1 Prof Koh Lian Pin asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether guidelines on managing heat stress at workplaces are regularly updated to incorporate the latest scientific evidence; and (b) whether these guidelines will consider any preliminary findings of the Third National Climate Change Study.
2 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the changing climate and increasing frequency of extreme weather events, in particular extreme heat, what targeted measures are being taken to mitigate the impact of these events on heat vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or lower income groups, who are more at risk of adverse effects, due to physiological or social obstacles to cooling solutions.
3 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether studies are being conducted or will be conducted to better understand the distribution of heat and energy inequality in our communities; and (b) what are the long-term plans to build heat resilient communities.
4 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether Singapore's island-wide temperature and urban heat island projections require revision in light of the ongoing climate crisis and recent heat waves reported around the world; and (b) what projections exist for how future temperature trends will affect (i) indoor temperatures (ii) building ventilation requirements and (iii) usage of air-conditioning.
\tThe Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mdm Deputy Speaker, may I have your permission to address Question Nos 1 to 4, and written Question Nos 22 and 23 on today's Order Paper by a combined reply? And for any supplementary questions to Question Nos 1 to 4 to be taken after the reply to Question No 7 has been given, as the issues raised in Question Nos 1 to 7 are inter-related and will be addressed jointly by myself and the Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Please do.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: I thank Members Prof Koh Lian Pin, Ms He Ting Ru, Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Christopher de Souza for their questions on how Singapore is preparing for rising temperatures. I will address them together with Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How in two parts. First, I will set out the broad context of how climate change and rising temperatures will affect Singapore and outline the Government's approach to strengthening Singapore's heat resilience. Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will then elaborate on specific policies and measures to cool our neighbourhoods and community spaces.
In recent weeks, many countries have been experiencing heatwaves, including China, India, Pakistan and many European countries. Record-breaking temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius have resulted in deaths, heat injuries and damaged infrastructure. These heat waves are increasing in frequency and intensity worldwide as a result of climate change and portends the severe consequences we would face if we do not take significant steps today to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Singapore will not be spared from the impacts of global warming – 2012 to 2021 was our warmest decade on record. The Centre for Climate Research Singapore, CCRS for short, has projected that climate change would lead to average temperatures rising by 1.4 to 4.6 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Days with peak temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius may appear as early as 2045. This is compounded by the urban heat island effect, or \"UHI\" effect, where built-up areas are warmer due to heat trapped by buildings and heat generated by activities, such as transportation and industry.
To prepare for rising temperatures, the Government has adopted a science-based and proactive heat mitigation and adaption strategy, which has three prongs. First, we are deepening our understanding of the science behind how rising temperatures affects Singapore and our residents. Second, we are reviewing efforts to strengthen the community's resilience to heat. Third, we are designing effective heat mitigation strategies and scaling them up. Let me elaborate on the three prongs.
First, understanding the science of how heat affects Singapore and our residents. The CCRS translates global climate projections to understand the localised effects and implications for Singapore. For example, while we do not experience the extreme temperatures arising from high pressure systems that form across large continental masses in the mid-latitude region, we are affected by climate drivers such as El Niño, that are likely to be exacerbated by climate change. These projections are being reviewed and will be updated through the Third National Climate Change Study, or \"V3\", that will be released next year. This will enable our heat mitigation action plan and other climate adaptation planning to be informed by the latest IPCC findings and by local and regional warming trends.
To understand how heat affects the Singapore population, we are driving research and development to study the factors contributing to urban heat, test different heat mitigation strategies and assess the effects of heat on public health. For example, under the Cooling Singapore 2.0 project, we are working with researchers to develop a digital model to simulate Singapore's urban climate and predict the effectiveness of various heat mitigation strategies. This enables us to understand how heat affects different parts of Singapore and identify cost-effective heat mitigation strategies.
Second, we leverage science to design better policies and guidelines to strengthen community resilience to climate change, especially to account for the fact that some segments of our population, such as the elderly or outdoor workers, may be more vulnerable to rising temperatures. MOH and MSE are studying how heat stress could affect our population. MOH, MOM and the Workplace Safety and Health Council also work closely together to ensure that guidelines on managing heat stress at workplaces are regularly updated based on the latest scientific evidence, including the V3 study which I had earlier mentioned.
Third, designing effective heat mitigation strategies, of which there are two broad categories. First, measures to promote cooling in our urban environment, such as through urban planning and building guidelines, infusing more greenery and scaling up the use of cool materials on buildings. Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will elaborate on these. Second, measures to reduce the heat generated from human activities, such as from our homes, our roads and our industries. These include, for example, efforts under the Singapore Green Plan to electrify our vehicle population and to increase the energy efficiency of industrial, commercial and residential buildings.
Individuals also play an important part. When we use less electricity, we not only reduce the heat emitted from our own electrical appliances, we also reduce the energy that needs to be generated by our power stations, thereby reducing both heat generation and carbon emissions at the system level. Hence, we have been enhancing community resilience to climate change by encouraging businesses and individuals to adopt greater energy efficiency, such as the introduction of the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme to help consumers choose more energy-efficient appliances.
Although Singapore has so far not faced heat crises on the same scale as other countries, it would not be possible to avoid the rise in temperatures due to global warming. We must continue to engage and co-create solutions with the community to enhance our resilience to climate change. We will also roll out policies and measures to cool our neighbourhoods and community spaces, which Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will now elaborate on.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Mitigate Rising Temperatures and Create More Conducive Working and Living Environments","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"5 Prof Koh Lian Pin asked the Minister for National Development whether an update can be provided on the progress and impact of the initiative to plant more trees in our industrial estates to help cool these industrial estates and create a more conducive work environment.
6 Prof Koh Lian Pin asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry has conducted studies to assess what species of trees and other vegetation may provide the most optimal shading and cooling benefits for mitigating rising temperatures and the urban heat island effect, as part of the OneMillionTrees movement.
7 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for National Development (a) what studies have been conducted on the ambient interior temperature of HDB flats across different times of the day and weather conditions; (b) whether these temperatures are expected to increase, given climate change trends and, if so, by how much; and (c) whether such trends are considered when setting out design specifications for newer HDB projects.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for National Development (Mr Tan Kiat How) (for the Minister for National Development): Mdm Deputy Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 5 to 7 together, please?
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Please proceed.
Mr Tan Kiat How: Let me elaborate on the specific measures we have put in place to cool the environment and address the urban heat island, or UHI, effect in our neighbourhoods, community spaces and industrial estates.
Prof Koh Lian Pin asked about the progress and impact of our initiatives to reduce ambient temperatures, such as the introduction of greenery on the top decks of our multi-storey carparks, the use of cool paint on HDB blocks, and the planting of trees in our industrial estates. He also asked whether we select specific tree species or vegetation to provide the most optimal cooling benefits. Dr Tan Wu Meng asked if studies have been conducted on ambient interior temperatures of HDB flats across different times of the day and weather conditions, and if we consider temperature trends in designing new HDB projects.
As Minister Grace Fu earlier highlighted, the Government adopts a science-based and proactive approach to various aspects of climate adaptation, including the rise in temperatures. BCA requires buildings to be designed to limit heat gain from the exterior, which helps to improve thermal comfort for building occupants. BCA's Green Mark scheme also recognises buildings that implement UHI mitigation measures, such as applying cool paints and providing greenery. In the design of HDB projects, HDB currently deploys various strategies to optimise thermal comfort. For example, our HDB buildings are predominantly oriented in the North-South direction to reduce heat gain. For new towns and estates, HDB conducts environmental modelling to site new flats, design building facades and refine building layouts to harness existing wind corridors and optimise wind flow.
For existing towns, HDB is conducting a pilot study on cool paint which could absorb less heat and reduce the ambient temperature of HDB blocks. Past trials have shown a reduction of ambient temperatures by up to 2 degrees Celsius. The pilot is expected to be completed in 2024. Based on the study's outcomes, HDB will consider extending the use of cool paint to more estates. Under the HDB Green Towns Programme, which covers all existing HDB towns, HDB is introducing greenery to the top decks of selected multi-storey carparks (MSCPs) in the form of urban farms, community gardens, or rooftop greenery using the Prefabricated Extensive Green (PEG) Roof Tray System based on the suitability of the carparks. These efforts also aim to reduce ambient temperature.
We are also intensifying greenery in our industrial estates, which are amongst the hotter areas in Singapore. To date, nearly 90,000 trees have been planted in our industrial estates under the OneMillionTrees movement, with the help of our partners and the community. These trees are planted to resemble the look and feel of natural forests, to provide pedestrians with shade and respite from the heat. These efforts have helped to beautify and cool industrial estates, such as Jurong Island, Seletar Aerospace Park and Tuas Industrial Estate, to create greener and more conducive workplaces. We aim to increase the total number of trees across our industrial estates from 180,000 trees today, to about 260,000 trees by 2030.
Studies have shown that intensified tree planting in Singapore can reduce mid-day temperatures in the surrounding areas by up to 0.9 degrees Celsius. We will continue planting more trees across Singapore under the OneMillionTrees movement, to mitigate the effects of climate change and provide Singaporeans with a more liveable and sustainable environment. We are also working with Institutes of Higher Learning to examine the cooling effects of various tree typologies and planting configurations. We will also deploy an island-wide network of sensors to monitor the cooling effects of our tree planting efforts. The data collected will support microclimatic research in Singapore and help NParks develop better greening strategies to cool Singapore.
In summary, the Government takes a broad-based holistic approach that will help all segments of the population cope with rising temperatures. Dealing with the impacts of climate change requires collective action and community resilience. Together, we will ensure that as a nation, we can adapt, adjust and remain resilient in the face of climate change.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Dr Tan Wu Meng.
\tDr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): I thank the Minister and the Senior Minister of State for their answers. I have three supplementary questions. Mdm Deputy Speaker, as background, yesterday, in the US journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer-reviewed report was published by the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. Entitled \"Climate end game: exploring catastrophic climate change scenarios\", it proposes serious consideration of worst-case scenarios in climate crisis. My three questions are as follows.
Firstly, the Minister mentioned that the temperature projections might reach peak daytime temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius in Singapore by the year 2040. Can I ask if this a median scenario or have worse, more severe scenarios been considered and are we getting ready for those as well?
Secondly, is the Government considering the possibility of low probability, high-impact situations? For example, if extreme climate situations affect energy resilience, and thereby, the ability of households in Singapore to maintain air-con across the island during a heat wave.
And thirdly, I am not sure if I had missed the answer, but has the Senior Minister of State from MND mentioned what is the data on the temperature of HDB dwellings across different times of the day, and in particular, whether HDB flats will continue to be safely habitable amidst very high temperatures, even in the absence of air-con?
The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank Member Dr Tan Wu Meng for his questions, in fact, I am very gratified to see that Members are truly interested in climate change and its impact on Singapore and Singaporeans.
It is the greatest challenge to mankind and we should really devote attention and resources to address this global challenge squarely.
In our projection, we look at three broad scenarios. One is the business-as-usual scenario; the other is a scenario where we are taking good steps to mitigate emissions; and the third is to assume a situation where fossil fuels continue to be harnessed for energy. This is not a scenario that is determined by Singapore only. This is actually adopted by IPCC, which assesses a collection of thousands of scientific journals and scientific research. It is, in a way, an aggregation of the global thought leadership on climate change issues.
So, within these three scenarios, the peak 40 degrees Celsius forms one of the data points. But, obviously, we are looking at the three scenarios squarely and looking at how they would impact Singapore specifically. Because we are quite different from the Northern or Southern hemispheres – we have tropical weather, we are an island, we are not part of large continental masses. So, we do have our own climatic patterns that require careful local study. And that, in fact, is what we will be doing over the next few decades.
Indeed, I think Dr Tan Wu Meng is very wise to point out that there are low probability but high-impact events. We are constantly in discussions with the scientists. We just hosted the World Climate Research Programme Sea Level Conference in Singapore and had the chance to speak to many world-class climate scientists, which informs our planning.
While our long-term planning does not have these specific impact events in mind at this point, we are constantly looking for inputs and they will always shape our planning parameters. I will leave the third question to Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How.
\tMr Tan Kiat How: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I thank the Member Dr Tan Wu Meng for his question. At the heart of it, I think he is asking whether HDB plans for the thermal comfort of residents as a priority. I would like to assure Dr Tan that it is indeed so.
I mentioned in my earlier remarks that we look at the environmental modelling and wind flow, and we consider how the occupants of an HDB building can be comfortable, even during the day. We do not take the assumption that everybody switches on their air-conditioning.
And perhaps, an additional assurance to Dr Tan, that the HDB Green Towns Programme looks at a 10-year plan to make HDB towns more sustainable and liveable.
To his question about the energy consumption of HDB towns, it is something that we are concerned about. The HDB Green Towns Programme, which I mentioned, focuses on reducing energy consumption, recycling rainwater and cooling HDB towns. We aim to reduce the energy consumption in HDB towns by 15% from 2020's level, by 2030.
I would like to add on about thermal comfort. We look at passive strategies in the design of these buildings to optimise thermal comfort. Like I mentioned, we do not make the assumption that everybody switches on the air-conditioning. Thus far, wind flow is the main focus of HDB's effort in thermal comfort design. For new towns and estates, HDB conducts environmental modelling to site the new flats – I mentioned about the North-South facing earlier – but also, we look at the building design facades and in refining the building layouts, the room layouts, to maximise the wind corridors and optimise wind flow. A specific example includes orienting the HDB buildings in the North-South direction and requiring 45% to 60% green cover in new estates to ensure sufficient greenery to create a comfortable living environment for all Singaporeans.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Hany Soh.
\tMs Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. This is in relation to some of the responses that Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How has provided. This is a follow-up supplementary question on that.
I understand that in relation to the HDB Green Towns Programme, there will be more features that will be introduced by HDB. In this regard, I wish to make a proposal to HDB for consideration. For many of our existing HDB flats, we incorporate full glass windows that admit a considerable amount of heat during the late afternoon. So, my question is whether HDB can consider installing the low-heat transfer, double-glazed windows for BTOs moving forward, and also, as part of the features for existing HDB flats as part of the Home Improvement Programme (HIP)?
This will really help, because, apart from new methods that HDB is introducing, for example, cool painting, I believe that there is a dire need for us to consider, to explore other suitable greener alternatives that help cool down HDB flats, especially since more Singaporeans are now adopting flexible working arrangements and working from home.
\tMr Tan Kiat How: I thank the Member Ms Hany Soh for her questions. I fully agree that windows are a very important part of the HDB living residential unit. As earlier mentioned, the flow of the wind and the natural ventilation are important strategies to keep the thermal temperature within units comfortable for the residents.
We will certainly look into the suggestions by Ms Hany Soh – about the use of double-glazed windows to minimise heat transfers. These are some of the areas that we are always studying with the research institutes, as well as our partners.
Perhaps, just to give a little bit more assurance to Ms Hany Soh, I will explain how we design windows. Today, windows are provided with canopies, which provide sun shading and shielding from rain. The windows are also designed with larger, openable panels, as well as smaller top hung windows, such that the large panels are closed during heavy rain, while the top hung windows can still be opened slightly to provide natural ventilation within the flat.
So, windows and how they are designed and the ventilation flows arising from that, are important design considerations for HDB.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms He Ting Ru.
\tMs He Ting Ru (Sengkang): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I refer to the urban heat vulnerability analysis report, published in June 2020 by Cooling Singapore, which is quite a detailed first stage analysis, I understand. A report where they stated that further research is being done, especially in relation to the regional effect of heat.
This report states that climate change intensifies not only the urban heat island effect, but also causes health, social and economic challenges.
So, I would like to know, in terms of these cross-Ministerial, whole-of-Government issues, which Ministry or agency is responsible for leading the cross-agency plans and coordination to address these challenges?
One of my supplementary questions would be what are the efforts to raise awareness of heat injuries in groups, such as the elderly, parents of young children and people who work outdoors more, because obviously these groups are more exposed to the heat, which will only intensify as the years go on?
Again, I refer to India's Heat Action Plan, for example, which identifies high-risk populations and groups, and increases outreach and communications about the dangers of increased heat to these groups.
So, I am just wondering, maybe this is something that MSE would be working together with MOH on? I would like to ask whether the Ministers are able to share more information about this at this stage.
Finally, I have one question for MND, in particular. I noticed that in the report that I quoted earlier from, the urban heat vulnerability analysis report, there was a segment where there was some analysis and studies done on access to cooler indoor spaces —
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms He Ting Ru, get to your question, please.
Ms He Ting Ru: Yes, I am referring to the indoor spaces, during particularly bad heat waves. I am just wondering whether this information is going to be or has already been integrated into town planning, and whether residents have adequate access to refuge in the day, during exceptional heat waves? Whether or not, this is something that MND is actually looking into?
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Can I just remind Members to please keep your questions succinct, so that we can have more questions taken? Alright, Minister Grace Fu.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Indeed, I think it is important for us to think about challenges very holistically. And that is really the genesis of the Singapore Green Plan, which is to bring multi-agencies' work together and to integrate our plans, so that we are clear about the trajectory and pathway that we are heading towards.
Similarly, when we come to issues, such as how hotter temperatures are going to affect human health, there are also inter-agency work groups to study that, whether it is MOH with MSE on heat stress affecting human health, or MOH, MOM and the Workplace Safety and Health Council to study the impact of heat on our work practices.
So, that will continue to be the way the Government handles climate change. Each of the Ministries will have its own policy portfolio and they will continue to refine and review their policies going forward, with information that is coming in from the various studies that we are doing – whether it is with V3 or other studies, such as the one the Member quoted. It is really part of our research effort to understand various impacts of climate change on Singapore better.
And we also have the Inter-Ministerial Committee that is chaired by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean that will bring the relevant Ministries together. As and when we are informed with new inputs, we will review the relevant policies and we will get the relevant Ministries together to study some of these cross-Ministry problems.
Mr Tan Kiat How: Mdm Deputy Speaker, the short answer to the Member Ms He Ting Ru's question is yes. Mitigating UHI effect, both in our residential areas, community spaces and industrial areas, is something that the MND family is looking at very carefully and part of our design considerations.
And to add on to a point – Ms He Ting Ru mentioned the research of the Cooling Singapore project. Just to share with Ms He that it is not just about the covered spaces, but we are also looking at the outdoor thermal comfort and outdoor shading for Singaporeans as they go about their different activities outdoors.
For example, NParks is collaborating with researchers from the NRF-funded project, \"Cooling Singapore 2.0\", to study the impact of greenery on urban heat mitigation, specifically on tree shapes, planting configurations and size of green spaces.
I am actually very heartened that the recent modelling study of trees in HDB residential precincts preliminarily shows that trees with large canopies, such as umbrella- and oblong-shaped trees, are more effective in improving outdoor thermal comfort. In addition, increasing the tree planting densities, which we are doing under our OneMillionTrees movement, will lead to further improvements in outdoor thermal comfort.
And studies by other researchers have also shown that our structured multi-tiered planting – managed trees over shrubs, multi-layers of canopy – can reduce mid-day temperatures by up to 0.9 degrees Celsius.
So, holistically, we are not just looking at the design of indoor spaces, community spaces, facades of buildings, windows, ventilation, wind flow, but we are also looking at using greenery, which are nature-based solutions, to achieve outdoor and indoor cooling.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Temporary State Control of Energy Market to Keep Electricity Prices Stable for Consumers and Businesses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"
8 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the long-term geopolitical events affecting oil prices and the high volatility of energy prices, whether the Government will consider temporarily bringing the energy market under state control to keep electricity prices more stable for consumers and businesses in Singapore.
\tThe Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the world has been facing an energy crunch since September 2021. Global gas prices have increased significantly, due to high demand and tight gas supply. The global energy markets are expected to remain volatile and elevated with the protracted conflict in Ukraine, and this is also coupled with the seasonal increase in energy demand from countries in Europe and Asia, especially during the coming winter.
With Singapore relying on imported natural gas to generate around 95% of its electricity, our domestic energy prices would not be immune from the volatility in global energy markets. The higher fuel prices globally will result in higher domestic electricity prices. While our electricity prices will have to reflect the higher cost of electricity production, it is vital that the global volatility does not disrupt our electricity supply and impair the functioning of our domestic energy market.
I previously shared with the House measures that MTI and EMA have put in place to secure our electricity supply and ensure the orderly functioning of the wider energy sector. Specifically, EMA established a Standby LNG Facility, called the SLF, and also required generation companies (gencos) to bolster their own stockpile of fuel. Where there are potential shortages in electricity supply, EMA will also direct the gencos to generate. EMA also introduced the Temporary Electricity Contracting Support Scheme (TRECS) to help large consumers secure retail contracts.
These measures have helped to ensure uninterrupted energy supply and stabilised the Uniform Singapore Energy Price (USEP), without the need to bring the electricity market under state control within the short- to medium- term. EMA will continue to monitor the situation closely and we will not hesitate to introduce new measures, if necessary.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.
\tMr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for his reply. As the Minister said, 95% of our energy is from natural gas, which is a single modality. I wish to ask whether the Ministry is considering diversifying our electricity sources to reduce concentration of risks?
\tDr Tan See Leng: I thank the Member for his supplementary question. I think we have also shared many times in public, and also in this House, that we have been actively looking at ways and means to diversify and improve our resilience and preserve our energy security. Other than the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project, which is a pilot that we started, also known as the LTMS, EMA has an ongoing Request for Proposal (RFP), to import up to four gigawatts of electricity by 2035. EMA has received various proposals from countries in the region and beyond, demonstrating the abundant renewable energy potential within this region.
We welcome these proposals and we will diversify our supply sources to secure a reliable and sustainable supply for Singapore.
Other than tapping on electricity imports, we will also continue to actively preserve some of our existing energy suppliers and also to diversify our energy sources.
First, our natural gas switch. Natural gas will continue to be a key source of energy supply for Singapore. It is good as a transition fuel and it is the lowest, in terms of carbon emission, of all of the fossilised fuels. So, we will continue to ensure that this supply of natural gas is secure.
Secondly, we are also accelerating solar deployment and we aim to be able to achieve two gigawatts peak of solar energy within our country by 2030.
Third, we are developing low-carbon alternatives, such as hydrogen, and we are also exploring the use of carbon capture utilisation and storage; and at the same time, also exploring Singapore's potential for geothermal energy.
We will continue, on the international front, our exchanges with our regional, as well as global partners to advance our mutual interests – to provide energy cooperation and ensure greater energy resilience.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjustments to CPF Interest Rates Given Inflation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"9 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for Manpower whether the CPF interest rate will be increased for the next few years to compensate for the high inflation rate that is expected to last for a considerable period, so as to strengthen the retirement adequacy of Singaporeans and seniors.
10 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower in computing the CPF Ordinary Account interest rate based on the three-month average of major local banks' interest rates (a) which are the banks identified as major local banks and what are the criteria for selection; (b) what are the types of interest rates and parameters used in the determination; and (c) whether there has been a change in the banks or interest rate parameters used since the formula was introduced.
\tThe Minister for Manpower (Dr Tan See Leng): Mdm Deputy Speaker, CPF interest rates are pegged to returns on investments of comparable risk and duration in the market.
Ordinary Account (OA) savings is in a liquid account that can be withdrawn at any time for home purchases, for servicing mortgage loans or other specified purposes, such as investments.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Minister, I would just like to check. Are you taking Question Nos 9 and 10 together?
\tDr Tan See Leng: Oh, yes. Sorry, that switch from energy to CPF is quite a significant switch! [Laughter.] Can I take Question Nos 9 and 10 together, please?
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Please do.
\tDr Tan See Leng: Thank you. I apologise. Ordinary Account (OA) savings is in a liquid account that can be withdrawn at any time for home purchases, for the servicing mortgage loans or other specified purposes, such as investments. Thus, the OA interest rate is pegged to the three-month average fixed deposit and savings rates of our three major local banks, which are DBS, UOB and OCBC. These three banks have a larger share of domestic deposits than other banks.
The formula was last changed in 1999 when the ratio of fixed deposits to savings was updated from 50/50 to 80/20. So, 80% fixed deposit, 20% savings. This was done to reflect the longer duration that CPF OA monies remained with CPF Board. As stated in the CPF Board's press release in May 2022, which announced the CPF interest rates effective from July to September 2022, the local banks' three-month average interest rate was 0.09%. Based on our latest estimates, the interest rate remains at around 0.09%.
The Special, MediSave and Retirement Account, or SMRA, interest rates are pegged to the 12-month average yield of 10-year Singapore Government Securities plus 1%. The peg was 2.72% as stated in CPF Board's May press release. It is around 3%, based on our latest estimates. CPF Board will announce in September 2022 the CPF interest rates effective from October to December 2022.
As these are below the effective floor rates for these accounts, the interest rates for the OA and SMRA are maintained at 2.5% and 4% respectively. The Government has maintained the floor rate of 4% for the SMRA since 2008 and we will continue to review this on an annual basis. Therefore, despite the low interest rate environment since the Global Financial Crisis, the Government has continued to pay generous interest rates due to the floor rates. If the pegged rates exceed the floor rates, members will correspondingly earn the higher interest rates on their CPF savings.
There is some time-lag in CPF interest rate adjustments to avoid subjecting members to unnecessary fluctuations. Members with HDB concessionary loans who pay the prevailing OA interest rate plus 0.1 percentage point also benefit from the stability vis-à-vis the market mortgage rates. This is the case when interest rates are rising, but the converse also applies when interest rates are falling.
The Government will continue to pay the 1% of extra interest on the first $60,000 of members' combined CPF balances, 55 and above can earn up to 6%. Members can also transfer their OA monies to the Special or Retirement Account to earn the higher, risk-free rate. I want to emphasise that this is risk-free.
We will continue to review CPF interest rates periodically. The interest rates on the Ordinary Account, Special Account and MediSave Account are reviewed quarterly, every three months, while the interest rate on the Retirement Account is reviewed annually.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): I thank the Minister for the reply. I have two supplementary questions. The first is in relation to Member Henry Kwek's question, in terms of the extra interest that can be granted, especially in the inflationary environment.
I note that if you look at the CPF monies, they are invested in special SGS Securities and, basically, these earn for the CPF Board a coupon rate that is pegged to CPF interest rates that members receive. If you look over the last 20 years, I think the GIC portfolio nominal returns were about 7% per year. So, what will be the hurdle for the Government to consider granting extra interest rates, as it has done from January 2008 and 2016?
The second supplementary question is in relation to the formula which Minister shared that was changed in July 1999. It has been more than 20 years since. I was wondering whether the Government would consider reviewing this formula. Because, even if you look within the fixed deposits and savings rates for the banks, I just had a look last night – just for DBS, for example, if you look at the 12-month deposit rate, for balances of $20,000 to $50,000, it is 0.05% which is indicated on the CPF Board's website. But for less than $20,000, the amount for a 12-month deposit rate would be 1.15% instead. And I think over the last few days, the various local banks have also raised their interest rates for their savings accounts, such as the Multiplier and so on. So, whether or not these changes in the account types would prompt the CPF Board to review its pegging of the formula?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank the Member for his two supplementary questions. Let me put this into a broader perspective and we also welcome suggestions. Many of the policies are decided with input from an Advisory Panel and a Board as well.
The CPF system is aimed at giving members over the longer horizon better security in retirement and old age.
\tI think what the Member was alluding to, in terms of all of these bank accounts, Multiplier accounts and so on, these are very short-term, volatile instruments. I do not want to belabour the point and take up too much time to go into an extended discussion on this thing.
Like I said, the emphasis is really on long term. For us, in being custodians of members' monies, we take a very long-term view in providing members with a fair rate of return. The CPF interest rates, I want to re-emphasise, continue to be attractive. Members below aged 55 can earn up to 5%, while members aged 55 and above can earn up to 6%. Members can also transfer their Ordinary Account monies to the Special or Retirement Account to earn the higher interest rate. And I want to emphasis on this again – the interest rate is risk-free. I think that really tells you how secure your savings are.
To his point about the longer-term returns as to whether we can peg it, if you look at where we are today, we peg the rates to the 10-year Singapore Government Securities plus 1%. The pegged rates have been below 4% since the Global Financial Crisis. This is since 2008. So, we are looking at about a 14-year horizon when the peg was introduced.
The average delta, that means the incremental difference that CPF has paid is 0.9%. It is quite substantial. That is just for the SMRA.
For the Ordinary Account, the interest rate peg has been below the legislated minimum floor of 2.5% because, if you appreciate the fact that for the Ordinary Account, we pegged it to the prevailing interest rates of the three local banks – DBS, UOB and OCBC. So, using the peg with our legislative minimum floor of 2.5%, since 1 July 1999, the average delta is double that of the SMRA, which is at 1.8%. And again, I want to emphasise to the hon Member, Mr Louis Chua, that this is risk-free.
So, I think that the rates that are chosen, these are effective rates, basic rates with no further conditions. What the Member was talking about earlier on, in terms of the banks' promotional deposit rates, they are contingent on customers providing fresh funds, or they are only valid for a limited period or for limited amounts of deposits.
Let us take, for example, the DBS Multiplier account. The bonus interest rates are typically contingent on customers. If you look at the promotional materials and read the fine print, they are contingent on customers fulfilling other criteria, such as spending on credit cards or crediting of salary. The effective interest rate, which is what would impact all of us, may be much lower because the bonus rates are usually kept to a certain amount.
So, I think, in other words, as financial advisors, it behoves us to actually be very transparent to all of our clients that these benefits are not uniformly applicable to all balances of all the depositors.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Intent and Approach Towards Criteria for New Energy Efficiency Grant for SMEs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"11 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Trade and Industry with regards to the criteria for the new Energy Efficiency Grant for SMEs (a) what is the Ministry's intent and approach towards it; and (b) whether the Ministry plans to encourage more companies to be more energy-efficient at a systems level, that is, a total solution towards gaining energy efficiency by tiering the grants or focusing on specific capital investments, in order to gain momentum first.
\tThe Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Low Yen Ling) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Energy Efficiency Grant supports and encourages local SMEs in the food services, food manufacturing and retail sectors to invest in energy-efficient equipment in six categories: namely LED lighting, air-conditioners, cooking hobs, refrigerators, water heaters and clothes dryers.
We have focused on these six categories of equipment because they tend to be energy intensive and are used for long hours. The types of equipment supported under each category are selected based on technologies that have been identified as energy-efficient or have high-efficiency ratings, under NEA's Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme.
I want to assure the Members that in the coming months, EnterpriseSG (ESG) will be working very closely with the industry, seeking industry feedback on the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) as part of our ongoing engagements with the industry, Trade Associations and Chambers.
We certainly encourage companies to adopt a \"total solution\" approach towards energy efficiency, as suggested by the Member. NEA's Energy Efficiency Fund (EEF) provides support for companies in the manufacturing sector, including the integration of resource-efficient designs into new facilities and the installation of energy management information systems. In addition, SMEs can also tap on affordable energy assessments that is offered by the Energy Efficiency Technology Centre (EETC), which is a collaboration between NEA and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), to help them make informed decisions on the kind of measures to take to improve their energy efficiency.
We welcome suggestions on how we can further help our SMEs become more energy efficient. Together, we can make the Singapore economy more sustainable.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Edward Chia.
\tMr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah): Thank you, Madam. I would like to ask the Minister of State if MTI is also looking at spurring adoption of energy-efficient measures upstream, at a more system level besides focusing on equipment.
In addition, food services businesses use a wide range of equipment and some of them could be very energy intensive. Will MTI consider widening the range of equipment considered, as this could be helpful to many businesses and reduce potential equipment wastage?
\tMs Low Yen Ling: I want to thank the Member, Mr Edward Chia, for his two supplementary questions. And I want to assure him that MTI and ESG are very committed to work with the other Ministries and agencies to support our SMEs, to make the green transformation at the system level for those who are prepared to do so. But we also recognise that there are some SMEs who need to take the first baby steps and this is why we have the Energy Efficiency Grant. The EEG is one of the latest schemes amongst the suite of many other measures – between MTI, MSE, NEA and so on – we have in place to support our businesses to become more energy-efficient.
I want to assure him that we are committed to help our SMEs in their sustainability journey. And that is why, over the past few years, in particular, we have rolled out many schemes and measures that supports our SMEs to make the green transformation at system level, be it acquiring expertise, skills, technology or even capability.
So, for example, for SMEs that are building owners, they will be able to apply for the BCA's Green Mark Incentive Scheme for Existing Buildings 2.0 (GMIS-EB 2.0), because this provides building owners, including SMEs, with co-funding support of up to 50% to help them to retrofit and to help them raise the energy performance of their building. So, we have that for SMEs that are prepared to go upstream to really embark on their sustainability journey at the system level.
Other than that, for our industrial SMEs, if they are keen to also go upstream and make a system level green transformation and they do not quite know what to do, they can approach EETC. This is a collaboration between NEA and one of our Autonomous University (AU), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). So, what can they do for the SMEs? They will help them provide energy audits, because you need to start with knowing how much energy you are consuming, the whole of the organisation, your production lines and so on. They will also help SMEs build up their local energy efficiency capabilities. And if the SME has Research Scientist Engineers (RSE), they can also work in tandem with them to upskill their engineers and practitioners in energy efficiency.
On the Member's second question about why the six, can we go beyond the six categories? Allow me to take a step back and share why the three sectors, and then, why these six categories? In MTI and ESG, we have been working very closely with our industries, with our SMEs, across all sectors and we know that in the last nine months, it has been difficult, in particular, our SMEs in the food services, food manufacturing and the retail sectors. We know that they tend to have a larger electricity component in their overall business costs. So, we want to help them to see how to manage that and become more competitive and bring the business costs down.
This is why, we are going to roll out the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG), the SMEs in these three sectors can apply for the EEG starting 1 September 2022 to 31 March 2023. Now, this grant will allow the SMEs in these three sectors to obtain a support of up to 70% to adopt energy efficiency equipment in the pre-approved categories that I have mentioned. Why pre-approved? Because we work very closely with NEA's licensing department to pre-approve the equipment, so that the SME applicants will be able to adopt this energy efficient appliances and equipment readily, very quickly and easily as well.
