose, agile with the courage to take risks and innovate responsibly, and adaptable to stay resilient amid changes and curveballs. These are tall orders and will require us to provide a wider range of resources and opportunities to every student to maximise their potential.
In this regard, I urge the Ministry of Education (MOE) to consider expanding the suite of courses and programmes which the $4,000 SkillsFuture Top-Up can be used for, beyond programmes provided by our local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), to programmes to uplift ability, agility and adaptability, including career design, career coaching and career counselling.
Vitamin B – broadening definitions of success. Vitamin B is to broaden definitions of success by placing greater emphasis on areas such as adaptive and inventive thinking, innovation and civic literacy. This means shifting our educational priorities away from a narrow focus on great performance to valuing the diverse skills and potential of every individual.
This not only honours diversity and strength, and levels the playing field, but is also necessary to meet the demands of tomorrow.
I submit that the academic training and skills acquired should not just lead to jobs, but to marry the passions and interests of our students and learners, so as to maximise each individual's full potential, avoid a mismatch of expectations and minimise involuntarily non-time-based under-employment.
Vitamin C – competencies for the future. The evolving educational landscape demands a focus on cultivating 21st century competencies and skills in today's students and learners across the educational continuum. Emphasising critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication prepares learners for the complexities of a rapidly changing world.
By integrating technology, tenacity, empathy and resilience into curricula from early childhood to higher education, students develop a holistic skill set essential for success in the digital age. Nurturing these skills ensures that learners are equipped to navigate challenges, innovate and excel in an ever-evolving global society.
Vitamin D – dream, dare, do. In the realm of education in Singapore, dreaming of innovative pedagogies and andragogy, daring to challenge conventional norms and taking proactive steps to implement change to keep pace with the speed of development are key pillars for enhancing the system.
By encouraging students to dream beyond boundaries, educators can foster creativity and critical thinking. Daring to introduce novel teaching methods and curriculum adaptations promotes adaptability to societal needs. Ultimately, through a collective commitment to dare to dream, dare to dare and dare to do, Singapore can achieve a dynamic and progressive educational landscape for the future.
Vitamin E – empowering all students and learners. Vitamin E aims to empower students from diverse backgrounds with diverse learning needs. It acknowledges that there cannot be a one-size-fits-all to learning. Instead, learning must be customisable, collaborative and with content that is ahead of the curve and speed to market. It also recognises that each student learner experiences different starting points and that there is a need to actively support those with fewer educational resources and differing learning abilities.
I, therefore, welcome the generous $2 billion top-up of the Edusave Endowment Fund, which will go a long way towards empowering students to achieve their aspirations and contribute to the well-being of others. I also commend the MOE's efforts to uplift and upgrade our Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates, something much overdue.
The reduction of fees for Government-supported preschools and schools for children with special needs, as well as the extension of childcare subsidies to children of non-working mothers, are all changes that will encourage fairer opportunities for all students to attain social mobility.
I suggest we should examine how much resources we dedicate to those with special needs vis-à-vis our other students and learners. One lacuna I observe is when many of these students in the special education (SPED) schools hit 18 years of age and start to experience adult life. We can and should do more to help empower them, their families and ensure that those with such needs are able to assimilate into the adult life and the future of work.
Last vitamin, vitamin K – keep learning. Vitamin K is to keep learning for life. We do not stop needing essential and necessary nutrients as we age. On the contrary, we need them more. In the same vein, adult learners need to embrace continual education and training (CET), even after leaving school to diversify their skills portfolio and career paths amidst a fast-changing and competitive job market.
To better attract adult learners who have to balance their work and caregiving commitments, CET must be well-designed to be effective in improving employment outcomes and made accessible. CET modules, just as in mainstream, will therefore also need to diversify.
I am aware that the existing unused one-off SkillsFuture Credit top-up of $500 and additional credit for mid-career support of $500 is expiring in end-2025. With the latest top up announced, will MOE consider extending the validity of this $1,000 for another year to 2026 and allow mature Singaporeans who have yet to utilise the credits an opportunity and more time to combine the $1,000 with the latest tranche to undertake the higher costs programmes.
The Chairman: I will remember to take all my vitamins this weekend.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Thank you, Sir. To continue with the metaphor, I would like to focus on Vitamin F, which is flexibility.
Subject-based Banding (SBB) is an educational framework implemented in Singapore's secondary school system. The establishment of SBB was part of MOE's aim to infuse joy of learning and to allow for multiple pathways to cater to the diverse strengths and interests of our students. I believe that full SBB was conducted in 28 secondary schools from 2020, and progressively, it is being rolled out to more secondary schools each year from 2022 to 2024.
As mentioned, SBB aims at giving students flexibility, for example, to take different subjects at different levels according to their preferences, strengths and interests. For example, students may offer a subject at the Express level while taking other subjects at the Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) levels, to use previous older terms.
In addition, it also allows for customised learning, so that schools can curate learning experiences to address the needs of different learners with differing needs. Our educators can also vary the learning support given and provide differentiated instructions. This helps them ensure that learning addresses students' individual learning profiles.
At the same time, the stigma linked previously to streaming can be reduced. Students, realistically, can do well in the subjects they have a deep interest in, regardless of their overall academic stream. SBB also facilitates smoother transitions between different academic levels and is, therefore, far less rigid, allowing for much interaction amongst students of different academic abilities in different subjects.
Overall, Sir, SBB is adaptive and inclusive and puts more emphasis on holistic development. I would like to ask if MOE could please provide an update on SBB and how it could continue in the future?
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Chairman, bilingual education is a cornerstone of our education policy. In the early 1990s, the Government moved to allow Indian students to sit for five non-Tamil Indian languages, or NTILs, at major examinations, such as the \"O\" levels. Separately, and in recognition of the status of Tamil as an official Indian mother tongue, MOE ensures that funding for the official mother tongues, namely Malay, Mandarin and Tamil, is higher than that of the five NTILs.
Apart from Hindi, the number of students taking the four other non-Tamil mother tongue languages is far smaller. In the main, MOE supports students taking these subjects, namely Bengali, Urdu, Gujarati and Punjabi, by way of grants and making available schools over the weekend, so that students sitting for national examinations in these subjects can receive an education in their mother tongue languages in a conducive environment, with teachers provided by the ethnic community groups.
All in all, MOE's broad approach towards the various NTILs is inclusive, while acknowledging the position of Tamil as the official Indian mother tongue language. Sir, I would like to know when was the last time MOE raised grants for Singaporean students taking the NTILs. I also enquire if the Ministry independently assesses the salaries of NTIL teachers and whether they are remunerated reasonably, in view of the important role they play in the Ministry's bilingual language policy.
Sir, many local schools host parallel programmes where students are taught their NTIL subjects during curriculum hours, when their classmates are sitting for lessons in the official mother tongue languages. However, the parallel programme landscape varies considerably for the NTILs. For example, by virtue of the large number of students taking Hindi, there are in excess of 150 parallel programmes for Hindi in MOE schools, while a smaller NTIL, for example, Punjabi, has one school offering a parallel programme.
The parallel programme saves many students a trip to a centralised school over the weekend to learn their NTIL mother tongue, leaving these children with more time to engage in other academic and non-academic pursuits.
I have two other questions in this regard. Can I confirm what is MOE's policy towards new requests for parallel programmes by ethnic groups in charge of NTILs with a small enrolment, so that more of our students can be served by them? Secondly, and on current policy, I have been made to understand that if a Singaporean student taking an NTIL is enrolled in a school-based parallel programme, he or she will not be allowed to participate in the weekend NTIL class, as MOE currently disburses the grant for both separately.
One result of this policy is that community groups with smaller NTIL enrolment see it far more economical and logistically convenient to hold weekend classes, even if parallel programmes may be the preference of some parents. I ask the Government to undertake a review of the NTIL space, with a view to consider the new challenges of community groups, students and parents.
In theory, a \"one-size-fits-all\" grant is fair, but the unique challenge of each NTIL, particularly the small ones, should prompt a second look at the grant framework, so that the desired outcomes of the Ministry's bilingual policy are achieved.
Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines): This year, SBB has been fully implemented for the Secondary 1 cohort in 120 secondary schools across the island. Teaching resources have to be adjusted and devoted to offer students greater flexibility to study more subjects at different levels that suit their interests, aptitudes and learning needs. I thank our school leaders and teachers for their hard work in making this important transition.
For most schools, they are still operating the previous academic streaming system for the older cohorts. I understand that full SBB also means staggered recess periods, and different end times for classes which will make planning after-school activities more complicated.
