1 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what are the actions that the Ministry will take to (i) prevent or reduce the likelihood of similar or worse cyberattacks, such as the recent attack on SingHealth, (ii) ensure organisations and individuals take more aggressive measures to protect their systems and data, and (iii) guide those whose personal data had been compromised in the recent attack on how to detect and respond to improper use of the data.
2 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Communications and Information besides the recent cyberattack and breach on SingHealth's IT system and data (a) how many Government agencies have also had similar attacks in the last 12 months; (b) what is the nature of such attacks; and (c) which countries have these attacks originated from.
3 Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng asked the Minister for Communications and Information what are the Government's plans to restore public confidence in its Smart Nation and Digital Government's initiatives following the recent cyberattack on SingHealth's IT system.
4 Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng asked the Minister for Communications and Information what are the composition and terms of reference of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the recent cyberattack on SingHealth's IT system.
5 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the culprit of the cyberattack on SingHealth has been identified; and (b) whether the culprit will be publicly identified and taken to task and, if not, why.
6 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether cyberattacks, such as the one on SingHealth, could have been prevented; (b) whether active steps have been taken to protect the data and system integrity of key national installations, including Government-related institutions; and (c) will the Government restore confidence in citizens as it continues to pursue a Smart Nation and Digital Government.
7 Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how has the recent cyberattack on SingHealth's database affected Singapore's Smart Nation plans; (b) whether the review of the different Smart Nation projects affect the timelines set for these projects; (c) whether the plan to achieve a fully digital Government by 2023 is still possible; and (d) whether there are specific areas or aspects of the Smart Nation plans which can be enhanced or reviewed in light of this cyberattack.
8 Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng asked the Minister for Communications and Information what are the implications of the Cybersecurity Act coming into effect for a cyberattack causing a personal data breach similar to the recent SingHealth incident.
9 Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked the Minister for Communications and Information in view of the cyberattack on SingHealth, what are the steps taken to assure businesses that there will be no data breach when they are using the business-centric e-Government platforms, such as the Business Grants Portal, National Trade Platform and CorpPass.
10 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Communications and Information given that ongoing Smart Nation and Digital Government projects will be placed on hold pending the inquiry into the SingHealth cyberattack, how will Government staff who are affected be redeployed in the meantime.
11 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Communications and Information what is the role of the Cyber Security Agency in defending against, and responding to, an incident, such as the attack on healthcare data in SingHealth.
12 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Government is going to bear responsibility for any stolen identity crime committed as a result of the SingHealth data breach, including unauthorised registration of legal and illegal services, such as SingPass and online gambling sites.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission for the Minister in charge of Cyber Security to take Question Nos 1 through to 12 in a Ministerial Statement later in the Sitting, please?
Mr Speaker: Alright.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Safeguarding Health Data from Cyberattacks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"The following question stood in the name of Dr Chia Shi-Lu –
13 To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the SingHealth cyberattack, how will the Ministry assess whether (i) the data have not been tampered with, (ii) subversive latent programmes have not infiltrated and been installed in SingHealth's network, and (iii) access to other Government networks has not been gained through SingHealth's system.
14 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health (a) what steps will be taken to ensure that the data on the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system is protected from cyberattacks; (b) what systems are in place to determine whether medical records are tampered with; and (c) when there is a data leak or alteration of personal information or medical records, what will be done to safeguard the interests of patients whose data are in the record.
15 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Health with regard to the recent hacking of SingHealth's IT system (a) what has been discovered in the investigations thus far; (b) what lessons are learnt; and (c) how will similar situations be avoided in the future.
16 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Health (a) when was the last audit, internal or external, conducted on the public SingHealth IT system, particularly in areas related to the patient database; (b) which are the public healthcare systems that use similar IT systems as that of SingHealth; (c) what are the immediate rectification measures taken by SingHealth and other healthcare groups under the Eastern, Western and Central regions.
17 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health whether security measures implemented after the cyberattack on the SingHealth system have affected waiting time and consultation time at public hospitals and polyclinics.
18 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Health whether he can elaborate on the reasons for the significant delay in informing the public of the cyberattack affecting SingHealth's database from the time the breach was discovered.
19 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Health (a) why were details of the cyberattack on the medical records of 1.5 million people under SingHealth's hospitals, speciality clinics and polyclinics not disclosed to the public earlier; (b) what measures have been taken to improve security since the cyberattack; and (c) what actions will be taken against the perpetrators of the cyberattack.