Let me share with you how we work with NEA to qualify the equipment. Essentially, these six categories are identified based on two key considerations. Number one, what would be the energy efficient technologies behind, whether it is the cooker, hob, refrigerators and so on. And the other one will be based on the High Efficiency Rating by NEA's mandatory energy labelling scheme. I want to assure the Member that, for any SME clients that have other equipment and would like to apply, the applicants may suggest other kinds of equipment or even technology within this six supportable categories that has higher or similar level of energy efficiency. We would like to invite them to make the submission to apply for the review and we certainly will evaluate accordingly.
Rest assured that MTI, ESG, in fact, together with EMA, as well as our colleagues in NEA and MSE, we are very committed to supporting our SMEs across various sectors to embark on their sustainability journey, be it at the system level, or be it taking the first few steps by adopting energy efficient equipment.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Nurse-to-patient Ratio and Efforts to Reduce Nurses' Administrative Workload","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"12 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, what is the average and median nurse-to-patient ratio for (i) general wards and (ii) intensive care units respectively.
13 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health (a) what steps has the Ministry taken to reduce the administrative workload of nurses in restructured hospitals; (b) whether additional steps will be taken; and (c) if so, what are they.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health): Mdm Deputy Speaker, may I address Questions Nos 12 and 13 together?
\tDeputy Speaker: Go ahead.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: My answer will also address written Question No 36 from today's Order paper, oral Question Nos 20 and 21 and written Question No 53 raised by Mr Louis Ng from the Order Paper on 1 August.
Thank you, Mr Ng, for your concern over our nursing workforce. I believe it is also not too late to wish all nurses in Singapore, Happy Nurses' Day. [Applause.]
Over the last five years, there has been a slight overall increase in the attrition rates for local nurses. The attrition of local public sector nurses increased from 6% in 2017, to 6.3% in 2018 and 7% in 2019, then dropped to 5.4% in 2020, before increasing to 7.4% in 2021. For foreign public sector nurses, international competition has been more intense and attrition rate has increased more significantly, from 8.2% in 2017, to 9.1% in 2018 and 9.4% in 2019, then dropped to 7% in 2020, before increasing to 14.8% in 2021.
The typical nurse-to-bed ratio for general wards in the public acute hospitals is one nurse for every four or five beds. The typical nurse-to-patient ratio in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the public acute hospitals is one nurse for each ICU patient and could be higher, such as two nurses for more complex ICU cases. This has not changed significantly over the past five years.
Mr Ng has asked for salary comparison between private and public hospital nurses. We are reluctant to provide this so openly, as we know that both sectors compete for manpower. We also do not have data for the private sector.
\tI will, however, share a few data points. Staff Nurses (SNs) and Senior Staff Nurses (SSNs) form the largest proportion of our nursing workforce. The median annual salaries for SNs ranged from $42,800 to $53,700 in 2017, and rose to $46,300 to $58,500 in 2021, while that for SSNs ranged from $65,000 to $79,700 in 2017, increasing to $71,200 to $87,600 in 2021. In general, it takes an average four to six years for a fresh graduate to move up to SSN. Hence, an SN in 2017 may be drawing the annual salary in the SSN range by 2021.
The key issue is to retain the services of nurses. Our strategy to stabilise the nursing workforce covers several key aspects. These include reviewing the scope of work that nurses are doing to enable them to spend more time on direct patient care. Equally important is to ensure that remunerations are competitive, locally and also internationally.
On reviewing the scope of work, our public healthcare institutions adopt a multi-prong approach to reduce the administrative workload for nurses and enable nurses to focus on patient care. This includes streamlining care processes and deploying dedicated administrative and support care staff to assist nurses.
Over time, we have also introduced innovations in automation, technology, robotics and AI-enabled technology to assist nurses and healthcare staff, to ease the load of non-clinical and administrative tasks. An example of such technology is the Nursing Software Suite, introduced by Singapore Health Services (SHS) in their hospitals to enable patients to self-help, such as enabling them to check their results, medications, schedules for tests and indicating their requests to the care team.
Other than reviewing the job scope and administrative workload, as our population ages, there will continue to be growing demands on healthcare manpower. I also urge families and caregivers to be a partner in the care journey of your loved ones, as working together with us will help alleviate the workload faced by our healthcare staff.
Mr Louis Ng also asked if the National Wellness Committee for Junior Doctors (NWC-JD) could broaden its scope of work to include the working hours and conditions of nurses. We would like to explain that the NWC-JD was formed to specifically address issues related to junior doctors. These need to be tackled differently in the case of junior doctors because of their regular rotations across the public healthcare system, compared to other staff groups who are employed directly by the respective public healthcare clusters.
MOH and the public healthcare clusters have always been concerned about the well-being of nurses and other staff groups. For example, we had formed an internal cross-cluster Staff Well-being Committee in 2019 for clusters to share best practices with one another and provide feedback to MOH on enhancements to improve well-being across all categories of staff. One example of its recommendations was for MOH to look deeper into the issues of abuse and harassment of healthcare workers. Hence, we announced earlier in March 2022 the formation of a Tripartite Workgroup to address this nationally.
Clusters have also enhanced their support measures for staff. For example, Chief Wellness Officers have been appointed by clusters to oversee and develop system changes to improve the well-being of all healthcare staff. Counselling services, peer-support networks and staff support assistance plans have also been put in place to support staff.
The rest day provisions and work hour limits for public healthcare workers are stipulated in the Employment Act or set out in the public healthcare clusters' employment contracts, as previously explained to Mr Louis Ng in Parliament, in March. While the Ministry does not impose a minimum number of rest hours, duty rosters for nurses are planned in advance to ensure staff have adequate rest between shifts.
Even as we prioritise the well-being of our nurses, we appreciate the reality of their work, which is to deliver timely and quality patient care. The Ministry is working to ensure there are sufficient nurses on the ground. In fact, the registered stock of nurses over the past few years has remained stable, with a slight increase from around 42,800 at end 2019, to 43,000 at end 2021. Local nursing intakes have also increased from around 1,500 in 2014 to around 2,100 in 2021, to ensure that there is a stable inflow of nursing manpower into our healthcare system.
We understand the importance of recognising nurses' contributions and the Ministry has worked on reviewing their salaries and allowances. Over the last five years, the annual salaries of local nurses in public healthcare institutions – which comprises base salary, allowances and bonuses – have increased.
With the easing of COVID-19, public healthcare institutions have been allowing nurses to take time off work to rest and recover. This includes allowing foreign staff to return home to spend time with their loved ones, after a long period of time away from them in 2020 and 2021, when many borders were closed and travel restrictions were in effect. We know from clusters' data that leave is being approved and allowed.
MOH remains committed to provide support to the public healthcare clusters in our efforts to ensure that there is sufficient manpower on the ground, and look after the well-being of our nurses, as they continue to face pressures from COVID-19 surge waves and an ageing population.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Madam, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. But I have three clarifications.
One, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that the nurses should have adequate rest. But I am just wondering whether MOH can clarify what \"adequate\" means. I think a lot of nurses are sharing that they sometimes end their shift at 9.00 pm or 10.00 pm, and then they are back at work at 7.00 am, and that is insufficient rest for many of them.
Two, can I ask whether MOH has an ideal nurse-to-patient ratio and what are we doing to work towards that ideal ratio, both in the general wards and the ICUs as well?
Lastly, for the ancillary care staff, I asked for their median salary as well, but I understand we cannot provide. Still, I think they do help in reducing the nurses' workload. So, if I could ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary what is MOH doing in terms of increasing the salary of the ancillary care staff, their career progression, as well as increasing the hiring of these staff members.
\t
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the question. Let me address the first one, in relation to rest hours. There are many different arrangements within the public healthcare institutions in the different clusters on how they actually manage the rest hours amongst the healthcare workers. So, in some clusters, it is about ensuring that they typically work on rotating shifts and they are rostered such that they have adequate rest time within shifts. Guidance has also been given, so that they are given rest time for their breaks. Duty rosters are planned in advance and there are guidelines, so that they are not working consecutively beyond a certain number of days so that they get the rest they needed. Within the working space, they are also given dedicated hall rooms, staggered break times so that they can have sufficient rest.
The reality on the ground is that there are many challenges and these nurses work very hard. There are realities of their workplaces that require them to go beyond their call of duty. We really appreciate that and we know that it has been challenging for the nurses and all the healthcare workers.
So, the key thing is making sure that there is a sufficient number on the ground and that is something that we are continually looking at. The attrition rate is a reflection of this. The numbers that we are looking at in respect of the local nurses are actually stabilising. Our key issue and problems are that we are losing the foreign nurses.
The second question is related to the ideal nurse-to-patient ratio. This is a function of the type of wards and the work that they do, because it is a function of the care that is needed for the patient. And, as you know, they are all tiered in terms of what specific care needs to be given. So, this is a function of those two. And that is a priority because patient care is important. So, in a lot of the settings, what we are trying to do is also ensuring that they have sufficient time to dedicate to patient care.
What are the other pieces of work that they need to do? For administrative work, we are looking at various ways on how we can manage some of this work, so that there is sufficient time and they are able to dedicate their time to the work in relation to patient care.
In relation to the Member's concern and queries with regard to salaries, and also that of the other workers, the healthcare workers, I think this is something that we are constantly looking at because we know how valuable they are in our community. We are concerned about the pandemic still being around and also the fact that we have an ageing population. So, this is something we are constantly looking at, at making this sector a favourable one, something that is attractive, so that we can have people go into the sector and relieve the manpower on the ground.
But the reality is, as I have mentioned earlier, we are doing everything. It is a multi-pronged approach. The issue that we are seeing right now is the fact that we are losing foreign nurses due to the pandemic. Now that the borders are open, they can go back. They are also being attracted by prospects overseas. So, there is international competition and we are losing all these workers. That means that we are losing the numbers on the ground here, locally.
So, while salaries and working conditions are important and we are constantly looking at how we can improve these, we should not jump to the conclusion that they are always the root of the manpower problems.
MOH remains committed to trying to look at this issue holistically and adopt a multi-pronged approach in improving the situation on the ground.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Just a quick last point. I do agree that we have a lot of guidelines in place. But I think it is very difficult to follow at this point because, as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned, a lot of the foreign nurses are leaving and that really puts the stress now on the local nurses.
So, we can rely on their passion, they are very passionate about it, but I think they are really urging for some protection, especially of their rest time. Again, I ask whether MOH can, at least, make sure that the guidelines on adequate rest for nurses are being adhered to at this point.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member again for his question. Indeed, I understand the concerns and I mentioned earlier that there was an internal committee that was set up, the Staff Well-being Committee. And amongst some of the issues raised is clearly the issue of giving sufficient rest to the nurses. And this is something that they are looking at. There have been a few recommendations. The implementation of these different recommendations is being rolled out and we do hope to see that these recommendations and proposals are impacting the workflow and, hopefully, they will improve outcomes.
On the other hand, there are also other things that we hope to see, because I also mentioned earlier about how family members, there is a certain expectation of what nurses are expected to do in hospitals and this also does not help in terms of adding to their workload. The culture may be different elsewhere, and we may want to educate and look into this matter.
There is also a task force that is looking to address issues of abuse, which also impacts the work conditions of the staff and the nurses. These are also all things that we are currently looking at. So, give us some time to roll out some of the recommendations that have been put up. Hopefully, through all these efforts that we are putting up, there is improvement and we will constantly review this to see how it has impacted the ground.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Successfully Commercialised Ideas from SMEs' Partnerships with Local Institutes of Higher Learning","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"14 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many SMEs have engaged with Centres of Innovation in local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to support their research and development efforts; (b) whether the Ministry can provide a breakdown of the successfully commercialised ideas by SMEs in partnership with IHLs according to industry sectors; and (c) how can SMEs' engagement with IHLs be boosted to better tap on the expertise and technological capabilities of IHLs.
\tThe Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Low Yen Ling) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mdm Deputy Speaker, over the period 2016 to 2020, approximately 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged with the Centres of Innovation (COIs) in the local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and A*STAR Research Institutes (RIs). These engagements have resulted in about 300 innovation projects conducted, ranging from technology translation and adoption to Intellectual Property (IP) licensing, product co-development and co-innovation.
The feedback from SMEs has been very positive. An example of a local SME that has benefited from its partnership with a COI is You Tiao Man. The Food Innovation and Resource Centre (FIRC) COI which is located at Singapore Polytechnic helped refine the company's frozen \"you tiao\", that is, fried dough, manufacturing methods to improve the product's taste and quality, which then led to its successful commercialisation. The company is now supplying the frozen \"you tiao\" to many hotels, restaurants, airlines and food service companies. In addition, it has expanded into the B2C market by selling frozen \"you tiao\" directly to customers online and at retail outlets island-wide.
\tAs announced in Budget 2022, the Government has increased support for local SMEs and, in particular, for R&D and innovation activities. More SMEs will now be able to tap on the higher capacity and research capabilities of over 80 Technology, Innovation and Enterprise (TIE) centres, including the eight COIs.
Over the next five years, these centres are expected to undertake close to 2,000 innovation projects across five pilot sectors: agri-tech, construction, food manufacturing, precision engineering and retail.
Besides the COIs, SMEs can also leverage our IHLs' capabilities by participating in technology collaborations and joint projects conducted by the academia and industry partners.
Through such partnerships, our SMEs can strengthen their technical competencies, stay up-to-date and learn the latest research trends and developments. Our SMEs also have the opportunity to work with IHLs and the A*STAR RIs via the Industry Alignment Fund – Industry Collaboration Project, in short, the IAF-ICP scheme. This programme encourages and enables research collaborations between the public sector and the industry to bring promising technologies to market.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Desmond Choo.
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): I would like to thank the Minister of State for her reply. I have two supplementary questions. The first one is: how do these Centres of Innovation serve, assist and benefit the SMEs? The second would be: how does MTI intend to reach out to more SMEs to accelerate the pace of innovation and to foster greater innovation amongst SMEs?
\tMs Low Yen Ling: I want to thank the Member Desmond Choo for his supplementary questions – I believe there are two. And I want to assure him that MTI and ESG will certainly give our strong support to SMEs that want to embark on technology innovation.
SMEs can tap on a wide range of resources at the eight COIs, or Centres of Innovation. Each of the Centres of Innovation is a one-stop hub that supports our SMEs' technology innovation efforts, based on a sectorial approach. For example, I talked about the Food Innovation and Resource Centre (FIRC) that is located at Singapore Polytechnic. We have other COIs that focus on environment and water technology, supply chain management – which is located at Republic Polytechnic – and electronics and the Internet of Things.
On his question on how a COI can assist and serve the SMEs, besides access to laboratory facilities, consultancies and training courses, SMEs can also receive help in feasibility studies and productivity improvements.
I also want to assure the Member that MTI and ESG work very closely with A*STAR. Because each COI takes a sectorial approach. In terms of outreach, the COI staff will work very closely with ESG to extend outreach to SMEs, especially the trade associations and chambers, the industry associations.
FIRC that is located at Singapore Polytechnic has very close links with the Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association. As for the Republic Polytechnic's COI that focuses on supply chain management, I know that they hold a monthly industry outreach event for their SMEs, showcasing the technologies that they have developed, and also past projects.
I want to assure the Member that MTI, ESG and A*STAR will work closely with COIs to support our SMEs' technology innovation efforts.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leon Perera.
\tMr Leon Perera (Aljunied): I thank the Minister of State for her explanation. Just a few supplementary questions.
Firstly, is there a mechanism whereby our local SMEs can very easily access the IPs, the patents, for example, that are available – from COIs, IHLs, RIs and RCs under A*STAR? Is there perhaps an online mechanism where they can access these patents and see whether they can enter into negotiations to license these patents for their own operations? Notwithstanding that there are occasional meet-ups, gatherings and so on, is there this easy, online matching mechanism, for example?
Secondly, is there a mechanism for SMEs to inform IHLs and so on about their commercial priorities, so that they can influence the direction of R&D projects?
Thirdly, in the view of the Government, are these mechanisms working well right now to generate commercial impact?
Lastly, does the Government regularly benchmark the performance of other IHLs and innovation ecosystems around the world which are noted to be very good at bridging between academic research and commercial impact? I understand the Israelis, for example, are very good at this. They tend to generate very high commercial impact from academic R&D.
\tMs Low Yen Ling: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I want to thank the Member Mr Leon Perera for asking these questions.
I want to reassure him that ESG and MTI, as well as A*STAR, work very closely with not just the COIs. I talked about the 80 Technology, Innovation and Enterprise (TIE) centres.
For SMEs that want to embark on technology innovation, if they want to develop new innovation and new IP that will open up new revenue streams, expand their market opportunities the COI team will work very closely with them on projects with potential that may result in new IP, which can then lead to new revenue streams or even new jobs created.
It can translate into a few things. It can translate into technology translation, IP licensing, product development, R&D, prototyping of solutions, proof of concept (POC) and also collaboration with larger enterprises.
On one of the questions the Member asked, yes, certainly, we work very closely, between A*STAR and EDB. I believe we have the Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD). We collaborate with Israeli's R&D side, sharing our best practices and so on.
MTI, ESG and A*STAR will assess very regularly the effectiveness of these TIE centres, including the COIs. For example, we will assess if they are effective at enhancing our enterprises' competitiveness. ESG will commission an impact study. The last impact study, I believe, for the Research Innovation Enterprise (RIE) 2020 tranche, found that the eight COIs collectively helped to generate an Economic Value Added (EVA) of $150 million through working with local SMEs.
To the Member's question on whether there is a repository, other than a portal, it is best that for SMEs that are keen to take the first step in technology innovation and explore how they could work with A*STAR or any of the research institutes to potentially commercialise their IP into a product, to help them open up revenue streams, they can approach A*STAR.
ESG will work very closely with A*STAR to facilitate the discussion and to help them navigate the various RIs. Whether it is in the area of sustainability or electronics, there are sectoral RIs to support their technology innovation efforts. We can take the discussion further, like what I have mentioned, using the COI as an example.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Passenger Traffic and Progress of Reopening of Changi Airport's Air Routes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"15 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Transport given passenger traffic at Changi Airport in June 2022 has reached the target of 50% of pre-pandemic levels, whether the Government has reassessed passenger traffic targets for end- 2022 and 2023 and, if so, what are they.
16 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the current progress of the reopening of Changi Airport's air routes; (b) how does Changi Airport currently rank amongst regional and global air hubs on connectivity and passenger volume; and (c) what is the projected progress of the reopening of Changi Airport's air routes by end of 2022.
\tThe Minister for Transport (Mr S Iswaran): Madam, may I take Question Nos 15 and 16 together?
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Please go ahead.
\tMr S Iswaran: As of the first week of July 2022, weekly passenger traffic at Changi Airport had recovered to about 55% of 2019's average weekly levels. This is on the back of weekly passenger services by airlines recovering to more than 50% of pre-COVID-19 levels. Changi Airport is also connected to 108 cities by passenger flights as of July 2022, which is more than 65% of the number of cities it was connected to before the pandemic.
The pattern of recovery across the world has been uneven. Air hubs in regions such as Europe, North America and the Middle East, which reopened their borders earlier, have seen a faster recovery. International passenger traffic at the Middle Eastern air hubs of Dubai, Doha and Istanbul had recovered to more than 90% of their pre-COVID-19 levels even before June 2022. The connectivity at these hubs, in terms of international city links, is also at 90% or more of pre-COVID-19 levels as of June 2022.
Within the Asia Pacific region, Changi Airport is leading the recovery. As of June 2022, compared to the major Asia Pacific air hubs, such as Incheon, Hong Kong and Bangkok, Changi Airport is ahead in terms of both international passenger traffic and city links vis-a-vis pre-COVID-19 levels.
Demand for air travel remains fundamentally strong. We expect the recovery at Changi Airport to continue and to gather pace when key markets in Northeast Asia, including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan, fully reopen their borders.
To ensure that Changi Airport will be ready to manage the anticipated traveller flows, the Changi Airport Group has announced that it will reopen Terminal 4 from 13 September and commence departure operations in the southern wing of Terminal 2 from October. This will enable the airport to handle up to pre-COVID-19 passenger traffic levels, or about 70 million passengers per annum, which represents about 80% of Changi Airport's pre-COVID-19 capacity.
To support this ramp up in capacity, our aviation stakeholders are also working hard to build up their manpower and restore the traveller experience that Changi Airport is renowned for.
With the efforts and support of the entire aviation community and our partners, we will be ready to welcome more passengers and airlines back to Singapore, and ultimately, restore Changi Airport's position as a pre-eminent global air hub.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): I thank the Minister for the response. Just one supplementary question, which is essentially my Parliamentary Question, in terms of the target passenger numbers for this year, as well as next year.
I ask that because I think STB has put out a visitor arrivals target of about four to six million this year versus 1.5 million in the first half of the year. That would enable the various supply chain partners to better project their own internal capacities to plan ahead, should there be a faster than expected ramp-up in passenger numbers coming through.
\tMdm Deputy Speaker: Minister.
\tMr S Iswaran: Madam, I thank the Member for his question. As I said, it is difficult to set the target at this stage of our recovery for the total volume of passengers that can come in. The reason is simply because the source markets are at different stages of managing the recovery from COVID-19. Key markets like China, Japan and Northeast Asia in general, are still working their way through and we are not sure when exactly and how exactly they will make further changes.
With that in mind, having set an initial 50% target which has been well and truly met and exceeded, our focus now is to prepare our aviation ecosystem and Changi Airport in particular, for a potential volume of about 70 million, which is at about the level that it was pre-COVID-19. And it is about 80% or so of the pre-COVID-19 capacity of Changi Airport.
That, in itself, is no mean feat. What it means is we have to now further ramp up manpower. As I have shared with Members before, we have had an attrition of about one-third of the workforce in the aviation ecosystem over the course of COVID-19. Recovering from that, not just in terms of recruitment but in terms of making sure that the manpower is operationally ready, is a major challenge. One only has to consider the experience in many other airports around the world to appreciate the enormity of the task.
So, our focus, in response to the Member's question, is to ramp up capacity and as part of that effort, reopen Terminal 4, and also have both departure and arrival operations in the southern part of Terminal 2 and all of these to be fully executed by October, so that we are prepared for the year-end peak travel season.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Ministerial Statement, Minister for Defence.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix, unless Members had asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Liability and Contributions of New Citizens to National Service","subTitle":"Statement by Minister for Defence","sectionType":"OS","content":"Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister for Defence.
The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. Madam, during the Parliament Sitting on 5 July this year, Mr Leong Mun Wai asserted that \"citizens by registration are...not doing NS\". He said this in his supplementary question after my reply on sporting privileges for National Servicemen.
Mr Leong's assertion is inaccurate and misleading.
Since 2000, on average, 3,400 new citizens are registered each year, who have been or will be enlisted like all male Singaporeans to serve their NS duties.
MINDEF had provided all relevant facts of NS liabilities for new citizens in a written answer to his Parliamentary Question that he had filed for that same Sitting in July. I quote in full MINDEF's reply: \"Under the Enlistment Act, all male Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents between the ages of 18 and 40 for non-officers and 50 for officers are liable to serve National Service (NS). However, males who receive citizenship as mature adults, typically in their 30s and 40s, are not enlisted as they are not suitable for full-time NS at that age and did not enjoy any benefits prior to their citizenship.
New male citizens who stayed in Singapore when young and enjoyed economic and social benefits are enlisted when they reach 18 years of age or older. They number on average 3,400 each year, which constitute about half of all new male citizens registered each year.\"
In fact, we had prepared this same reply in May, because Mr Leong had filed a similar question then, but which he withdrew when there was no Sitting that month.
Even before the July Sitting, Mr Leong had been repeating these misleading statements in two Facebook posts: one in late May and another on 1 July. In late May, I quote: \"Is it fair for foreigners to be given citizenship without doing NS while our locally-born Singaporeans have to serve NS despite having valid reasons to defer?\" For his Facebook post in July, I quote: \"Is it fair that we forfeit our local talents their chances of developing their talents while many new male citizens do not need to do NS?\"
Let there be no doubt that for every young male citizen, whether by birth, registration or descent, the NS liabilities are the same. We do not differentiate. They will be enlisted for NS at 18 years or older to perform full-time NS, and thereafter must fulfil their Operationally Ready NS (ORNS) duties. That is universal and equitable.
But if a foreigner comes to Singapore and becomes a citizen as a mature adult, typically in his 30s or 40s, we exempt him from NS because he did not enjoy any socioeconomic benefits like young Singaporeans and also because he would be too old to enlist for full time NS.
On a topic as important as NS, Mr Leong should have waited for MINDEF's reply or sought the full facts. This policy is not new; in fact, it dates back at least to the early 1980s. We had to go some way back to find out when the policy started. But it is, at least, more than 40 years. It is in our Parliamentary records as Ministers and Members of Parliament have spoken on this policy previously.
For example, back in 2007, then-Minister of State for Defence Assoc Prof Koo Tsai Kee had already made clear that: \"Each year, we have a number of new citizens in full-time NS. They are born foreign nationals, they took up permanent residency, but have since been naturalised as Singapore Citizens. Like those who are born Singaporeans, they are enlisted for full-time NS upon reaching enlistment age and contribute to Operationally Ready NS thereafter.\"
It is also easy to get the relevant information on the Internet. And you can try it even now. If you key in in your search engine: \"NS, new citizens, Singapore\", it pops up. Many fora make it known that new young male citizens must do NS and that those who become citizens as mature adults are exempted. So, this policy is well publicised on the Internet too.
This long-standing policy has served our defence needs. Over the years, Permanent Residents (PRs) and young male new citizens have formed an increasing proportion of NS enlistees. In the early 2000s, they were about 5% of all full-time national servicemen (NSFs) enlisted each year. In other words, PRs and young male new citizens formed 5% in the early 2000s. Today, they form about 20% of all NSFs enlisted. Of the 20%, slightly more than half are citizens by registration, with the remaining as PRs.
So, what Mr Leong asserts is not true. Many new citizens are enlisted for NS every year. New citizens and PRs are contributing to our national defence. And without that extra inject of new citizens and PRs, our smaller birth cohorts would have impacted SAF's manpower needs more acutely.
I have decided that it is important to correct the misleading statements put out by Mr Leong, because they strike at the foundations of equity and universality that underpin National Service in Singapore. Just think about it – if pre-enlistees are misled into thinking that new citizens of their age are exempted, where will they have the heart to serve NS? The correct facts must be put out to reassure the National Servicemen in the SAF and Home Team.
National Service is the bedrock of the SAF and our national defence. Members of Parliament have the duty to ask questions and debate policies, including NS policies, in this House. But they should not make misleading statements that can weaken NS, the SAF and Home Team.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, before you ask your clarifications, can I just remind you that it is for clarifications, no speeches, please. Clarifications on Minister's Statement.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Mdm Deputy Speaker, first of all, I must register my objection. The Minister has spent the last 15 to 20 minutes talking about what I have written, what I have said, and has pointed some accusations at me. So, I think I am entitled to a full speech.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: You can register your objection but no speeches, as per Standing Order No 23.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Okay, anyway, I accept that. First of all, I thank the Minister for responding today to my recent Parliamentary Questions and also for pointing out some of the views I have expressed. I think this really is good because it makes a robust response and debate in this House. My Parliamentary Questions are actually prompted by the Ukraine war and the passionate speech made by the Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan —
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, what is the clarification?
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Yes, I am getting to that. Mr Leong, just ask your clarifications, please.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Okay. In that case, I would like to ask the fundamental question. The fundamental question is, yes, the Minister has provided data on some of the PRs and the new citizens who have contributed to our National Service in recent years. However, I think there are still a significant number of new citizens who did not —
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ask your question, please.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes. Who did not perform NS. So, just based on some of the Parliamentary Questions I have filed recently, I make an estimate that over the last 21 years —
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, I am going to ask you to please ask your questions and not make statements. Please. Otherwise, I would have to ask you to —
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Okay, then I ask the Minister: what is the number of new citizens who did not do NS? You still have to give me that number. It does not mean that 10% of our annual enlistment now consists of new citizens, then all the new citizens have performed NS, right?
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, it is not in the interest of this House to further debate based on misleading statements and inaccurate statements. We have a full display of Mr Leong's modus operandi. He says I spent 15 minutes. We started at 3.00 pm and even with this speech, it is now 3.11 pm.
He says I did not give him the facts. I gave him all of the full facts. I said they form 20% of full-time NS enlistees, of which more than half are male new citizens while the rest are PRs. The facts speak for themselves.
In fact, when I replied to his question in this Parliamentary Question – why for sportsmen, we have to be very selective in their deferment – my principal argument was equity and universality. He ignored all of it and he jumped in, and now, he says, \"Well, I wasn't really referring to the young ones. I was just referring to others who were exempted.\"
But he did not give the facts. He has not denied that he knew all the facts.
These are all the characteristics of misinformants. They give you half-truths, misleading statements.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, I think in the interest of today's agenda, I propose that we continue. I have stated my views. He has not defended whether he knew, or he spoke out differently. He has just said, well, he has got other questions.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, I am going to allow you just one last clarification so that we can move on.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes, Mdm Deputy Speaker, I think the Minister opened up the debate. And now, he is running away from the debate. So, I will ask one more question. He told me, through my Parliamentary Question last month and he said again just now, that there were 3,400 new citizens and PRs who enlisted every year, on the average.
So, if he says 10% of that is new citizens, that would be 1,700. I got a number here just provided by MHA —
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I had better give all the facts again because he has again twisted the facts.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, since you have asked for the facts, let the Minister repeat it first, and then, you can clarify.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes, yes. Of course.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: I will repeat what we have given him, the reply to him and the exact information he has asked.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Mr Leong, you can take a seat for now. The Minister will go through the facts.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: The information is both in the written reply and today's session. Since 2000, on average, 3,400 new citizens are registered each year, who have been or will be enlisted like all male Singaporeans to serve their NS duties. I further added today that new citizens and PRs form about 20% of all NSmen enlisted.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, the Minister has given the facts. I think we can move on now.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: No, Mdm Deputy Speaker, no.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: What is your clarification, then?
Mr Leong Mun Wai: My clarification is: what is the number of new citizens who have not performed NS? The number the Minister has given only forms a subset of the new citizens. It does not form the whole new citizens' number.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Okay, Mr Leong, you have asked your clarification. Minister, would you like to reply to that?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Madam, his question has been replied to.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, I am going to advise you. Minister has given you the numbers. He has repeated it several times in his speech. I would ask you to look at that again. If you still have further clarifications, then I would advise you to file a Parliamentary Question for the next Sitting. Thank you.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Mdm Deputy Speaker, for the sake of time and for the sake of the proceedings, I accept that, but I must really say that the debate is not complete again. I have an estimate, but I am waiting for the Minister to give me more numbers. But anyway, I accept that and I will file a Parliamentary Question.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Mr Leong. Order. End of Ministerial Statement. Introduction of Government Bills.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"National Symbols Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to set out and declare the national symbols and presidential symbols of Singapore and to regulate their use, to repeal the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act 1959, and to make related amendments to certain other Acts\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Low Yen Ling) on behalf of the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister for Defence.
[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time\".
Madam, with your permission, MINDEF has two related Bills today on the Order Paper. I would like to propose that the debate on both Bills take place together, as the two Bills deal with the same substantive matter of the new SAF service to be stood up. If the first Bill is passed, the Second and Third Readings of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No 2) Bill will follow.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Please proceed.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Madam and Members of this House, the legislation that governs militaries around the world is not often amended. So, I do not stand on this podium very often, and for good reasons.
The mandate and powers provided to the military are clear and focused, and necessarily scoped by Parliament to keep within this remit. In peace, that legislation is usually adequate for the Armed Forces' crucial task of national defence, to organise themselves to build capabilities and protect the sovereignty and security of her country. For militaries that are often at war, or operating in periods of tension, legislative changes are more frequent, as varied conditions require timely adaptations. But during peace, one does not expect frequent changes to legal provisions. So, too, the SAF. The last time the SAF Act was amended was in 2009 to introduce the Military Domain Experts Scheme for SAF. We are thankful that Singapore has enjoyed a period of prolonged peace since our Independence.
Nonetheless, the amendments put to this House today represent a significant change militarily to establish a new fourth service, the Digital and Intelligence Service, or DIS in short, alongside the Army, Navy and Air Force services which the SAF Act of 1972 brought into existence.
There will be other amendments which I will go through with Members, and they are related to discipline and administrative processes to update and to ensure the smooth functioning of SAF.
The SAF, incepted 57 years ago in 1965, has been a military constantly on the move. And that transformation is visible. All of you would have witnessed it through the years growing up; NSmen lived through it and some here are actually responsible for pieces of that transformation. From 13-tonne AMX-13 light tanks to 70-tonne Leopard main battle tanks; wooden hull ships to stealth frigates; Hawker Hunters to F16s, F15s and, in a few years, F35s, the SAF today is a modernised military, capable of prosecuting missions across the spectrum of security threats.
Singaporeans, too, have seen this SAF journey every year, through the National Day Parades (NDPs) when we allow SAF to play on the Floating Platform, Padang or National Stadium and into the heartlands. That display will take place in a few days' time on 9 August. I hope that Members will enjoy the dynamic display.
We, in this House, and Singaporeans out there are not the only ones who have noticed this impressive and progressive march. The Asian Military Review described the SAF as \"one of the most well-trained and equipped forces in Asia Pacific\". That others notice the SAF's competency and growing ability is good, and the core of deterrence.
Today's amendment, if approved by this House, will set up under the SAF Act a formal fourth service – DIS – and should be seen in the continuum of improvements for the SAF over the past 57 years.
For SAF commanders and troops, DIS affects primarily the intelligence community, and we call it the C4I community – Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence. So, let me shift focus there to explain what needs to be done and why, by the DIS.