Over the last two months, when full SBB has been implemented at scale, may I ask the Minister what is the experience so far on how the schools and teachers have been coping and adjusting? It would be useful for students and parents to understand the operational challenges and work with the schools to reap the full, intended benefits of SBB.
From 2027, secondary students will receive the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), instead of the \"O\" or \"N\" levels. The SEC will reflect the different subject combinations and levels. I would like the MOE to share how the SEC system will affect these national examinations, and how the results will be used for students to choose and be selected for the various post-secondary pathways.
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Chairman, last year, I urged MOE to consider implementing a pilot project of a 10-year through-train programme, giving students an option to bypass the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). I also mentioned the work of EveryChild.sg, whose White Paper advocates for PSLE to be an optional pathway.
The Minister for Education raised a few issues with a through-train programme. I would like to address them today. The Minister said that it is neither realistic nor desirable to shield our children from all stresses. But we are talking about young children below the age of 13 years. Even adults can have trouble managing stress, what more young children? The stress of PSLE is arguably not age-appropriate.
In addition, it does not mean that a child who faces stress from a young age will necessarily grow up to handle stress better as an adult. In fact, the opposite might be true; a child who faces an unhealthy amount of stress at a young age might develop mental health conditions that continue into adulthood.
There is no one school in Singapore that can cater to all learners. Let us open up a new range of schools, small and mid-sized, with some offering non-PSLE routes, helmed by progressive school leaders. I believe MOE already has school leaders who are ready to pilot a through train. Let us also allow flexibility for students to switch schools or programmes if they find themselves in one that is unsuitable.
The Minister also argued that removing PSLE would deny parents and students the ability to choose their schools. My answer to that is that our current system denies parents the choice of not letting their children take PSLE. Parents can make this choice if we pilot the through train. We do not have to choose the popular schools for the through-train pilot. Those who wish to enter these popular schools can continue to do so through the PSLE route.
Next, the issue of social mixing. If a student mixes with 40 other students every year, he or she will get to meet 400 other students over 10 years. Since the average number of students in each school is about 1,200, this is not a limitation. In fact, it is the PSLE system that has contributed to stratification when we group students with similar scores together.
As for academic checkpoints, we can and should trust the quality of internal school examinations. Having a through-train programme does not mean there will be no exams. If a child wants to transfer to another school, MOE can allow them to use their internal school exam results to do so.
Making PSLE optional would be a game changer. Families that want the PSLE to add to their children's portfolio can continue with it. Families which do not, can choose the non-PSLE route and focus their children on other assessments that are benchmarked against real life skills and contexts. The Progress Singapore Party urges the Government to not hesitate with piloting at least one through-train school in Singapore.
Let me end by sharing a quote from a National Institute of Education (NIE) article that Dr Jason Tan, associate professor of Policy, Curriculum and Leadership, wrote last year: \"It is interesting to note that MOE's Desired Outcomes of Education, …make no explicit mention of the PSLE. Instead, the primary school outcomes focus on general attributes. These include pupils being able to distinguish right from wrong, knowing their strengths and areas for growth, having a lively curiosity about their surroundings, taking pride in their work and being able to cooperate, as well as share and care for others. There is therefore much more value to primary schooling than preparation for this major exam.\"
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong): Chairman, in the digital age, the integration of technology into education emerges not just as a trend but as a fundamental shift in how knowledge is acquired, processed and applied. The importance of leveraging technology to enhance education lies in its unparalleled potential to foster more inclusive, engaging and personalised learning experiences.
Through digital tools and platforms, educators can tailor instruction to meet the diverse needs of students, accommodating various learning styles and pace. Technology facilitates access to a vast repository of information and resources; breaking down geographical and socio-economic barriers to education; encourages interactive learning – where students are not passive recipients of information but active participants in their educational journey; exploring concepts through multimedia content; virtual simulations and global classrooms.
As such, what is the progress of the Transforming Education through Technology Masterplan 2030 and how are we transforming our education system to effectively meet the needs of the future?
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Chairman, Sir, technology has a crucial place in Singapore's education system, as we strive for academic excellence and innovation. In Singapore, the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in education has been a strategic priority to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. So far, technology including ICT and AI, are critical to education in Singapore and how it can be used to achieve learning objectives.
Technology allows students to access a vast amount of information and resources beyond what is given in textbooks. Technology also allows for customisation and for personalised learning so that learning can be driven by individual needs and preferences.
MOE has been actively promoting the use of technology in through the Masterplan for ICT in Education. Technology is pivotal to these initiatives to catalyse educational innovation, allow for pedagogical transformation and help to achieve continuous improvement in teaching and learning in Singapore schools and institutions. I would like to ask if MOE can share how it intends to continue to use ICT to enhance the learning and development of our students, especially with regard to AI?
Also, Mr Chairman, a key part of learning technology – the devices that will be used to help support learning technology. I would like to surface a point that I had made earlier in my Budget speech, which is the provision of personal learning devices (PLDs) for primary school students. I believe that the Ministry has done a wonderful job by rolling out the PLD programme for the secondary school students. And with that framework already in place and the procurement process already familiar and the scheme to aid those students in secondary school who need financial assistance or PLDs already there, would MOE please consider also providing a dedicated PLD programme for primary school students – similar to the one that it has for secondary school students as well? This will really enhance the learning and development of the younger ones with regard to learning technology.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Mr Chairman, given the increasing demand for AI skills in the workforce, it is crucial to help our students develop not just good foundations and fundamental skills but also become proficient in using common AI tools. For example, all students need to be taught how to correctly input prompts into GenAI tools like ChatGPT to get their desired output.
They also need to be taught how to check for hallucinations, avoid plagiarism and adhere to ethical and legal boundaries so that they can use these technologies safely and responsibly. I emphasise that this needs to be taught to all students, starting at the primary and early secondary levels and not just those who sign up for AI student outreach programmes or in individual schools on an ad hoc basis.
More well-resourced families often enrol their children in AI enrichment classes to enhance their digital skills, while lower-income families have less access to them, creating a digital divide across socio-economic groups. Unequal access to AI education could exacerbate existing inequalities, leaving some ill-prepared for an AI-driven world. This is why we need to bridge this gap by making dedicated AI education a fundamental component of the national curriculum. We must also invest in more professional development for teachers to equip them with the skills to incorporate AI into the classrooms.
Lastly, while AI tools are important, impassionate machines cannot replace an inspirational and empathetic teacher. Therefore, AI tools should always augment, not replace teachers. By doing so, we can combine technology and traditional learning to build a holistic and comprehensive educational experience for each student.
The Chairman: Ms Rahayu Mahzam, please take your two cuts together.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong): Chairman, the challenges faced by families of children with special needs are multifaceted. There are emotional, financial, logistical and other struggles that families have to deal with on a daily basis. As a parent of a child with special needs who attends a SPED school, I have had the good fortune of meeting and engaging with different families with similar circumstances. They have given some meaningful insights which I wish to share.
It is important to state at the outset that these families care for their special children deeply and find their journey with the children most rewarding and meaningful. They would not have it any other way. However, the difficulties are real and the daily grind can get rather overwhelming. There are certain expenses and considerations that these families have to think about that others do not have to. These may not be the same for all families.
Generally, though, there would be medical expenses, cost for assistive devices, cost of therapies, transportation to get to and from medical appointments or therapies or caregiving arrangements. Increased cost of living and demands at work exacerbates the situation.
I appreciate that there are already subsidies, tax reliefs and other support in place for these families. The funds in the Child Development Account (CDA) could also be used to pay for a wide variety of services, like early intervention programmes.
I would appreciate it though if the Government could review the support given. It would be meaningful if some targeted support could be further extended to alleviate challenges in certain aspects. For the SPED schools, there may be specific areas to look at.
In recent times, I received feedback on the increased cost of school bus services from a parent with a child in a SPED school. Another parent who has a child with cerebral palsy had challenges in placing her children in an after-school student care centre. Some parents also lament about the process and time needed to prepare for the application for SPED schools. Some may not have sufficient information or the bandwidth to sort out the necessary arrangements. These are some examples of pain points shared.
Has there been an assessment of some of the challenges students of SPED schools and their parents face? It may be helpful to identify how significant and prevalent the challenges are and what more could be done to assist the families.