\tMr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Question No 13.
\tThe Minister for Health (Mr Gan Kim Yong): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to also take Question Nos 13 to 19 subsequently in my Ministerial Statement.
\tMr Speaker: Please do. Dr Lim Wee Kiak.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"NS Deferment for Sportsmen","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"
20 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Defence with regard to the rejection of National Service deferment for Mr Benjamin Davis (a) what are the criteria to qualify for deferment; (b) whether the Ministry considers a professional contract with an English Premier League football club a rare achievement for a Singaporean; and (c) whether consideration is given to how Mr Davis can contribute to the soccer scene in Singapore when he returns.
21 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Defence (a) what are the criteria that are used to determine whether a sportsman can be deferred from National Service to pursue his sporting growth and development; (b) whether there are different criteria used to assess the potential of sportsmen who are taking part in sports where success is not easily measured using quantitative benchmarks; and (c) whether there are different criteria used for individual sportsmen and those participating in team sports and, if so, what are the criteria used for individuals participating in team sports.
22 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Defence whether the Government can consider deferring National Service for outstanding young male Singaporeans who have the potential to accomplish significant successes in fields other than sports if those successful achievements can also bring international fame and recognition for Singapore.
23 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Defence what are the criteria for a young outstanding athlete in a team sport to be granted deferment from National Service.
24 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Defence whether the Ministry will conduct a study to review its criteria for NS deferment for sporting talent, especially in light of more young Singaporeans showing potential and making their mark in regional and international sports.
25 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether National Service deferments can be considered for team sports and not only for individual sports; (b) what documents and supporting evidence are required to meet the criteria for deferment; (c) what consultation is held with direct and supporting parties in evaluating deferment applications; (d) what types of cases does the Ministry deem to be exceptional; and (e) when was the deferment policy last reviewed and when will it be next reviewed.
\tThe Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mr Speaker, let me thank Members for their questions that allow the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to explain our policies.
\tMr Speaker: Minister, if you have a statement, we can take that later after the Parliamentary Questions (PQs). \t
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, I am not making a Ministerial Statement. I am replying to the PQs.
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed. My apologies.\t
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take the six PQs that are directed to MINDEF and to give a common reply from Question Nos 20 to 25?
\tMr Speaker: Please do.
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, I thank Members for their questions. It allows MINDEF to explain our policies. Singapore's founding leaders knew the strict conditions that National Service (NS) would impose on its citizens when they passed the National Service (Amendment) Bill. This was 51 years ago and the Enlistment Act in 1970. In 1984, just as he was about to retire, a reflective Dr Goh Keng Swee acknowledged it plain and simple, \"National Service imposes (not only) a great sacrifice of time and money on the young men called up.\" But Dr Goh followed with the reason why this sacrifice was called for and why NS was crucial to our nation's survival. I continue, quote, Dr Goh's words, \"deep in his heart, the average Singapore Citizen knows the danger he faces are real and not hypothetical, and that there is a need to defend ourselves.\"
The Appellate High Court also brought their minds to bear on our NS policy, just as recently as 2017, last year. This was during an appeal on the sentencing of NS defaulters. Their written judgment spelt out the reasons why more stringent sentencing benchmarks were justified but those same reasons lie at the heart of what various Members of Parliament (MPs) asked today – Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Mr Darryl David, Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, and Dr Intan Mokhtar in her Question for Written Answer. In various forms, they asked these questions: how strict is this requirement for every male to serve his NS when required? What exceptions or flexibility can be given?
It was a landmark decision, presided over by the Chief Justice. The Appellate High Court referred to Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean's Ministerial Statement given in 2006 to this House, when he was Defence Minister. That Ministerial Statement, coupled with the written judgment of the Appellate High Court, illuminates the fundamentals on which our NS policy is based, that we must not unwittingly weaken lest we undo this nation’s foundations. I urge all Members to read them. It is crucial. The judges opined that, \"In practical terms, what the three fundamental principles of national security, universality and equity mean is that in order to ensure Singapore's national survival, every male Singaporean must serve NS and at the time he is required to under the (Enlistment) Act, without regard to his personal convenience and considerations. When a person refuses to serve NS at the time that he is required to and instead returns to serve at a time of his own choosing, or worse, at an age when he can no longer serve, his actions strike at the very core of the principles of national security, universality and equity.\"
Thirteen NS defaulters were prosecuted after the new sentencing framework was established last year. In Court, in every case, each of them gave reasons why he did not enlist as required. Some wanted to complete their university degree first before NS. Others said they had to support their families. But in every case, in every judgment, the Courts dismissed these personal reasons, convicted and sentenced them to jail because, harsh as it is, the Enlistment Act is blind to \"personal convenience and considerations\", no matter how talented the individual, no matter how exceptional his circumstances. That is the core of the Enlistment Act. The critical need for a strong defence puts aside personal pursuits and mandates that each liable male performs his NS when required. This is the law our founding leaders and subsequent leaders passed in this House. We may have forgotten it or diluted it, but the Enlistment Act stands.