To protect Singapore, the Army, Navy and Air Force have built up capabilities in their respective domains on land, at sea and air. But it is not enough for each service to do so. Command and control are essential to maximise effects by orchestrating joint efforts, so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Pari passu, intelligence capabilities had to grow in tandem, to keep pace.
The C4I community has been growing alongside the three kinetic services, less visible but no less progressive. C4I operations have grown over the years, too, for example, in counter-terrorism, from our operations, from our NDPs to key high-security multilateral events, like the Trump-Kim Summit and ASEAN Summit in 2018. C4I soldiers were deployed for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in Kuwait and Afghanistan. Our imagery analyst teams were part of the Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters in Kuwait from 2014 to 2016. Then-US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter expressed his appreciation for their contributions which helped stop ISIS' terror campaign.
Even despite these impressive developments and achievements hitherto, the C4I community's role has been largely that of a supporting agency, akin to combat support, logistics and maintenance. They enable the Army, Navy and Air Force to achieve their missions by providing actionable timely intelligence and ensuring that communications are secure to execute plans. And these responsibilities will still be part of DIS.
So, what then has changed to require DIS to be a fully-fledged military service arm? Simply put, the battleground. The digital domain, just like air, land and sea, has become a battle terrain which, if left unguarded, can impact the security and sovereignty of any country. And over the years, I have updated Members in this House about these security threats.
In 2015, I spoke about \"hybrid warfare\", \"an orchestrated campaign\" which \"integrates the use of conventional and unconventional tools of warfare\" to \"fracture the solidarity of the target nation\". I quoted former Chief of General Staff of the Russian Federation, General Valery Gerasimov, who said, \"The very rules of war have changed. The role of non-military means of achieving political and strategic goals has grown and, in many cases, they have exceeded the power of force of weapons in their effectiveness.\" Reflect on this statement. We are all familiar with the dictum \"political power grows out of the barrel of the gun\". But the \"Gerasimov Doctrine\" upends it. And he says, \"In many cases, the non-military means of achieving political and strategic goals have exceeded the power of the force of weapons\". I described this concept as the exact antagonist of our Total Defence concept. To respond to the growing prevalence of hybrid warfare back then, I pointed out that SAF will have to contend with cyber threats and the growing use of disinformation in warfare.
In 2016, I shared about the unidentified hackers attacking Ukraine's power grid and disrupting electricity. In 2017, the Financial Times wrote on cyber warfare. In 2019, we introduced Digital Defence as the sixth pillar of Total Defence. Looking back over those years, this generation is witnessing real-time, and personally, the changing face of warfare.
Even as the public experiences it first-hand, this realisation by militaries of vulnerabilities and opportunities within the digital domain has not been uniform. Some militaries adapted earlier than others to the \"Gerasimov Doctrine\" and have steadily been building capabilities on many fronts, including the digital domain, for example, the German military that incorporated a new service, as we are proposing today, in 2017, to defend the digital domain. The Baltic States I visited recently have also beefed up their capabilities in their military and civilian organisations against digital threats.
Apart from states, non-state actors have also recognised that they can use the digital domain to achieve their ends, particularly terror cells. Whether to recruit vulnerable inductees, spread false propaganda, supply funds, procure weapons, sabotage or bypass state security systems, these areas have become standard fare for terrorist networks.
From a security perspective, we should ask, \"what will be the scale of these digital threats going forward and can they threaten the well-being of citizens and even the entire country?\" The questions are, of course, rhetorical and I think every Member here knows and agrees that these threats can only grow and have a very real physical impact on any country that is unprepared.
We are all convinced because we have seen for ourselves the many forms of cyber intrusions that develop quickly, even within the past few years. Cyber intrusions can affect many critical systems. Last year, we saw the Colonial Pipeline cyber attack that cut off gas supplies to many South and East Coast states in the United States and disrupted the lives of countless people. Earlier this year in February, a cyber attack on the European telco, Vodafone, restricted cellular communications for millions of people in Portugal. It will be horrendous, but not unthinkable, about the potential fallout from attacks on water systems, hospitals, air traffic, trains, financial systems, pension systems – the list goes on.
In fact, cyber threats, disparate in form and source, occur in the thousands, even millions, each day. However, they should be differentiated from the ones that have the most pernicious intent and seek to undermine our nation's sovereignty or security.
For the SAF, it has asked itself this simple question, just as it does if the threat came from air, land or sea: how does it detect, mitigate or repel any potential aggressor, an orchestrated cyber attack by state and non-state actors that mean to do Singapore and Singaporeans harm? The first response, just like the Army, Navy and Air Force, is that it will need a dedicated service to raise, train and sustain cyber troops and capabilities to defend our digital borders. In the digital domain, the fourth service is the force on the frontline, as it should be.
We are thankful that hitherto, our intelligence agencies have not detected any campaign against Singapore of that nature in the digital domain. But we should not wait for one and it would be prudent to start and build up the fourth service now. That alone would serve as a deterrent.
As with the mission of the three existing services, DIS will ensure Singapore is defended against the full spectrum of threats against potential aggressors. The digital environment is more porous than the physical one, but DIS will be responsible to guard against these aggressors in that domain.
For the SAF, DIS will protect its networks and systems and strengthen our soldiers' commitment and resilience in operations. It will also continue to provide accurate, relevant and timely intelligence to support SAF operations and capitalise on cutting-edge digital technologies to advance SAF's digitalisation as a networked force.
For threats to Singapore's internal environment – and this, I am referring to the digital environment, similar to the SAF's support to the whole-of-Government for counter-terrorism – DIS will work closely with the Home Team, CSA and other national agencies to leverage one another's strengths in protecting Singapore's digital networks and providing a strong digital defence.
Let me now touch on the key provisions of the Bill which relate to DIS and its leadership.
Sections 7(1) and 2(2)(c) are amended to include DIS as a Service under the SAF. This also requires related changes to other Acts to ensure that the legal statutes can be properly applied to DIS soldiers as well. Therefore, section 2(1) of the Interpretation Act 1965 and section 27(5) of the Wills Act 1838 are amended to respectively include DIS in the definition of \"military\" when used in relation to Singapore's military, and to include in the definition of \"soldier\", a reference to a DIS serviceman. Section 21(2) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906 is amended to include DIS within the scope of that provision.
The DIS will be led by a Service Chief – the Chief of Digital and Intelligence Service, or CDI in short. Like the Service Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the CDI will be a member of the Armed Forces Council and have legal powers to discharge his or her duties and authority to lead DIS in times of conflict. Sections 2(1), 8(1), and 8B(2) are amended to effect these changes.
Based on the SAF Act and Constitution, the Chief of Defence Force and Service Chiefs are appointed by the President acting in her discretion. Section 10A of the SAF Act and Article 22(k) of the Constitution are amended to include the CDI as an appointment made by the President acting in her discretion.
Madam, I have spoken on the key change for this Bill, but there are quite a number of amendments related to disciplinary and administrative processes and training arrangements, which I will address now.
Let me deal with disciplinary provisions. Section 111 is amended to allow the three-year limitation period for the trial of offences in military courts to commence later in certain situations. Let me explain.
The SAF Act 1972 currently requires a serviceman to be tried within three years from the date of commission of the offence, or the date of reporting of the offence to a disciplinary officer or a military policeman, whichever is later, after which he can no longer be dealt with under the SAF Act. This is referred to as the default limitation period.
However, in some cases where both military and civilian offences have been committed by the same offender, time is required for Police investigations or related civil court proceedings to conclude, so as to allow MINDEF to assess all available and relevant information, before deciding whether to charge a serviceman for a related military offence.
To provide this flexibility, the amendments provide for four additional dates from which the three-year limitation period starts to run.
First, where Police investigations have commenced for a related civil offence before the end of the default limitation period, therefore, the three-year limitation period will commence from the date those investigations end.
Second, if court proceedings for a related civil offence are instituted in a civil court before the end of the default limitation period, the three-year limitation period will commence from the date that those proceedings end. If the person is sentenced to imprisonment, detention or reformative training, the limitation period will commence from the date on which the person completes the sentence.
If the person is sentenced to imprisonment, detention or reformative training before the end of the default limitation period for any unrelated civil offence, the three-year limitation period will commence from the date on which the person completes the sentence.
Fourth, if an arrest warrant was issued before the end of the default limitation period and could not be executed within that period despite all reasonable efforts as the whereabouts of the accused were unknown, the three-year limitation period will commence only on the date the person is arrested.
Let me clarify that a serviceman will not be charged in the civil court and military court for the same offence. Any charges in the military court would be for discrete and separate military offences to be dealt with in the military courts after the conclusion of the civil court proceedings.
These new time limits for military court trials will also apply to summary trials, in accordance with section 78(3), as the considerations are similar.
Let me now move on to composition fines.
Currently, all military offences under the SAF Act have to be dealt with either by summary trial or the military courts. There is no option for MINDEF to offer composition for minor military offences. The proposed amendments allow for composition fines up to a limit of $5,000, or half of the maximum fine prescribed for the offence, or half the maximum fine that may be imposed for the offence at summary trial, whichever is lowest, to resolve minor offences efficaciously while maintaining deterrence. Designated officers will be authorised by the Armed Forces Council to offer composition to such offenders.
To effect these changes, a new section 79A will be created to provide for the composition of military offences. Sections 60 and 62(1) will also be amended to define an \"authorised composition officer\", and to provide for the disciplinary option to refer an accused serviceman to an authorised composition officer to compound the offence.
The new section 79A will provide that the authorised composition officer is not to be in the same chain of command as the accused serviceman. This will ensure that an independent officer assesses the circumstances of the case before making an offer of composition.
Presently, service offences committed under the Civil Defence Act 1986 are dealt by a disciplinary officer or the civilian courts, while disciplinary offences committed under the Police Force Act 2004 are dealt by disciplinary proceedings or the civilian courts. Similar to the SAF, there is no option for SCDF or SPF, respectively, to offer composition for minor service or disciplinary offences.
Similar to the SAF, the SCDF and SPF propose to allow composition of minor service or disciplinary offences, by paying a composition fine up to a cap of $5,000, or half the maximum fine that is authorised to be imposed by a disciplinary officer, whichever is lower. Designated officers will be authorised by Commissioner SCDF or Commissioner of Police, respectively, to offer composition to offenders who meet the criteria.
To effect these changes in the Civil Defence Act 1986, a new section 85A will be inserted to provide for the composition of service offences committed by full-time National Servicemen, NSmen, volunteer ex-NSmen and auxiliary members. Section 70(1) will be amended to provide for the above-mentioned officers to be referred to an authorised composition officer for composition of the offence.
Similarly, in the Police Force Act 2004, a new section 84A will be inserted to provide for the composition of disciplinary offences committed by special police officers, which refer to full-time National Servicemen, NSmen, volunteer ex-NSmen and volunteers serving under the Special Constabulary. It also provides for special police officers to be referred to an authorised composition officer for composition of the offence.
Just like in the SAF Act, the amendments to the Civil Defence Act 1986 and Police Force Act 2004 will provide that the authorised composition officer is not to be in the same chain of command as the accused serviceman and will ensure that an independent officer assesses the circumstances of the case before making an offer of composition.
Next, increase in maximum fines.
It is an accepted principle for financial penalties to keep pace with inflation and increases in wages and allowances for adequate deterrence. The fine limits imposable by the Subordinate Military Court under section 118(7) will be increased. The last increase was in 2006. For officers, the maximum fine will increase from $10,000 to $30,000. For soldiers, it will increase from $5,000 to $15,000. The fine limit for a Senior Disciplinary Committee under section 72(6)(b)(ii) will similarly be increased from $10,000 to $30,000. These increases also take reference from civilian courts and are similar to the District Courts' fine limit, which is currently set at $30,000 in the Criminal Procedure Code.
The maximum fines imposable by Disciplinary Officers in the SAF who deal with minor offences by Summary Trial will also be increased correspondingly. At the lowest tier, a Junior Disciplinary Officer will be able to impose on a soldier of third sergeant rank and below a maximum fine of $600, up from $300. The most senior Disciplinary Officer is the Chief of Defence Force, who will be able to impose a maximum fine of $10,000, up from $6,000. These proposed fine limits do not exceed the Magistrates' Courts' fine limit, which is currently set at $10,000.
Sections 68, 69, 70, 70A, 70B, 72(6) and 118(7) are amended to effect the above changes.
Next, maximum imprisonment.
Section 19 is amended to increase the maximum imprisonment term for the offence of insubordinate behaviour by assaulting a superior officer from five to seven years. The SAF Act currently provides for a maximum five-year imprisonment sentence for any insubordinate behaviour, including the act of assaulting a superior officer. In contrast, the Penal Code provides for a maximum imprisonment sentence of seven years for someone who abets an SAF serviceman in assaulting his superior. Therefore, an inconsistency exists, as the abettor can be punished more harshly than the actual offender.
The proposal, therefore, increases the maximum imprisonment sentence for the act of assaulting a superior officer from five to seven years if the act was committed during active service. The maximum imprisonment sentence for the same offence committed during peacetime will be increased from two to four years. These changes remove the disparity with the punishment for abetment in the Penal Code. There will be no changes to the penalties for other acts of insubordination.
The amendment in section 112(1) is to maintain consistency of punishment powers of the military and civil courts for the same civil offence. Maximum punishments that may be imposed by a military court for a civil offence tried under section 112 are aligned with those which may be awarded by a civil court subsequent to changes in the relevant legislation.
For civil offences for which caning can be imposed by a civil court, the military court would be able to impose caning for those same offences.
The proposed amendments to section 72(1) on power of a Senior Disciplinary Committee will provide that a senior military expert of or above the rank of ME8, when created, will be subject to the same disciplinary processes as an officer of or above the rank of Brigadier-General.
Next, proposed amendments are made to the administrative processes within the SAF Act.
Section 129 is amended to allow the Military Court of Appeal to serve court appeal documents via other means, including sending to an electronic mail address designated by the appellant in the notice of appeal. This is already the practice in civil courts; we are just catching up.
Section 167 is amended to clarify that suspected deserters arrested by SPF may be released instead of being brought before a civil court. Currently, an SAF serviceman arrested by the Police for Absence Without Official Leave or Desertion shall be taken as soon as possible before a civil court. There is no option for the Police to take any other course of action. The present amendment now gives the Police the option to release such arrested persons instead of bringing them before the civil court. This, thus, aligns the SAF Act with Article 9(4) of the Constitution which requires that an arrested person be either released or brought before a Magistrate within 48 hours.
Amendments are proposed to section 205A to provide that the regulations made under section 205A(1) may provide for the Armed Forces Council to determine rates and contributions of various superannuation benefits by issuing General Orders. These superannuation benefits refer to the SAVER Plan or Premium Plan for our uniformed Officers, Warrant Officers and Specialists.
Section 205C is amended to remove the requirement for a periodic examination of the SAVER-Premium Fund. The SAF Act currently requires an actuarial examination of the SAVER-Premium Fund to be conducted at least once in five years because the fund had a \"Defined Benefit\" portion. However, with the removal of this portion in 2006, there is no longer such a need.
Finally, amendments to enhance training arrangements for the SAF. Since the 1970s, there has been an arrangement between SAF and the Public Utilities Board, for the conduct of military training in certain water catchment areas. We are regularising this and the Military Manoeuvres Act is amended to reflect this.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me conclude. Singapore and Singaporeans have enjoyed peace and progress these past six decades since our Independence. From an improbable nation, we have defied the odds time and again, to maintain our sovereignty and way of life to become one of the leading cities in Asia. These impressive strides were achieved because of a strong national defence and united people. These amendments to the SAF Act to establish a fourth service – the Digital and Intelligence Service – will further strengthen our national defence, to build, for the next generation, an even better and stronger Singapore. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support this Bill. The creation of the armed forces for Independent Singapore started with the Singapore Army Act in December 1965. The creation of the Singapore Navy and Air Force followed in 1967 and 1968 respectively. These three services have formed the core of Singapore's armed forces ever since. The creation of a fourth service some 54 years later is, therefore, a significant milestone.
The reality of digital threats has been recognised for some time and have been raised in the course of MINDEF's Committee of Supply (COS) debates for several years. Earlier this year, Minister Ng Eng Hen addressed this issue during this year's COS and foreshadowed the creation of the Digital and Intelligence Services (DIS) Unit in the course of this year. This Bill facilitates that process.
The digital domain is undoubtedly critical in our daily life. Our civilian life depends heavily on it. Our bank records, health records, transactions with Government and even daily expenditure are all increasingly electronic. This is why each institution that deals with electronic data needs to ensure the security of that data and the integrity of those systems.
Important infrastructure and daily operations are also dependent on technology. Earlier in his speech, Minister Ng highlighted how fuel shortages across the US East Coast in May last year were due to ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline. Another example raised during the COS debates was how Iranians could not top up their gas and petrol stations in October last year because the payment systems were hacked.
As a matter of international law, it is unlawful for a state to target civilian infrastructure. And I would argue that this should cover digital attacks on civilian infrastructure to disable their operations as well. There is much debate on this however, and not all experts are agreed that such attacks would constitute violations of international law and the prohibitions against armed conflict.
Additionally, there is also difficulty of pinpointing whether an attack originated from a specific state, especially if it takes place in the digital domain and many of these attacks may continue to persist even in times of peace.
It does not take much imagination to expect that military technology and infrastructure, which is increasingly dependent on technology, can also be subject to digital attacks. As we move to more automated warfare, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, we must also equally protect the technology that drives those new systems. To me, there is no doubt that the digital domain is as important as the kinetic one and countries are just as vulnerable to serious disruption and paralysis from digital attacks as they would be from kinetic ones.
Based on the Minister's speech introducing this Bill, I understand that the creation of this new DIS is an evolution. The DIS will be evolving from the existing C4I unit: Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence.
I have a few clarifications for the Minister for Defence on this topic.
First, to what extent would the DIS be built on the existing people and infrastructure in the C4I unit, as opposed to new appointees?
Second, when does the Minister expect the DIS to be operationally ready?
Third, currently the C4I team supports the operations of the Army, Navy and Air Force and is an integral part to their operations planning. Would the DIS continue to deploy people into the other services to support their operations?
Fourth, given the significantly different skills involved in the DIS as compared to the rest of the armed forces, would DIS recruits and employees be required to go through the same type of training as other parts of the armed forces are, such as, for example, BMT and IPPT? If so, is there a chance we may lose people who have special talents in the cyber domain, but who may not have other military skills? Would the DIS also be staffed with civilians, for example, rather than uniformed military personnel? And would the chief of the DIS be a civilian?
Fifth, would the DIS also take over responsibility for intelligence gathering for the whole armed forces, or would each of the services, such as the Army, Navy and Air Force, still have their own intelligence capabilities?
The final point on the first Bill is this – and this is actually a question that is interesting from an internal law perspective as well. Would Singapore consider an attack on our key civilian or military digital infrastructure by a foreign state actor a hostile act in contravention of international law? This has important implications, for example, on whether and how we believe we would be entitled to respond in the event we are subject to such attacks, including, for example, whether hackers are legitimate targets in the event of such an attack.
I do have a short comment for the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and since it is a short Bill, the comment is short. I note that the commander of the DIS is going to be put on the same level as the other service chiefs, such as those in the Army, Navy and Air Force, and it will be one of the appointees in which the President has a discretion to approve. This is similar to the power the President has in relation to other key public appointments including Permanent Secretaries and the Judiciary.
This, of course, makes the Chief of the DIS more difficult to appoint and replace in the event there is a disagreement between the Government and the President. But given the importance of this appointment, I think it is necessary to have this safeguard. The one clarification I have, though, is if the DIS chief is in the same line as the Chiefs of the Navy, Army and Air Force, this actually means that that person could potentially be a target in times of war. But if this person happens to be a civilian, then, is that really the intention of this Bill? That is a simple clarification. Of course, if the chief is going to be a military person, then, this is not an issue.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Mdm Deputy Speaker, in my speech today, I will be focusing on the amendments to the Singapore Armed Forces Act to establish a new Digital and Intelligence Service, or DIS. MINDEF plans to establish a DIS, which will be a fourth armed service, alongside the Army, Navy and Air Force. This is timely, given the growing importance of cyber warfare and cyber defence.
Cyber warfare involves attacks on critical infrastructure systems of an adversary. These could include \"soft kills\" that damage key operating software or hardware without kinetic action, such as through hacking. The objective is to weaken the target country by compromising its core systems. Cyber warfare takes many forms. Cyber attackers may conduct espionage using spear-phishing attacks to gain remote access to an adversary's computer to extract sensitive information. They may hack critical infrastructure like the electrical power grid, which will disrupt communications and even cause deaths if, say, life-supporting medical equipment is shut down. Or they may crash modern economic facilities like banks and payment systems. Propaganda attacks may be employed to control the hearts and minds of the people living in the targeted country or make them lose faith in their own country and sympathise with the enemy.
These are not hypothetical scenarios. They have been employed by nation-states for many years. With the digitalisation of almost everything, the cyber threat is increasing by the day. Up until recently, a war was usually fought by sending the air force to bomb the target nation's critical infrastructure and defence installations before any ground troops were sent in. In modern warfare, cyber attacks are likely to be one of the first modes of attack, because they can be employed so easily without any detection – the Gerasimov doctrine, which the Minister alluded to earlier in his speech.
The DIS aims to bolster SAF's capability to defend Singapore in the digital battlefield. With the establishment of the DIS, the other armed services must be careful not to develop a mindset that the DIS alone is responsible for all things digital in SAF.
In the commercial world, there is now much less distinction between tech companies and non-tech companies. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has forced all companies to become technology companies in some form or shape. Those that do not digitalise will find themselves losing customers to more digital-savvy competitors and may even go out of business.
Similarly, in the military realm, every armed service – the Army, Navy, Air Force and DIS – will need to use digital capabilities to keep ahead of our nation's potential adversaries. Digitalisation, cyber defence and cybersecurity cannot be left to the DIS alone to handle. Could the Minister share the broad parameters regarding which digital responsibilities fall under the purview of DIS and which do not?
The DIS will not be the first technology-focused agency to be set up within the Government. How will the role of DIS be different from that of the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) and the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) in countering cyber threats to Singapore? How will these agencies, together with the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), work together, so that knowledge and information is shared, where appropriate and duplication of work is avoided?
I hope DIS, CSA, HTX and GovTech plan to establish a common communication platform, so as to not only share information occasionally but actively work together on a regular basis to counter the cyber threats that Singapore faces. I note that a Digital Ops-Tech Centre will be established as a centre of excellence for SAF's digital expertise, partnering with the Defence Tech Community, whole-of-Government digital agencies, academia and the industry, to remain innovative in its approaches and culture. Could the Minister elaborate more on how this partnership will work in practice?
The DIS will likely have significant capabilities and powers to intrude in the private space of the functionaries of would-be adversaries. What protections are in place to make sure that such capabilities are not turned on citizens or abused? It is necessary in any developed democracy to put in place legal safeguards and channels for recourse to prevent the abuse of power by current and future governments. One form of oversight would be for MINDEF to provide confidential reports to a cross-party Parliamentary Select Committee for Defence, which can then scrutinise those reports and ask questions in a confidential setting.
I note that DIS will focus efforts to attract and develop both military and non-uniformed digital experts to grow SAF's digital workforce. Will the need for a high level of security clearance mean that DIS will hire only Singapore Citizens? Will DIS be engaging technology contractors to supplement their own manpower? If so, how will it ensure that the contractors and their employees, who may be reporting to foreign managers based in other countries, how will they ensure that they would not leak sensitive information?
Members will recall how Edward Snowden, who leaked highly classified information from the US National Security Agency (NSA), was not an NSA employee but a contractor with a consulting firm hired by the agency. The need for security clearance will naturally limit the pool of manpower available to DIS, in what is already a very competitive labour market for tech talent. This will make it a challenge to find sufficient local tech talent to join DIS. In fact, the introduction of the DIS could further draw talent away from the private sector, as many Singaporean tech workers are likely to be attracted to the pay, benefits and job stability that DIS has to offer.
In order to expand the pool of tech manpower, our Polytechnics and local Universities must urgently increase enrolment in IT and technology-related majors. This is a point I raised before in this House. More funding should be provided to our local institutions to achieve this. This will benefit the recruitment pipeline of both DIS and the private sector.
I am glad to know that NSFs and NSmen with tech talents will be leveraged to support the SAF's digital core. The Central Manpower Base should identify such talents early, even before enlistment, so that they can be drafted into the DIS during their full-time National Service and later during their Operationally-ready NS cycles.
Next, zero-day vulnerabilities are software or hardware bugs in systems that have yet to be discovered or patched by the developer or manufacturer. When governments or individuals discover these \"zero-days\", they can create software code to exploit the vulnerabilities, known as \"zero-day exploits\". Zero-day exploits can potentially enable their owner to access sensitive information in other computer systems or take control of those systems remotely, often undetected. One of the most well-known zero-day exploits is Stuxnet, a cyber operation that sabotaged Iranian nuclear centrifuges.
I would assume, but will not ask the Minister to confirm, that the role of DIS will include building capabilities to conduct offensive cyber operations. In the course of this, DIS may discover and stockpile zero-day vulnerabilities in operating systems that run critical infrastructure and the military networks of potential adversaries. It would be natural for DIS to want to keep the knowledge of these exploits secret, so that our potential adversaries do not patch their systems and DIS maintains its offensive capability.
However, there is an offence-defence trade-off between stockpiling zero-day exploits and helping other local Government agencies and private organisations patch these vulnerabilities so our own critical infrastructure does not get hacked by others.
In 2016, a group of hackers calling themselves the Shadow Brokers released a cache of top-secret cyber spying capabilities that likely belonged to NSA. Some of these included zero-day exploits, which could be used to exploit vulnerabilities in products produced by companies like CISCO, Juniper and Fortinet, that protect US companies and critical infrastructure. The existence of these zero-days raised questions about whether NSA should have told the vendors about these vulnerabilities, so that the vendors could patch them.
The US Government has a policy, whereby, any agency that wishes to keep a zero-day exploit has to argue their case through what is known as a Vulnerability Equities Process (VEP). The VEP comprises an Equities Review Board chaired by the National Security Council and attended by senior officials from agencies concerned with the security of critical infrastructure, like the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Commerce. This Board reportedly meets quite regularly.
The Singapore Government should consider developing a VEP process of its own for determining whether to retain or disclose vulnerabilities to vendors, so that our own critical infrastructure is protected from hacking attempts.
The last point I wish to raise concerns the potential for commercialising defence technologies to benefit Singapore. Many technologies that we use every day originated from military technology. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, invented TCP/IP, which is the plumbing that makes the Internet possible. The Global Positioning System, or GPS, was originally developed by the US Department of Defense and is now used in almost all our mobile phones. Israel is widely recognised as a \"startup nation\". Many of Israel's high-tech companies were founded by soldiers who completed their National Service in Unit 8200, the Intelligence Corps of the Israel Defense Forces.
In Singapore, we hardly hear of commercial technology or tech start-ups originating from the Defence Tech Community. I can understand why MINDEF would rather not share any defence technology discoveries publicly, because that may cause us to lose our edge over our adversaries.
With the establishment of the DIS, there is likely going to be billions of dollars from the public purse spent on developing digital capabilities within the SAF. There should be some scope for allowing some limited commercialisation of defence technologies that would benefit our nation, economy and society.
MINDEF should develop a framework for allowing some of these technologies to be commercialised without compromising national security. This framework should also have safeguards in place to ensure that commercialised products are not abused by private organisations or foreign governments for nefarious purposes, as this could have a negative effect on Singapore's international reputation.
The interaction between defence and commercial technologists could also spark ideas, innovations and discoveries within the DIS and the wider Defence Tech Community, and help the SAF improve its technological edge.
In summary, I support the creation of the DIS within the SAF but hope the Minister will consider the points I have raised.
First, the DIS must not operate in a silo. All armed services need to continually digitalise in order to maintain their edge on the battlefield. The DIS should work closely with other digital Government agencies to jointly counter the cyber threats that Singapore faces.
Second, the significant technological capabilities of the DIS must be balanced with adequate checks and balances, legal safeguards and oversight to prevent the abuse of power and violations of citizens' right to privacy, especially during peacetime.
Third, the establishment of the DIS will create a greater demand for local tech talent. Local higher education institutions must increase the intake of Singaporeans in IT-related majors to meet this demand.
Fourth, to safeguard Singapore's critical infrastructure from being hacked, the Government should consider implementing a Vulnerability Equities Process to decide whether to retain or disclose to vendors any vulnerabilities that its agencies, including the DIS, discover.
And fifth, MINDEF should develop a framework for allowing some defence technologies to be commercialised to benefit our nation, but without compromising national security or allowing the technologies to be abused.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.25 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 4.05 pm until 4.25 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.25 pm.
[Deputy Speaker (Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo) in the Chair]
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the move to establish the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) is timely. Warfare has moved away from conventional means as technology now pervades all aspects of our lives. As the Minister for Defence indicated in his opening, sovereignty is now being challenged, even in the digital sphere.
Over the last decade, threats to society have made their presence felt in the digital sphere – scams, organised crime, misinformation campaigns, cyber disruptions of critical services and transnational hacking.
The overall concept of cyber attacks is not new. These attacks seek to infiltrate and disrupt vital data services and systems, conduct sabotage, espionage or manipulation, resulting in damage to the state and even widespread casualty and loss of life if critical infrastructure is affected. The consequences of hybrid warfare are no less than those of physical conventional warfare.
Sophisticated and large-scale cyber warfare used to be something that we associated with the distant future. But as technology advances rapidly, societies and governments around the world have developed greater reliance on digital infrastructure and data storage capabilities. Naturally, this leads to higher stakes in the cyber domain when it comes to national security.
Today, we do not have to search our imagination to envisage the impact of extensive cyber warfare.
The war waged by Russia on Ukraine rages on, involving a hybrid of physical and cyber attacks. According to a report by Reuters, the day that the Russian forces invaded Ukraine, hackers crippled tens of thousands of satellite Internet modems in Ukraine and across Europe, resulting in a massive loss in communications. Following that, several important Ukrainian nuclear power companies, media firms and government entities were also compromised.
For many Singaporeans, the Ukraine crisis is a stark reminder that \"we must never lose the ability to defend or look after ourselves\" – to quote Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
It is imperative that we maintain our security and stability through a strong, capable and credible SAF that includes building up our digital intelligence and defence capabilities.
This, of course, is not a new journey as we had introduced digital defence as a new sixth pillar of Total Defence in 2019.
But an organisation is only as good as the people it has. Therefore, I will focus my speech on the people in DIS, in particular, and in SAF in general.
I am heartened that recruitment and talent development efforts are underway for DIS. As I mentioned, people are at the heart of all organisations and we must spare no effort to nurture them. Certainly, it takes time to train up personnel to a certain level of competency.
I note that SAF intends to leverage both on NSFs, as well as our NSmen through the expansion of the Command, Control, Communications and Computers Expert (C4X) and Defence Cyber Expert (DCX) schemes. Selected NSFs will also undergo a work-and-learn scheme with NTU, where they can take up modules to earn academic credits, eventually, leading to a degree in data science and AI, computer science or computer engineering. In turn, they would serve four years of National Service.
I seek a few clarifications in this regard and related matters.
Can SAF define how these NSFs and NSmen will be selected for DIS? How does differentiated National Service models impact other arms of SAF? What is the current size of the initial core of our DIS and what is the plan and rate of ramping up?
Are there also plans to expand the scheme to other tertiary institutions that will offer relevant foundational courses beyond NTU? What efforts will be taken to retain suitable talent after National Service (NS) is up for our NSFs? Can SAF offer remuneration, benefits and a career that can rival some of our most sought-after tech companies?
How do we also ensure that our personnel involved would be highly security-conscious, who practise excellent cyber hygiene and do not flout secrecy laws?
We have had instances of information leaks even by experienced civil servants at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The damage to our national security would be very serious if this happens in the cybersecurity set up. So, candidates must be specially picked and trained so that they do not commit these errors.
In addition, because certain NSmen or NSFs will have particular access to sensitive data, will the Ministry consider a moratorium on them becoming employees of foreign governments or organisations when they leave DIS without prior permission from MINDEF?
There is also some misplaced concern that new vocations within DIS may be seen or regarded as a more comfortable vocation to serve NS obligations compared to the other services. This is a potentially damaging mindset to have as it would adversely affect the morale of our soldiers within the wider SAF. All NS vocations come with high amounts of responsibilities and stress, and should be respected and regarded seriously as such.
In addition, my view is that DIS offers an opportunity for women in Singapore to contribute towards our efforts for a strong digital core. The cybersecurity industry faces a talent crunch, and the Government has been investing in efforts to better involve women in the field. I consider DIS as an invaluable opportunity for women who are keen to join the field to develop their talents and passion, as well as to reduce the gender gap in the industry. Therefore, will women have the option to voluntarily serve NS under the scheme?
Mdm Deputy Speaker, cyber attacks and warfare that target social media and personal devices indicate that cybersecurity defence is not and cannot be the sole responsibility of the Government or SAF alone.
It has to be a whole-of-nation effort encompassing the relevant organisations, such as social media platforms, cybersecurity groups and also our citizens.
Every one of us has the personal responsibility to take necessary precautions against malware, and to educate ourselves against disinformation, online fraud and online security threats.
These impact not just us as individuals, but also other persons and organisations that we communicate with, given the high interconnectivity of devices.
Special attention must also be given to the less technology-literate among us, so that they will not be left behind in our national defence against cyber attacks.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, as we mark our national birthday this coming weekend, let us reaffirm our sacred commitment to the defence of our national and our affirmation of our shared responsibility to uphold unity, democracy, justice and equality. I therefore support this Bill to establish DIS and the related constitutional amendments.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, this Bill proposes amongst other things, to amend the SAF Act 1972 to establish a Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) to be led by a new Chief of Digital and Intelligence Service, alongside other existing service Chiefs, make changes and enhance punishment in the SAF and to permit military manoeuvres being carried out in catchment areas under PUB.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the establishment of DIS. I do seek some clarifications from the Minister regarding some details of the Bill.