I would like to ask if the Ministry could consider enhancing the support in two aspects: affordability and accessibility? Reduction of the high costs will meaningfully assist the families, to navigate cost-of-living challenges. Accessibility to obtain information or services, like after-school care and therapy programmes that could possibly be placed within the school compounds or vicinity, would go a long way is addressing the families' pain points.
Mr Chairman, I have met many educators and officers in the special education sector who are deeply committed to their work. They have different challenges from their counterparts in mainstream schools and typically have to work with many more students who may be less compliant or on occasion aggressive or deal with family situations that are more complex because of health or care arrangements.
Regardless of the circumstances, these professionals often take this in their stride and go the extra mile to nurture the students under their care. Because the job can be rather challenging, it would be tough to attract or even retain people in this sector. Therefore, there should be fair and attractive salaries and career pathways for those in this profession. The remuneration needs to be commensurate with the demands of the job and there needs to be a stronger effort to entice good people into the sector.
Last year, the Ministry announced that teachers in SPED schools can expect higher salaries. MOE also shared that key staff and leaders in SPED schools can also look forward to more avenues for professional development, such as opportunities to reinforce teachers' skills in working with students of different disabilities.
This is very welcomed news as it signals an acknowledgement of the importance of the educators in this sector and will certainly go some way in attracting and retaining talent. Hopefully, this will create a larger pool of capable educators who can develop deeper skills on more specific issues and enhance the support for our students with special educational needs.
Currently, there are still disparities between the remuneration and employment benefits for the educators in the SPED schools and those in the mainstream schools. Would the planned salary increments address these issues? May I seek details of the salary increments announced and the timeframe for implementation?
Apart from financial incentives, an integral part of the move is the professional development. As we enhance the pedagogy and curriculum for students in the mainstream schools, we also need to do likewise for students in the SPED schools. As there are different needs and disabilities, this effort can be a massive task. We therefore need to ensure that we have skilled educators in the SPED schools. I am supportive of the Ministry's efforts on this front and I look forward to the updates.
Mr Darryl David: Chairman, Sir, I commend MOE for continuing to focus on enhancing its SPED system to better support students with diverse learning needs. Since 2021, I believe MOE has worked with SPED educators and stakeholders to co-construct SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLSs) to raise quality of curriculum, teaching and learning.
MOE has been providing additional funding, resources and training opportunities for teachers and staff to better understand and address the needs of students with such challenges. MOE has also recognised the need for clear career progression pathways for educators in this field. To address these needs, it was announced that additional funding for SPED schools would be provided from 2024. This funding is aimed at increasing teacher salaries and expanding professional development opportunities for key staff and leaders with the aim is of attracting and retaining talent as well as optimising the special education system.
Overall, Chairman, Sir, Singapore's recent developments in SPED reflect a commitment to providing inclusive and quality education for students with diverse learning needs – with a focus on supporting their holistic development and preparing them for meaningful participation in society.
With that in mind, while we continue to enhance special education and equip SPED students with academic and life-skills, can MOE also do more to work with perhaps MOM and the private sector, to ensure that SPED students are able to secure meaningful employment when they graduate? Can there also be some continuing education programmes tailored specifically for SPED students to ensure that they stay relevant and employable?
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied): Sir, a couple of weeks before the Budget Statement, I received an email from one of my residents, Mr X, who shared his plight of not qualifying for a subsidy for the SPED school fees for his child as he did not meet the per capita income criteria. He mentioned that his per capita income of $1,000 exceeded the qualifying amount by $250. Mr X is the sole breadwinner, supporting his wife and three children. His wife is a homemaker, not by choice, due to the caregiving of their special needs child.
He lamented that middle-income Singaporeans were being deprived of subsidies that are made available to lower-income groups. He felt that with the rising cost of living, a middle-income family like his should be eligible for a fee subsidy.
Therefore, Sir, I am glad that the Government has decided to reduce the upper limit of the SPED school fee from $150 to $90, announced in the Budget Statement as the first step in reducing the financial burden of families with special needs child. Nevertheless, I do feel that more can be done to help middle-income families with a child who has special needs.
In view of this, I agree and fully support the call made by my fellow Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Member of Parliament, Mr Gerald Giam, through his Budget speech, asking the Government to set the fees for SPED schools at the same level as mainstream schools – namely $13 – on the basis of creating a more inclusive society.
Sir, I note that under the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) Programme, a tiered approach is applied to determine the out-of-pocket expenses for qualifying families. While the Government considers the Workers' Party proposal towards equalising the fees between SPED schools and the mainstream ones; can it, in the interim, adopt a similarly tiered approach to ensure more equitable outcomes and provide much-needed relief for middle-income families with a special needs child?
Mr Ong Hua Han (Nominated Member): Chairman, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) plays a pivotal role in fostering empathy among students. However, MOE must ensure that these lessons go beyond theoretical understanding to meaningful interactions. Polytechnics, ITE colleges and universities only have an average of three to four Special Educational Needs (SEN) officers across the whole institution.
An SEN officer cannot always be there to facilitate integration. It is therefore crucial that all students are aware about disabilities, so they can better support and include their peers.
In my survey, more than a few persons with disabilities (PwDs) also spoke about their hopes for more disability awareness education at mainstream schools. Could MOE study ways to incorporate more of such lessons into the primary and secondary school curricula?
For example, students can be taught about autism. This will help them better understand challenges faced by their autistic peers, and know about things like autistic burnouts. One point raised in my survey is that teachers can play an active \"ice-breaking\" role, to help students interact meaningfully with PwDs.
We need to ensure that teachers get all the help that they need, to better perform this role. Lastly, as mentioned in my speech during the Budget debate, I hope MOE can strongly consider proactively including students with disabilities into activities like Physical Education lessons.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Sir, Singapore has made great strides in its support for students with SEN, thanks to Government and citizen support. However, there is a need to further strengthen the educational support for these students. For students with physical and sensory disabilities, such as the blind, the deaf and those hard of hearing, there is little excuse to not do good by and for them – given the well-established best practices available worldwide.
Today, I will focus on the learning support needed by students, now commonly identified as neurodiverse.
I thank experts from Unlocking ADHD, Dyslexia Association of Singapore and charities under the Autism Network of Singapore for their insights. Neurodiversity is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of differences in the way one thinks and processes information. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia are some common forms of neurodiversity.
Neurodiverse students often struggle with traditional education systems that fail to meet their unique learning and social needs. They may be at higher risk of being victimised in schools by bullies. Those who are from lower-income families often get diagnosed and receive intervention much later, leading to increased vulnerability.
However, with appropriate training and support, neurodiverse students can offer valuable talents and perspectives in education and work settings. Improvements have been made in MOE schools over the past two decades, with the introduction of SEN offices, trained school teachers, learning support programmes and resource packages and a special education fund for tertiary-level students. Nonetheless, there are still gaps.
Calls have been made for better equipping of teachers, SEN officers and parents through more skilling workshops, cluster-based parent support groups, communities of practice and to extend the SEN fund to postgraduate programmes for these students.
I request the MOE to: one, provide updated data on the number of students with SEN, the support structure and SEN support staff strength at all education levels – primary school, secondary, junior college, ITE and other IHL levels; second, for MOE to share insights into the challenges it is facing in this space; and lastly, to share how it might partner key disability training groups, such as Dyslexia Association of Singapore, Unlocking ADHD, SPAS, Autism Resource Centre, Rainbow Centre and others in the Forward SG spirit to build a shared future together for this community.
The Chairman: Minister Chan Chun Seng.
The Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Chair, we thank all Members for your suggestions, comments on our education system and most importantly, we want to thank you all for the support for our educators.
Our education system has done well by most conventional measures. We continue to surpass ourselves in the PISA rankings. Our least-privileged students, on average, do better than the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average. The vast majority of our graduates find employment quickly, with good starting salaries.
But we must be careful not to become victims of our own success – chasing yesterday's metrics of success, instead of building the competencies we need for our future. We should also be keenly aware that others are catching up and aiming to overtake us with new disruptive technologies and new pedagogies.
To stay ahead and prepare our next generation to learn for life, we must evolve our vision of education. We need to work with fellow Singaporeans, parents and industries to redefine success and redesign education in three parts: first, as a continuing journey, where we learn not just in the first 15 years, but throughout the next 50 years of our lives; second, to celebrate the diverse strengths, where we appreciate a diversity of talents for our collective resilience; and third, it must be a collective effort, where students learn not just in schools and from teachers, but from the community, society and even in the virtual world.
Let me first start with education as a continuing journey.