The written judgment noted that everyone was asked to do his \"fair share\". \"This entails every citizen who is required to serve NS making sacrifices or postponing individual goals to serve the nation when the nation needs his service\". The sum of it – these arguments spell out in unequivocal terms the NS obligations for every Singaporean male.
So, deferment cannot be for the individual, no matter how talented, to pursue his own interests or career. In other words, because I am so exceptional in talent, I deserve to be deferred. This is not the Enlistment Act. No matter how talented, and even if it vicariously brings credit or fame to Singapore because that would be fundamentally wrong and goes against the core principle of equity.
The Enlistment Act is blind to talent, personal considerations, personal circumstances.
Some Singaporeans have voiced the same opinions over Mr Davis' application. I assume Members filed these questions as a result of that. Mr Suresh Nair, who wrote to our feedback unit and said this, \"Let this Davis case be the right and timely reminder of the need for absolute fairness in applying laws regarding NS deferment\". He has understood this.
Therefore, to preserve equity for all National Servicemen, MINDEF will only defer individuals very selectively if their deferment serves Singapore's interest first and foremost, never their own. That is the only basis. This was the only basis to defer three sportsmen, swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen, and sailor Maximilian Soh, from NS so that they could train and compete in the Olympics. The sportsmen who were deferred, knew this because clear expectations were laid out when deferment was given. We discussed it with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) on the standards required for their training. Neither was deferment open-ended nor unconditional. They will have to return to serve NS, and if they do not meet the standards agreed upon, deferment will be curtailed. These strict conditions are necessary because even for these individuals who can bring glory to Singapore, there are detractors, who think it is unfair for anyone to be deferred. Mr T Ng wrote to MINDEF, “Please be fair to all Singaporean males, who spent years serving NS. Every Singaporean male’s career is important from his own point of view.”
Disruption for individuals after they are enlisted for NS follows the same principles and is also given only for national reasons. We disrupt medical students to complete their medical studies because we need them to serve as Medical Officers during their NS to take care of their fellow soldiers. It is not a personal career choice. We need them. It is not an entitlement, and once the reasons are no longer valid, the disruption will end. No discussions. For example, we previously allowed overseas medical students to disrupt, but this was stopped in 1992, when we could produce enough doctors locally. You can appeal, but we will just say \"no\", because we have enough. Similarly, dental students were not disrupted after 1989, as there was no need for NS Dental Officers. And for transparency, MINDEF publishes a full list of all medical students who are disrupted every year.
Having stated the general principles, let me explain why the application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son's deferment was rejected even though MINDEF recognised his son, Mr Ben Davis' achievement in obtaining a senior contract with Fulham Football Club (FC).
First, Mr Ben Davis is playing for Fulham FC as an English national, not a Singaporean Citizen. MINDEF is not privy to the contract signed between them, but we assume this published information is correct and that the father must have his reasons for doing so.
Second, Mr Harvey Davis has consistently refused to indicate when his son would return to serve NS, if deferred. The father replied to MCCY, Sport Singapore (SportSG) and Football Association of Singapore (FAS), stating, \"We are unable to commit to a date for his return should he be playing professional football in the United Kingdom or Europe. In addition, it is also a possibility that Ben could be offered a new two-year contract in 2019 after the first year of his pro contract just like he has been offered a new two-year pro contract halfway through his two-year scholarship contract. Or he could be sent out on loan or sold to another club. There are a lot of variables all dependent on his development and progression.\"
Third, if he was not granted deferment, the father indicated that Mr Ben Davis would still proceed to sign the contract, and he has done so. The reason given by the father was that his son would only return to fulfil his NS commitment if he is unsuccessful in his professional career. In fact, Mr Harvey Davis went further after MINDEF rejected the application – that he would consider the option for his son to renounce his Singapore citizenship in order to pursue his career.