Firstly, MINDEF has said that for the proposed DIS, SAF will grow the initial core of digital experts through recruitment in service conversions and professional partnerships with the wider digital ecosystem and that it will also be leveraging on NSF and NSmen personnel with tech talents.
May I ask the Minister, for a start, what is the proportion of servicemen which MINDEF expects to recruit from outside from MINDEF or SAF? What is the expected proportion of uniformed and non-uniformed staff? Will non-Singaporeans or PRs be allowed to serve in DIS? And, if so, what are the security safeguards in place to ensure national security?
Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would also like to ask Minister, what measures are in place to ensure that in carrying out its work to safeguard the security of our country, DIS will be bound by clear regulations governing the conduct of their investigations and other areas of their work, which will prevent any misuses of its investigation powers or resources, especially during peacetime?
I have full confidence in our Armed Forces and its personnel. Nevertheless, clearly spelt out regulations will ensure that all personnel will know the legal limits of their operational work and ensure surveillance investigation and other actions will be taken in full compliance with the law, including if the service is expected to work with other Government agencies,
Next, this Bill also introduces the concept of the composition of offences to the disciplinary regimes of SAF, the Civil Defence and the Police Force. May I ask the Minister, what is the thinking behind the introduction of the composition of offences? Why is this considered to be a positive enhancement of the disciplinary regime?
I recall from my experience in SAF some years ago as an NSman, as well as a unit disciplinary officer, that the conviction, pursuant to a summary trial, will be captured in the records of an errant serviceman and may possibly affect the performance assessment of such servicemen.
May I clarify with the Minister, under the proposed composition offences regime, will an offence, or the fact on an offence being compounded, be recorded in the disciplinary or the personnel records of an errant serviceman? And, if so, will this be a relevant factor, for the purposes of the assessment of the serviceman's performance and his promotion prospects?
On the other hand, if compounded offences are scrubbed from the personnel records, will the records not show an inaccurate picture of a serviceman's disciplinary records, with misdemeanours and commission of less, so-called \"serious offences\" not being reflected?
Next, may I also ask the Minister to elaborate a little on the guidelines for the independent disciplinary officers deciding on whether to allow the serviceman to compound the offence. For example, will a repeat of a similar offence by a serviceman disallow the independent disciplinary officer to compound the offence again?
I note that this Bill is enhancing the existing maximum punishments under the SAF Act, which can be awarded for certain offences, as well as by the relevant officers assigned to officiate summary trials.
Clauses 12 to 7 increase the current fine amounts that may be awarded in a summary trial by a disciplinary officer or a senior disciplinary committee. Besides the reasons given by the hon Minister in his speech for the enhancement of the punishment under the SAF Act, may I also ask the Minister whether there has been a significant or proportionate increase in summary trials and our convictions at summary trials in the last five or 10 years. And, if so, whether this plays a part in the Government deciding to enhance the punishments? Can the Minister share with the House, the number of summary trials carried out each year in the past five years?
The last point I would like to raise relates to clause 37 of the Bill which proposes to amend section 7 of the Military Manoeuvres Act to permit the SAF to carry out military manoeuvres in catchment areas with the approval of PUB.
While military action can occur across any geographic feature and training has to be as realistic as possible, the impact of military equipment could well be damaging and polluting to the waterways and its surroundings.
I would like to know, besides approval, what oversight of the military exercises will PUB have? Does PUB have complete say in its pre-exercise or pre-training assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed SAF training? Does PUB have a continuing duty to supervise the training being carried out on the ground, so that PUB is able to ensure that the actual environmental impact of any SAF training in any of its public reservoirs or waterways is minimised? If not, can PUB be given such a power to supervise the actual use of its lands and waterways by the SAF?
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Desmond Choo.
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. The establishment of the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) as SAF's fourth standalone arm is timely. But this is also not new to SAF. Over the past decade, MINDEF and SAF have built up what is known as the SAF C4I Community – Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence – along with the establishment of the Defence Cyber Organisation (DCO) in 2017. The Bill will allow SAF to develop and scale up its operational capabilities to respond to modern welfare.
I will speak on three key areas: the importance of DIS, ways to expand the manpower catchment pool for DIS and the projected scale and size of the outfit.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, the security threats we now face are no longer limited to the traditional battlefield. For example, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been weaponised; the use of cyber warfare has increased over the years. We can either scale up and incorporate advanced technologies in our Armed Forces, or increasingly falter behind other countries. In addition, DIS can, and must, leverage new technological capabilities to make up for our manpower constraints. The number of NSmen is projected to fall in the next decade. DIS can make up for manpower constraints by integrating and expanding our capabilities in the virtual terrain.
Talent pool is critical for any tech outfit to succeed. I would like to offer three suggestions for the Ministry to consider.
First, on grappling with the war on tech talent in Singapore and, in fact, globally. Competition for tech talent in Singapore will continue to be heated with firms aggressively raising wages and other benefits. For example, surveys have surfaced that Big Tech firms, such as Amazon Web Services, Meta, Apple and Google, are dangling some of the highest salaries in the market. These salaries are pegged up to 56.5% more than the market median, according to a latest survey. Other top talents command even higher salaries and that is straight from school.
A key difference between working for DIS and private companies is undoubtedly the mission in serving the nation. Yet, wages are a hygiene factor that we must address. Can the Ministry share its plans to effectively attract top talent, considering the intense competition from Big Tech firms and startups? How do we also attract Singaporean talent currently working overseas?
Second, on improving youth inflow to DIS. Digital natives are clearly the future backbone of DIS. In some countries, many 18 to 21-year-olds are selected to join military and intelligence services even while in school. Preparatory programmes are offered to them to develop their skills and also pique their interest in serving the nation in the longer run.
We could explore the possibility of developing such feeder programmes for our youths. I believe this would suitably complement the top-tier scholarships for digital and intelligence talents for which the Ministry has already planned.
Next, on career conversions within SAF. As service in the DIS may not be as physically demanding as compared to the existing tri-services of SAF, joining DIS may be a tenable pathway for mid-career SAF servicemen or Singaporeans. Would the Ministry to consider structuring a pathway for mid-career conversions? What are the plans to help mid-career servicemen and women to similarly be trained and transit to DIS?
Many countries are already ahead of us in formalising a cyber warfare force in addition to their tri-services. Examples of these include Norway's Cyber Defence Force, founded in 2012, and the United States Cyber Command, founded in 2010.
While the SAF's C4I Community has been the backbone of the SAF's digital intelligence services over the past decade, the formal establishment of DIS will enable us to scale up our digital capabilities efficiently and effectively. Could the Ministry share the intended scale of DIS in terms of manpower? Is it also envisioned for DIS to partner with GovTech and other related Government tech agencies as part of the whole-of-Government digital security infrastructure roadmap?
Could the Ministry also share how DIS will strive to keep its knowledge current and cutting-edge, tapping on partnership with the private sector?
Mdm Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding my clarifications and suggestions, I reiterate my support of the Bill. The DIS will ensure that our nation is well-equipped to adapt and conquer the evolving face of modern warfare. It is also, perhaps, the most significant stride thus far towards building a truly future-proof Next Gen SAF.
Next week, as other Members in this House have also recognised, Singapore will be celebrating our 57th birthday. The sovereignty we enjoy today did not come easy and we must never take the peace we enjoy today for granted. Ultimately, the success of SAF's mission to safeguard our nation's sovereignty is dependent on the commitment of our servicemen and servicewomen. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Madam, Singapore must guard against cyber attacks and the creation of DIS is an important move in the right direction.
I have four areas of clarification for this Bill.
My first clarification is on the possible intrusion of DIS' activities on civilian life. DIS has been given a broad remit to tackle cyber threats. Its work will reportedly include cyber incidents response, network monitoring, vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. Because its powers are so extensive, there will be concerns that, in its mission to defend Singapore's national security, DIS may track the lives and activities of average Singaporeans, even when there is no clear and significant security purpose.
Can the Minister share what checks are in place to ensure that DIS' extensive powers are not misused? How will the Ministry and DIS draw the line between reasonable counterintelligence and excessive surveillance?
My second area of clarification is on the composition of offences. Compounding an offence is significant because it means that no further criminal proceedings will be brought against an accused upon payment of a composition sum. In this Bill, the new section 79A allows certain offences to be compounded, similar to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
I have several questions arising from a comparison of this Bill and the CPC.
First, this Bill does not provide for the compounding of the abetment of, conspiracy to commit and attempt to commit a compoundable offence, even though the CPC does. Can the Minister clarify if the schedule to the SAF Act will clarify if such offences may be compounded?
Second, this Bill does not state that a composition has the effect of an acquittal, even though the CPC does. Can the Minister clarify if a composition under the SAF Act will either be a \"discharge amounting to an acquittal\" or a \"discharge not amounting to an acquittal\"?
If a composition will have the effect of a \"discharge not amounting to an acquittal\", can the Minister clarify whether a composition for a military offence will be considered an antecedent for: first, future military offences and second, civil offences?
Third, section 243(1) of the CPC provides that a person authorised under any Act aside from the Penal Code to compound offences must exercise the power of composition subject to the general or special directions of the Public Prosecutor.
Can the Minister clarify if the Public Prosecutor will provide directions for how authorised composition officers should exercise their composition powers? Will every composition decision be subject to the review and authorisation of the Public Prosecutor?
My third clarification is on the increased penalties for offences.
The amended section 118 will triple the maximum amount of its fine. Can the Minister share how it arrived at this significant increase? Were the fines benchmarked against punishments provided under other pieces of legislation? Can the Minister also share whether clear sentencing guidelines will be set by the military court to address the transition from the previous ranges for fines to the updated ranges? This is essential, given that the previous sentencing precedents will no longer provide a useful guide on the likely quantum of fines.
My final clarification is on the limitation period. The Bill amends section 111 to provide that the limitation period of three years, where there are Police investigations or civil proceedings involved, only commences at the end of those processes or of the sentence of imprisonment, detention or reformative training.
Military courts do, of course, benefit from waiting for the conclusion of civil proceedings and sentences. But we have to balance this against the experience of the accused, who face the prospect of a military trial hanging over their heads for many years.
Police investigations and civil proceedings can take years to complete. Sentences of imprisonment, detention or training can take years to complete.
Taken together, the accused may have to wait for years, even decades, before their limitation period starts counting down. Can the Minister share if there are specific cases that have prompted such a significant amendment? For instance, were there cases where the three-year limitation period expired while civil proceedings were still ongoing and it negatively affected the conduct of military proceedings?
Relatedly, can the Minister share if the military court will also consider the impact of the preceding civil proceedings and any sentences served by the accused for related civil offences when imposing a sentence for the military offences?
Notwithstanding these clarifications, I stand in support of the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Zhulkarnain.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill and the establishment of Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) of the SAF.
Today's battleground is shaped not only by kinetic weapons of war, but by a potent blend of data, technology and innovation that forms our digital world.
In this age of increased information warfare and information-enabled warfare, the way these advances are deployed will be pivotal in achieving a competitive advantage over adversaries. In an interview, Major-General Robin Anderton-Brown, a director at UK Strategic Command in the UK Ministry of Defence stated: \"The term 'domain' in a military sense reflects the fact we traditionally considered Defence in terms of the environmental domains of maritime, land and air, but now there is the growing importance of space – a domain in its own right – as well as the virtual domain of cyber, which affects not just Defence but the whole of society.\"
Other jurisdictions have had similar services. In the US, its Army Cyber Command integrates and conducts cyberspace operations, electromagnetic warfare, and information operations, to ensure dominance in the cyber domain and information warfare. The UK established its National Cyber Force (NCF), which is a partnership between defence and intelligence in 2020. There is, hence, a need for MINDEF to take the lead here. In Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Fake news or misinformation and disinformation have been used as weapons during peacetime to de-stabilise a country. We have seen examples, through online campaigns, where terrorist organisations, such as ISIS, recruits and mobilises their members to carry out attacks.
We have also seen the presence of foreign influence in the 2016 United States presidential elections.
In times of war, the battlefield is not just about conventional warfare, but we also need to strengthen defence in cyberspace. This is due to cyber attacks and hackings of key institutions with sensitive information. Besides cyber attacks, information operations should also be addressed collectively. An example is the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, where there has been the deployment of information warfare comprising disinformation campaigns and false-flag videos that aim to deceive the public. These were harnessed to influence public opinion and manipulate information to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and break their defensive spirit.
Therefore, when faced with such scenarios, we need MINDEF and the SAF to spearhead our information defence in both wartime and peacetime. This important role should not just be within the purview of MHA or MCI. Therefore, this Bill will establish a Digital and Intelligence Service in the SAF, which will play a crucial and critical role in strengthening our information defence especially in the ever-changing battlefield.
(In English): I would like to raise three areas of concern.
Firstly, we need to attract the best of talents, but at the same time be selective and protective in the process. In a tight labour market, SAF needs to attract the best talents for our DIS and groom the expertise. To cite an example, in 2015, the Pentagon launched the Defense Digital Service office (DDS). Brett Goldstein, the Director of DDS, described his team of technologists, which come from various public/private-sector backgrounds and which includes engineers, designers and developers, as a \"SWAT team of nerds\" to show the diverse and deep levels of expertise at hand.
MINDEF has announced that it will establish a Digital Ops-Tech Centre (DOTC) and a Centre of Excellence for Cyber Range (CCR) to stimulate capability development of SAF in the digital and cyber frontier. I humbly propose that SAF can consider specific scholarships in key areas and expertise to attract, groom and train in specialised fields local talents for DIS.
Would SAF consider recruiting from private-sector expertise and if so, will this be on contractual basis? For example, in the US DDS, although scope is not similar, the team is recruited on a two-year limited appointment to focus on a specific mission; after which they return to the private sector or the academia.
However, we have to balance this with how SAF protects the sensitivity of information and screening of recruits. To illustrate this, Dickson Yeo was a Singaporean academic who was arrested by US authorities for being an illegal agent of Chinese intelligence. Yeo's former PhD supervisor in LKY School of Public Policy was Chinese US citizen Huang Jing, who was expelled and identified by MHA as an \"agent of influence of a foreign country\". This underscores the importance of screening and protection, especially in the fields of cybersecurity, information and intelligence.
Secondly, we need to build capability and cooperation across and within jurisdictions on a whole-of-Government approach. Within Singapore, DIS has to work on this collectively with other Governmental agencies. For instance, in the UK, the National Cyber Force (NCF) is part of the UK Ministry of Defence, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Secret Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Headquarters. Similarly, SAF's new DIS cannot operate in silo and has to integrate into the whole-of-nation approach to combating the growing digital and information threats now and in the future.
Hence, I propose that our DIS officers should have exposure and experience of operations across all SAF services and perhaps, key DIS officers should also have experience and exposure within the various relevant agencies within MHA or MCI.
Across jurisdictions, it is important to have an updated exchange of ideas and innovation in the industry so that the latest of ideas and best-of-class technology can be deployed within DIS.
In this regard, I welcome the announcement that SAF's CCR will host bilateral and multilateral exercises, bringing together \"militaries, industries, and academia\" to facilitate information exchange.
Digital defence cannot be done on our own. Would there be efforts to formulate a joint comprehensive defence framework for the region? How will such bilateral or multilateral digital defence take shape in the light of certain geopolitical tension or relations? I hope to hear more plans on this from the Minister.
My third and last concern is this. We cannot just focus on defence per se, but it is important for us to also build up pre-emptive strike capability. I cite two examples from the UK and the US.
In the explainer published during the establishment of the UK National Cyber Force (NCF), part of the stated objective of the UK NCF was that it \"is responsible for operating in and through cyberspace to disrupt, deny, degrade and contest those who would do harm to the UK and its allies\".
The US Army Cyber Command's mission is to \"integrate and conduct cyberspace operations, electromagnetic warfare and information operations, ensuring decision dominance and freedom of action for friendly forces in and through the cyber domain and the information dimension, while denying the same to their adversaries\".
Both the stated missions of the UK NCF and US Army Cyber Command can be read to include not just defence, but strike capabilities.
It is vital that that MINDEF and SAF develop strong capabilities to detect and defend against similar threats. It is also critical not just to prevent such threats, but also, to build up offensive or strike capability and intelligence network, as a deterrence to those who want to do us harm. Such has been our Defence philosophy. There is, hence, an important need to ensure that sufficient budget and resources are allocated for our DIS of SAF in this regard.
In our history, we have not been immune to such disinformation attacks during peace or war time.
During the Japanese invasion of Malaya and Singapore in World War II, propaganda leaflets were airdropped onto the population. They contained messages of demoralisation, encouraging surrender. These leaflets were frequently dropped towards the end of the war and they were varied, depending on the target audiences, and in different languages.
In conclusion, we need to treat the defence of information and intelligence as a key part of the defence of our nation. This Bill sends a message to potential attackers and provocateurs that they cannot break our body nor our spirit without a fight. It is apt that in the month of celebrating our nation's 57th year of independence, we table this Bill to further enhance the protection and defence of our nation. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bills.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Don Wee.
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly reliant on digital technology in almost every aspect of life, the impact of attacks in cyberspace is magnified manifold in our physical world. Warfare is no longer limited to land, sea and air. For example, by disrupting electricity and communications systems via online attacks, enemy forces can substantially weaken a nation's defence before launching a physical invasion.
Hence, I fully support the establishment of the DIS to boost our SAF's capability to defend Singapore.
So far, MINDEF has been running our military cyber defence and intelligence teams in the absence of a specific service branch. MINDEF already has its Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) Community and the Defence Cyber Organisation, which coordinates cybersecurity across the defence sector.
Such an arrangement is quite similar to those in many other countries, such as the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Israel and South Korea. In these countries, the defence ministries manage cyber defence and military intelligence departments without creating another distinct service branch.
An exception is Germany, which set up its Cyber and Information Domain Service branch to take command of its cyber, IT, military intelligence, geoinformation and operative communication units.
Would the Minister share, with the House, the Ministry's considerations in creating a separate service branch? Why is this necessary and what are the specific advantages of doing so?
One of my greatest concerns is that our resources, in terms of both manpower and finances, are limited.
Our resident total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.1 remains substantially below the replacement rate of 2.1. We are a rapidly ageing society. National defence is not a sector which we can easily augment with foreign manpower or talents. In this shrinking pool of human resources, how will MINDEF ensure that we will be able to recruit and retain the necessary talents to join DIS?
With a sharp shortage of talent in the IT sector, not just in Singapore but all over the world, what strategies does MINDEF have to beat the competition, particularly the private sector, and hire the right talent to join this service?
The situation is acute as we can only hire Singaporeans who embrace these three hallowed words – duty, honour and country. They must see the big picture and understand the importance of defending our way of life, with a strong sense of mission and commitment.
In addition, how will the Ministry ensure that the formation of the fourth service will not compromise the defence capabilities of our three existing services? Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to ask the Minister if he could elaborate on whether and how the DIS will build our capability in information warfare, like what an European country had conducted against Ukraine in early 2022?
Such information campaigns are conducted on various platforms online, capitalising, especially, on the wide-ranging effect of social media. The concoctions of mashed-up news and fake news using different channels are spread widely and instantaneously. They seek to influence national and global opinions, to shape policies and developments of political agendas.
Such information operations are becoming increasingly more complex and sophisticated. How will we ensure that the hearts and minds of our Singaporeans will be protected against such malicious and nebulous influences? We need communications talent as well to help build the immune system of our psychological defence and to conduct information warfare, when necessary, against hostile state and non-state actors.
(In English): Madam, we celebrate our 57th National Day next week. This will be the last year where we will see demonstrations of the capabilities of only three SAF services. I look forward to seeing how the DIS will share with Singaporeans some of its capabilities at our 58th National Day celebrations next year.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Shawn Huang.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the world is more connected today, an outcome of technological advancements, rapid digitalisation and the proliferation of mobile devices spurred by more affordable mobile devices.
We are experiencing an avalanche of innovation, opportunity and progress. For example, today's smartphones are a million times more powerful than the Apollo 11 guidance systems, and a thousand times faster than the Cray-2 supercomputers in the mid-1980s.
There were two billion people online in 2015. Today, over five billion people, or 63% of the world, are connected to the Internet.
The growing dependency on digital systems over the last 20 years has fundamentally changed how societies function, how communities interact and how individuals respond – everything from how we purchase our groceries, travel and play.
Last year, there were over 12 billion IoT active endpoints that manage many critical services and infrastructure, ranging from manufacturing and healthcare to e-commerce. The number of IOTs will double by 2025 to over 24 billion, of which 70% of IoTs contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
According to the World Economic Forum, cybersecurity measures in place by businesses, governments and individuals today are increasingly made obsolete by the growing sophistication of cyber capabilities. The global risk report states a 435% increase in ransomware in 2020.
A case in point would be the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, which impacted the computerised system managing the pipeline and forced the company to shut down operations to contain the attack. This pipeline carries gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from Texas to as far as New York and delivers about 45% of all energy consumed on the east coast.
Eventually, the company paid the ransom of 75 bitcoin, or US$4.4 million back then, after which, an IT tool was given to them to restore the system.
This event triggered an emergency declaration for 17 states, including Washington DC, to keep the fuel lines open.
This attack could have happened in Singapore, especially for our critical infrastructure, such as our oil refineries and port and air services.
May I ask the Minister for Defence, as part of the build-up of the fourth service, what are the priorities and areas of focus for the next three years, and how will this focus shift in the medium term? How differently will we safeguard our critical infrastructure with DIS?
As digitalisation continues to accelerate and remote working capabilities expand into homes due to the pandemic, companies have increased their digital reach and footprint in homes. Workers today have acquired more digital capabilities to work and operate remotely. With this, every organisation now has a greater variety of connected devices with little protection against a cyber attack.
When well-coordinated, other threats, such as deepfakes and disinformation for hire, can cause disruption and deepen the mistrust among societies, businesses and governments.
For example, deepfakes have been used to clone voices to authorise the transfer of monies to fraudulent accounts. In other scenarios, it can influence outcomes and views.
The digital and intelligence operating domain is vastly different from traditional domains. The spectrum of the intensity of the conflict, the target sets, which include private and public infrastructure, as well as its potential impact, it is dynamic and difficult to attribute. The notions of force and violence will also be less apparent in the digital domain.
This is a difficult operating landscape and will need a flexible, highly adaptable force that has strong partnerships and networks to be effective.
May I ask the Minister for Defence how will DIS define the state of war in the digital domain? How will the state of victory and defeat be defined in the digital domain? Similar to the other three services, how does DIS project deterrence in this domain?
As we look deep within the core of the mission of DIS, future capabilities, such as quantum computing, can cause disruptions and inflexions to the security landscape. Quantum computing is one of those threats that can break existing encryption keys and pose immense security risks to critical data. The public key encryption is still uncrackable when using very long key pairs with 2,048- or 4,096-bit keys. An advanced quantum computer could crack the code in over a few hours.
However, the development of advanced quantum computers today will still require 100,000 times more processing power, with a 100 times improved error rate to be viable. This may be over-the-horizon, but we must continue to invest and be ready to guard against these threats as they emerge.
Looking closer to our current state today, an attacker's pathway takes an average of two days to penetrate the company's internal computer systems. Check Point research reported that there were 50% more attack attempts per week on corporate networks in 2021 than 2020. These attempts were predominantly on education and research organisations, followed by Government, military and communications.
Today, it will take an average of 212 days to identify the breach and another 75 days to contain it.
The total cost? US$3.86 million for the attack.
This offensive threat landscape is coupled with an employment gap of over three million cybersecurity professionals worldwide. There is a dearth of talent with the requisite technical skills. As such, the job industry has a high turnover and retaining talent is increasingly difficult, as there are bountiful opportunities to progress.
I would like to ask the Minister for Defence how will the DIS plan to recruit, train and retain these talents and if the overall compensation of the skilled personnel will be competitive with the industry to ensure a favourable retention rate within the service.
There is much to reflect on as we think of the city of Troy and the Trojan horse, the 300 Spartans and the betrayal at the battle of Thermopylae, and the story of Dune between the Harkonnens and the Atreides.
The world has fundamentally changed. Hence, we must change and evolve how we fight and defend ourselves. Like how the US Air Force was formed from the US Army Air Corps, and the US Space Force from the US Air Force, we need a service that can protect our sovereignty in our digital domain. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker.
In a week's time, we will celebrate our National Day and we will also celebrate our 55th year of National Service. Mdm Deputy Speaker, before I begin, I would like to thank all our NSFs, NSMen and all our Servicemen and women, past and present, for protecting our country and safeguarding our sovereignty.
Our Singapore Armed Forces have always protected us from all threats – land, air and sea – and have always evolved to take on any new threats.
The security threat confronting Singapore today is multifaceted and ever-changing. This is increasingly evident when we consider countries and non-state entities capable of launching attacks across both physical and digital spheres.
The current war in Ukraine, for example, has shown that Ukraine had been under cyber attacks since 2014 and these intensified just prior to the war in February this year.
Cyber attacks targeting a country is nothing new. In 2007, a series of cyber attacks targeted Estonian organisations, including its parliament, ministries, banks and newspapers. The online services of Estonian banks and media outlets were taken down by unprecedented levels of internet traffic. Massive waves of spam were sent by botnets and huge amounts of automated online requests swamped servers.
Just this year, malwares, such as Pipedream and Incontroller, can target ICS and SCADA systems in industries, and can seize control and take down critical infrastructure. Hence, I understand the pressing need to develop our defence capabilities to tackle attacks from the digital sphere. However, I do have several clarifications to make.
Firstly, let us take a look at the structure, scope and capability of our Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS). This Bill will enable the addition of our fourth service – the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), led by the Chief of DIS, and reporting to the Chief of Defence Force. DIS will include having a Digital Ops-Tech Centre and Centre of Excellence for Cyber Range. As announced in the Budget this year, DIS will be responsible for intelligence, cyber and psychological defence, as well as advancing the SAF as a networked force.
Given that attacks can originate from countries and non-state entities from across the globe, how does this align with the role of the Cyber Security Agency (CSA)? Do they have overlapping roles? With CSA reporting under a different Ministry, how can we ensure that both agencies complement each other and become our force multipliers?
For example, for threats, such as Pipedream and Incontroller, which can seize control of critical infrastructure in Singapore, how will both agencies collaborate across Ministries to provide the best defensive outcome for Singapore, without hindering the operations of each other?
Given our scarce resource of talent in this very specialised field, how can we ensure that we efficiently use the limited pool that we have for the best effective outcome, for the security of Singapore?
On DIS' capabilities, how can we ensure we are constantly seeking cutting edge capabilities and continuously evolve to tackle the ever-changing threats to safeguard our country?
Beyond cyber defence, our DIS must also have capabilities to strive to protect our assets in the digital space. How will we define the new rules of engagement in this digital sphere? Can, or should, DIS operate independently of the other three arms? And does DIS have some degree of autonomy to deal with cybersecurity threats from any source, state or non-state, quickly and expeditiously to neutralise the threat, without the knowledge of the other arms of SAF?
Part of deterrence is also showcasing our capability and posturing. How do we intend to showcase the capability of our fourth service as a deterrent measure?
Secondly, on manpower and talent required, what will be the estimated headcount size of our fourth service? In a recent Business Times' article on 7 July, it was reported that Singapore will add at least 20,000 digital jobs in the already heated labour market. In March 2022, there were 128,100 job vacancies and the ratio of job vacancies to unemployed people is 2.42, the highest since 1998.
Currently, it is already challenging to find Singaporean digital talents for the private industry. Setting up DIS will inevitably place additional demand on an already strained labour market. Hence, how can we man this fourth service with the right Singaporean digital talents?
To meet the needs of our industries, we can develop our local workforce with digital skills and complement them with global talents. However, we must keep in mind that for DIS, as is the case with our other three services, our personnel must be Singaporean, as their work deals with national security and interests.
While I acknowledge MINDEF's proposal of developing our SAF digital workforce by expanding the C4X and DCX digital schemes and attracting mid-career talents, providing flexible contract options and leveraging on NSmen, this shortage of local manpower with the right skillset may require a larger effort than a single Ministry.
Collectively, in Singapore, we cannot just move the local digital talents from one industry to another. Instead, we have to grow a larger pool of local talents to tap on, especially in context of our national defence. This will require a whole-of-Government approach over the next few years as we rapidly build our national cyber defence posture and digital capabilities.
To meet the short-term ramp-up phase, beyond attempting to attract individual mid-career talents, can we also consider mass career conversion programmes from other industries or even consider upskilling or retraining some of our NSF or NSmen units and redeploying them to DIS, so that we can gather the critical mass required for DIS to be effective quickly?
Alternatively, we can also consider having a scheme where NSmen who have completed their ORNS cycle continue to volunteer and support DIS. The Work-Learn Schemes where Digital Specialists can earn academic credits from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) that contribute to a degree in Data Science and AI, Computer Science or Computer Engineering is a very good idea for our NSFs. Can we expand that idea to also include opportunities for our higher Nitec graduates to acquire skills and gain academic credits for their future diplomas too?
And as we solve the short-term ramp-up needs of DIS and our industries, do we need to readjust the long-term supply of digital and tech talents graduating from our institutes of higher learning (IHLs)? What proportion of the future forecasted demand for these talents will be met by our local IHLs? For instance, should we be looking into increasing our cohort sizes for the digital and tech courses in IHLs to meet the long-term demand?
Thirdly, on cost. Will the addition of the fourth service increase our financial expenditure on defence or will the cost be contained within our current defence budget, which then implies that the other three services take a budget cut? If it is additional expenditure, what is the expected percentage increase in our defence budget? While we keep an eye on costs, it is also important for us to build the right capability to defend Singapore. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore is now facing various security threats. These range from terrorism to cyber attacks which all have the potential to cripple our nation. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is a stark reminder to take national security issues very seriously and to safeguard Singapore's security physically, as well as in cyberspace.
Hence, it is important for us to form the fourth service of the SAF; that is, the Digital and Intelligence Service to address new security threats.
However, it is important to delineate the responsibilities of the DIS and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) to ensure that their responsibilities do not overlap. Instead, there should be inter-ministry cooperation to synergise the efforts of both organisations, in order to attain the most optimal outcome for Singapore's defence.
We must also look into upgrading the digital skills of our very own workforce because we cannot afford to depend on overseas talent to circumvent the shortage of manpower in Singapore itself. Personnel deployed in this fourth service must be loyal and true to Singapore, as their task involves our nation’s security and interests.This must be seen as an opportunity for us to contribute towards our nation’s safety and defence.
We should also be mindful of the costs of setting up DIS. This new service will need specialised resources. We should remain prudent with our expenditure, without compromising on the efficiency and effectiveness of national security.
(In English): In conclusion, Mdm Deputy Speaker, as the range of threats we face become multifaceted and more complex, it indeed important to consider how we can best develop our defensive capabilities as a nation. We need to consider how best to do this given our present capabilities, resources and manpower challenges. Recent world events have highlighted the urgency in which this has to be done. Notwithstanding the above clarifications, Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Henry Kwek.
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of both Bills being debated today.
Over the last two decades, cyber warfare has been waged openly between the major powers, and increasingly undertaken by middle powers too. Iran and North Korea are frequently mentioned in the international media, but they are not the only ones.
The bigger concern is that the increased frequency and sophistication of the attacks are happening. We are seeing more and more use of zero-day exploits being unleashed on IT systems globally. By zero-day exploits, it means vulnerabilities that not even the authors of the software are aware of, which means IT users can expect limited protection from.
It is useful for us to know how the world get to where it is – a cyberspace dominated by the law of the jungle. And how did IT, which has revolutionised humanity, get weaponised? And did how this cutting-edge expertise get proliferated? Sadly, the story is similar to that of nuclear weapon proliferation.
For many decades, the US, as the birthplace of IT, started as the dominant and sole superpower of cybersecurity. In 2006, the Stuxnet attack woke many countries up to the dangers of cyber attacks. After Stuxnet, countries realise that most civilian infrastructure can get compromised through hacks in industrial automation systems.
Some countries and groups started building up sophisticated capabilities. As early as December 2009, there were reports of coordinated attacks against IT giants like Google, aimed at not just compromising individual systems, but also went after core IP, such as the source codes and proprietary designs. Another example, in August 2012, Saudi Aramco, the world's richest company, had 30,000 of its computers demolished by malware. All data were wiped out and replaced with photographs of burning American flag.
A much larger wave of proliferation happened around half a decade ago. In August 2016, a group called The Shadow Brokers publicly claimed that they have hacked into the vault of NSA and stolen a large arsenal of NSA's zero-day exploits. And in April 2017, The Shadow Brokers then shared some of the most powerful codes to the public.
The world, since then, saw more waves of large-scale and sophisticated cyber attacks using tools that were supposedly leaked. How does these change the world?
Some of the most sophisticated code is now available to groups and nation states. And because the Internet respects no boundaries, the rest of the world is at risk. For example, Ukraine was the initial nexus of the NotPetya attack in 2014. The attack started through a software update from an Ukrainian tax filing software company. It quickly jumped onto Ukraine's ministry of health to Chernobyl's radiation monitors, and then to the rest of the world. Within months, analysts conservatively estimate that the cost of the attack to be more than US$10 billion. Some global insurers even chose not to pay off the damages as they claim that this damage, even for companies outside of Ukraine, was due to an act of war.
This changing battlefield affects us, for we have unique vulnerabilities. The obvious scenario facing SAF is a formal cyber attack as part of hostile military actions.
Consider this. Our next generation's SAF pushes C4I to a whole new level. We will fuse battlefield intelligence from all services, from near and far, from all parts of the battlefield, to determine the right course of action and get the right assets to respond. C4I is at the heart of this coordination.
If our C4I network or military equipment is fully compromised, then a significant amount of SAF's capability could be shut down, even for a short time.
But another kind of serious threats that Singapore must be ever ready for, is for global cyber attacks not aimed at Singapore but, nevertheless, spillover through our borders, given that Singapore is the telecommunications, digital, financial and business hub of the region.