Many of us worry that the system will only allow us one chance. That our futures will somehow, be set in stone if we fail one exam or get into a less popular school or less favoured course. When in fact, we have a lifetime ahead of us. In the decades after formal schooling, there is time to discover new strengths and interests, to find our purpose and calling and to pursue them in different seasons of life.
We will continuously invest in our people to help them to do well not just for the first 15 years in school, but over the next 50 years and beyond. With your permission, Chair, may I display some slides on the LED screens? This chart will illustrate the lifetime investment in our people, today and tomorrow.
The Chairman: Yes, please go ahead. [Slides were shown to hon Members.]
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Let me walk us through. Today, up to the secondary school level, we invest around $200,000 in every student. This establishes the strong academic foundations and values for the rest of their lives. Next, at the post-secondary level, we make another major investment to help our students acquire a work-ready qualification through ITE, polytechnic or university pathways.
Using an ITE student as an example, the subsidy will be around $70,000 for a Nitec and Higher Nitec qualification. So, on average, we would have invested more than a quarter million dollars for every Singaporean child to prepare them for their first career.
As announced in the Budget speech, we will invest more in our ITE graduates through the ITE Progression Award (IPA). Upskilling to a diploma can help ITE graduates secure a better starting pay and a better lifetime earning trajectory through their improved skills and competencies. We will hence top-up $5,000 to the Post-Secondary Education Accounts (PSEA) of ITE graduates when they enroll in a diploma programme.
For example, as shown in the chart, an ITE graduate who upgrades via a part-time polytechnic diploma will not need to pay any fees out-of-pocket after using the $5,000 top-up. When they graduate, they will receive a further $10,000 top-up to their CPF Ordinary Account. This can give them a head-start in buying their first home, or saving for retirement.
Some Members have asked, how we are supporting younger working adults?
For those under 40, they are in the earlier stages of their career and their first work-ready qualifications should still serve them well. But they may need regular, shorter skills top-ups. For this, they can use the SkillsFuture Credit of $500 that they receive at the age 25 to offset their course fees.
For those aged 40 and above – who have left school for a longer period of time – will require a more substantial skills reboot. Many in this group recognise the importance of lifelong learning and want to build career resilience through reskilling and upskilling. However, due to financial and other commitments, the course fees and potential loss of income during full-time training can hold them back.
As announced in the Budget speech, we will introduce the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme to support these Singaporeans. Members have asked for details of the new initiatives.
First, to provide more help with course fees through the additional SkillsFuture Credit top-up of $4,000. How is this different from the existing SkillsFuture Credit of $500? The $500 credit is meant to cultivate a national culture and broad-based interest in continuous learning. It supports bite-sized, just-in-time upskilling and reskilling. It can be used for a wide range of skills-related courses, whether you are at the start of your career, mid-way through, or in your silver years. This will continue to be the case.
This $4,000 credit is geared towards boosting employability. It will not expire, so that you can use it at a juncture that suits you. The top-up can be used for over 7,000 full-time and part-time courses with better employability outcomes and they will cover academic full qualification programmes offered by our IHLs.
These will include diplomas, post-diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that are well-recognised in the market; as well as shorter modules that can stack to these full qualifications, to offer more flexible upgrading options. And it will also include industry-specific training, such as SkillsFuture Singapore's (SSG's) SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP), which is a train-and-place programme that supports individuals moving into sectors with good hiring opportunities; and it will also cover courses that fulfil the training requirements in the Progressive Wage Model sectors, to support the career and wage progression of lower-wage workers.
Singaporeans aged 40 to 60 in 2020 received a $500 top-up that was similar in intent. We will merge any remaining balance with this new mid-career top-up and the balance will likewise no longer expire at the end of 2025.
For those who wish to pursue another full-time diploma, we will now provide additional subsidies to do so. Currently, Singaporeans can only receive one bout of Government subsidies for a full-time diploma at polytechnics, ITE and the arts institutions. From 2025, we will subsidise Singaporeans aged 40 and above who enroll in a second full-time diploma.
Going back to the ITE-upgrader in the chart as an example, if he wants to pursue a career in a new sector like the digital economy, he can pursue a full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition programme. SSG provides approximately $10,000 in subsidies for the training and the remaining course fees will be fully offset by the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit. He can also pursue a second full-time diploma in a high-growth area. He will receive subsidies of about $60,000 and his out-of-pocket course fees for the full-time diploma can also be partially offset by the $4,000 credit.
Using the ITE-upgrader in the chart as an example, the lifetime investment in education and skills could go up to as high as $380,000 in total. This is a substantial investment and commitment on the part of the Government. But we know that course fees are not the only constraint when it comes to upskilling. Adult workers may have other financial commitments and concerns. It could be difficult to take time off work to upskill and to lose income during the training period.
Hence, on top of our investment in educational programmes, we will provide a Training Allowance for Singaporeans aged 40 and above who pursue full-time IHL full qualifications or full-time SCTP. Eligible individuals will receive an allowance of 50% of their average monthly income over a year, capped at $3,000 for up to 24 months over their lifetime. In another words, up to $72,000 over a lifetime.
Individuals, including self-employed persons and freelancers will receive the allowance as long as they have earned income based on Government's records in the latest available 12-month period.
Members have asked whether the long-term unemployed and caregivers who have left the workforce for some time will qualify for the training allowance. At this point in time, they will not, as the allowance is meant to provide support for workers who experience income loss when they commit to full-time training. However, they can still make use of the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit to refresh their skills through industry-relevant training. They can also tap on career facilitation services and placement programmes that offer training allowance offered by Workforce Singapore and the National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC's) Employment and Employability Institute.
Overall, the training allowance thresholds reflect our carefully considered approach. The supported full-time courses are chosen to facilitate placement and entry into good jobs. The amount of support provides enough coverage for the median mid-career worker, while preserving the incentive to return to work. The duration of support will cover more than one bout of full-time upgrading via SCTP and at least half the duration of a full qualification. In total, our lifetime commitment to help an individual will be around $300,000 or higher, not counting the Training Allowance of up to $72,000.
While the exact amount may differ for different paths, the concept is similar – continuous investments for the next 50 years beyond the school, rather than just the first 15 years in school. We will make available the full slide to all Members after the speech.
The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme will cost the Government around an additional $100 million each year and more, if there is stronger take-up. This is a significant investment and commitment by the Government and it underscores our commitment to SkillsFuture as a key pillar of our social compact.
Members have asked more broadly, how do we measure the success of SkillsFuture? The spending and course attendance numbers are just input and output indicators respectively. The real outcomes we want to track are employment, wages and the competitiveness of our workers and enterprises.
This is not always easy to measure. It is neither short term, nor a one-to-one causal relationship. For example, reskilling may have helped workers keep their jobs or transit to new careers, beyond getting a pay rise. Often, it also takes time for workers to cumulate and apply their newly acquired skills and for employers to see the tangible benefits of a higher skills base.
There are also other intangible benefits for our economy and society, which are important but are not easily measured, such as greater confidence for businesses to invest in Singapore, with our highly skilled and adaptable workforce.
Hence, the success of the SkillsFuture movement is about ultimately, whether Singaporeans have the confidence and competence to seize new career opportunities and tackle the future and whether our enterprises are well-positioned to capture new business opportunities because they have the quality of manpower required.
This vision of success cannot be achieved by the Government alone. In the spirit of Forward SG, we must journey together – IHLs, employers and individuals.
Our IHLs are doing their part. They are responding to industry needs to offer relevant courses and developing new programmes in emerging economic sectors. The are refreshing their CET capabilities to meet the wide range of workforce needs. More and more of our IHL capacities are shifting to support CET, beyond the conventional pre-employment training (PET).
Employers, unions and enterprises will need to play their part too, to support workers with flexible working arrangements when they are upgrading, to work with employees to identify the new skills and competencies needed by the market and the companies, to recognise and remunerate employees based on those skills and competencies rather than just credentials and to create a culture of learning in every company, both small and medium enterprises, and large companies alike.
And every individual will need to take ownership of their individual path, to plan their directions and way forward and to have the courage and conviction to take their first step. The Government will do what we can to partner our people and industries to achieve this vision of us for SkillsFuture to be a key pillar of our social compact to keep our people competitive and employable over the long haul.
Next, let me touch on education as a celebration of our students' diverse strengths. We must resist the temptation to \"teach to the average\" and instead focus on bringing out the best in every child.
We have introduced Full Subject-based Banding, or Full SBB, for the Secondary 1 cohort this year. We are now overcoming the challenges of reorganising the classes and shuffling timetables to match the resources available. But the positive outcomes in learning and social mixing give us confidence that this is the right thing to do, notwithstanding the challenges.