The father's responses made clear his intent for his son to pursue a professional football career to the fullest. If Mr Ben Davis will not give up his senior contract, which he is now offered, which provides for an allowance of a few hundred pounds a week, to serve his NS, it is even more unlikely that he will return to serve NS if he subsequently gets offered a contract worth many times more. And if he is not given a further contract with Fulham FC, the father has said that he may find other clubs which his son can be loaned to.
The application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son’s deferment is to further his son’s professional career first and to the longest extent possible. He has been quite open about this. And you would have read what he said. Singapore and her interests, including his son's NS obligations, are secondary considerations, if at all. There has been no indication, commitment or plans as to how Mr Ben Davis would help football standards in Singapore, if deferred. Mr Harvey Davis has urged MINDEF to approve deferment for his son so that it would serve as an inspiration, he tells us, for the 1,000 students registered with his company Junior Soccer School and League Singapore (JSSL Singapore), 500 or so who are local. For your information, JSSL Singapore is a youth football club and academy business run by Mr Harvey Davis and advertises itself as having links to Fulham FC.
MINDEF could not find any valid grounds to approve the application for deferment by Mr Harvey Davis for his son. There is no commitment to serve Singapore or our national interests. To grant deferment to Mr Ben Davis to pursue his personal development and professional career would be unfair to the many others who have served their NS dutifully as required, and not at a time of their choosing. It would also erode the basis on which our Courts have upheld the Enlistment Act passed by Parliament and punished those for not fulfilling their NS liabilities but instead pursue their own personal concerns and careers.
As a writer, Mr Patrick Tan Siong Kuan, wrote to The Straits Times Forum, \"The defence of our country cannot be a matter of serving when it is most convenient. It is a responsibility that every man must take seriously when called upon, regardless of race, family connections or financial status. It takes personal sacrifice and putting the country before self. Otherwise, there will be no Singapore tomorrow.\"
Mr Suresh Nair who wrote to the MINDEF Feedback Unit said this, \"If Davis is proud of his red passport, he must do what every Singapore teenager does, to dutifully observe the National Service obligations.\"
I know it must be difficult for a 17-year-old, Mr Ben Davis, to receive such public attention. It was never MINDEF's intent, but we had to respond to his father’s claims to the media to explain to Members of Parliament and Singaporeans the basis of our decision on this crucial national policy.
I have dealt with the application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son. Let me now address the important issue that Members of Parliament have asked – can we and how do we achieve sporting excellence, including for team sports, if National Service duties are to be fulfilled? I think that was the second thing most Members asked. National Service does require sacrifices, certainly personal ones, but performing one’s National Service duties and pursuing national aspirations for sports excellence need not be mutually exclusive.
Many talented sportsmen have served National Service as required and yet, at the same time, raised the level of their own skills and the teams they played with. To MINDEF's knowledge, there are three other footballers who have also been talent-spotted to take part in trials for professional leagues overseas. All three have completed their National Service as required – Saifullah Akbar, and Ikhsan and Irfan Fandi. In fact, Saifullah Akbar and Ikhsan Fandi asked to be enlisted early, presumably so that they could complete their NS first to pursue their professional careers.
Prior to enlisting, Saifullah played for the Under-16 national team and he was actually spotted by a professional Australian club at age 16 but he went ahead to enlist for NS. During their National Service, Irfan and Ikhsan trained and played for the Under-22 national team during the 2017 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. They were supported by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Home Team. Irfan and Ikhsan are now playing for the Young Lions in the Singapore Premier League and representing Singapore in regional football competitions. I understand Irfan has gone for trials with European clubs, including an upcoming trial with Sporting Braga, and Saifullah and Ikhsan are slated to follow suit at CD Tenerife and Braga. I am not a football fan, so these clubs are quite foreign to me, but you would know it, football fans out there. This is a good sign for football in Singapore and talented footballers.
Talented footballers, Ben Davis included, can emulate the example of Irfan, Saifullah and Ikhsan to complete their National Service duties as required and also advance their professional football careers. In fact, Saifullah Akbar will finish his National Service today and he is going to try out for a European club. You may have read his interviews, they asked him, \"How did you feel when you were called up for National Service?\" He said, \"I tried to have a positive attitude. I told myself that army training will strengthen me. And now that I have finished NS, I can go on to pursue my dreams\". For him, it was never a choice that he had to make not to fulfil his National Service obligations like everyone else. He said, \"I had to train harder\" but he kept a positive attitude. That is the kind of example we want young Singaporeans to emulate.