Singapore has fully gone digital. I am not just talking about digital banking or enterprise software. Our hardware infrastructure, like the rest of the modern countries, rely on industrial automation. We are embracing IoT with a multitude of sensors to manage our city-state. In fact, our value proposition to the world can be summed up by three words: trust, connectivity and knowledge. And all these three pillars can be undermined by cybersecurity threats.
Beyond attacks on our economy, our society is also vulnerable. It is entirely possible that Singapore could come under constant attacks from nations with strong cyber capabilities that seek to destabilise our media, civic institutions, or even our political system. If the US Senate Intelligence Committee could conclude in 2019 that US democracy was hacked, what makes us think that a small country like Singapore would be spared of ill intentions?
And while we have natural vulnerabilities, we must also be cognisant that we are a net importer of IT capabilities and talent, and this makes it harder for us to keep us safe. I would like to just highlight two areas of intense shortage of skills.
There is an acute shortage of top-notch AI talent here, which is a concern as IT will increasingly power cybersecurity. Sometime ago, I had dinner with a top AI expert in Singapore. He shared with me how, within a few years, the top companies headhunted away the bulk of the teaching staff of AI at Carnegie Mellon University, which is one of the largest and best IT institutions in the US.
Indeed, if even the US is short of top-notch IT talents, it is not surprising that Singapore would be short too.
Singapore also lacks sufficient programmers skilled in assembly language. Assembly language is used to write codes for software to interface with hardware. For decades, assembly language work is seen as basic, low-level technology. As such, only a handful of locations – India, China, Eastern Europe and Taiwan – have deep pools of such skillsets.
But over time, the industry realised that assembly language helps a hacker manipulate systems at the architectural level. It is also the most appropriate for building malware like viruses and trojans.
In fact, assembly language is the go-to choice if someone want to reverse engineer a piece of software that has already been compiled. Far from being low-level work, assembly language is now seen as a sophisticated mean to subtly hack the chip, device or the telecoms equipment. This is what hackers mean when they say, \"hacking down to the metal\". This is a skill shortage that is not easy for most countries, including Singapore, to bridge.
In view of our unique vulnerabilities, I would like to make a few suggestions to SAF.
One, set the right culture. The DSI needs to be as much like Google and NSA, even as it retains its existing military culture. A key part of getting the culture right is being bold and innovative in the recruitment, growth and retention of cybersecurity talent.
Given that the bulk of cybersecurity expertise available to Singapore may be from the private sector, I hope that DIS can benchmark the salaries of cyber talent to the private sector, so that we can pull in the right mid-career professionals and retain good staff. So, perhaps the salary structure of DIS may have to deviate considerably from the rest of the military.
I also hope DIS can find ways of deploying our people to do very useful industry exchanges, attachments, or even sabbaticals. The obvious places for our people to spend time with are, of course, IT security companies. But we should not limit ourselves to that. It is an open secret to the security industry that there are certain countries with thriving pools of IT freelancers and experts capable of writing zero-day exploits. These exploits are then sold to cybersecurity firms, or even within the Dark Net. Are we prepared to let our people go to those countries to immerse themselves in those complex environments? I certainly hope so. Because they will allow us to have a pulse of this rapidly evolving field.
Two, I hope that DIS should actively participate in defence exchanges with trusted countries. Because national level threats and attacks can be of a different profile compared to isolated attacks on civilian and commercial IT systems. Even if the same tools are similar, the motivation, approach and the end goals are very different.
Three, I hope that DIS must ramp up and integrate with and defend the other services from cyberthreats quickly. For example, DIS could consider helping SAF architect our network architecture, so that certain basic capabilities can stay analogue, or even offline. This can help us preserve basic capabilities, even in the face of an overwhelming attack, which requires time to resolve in cyberspace.
I also hope that DIS can be actively involved in securing our IT environment and processes as various SAF units conduct firmware updates of our software, weapons systems and communication systems. Through DIS, I also hope that SAF mandate and implement a Software Bill of Materials policy, and also help SAF assess the risk of the underlying software and hardware components being deployed.
At the same time, we should also be cautious of the silo effect. According to some industry experts, the key challenges that the US government face is the silo effect in achieving a stronger cybersecurity defence. Some commentators felt that NSA, given the nature of its mandate, was viewed as unwilling to share the full expertise and know-how with the Department of Homeland Security, which is in charge of cyber defence. Singapore is too small a country to afford the luxury of turf wars, so I hope we bear that in mind as we have a fourth service.
Four, we must safeguard of our capabilities very carefully. DIS needs an extremely vigorous process to audit our people and processes, and the security of our tools. We have the moral responsibility to ensure that the codes and tools do not get out, because of the potential unintended effect.
Last of all, I hope that DIS will work hand in glove with our Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA) to protect Singapore. I hope DIS can actively contribute by to our Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) by probing our CIIs for vulnerabilities. Doing so will also help our CSA sharpen their skills on how to keep our CII safe. DIS should also help with defending non-military CII, because not all adversaries draw a line between military and civilian targets.
Let me now conclude. The creation of our fourth service DIS opens many new possibilities for SAF. SAF is now in a better position to supplement our existing capabilities with that of the private sector and to keep our military and non-military CII safe. On that note, I would like to congratulate SAF for the creation of DIS and I wish success to the founding generation of DIS officers and staff. With that, I stand in support of both Bills.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Darryl David.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Mdm Deputy Speaker, since inception, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has adopted the military doctrine of deterrence and forward defence. While Singapore has never sought to be a military aggressor, we have never shied away from the need to build a technologically advanced, modern and competent SAF. Indeed, today, I am proud to say, that SAF is a well-regarded fighting force, with possibly the best air and naval forces in the region.
While Singapore has excelled in our preparedness and readiness in conventional jungle and urban warfare, the strategies and tactics of war have changed considerably in recent years. To tackle the multitude of new security threats, SAF has begun its transition from a third generation army to a fourth generation one, fortifying its capabilities to confront more complex defence challenges with more modern technologies and newer equipment.
I am, thus, happy to learn that SAF has continued its earlier trajectory of boosting its cyber and digital defence capabilities with the proposed setting up of the Digital and Intelligence Services (DIS). The set-up of DIS is very timely in providing the much-needed safeguard to SAF's network assets as SAF transit, in earnest – to a firm, fighting 4G force.
In today's networked world, countries face a multitude of security threats on different fronts. While the potential of open armed conflicts remains high, the actual possibility of countries openly engaging in hostile confrontations and conventional warfare, as what is happening in the Russo-Ukraine conflict, thankfully, remains low.
A more commonplace security threat in the 21st century is the invisible cyber warfare waged by state and non-state actors against countries, using cyber weapons that mask the identity of the aggressor. Such cyber attacks often go unnoticed by the man on the street as these attacks happen in cyberspace with low signatures in the physical realm, leaving no visible damages to real world infrastructures and assets until they actually happened. As Minister had said, \"the battleground has changed\".
It is precisely because of the invisible and masked nature of such attacks that makes them so dangerous. We tend to underestimate the devastating real life damages that such attacks could cause, and could possibly be underprepared for widespread cyber terrorism, or \"hacktivist\", attacks that assail multiple soft cyber targets simultaneously.
While I agree wholeheartedly with the setting up of DIS, I would like to ask where does the jurisdiction of DIS begins and where does it end, especially regarding cybersecurity matters and threats that could have an impact at the national level? Unlike a physical infrastructure where we can adopt a more sectoral approach in defence, it is a little bit more challenging to do so in the case of cyber defence.
Also, a network attack on the SAF can potentially cripple multiple systems at the same time and could possibly be difficult to isolate and contain. In the unlikely or unfortunate event of a cyber attack on SAF's system – which we hope would never happen – who would be ultimately responsible for the defence of the system?
Would it be SAF's Defence Cyber Organisation (DCO)? The Cyber Defence Group (CDG) under SAF Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence (C4I)? Or would the defence be coordinated by SAF's Digital Ops-Tech Centre (DOTC), which has the mandate to partner with the Defence Tech Community (DTC) and whole-of-Government digital agencies to secure SAF's system? And if the plan is for all the SAF units and platforms mentioned above to be coordinated under DIS, how would DIS liaise with CSA who is responsible for coordinating a whole-of-Government defence? I hope that Minister could provide some clarity on this later.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to shift my focus now from the digital and virtual realm to the physical and natural world.
The second part of the Bill proposes amendments to the Military Manoeuvres Act of 1905 to permit the SAF to carry out of military manoeuvres in catchment areas with the approval of the Public Utilities Board. The catchment areas in Singapore, generally, comprise a majority of our reservoirs and natural landscape. These areas contain a diverse range of flora and fauna, many of which are possibly still awaiting discovery.
For example, nine plants, fungi and algae were discovered, or re-discovered, in 2021, with more than half of these discovered in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. NParks also reported in 2017 that 480 new species of flora and fauna were discovered, or rediscovered, in Singapore between 2012 and 2017.
I would like to ask if allowing military manoeuvres in catchment areas would impact Singapore's biodiversity adversely? Does MINDEF plan to do any environmental impact study or engage the relevant agencies and perhaps even nature groups with regards to the impact of such military exercises on the catchment areas, so we can minimise the ecological footprints of such activities on our natural environment?
Also, how does MINDEF intend to balance military needs which are critical and crucial, and I support, with public interest given that our catchment areas are family-friendly leisure locations frequented by leisure hikers and families who are seeking a respite from urban life? What considerations would MINDEF have taken to ensure that the public's interest is catered for in these areas before embarking on such proposed manoeuvres?
Mdm Deputy Speaker, as we celebrate NS55 this year we are reminded of the contributions and sacrifices that our Servicemen and Servicewomen have made to protect Singapore. I am personally grateful to all of those who have served for their contributions to the nation and hope that the proposed amendments in the Bill will contribute to the further strengthening of our Armed Forces and other Services. My clarifications notwithstanding, I end my speech in firm support of the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I note both Bills, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and the Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill are being read at the same time. My speech is restricted to the Constitution (Amendment) Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, clause 2 of the Bill amends Article 22 of the Constitution, to extend the President's discretionary powers of appointment to include the office of the newly created Chief of the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). This Bill enjoins the Chief of the DIS to the list of key public sector appointments that must be agreed to, by the President.
The President can veto the appointment. As established by my colleagues, Mr Gerald Giam and Mr Dennis Tan, the Workers' Party has no fundamental objection to this newly established appointment and substantively support the Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Workers' Party is on record in Parliament, with regard to the prospect of a gridlock if any elected President withholds nominations to key appointments, particularly in the context of a new Government, which defeats the PAP at the General Elections.
Most recently, at the Parliamentary debate on the Menon Constitutional Commission's report in 2016, the Workers' Party advocated returning to the elected presidency, to its original form to an appointed office without blocking powers. This will enable the President to focus on being a unifying figure for the nation, rather than having any confrontational role vis-à-vis the elected Government.
In view of the Workers' Party's position on the elected presidency, we will vote against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill as a matter of principle.
For the Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill, we will support the Bill, but cannot support clause 6, which is specifically related to the President's discretionary powers. However, since the substantive change is located in the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill, we will support the Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill as our position is clarified by voting against the constitutional amendment.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister Ng Eng Hen.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I think all of us can agree that the Members' speeches have been quite helpful in fleshing out in greater detail the growing threat in the digital domain, which Singapore and, indeed, all countries will face.
I must say that I was very impressed with every speech. Members did their research, have extensive knowledge way above the average citizen and they gave details of digital attacks elsewhere and how other militaries or agencies are addressing these threats and the difficulties faced.
I think, perhaps, the first order of the day is to recruit some of them into the Digital and Intelligence Service. So, do not be surprised if you get your SAF100. But in the interest of disclosure and to make sure that we do not perpetuate scams, if you do get one after this, please know it is not from me and do not answer it. [Laughter.]
Let me laud Members for their efforts and thank them for supporting the Bill.
There has been unanimous agreement that, just as we do in the air, land and sea, SAF's missions must also protect Singapore against digital threats. The issue is how SAF does this and, in relation to DIS, their questions can be summed up in four areas.
First, why a formal service, a fourth, to add to the Army, Navy and Air Force?
Second, how will DIS meet manpower challenges, given our constraints and demands for IT-related skills?
Third, how will DIS and SAF work with partner organisations, such as the Home Team and CSA, to optimise our digital defences?
Fourth, how will DIS guard against excesses and abuse of its powers and capabilities?
They are four important areas, so, let me address each in turn.
Mr Don Wee asked about our considerations in deciding for a formal fourth service. This, indeed, was a critical issue that MINDEF and SAF leaders looked at extensively for some time. At the end of it, two main reasons led to this decision – manpower and mission mindset.
The manpower issue for DIS is, indeed, a serious challenge and I think almost all Members alluded to it – Mr Alex Yam, Mr Gerald Giam, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Don Wee, Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Shawn Huang and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim. They have highlighted this and given us good suggestions for recruitment and we will study their proposals seriously.
But first things first. Forming a formal fourth service on par with the Army, Navy and Air Force is the best footing for DIS to attract the right type of people it needs. It provides their new entrants and existing staff career paths and progressions on par with the Army, Navy and Air Force, including for those with the aptitude to be Chief of Service, and even to be the Chief of Defence Force.
Once formed, it puts the onus on the DIS leaders to fight for their fair or unfair share of talent that they need. I completely agree with Members of this House that, indeed, there is a global demand for these types of skills, but this is healthy competition between the services first, and then, for the SAF to compete with the rest of the organisations that need that kind of talent.
For soldiers and personnel who join DIS, there will be a dedicated digital vocation which will develop experts in competencies, such as software engineering, app development, data science, AI, cloud architecting, among others. Talents in these fields will be eligible for top-tier SAF scholarships. Compensation, as Members have supported, will be benchmarked against industry norms and regularly reviewed.
The formation of DIS will boost their recruitment drives. Already, we have our first SAF scholar who applied and was selected to join DIS. I met her last week during the presentation ceremony. I joked with her that we have awarded her the scholarship on the assumption – because DIS has not been formed yet, because we have not passed the Bill – that Parliament approves the Bill and that the President assents. I told her, well, if Parliament or the President does not do what we hope they do, we will have to deploy her elsewhere.
She is doing law at Oxford and I think, perhaps, if Mr Vikram Nair will wait for a couple of years, she may be able to give him the answers to the questions that he asked about law and international relations.
Just like other services, and perhaps with even more challenges, DIS must ensure that it provides an attractive proposition for jobseekers. It must provide job security, a good working environment and advancement opportunities.
But as Members here have pointed out, because it serves a higher calling, it must also bring in people with the right values and commitment and the mission mindset. As Mr Gerald Giam, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Sharael Taha reminded us, we need to be very security conscious. They are guardians of our secrets and I agree with them.
This mission mindset was the second key reason for our decision to form a fourth service. In its current configuration, the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) community is a supporting force that supports the overall mission of the SAF and that of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The C4I community will continue to perform these supporting roles for other domains. But with the DIS as a formal service, it is now also directly responsible and accountable to protect the cyber domain against external aggressors.
As cyber warriors there, they are the frontline troops. This mindset shift is crucial for the SAF as it builds the DIS. I think this was the broader theme which Member Shawn Huang alluded to. As a trained pilot, he knew to ask important strategic and tactical questions about missions for DIS and the key response for effective outcomes, whether for DIS personnel, soldiers, sailors or airmen, is the mission mindset.
So, I think the quick answer to Mr Vikram Nair's question – whether it could be a civilian chief – I would say no. You need a military man in a uniform to have a military mindset.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Mr Don Wee and Mr Dennis Tan asked about misinformation warfare and whether foreigners could be part of this force. I think not. Singaporeans must, just like air, land and sea, be the core elements of this fourth service. Obviously, there will be services that they can outsource to third-party contractors. But I agree with them – we have to be very careful even when we do that.
There were other questions related to NSmen, and also whether soldiers in DIS would be trained and deployed differently, compared to the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Mr Alex Yam asked about women – whether they could join as volunteers. Women can join as regulars. I would like more women to join this if they are up to it.
My broad answer is that certain modules will remain common. Without the right military values and mission mindset, there is a limit in using any individual soldier, no matter how talented he or she is. But if someone serving National Service or a regular, has the aptitude and right attitude, I agree that such an individual can do more in DIS, even if his attributes are not best suited for physical combat.
In fact, we have already started this. The Cyber NSF Scheme, which Members alluded to, provides training in threat monitoring and assessment for NSFs to become cyber operators during their two-year full-time National Service. Selected ones with leadership aptitude may be selected to become cyber specialists in a three-year or four-year undergraduate work-learn programme where they will perform specialised roles, such as incident response, cyber forensic, malware analysis and penetration testing.
Members have asked about the sizing of the DIS. I mentioned before in this House that it will grow organically from the current MIO and, at steady state, I think it will likely be two or three times that.
Our digital defence network is multi-layered. I agree with Members that no single Ministry can do it alone.
Broadly, DIS will be external facing against potential aggressors, while the Home Team and CSA deal with threats internally. But as Members have pointed out, the cyber arena is much more porous than the physical domain. Mr Darryl David, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Shawn Huang, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Mr Gerald Giam asked how the DIS will organise itself and also complement and work with other relevant Government agencies.
Let me give a practical answer.
Our agencies know that they cannot work in silos, lest the cyber attackers exploit gaps or poor coordination. Inter-agency sharing of information, coordination and cooperation already exists.
Our counter-terrorism efforts have taught us valuable lessons about whole-of-Government (WOG) responses and I cite this because it is a very good parallel example of interagency work.
So, similar to cyber threats, MINDEF and SAF are external facing for terrorism, working with foreign agencies to detect terrorists, either individually or their networks that mean to do us harm. MINDEF set up the Counter Terrorism Information Facility (CTIF) to facilitate this work and share that information with external partners and local agencies. MHA addresses the internal threats. For cybersecurity, it will do the same, together with CSA.
Such coordination already exists today, so we are not starting on a blank sheet.
I can foresee exercises to test and improve multi-agency responses to common cyber threats, just as we do against terrorism. So, if you remember, we have had multi-agencies exercises – when it comes to terrorism, I think there are as many as 10 or 11 agencies. We have done exercises in ferry terminals, in Changi Airport, in the southern waters.
When the new service, DIS, is formed, it can help build more sophisticated cyber ranges that can add depth and realism for these exercises. I have already announced the setting up of a new Digital Ops-Tech Centre and a state-of-the-art digital training and simulation range.
The Digital Ops-Tech Centre (DOTC) will raise a core of practitioners who will apply their cross-cutting digital skills, such as in software development and Artificial Intelligence, towards operational outcomes for SAF. The digital range will provide a rich simulation environment for digital training and will host bilateral and multilateral exercises to bring together militaries, industry and academia to share best practices and insights.
Together, the DOTC and the digital range will form a strong foundation, from which the DIS will hone our digital defence capabilities and contribute to our digital defence, alongside the Home Team and CSA.
I visited such a cyber range, and this was in Estonia and the NATO Centre of Excellence. Very impressive set-up. You build systems but there are water systems, power systems, support systems, hospital systems, so on and so forth. They work with private practitioners and they are taught how to defend and, obviously, to act against penetration attacks. But these are the cyber troops that are raised.
The mission and mandate, as scoped for the DIS to be primarily external-facing, reduce the risk of abuse and overstepping the SAF's authority. So, Mr Louis Ng's characterisation of the DIS as a wide-ranging one is not quite accurate. It is, primarily, external facing.
In daily practice, the rules of engagement will also apply, just as it does to the SAF troops in civilian settings when they are guarding Changi Airport, Jurong Island or when they are deployed to deal with terrorist attacks or riots. The rules of engagements are spelt out ex-ante to reduce the risk of abuse.
I was piqued by Members' grand vision for the DIS because it is not yet formed. Some said that we should commercialise our successes and that we should share our secrets and capabilities with other agencies. I thank Members for your confidence and hope, and we will try to meet your expectations.
Let me now address the questions on proposed changes to the disciplinary processes and penalties under the military justice system.
Mr Louis Ng asked if abetment will be an offence that may be compounded. That will depend on the actual offence being abetted. For offences, such as those under the Penal Code, like abetting the assault of a superior officer, which I mentioned in my first speech, the maximum penalty has increased to seven years imprisonment to align with the Penal Code, and is not compoundable.
For the abetment of lesser offences, I think this was mentioned by Mr Dennis Tan as well, MINDEF is open to allowing composition. For example, currently, if a soldier abets another into defaulting on IPPT, say by encouraging him to default or wilfully misleading him with inaccurate information on his IPPT requirements, both would have been charged. With the proposed amendments, both would have committed an offence which may be compounded.
There was a question asked whether compared to summary trials, if compoundable offences, will be on your personal records. The current system is that for all STs, it is on your records. So, it is very interesting with people discharged, we see all the offences, maybe some were even committed 20, 30 years ago for minor infractions. I think it is balance between what we need to maintain military discipline and what the organisation really needs. And over time, I think we have found a new balance.
So, Mr Dennis Tan and I think Mr Louis Ng asked which specific offences will be put in the personal record and which ones will not. I will say, broadly, our most common offences are IPPT infractions and smoking in non-designated areas. If Members push very hard, I will try and keep that on the personal record. But I think not. Probably, we will not keep that on. But if you repeatedly miss an IPPT, or purposefully go against the superior's order not to smoke in the area, that is a very different kind of situation.
Mr Louis Ng asked whether it was a discharge and acquittal. It again depends on whether there is a charge against the offence. In all cases referred to an authorised composition officer, no charge is preferred. Once the composition sum is paid, no further proceedings are to be taken against the accused for that alleged offence, as reflected in the proposed section 79A(4) of the SAF Act.
Mr Louis Ng also asked if the Public Prosecutor will provide directions for how authorised composition officers should exercise their composition powers. For military offences, the jurisdiction comes under the Chief Military Prosecutor who will ensure that compounded offences are broadly aligned to the civil justice system but take into account the need for military discipline.
For increased fine limits, Mr Louis Ng is broadly accurate that the fine limits under section 118 have increased significantly. However, sections 68, 69, 70, 70A, 70B and 72 will be amended for higher fine limits but to different degrees.
Even with the increase in fine limits, it remains for the military courts and disciplinary officers to assess the specific circumstances of the case and to decide on the appropriate fine to impose. We are just raising the limit, but the powers are still theirs.
MINDEF and SAF have established guidelines on fine amounts, based on offence severity and the rank of the offender, and will adjust these guidelines as he has asked for, when the amendments of the Act take effect.
Mr Ng asked whether the military court would consider the impact of the preceding civil proceedings and any sentences served by the accused for related civil offences, when imposing a sentence for the military offences. The short answer is yes. Before preferring charges against the serviceman in the military court, MINDEF will assess all available information and findings which may be relevant, including, but not limited to, the findings and sentences by the civil courts in related civil proceedings.
Mr Darryl David and Mr Dennis Tan asked about the environmental impact and public security of military manoeuvres in catchment areas. I feel a little embarrassed about this amendment. I will tell you why.
We are just regularising what all of us as NSmen have gone through. All of us, I think, have been into Mandai Reservoir, Kranji Reservoir; some got lost, maybe. Thankfully, I did not; or maybe, I helped somebody get lost; never mind. But we had an agreement with PUB, I think, as far back as in the 1990s to train there. All of us have done it.
But we are regularising it to say that now, we can only exercise if PUB says we can. So, that is just regularising it.
People asked about the environmental impact from such training. We have been doing it for 40-over years under very strict guidelines that protect our catchment area, water especially. Biodiversity – there have been environmental impact assessments done from time to time. We leave it to the agencies. But I want to sound a word of caution: we do not have much terrain to train in. The SAF will take precautions. But if we say, \"Oh, your training can affect\", as Mr Darryl David said, \"one of nine particular fauna or flora\", we may have very limited land to train in. So, please bear that in mind when you are pushing to protect biodiversity – as all of us want to, but there is a balance to be struck.
Let me conclude. Mdm Deputy Speaker, the substantive change in this Bill is the set-up of a fourth service. The three services of the SAF were established in 1972 with the enactment of the SAF Act. So, 50 years on, the amendments today bring into existence a fourth service. The DIS positions the SAF and Singapore to better deal with cyber threats today and into the future. It provides the SAF with the right structure and emphasis to continue building a full suite of capabilities that can protect Singapore's sovereignty and independence, whether on land, sea, in the air and in the digital domain.
Once again, let me thank the Members who have spoken on the Bill and for their support. Madam, I beg to move. [Applause.]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I just have one clarification for the Minister.
The Minister said that DIS will compete with other organisations for tech talent. I am concerned that this would further exacerbate the talent crunch in the private sector, especially for SMEs who cannot provide the same salary scales of the Government or MNCs. Besides scholarships, what is MINDEF's plan for increasing the pipeline for tech talent in Singapore to feed into DIS and other organisations. For example, will MINDEF be working with MOE to help our IHLs increase their Singaporean intake for IT-related majors?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Let me thank Mr Giam for the reminder. When I said that the formation of the fourth service, the DIS, should compete with the other services, it is not a signal to \"chiong\". They will have a budget to work with. They have to be attractive. But that is the reality. We say that the DIS is important and we say manpower is important. And with the formation of the DIS, it puts it on a somewhat more equal footing, but they will have to compete.
But I agree completely with Mr Giam and, I think, others spoke about it, that we are acutely short of these talents. We will have to grow the overall pie or find ways of being efficient. And I completely agree and, yes, the answer is that we will work with other agencies. It is the task of the commanders to make it attractive to grow the pie to bring people in.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Dr Ng Eng Hen]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No 2) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Madam, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time\".
Mdm Deputy Speaker, the proposed amendments to Article 22(k) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore will allow the President to exercise her discretionary powers in the appointment of the new Chief of Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), in the same way that the President does in the appointment of the Chiefs of the Air Force, Army and Navy. This Bill is related to the Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill, which this House has debated and passed for the establishment of the DIS. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: The Question is, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Pursuant to Article 5(2) of the Constitution, a vote is taken to ascertain that the Second Reading of the Bill is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Elected and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, which is 63 Members. Clerk, ring the division bells.
[(proc text) After two minutes – (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Serjeant‐at‐Arms, lock the doors.
Before I proceed to start the electronic voting, may I remind Members that they are to be seated at their designated seats and should only start to vote when the voting buttons on the arm rest start to blink.
[(proc text) Question put, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\" (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Take a vote. You may now begin to vote. And may I remind Members to depress their vote buttons firmly, in order to register their vote in the system.
Members are advised to check that their names are registered according to their vote indication when the voting results are shown on the display screens.
Before I proceed to declare the results of the vote, are there any Members who wish to claim that his or her vote has not been displayed or displayed incorrectly on the screens? No.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: I will proceed to declare the voting results now. There are 75 \"Ayes\"; eight \"Noes\"; zero \"Abstentions\". The Second Reading of the Bill has been carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Elected and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament.
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Dr Ng Eng Hen]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment. (proc text)]
Third Reading
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Third Reading, what day?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Now, Madam, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Third time.\"
Mdm Deputy Speaker: The Question is, \"That the Bill be now read a Third time.\"
Pursuant to Article 5(2) of the Constitution, a vote is taken to ascertain that the Third Reading of the Bill is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Elected and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, which is 63 Members. Clerk, ring the division bells.
[(proc text) After one minute – (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Serjeant-at-Arms, lock the doors.
[(proc text) Question put, \"That the Bill be now read a Third Time.\" (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: You may now begin to vote. May I remind Members to depress their vote button firmly, in order to register their vote in the system.
Members are advised to check that their names are registered according to their vote indication when the voting results are shown on the display screens.
Before I proceed to declare the results of the vote, are there any Members who wish to claim that his or her vote has not been displayed or is displayed incorrectly on the screens? Minister of State Gan Siow Huang.
The Minister of State for Education and Manpower (Ms Gan Siow Huang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to press \"yes.\"
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Okay. Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
The Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam): Also \"yes\".
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Okay. Any other Members?
Mdm Deputy Speaker: I will proceed to declare the voting results now. There are now 75 \"Ayes\"; eight \"Noes\"; zero \"Abstentions\". The Third Reading of the Bill has been carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Elected and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament.
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Deputy 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 at its rising today, Parliament do stand adjourned to a date to be fixed.\" – [Mr Zaqy Mohamad]. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"A More Inclusive Workplace for Breastfeeding Mothers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"
The Deputy Leader of the House: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\"
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Madam, I think that I now hold the record for the most number of times someone has lost the ballot for an Adjournment Motion. I have been trying to deliver this Motion since May. But on a positive note, Minister Indranee Rajah probably had the longest time ever to consider the recommendations in an Adjournment Motion before it is delivered. So, I am sure, and I hope, she will say \"yes\" to all the recommendations from the breastfeeding mothers, many of whom are seated in the Gallery above and have waited a long time for their voices to be heard in this House.
Madam, my wife and I know how difficult it is to breastfeed. All three of my daughters – Ella, Katie and Poppy – were breastfed until they were about two years old. My wife and I are part of a growing number of Singaporeans who have chosen breastfeeding because it increases mother-child bonding and improves the health of both infant and mother.
That said, my speech today is not about why breastfeeding is good. Indeed, some mothers cannot or choose not to breastfeed and we should respect them all the same. Instead, my speech is about how the Government can support mothers who choose to breastfeed.
Let me start by sharing stories from the workplace – many, many stories – because so many mothers spoke up pleading for help and calling for change.
Madam, the challenges of expressing milk at work is one of the top three reasons why mothers stop breastfeeding. This is based on a local survey of close to 1,000 mothers, conducted by the Breastfeeding Mothers Support Group Singapore earlier this year.
There is one consistent theme in the stories: shame and discrimination. So many mothers told me they were asked to go to the toilet to express their milk.
One mother shared, \"I told my management that I am okay with pumping at my desk using a wearable pump and a nursing cover. But they told me that it was inappropriate because there are many guys in office and asked me to use the toilet to pump instead\".
Another said, \"I was told to use the handicap toilet and could not pump at my desk as my colleagues did not like the sound of the pump\".
Similarly, another mother's workplace did not have a room for her to pump milk. So, she asked to do so within her own cubicle. Even though she acted as discreetly as she could have, her colleagues dissuaded her from continuing because it was \"distracting\" to them.
One mother shared that she was not even allowed to pump under a nursing cover in the meeting room.
Another had to pump inside a cubicle with no fan. \"I was sweating like mad\", she said.
Mdm Lee, who was a business development executive for a medical product company, told me that she had to use the storeroom for product samples as a lactation room. To gain a little privacy, she asked for a foldable curtain. Even this small request was not entertained.
Another mother said, \"I used a meeting room which had glass doors, so I had to pump in a blind spot\".
Some mothers are also made to feel bad. One shared, \"My bosses kept making remarks about how formula milk is not worse than breast milk and made snide remarks when I took time off to pump\".
Some endure physical pain because they are unable to find time to pump. A teacher shared with me, \"It was very common to find myself and colleagues pumping out bloodied milk because we had to endure through extended hours of lessons\".
Madam, these stories are heartbreaking because these mothers are only trying to feed their children.
The irony is that their employers speak of productivity, but failing to pump milk is, in fact, a major distraction for many mothers.
When a breastfeeding mother fails to pump at the right time, their breasts can become swollen and create sharp, burning pains. It can even cause infections. Some mothers are in a double whammy: pump the milk and be accused of inefficiency; do not pump the milk and actually become inefficient due to the pain and stress. They just cannot win.
In spite of these challenges, more mothers have taken to breastfeeding. For exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months, the rate has increased from 1% in 2011 to a reported 38.2% in 2019. This is a tremendous increase of more than 38-folds in less than a decade. We need to do right by them. In this speech, I will outline two things they need at their workplaces: space and time. They need more lactation rooms and they need paid lactation breaks.
Let me start with my first proposal: increase the number of lactation rooms required in buildings that contain offices and business parks.
Dedicated lactation rooms are the best way to facilitate breastfeeding. Today, too many mothers are forced to use undignified spaces like toilets or storerooms. Such mixed-use spaces are often dirty or disruptive, and the stress can block mothers from expressing milk.
As I shared earlier, some mothers try their best to adapt and pump at their workstation and continue working while they are pumping.
Mdm Yang did this and shared with me at a dialogue session a few months ago, about the stress of pumping milk in places where others can watch. Some days, the stress prevented her from expressing more than 10 to 20 millilitres even for half an hour of pumping. Not enough, she said.
Madam, I wish I can show everyone here, right now, how difficult it is to pump with a breast pump while concurrently working. I would if I could, but I cannot, as I, obviously, cannot breastfeed. And more importantly, I promised Whip I would not do any live demonstration during this speech and I intend to keep that promise.
But, Madam, do not just believe my words and the stories I have shared. The data backs up these stories. According to the local survey by the Breastfeeding Mothers Support Group Singapore, eight in 10 working mothers say one of the things they need the most is a lactation room.
I do understand that many employers face both financial and physical space constraints in terms of providing a lactation room, especially SMEs. This was a point that Senior Minister of State Amy Khor made four years ago, and I agree with her. She said, \"We can encourage building owners and developers to set up common family and nursing rooms that their tenants can access and utilise\".
As such, the call today is for building owners to provide the lactation rooms and, Madam, we really have to go beyond just encouraging building owners to provide this. To really help breastfeeding mothers, the Government has to mandate the provision of more lactation rooms in buildings that have offices and business parks.
Currently, MND requires only one lactation room for such buildings if they have a gross floor area of 10,000 square metres (sqm) or more. We should lower this threshold, so that more buildings are required to have a lactation room.
And it is not just about having one room. It is about having enough rooms. So many mothers have shared stories about rushing to a lactation room during their lunch break, only to find that another mother is already using it. One mother told me that she would sometimes only have five minutes left for her own lunch after expressing her milk. Feed yourself or feed the child? Madam, no mother in Singapore should have to make this decision.
It is also clear that buildings with more occupants have higher needs. We should require larger buildings, those with a higher gross floor area, to have more than one lactation room.