Today, I will touch on what students can expect at the end of their secondary school experience under the new system.
As the culmination of their Full SBB journey, in 2027, this year's Secondary 1 students will sit for a new Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examinations. The SEC examinations will replace the current Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) \"O\" and \"N\" level examinations.
Today, students take different examinations, with different provisions for different streams. For example. students in the previous Normal stream sit for \"N\" levels in September, while Express students sit for \"O\" levels in October. \"O\" level students have two examination sittings for their mother tongue language (MTL), one mid-year, one end-of-year, while \"N\" level students do not.
Under Full SBB, there will no longer be separate \"N\" or \"O\" level examination periods. Instead, there will be one common SEC examination period, with different papers for different subject levels.
We will streamline the multiple examination sittings. This means we will have one written SEC examination sitting for all MTL subject levels. I understand that some may be concerned that they will have one less chance to improve their MTL grades. But we need to strike a careful balance between striving for excellence, chasing the last mark, and allowing our students to learn at a better pace.
When we introduced the mid-year \"O\" level MTL examination sitting in 1980, less than 40% of our students passed both their First and Second Languages. So, we allowed students to take their MTL examination twice, to meet the Second Language requirement for Pre-University.
Today, almost all our \"O\" level MTL students already meet the language requirement within their first sitting. Our analysis shows that taking a second sitting only changed the post-secondary posting outcomes for less than 2% of the students taking the examination. But most importantly, the new system will allow our students and teachers to better pace the MTL curriculum, with four more months of learning, rather than to squeeze everything into three-and-a-half years in preparation for the June examination sitting. To spread out the examination load at the end of the year, students will sit for their English and MTL written examinations in the second week of September, one month ahead of other subjects.
After taking their examinations, students will receive a common certificate, the SEC, which will replace the current \"O\", N(A) and N(T) level certificates. The certificate will reflect each student's subject combinations and levels. Just like the \"A\" level certificate, which reflects each student's subjects and the level they have completed at – H1, H2 or H3. The certificate will continue to be jointly awarded by MOE and Cambridge, to preserve its standing. The SEC will allow students offering a mix of subject levels to access a wider range of post-secondary pathways.
For students applying to Polytechnic Year 1, admission today is based on an \"ELR2B2\", otherwise known as English, Relevant to and the Best Two aggregate score comprising five \"O\" levels, or G3 subjects. From 2028, we will allow one of the \"Best\" or \"B\" subjects in the ELR2B2 score to be taken at either G2 or G3. Second Minister Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman will provide more details. From time to time, some call for MOE to remove examinations like the PSLE. Others ask us to bring back mid-year examinations.
First, let me state that if we see our worth as being defined by examination results only, removing PSLE will not remove stress. Neither is removing all stress our goal. Instead, we need to help our students manage and overcome stress. We need to understand that examinations like the PSLE and SEC are not an end in themselves, but they are means to help our children find a suitable learning environment in the next stage of their learning journey.
As I have mentioned before, there are non-trivial issues to overcome for a through-train concept, such as, how will we select students who are suitable for which school at age six? If we cannot select, how will we support diverse learning profiles for the next 10 years for us to be able to stretch the high ability students, while supporting those with higher needs?
We may end up \"teaching to the average\", which does not bring out the best in any child. And this will make teaching even more challenging for our already stretched teachers to cater to a class with such diverse abilities.
If we allow transfers out of the school, then, the question is: who gets to be posted out and to where? Will the stronger students try to transfer out, leaving the through-train as an option for the weaker students only? Or if it is the weaker students that leave, then school assessments might become the new frontier of stress, as students worry about performing well enough to remain in the said school. And which school will take these students to integrate them back into the mainstream curriculum and at what point in time?
So, MOE is considering it but let us be upfront about these proposals. They are not without merits, but certainly they come with tradeoffs and non-trivial implications. Let us make help our students to understand their strengths in the meantime, approach stress and challenges with the right mindset and use exams to right-site themselves for the next stage of learning, rather than as a competition to beat others.
In fact, we know that good grades are not enough to prepare our students for the future. We also need to equip our students with \"21st Century Competencies\" (21CC), like civic literacy and adaptive thinking. Hence, we will improve the balance of academic and non-academic Edusave awards. Today, the EAGLES and Edusave Skills Award are given to students who have excelled in non-academic activities or who have demonstrated leadership qualities and served the community. We will increase the number of these awards to recognise 21CC and LifeSkills.
Younger students will receive the award if they demonstrate attributes like creativity in generating ideas to solve problems in their school or outside while older students in polytechnics and ITE might demonstrate interpersonal and collaboration skills by working effectively with their colleagues in an internship.
With this, an additional 21,000 students could receive an award every year, bringing the balance of academic and non-academic awards given out to around 60:40, down from around 70:30 ratio. This signals our commitment to reducing the overemphasis on academic results and balancing that with better preparation more holistically for the future. Our efforts to celebrate diverse strengths must also extend to students with SEN.
One key challenge for the families of children with disabilities are the significant out-of-pocket expenses. As announced at Budget, we will alleviate these pressures by reducing school fees in nine higher-fee SPED schools. But beyond financial support, I also want to share my vision for the SPED sector, which has been close to my heart since my Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) days.
I want our young people to aspire to join SPED fraternity, be inspired by its deep sense of mission, like any mainstream teacher. I want our SPED educators to have promising careers, that will encourage them to stay in the sector, like the mainstream. I want our SPED school leaders to have structured and rigorous leadership development opportunities, like the mainstream. I want our SPED sector to have their own communities of practice, specialising and developing deep authoritative professional body of knowledge for each of the SPED specialisation. I want mainstream and SPED educators to grow together, with porosity of pathways, sharing best practices and supporting each other. I want to see the SPED students having pathways integrated with their post-18 work, life and care arrangements.
Chair, recently, I met the leaders of our 25 SPED schools. I shared this vision with them. I want to say that after the meeting, it is no longer my vision. But, hopefully, it is now our vision.
I want to thank all the SPED school leaders for agreeing to work together, towards our shared vision for the sector. We agreed we are not where we want to be, not yet. But we know where we want to get to and we are determined to get there for the sake of our children. Second Minister Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman will share more details about our efforts.
Now, let me turn to the third point. Education must be a collective effort from all of society. This leads me to how we must fundamentally reshape the way we see education. Education must be a collective effort from all of society.
First, I want to thank two groups of people for their contributions. First, the over 150 industry partners who have come forward through MOE's Partnerships Engagement Office to collaborate with our schools, to create authentic learning opportunities for our students. Second, our Parent Support Groups, which have stepped up to support our students' well-being and development. Minister of State Gan Siow Huang will be sharing an update in her speech of how we have expanded the Parent Support Groups and how we have strengthened their capabilities to partner our school.
But above all, I want to recognise our educators. More than any policy change, it is our teachers who are key to preparing our students for the future. We recognise the challenges that our teachers face and we will continue to support them, through what I call three \"T\"s.
The first T is technology. Technology must increasingly be the multiplier of our teachers' capacity. We will continue investing in EdTech and adaptive learning systems, to help our teachers support those who need more help, while stretching those who can do more.
For example, our Language Feedback Assistant for English provides feedback for basic language errors in students' writing. This allows our teachers to spend more of their time guiding students on higher-order elements, such as logic and persuasiveness and creates time for teachers to work with students in the same class who require more attention or support.
What we recognise is that it is not always easy to use new technologies. It takes time for us to feel at ease with them and trust them to complement our work. For example, many of us may have struggled in the early days of COVID-19 in shifting our work online. So, I want to salute our teachers who are challenging themselves to adapt to these new tools, not just because they are new and exciting, but because they will help our students learn better and relieve the load of our teachers.
The second T is linked to technology, but the second T is time. Technology will not replace our teachers, but it will change their roles and responsibilities. Our teachers will spend less time, going forward, delivering information and more time facilitating learning and collaboration.
They will spend less time delivering information as information becomes commoditised, but they will spend more time facilitating learning and collaboration, which are higher order skills. They will play a bigger role as coaches and mentors, guiding students in developing softer skills and navigating complex issues.
We will hence be committed to making time for our teachers' growth professionally to learn new pedagogies and skill sets, but also personally to spend time away from the classroom and gain exposure and new perspectives so that they can broaden their minds, refresh themselves and bring back ideas to share with their students and fellow colleagues.