For the recent SEA Games in 2015 and 2017, MINDEF supported those competing, whether they were competing individually or as a team. We adjusted some enlistment dates for National Servicemen, so that they could participate in the Games first and enlist later. This included some footballers. Those who were already enlisted were given time off to train and maintain their peak performance. For the upcoming Asian Games later this month, so far, 10 of our National Servicemen have been given a short postponement of their enlistment of a few weeks, or if they have been enlisted, they have been given time off to train for the Games. This includes a member of the Water Polo team who clinched their 27th straight SEA Games Gold last year. We wish all these sportsmen every success and hope that they can continue to do well for Singapore in the Asian Games and beyond.
MINDEF has done more. Beyond these provisions, we have offered disruption to Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) competing in these games. But very few have chosen to disrupt, presumably because they are able to train adequately in the SAF.
These many examples show that MINDEF has exercised flexibility towards sportsmen competing in team sports, a question asked by Dr Intan Mokhtar, Mr Muhamad Faisal and others. But we have done so without transgressing the fundamentals of National Service and still maintaining equity for all National Servicemen. MINDEF will work with MCCY, SportSG and other relevant agencies through various pathways that can allow sportsmen to do well and still fulfil their National Service obligations, whether it is individual or team sports.
Mr Speaker: Dr Lim Wee Kiak.
\tDr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Mr Speaker, let me thank the Minister for the very, very long and elaborate explanation. I think we all agree that National Service is pivotal and essential to our national security.\t
I would like to just seek a clarification from the Minister now. Currently, is there a rising trend in terms of application for deferment or disruption for NS with regard to sports excellence over the last few years? That is one.
Two, if Ben Davis had given a date to say that he would return, would MINDEF consider his deferment?
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, as Member of Parliament Dr Lim Wee Kiak noted, I have given a long reply. Because this is crucial to state the fundamentals of our National Service policy and from that, whether deferment or disruption can be given. We have to understand that our Courts have upheld it. I said, after the revision of the sentencing benchmarks, 13 defaulters went to jail. So, the Courts take it very seriously and I know Members here, too.
The Member asked specifically whether there has been a trend in increased applications. I do not have the figures but I do not think so. What MINDEF has done is to, on its own, work with MCCY and SportSG to increase flexibility, and I gave some details in terms of adjusting enlistment dates, disruptions, time off. And the fact that we have fewer people disrupting or taking up the offers to disrupt indicates to me that they probably have weighed what they wanted to do and did not see the need to disrupt.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked a hypothetical question: if someone like Mr Davis had said that they would come back, would it have affected our judgement? I have spent a long time explaining how we decide. If you come back to serve your NS, it is your duty. But the main considerations are: is there a national interest? It can never be for personal pursuits, it must be for national interest, first and foremost.
In the last 15 years, we have agreed to long-term deferments for three sportsmen who met that, and we will continue to keep to those standards so that we can be fair to other National Servicemen who do their NS dutifully, who put aside their own careers to do NS, as well as not undermine the Court's basis for sentencing those who default their National Service.
Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
\tMr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): I thank the Minister for the clarification. I just wanted to clarify two further points.
First, I understand that Ben Davis was called up to play for Singapore but he was never capped, which meant he was never fielded for Singapore. But is it correct that all those who, in fact, played for Singapore have found a way to do their National Service duties alongside representing the country? That is the first question.
Second, even where national athletes are deferred, is it always pegged to representing the country at a specific game, for example, rather than just open-ended?
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, I am not privy to all the facts for Mr Davis – or MINDEF is not privy to all the facts – as I understand it. By the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules, he has not played for Singapore. So, he is still free to choose which country he wants to play for. FIFA rules are quite interesting, and this is from my understanding; I stand corrected, but you can only choose one country for the rest of your life. That particular shirt you wear can never be changed. Even if you change your citizenship, you can only represent one country. In that sense, I think they have taken a particular philosophy.