MND has said that the gross floor area threshold is a base guideline meant to strike a balance between needs and the efficient use of space and that some buildings go beyond these requirements. Indeed, as Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad shared when we debated this issue two years ago, MND itself had two lactation rooms in the MND HQ within the floors they occupied, while MOM had five in its two office buildings.
I appreciate the Government going above and beyond for its employees. But what about all the women not working for the Government?
I also understand MND's point about having to use space efficiently. But we have always known that efficiency must be balanced against safety.
In the UK, the issue of breastfeeding at work is considered a matter of workplace health and safety. Employers there cannot ask a breastfeeding mother to pump in unhygienic environments such as the toilet. We must work towards a similar safety standard for our nursing mothers.
In its next review of the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment, will MND consider lowering the gross floor area threshold, so that more buildings with offices and business parks will be required to have a lactation room? Will MND also consider increasing the number of lactation rooms required for larger buildings containing offices and business parks?
My second proposal is that we legislate paid lactation breaks. Expressing milk takes time. On average, a session takes 20 to 30 minutes. But the problem is many women simply do not have time at work to express milk. In the survey, again, conducted by the Breastfeeding Mothers Support Group Singapore, two-thirds of working mothers had this problem. Most of them also said they could not express milk as much as they had wanted during work.
Some mothers try to find time by multi-tasking. But even that comes with its risks. Mdm Yap told me that milk started leaking from her hands-free pump when she was talking to a co-worker.
The risks of not having dedicated time to breastfeed goes beyond some embarrassing spillage. As I stressed earlier, the breasts of nursing mothers become infected and painful when milk is not expressed regularly. Over time, such irregularity also leads to a permanent decrease in milk that the mothers can supply. Mothers are worse off and so are their children.
Laws that guarantee paid breastfeeding breaks are not new or uncommon. A 2020 report on 97 countries found that 73% of the countries had laws for paid breastfeeding breaks. Singapore is in the minority of countries that do not provide this. Why?
I raised this at the recent COS debates and Minister of State Ms Gan Siow Huang replied that the need to build mutual understanding and trust between employers and employees is why Singapore does not take a legislative approach for workplace practices, such as mandatory breastfeeding breaks.
But taking a legislative approach is not mutually exclusive with building trust and encouraging employers. We already legislate a whole slew of protections for our workers. In addition, legislation can spark cultural change. One of the biggest challenges is that many employers simply do not think about breastfeeding at all. Legislating paid lactation breaks can spark a broader conversation about how expressing milk can be normalised and supported at the workplace.
Some might say that flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are becoming more prevalent and that will solve the problem of insufficient breastfeeding time. Indeed, FWAs are a good thing for breastfeeding mothers. It has been reported that work-from-home during the pandemic enabled mothers to breastfeed longer and more comfortably than when they worked in the office.
But work-from-home is not an option for all mothers. Many still work in the office, and many more have returned to the office in recent months. We cannot leave these mothers hanging and they still need our support.
To support mothers at their workplaces, will the Government consider introducing legislation to mandate the provision of paid breaks, specifically, for breastfeeding?
Before I conclude, I want to pre-empt one point. Some may question whether lactation rooms and nursing breaks are a good use of resources. But we should be clear: breastfeeding mothers are a valuable part of our workforce. Already, 20% of women of working age are not in the labour force, as Minister Tan See Leng said at the recent COS debates, I quote: \"There are vacancies across all occupational levels with varied qualifications and needs which could potentially be filled by this group\".
For breastfeeding mothers who do want to return to work, surely, we can do more to ease their transition back into the workforce.
Minister Tan also shared that, I quote: \"In order to tap on this segment of our population, businesses will need to consider how the jobs they offer can be more flexible and attractive to locals\".
Businesses can help but the Government can too. Having a more inclusive workplace and providing more support for breastfeeding mothers might make it easier for breastfeeding mothers to re-enter or remain in the workforce. Without a doubt, one of the barriers for many mothers is the lack of time and space to produce milk to feed their children.
My proposals today are about providing those things. And do not just take it from me. The many mothers that I have spoken to, and the many mothers surveyed by the Breastfeeding Mothers Support Group Singapore say the same.
NTUC has said that the provision of lactation breaks and lactation rooms does support breastfeeding mothers at the workplace. AWARE, which published a report last year – based on feedback from pregnant women and female caregivers, said the same, and emphasised that legislation is needed for those practices to become widespread. Madam, we need to do more for nursing mothers and do more urgently.
I would like to end this speech by acknowledging the significant progress made over the years. MHA has clarified that breastfeeding in public is unlikely to constitute offenses of indecent exposure or appearing nude in public. MOT has made clear that breastfeeding is allowed on buses and trains and that the Government will provide nursing rooms at all new bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs, as well as new MRT interchange stations. MOE has said that it is committed to providing a conducive workplace for nursing mothers and will ensure that all Primary schools, Secondary schools and Junior Colleges/centralised institutes have a dedicated lactation room. MOE has also shared that all institutes of higher learning (IHLs), the Autonomous Universities, Polytechnics and ITEs are already equipped with lactation facilities.
NTUC's Women and Family Unit, HPB and the Singapore National Employers Federation also have an employer's guide to breastfeeding at the workplace that provides employers with information on what they can do to support employees to continue breastfeeding after returning to work. The Government has even provided grants to build lactation rooms.
I thank the Ministries and organisations for their hard work, but we can and must go further. To this end, the Breastfeeding Mothers' Support Group Singapore has done incredible work in supporting breastfeeding mothers. Members of the group have shared with me this sentiment: \"Right now, breastfeeding is tolerated. I hope we move towards embracing, rather than tolerating breastfeeding.\" I too hope that we can review our laws so that we embrace, rather than just tolerate, breastfeeding.
First, we need to increase the number of lactation rooms available to working mothers. The gross floor area threshold needs to be lowered so more buildings are required to have lactation rooms. The minimum number of lactation rooms also needs to be increased for larger buildings.
Second, we need to join the majority of countries and introduce legislation to provide paid lactation breaks.
Finally, Madam, I end with this quote that I hope expresses the wishes of our breastfeeding mothers: \"I breastfeed, not because I think I am better; not because I think less of formula feeding moms; not because I want attention; not because I want to show my breast to others. I breastfeed because I couldn't imagine it any other way, because my child wants to be nourished from me, because this is what nature intended, because this was the right choice for my family.\" [Applause.]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister Indranee Rajah.
The Second Minister for National Development (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mdm Deputy Speaker, first, let me congratulate Mr Louis Ng on his perseverance in continuing to file for the ballot for this Adjournment Motion and to time it so well that he made it for today, which is during the World Breastfeeding Week. [Applause.] So, sometimes, good things are worth waiting for.
I would also like to thank Mr Louis Ng for sharing his suggestions on how we can create more inclusive workplaces for nursing mothers.
Women are an important part of our workforce. Over the years, the number of working mothers has increased and more women are choosing to continue breastfeeding after returning to work. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommend breastfeeding for up to two years or more after a child's birth to meet evolving nutritional requirements.
It is not easy for working mothers to continue breastfeeding, on top of juggling other work and family duties. So, we empathise with them. To support them, the Government takes a two-pronged approach by first, legislating and incentivising the provision of lactation facilities; and second, promoting an inclusive, supportive work culture for nursing mothers.
Let me elaborate on this.
We recognise that nursing mothers need access to clean, comfortable and private spaces where they can breastfeed their babies or pump milk. That is why we have progressively expanded building requirements for lactation rooms over the years.
In 2014, BCA introduced requirements for new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofits to provide family-friendly features,such as lactation rooms. These requirements applied to building types that are visited frequently by families, including public infrastructure, such as transport hubs, and private retail developments, such as shopping malls exceeding 10,000 sqm in gross floor area (GFA). In 2020, BCA extended the requirement to more building types, including offices and business parks exceeding 10,000 sqm in GFA.
These regulatory enhancements resulted from regular reviews of the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment. The latest review that led to the expanded lactation room requirement was carried out by a committee comprising representatives from social service agencies (SSAs), trade associations and chambers (TACs), academia and Government agencies. The committee took two years to consult widely, study the needs of various segments of society and requirements in other jurisdictions, and take in industry feedback.
Specifically on lactation facilities, the committee considered feedback that the demand for lactation rooms will vary depending on each building's user profile. For example, the premises of a company that employs more women of child-bearing age will need to have more lactation facilities. On the other hand, it may be impractical for a small building to have a room permanently set aside for lactation due to space constraints. The committee's decision to set one lactation room as the minimum requirement and a GFA threshold of 10,000 sqm for offices and business parks was to strike a balance between the need for such facilities and the buildings' constraints, especially with older and smaller buildings.
We will continue to review the requirements from time to time. We will also take the Member's feedback into consideration for our next review of the Code, which will commence next year.
Beyond legislation, the Government also encourages and supports building owners to voluntarily provide more lactation facilities, based on the needs of each building. We are heartened to see building owners from both the public and private sectors going beyond the Code requirements to cater to their users.
For example, CapitaSpring is a large commercial development with three lactation rooms. Several developments with less than 10,000 sqm of GFA, such as Design Orchard and Raffles Holland V, have also provided lactation rooms, despite not being required to do so.
Building owners who wish to retrofit their buildings with family-friendly features, such as lactation rooms, can tap on BCA's Accessibility Fund (AF), which co-funds up to 60% of the construction cost of such features. To support more of such progressive building owners, BCA extended the AF on 1 August to all buildings built between 1990 and 2014, when the requirements for family-friendly features were first introduced.
In recent years, alternatives to conventional lactation rooms have emerged. For example, the Government co-funded a pilot of free-standing, ready-built lactation pods by local startup Go!Mama for breastfeeding mothers visiting Sentosa. The pods are designed to be easily deployed to any location with an electrical power point and are targeted at premise owners who may have limited space to provide permanent lactation facilities. Such solutions will provide more options for premise owners to meet nursing mothers' needs.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, we recognise that infrastructural solutions alone are insufficient to support nursing mothers at work. From the stories that the Member has told, it is quite clear that mindsets are key to this as well. So, more importantly, our work culture needs to be inclusive and supportive.
Our Government has implemented a comprehensive package of measures to support parents in their marriage and parenthood journey. Our working mothers are provided 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, six days of paid childcare leave and six days of unpaid infant care leave in the child's first year. These leave schemes provide mothers time away from work to care for their newborns. We will continue to review these measures to address their needs.
Working mothers experience various challenges juggling work and family. Beyond legislation, they need understanding bosses and colleagues. It is in employers' interest to take care of the needs of all employees, including nursing mothers, as this improves staff retention and morale. It is also important that co-workers support one another, especially through difficult periods, such as when mothers return to work.
Where there are infrastructural constraints, such as a lack of space for dedicated lactation facilities, employers can bridge the gap with creative solutions and support from others in the workplace. Nursing mothers have shared stories of how their employers have repurposed existing office spaces into nursing facilities where there were previously none, and adjusted meetings and work schedules to accommodate nursing breaks. For example, Infineon Technologies supports nursing mothers at work by providing private lactation rooms and flexible work arrangements (FWAs), such as hybrid work and flexi-hours.
Together with our tripartite partners, we are supporting employers to do more for nursing mothers at work. We will continue to promote best practices with the Employer's Guide to Breastfeeding at the Workplace. NTUC also supports companies to adopt family-friendly practices under their \"Better Workplace\" campaign, which includes the provision of nursing facilities. These companies can also participate in the Made For Families initiative to be recognised as supportive employers.
Fostering a family-friendly work culture requires everyone's support: supervisors, colleagues and the wider community. Mindsets need to shift and this could take time. But it must be done.
Only when mindsets shift to genuinely embrace employees' diverse needs, will we see real change on the ground. Let us, therefore, strive towards a workplace ethos of caring for our employees and co-workers, mutual trust and a spirit of give and take.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, creating inclusive workplaces requires partnership with many stakeholders to provide a supportive ecosystem for all employees, including nursing mothers. We are committed to our whole-of-nation efforts to build a fairer and more inclusive society for all Singaporeans. We will also continue to engage stakeholders and regularly review how we can better support women, both at the workplace and in their parenting journey. [Applause.]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Ng, are you seeking a clarification? Go ahead.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Thank you, Madam. I thank the Minister for the reply. I think she mentioned that there will be a review next year. Could I ask when the review will be completed. And again, as a matter of urgency, whether we can do the review earlier?
The data that I shared showed that about a third of mothers are still breastfeeding when the infant is six months old. Which means, many are returning to work and needing the lactation room. Data shows that there is a lack of it now. I am wondering again when the review will be completed and whether we could expedite and do it this year, instead of next year.
Ms Indranee Rajah: We are reviewing a whole range of things in support of marriage and parenthood. This, obviously, would be one of them. My response to the Member is that we will do it as soon as possible.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 6.50 pm.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":"Matter Raised On Adjournment Motion","questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Further Efforts to Minimise Abuse of Security Officers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"18 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what roles do employers and service buyers play in mitigating the risk of abuse faced by security officers; and (b) whether there are plans to review employers' and service buyers' practices to mitigate the risk of abuse of security officers by ensuring that security rules imposed are not unreasonable and through better deployment of technology to minimise in-person interactions with the officers.
19 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the enhanced protection for security officers under the amendments to the Private Security Industry Act are sufficient to deter cases of abuse; and (b) what is the plan to help members of the public internalise anti-abuse messages and treat security officers with more respect.
Mr K Shanmugam: MHA takes a very serious view of abuse of security officers. In October 2021, MHA amended the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) to enhance protection for security officers against abuse and harassment faced in the course of their duties. Penalties are pegged higher than if they were committed against general members of the public to send a clear deterrent message. The amendments have been in force since 1 May 2022.
Beyond legislation, security agencies and service buyers also play a major role in making security officers' work safer. For example, we are seeing an increasing trend of security officers donning body worn cameras while on duty. This has improved officers' safety, increased evidence quality in the event of an incident, and reduced complaints and agency liability.
We are working with tripartite partners to enhance the competency of security officers in public and conflict management, such as customer orientation, problem solving and de-escalation skills. We will make this subject more pertinent in the training that all security officers undergo before deployment.
MHA would like to commend the industry's public education efforts to reinforce the message that abuse of security officers is not acceptable. For example, the industry associations and the Union of Security Employees (USE) launched the anti-abuse decal last year for display at deployment sites. They have also been very active on social media spreading awareness and underlining why our society must stand firm against abuse and harassment of security officers.
Security officers are at the frontlines keeping our premises safe and secure and are often the first responders to any emergency. They deserve our every respect.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Integrated Shield Plans for Insurance Covering Home Nursing Care and Outpatient Rehabilitative Services","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"20 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health whether the Government will consider working with insurers to develop Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) that cover home nursing care and types of outpatient services currently not provided for by IPs in the market, such as rehabilitative services.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) are private health insurance products on top of MediShield Life. They generally cover large hospital bills and selected costly outpatient treatments, such as kidney dialysis, chemotherapy, long-term parenteral nutrition, and pre- and post-hospitalisation treatments such as consultations, medication, tests and some rehabilitative services.
As for nursing and rehabilitation care, ElderShield or CareShield Life are the national insurance schemes that cover long-term care needs of those who are severely disabled. For those who wish to have additional long-term care coverage, there are existing Supplements to ElderShield or CareShield Life provided by private insurers and which provide additional monthly cash payouts. Like IPs, these Supplements are also payable by MediSave up to the annual withdrawal limits.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Structuring Tenders in Whole-of-Government Period Contract and Framework Agreement to Build Up Players in Creative Services Industry","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"21 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to the Report of the Auditor-General for FY 2021/22, how will the Ministry structure future tenders under the whole-of-Government Period Contract and Framework Agreement to ensure a good spread of business opportunities for all the vendors in the appointed panel in order to build up players in the creative services industry and encourage vendors to bid for future tenders.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The whole-of-Government Period Contract and Framework Agreement (PCFA) for Creative Services came into effect in 2018. Its main aim was to streamline the process for public sector agencies to procure creative services and improve value-for-money with better aggregation of demand and economies of scale. Through open tender, potential vendors were evaluated for quality and price. A panel of vendors was then appointed, all but one of them Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Public sector agencies can select any vendor from this panel for their respective projects, depending on which vendor is assessed to best meet their needs.
Although the PCFA does not guarantee procurement contracts for any vendor, all vendors on this particular panel have been selected for projects of different size and scope. The resulting distribution of contracts, where some vendors obtained higher percentages of expenditure, reflects the independent assessments of public sector agencies on which vendors best met their needs in terms of quality and price. As MOF has noted in the AGO report, this is not a negative outcome. The public sector agencies had provided positive feedback on the ability of these vendors to perform and deliver the required services. MCI did not observe any irregularity.
The promotion of any industry does not depend solely on Government procurement. This applies to the creative services industry as well. As a result of their appointment to the panel, the PCFA has already enabled more vendors to be given serious consideration by public sector agencies. This helps the vendors build client awareness and strengthen their track record over time. For these reasons, more vendors have sought to be appointed to the PCFA, even if there is no assurance of their eventual selection by any public sector agency.
To better support industry promotion, MCI encourages agencies to consider using a wider range of vendors, including by actively sharing with the agencies information of all the vendors, such as their portfolios and contacts. To address the challenge that smaller creative agencies tend to have fewer resources to pitch for projects, the PCFA allows users to pay vendors a fee for their pitching services. With appropriate remuneration for their efforts in submitting proposals, smaller creative agencies would be in a better position to pitch for more projects and, thus, improve their chances of being selected.
MCI will continue to refine the PCFA to better achieve its main aim of improving value-for-money in the Government's procurement of creative services. We will monitor the spread of expenditure as well as increase invitations-to-pitch, and where appropriate, make adjustments to better support industry promotion.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Assessment of Whether Governments' Period Contracts and Framework Agreements Favour Large, Full-Service Companies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"24 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether whole-of-Government Period Contracts and Framework Agreements favour large multinational companies that can offer the full set of services in tender requirements at the expense of local small and medium enterprises and independent contractors who may potentially offer a smaller set of the services at more competitive prices.
25 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Ministry conducts contractor concentration analysis for whole-of-Government Period Contracts and Framework Agreements called by various Government Procuring Entities; and (b) what is the average share of the top vendor that is within the appointed panel of vendors across all public sector agencies by its procurement value.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Whole-of-Government (WOG) Period Contracts and Framework Agreements are demand aggregation (DA) contracts that cater for common buys across agencies, by appointing a panel of vendors that agencies can choose to buy from. The aim is to improve the efficiency of the bidding and evaluation process, and enhance value-for-money via DA.
The number of vendors on the panel of a WOG DA contract depends on the nature of the procurement contract. There are some panels with a single vendor as the vendor can sufficiently cater to agencies' needs for a particular product or service during the contract period, and there are also panels with more than 20 vendors appointed. Regardless of the number of vendors on the panel, all of them would have gone through a competitive tender process before being appointed to be the panel.
In choosing a vendor from the panel, agencies should award to the vendor that best meets their requirements at a suitable pricing. The share of contracts awarded to each vendor is not a criterion that the agency would consider when it selects its vendor. Hence, it is not meaningful for MOF to set targets for the share of procurement awarded to vendors participating in WOG DA contracts.
The WOG DA contracts are open to both large companies and SMEs in Singapore. The key consideration for being awarded DA contracts is not the size of the company, but their ability to deliver cost-effective services. Currently, SMEs make up approximately 75% of all vendors on the panels and are awarded more than 85% of the procurements through these contracts.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Infant Care Capacity Taken Up and Ways to Spread Demand to Available Places","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"26 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the current infant care capacity taken up by enrolled children; and (b) what more can be done to spread the demand for infant care places in popular areas to other areas with capacity to ensure that such demand for infant care places is met.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: There are over 12,000 infant care places licensed for operation today. Of these, about 9,700, or about 80%, are currently taken up.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will continue to increase preschool capacity, where needed, to meet demand for early childhood services. Over the course of 2022, ECDA will develop 1,000 more infant care places in tandem with upcoming HDB developments to cater to the needs of young families. These 1,000 places will be provided mostly by Anchor Operators and exclude places which may be developed by commercial preschool operators.
In addition, for high-demand areas like Punggol where many young families are concentrated, ECDA facilitates the development of larger preschools in community premises and vacant state land. These larger preschools serve a wider catchment of families in the entire town. While families may have to travel further to these centres, enrolled children will benefit from the amenities these larger preschools offer, such as outdoor learning spaces.
Even as ECDA makes efforts to increase infant care places, we urge parents to broaden their choice of preschools where possible. For example, by considering preschools in adjacent neighbourhoods, near parents' workplaces or in the vicinity of grandparents' homes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Compliance with 72-day Timeline for Publication of Notices of Award for Emergency Procurements","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"27 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in relation to the Report of the Auditor-General for FY 2021/22 about the price reasonableness of goods and services procured under the Emergency Procurement procedure (a) whether there has been full compliance with the Government Procurement Regulations 2014 that require publication of the notices of award within a 72-day period; (b) if not, what are the reasons for not making such disclosures; and (c) in cases identified to be non-compliant of the Regulations, what remediation steps have or will be undertaken.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The COVID-19 pandemic has been an extraordinary period, where Government agencies and public officers took on new roles and functions in managing the crisis, often in addition to their usual duties. Despite the challenging conditions, which included time urgency to procure certain goods or services and high workload, agencies and public officers strove to maintain high standards of integrity, service and excellence.
Overall, agencies and public officers adhered to the Emergency Procurement guidelines during the crisis response. However, there were some instances where not all the administrative procedures were complied with. In particular, the publication of award notices for a small percentage of less than 5% of COVID-19 related procurements subjected to the Government Procurement Regulations was not done within the 72-day period. These lapses occurred because the agencies were faced with an unusually large number of procurement awards and were, at that time, very stretched in terms of their manpower resources due to the additional COVID-19 workload.
Internal checks were conducted by the agencies to identify these instances of non-compliances, following which agencies took steps to publish the award notices as soon as practicable and check that there were no other wrongdoings.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Ensure Non-dumping or Illegal Parking of Shared Bicycles Given New Bike-Sharing Licence","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"28 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Transport in view of the new licence granted for bike sharing, what are the measures taken to ensure that there will not be any illegal parking or dumping of shared bicycles.
Mr S Iswaran: Bicycle-sharing operators are subject to a licensing regime to ensure that their services do not result in public disamenities. They are required to integrate LTA's QR code parking system with their mobile applications and to impose an additional fee of $5 on users who do not park within the designated areas. New bicycle-sharing operators are subjected to a \"sandbox licence\" regime where they are only allowed to operate up to 1,000 bicycles. Users who repeatedly park improperly are also banned from hiring shared bicycles for a period. Since the introduction of these measures in 2019, indiscriminate parking has declined, with more than 90% of shared bicycle users ending their trips at designated parking areas.
On 1 July 2022, LTA awarded a sandbox licence to HelloRide to provide a fleet of up to 1,000 bicycles for one year. They were required to submit, as part of their application, plans to devote resources and set up systems to monitor their fleet and remove indiscriminately parked bicycles within a given timeframe. LTA will monitor their operations and assess their track record in managing indiscriminate parking, among other factors, before they are allowed to obtain a full licence.
We will also continue to provide more bicycle parking to cater to a growing number of cyclists. Since 2019, LTA and other agencies have added about 40,000 new bicycle parking lots, and now, have over 246,000 lots across the island. With all these measures in place, we hope that all users will play their part and park their bicycles in a responsible manner.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Young People Seeking Help with Institute of Mental Health and Need for Second Mental Health Hospital","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"29 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there has been an increase in the number of young people seeking help for mental health issues in the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in the past year; and (b) if so, whether the establishment of a second hospital specialising in mental health will be considered and evaluated by the Inter-agency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-Being.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The number of outpatient attendances by youths1 at IMH in 2021 increased by 6%, while inpatient admissions decreased by 14.5%, compared to pre-pandemic baseline in 20192. There was no significant change in the number of emergency psychiatric attendances by youths over the same period.
MOH has developed various mental health services catering to youths: Multidisciplinary Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) teams provide mental health support to students in school. Outside school, the Community Youth Mental Health Teams and Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT) reached out to at-risk youths in the community, provide them with mental health assessments, and links them to appropriate resources and services for further support. Youths may also tap on counselling services and helplines offered by various National Council of Social Services (NCSS) organisations. All acute hospitals are able to provide general psychiatric screening for children and youths with psychiatric conditions, and selected public hospitals, such as NUH, KKH, CGH and KTPH provide child and adolescent outpatient psychiatric services.
The National University Health System (NUHS) will be developing a wider scope of psychiatric services at the new Alexandra Hospital. These will include inpatient beds for acute and sub-acute psychiatric care and rehabilitation, as well as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient services.
There is no plan at this juncture to develop a second psychiatric hospital. We should understand that not all illnesses, including mental health issues, are always best addressed by an inpatient admission to an acute care hospital.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Referring to those aged 15 to 35 years old, following the National Youth Council's age definition for youths.","2 : 2020 attendance/admission figures are lower and may not be reflective of service utilisation due to COVID-19 movement restrictions that were imposed."],"footNoteQuestions":["29"],"questionNo":"29"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Follow-up Actions on Findings of Junior Doctors Being Pressured to Under-record Working Hours","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"30 Mr Leon Perera asked Minister for Health whether there are plans for follow-up actions in relation to published findings that some junior doctors have been pressured to under-record their working hours.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Many junior doctors work under stressful conditions, especially given the pandemic. They are important members of our public health team and MOH has always committed to help junior doctors cope with the workload, learn, grow as clinicians and have a meaningful career in healthcare.
To monitor the work hours and well-being of junior doctors, healthcare institutions (HCIs) use methods, such as electronic logging and surveys. As the employer of junior doctors, MOH Holdings (MOHH) also regularly reviews other indicators, for example, late night transport claims which may indicate junior doctors working beyond logged hours. Based on data and feedback collected, no systemic under-reporting of working hours has been detected so far in our public healthcare institutions.
In addition, MOHH has a whistle blowing channel where all junior doctors can anonymously report incidents of wrongful workplace practice. MOHH takes such feedback seriously and will investigate. MOHH is also studying alternative ways to collect data on doctor work hours to enhance monitoring of this issue.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulation of Consumer-facing Charges and Terms Imposed by Major Ride Hailing Platforms","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"31 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Transport in light of Grab's latest round of updates to its terms to reduce passengers' grace period for ride hailing (a) what is the type and extent of supervision that the Government maintains over major ride hailing platforms, and particularly over the latter's ability to unilaterally change their consumer-facing terms; (b) whether the Government regulates the number of such platforms operating in Singapore; and (c) if so, whether it is time to allow greater competition.
32 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Transport in light of the imposition by Grab of a waiting fee that is charged automatically to Grab commuters for making their assigned driver wait for more than three minutes (a) whether such a change in fee structure requires the approval of the Ministry; and (b) if so, whether a minimum period is required between the fee change announcement and its implementation.
Mr S Iswaran: The Government's regulatory approach is to facilitate an open, safe and contestable Point-to-Point (P2P) market in the transport sector. There is no regulatory limit on the number of ride-hailing platforms that can operate in Singapore. P2P operators with more than 800 vehicles are required to be licensed and all operators must comply with safety-related regulations. They then compete to meet different types of demand with attractive fare structures. Our regulations focus on ensuring the safety of P2P drivers and commuters, and that fares are transparent and clearly communicated to commuters.
The Government does not intervene in the setting of fares, but requires operators to state and publish all fares clearly, including any additional charges to be levied. Licensed ride-hail operators must also give commuters sufficient notice by announcing any changes in schemes and fees to the public at least seven days ahead of implementation.
Grab's move to shorten its waiting and cancellation grace periods before charging penalty fees – which was announced seven days prior to implementation, as required – is its own commercial decision and may differ from that of other P2P operators.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Patients Requiring Kidney Dialysis and Transplants, and Coordinated Programme to Manage Related Issues","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"33 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the number of patients requiring kidney dialysis in the last five years; (b) how many of these patients have been able to secure a kidney transplant; (c) whether there is a coordinated programme to manage issues of kidney dialysis and kidney disease at the national level; and (d) how does the Ministry coordinate and partner with other organisations, such as the National Kidney Foundation and Kidney Dialysis Foundation in such matters.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients are those where kidney function has declined to the point where the kidneys can no longer function on their own and must receive dialysis or kidney transplantation. From 2017 to 2021, the number of ESRD patients on definitive dialysis, inclusive of haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD), increased from 7,007 to 8,668. Over the same period, 458 patients had a kidney transplant. The number of ESRD patients is expected to rise due to Singapore's ageing population.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term condition which involves a gradual loss of kidney function, usually due to risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure. If untreated, CKD can progress to ESRD. MOH has been working with the public and private healthcare providers, as well as social services agencies involved in dialysis services to tackle CKD care holistically, from upstream prevention efforts, timely diagnosis and implementing appropriate patient-centred management options. These partners include the National Kidney Foundation, Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF), Muslimin Trust Fund Association, Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital and Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation.
MOH has also been working with our healthcare partners to focus on upstream prevention to reduce ESRD prevalence. Since 2017, we have implemented the Holistic Approach to Lowering and Tracking Chronic Kidney Disease (HALT-CKD) programme, which uses a systematic approach to managing CKD. This includes early initiation and optimisation of kidney-protective medications and controlling risk factors for kidney damage, such as optimising management of diabetes, high blood pressure and addressing lifestyle factors, like smoking.
In 2018, NKF started the \"Know Right, Start Right\" programme in public healthcare institutions (PHIs) and deployed its teams on-site at the hospitals as care counsellors and coordinators, to provide pre-dialysis education and counselling services for patients in late stages of CKD. KDF has also been active in engaging the community to advocate for better kidney health, through public health talks and sporting events.
To ensure sufficient dialysis capacity in Singapore, MOH works collaboratively with all social services dialysis providers to develop new dialysis centres. In recent years, MOH has been working with providers to encourage suitable patients to opt for Peritoneal Dialysis (PD), which can be administered at home. MOH is also supporting service providers such as NKF, Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital and Home Nursing Foundation to improve access to home support services for PD patients.
To improve kidney transplant uptake, MOH and the National Organ Transplant Unit have been working to promote greater awareness of organ donation and shift societal attitudes and views towards Living Donor Kidney Transplant.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Effectiveness and Extension of Electronic Tagging of Accused Persons Released on Bail","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"34 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many accused persons have been ordered to be tagged electronically as a condition of their bail since it was introduced in 2018; (b) of these accused persons, how many have absconded whilst being electronically tagged; and (c) whether there is any plan to extend the use of electronic tagging to all accused persons who are facing serious charges, so as to reduce the chances of them absconding.
Mr K Shanmugam: In the first half of 2022, about 200 accused persons were ordered by the Court to be tagged electronically as a condition of their bail. Of these, two are currently wanted by the Police for failing to attend court proceedings.
Under the Criminal Procedure Code, accused persons who are charged for any offence punishable by death or life imprisonment will not be released on bail. For other serious crimes, law enforcement agencies conduct a flight risk assessment of the accused person, taking into consideration, among other factors, the type of crime committed, the penalty of the offence, and the value of the property that is misappropriated.
If the Court believes that the accused person poses high risk of abscondment, the Court can order him to be remanded. If the accused person is offered bail nonetheless, the Court can impose electronic tagging. The Court or law enforcement agencies can also impound the travel document of the accused person and increase the number of sureties or the bail amount. If the accused person breaches the conditions of the bail, the Court may order him to be remanded instead.
MHA reviews our policies on remand and bail regularly, including the use of electronic tagging for persons released on bail.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension of Concessionary Migrant Domestic Worker Levy to Singaporeans Living with Permanent Resident Parents","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"35 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Manpower whether the concessionary levy for a migrant domestic worker may be extended to Singaporeans who are living with their elderly or disabled parents who are not Singaporeans but are Singapore Permanent Residents or Long-Term Visit Pass holders.
Dr Tan See Leng: As part of the support measures for Singaporeans needing care, employers of migrant domestic worker (MDW) enjoy the concessionary levy rate of $60 if they are living in the same household as a Singaporean who is a young child below 16 years old, an elderly person who is at least 67 years old, and/or a person with disabilities, that is, those who always require some assistance with at least one Activity of Daily Living.
The levy concession is also extended in certain circumstances where the person needing care is a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), taking into consideration their long-term commitment to Singapore. This is the case where Singaporean MDW employers are living with their PR parents, who are at least 67 years old or who has disabilities.
The levy concession is not applicable if the person needing care is a foreigner, including those on Long-Term Visit Pass. This is aligned to other Government schemes, where non-residents generally do not receive as many Government benefits compared to citizens or PRs. Households in need of financial assistance can approach Social Service Offices for support.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Average Waiting Time for HDB Rental Flats or Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme Flats to be Allocated to Those Affected by BTO Completion Delays","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"36 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the estimated waiting time for an interim HDB rental flat or a flat under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) to be allocated to those affected by completion delays in BTO projects; and (b) whether the waiting time for such allocations has improved since January 2022.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) offers an additional temporary housing option for households awaiting the completion of their new flats.
PPHS is open for application once every two months and eligible applicants are put through a ballot. Those shortlisted via the ballot are invited to select a PPHS flat in the month following their application and can move in immediately after selecting a flat. Those who were not shortlisted via the ballot can apply in subsequent rounds. The timeline for flat selection has not changed since January 2022.
In August 2021, we finetuned the PPHS criteria to prioritise applicants with a more urgent need for temporary housing and announced that we will double the supply of PPHS flats from about 800 to 1,600 units over the next two years. Since then, we have added about 200 units to the PPHS supply and are on track to add another 800 units by 2023. As a result, the PPHS application rate, or the number of applications per unit, has fallen by more than half since August 2021.
The current PPHS application rate is about nine times. While this is high, the non-selection rate is also high – almost half of the applicants invited to select a flat do not do so, suggesting that many have other options.