But the last T is most critical, and that is trust. We must maintain our trust and support in our educators. Our teachers undergo years of rigorous training and professional development. They are experts in their subject areas and pedagogy. They invest their time and energy to nurture our students, often going above and beyond their official responsibilities.
So, we ask that everyone respect and trust our teachers to do their work as professionals and to support them in giving the best opportunities to our students to develop their talents, find their footing and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
Sir, the collective effort of education requires communities to work hand in hand, not just in the classroom but beyond the classroom. Together, we can show our children that their growth matters more than their grades.
But change is not easy, especially if we are to reshape our own perspective and redefine our definitions of success. But change will be impossible if we do not try. But if we can come together to refresh our understanding of education and what it means for all of us, it can underscore Singapore's success for the next 50 years and beyond.
MOE and our partners are committed to delivering this for our children and our nation. [Applause.]
The Chairman: Minister, would you like to report progress?
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply Reporting Progress","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"The Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again on Monday, 4 March 2024?
The Chairman: I give my consent.
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That progress be reported and leave be asked to sit again on Monday, 4 March 2024.\" [Mr Chan Chun Sing]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Minister.
The Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2024/2025 and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 4 March 2024.
Mr Speaker: So be it. Leader.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjournment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" – [Ms Indranee Rajah]. (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 7.50 pm.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Multi-Mode Passive Detection System for Illegal Shipments of Wildlife and Wildlife Products","subTitle":"Written answer","sectionType":"WANA","content":"10 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development whether he can provide an update on the testing undertaken by the Ministry of a prototype of the Multi-Mode Passive Detection System to detect wildlife and wildlife products in shipments; and (b) whether the Ministry is exploring the use of other technologies to detect illegal shipments of wildlife and wildlife products especially through our ports. \n
Mr Desmond Lee: Singapore adopts a Whole-of-Government and multi-pronged approach to combat illegal wildlife trade. The National Parks Board (NParks) works closely with Singapore Customs and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to detect the smuggling of illegal wildlife and its products at our borders. Agencies have put in place a robust risk assessment framework, which includes the screening of travellers and goods at our checkpoints. Agencies also leverage technology to enhance their enforcement efforts.
For example, ICA uses radiographic scanners and hand-held screening devices to ensure that goods that enter Singapore are lawful and legitimate. ICA has also tested the detection of wildlife and wildlife products, such as pangolin scales and elephant ivory, using the Multi-Mode Passive Detection System (MMPDS) in 2020. ICA and the Home Team Science and Technology Agency have assessed that radiographic scanners are more reliable as the images from the radiographic scans are much clearer. ICA has since deployed new and enhanced radiographic scanners that provide high throughput and detection sensitivity.
NParks has also partnered Microsoft and Conservation International to develop a mobile application, which enables enforcement officers to quickly identify illegally-traded shark species using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Under the Centre for Wildlife Forensics, NParks is exploring other advanced detection techniques, such as electronic smell sensors and DNA sequencing, to detect endangered species in the trade supply chain.
We will continue to explore and leverage new technologies to enhance our enforcement efforts.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Disqualified Filing Agents and Individuals with Cancelled Qualified Individuals Status Operating under Different Entities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) in the last three years, what is the number of cases where disqualified Filing Agents and individuals with cancelled Qualified Individuals status under ACRA's regulations continue to operate under different entities; and (b) what are the monitoring actions put in place by ACRA to prevent such incidents from occurring.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Registered Filing Agents (RFAs) are professional services firms that transact with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) on behalf of their clients. RFAs are also responsible to conduct customer due diligence, to ensure the activities are consistent with the clients' business and risk profile. ACRA requires an RFA to appoint a Registered Qualified Individual (RQI), who is principally responsible for ensuring that the RFA complies with ACRA's regulations.
Once disqualified, an RFA or RQI will have its registration terminated and will also be barred from registration for a minimum of two years. Any application for registration thereafter will be examined carefully, to ensure that the individual or the firm and individuals running the firm meet all requisites for registration, including the fulfilment of fit and proper requirements.
In the last three years, ACRA has cancelled the registrations of 11 RFAs and 11 RQIs and none of them are currently operating as RFAs or RQIs.
An individual whose RQI licence has been cancelled is not disallowed from finding employment with another firm that is an RFA. However, the firm and the RQI for the firm will be responsible for ensuring that the individual fulfils the fit and proper requirements and that any transaction with ACRA carried out by the individual is supervised by the RQI.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulations Governing Speed of Heavy Vehicles on Roads and Effectiveness of Existing Enforcement Measures","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the current regulations in place to control the speed of heavy vehicles on the roads; (b) whether there are plans to review or tighten the regulations controlling the speed of heavy vehicles; and (c) how does the Ministry ensure that heavy vehicle operators comply with vehicle maintenance and safety standards that can impact speeding and road safety.
3 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether he can provide details on the enforcement strategies used to deter and reduce incidents of speeding among heavy vehicle drivers; and (b) whether existing enforcement measures have been effective and, if not, what improvements are being considered.
4 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how is the Ministry leveraging on technology for the detection of speeding heavy vehicles to ensure compliance with speed limits; (b) what initiatives are in place to educate heavy vehicle drivers about the dangers of speeding and promote safe driving practices; and (c) how does the Ministry assess the effectiveness of driver education programmes in reducing speeding incidents among heavy vehicle operators.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) assesses that our regulations and strategies to deal with heavy vehicle speeding are sufficient for now. Between 2016 and 2023, the number of heavy vehicle speeding accidents remained low and stable.
The key regulations to limit the speed of heavy vehicles include the following.
The Traffic Police (TP) requires goods vehicles with a maximum laden weight (MLW) greater than 12,000 kilogrammes (kg), to be installed with speed limiters which impose a speed limit of 60 kilometre per hour. Manufacturers or motor dealers of heavy vehicles must submit documentation of the installation to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), before the vehicles can be registered for use in Singapore.
On 1 January 2024, TP commenced mandatory installation of speed limiters also for lorries with a MLW between 3,501 kg and 12,000 kg. This will be implemented in phases from now until June 2027.
LTA requires commercial vehicles, including heavy vehicles, to undergo more frequent inspections at Authorised Inspection Centres, than cars. This includes checking that the speed limiter label is properly displayed, and the speed limiter is installed in accordance with the prevailing requirements.
Drivers of heavy vehicles are required to obtain a Class 4 or higher driving licence. The training and test requirements are more stringent than Class 3.
Under the Road Traffic Act (RTA) 1961, if a heavy vehicle with a MLW greater than 12,000 kg is found to be without a speed limiter or in possession of a tampered speed limiter, both the driver and owner may be liable for an imprisonment term of up to three months or a fine of up to $1,000. The offending heavy vehicles will also be required to report for additional speed limiter checks – twice a year, or up to four times a year in the case of repeat offenders. To strengthen deterrence against non-compliant speed limiters and tampering, MHA is reviewing the relevant offences and penalties under the RTA.
TP engages drivers of heavy vehicles and their employers through road safety talks all year round. TP has a network of speed cameras island-wide to detect speeding. From the second quarter of this year, TP will be activating the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras. TP also regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations against heavy vehicle speeding. Heavy vehicle drivers who are caught speeding will face higher composition sums than motorists driving lighter vehicles.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Tougher Enforcement Actions Against Speeding and Red-light Running","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs with the increase in fatalities caused by red-light running and speeding in 2023 as compared to 2022 (a) whether there will be tougher enforcement actions being taken against offenders; and (b) whether the Traffic Police will prioritise the deployment of speed traps or red-light cameras in traffic junctions or areas where there is a high footfall of elderly, children and vulnerable pedestrians around schools, markets and shopping belts.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Traffic Police (TP) intends to significantly step up enforcement against speeding. From the second quarter of this year, it will be activating the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras, especially at locations that are more accident- or speeding-prone.
We have also put in place tough laws to complement enforcement efforts. The Road Traffic Act was amended in 2019 to increase maximum imprisonment terms and fines for irresponsible driving offences, such as dangerous or careless driving. In 2021, the School Zone Demerit Points regime was expanded to cover Silver Zones. Fines and demerit points were also increased for certain offences committed within these two types of zone. This was to improve road safety for school-going children and the elderly.