The question is: do you peg those deferred? The key consideration is national interest. There is a misconception that you can be deferred if you are exceptionally talented. That is not the Enlistment Act. How do you decide between one who is exceptionally talented versus another with exceptional circumstances? Someone who is poor who needs to work to support his family because the parents are sick. From the Court's point of view, they have ruled that personal considerations – put aside. That has been the basis and I think that is correct.
Now, obviously, you need some talent, exceptional talent, to be able to compete and bring glory to the country. That is a given. We judge it on that basis. It is never easy, it is not a science. We will consider each case with all the facts and make a decision and tell the public, if not satisfy the majority of National Servicemen, who put aside personal considerations to do their National Service duties.
Mr Speaker: Mr Darryl David.
\tMr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): I thank the Minister for the reply. I think we all agree on the critical importance of National Service and the sanctity of serving the country. I have a couple of supplementary questions, Mr Speaker.
First of all, will the Minister or MINDEF be prepared to consider sports that perhaps cannot be so quantitatively assessed? For example, should a Singaporean sportsman one day win the Australian Junior Open Tennis Championship and have a real possibility of achieving success on a global stage, thereby playing under the Singapore flag, would we be able to consider something like that?
My second question is, would we be able to consider outstanding achievement in activities other than sports, say, in performing arts or perhaps even in music?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: The answer is yes, if it satisfies the criteria that I talked about, that we maintain equity for all other National Servicemen, and that it serves the national interest, never their own. The first example the Member gave was that he competes in tennis and then he decides he wants to be a professional tennis player before he comes back, obviously, that will affect our considerations.
The second question is outstanding achievements. Yes, in fact, we have. We have gone on record to say that we have deferred some very exceptional musicians. And as I have said, it is not a science and, for the cases that we have deferred, they went on to their development and enlisted either at the same time or very soon after their cohorts were also enlisted. So, there was equity maintained. Similarly, for academic. I know that we have on record somebody who entered university in his teens but completed his university education at the same time that his cohorts went to the army and he went in together with them. So, those considerations are maintained.
So, the key considerations are how do we maintain equity for all National Servicemen, and for national interests.
Mr Speaker: Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): I thank the Minister for the clarification on the deferment policy. I asked a question on deferment during the Committee of Supply in 2012 and I asked my question in relation to the Olympics because there is this constant reference to a high watermark sporting event before deferment is considered by MINDEF, or at least that is the popular perception. In the 2012 reply given by the Minister, it was stated that 13 athletes were deferred for a period of two to six months to participate in the 2011 SEA Games and the 2010 Asian Games. Can I confirm that, with the Minister's statement, there is no change in the policy for NS deferment?
The second question actually is picking up from what Dr Lim Wee Kiak said about a two-year contract. For example, if a Singaporean commits to return to performing his NS after his cohort has been called up, let us, say, at the age of 18, and that individual says, \"At the age of 20, no matter how this training contract goes, I will come back to serve\", would MINDEF allow deferment in that particular case?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Let me answer the first question, which is more factual. If I said so in Parliament, it must be so. The Hansard says so and there is no change in our deferment policy. On the fundamental principles, we must maintain equity for all National Servicemen, and it must be for national interest, never for personal interest. So, that has not changed. In fact, it has not changed over the time that MINDEF has administered this policy.
On the second question, my reply to Dr Lim Wee Kiak is that I really do not want to engage in hypothetical circumstances. We assess the individual as it is. It is hypothetical, indeed. If you are not willing to come back to serve your NS when you are earning a few hundred pounds a week, how is MINDEF to believe that you would come back when you are earning many times more? So, that has to come into consideration. And also he has to serve the purposes for deferment based on our current policy.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ministry’s Policy on Assisting Singaporeans who Seek NS Deferment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"26 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what is the Ministry's policy on assisting young Singaporeans who seek National Service (NS) deferment to pursue their sporting ambition; and (b) whether there is an approved list of sports or recognised international sporting bodies where young men can qualify for NS deferment if they are accepted for training.
27 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what are the programmes to nurture talented young sportsmen especially for the team sports given that their training can be interrupted by National Service.
\tThe Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 26 and 27 together, as they are related?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you. MCCY recognises the power of sport in inspiring the nation and engendering a sense of national pride. Through Sport Singapore (SportSG) and its partners, including Singapore National Olympic Council, the National Sports Associations (NSAs), the Singapore Sports School, and the National Youth Sports Institute, the High Performance Sports (HPS) system has been established to support our athletes to reach their fullest sporting potential. The System involves identifying, developing and benchmarking the progress of sporting talents across key sports, covering the provision of training facilities, coaching support, sports science and sports medicine expertise, as well as overseas training and competition opportunities. In other words, we support the sports and the athletes comprehensively by working with the NSAs to develop their Multi-Year Sports Plans.