For Interim Rental Housing (IRH), HDB offers this as a last resort to help needy families who are in transit between longer-term housing options. Flat buyers affected by BTO completion delays are offered IRH on a case-by-case basis, if they have no other temporary housing options. The time taken to allocate a flat under IRH varies, depending on the family's locational preferences.
Some flats that are used for IRH or PPHS could otherwise have been used for the Public Rental Scheme. Even as we assist flat buyers who need temporary housing due to BTO completion delays, we must also balance the use of flats across different rental schemes to meet the needs of different groups, prioritising those who are most needy.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Design Features and Materials that Ensure Easy Maintenance of HDB Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"37 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for National Development what are the design features and materials used by HDB to ensure that HDB flats will continue to be relevant and easy to maintain throughout the lease lifetime.
Mr Desmond Lee: HDB reviews the design of HDB flats regularly to keep pace with changing demographics, social trends and lifestyle needs. Flats are designed to give residents the flexibility to reconfigure the space in their homes to meet their needs, including working from home. For example, columns in new flats are pushed to the edges wherever possible, to better accommodate different layouts.
HDB also designs with maintainability in mind. This includes ensuring safe and easy access to various parts of a building for regular maintenance, selecting materials and finishes for durability throughout its design lifespan, and ensuring proper architectural design and construction detailing to minimise the occurrence of defects and reduce the need for maintenance.
For example, HDB provides laminated uPVC bathroom and bedroom doors that are more durable and easier to maintain compared to timber doors. Access provisions within HDB estates are also designed for safety, and to provide sufficient circulation and working space for maintenance vehicles and personnel.
Such design features are included in the design and technical guidelines for consultants to adopt. HDB conducts checks on consultants' proposals to ensure compliance. HDB also regularly reviews the design and provision of features when new technology to aid maintenance becomes available, and to take in feedback from Town Councils or residents through post-occupation surveys. Homeowners also have an important role to play by carrying out periodic home care maintenance given the long lease period of their homes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Grants and Allowance under Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"38 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development (a) when were the $30,000 grant under Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme and $10,000 moving allowance established; (b) how were these figures arrived at; (c) how often are these figures reviewed; and (d) does the Ministry take into account the prevailing economic situation to ensure that the grants and the moving allowance will be in line with the current market expenses at the time when the residents move into their new place.
Mr Desmond Lee: Before the announcement of a SERS exercise, HDB reviews the entire benefits package for residents holistically. Including the compensation value of the existing flats and other benefits, residents under SERS will generally be able to afford replacement flats.
Under SERS, flat owners are compensated for their existing flats based on the prevailing market values at the time of the SERS announcement. The SERS grant of up to $30,000 for eligible households provides added financial help for residents to purchase a replacement flat.
SERS flat owners can, then, use their total compensation to decide on a rehousing option that best suits their needs and budget. They may buy a new flat at the designated replacement site at a subsidised price, which is also frozen at the point of the SERS announcement date, or a subsidised new flat elsewhere, offered in HDB's public sales exercises.
In addition, residents will receive payment for reasonable expenses, comprising a removal allowance and stamp, and legal fees for the purchase of a replacement flat. MND does review the removal allowance, taking into account factors, such as the cost of engaging movers, which is typically between $300 and $500 per truck load. To minimise the need for renovations, SERS flat owners can opt for fittings and fixtures to be installed in their new flat under the Optional Component Scheme (OCS). The cost of OCS will be incorporated into the flat price, which can be paid via CPF monies and/or housing loan, thus reducing the cash outlay needed for renovations. We continue to monitor the costs closely and will review the grant as and when needed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singaporean and Permanent Resident Flat Owners Renting Out HDB Flats Whilst Owning Private Residential Property","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"39 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development of those HDB flat owners who rent out their HDB flats for passive income whilst owning private residential property, how many of them are (i) Singaporeans and (ii) permanent residents as at 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2021 respectively.
Mr Desmond Lee: As at 31 December 2011, about 6,100 households (or 0.7% of all HDB households then), rented out their HDB flats while owning private residential property. Of these, about 5,900, or 97%, were Singaporean households, while about 200 were Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) households.
Since January 2013, SPR households have been disallowed from renting out their whole flat for the duration of their flat ownership. This is to ensure that SPR households purchase HDB flats only for owner-occupation. SPR households are also not allowed to retain their HDB flat if they acquired an interest in a private residential property. These rules are still in place today.
As at 31 December 2021, about 21,000 Singaporean households (or 2.1% of all HDB households) rented out their flats while owning private residential property.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Updating Singapore Green Plan 2030 and Climate Targets Following Outcomes of World Ocean Summit","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"41 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will update the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and climate targets following the outcomes of the World Ocean Summit; (b) if so, what are the updates; and (c) if not, why.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The World Ocean Summit and UN Ocean Conference held earlier this year called on the international community to scale up actions to collectively protect the ocean and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Our Green Plan already includes many initiatives that contribute to these efforts.
At the UN Oceans Conference, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan outlined our efforts on the shipping front to spearhead the transition towards the supply of environmentally friendly ship fuel. This is part of the Energy Reset pillar of the Singapore Green Plan and it is also detailed in the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint.
Dr Balakrishnan also announced the launch of three environmental research projects, including the Marine Climate Change Science (MCCS) programme. Led by NParks, this $25 million multi-stakeholder research programme will help us better understand the science behind the impact of climate change on our marine ecosystems, such as rising sea levels and increasing sea surface temperatures, so as to inform measures to enhance the resilience of our marine ecosystems. By protecting our natural environment, the MCCS programme contributes to our efforts to transform Singapore into a City in Nature – another key pillar under the Singapore Green Plan.
As a living plan, the Singapore Green Plan will be regularly reviewed and updated to take into account the latest available information, international developments and the outcomes of our own research and studies in science and technology, and the progress of the initiatives that we have planned or are implementing.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Food Security Strategies for 2050 and Beyond","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"42 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are Singapore's longer-term food security strategies for 2050 and beyond; and (b) whether and how these take into account (i) global population trends which will shape future global food demand and (ii) the impact of climate change on global food production.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: MSE and the Singapore Food Agency take a long-term view to ensuring Singapore's food security. Recognising the long-term trends, including global population growth and climate change, we adopt a multi-pronged approach to food security that includes import source diversification and local production.
We support import source diversification efforts by actively accrediting overseas food sources. This number has grown, from 172 countries and regions in 2019, to 180 in 2021. We also intend to grow more food locally to serve as a buffer in times of supply disruption. Under our \"30 by 30\" goal, we are building the capabilities and capacity to grow 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030.
In the longer term, we intend for our food production capabilities to be more resilient to the impact of climate change. For example, Sustenir Agriculture is an indoor farm that is able to control their growing environment to ensure optimal conditions for plant growth. This helps to mitigate issues faced by farms directly exposed to external uncertainties, such as erratic weather and rainfall patterns.
SFA and A*STAR are also making a concerted push to advance innovation in the areas of novel foods, like plant-based and cultured meat. Such technologies can make an important contribution to our food security strategy, as they provide another layer to buffer against supply disruptions.
We will continue to work with both the industry and consumers to ensure Singapore's food security.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Target Levels of Employment for Hospitality Industry with Expected Recovery From COVID-19 Pandemic","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"43 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the expected recovery in visitor arrivals to between four and six million visitors in 2022 (a) what is the current and end-year target levels of employment for the hospitality industry as compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period; and (b) whether any forms of assistance are being provided to support hiring by companies to meet the increase in demand and, if so, what are they.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: In December 2019, the hospitality industry employed 35,000\tpeople1. It was one of the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as travel was restricted. We supported the hospitality industry with various measures like the Tier 1 Jobs Support Scheme and the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package to cushion the impact to their businesses and retain core capabilities. As of March 2022, the industry employed 23,000\tpeople2, and this number is likely to have grown with the reopening of borders in April 2022, as hospitality companies have ramped up hiring. We hope to see the industry return to normalcy in tandem with tourism recovery.
The reopening of borders and revival of leisure and business events have led to encouraging signs of recovery. Hospitality companies are ramping up operations to meet the increasing demand, as seen from the exciting calendar of events in the second half of 2022, such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix. To help the industry promote local hiring, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) had partnered NTUC, NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (NTUC's e2i), WSG and key trade associations and chambers (TACs) to launch the Tourism Careers Hub (TCH) in January 2022. This Hub facilitates job matching of local candidates with the tourism sector, supports the upskilling of workers to meet evolving demands, and drives business transformation efforts. More than half of the jobseekers who sought career assistance through the TCH were placed into new jobs in the tourism sector, for example, at hotels such as The Fullerton Hotel and Goodwood Park Hotel.
Companies and workers can also tap on a range of Career Conversion Programmes (CCP) which support our mid-careerists in undertaking skills conversion to transition into the hospitality industry. Between January 2020 and May 2022, about 60 hotels participated in WSG's CCP for Hotel Professionals and close to 1,500 workers benefitted from the programme.
To supplement the tight domestic labour market, we are also working with key tourism stakeholders to provide additional foreign worker quotas for a time-limited period to support their immediate-term recovery and capture opportunities. We consider a suite of factors when doing so, including companies' commitments to local employment outcomes, and the progress of each company's business and workforce transformation journey.
As the hospitality industry emerges from the crisis, we will continue to support companies in their workforce and business transformation efforts to raise productivity. We will encourage the adoption of technology through incentive schemes such as the Business Improvement Fund, and push for job redesign to create quality jobs for locals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Source: Administrative Records and Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, MOM. Note: data are primarily from administrative records, with the self-employed component estimated from the Labour Force Survey.","2 : Source: Administrative Records and Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, MOM. Note: data are primarily from administrative records, with the self-employed component estimated from the Labour Force Survey."],"footNoteQuestions":["43"],"questionNo":"43"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Increased Wildlife Numbers and Assessment of Disamenities Caused to Public Properties and Residents' Lifestyles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"44 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether there is an overpopulation of animals such as monkeys and otters in recent years; and (b) what is the Ministry's assessment of the disamenities caused to public properties and residents' lifestyles due to such overpopulation.
Mr Desmond Lee: From 2017 to June 2022, the Government received about 2,500 cases of monkey-related feedback each year, including cases of intrusions, feeding and attacks.
NParks adopts a community and science-based approach to manage the population of wildlife in Singapore. It carries out research on the distribution of these species, as well as their behaviour and ecology. For example, NParks is conducting a study on the population trends of long-tailed macaques. Recent studies have also shown that there are around 10 otter families in Singapore, consisting of about 150 otters.
NParks will intervene to address intrusions and attacks by wildlife, to ensure public safety. NParks partners the Otter Working Group and the Long-Tailed Macaque Working Group, which include stakeholders, such as agencies, academic experts and members of the nature community, to jointly develop solutions and implement measures for wildlife management. This includes monkey guarding to deter troops of monkeys from entering residential areas, which was recently carried out in response to monkey-related feedback in the Clementi area. NParks also cordons off areas with young otter pups to minimise the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict. To safeguard public safety, NParks implements population control measures where needed. These measures have been effective in managing the wildlife population and in mitigating intrusions.
The most probable root cause of flare-ups in wildlife intrusion is feeding, whether in the form of intentional feeding or improper disposal of food waste. Such actions can alter the natural foraging behaviour of wildlife and cause them to approach and rely on humans for food. We have to keep up preventive measures in order to avoid more intense intervention from time to time. Hence, NParks carries out habitat modification, such as replacing or harvesting fruit trees to reduce the availability of food sources at macaque hotspots. NParks also works closely with other public agencies, grassroots organisations and Town Councils to engage the community on proper refuse management, and to deter illegal wildlife feeding.
Public engagement and outreach are key to NParks' wildlife management approach. This includes efforts such as school assembly talks, engagement sessions and public webinars to raise public awareness on wildlife management. In addition, NParks works with stakeholders to develop educational resources to advise the community on how to respond to wildlife sightings. For example, NParks launched the \"Our Wild Neighbours\" initiative in April, together with partners from the nature community, to promote co-existence with Singapore's wildlife.
With some care and vigilance, we can minimise wildlife intrusions by refraining from feeding wildlife, keeping our residential areas clean and appreciating wildlife from a safe distance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress of Singapore's E-sports Scene and Info-Communications and Media Professionals Required to Support Games Sector","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"45 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how has Singapore's e-sports scene grown during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (b) whether the Ministry can provide an update on whether the industry has managed to fill the estimated 2,700 info-communications and media professionals to support the games sector, which was identified in IMDA's Annual Survey on Infocomm Media Manpower 2019.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of e-sports globally, with its worldwide audience expected to grow 8.7% year on year, crossing 500 million in 2022.
Southeast Asia is a key growth market for e-sports. Singapore recently hosted e-sports tournaments such as Garena's Free Fire World Series, which saw record viewership across multiple online platforms. As digital experiences expand in breadth and scope, e-sports will likely grow in popularity.
E-sports is part of a vibrant games sector in Singapore, which has created diverse job opportunities over the years. Singapore is home to game developers and publishers, including major game studios like Bandai Namco and homegrown Mighty Bear Games, which in turn create good jobs in content creation, product management, UI/UX design, and business development.
IMDA's Annual Survey on Infocomm Media Manpower provides an indicative sense of manpower demand based on companies' expectations of growth. This could be influenced by business sentiments and market conditions, among other factors. The 2,700 figure is thus not a target. Actual job creation will also likely differ.
In 2021, nearly 2,000 people were employed in the games sector. As is generally the case with the tech sector worldwide, there is still a shortage of skilled talent.
The Government will continue to look into ways to support growth in this dynamic space, which includes enabling more jobs for Singaporeans and training them with relevant skills to take on these emerging opportunities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Safety Measures for Air Taxi Flights and Regulatory and Insurance Frameworks for Urban Air Mobility","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"46 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Transport (a) what safety measures will be put in place for air taxi flights in Singapore; and (b) how will our regulatory and insurance frameworks need to evolve in tandem with urban air mobility solutions.
Mr S Iswaran: MOT and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) are working with other Government agencies to develop safety regulatory requirements for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) flights in Singapore. This includes aircraft certification standards, operational regulations, and assessment of flight routes and other potential security considerations. In particular, the eVTOL aircraft and its operations have to be certified to a safety level similar to that of commercial air transport today.
In developing this framework, CAAS is also working closely with leading regulators, like the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry, to ensure that industry practices and our safety regulatory framework are robust, and above all, safeguard aviation and public safety.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Separate Category of COE for Vehicles to be Brought in for Large-scale MICE Events","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"47 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Transport in light of the anticipated recovery of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector and to prevent distorting COE demand and prices, whether a separate category of COE can be designated for vehicles to be brought in for large MICE events.
Mr S Iswaran: Vehicles brought in specifically to support Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) events do not require a COE. If these vehicles are sold to private buyers after the event, the buyers would need to secure a COE and pay the relevant vehicle taxes. Such vehicles contribute to a very small proportion of vehicles registered every year.
It would be impractical to limit the vehicle to any single use and to create an exception or a separate COE category just for that purpose. Doing so would proliferate COE categories, each with a small supply and greater volatility. It would also require more rules and enforcement, which will complicate the COE system and increase compliance burden.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Investigation into Discriminatory Statements by Hwa Chong Institution School Counsellor","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"
49 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Education with regard to the staff in Hwa Chong Institution who delivered discriminatory content (a) what are the duties that he is retaining; and (b) what safeguard is in place to ensure that such incident does not happen again.
50 Mr Xie Yao Quan asked the Minister for Education regarding the Hwa Chong Institution school counsellor who made discriminatory statements against the LGBTQ community during a sexuality education lesson (a) when does the Ministry expect to conclude investigations into the incident; and (b) whether the Ministry is aware of any student who has been personally affected by the statements and has come forward to seek help.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Following the incident, the school counsellor, who is an employee of Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), has been suspended from all duties, pending further investigation by the school personnel board.
Parents and students have been given the assurance that the views expressed by the counsellor do not reflect that of the school. The school has also emphasised the importance of respect and care for everyone in the school community.
The school has been watching out for students who may be affected by this incident. Teachers have been vigilant in monitoring their students' well-being, and students who have concerns or require support have been encouraged to approach the School Leaders or a trusted adult in school.
The school is reviewing its processes to ensure alignment with MOE's curriculum and guidelines.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Median Debt-to-income Ratio of Singaporeans Compared to Those Living in Top 10 Global Cities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Prime Minister whether the Government is able to provide a comparative table of median debt-to-income ratio of Singaporeans and citizens living in the top 10 cities ranked by gross domestic product for the past three years.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): The debt-to-income ratio (DTI) of the household sector in Singapore averaged at 1.3 for the period of 2018 to 2020. Compared with the top 10 advanced economies by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita1, Singapore's household DTI, with the exception of the United States, is the lowest (Table 1).
More importantly, DTIs have to be viewed in context of a household's assets. Households in Singapore have assets significantly larger than their debts on aggregate. Looking at assets net of liabilities, the net assets-to-income ratio in Singapore of 7.9 on average for the period of 2018 to 2020 is the highest among the same economies (Table 2).
With home ownership rates in Singapore close to 90%, about 70% of the debt on household sector balance sheets comprises mortgage loans. These loans have an average loan-to-value ratio of less than 50%, indicating that households generally have significant net positive equity in their residential properties.
Singaporean households' ability to meet their immediate debt repayment obligations is healthy, with deposits growing faster than total household debt. Their overall debt servicing ability is also sound, with the median Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR)2 at 43% for new mortgages issued over the past year.
That said, there will be a small segment of households who are more highly leveraged and could face difficulties in servicing their debt. Such borrowers should approach their lenders early to explore possible loan refinancing and repayment solutions.
2 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Prime Minister (a) whether the recent spate of cryptocurrency firms entering insolvency proceedings presents a systemic risk to Singapore's financial system; (b) whether it is time to enhance cryptocurrency regulation beyond money laundering and terrorism financing to prudential regulation and investor protection; and (c) how does the above fit into any broader strategy to develop a cryptocurrency hub or sector in Singapore.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): This question has been addressed by Question No 4 as published in the Circular for Written Answers on 1 August 2022. [Please refer to \"Licences Awarded to Digital Payment Token Service Providers and Plans to Promote Singapore as Cryptocurrency Hub\", Official Report, 1 August 2022, Vol 95, Issue 65, Written Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Risk Assessment of Borrowers Defaulting on Floating Rate Loan Packages","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Prime Minister given the recent increase in interest rates, what is MAS' assessment on the risk of borrowers defaulting on loans financed through floating rate loan packages offered by local banks.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): The household debt situation in Singapore by and large remains healthy, and should remain so in the rising interest rate environment that we face.
The median Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR), which measures the proportion of income spent on debt repayment, is 43% for new mortgages issued over the past year, well within the regulatory threshold of 55%. The proportion of non-performing mortgages in overall outstanding mortgages has also remained low and stable at less than 1%. The average loan-to-value ratio for outstanding mortgages extended by financial institutions is less than 50% as at Q1 2022, suggesting that households generally have significant net positive equity in their residential properties. Households' cash deposits have also grown faster than their liabilities, which improves their ability to meet immediate debt repayment obligations.
The overall financial resilience of households to service their mortgages reflects the measures that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has put in place over the years:
(a) The interest rate used to calculate loan repayments under the TDSR is the higher of 3.5% or the prevailing market rate. This rate has built in a buffer against interest rate rises for borrowers who have taken out a mortgage in the past.
(b) Loan-to-value limits and restrictions on loan tenure have also encouraged greater financial prudence among mortgage borrowers.
Looking ahead, stress tests by MAS suggest that most households, including borrowers on floating rate packages, should be able to service their debt even under conservative scenarios of significant income losses and a full pass-through of sharp global interest rate hikes.
That said, there will be a small segment of households who are more highly leveraged and will be more seriously affected by interest rate rises. Borrowers who have difficulty servicing their mortgages should approach their lenders early to explore possible loan refinancing and repayment solutions. For financially distressed HDB homeowners, MAS has worked with MND, HDB, MOM and financial institutions to establish standardised interventions when late repayments occur. These include potential loan restructuring solutions, early referrals to appropriate social service agencies and in certain limited cases, helping homeowners obtain alternative HDB accommodation where foreclosures are unavoidable.
MAS urges everyone to exercise caution in any new borrowings. Households should assume that there will be further interest rate increases over the next year, at least, and be sure of their ability to service their loans before making additional commitments.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Discovery of Tax Loophole of Non-bare Trusts","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) how was the tax loophole of non-bare trusts discovered; and (b) when was it discovered.
Mr Lawrence Wong: This issue was addressed during the Second Reading of the Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill 2022. As explained, trusts can be set up for different reasons and involve highly complex arrangements. MOF looked into this as part of our periodic policy review and did a thorough study into the issues before deciding to move on the legislative amendments.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Studies on Inter-generational Income Mobility in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Leon Perera asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance following the Ministry's 2012 and 2015 papers on Inter-generational Income Mobility in Singapore (a) whether similar studies have been carried out yielding data for recent years; (b) whether such studies will be expanded to include mobility in health, wealth and opportunities; and (c) whether there are plans to commission independent bodies to conduct and publish complementary investigations.
Mr Lawrence Wong: MOF economists had done an update of the studies cited and the findings were published in the book, \"Economics in Practice: Evidence-Based Policymaking in Singapore\", in December 2021. We will continue to publish relevant papers and indicators on the MOF website.
The Government also continues to monitor social and other trends, and welcomes researchers and academics to conduct additional studies to further our collective understanding. Researchers who require resources for their studies in this area can consider applying for research grants, such as those administered by the Social Science Research Council.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Steps Taken Across Agencies to Minimise Repeat Lapses in Contract Variations and Star Rate Items","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance with regard to the Report of the Auditor-General for FY 2021/22 and in view of repeated lapses across various agencies concerning contract variations and star rate items (a) what steps have the Ministries taken in previous years to minimise such lapses; (b) whether those actions have been effective; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider setting up a task force to look into this matter and propose policy changes to prevent future lapses.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Contract variations and star rate items, or items for which rates are not listed in the original contract, are common for construction contracts due to circumstances, such as unexpected site conditions. In a typical construction project, which can span a few years, there can be many contract variations and star rate items. In order to keep to the project schedule, these need to be processed expeditiously. The high volume and time pressure are contributing factors to the lapses observed.
The MOF and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) have been continually refining the public sector construction contract management policies and processes. For example, MOF and BCA issued a good practice guide on construction contract management for all agencies in 2019. The guide includes measures on identifying irregularities and fraudulent quotes for star rate items. In 2021, we allowed tenderers to submit a more comprehensive schedule of rates before contract award to reduce the occurrence of star rate items downstream. Where star rate items are still required after the tender is awarded, agencies can adopt a risk-based approach to assess cost reasonableness, such as doing sampling checks. We are also updating the training and capability development programmes for public officers.
Through these efforts, we have observed improvements in public sector construction contract management. For example, the proportion of contracts with timely approval of variation works has improved from about 70% in 2018 to 90% in 2020.
We already have an inter-agency taskforce looking into the issues of public sector contract management and will continue to review and improve our processes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Percentage of Full-time National Servicemen Who Are Permanent Residents Each Year","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Defence for each year from 2000, what percentage of full-time National Servicemen have been Permanent Residents (PRs).
Dr Ng Eng Hen: In the early 2000s, Permanent Residents (PRs) formed about 1% of all full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) enlisted every year. This proportion has increased gradually over the years. In 2021, 9% of NSFs enlisted were PRs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Door-to-door Donation Scams","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many door-to-door donation scams are reported since 2021; (b) what is the proportion of cases where the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice; and (c) what is being done to help educate the public and reduce the incidence of such scams.
Mr K Shanmugam: Based on available records, there were about 30 reported cases of unlicensed door-to-door collections or donation scams since 2021. Thus far, the Police have managed to identify the perpetrators in about two-thirds of these cases. As investigations are ongoing, we would not be able to share more details.
Unlicensed door-to-door collections or donation scams usually involve persons claiming to be from charities or fund-raising organisations. They may present to victims fake or forged collection permits or licences to deceive victims into making donations.
A House to House and Street Collections (HHSC) licence is required for any door-to-door soliciting of donations. These licences bear the name of the beneficiary, the name of the licensee and the period for which the licence is valid.
When approached for donations, we encourage the public to verify the legitimacy of the collection and practise the steps of \"Ask, Check, then Give\".
First, ask the collector who the beneficiary is, what the donations will be used for, and how they can receive updates. Members of the public may also request for the Collector's Certificate of Authority, which would reflect the licence number, for verification.
Next, check via the Charity Portal at \"https://www.charities.gov.sg\" to verify if the beneficiary is a registered charity. Members of the public may also refer to the Police@SG application, which has a link to the Charities and Fund-Raising search engine of the Charity Portal.
Once assured that their donations will go to a genuine cause, members of the public can donate with more peace of mind.
Should there be reasons to believe that a collection is illegitimate, members of the public may contact the Police at \"999\" for immediate assistance.
Education will be helpful to protect people from falling prey to scams. When there are instances detected, the Police will issue alerts to warn members of the public.
The Police also regularly share crime information, including scam prevention advice, with grassroots volunteers for the purpose of their engagement with residents. Volunteer Crime Prevention Ambassadors from the National Crime Prevention Council also share crime prevention tips with residents during their engagements.
The best defence against scams is a discerning public. We urge the public to practise healthy skepticism and to verify the legitimacy of any door-to-door charitable collection before they donate.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Good Class Bungalows Purchased by Non-citizens Under Special Approval","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Law (a) whether there are any Good Class Bungalows (GCBs) bought by non-citizens under special approval since 2000; and (b) if so, how many GCBs have been approved for such purchase.
Mr K Shanmugam: For the last 10 years, from 2012 to 2021, there have been five approvals given under the Residential Property Act (RPA) for the acquisition of Good Class Bungalows (GCBs) by non-Singaporeans. The acquirers were Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs). Of the five GCBs, two were inheritance cases, involving transfers between family members. Thus, only three GCBs in the past 10 years were new purchases.
Applications to purchase GCBs are carefully assessed against stringent criteria and approvals are only granted to SPRs that meet the criteria.
The data has to be collated manually and takes effort and time. If the Member requires the collation of transaction data further beyond 2012, which is the last 10 years, he can write to the relevant agencies with the reasons for his request. The agencies will then look for and collate the data.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rental Demand for Colonial Black and White Bungalows","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Law in view of reports on $200,000 per month rental for a Queen Astrid Park Good Class Bungalow (GCB) (a) whether there is now a greater rental demand for colonial black and white bungalows; (b) how many colonial black and white bungalows exceed 20,000 square feet in land area; and (c) what is the land size, current lease duration and monthly rental for each of these bungalows.
Mr K Shanmugam: Residential state Black and White (B&W) bungalows managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) are made available for tender through SLA's website, State Property Information Online (SPIO). The bungalows are open to all bidders who are able to meet the reserve rent which is based on the prevailing market rate as assessed by valuers.
SLA currently manages 262 residential state B&W bungalows which exceed 20,000 square feet in land area. As of 21 July 2022, 236 of these residential state B&W bungalows are tenanted, with a median land size of about 38,000 square feet and a median rental of about $13,000 per month. These residential state B&W bungalows are typically tenanted on two- or three-year terms. SLA does not disclose rentals of individual bungalows but does publish the results of recent open tenders on their website for a period of time.
The rentals fetched depends on the state of the market. It would be unwise to compare rental fetched by a private GCB in the last few month with, for example, a B&W bungalow rented out last year or the year before. There are also many factors, other than the timing and state of the market, which affect rental values. One such factor is the state of the property. The B&W bungalows were built in the early 1900s and tenants would often need to invest in the installation of additional fittings, such as air-conditioning, carpentry works and upgrading to facilities such as kitchens and toilets. They will not have the look, facilities and fittings which modern GCBs will have. Nonetheless, the B&W bungalows will appeal to those who do not need such modern gadgetry and fittings.
Ultimately, the market decides on the rental. The demand for B&W bungalows has generally been better this year, compared with previous years. Larger B&W bungalows tend to have lower per square feet rental rates than smaller B&W bungalows. As of June 2022, occupancy rates for larger B&W bungalows are lower than those for smaller B&W bungalows.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number and Outcome of Cases Registered with Community Mediation Centre","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Law for each of the last five years (a) how many cases were registered with the Community Mediation Centre for mediation; (b) what is the breakdown on the source of referrals for these cases; (c) how many cases did not proceed for mediation due to a party refusing to participate; and (d) whether the success rate of 88% is consistent over the past five years and if not, what are the respective rates.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Community Mediation Centre (CMC) is a centre run by the MinLaw that offers residents an avenue to resolve their disputes amicably through mediation.
Residents can apply for mediation directly or be referred to the CMC for mediation by public agencies, such as HDB and Singapore Police Force, and organisations such as Town Councils and Family Service Centres. Attendance for such mediation is voluntary. Voluntary cases make up about 86% of registered cases.
About 77% of voluntary cases do not proceed to mediation. Reasons include, among others, either party not responding to the CMC's invitation to mediate or declining to mediate.
Cases are also referred to the CMC by the Magistrate's Courts and Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals. Attendance for such mediation is mandatory. Such cases make up about 14% of registered cases.
Whilst 88% of neighbour dispute cases mediated at the CMC were settled in 2021, the overall settlement rate at the CMC over the last five years was about 80%.
Data on cases registered at the CMC between 2017 and 2021 is provided in Table 1 below.
As the Government has stated several times, there has been a low take-up rate for community mediation. This is due to several factors, including the fact that community mediation is voluntary and parties are not obliged to proceed to mediation, particularly if they are the ones whose conduct is in question. The Government had said earlier this year that it is considering what can be done to increase the participation in mediation.
The CMC encourages residents who face relational disputes to attempt mediation at the CMC, so that they would have an opportunity to discuss mutually acceptable solutions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulation of Deep Seabed Mining Activities and Enforcement Actions Against Non-Compliance","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of Singapore's participation in deep sea mining activities (a) what environmental impact assessments have been conducted and safeguards put in place to protect the marine environment against adverse effects of deep seabed mining activities; and (b) what is the Government's assessment of any preliminary surveys and explorations conducted by licensed Singapore companies on deep sea mining.
13 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the criteria used to assess the potential cost and benefit of supporting Singapore companies entering the deep seabed mining industry; (b) who are the stakeholders consulted in the decision-making process; and (c) what is the number of Singapore companies that are granted a licence under the Deep Seabed Mining Act and are involved in deep seabed mining.
14 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) under what circumstances will companies be punished for contravening responsible deep sea mining practices under the Deep Seabed Mining Act 2015; and (b) to date, how many companies have been found guilty of offences under this Act.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Implementation Agreement (IA) for Part XI of UNCLOS set out the legal framework and obligations for deep seabed mining and related activities in the areas of the seabed, ocean floor and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), established under UNCLOS and IA, regulates all such activities.
Singapore is a member of the ISA Council, which is developing the rules, regulations and procedures (RRPs) for exploitation activities, to ensure that any such activity, if and when permitted, is done without harming the marine environment. We fully support the adoption of robust, clear and comprehensive RRPs by the Council before any exploitation activity is authorised to commence. Singapore is firmly committed to safeguarding the health of the ocean and will ensure that any activities carried out by our companies are consistent with international laws, including the RRPs, adopted by the ISA.
Through a notification which took effect on July 2021, the Republic of Nauru requested that the ISA finalise the RRPs within two years, that is, by July 2023, as provided for under UNCLOS and the IA. As a responsible member of the ISA Council, Singapore will participate actively, and contribute to the development and adoption of the RRPs.
The company, Ocean Mineral Singapore Pte Ltd (OMS), was granted an exploration licence under the Deep Seabed Mining Act 2015 and it has signed an exploration contract with ISA, with Singapore as the sponsoring state. This contract was awarded after the ISA was satisfied that OMS met its qualification criteria, including having adequate financial and technical capabilities to fulfil its environmental and other obligations.
Following the exploration contract, OMS collaborated with the Keppel-NUS Corporate Laboratory on two expedition trips in 2015 and 2020 to conduct an environmental baseline study of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Pacific Ocean. Through these expeditions, OMS has collected and analysed biological, geological, and oceanographic data, which has been published in research papers and reported to the ISA.
OMS's annual reports are reviewed by ISA's Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) and these cover various aspects of the company's expedition trips which are found to be satisfactory and consistent with regulations and guidelines that govern exploration. These findings, together with other environmental studies that are being conducted, contribute to global knowledge on biodiversity and environmental baselines in the CCZ.
Under the terms of the licence granted by Singapore under the Deep Seabed Mining Act 2015, a Singapore company must comply with the terms and conditions of the ISA contract, applicable ISA regulations and UNCLOS. If a Singapore company fails to do so, the Minister for Trade and Industry has the power to issue directions to ensure compliance, impose penalties, and even terminate the licence. At present, no company or individual has been found guilty of offences under this Act.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enforcement Against Businesses Using Impending GST Increase as Excuse for Unjustified Price Increases","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"15 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Committee Against Profiteering (CAP) takes concrete enforcement actions against businesses that are found to have made unjustified price increases for essential goods and services using the impending GST increase as an excuse; (b) if so, what follow-up enforcement actions will be taken to ensure that offending businesses that repeatedly gets flagged out for unjustified increases comply with guidelines on pricing practices; and (c) whether CAP intends to release the names of these offending businesses.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The role of the Committee Against Profiteering (CAP) is to review and investigate feedback on unjustified increases in the prices of essential products and services using the GST increase as an excuse. The CAP will review all feedback received and if there are grounds to suspect profiteering using the GST increase as an excuse, the CAP will engage the business involved to address the issues. The CAP may make public errant businesses that seek to profiteer on the pretext of the rise in GST.