TP intends to further increase fines and demerit points to further strengthen deterrence against irresponsible driving behaviour. More details will be announced later this year.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Protect Consumers in E-commerce Marketplace","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what measures are in place to protect consumers in the e-commerce marketplace; (b) whether there are plans to introduce new protections in response to the rise in complaints; and (c) how does the Ministry ensure that consumers are aware of their rights and the protections available to them when engaging in e-commerce transactions.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act protects consumers, whether transacting via e-commerce or offline, against unfair business practices, such as making false or misleading representations about a product or service. Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Standards Council have also published guidelines on best practices for industry to adopt in electronic commerce transactions, to avoid disputes.
More generally, consumers are advised to make purchases from reliable e-commerce retailers. For example, they can choose retailers which are CaseTrust-accredited, or patronise e-marketplaces that have adopted the Standard Dispute Management Framework developed by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). The Ministry of Home Affairs also publishes the E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings, which rates major e-commerce marketplaces annually on the availability of critical safety features to protect consumers from scams.
In addition, consumers should familiarise themselves with common tactics used by errant online retailers to mislead consumers. CASE and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore have published an advisory on such practices on their websites.
Consumers who encounter e-commerce disputes can approach CASE for assistance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Initiatives to Improve Avenues for Consumers to Resolve Disputes with E-commerce Platforms","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what avenues are available for consumers to resolve disputes with e-commerce sellers or the e-commerce platforms; (b) how effective have these avenues been in resolving disputes; and (c) whether there are any initiatives to streamline or improve the dispute resolution process for e-commerce transactions to make it more accessible and efficient for consumers.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Major e-commerce marketplaces, such as Lazada and Shopee, have adopted the Consumers Association of Singapore's (CASE) Standard Dispute Management Framework, which contains best practices, such as timely dispute resolution processes and verification of merchants. Since the inception of CASE's Standard Dispute Management Framework in 2021, the resolution rate for CASE-assisted e-commerce disputes has increased steadily in the last three years to 88% in 2023.
Individual e-businesses that are CaseTrust-accredited have also committed to adopting fair and transparent business practices, including measures that facilitate the process of dispute resolution.
E-commerce consumers who are unable to resolve disputes with the seller directly can seek assistance from CASE. CASE can advise consumers on the best approach to resolve the dispute, including further negotiation with the supplier facilitated by CASE, seeking civil recourse by filing a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal, raising a chargeback request with the bank if a credit card was used for the transaction or other alternative forms of dispute resolution.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Efficacy of PUB's Biomanipulation and Other Measures to Control Midge Fly Population at Pandan Reservoir","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether an update can be provided on the efficacy of PUB's biomanipulation and other measures to control the midge fly population at Pandan Reservoir.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has implemented a suite of measures to control midges at Pandan Reservoir. These include removing midge eggs along embankments and floating structures, applying biological larvicide within the reservoir, releasing insectivorous fishes into the reservoir and fogging around the reservoir dyke and surrounding vegetation.
The intensity of these measures is continuously adjusted based on PUB's monitoring of eggs, larvae and the adult midge population. These mitigation measures have proven to be effective in keeping the midge population low in Pandan Reservoir, with no major midge outbreaks occurring since 2019.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Non-Singaporean and Non-PR Customers in Arrears in Utility Bills Exceeding Security Deposit Amount","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what percentage of (i) non-Singaporean and (ii) non-permanent resident customers have arrears in their utility bills that are larger than their security deposit amount; (b) what measures are taken to recover these arrears; and (c) whether there is any need to increase the security deposit amount for such customers.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: As at 31 December 2023, 2,8001 or 1.6% of non-resident households had utility bills in arrears of six months or more that were in excess of their security deposit.
Measures taken to recover utility bills arrears include sending SMS reminders, issuing formal notices, imposing late payment charges and disconnecting and restricting services where significant arrears have been accumulated.
The security deposit for non-resident households is generally twice that of resident households and are periodically reviewed by utility service providers, the Public Utilities Board and Energy Market Authority, to mitigate the risk of unrecovered arrears.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Figures stated above are rounded off to the nearest hundred. The information provided excludes households on electricity retailers that do not appoint SP Group as their billing agent, as these retailers do not collect data that allows differentiation between resident and non-resident households."],"footNoteQuestions":["9"],"questionNo":"9"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Caseload Handled by School Counsellors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Education (a) for each year in the past five years, what is the mean and median number of (i) students handled by each school counsellor and (ii) hours spent with each student by each school counsellor; and (b) if the data is not currently collected, whether the Ministry will consider collecting this data.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: In the past five years, each School Counsellor supports an average of 70 students with social-emotional and mental health issues annually. The time spent on each case varies according to the student's needs and the intensity of support required. The Ministry of Education does not track the time spent on each case and has no plans to do so. Besides counselling students, School Counsellors also work closely with school personnel, community partners and parents on other aspects of the ecosystem of support for students, such as in planning preventive programmes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proportion of Students with Disabilities in Polytechnics and Institutes of Higher Learning","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education for each year in the last five years, what is the proportion of students with disabilities admitted to (i) polytechnics and (ii) other Institutes of Higher Learning.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Education does not track the intake of students with disabilities at the Institutes of Higher Learning. Our data covers a wider range of students with special educational needs (SEN), which includes disabilities like physical and visual impairment, as well as learning and behavioural conditions.
Between 2019 and 2023, around 3% to 5% of those admitted to the polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education and autonomous universities were students with SEN.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enrolment and Accessibility of SkillsFuture Courses for Persons with Disabilities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education (a) in the last five years, what is the number of persons with disabilities who applied for SkillsFuture courses and were rejected by training providers; (b) whether there were any rejections due to the providers being unable to provide reasonable accommodations for such applicants; (c) what are the other reasons for such rejections; and (d) whether the Ministry will collect this data, if such data is currently unavailable.
13 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education (a) in the last five years, what is the proportion of individuals who enrolled in SkillsFuture courses are persons with disabilities; and (b) aside from having specially curated courses at the Enabling Academy, whether the Ministry will conduct a review of protocols within the SkillsFuture scheme to increase accessibility of such courses to persons with disabilities.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) provides enhanced training support for selected courses curated by Enabling Academy to meet the training needs for persons with disabilities. Between 2021 and 2023, an average of about 380 persons with disabilities benefited from this enhanced training per year.
Persons with disabilities may also take courses from the mainstream catalogue of courses funded by SSG and benefit from course fee subsidies available to Singaporeans. With SG Enable and other community stakeholders, we are encouraging and equipping training providers to improve the accessibility of mainstream courses. For example, adult educators can tap on SG Enable's capability development grant to develop training programmes or incorporate use of assistive technology into the training to better meet the learning needs of persons with disabilities.
SSG does not collect data on unsuccessful course applicants, including those with disabilities. In addition to available feedback channels, SSG engages community stakeholders, like SG Enable, social service agencies and training providers, to proactively obtain feedback on how to make training more accessible for persons with disabilities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Costs of Counselling at Public Hospitals for Couples Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Treatment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"14 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, what are the mean and median costs of counselling at public hospitals for couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatment.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Table 1 below shows the average charges for counselling at public Assisted Reproduction (AR) centres for couples before they undergo Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) treatment for the first time.
15 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the Government's specific plans beyond reviewing salary guidelines to ensure there is an adequate and qualified workforce to meet the expanded increase in demand for community care services as Singapore's population ages; and (b) whether the specific milestones or progress indicators to achieving this can be outlined.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Community care sector manpower grew by some 9% per annum between 2018 and 2022. The Ministry of Health and our agencies provide funding support for a suite of initiatives to attract, develop and retain workers in the community care sector. For example, the Senior Management Associate Scheme facilitates the training and induction of mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians to join the sector as centre managers and operations directors.
We also ensure that our current workforce is future-ready through training and development programmes and provide subsidies, such as the Community Care Training Grant. We have also worked with community care organisations (CCOs) to redesign CCO job roles to elevate community care careers and improve their attractiveness.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regular Maintenance to Prevent Overgrown Greenery from Compromising Visibility of Road Users","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the guidelines and regular maintenance programmes in place to tackle overgrown shrubbery and vegetation along roadsides in landed housing estates which compromises visibility of road signs and other traffic; and (b) what is the average time taken for relevant authorities to address such hazards once identified or reported.
Mr Desmond Lee: The National Parks Board (NParks) conducts maintenance pruning on roadside shrubs every two to three months. It also conducts monthly site inspections on roadside greenery, including those in landed housing estates. During these inspections, if any trees or shrubs are found to be obstructing the visibility of road signs and traffic, NParks carries out pruning works. Upon receiving feedback of such similar nature, NParks would conduct onsite assessments and where necessary, pruning works are generally undertaken within two weeks.