As young male athletes progress in their development over the years, the timing of National Service will be a factor for consideration. And our considerations are:
a) How will the two-year commitment affect the athlete?
b) What is the potential and motivation of the athlete?
c) What is the training and development plan for the athlete? and
d) How is the athlete being developed to progressively achieve personal bests and breakthrough performances?
I must say that the athlete is seen as one of a bigger team for the sports, not just by himself, but also what he can do to contribute to the sports and also to the development of the sports as a whole.
As part of the long-term plan under HPS, we work closely with MINDEF, MHA and the NSAs to enable our male Team Singapore athletes to pursue their sports development and fulfil their NS obligations. The Minister for Defence has, in his earlier reply to PQs, explained how MINDEF has accommodated the training requirements of enlisted Team Singapore athletes, and allowed these athletes to take up additional training opportunities in the lead-up to the Major Games – within the duration of their NS. For instance, enlisted members of the national football and water polo teams have in the past been given permission to train with their team mates in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games and other major international competitions. In this regard, NS deferment is not the only avenue for supporting the development of our young male athletes.
MCCY is prepared to support NS deferment applications by sporting talents who have consistently demonstrated the potential to succeed at the highest levels of competition, serve Singapore’s interests, and have provided a definitive commitment to return to serve NS. These include swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen, who have been granted deferment to train full-time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In the case of Joseph, his original NS deferment was from 2013 to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Following his Gold-medal achievement in Rio, thus meeting the agreed milestone target that we have with him and the NSA, MINDEF extended his deferment to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on the recommendation of MCCY.
My Ministry shares Singaporeans' aspirations for excellence in sports, and does not favour individual sports over team sports. Across all sports, we objectively assess the NSAs' development plans and targets, as well as the performance and potential of the athletes. For team sports, we have to adopt a whole-team development strategy which covers the entire squad of athletes, beyond just an individual athlete. We have several considerations when we assess our support for NS-liable athletes involved in team sports. For example, we look at the robustness of the NSA's development plans for the team, whether there is a clear target for a Major Games competition in sight and the plans to achieve this, as well as the individual athlete’s role and potential contribution to the national team. If there are sporting talents who are part of this squad, and who demonstrate commitment to represent Singapore and serve NS, MCCY is prepared to work with MINDEF to evaluate NS deferment applications, or training privileges during NS so that the enlisted athletes can train together with the rest of the squad.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Common Workplace Accidents and Prevention Measures","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"28 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Manpower in view of the recent spate of workplace fatal accidents (a) whether there are common causes of the accidents; (b) which are the sectors where such accidents are more prevalent; (c) whether the current framework of measures is adequate; and (d) what new measures may be needed to prevent industrial accidents in future.
29 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of construction-related workplace fatalities for the past five years; (b) what is the local-foreign worker ratio of these fatalities; and (c) what is the Ministry's plan to further reduce the number of construction-related workplace fatalities.
\tThe Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Speaker, in the first half of 2018, there were 20 workplace fatalities. This is slightly more than the 19 cases in the same period last year.
Besides the construction sector, recent fatal accidents were also prevalent in the manufacturing sector and in commercial diving.
One common cause of the fatalities was the use of improper work methods. To address this, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) works with companies to raise awareness of accident risks in their workplaces. Besides engaging industry associations like the Singapore Contractors Association Limited and the Commercial Diving Association of Singapore, we also issue regular alerts to share learning points from recent accidents. For example, we have notified companies on the dangers of improper use of material hoists, which led to a fatal accident in a food factory. We issued reminders on the proper procedures for doing construction work, especially at heights, as falls have accounted for about half of construction fatalities this year.
Overall, workplace fatalities in the construction sector have declined over the last five years, from 34 in 2013 to 12 in 2017. On average, foreigners constituted 88% of the fatalities, even though they comprised 75% of the construction workforce.
To guard against complacency, and to prevent injuries to both local and foreign workers, MOM has ramped up enforcement operations at construction sites. By the end of the year, MOM would have inspected about 70% of all active construction sites.