The CAP received and reviewed about 100 feedback submissions between April and July 2022, of which five involved specific allegations of GST misrepresentation. The CAP followed up swiftly, especially for the five cases, working with partner agencies and organisations including the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS), the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and the People's Association (PA). The businesses committed to be transparent on their pricing and in their communications with consumers. There have so far been no repeat complaints.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Assessment of Quantum and Proportion of Household Cost of Living Attributable to Energy Consumption","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Government has studied how the (i) quantum and (ii) proportion of household cost of living attributable to energy consumption, whether directly or indirectly, is projected to change in the short term and long term, in light of international geopolitical developments and the ongoing climate crisis; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry can share the current assessment, broken down by decile of household income.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Based on data from the Household Expenditure Survey 2017/2018, resident households spent an average of $220 on electricity, gas and petrol each month, amounting to about 4.5% of their total monthly expenditure.
Over the past year, energy commodity prices have increased significantly due to the Russia-Ukraine war, tight supply conditions, as well as strong demand. Energy prices are expected to remain elevated and volatile, particularly as countries in the Northern Hemisphere head into the winter months. As Singapore imports most of our energy supply, our domestic energy prices will be affected by high and volatile global energy prices.
The higher prices and possibly lower consumption levels may affect the energy-related expenditure of households. We will have a clearer picture at the next Household Expenditure Survey, which is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2022.
The Government will continue to monitor prices and help Singaporeans cope with rising energy costs. For instance, the support measures introduced in Budget 2022 will help eligible households with double the quantum of their quarterly GST Voucher (GSTV) U-Save vouchers in FY2022 to defray the costs of higher electricity bills. As part of the $1.5 billion support package announced in June 2022, all Singaporean households will receive an additional $100 of Household Utilities Credit by September 2022.
In addition, the Government has rolled out support measures for self-employed persons whose livelihoods depend on their vehicles, such as a one-off relief of $150 this month to eligible taxi main hirers and private hire car drivers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Outcomes of Complaints on Alleged Price Hikes and Potential Anti-competitive Behaviour","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"17 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Trade and Industry from 2018 to date (a) how many complaints on alleged price hikes and potential anti-competitive behaviour has the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) received annually; and (b) how many investigations on potential anti-competitive behaviour has CCCS initiated on its own.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: From 2018 to 2021, CCCS received an average of about 200 complaints on alleged anti-competitive behaviour annually.
From its own surveillance, CCCS has also launched 15 investigations and market studies into potential anti-competitive behaviours.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Targets under Trial for Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"18 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Trade and Industry with regard to the import of renewable energy from Laos (a) what are the targets under the trial for the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP); (b) whether Singapore will contribute to Laotian development of renewable energy to ensure energy resiliency for Singapore; (c) if so, how; and (d) whether Singapore will consider foreign direct investment in Laos to help with the maturity of the sector.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Under the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP), Singapore is importing up to 100 megawatts of renewable energy from existing hydropower plants in Lao PDR for a two-year period. The goal of the LTMS-PIP is to study the feasibility of cross-border power trade from Lao PDR to Singapore, through Thailand and Malaysia, using existing interconnections. This is to serve as a pathfinder to the ASEAN Power Grid to promote multi-lateral electricity trading in the region.
Since the LTMS-PIP commenced on 23 June and until 28 July 2022, the flow of electricity from Lao PDR to Singapore has been steady and there has been active electricity trading. The electricity traded during this period was around 65,500 megawatt-hour, which met the electricity demand of around 140,000 households over the same period. This shows that it is feasible for electricity to be traded across long distances, and that it is possible for the region to collaborate on cross-border electricity trading which will help to accelerate regional decarbonisation.
The LTMS-PIP is the first cross-border power trading project that Singapore is embarking on to import low-carbon electricity. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) will monitor its operations to assess and refine the technical and regulatory frameworks for importing large-scale low-carbon electricity into Singapore.
Lao PDR has abundant resources for clean energy. Besides the LTMS-PIP project, the EMA also hopes to access low-carbon electricity through other projects from Lao PDR and other countries in the ongoing Request for Proposal (RFP) to import up to four gigawatts of low-carbon electricity by 2035. With commitment of off-take and revenue from electricity trade, these projects will help draw foreign direct investments into renewable energy sector in the region. Cross-border electricity trading projects and the development of a regional grid will support regional decarbonisation efforts and provide economic opportunities for our regional neighbours that can supply such electricity.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ship-to-shore Drone Trials Since Launch of Maritime Drone Estate and Plans for Roll-out of Commercial Service","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many ship-to-shore drone trials have taken place since the launch of the Maritime Drone Estate in 2021; and (b) whether the Ministry expects a commercial ship-to-shore drone service to materialise soon.
Mr S Iswaran: The Maritime Drone Estate was launched in April 2021 to provide a conducive space to test-bed and develop drone technologies for maritime applications, such as shore-to-ship deliveries.
Since its launch, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has supported 10 drone companies in conducting more than 200 drone flights for shore-to-ship delivery.
The development of commercial drone services in our busy port waters will take time, as it requires careful consideration of multiple factors including vessel safety, drone payloads and flight path management, as well as suitability of launching and recovery sites for drones. The Government is working closely with the industry to support their efforts in launching commercial drone services in future.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Implementation of Red-Amber-Green Arrows at Traffic Junctions to Replace Discretionary Right Turns","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"20 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can provide an update on LTA's implementation of the Red-Amber-Green (RAG) arrows at all feasible traffic junctions to replace discretionary right turns; (b) what are the accident trends at these traffic junctions following RAG implementation; and (c) whether LTA has plans for other programmes to further reduce accident rates.
Mr S Iswaran: To date, LTA has installed Red Amber Green (RAG) arrows at 798 traffic junctions to replace discretionary right turns with a higher chance of conflict. By 1Q2024, there will be RAG arrows at 1,200 junctions. Based on a sample of traffic junctions where RAG arrows have been implemented, LTA has observed about a 40% reduction in accidents involving right turns after RAG arrows are installed.
LTA has also installed other features to enhance the safety of our roads. These include additional road markings, lighted road studs, integrated pedestrian countdown timers and signages. In areas with a higher concentration of seniors, LTA comprehensively redesigns the roads to create Silver Zones. These zones have reduced speed limits and traffic calming measures, such as narrower and meandering lanes, road markings, raised crossings and speed humps. To date, LTA has completed 24 Silver Zones and will complete a further 26 by 2025. The Silver Zones have proven effective in reducing the accident rate among senior pedestrians by about 80%.
Beyond infrastructural improvements, LTA also works with Traffic Police and Singapore Road Safety Council on educational programmes to promote road safety awareness and encourage responsible practices among all road users.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Unsuccessful Applications for Private Hire Care Driver Vocational Licence Due to Criminal Record","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"21 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Transport (a) since 2018, how many applicants for Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL) have been unsuccessful because of past criminal history; (b) how many of them are barred from applying for PDVLs because of their convictions of less serious offences; and (c) what is the average period of disbarment of such applicants before they are successful in attaining the PDVL.
Mr S Iswaran: In the past year, LTA did not accede to about 70 applications for the Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL) in view of applicants' past criminal records. This is about 1.4% of all applications.
The Government takes a calibrated approach. Applicants with less serious offences may have their applications considered after the completion of their sentence and debarment period. However, applicants with past offences which pose a risk to passengers in the vocational driving context or repeat offenders may be debarred for periods longer than three years. This approach balances the need to maintain public confidence in the safety of ride-hail services, while providing ex-offenders a second chance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Manage Rising Sea Levels and Unpredictable Weather Patterns","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"22 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the recent heat wave and rising temperatures have seen an increase in sea levels; and (b) what measures Singapore has in place to cope with rising sea levels.
23 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment how is Singapore bracing itself for higher and more volatile temperatures and more unpredictable thundershower patterns.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: For the first part of Parliamentary Question No 23, on how Singapore is bracing itself for higher and more volatile temperatures, Members should refer to the combined oral replies to Parliamentary Questions No 1 to 7 taken on 2 August 2022.
Mr Christopher de Souza also asked if Singapore has seen an increase in sea levels and what Singapore is doing to cope with rising sea levels and more unpredictable thundershower patterns. Mean sea levels around Singapore have risen 10 centimetres in the last four decades and are projected to rise by up to one metre by 2100, based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR 5) findings. Factoring in a confluence of transient events, such as extreme high tides and storm surges, sea levels could go up to as high as four to five metres.
To develop the strategies required to protect Singapore from coastal flooding, the Government is conducting site-specific studies progressively. These studies will examine various coastal adaptation options, such as sea walls, earth mounds and tidal gates. Where feasible, they will be co-located with amenities or recreational space for the community to enhance our living environment and explore the use of hybrid solutions that have nature-based elements. We have already begun site-specific studies for the more vulnerable parts of our coast, such as the City-East Coast area and a stretch of the North-West coast comprising four freshwater reservoirs. The Government has also set up the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund to fund the construction of drainage infrastructure and coastal protection measures, with an initial injection of $5 billion.
Beyond coastal protection measures, PUB has also invested almost $2 billion on drainage works over the last decade. Since 2014, all new developments or re-developments of 0.2 hectares or more are required to implement measures such as detention tanks to slow down stormwater runoff from entering the public drainage system, providing more resilience against heavier rainfall events.
It is, however, not practical to expand our drains to cater to every extreme rainfall event as it would require massive land take and much higher costs. Hence, it is important to strengthen community resilience, as well as our forecasting and flood resilience capabilities to minimise flood risks and keep the public out of harm's way.
PUB is using technology, such as X-band radars and an extensive network of water level sensors and CCTVs installed islandwide, to better predict and respond to floods. Public alerts can be issued earlier, enabling residents in areas at risk of flash floods to take preventive measures such as deploying portable flood barriers early. PUB's Quick Response Team vehicles can also be deployed on-site faster to provide timely assistance. PUB also works with LTA, Traffic Police and SCDF to broadcast information to the public using electronic signboards and to divert vehicles and close roads if necessary. Information on floods and road closures are communicated promptly through PUB's social media and Telegram channels, as well as the myENV Mobile App.
The Government will plan ahead and ensure our coastal and flood protection measures adapt to the latest developments in climate science. We will also engage communities across Singapore to co-create our strategy to protect our coastlines and ensure that Singapore will remain resilient in the face of climate change, for our present and future generations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Risk of Contracting Dengue from Rainfall and High Day-temperatures in Past Few Weeks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"24 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the rainfall over the past few weeks coupled with the high day-temperatures have increased the risk of contracting dengue and extending the number of clusters.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Multiple factors have contributed to the surge in dengue cases this year, such as the high Aedes aegypti mosquito vector population and the circulation of the previously uncommon Dengue Virus Serotype 3 (DENV-3) against which population immunity is low. The recent warm and rainy weather is also a contributing factor as higher temperatures could result in the faster development of the Aedes aegypti mosquito vector and faster replication of the dengue virus. The rainy weather could also have resulted in the creation of additional mosquito breeding habitats. We, therefore, urge everyone to take immediate action to suppress the mosquito population by practising the \"Mozzie Wipeout\" and conducting regular housekeeping.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Master Planning of 390-hectare Lim Chu Kang Area for High-Tech Agri-food Cluster","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"25 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment regarding the holistic master planning of the 390-hectare Lim Chu Kang area into a high-tech agri-food cluster (a) how many existing farms have been identified to be part of the cluster; (b) what are the criteria for selecting farms for the cluster; and (c) whether there are plans to include conventional soil-based or organic farming into the cluster.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: As part of our \"30 by 30\" vision to strengthen Singapore's food security, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) embarked on a holistic exercise to master plan the Lim Chu Kang (LCK) region. The vision is for the LCK region to become a high-tech agri-food cluster that can raise production in a sustainable and resource-efficient manner. Both existing farms and new interested parties can bid for new plots when they are released. This will take place after the master planning and land development stages.
SFA is agnostic to the farming method used. To achieve our \"30 by 30\" vision with the scarce land available, we would select farm proposals for the new LCK agri-food cluster, taking into account their productivity and resource efficiency.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Ensure Success of Project Wolbachia in More Housing Estates","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"26 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the implementation of Project Wolbachia in more housing estates what are the plans of the Ministry to ensure the sufficient supply of male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes so that the relative success of the project in terms of dengue suppression rates currently seen in the pilot estates can be maintained.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: NEA is progressively expanding Project Wolbachia – Singapore to eight additional sites over the next few months to study the impact of Wolbachia technology on dengue cases. This will cover an additional 1,400 HDB blocks, bringing the total coverage of the project to 31% of all HDB blocks in Singapore and more than 300,000 households.
To support the expansion of Project Wolbachia – Singapore while sustaining releases of male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes in existing release sites, NEA is working with companies and the multi-agency National Robotics Programme to develop novel automated systems for the large-scale rearing and field release of quality male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes. This will increase the production of male mosquitoes, from the current two million to five million per week by end 2022.
While the results of Project Wolbachia – Singapore have been promising, Wolbachia technology is not a silver bullet. Source reduction remains a key strategy in our fight against dengue. Everyone needs to do their part to keep their homes and community free from mosquitoes and dengue.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Resumption of Schools' Outdoor Adventure Programmes and Trips","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"27 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Education in view of strengthening the mental resilience of students, whether schools and the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have resumed their overseas outdoor adventure programmes and trips.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) provide different opportunities for students to build resilience. One approach is through participation in co-curricular and outdoor adventure education programmes held locally and overseas.
Local outdoor adventure learning programmes, such as outdoor adventure learning camps for Primary and Secondary schools, have resumed.
Schools and IHLs are gradually resuming overseas trips, taking into consideration prevailing travel advisories and guidelines. These overseas visits may include outdoor adventure, experiential learning and other exchanges.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Recover Overpayments of SkillsFuture Singapore Agency Grants from Service Provider","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"28 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education regarding the Auditor-General's Office Report for the financial year 2021/22, whether there are plans to (i) recover potential overpayments of SkillsFuture Singapore agency grants from its outsourced service provider (ii) replace the outsourced service provider with another and (iii) bring the grants management payments function in-house.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has taken immediate corrective action. As at 1 August 2022, SSG has contacted all affected training providers, companies and individuals for the necessary recovery.
The lapses observed by AGO were primarily due to wrong declarations by the grant applicants and errors in manual processing of grants. SSG's remediation focus is, hence, on taking measures to reduce reliance on declarations and manual processing.
SSG will tighten its audits on payments disbursed and on the work of its service provider. SSG will also consider past performance of the service provider when awarding a new contract.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Outstanding Skill Development Levy Collections Owed by Companies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"29 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education with regard to outstanding Skills Development Levy (SDL) collections owed by companies (a) what is the current breakdown by (i) number of public and private companies respectively and (ii) number of multinational corporations and small to medium-sized enterprises respectively; and (b) whether the companies in SDL arrears have been simultaneously accessing SkillsFuture Credits for their employees.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has started engaging affected employers whose actual payments of Skills Development Levy (SDL) differ from their estimated SDL liabilities. Such variance can occur due to actual underpayments, or because employers used an updated set of local and foreign employee data at the point of SDL payment, in which case there is no underpayment.
SSG will contact all affected employers by the end of this financial year. All public sector employers have paid in full their estimated underpayments. Until the process is completed, SSG is unable to conclusively provide the breakdown of private companies involved at this juncture.
There is no concern of affected companies accessing the SkillsFuture Credit of their employees because companies cannot claim SkillsFuture Credit on behalf of their employees for training purposes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Training Programmes Under SG Enable to Employers Hiring Individuals with Special Needs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"30 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the training programmes under SG Enable which are provided to employers who hire individuals with special needs, includes training on how to provide assurance to these individuals about their competence at their job.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: SG Enable's High Impact Retention and Employment (HIRE) Workshops for employers provide a comprehensive and structured training framework for organisations to equip themselves with relevant knowledge and skills to hire and integrate employees with disabilities. They cover a variety of topics, including building employers' confidence in managing employees with disabilities, and training employers to conduct performance reviews and provide timely feedback on employees' work performance. These workshops also build employers' confidence in implementing job accommodations and job redesign to ensure that employees with disabilities are able to perform at the required competency levels.
The Open Door Programme (ODP), administered by SG Enable, supports employers in hiring, training and integrating persons with disabilities into the workforce. Employers can tap on the ODP Training Grant to support up to 90% course funding when they attend or send their employees without disabilities to attend courses to build confidence in interacting and working with colleagues with disabilities. Between 2014 and 2021, about 600 organisations participated in training to learn skills on how to recruit and integrate persons with disabilities at their workplace.
SG Enable launched the Enabling Academy in May this year to provide more training and learning opportunities for persons with disabilities, and those in their network of support, such as employers. The Academy also offers complimentary toolkits and resources to support employers in their disability-inclusive hiring journey.
Together, these training programmes, training support and resources equip employers with the knowledge, skills and tools to provide feedback to their employees with disabilities and better support them to contribute and perform well at work.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"SG Enable Partnering Organisations to Modify Work Environments to Support Employees with Special Needs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"31 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether SG Enable has plans to partner companies and organisations with calm work environments that better suit special-needs individuals and enable them to work well.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: SG Enable and its partners work closely with employers and persons with disabilities to place each individual in a supportive work environment. SG Enable administers the Open Door Programme (ODP), which provides customised job placement and job support from trained job coaches. The job coaches advise employers on how they can create accessible work environments and make reasonable job accommodations to enable employees with disabilities to perform their roles effectively and work well with co-workers. Employers can also tap on the Job Redesign Grant under the ODP to modify workplaces, such as the inclusion of calm rooms.
SG Enable also offers a range of courses under its High Impact Retention and Employment Workshop Series. These courses help employers learn how to create safe work environments and positive behavioural support strategies to manage challenging behaviours that their employees with disabilities may display.
MSF and SG Enable are also working with businesses and disability social service agencies to develop Enabling Business Hubs (EBHs), to provide inclusive work environments for persons with disabilities who require customised support. The hubs will be equipped with shared facilities and services to assist persons with disabilities in their employment journey, including onsite job coach support, training rooms and calm rooms. The first EBH pilot is expected to start operations in 2023.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Visitors to FoodConnect Directory Website and Plans to Spread Awareness to Those Needing Food Provisions","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"32 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) since its launch in May 2022, how many unique visitors have visited the FoodConnect Directory website; and (b) how does the Ministry intend to spread awareness of the FoodConnect Directory among those who need food provision assistance.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The FoodConnect Directory enables those with food needs to connect with and receive support from food charities and community organisations, quickly and conveniently. The Directory organises the support provided by 27 organisations by service region, dietary preference, food type, mode of delivery and frequency.
Since its launch in April 2022, the FoodConnect Directory has been visited 3,400 times by 860 unique visitors each month on average. We have publicised the Directory to frontline social service agencies, community organisations and grassroots networks. We continue to onboard more community agencies and groups that provide food support to make the Directory more comprehensive.
The community-based food support found in the FoodConnect Directory complements the Government's ongoing support to address the needs of low-income households. Families on ComCare assistance receive a cash component for food expenses. Eligible households have also received grocery vouchers from the Community Development Councils (CDCs) and under the Household Support Package in Budget 2022. This has helped defray the cost of purchases at supermarkets, hawker centres and heartland merchants.
We will continue to partner community and corporate organisations to provide individuals or families with the food support that they need quickly and conveniently.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Special Bank Accounts to Allow Low-income Grant Recipients to Receive Digital Disbursements","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"33 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the effort to implement digital disbursements to replace cash and supermarket vouchers at the Social Services Offices (SSOs) is hindered by low-income grantees who have no access to banking services; and (b) whether special bank accounts may be created for SSO recipients not currently in possession of a bank account in order to receive these disbursements.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Social Service Offices (SSOs) use cash and supermarket vouchers in dispensing interim financial assistance today. We have announced plans to transit to digital disbursements and are exploring transfers to client's bank accounts.
Today, banks already help SSO clients open accounts without a minimum deposit or fall-below fee1. We will continue to encourage clients to open accounts if they do not have one, as it is beneficial to them to not be excluded from access to financial services.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Fall-below fee is an administrative fee that the bank charges when the account balance falls below the stipulated minimum average daily balance or monthly balance."],"footNoteQuestions":["33"],"questionNo":"33"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inflow of Foreign Manpower to Address Shortage of Infant Care Teachers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"34 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry is looking into allowing more foreign manpower to address the shortage of infant care teachers.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Childcare operators have been ramping up manpower over the years to support the expansion of preschool places, including infant care. As of end-2021, there are about 5,600 early childhood educators qualified in infant care in preschools. This is more than two times the corresponding number in 2017.
More infant care staff will be needed to meet the rising demand for infant care places and support sector expansion in the coming years. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has been working with preschool operators and training providers to attract more locals, especially mid-careerists, to be trained as Infant Educators through career fairs and initiatives, such as the Career Conversion Programmes.
Foreign manpower is already one source of infant care staff. Preschool operators can hire foreign manpower for infant care within their foreign worker quotas to address their manpower needs. Today, less than a quarter of our certified early childhood workforce are foreigners, of which a small proportion work in infant care.
Besides tapping on foreign manpower, ECDA also allows up to 50% of the staff in infant care to be allied infant educators or programme helpers. This gives preschools the flexibility to tap on a wider pool of manpower to deliver infant care services.
To help improve retention of the infant care workforce, ECDA is working with preschool operators to put in place enhanced career pathways and professional development opportunities for Infant Educators, as part of the Skills Framework for Early Childhood and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) roadmap. This will enable Infant Educators' salaries to grow in tandem with higher skills and job responsibilities over time. ECDA also encourages preschool operators to adopt the recommendations from the Early Childhood Occupational Health and Safety Assessment (OHSA) study to improve working conditions within the infant care bays, such as providing ergonomic equipment to infant educators.
ECDA will continue to monitor the manpower situation and trends and support the sector's manpower needs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Following Up on Seniors Who Called Helplines During COVID-19 Pandemic and Restoration of Social Activities for Seniors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"35 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Health in light of the increased number of seniors who have sought assistance through helplines during the COVID-19 pandemic (a) whether there are Government programmes that follow up on these seniors who have sought helpline assistance over issues like pandemic fatigue and uncertainty; and (b) how does the Government intend to facilitate the restoration of routines and social activities for seniors, balancing the pandemic health risk with the mental wellness of seniors.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our seniors' social and emotional well-being, and has worked with various stakeholders to support our seniors.
Helplines are available for vulnerable seniors to receive timely support. Over 35,000 seniors have received assistance through The Seniors Helpline and CareLine during the pandemic. Seniors who need more help will be referred to appropriate agencies, such as Family Service Centres, Social Service Offices and Active Ageing Centres for continued care and follow-up.
Since November last year, we have worked with community partners to progressively resume active-ageing programmes and facilitating seniors' participation in a safe manner. The Health Promotion Board (HPB), People's Association (PA) and Council for Third Age (C3A), as well as others, restarted face-to-face classes and activities in tandem with the adjustments in the national safe management measures (SMMs). Seniors may also continue to engage meaningfully through our partners' range of digital offerings.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Salary Trends for Nurses and Ancillary Care Staff in Private and Restructured Hospitals","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"36 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, what is the median and average salary for nurses and ancillary care staff in (i) private hospitals and (ii) restructured hospitals respectively.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: This question has been addressed in my reply to Question Nos 12 and 13 for oral answer on the Order Paper for 2 August 2022.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Current Life Expectancy by Racial Groups","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"37 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Health what is the current life expectancy in Singapore by racial groups.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: As of 2021, the life expectancy of Chinese, Malay and Indian residents in Singapore were 84.3, 79.4 and 81.311 respectively.
Life expectancy is influenced by various factors, such as prevalence of severe diseases, chronic conditions and lifestyles. MOH will continue to work with other agencies and social organisations to improve these social determinants, with the aim of sustaining increases in life expectancy over time for all ethnic groups.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : a) Data for 2021 are preliminary.","b) Due to small number of deaths and smaller population size, Life Expectancy data for Indians may see larger year to year fluctuations.","c) As the 2021 data on life expectancy assumes that the pandemic affected higher mortality rates are held constant over a lifetime, the life expectancy figures for 2021 should be interpreted with the understanding that they may not be representative of the number of years that individuals can expect to live if mortality rates were to return to pre-pandemic levels."],"footNoteQuestions":["37"],"questionNo":"37"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review of Removal Allowance for Residents Affected by Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"38 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for National Development (a) what factors are taken into consideration in determining the removal allowance for residents affected by HDB's Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme; and (b) whether the current removal allowance of $10,000 can be re-evaluated given rising cost pressures.
Mr Desmond Lee: Under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), flat owners are compensated for their existing flats based on the prevailing market values at the time of the SERS announcement. In addition, they receive payment for reasonable expenses, comprising a removal allowance of $10,000 per flat, and stamp and legal fees for the purchase of a replacement flat that is assumed to be equivalent in value to their SERS flat.
Before the announcement of a SERS site, HDB reviews the entire benefits package holistically. In reviewing the removal allowance, we consider factors such as the cost of engaging movers, which is typically between $300 and $500 per truck load. To minimise the need for renovations, flat owners can opt in for fittings and fixtures to be installed in their new flat under the Optional Component Scheme (OCS). The cost of the OCS will be incorporated into the flat price, which can be paid via CPF monies and/or the housing loan, thus reducing the cash outlay needed for renovations. We continue to monitor the costs closely and will review the grant as and when needed.
The Land Acquisition Act provides for SERS flat owners to appeal to an independent Appeals Board if they have concerns over the reasonableness of the compensation for their SERS flat and/or the payments for reasonable expenses.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Help for First-time HDB BTO Flat Applicants Who Are Unable to Secure Sufficient Loan Quantum","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"39 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development in each of the past five years (a) how many first-time applicants purchasing 3-room and 4-room HDB BTO flats who fulfil the eligibility criteria for HDB Home Loan Eligibility, are nonetheless unable to secure sufficient loan quantum to complete the purchase of their flats; (b) what are the reasons for them not being able to secure the loans; and (c) what housing options are provided to them and what is the take-up rate of these options.
Mr Desmond Lee: New flat buyers who wish to take up an HDB housing loan for their flat purchase need to have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) letter when they book the flat. The HLE letter informs buyers of the HDB housing loan amount that they are eligible for, so that they can size up their housing budget and book a flat that is within their budget.
When the keys to the new flat are ready for collection, HDB will review the flat buyers' financial situation and disburse the housing loan amount they are eligible for, based on their updated circumstances, for them to complete the flat purchase. This is to ensure that flat buyers have the means to service their housing loans. In addition to the housing loan, flat buyers can use their CPF and cash savings to complete their purchase.
From 2017 to 2021, about 0.4% of first-timer 3-room and 4-room Build-To-Order (BTO) flat buyers, or between 13 and 84 cases per year (Table 1), were unable to complete their flat purchase due to insufficient loans. These flat buyers could have experienced changes to their financial situation, such as retrenchment, reduction in income, bankruptcy or indebtedness, which resulted in them being unable to qualify for a loan of sufficient quantum to complete the flat purchase. Others may have booked a flat that was outside their budget and their incomes had not risen to levels that would allow them to complete the purchase.
For such cases, HDB assists them with various measures, on a case-by-case basis depending on their specific circumstances, such as a waiver of the financial forfeiture and the one-year wait-out period after cancellation of their flat booking or allowing them to switch to a flat that is within their budget. About two-thirds of home buyers in such cases have taken up these measures.
We encourage all flat buyers to exercise financial prudence and book a flat within their means.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Average Rent Per Square Foot for Commercial HDB Units","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"40 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for National Development in each of the last 10 years, including 2022 to date what is the average rent per square foot for commercial HDB units located in HDB residential estates that are for (i) food and beverage businesses (ii) medical facilities and (iii) essential services respectively, broken down into units that are directly owned by HDB and units owned by private entities as HDB sold shop premises.
Mr Desmond Lee: Shops that were sold to private entities make up 56% of HDB's commercial properties. HDB does not collect private rental data for sold shops, and owners who have rented out their shops are not obliged to report their rents to HDB.
Since 1998, HDB has ceased the sale of shops. The remaining 44% of HDB's commercial properties are directly rented out by HDB and include those in newer towns and estates, like Sengkang and Punggol. These are directly owned and managed by HDB. A summary of the average rents across the three categories can be found in Table 1. In general, HDB rental shop rents are far below private rentals. Based on the Real Estates Information System (REALIS) data, median private rental outside the Central Area in 2021 was more than $13 per square foot.
In 2018, HDB introduced Price-Quality tenders for coffeeshops directly owned by HDB, with 50% of points awarded for aspects such as the availability of budget meals, good track record and community initiatives. Operators who successfully tender for HDB coffeeshops typically provide budget food options at every stall, priced at around $3. The rentals under Price-Quality tenders are typically lower and less volatile than those tendered out purely based on price.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ceiling and Wall Leakages Reported by Top-most Units of HDB Blocks with Solar Panels Installed on Roof","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"41 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development in each of the last five years, how many cases of ceiling leaks or wall leakages have been reported among the top-most units of HDB blocks where solar panels have been installed on the roof.
Mr Desmond Lee: To minimise the risk of water leakage, HDB does not allow any drilling or puncturing of the building roof when solar panels are installed on HDB rooftops. Instead, the solar panels are weighed down by concrete ballasts placed on felt pads for additional cushioning. This is a mandatory design requirement for all solar panel installations commissioned by HDB.
While ceiling leaks are generally reported directly to Town Councils, HDB also receives feedback on ceiling leaks from time to time. For the approximately 2,900 HDB blocks installed with solar panels, HDB received feedback on 76 ceiling leaks for top-most units over the last five years.
HDB's data does not indicate any trend that solar panel installation leads to an increase in the number of ceiling leaks at the topmost units. HDB will continue to ensure that its contractors adhere to its design requirements onsite.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Flats Repossessed by HDB due to Failure to Pay Mortgages","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"42 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development (a) for each year from 2020 till to-date, how many flats have been repossessed by HDB; (b) what proportion of these repossessed flats is due to failure to pay mortgages; and (c) what proportion of these repossessed flats has been listed for sale or sold.
Mr Desmond Lee: From January 2020 to June 2022, 203 HDB flats were compulsorily acquired (see Table 1 for annual breakdown). Of these, 82% were acquired due to mortgage arrears. In these cases, compulsory acquisition was taken as a last resort as the owners persistently refused to resolve their arrears or work towards a sustainable solution, despite the assistance given by HDB.
Of the 203 acquired flats, 91% have since been offered for sale in HDB's Sale of Balance Flats exercises, and the remainder will be offered in future exercises.
43 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Communications and Information in light of the recent report that Singapore organisations are among the most targeted in the world by ransomware attacks, whether an update can be provided on the work by Cyber Security Agency of Singapore in raising the cybersecurity posture of enterprises in Singapore, including focusing more efforts on preventive cybersecurity initiatives rather than to prioritise recovery.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The hon Member may be referring to a recent article in The Straits Times entitled \"S'pore organisations among the most targeted in the world by ransomware attacks, study finds\". The headline is inaccurate. The report does not claim that Singapore enterprises are amongst the most targeted by ransomware actors in the world, nor was evidence presented to back up such a claim.
Singapore's cyber landscape mirrors that of the global cyber landscape. In recent years, there has been an increase in cyber threats, such as ransomware, across the world and in Singapore. Recently, more digitalised and connected enterprises, such as MNCs, are based in Singapore. Local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have also embraced digital technology to improve their productivity. These have led to a larger attack surface for cyber attacks.
A strong cybersecurity posture is essential. The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) seeks to improve the cybersecurity posture of enterprises in Singapore through raising awareness, enabling adoption of cybersecurity solutions, recognising enterprises with good cybersecurity practices and developing cybersecurity professionals.
As SMEs tend to have limited IT and/or cybersecurity expertise and resources, CSA and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) offer SMEs pre-approved solutions under SME's Go Digital Programme. More than 6,000 SMEs have benefitted from these cybersecurity solutions that provide endpoint protection, managed detection and response and unified threat management.
In March this year, CSA rolled out the Cyber Essentials Mark to recognise SMEs that have implemented cyber hygiene measures, and the Cyber Trust Mark to recognise enterprises with comprehensive cybersecurity measures and practices.
Lastly, our cybersecurity rests heavily on the talent we have in Singapore. CSA works with schools, Institutes of Higher Learning and industry to attract, train and develop cybersecurity talents. Over the five years from 2016 to 2020, the number of cybersecurity professionals in Singapore has increased threefold to more than 10,700.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Percentage of Female Employees in Companies Offering Flexible Work Arrangements","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"44 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has data on whether companies that offer flexible working arrangements have a higher percentage of female employees; (b) if this data is not available, whether the Ministry intends to collect it; and (c) if not, why.
Dr Tan See Leng: Based on the data that MOM collects, companies that offer flexible work arrangements (FWAs) have an equal proportion of male and female employees1. However, the proportion of female employees in a company should not be a deciding factor in whether the company implements FWAs. All workers, male or female, can benefit from FWAs to better manage their work and personal commitments. Companies with FWAs can better attract and retain talent, regardless of gender. Tripartite Partners encourage and support the widespread provision of FWAs at all workplaces, regardless of the gender ratio in companies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Derived by aggregating the number of employees in these companies."],"footNoteQuestions":["44"],"questionNo":"44"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Real Wage Trends of Singaporeans Compared to Residents Living in Top 20 Global Cities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"45 Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry is able to provide a comparative table of real wage trends for Singaporeans and citizens living in the top 20 cities ranked by gross domestic product.
Dr Tan See Leng: MOM does not track wage trends of other cities. For full-time employed residents living in Singapore, the Member can find the annualised change in median gross monthly income from work, inclusive of employer's CPF contribution, on MOM's website.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":5321,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20220802/vernacular-Zhulkarnain A Rahim SAF 2 Aug 2022 - Malay.pdf","fileName":"Zhulkarnain A Rahim SAF 2 Aug 2022 - Malay.pdf"},{"vernacularID":5322,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Don Wee","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20220802/vernacular-Don Wee SAF 2 Aug 2022 - Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Don Wee SAF 2 Aug 2022 - Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":5323,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Sharael Taha","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20220802/vernacular-Sharael Taha SAF 2 Aug 2022 - Malay.pdf","fileName":"Sharael Taha SAF 2 Aug 2022 - Malay.pdf"}],"onlinePDFFileName":""}