There may be instances where residents in landed housing estates have planted up the green verges in front of their homes. We ask residents to garden responsibly and ensure that their plants do not give rise to potential hazards for road users and pedestrians.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Mismatch of Jobs Available and Skills of Persons Retrenched","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"17 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry has observed any mismatch between jobs that are currently available and the skills of persons retrenched in 2023 even though the ratio of job vacancies to unemployed persons remains high.
Dr Tan See Leng: In any dynamic labour market, it is not uncommon for retrenched workers to encounter frictions before taking on new job opportunities. However, several indicators highlight that skills mismatch is not a major issue in Singapore.
First, the majority of our retrenched resident workers re-enter employment within six months. Based on the latest available data for the first three quarters of 2023, the re-entry rate was 64.8%, higher than or comparable to the annual rates in the pre-pandemic years of 2018 (62.9%) and 2019 (64.4%). Among those who did not re-enter employment within six months, some may have chosen to voluntarily leave the labour force for reasons, such as taking a break.
Second, the resident long-term unemployment rate (LTUR) remains low. As at September 2023, the LTUR was 0.7%, comparable to the pre-pandemic average (0.7%).
To help our workers upskill and reskill for new job opportunities, we have proactively assisted workers through Workforce Singapore's programmes, such as the Career Conversion Programmes and Mid-Career Pathways Programme. Such programmes play important roles in preventing retrenchments upstream and facilitating smoother transitions for retrenched individuals downstream.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Distance of Taxi Stands and Bus Stops from MRT Station Exits","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"18 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the median distance between an MRT station exit and (i) the nearest taxi stand (ii) the nearest bus stop respectively, for stations along the Downtown Line and Thomson-East Coast Line; and (b) what are the reasons for locating taxi stands nearer to station exits than bus stops.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: For stations along the Downtown Line and Thomson-East Coast Line, the median distance between a mass rapid transit (MRT) station exit and the nearest taxi stand and bus stop is about 24 metres and 40 metres respectively.
The exact location of the bus stops and taxi stands at each station would depend on site layout and available space. For instance, a bus stop must be located where there is sufficient space for buses to move safely in and out of the bus bay. Where there are existing bus stops, the Land Transport Authority would also avoid shifting them to minimise disruption to commuters.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Study on Impact of Replacing Yellow Streetlights with White LED Streetlights on Wildlife","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether any environmental impact study has been conducted to assess the impact of replacing yellow streetlights with white LED streetlights on wildlife, such as insects and birds; and (b) if not, why not.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The street lights in Singapore are designed to comply with globally recognised International Electrotechnical Commission standards. LED street lights are focused on required areas on the roads and allow drivers to see better at night. This is important for the safety of all road users.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures by Aviation Industry to Meet Net-zero Emission Targets by 2050","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"20 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Transport besides implementing sustainable aviation fuel for our airlines, what are the other measures that our aviation industry is taking to meet our net-zero emission targets by 2050.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) published the Singapore Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint on 19 February 2024. The Blueprint sets out 12 concrete initiatives across the airport, airline and air traffic management domains that we will take to achieve net zero domestic and international aviation carbon emissions by 2050. The Member may wish to refer to the Blueprint, which is available on the CAAS' website, for the details.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ensuring Singapore Remains Leading Aviation Hub in Transit to Sustainable Aviation Fuel","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"21 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Transport what are the measures to ensure that Singapore will remain a leading aviation and transportation hub in light of the requirement for all flights departing from Singapore from 2026 to use sustainable aviation fuel.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Our approach to build the Sustainable Aviation Fuel ecosystem strikes a balance between economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability, to support the long-term growth of our air hub and encourage investments in new Sustainable Aviation Fuel production facilities.
The Member may wish to refer to the Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint published by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) on 19 February 2024 for more details on our approach. The Blueprint is available on the CAAS' website.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Conversion of Discretionary Turn Signals at Heavy Traffic and High Footfall Junctions","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"22 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Transport with the increase in fatalities caused by red-light running and speeding in 2023 as compared to 2022 (a) what is the update on the conversion of discretionary turn signals to Red Amber Green arrows, especially in traffic junctions or areas where there is a high footfall of elderly, children and vulnerable pedestrians around schools, markets and shopping belts; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider introducing the installation of speed limiting or warning device in vehicles in the future.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been prioritising the implementation of Red-Amber-Green (RAG) arrows at junctions in the vicinity of School and Silver Zones, as well as at locations where there is a history of accidents and where the junctions are wider and have a higher posted speed.
Since the programme started in 2018, LTA has implemented RAG arrows at close to 1,200 junctions. LTA has observed about a 40% reduction in accidents involving rights turns after RAG arrows are installed. To complement RAG arrows at these junctions, other traffic enhancement measures, such as additional road markings, integrated pedestrian countdown timers and signages, may be introduced too.
Today, speed warning devices are required for all goods vehicles with a maximum laden weight (MLW) not exceeding 3,500 kilogrammes (kg). Speed limiters are required for all goods vehicles with MLW exceeding 12,000 kg and public service vehicles exceeding 10,000 kg. To further improve road safety, the Traffic Police (TP) will expand the speed limiter regime to lorries with MLW between 3,501 kg and 12,000 kg, inclusive. The installation began on 1 January 2024, and will take place in phases until 1 July 2027.
For all vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, drivers are to comply with the posted speed limits or risk facing heavy penalties from TP. In addition, TP will be stepping up enforcement to further deter speeding offences. From the second quarter of this year, TP will be activating the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras, especially at locations that are more accident- or speeding-prone. The Singapore Road Safety Council also regularly conducts public education campaigns to promote good road safety habits.
While agencies will continue to enforce, educate and engage all road users, road safety is ultimately a shared responsibility. Everyone has a part to play to keep the roads safe for all.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Clarification by Minister for Communications and Information","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WS","content":"[(proc text) The following statement was made in the speech by the Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo) during the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry of Communications and Information at the Sitting of 1 March 2024: (proc text)]
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo): I am pleased to update Members that public consultations on the amendments were completed in January. We plan to introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament next week and will share more details then. [Please refer to \"Committee of Supply – Head Q (Ministry of Communications and Information)\", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Budget section.]
[(proc text) Written statement by Mrs Josephine Teo circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)]
I wish to make the following factual correction to my speech given during the Sitting of 1 March 2024. My statement should read as follows:
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo): I am pleased to update Members that public consultations on the amendments were completed in January. We plan to introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament next month and will share more details then.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WS","content":"[(proc text) The following statement was made in the speech by the Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How) during the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry of Communications and Information at the Sitting of 1 March 2024: (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How): For enterprises who want to do more, we are supporting them through our Advanced Digital Solutions (ADS) scheme, which brings together the technology ecosystem to curate solutions for key problems identified by the sector leads. We launched two new schemes under the ADS for enterprises to gain experience using GenAI. [Please refer to \"Committee of Supply – Head Q (Ministry of Communications and Information)\", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Budget section.]
[(proc text) Written statement by Mr Tan Kiat How circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)]
I wish to make the following factual correction to my speech given during the Sitting of 1 March 2024. My statement should read as follows:
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How): For enterprises who want to do more, we are supporting them through our Advanced Digital Solutions (ADS) scheme, which brings together the technology ecosystem to curate solutions for key problems identified by the sector leads. We also launched two new schemes for enterprises to gain experience using GenAI.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":5970,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Low Yen Ling","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240301/vernacular-Low Yen Ling MTI 1Mar2024_Chinese_(MTI).pdf","fileName":"Low Yen Ling MTI 1Mar2024_Chinese_(MTI).pdf"},{"vernacularID":5975,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Sharael Taha","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240301/vernacular-1 Mar 2024 - Mr Sharael Taha - MCI Cut.pdf","fileName":"1 Mar 2024 - Mr Sharael Taha - MCI Cut.pdf"},{"vernacularID":5976,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Hany Soh","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240301/vernacular-Hany Soh MCI 1Mar2024 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Hany Soh MCI 1Mar2024 -Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":5977,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mrs Josephine Teo","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240301/vernacular-Josephine Teo MCI 1Mar2024 -Chinese (mci).pdf","fileName":"Josephine Teo MCI 1Mar2024 -Chinese (mci).pdf"},{"vernacularID":5978,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Tan Kiat How","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240301/vernacular-Tan Kiat How MCI 1Mar2024-Chinese (mci).pdf","fileName":"Tan Kiat How MCI 1Mar2024-Chinese (mci).pdf"}],"onlinePDFFileName":""}