We will continue to adopt a mix of targeted enforcement while raising awareness on safety lapses. To achieve sustained improvements in workplace safety and health (WSH), we convened the WSH2028 Tripartite Strategy Committee to recommend new approaches. It will share its preliminary recommendations at the Singapore WSH Conference later this month.
\tMr Speaker: I take it that the Minister of State is taking Question No 29 as well?
\tMr Zaqy Mohamad: Yes, Mr Speaker.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Desmond Choo.
\tMr Desmond Choo (Tampines): I would like to thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive answer and for MOM's efforts to tackle fatalities. But I note that the number of fatalities has been higher in the first part of 2018 compared to that the year before. I would like to ask the Minister of State whether the current framework and the current penalties are sufficient to send a deterrent message to errant employers and what further action may be taken against companies, especially those with repeated infringements.
\tMr Zaqy Mohamad: I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. Certainly, this year, we saw an increase and largely driven by the construction sector. In May, I announced that we are conducting additional inspections, about 500 inspections, and we also extended another 250 when we saw fatalities in the construction sector still increasing. We have completed about 80% of the extended inspections. What we have done so far is to issue six stop-work orders and 164 composition fines amounting to $188,750. We hope that this will send a strong message to the construction sector to be more vigilant, especially since they have contributed a significant amount of fatalities to the workplaces this year.
But it is not just the construction sector that we are working on. We have also been working with the manufacturing and commercial diving sector as well, which have also contributed some amount of fatalities this year. So, it is an area that we are constantly working on, but we hope that employers make conscious decisions to mitigate risks at the worksites to reduce fatalities.
Mr Speaker: Mr Melvin Yong.
\tMr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar): I thank the Minister of State for the answer. I note that there are higher incidences of foreign workers in construction worksites falling victim to workplace accidents. I think the Minister of State's reply says that the fatality rate is higher for the foreign workers. Are there any plans by MOM to focus on education and raising awareness among this group of foreign workers?
\t
Mr Zaqy Mohamad: I thank the Member for his questions. MOM and WSH Council both reach out to workers through various means, such as roadshows, events at dormitories and on weekends, to convey these messages to foreign workers. I think it is also important that as they settle in, especially for those working in construction, to be trained in terms of safety aspects since they come from different backgrounds.
We also ensure that WSH collaterals are printed in different languages so that workers from different nationalities are also able to benefit from the different advice.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Profile of Jobs and Industries on Fair Consideration Framework Watchlist","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"30 Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked the Minister for Manpower with regard to the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) (a) which are the top five sectors and industries on the FCF Watchlist; (b) what are the most common job categories and their salary ranges on the Watchlist; and (c) what measures will be implemented to facilitate senior job opportunities for Singapore Citizens in critical sectors.
\tThe Minister for Manpower (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mr Speaker, the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) Watchlist targets employers that are suspected to have discriminatory hiring practices. Currently, about 350 firms are on the FCF Watchlist.
Administrative and Support Services, Construction, Education, Infocomm and Professional Services are among the top five sectors which firms on the FCF Watchlist belong to. These firms employ a range of occupations, such as architects and engineers, business professionals, information technology (IT) professionals and managers with many being paid between $3,000 and $10,000. Firms on the FCF Watchlist will have their Employment Pass applications scrutinised and, consequently, experience longer processing times. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) also engages these firms to offer assistance to improve their hiring practices. To date, over 2,000 Singaporean professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) have been hired by firms on the FCF Watchlist.
At the other end of the spectrum, we recognise employers with exemplary human resource (HR) practices as our Human Capital Partners (HCPartners). HCPartners actively groom Singaporeans for senior positions, through initiatives, such as management trainee programmes, overseas assignments and postings, as well as job rotations, across different business functions. As a result, HCPartners have a healthy local workforce share at all levels, including at senior levels.
Additionally, the SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) supports employers in developing the next generation of Singaporean leaders. Through the programme, Singaporeans will acquire leadership competencies and critical experiences to take on senior positions.
Mr Speaker: Mr Patrick Tay.
\tMr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (West Coast): I thank the Minister for the reply. I just want to ask the Minister since the update during the Committee of Supply (COS) on the number of companies that are on the FCF Watchlist, which is 350, has there been an increase or a decrease? Likewise, because of the new broadened coverage of the FCF with effect from 1 July this year, what is the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) seeing? Has there been an increase or a decrease in the number of Watchlist companies?
\tMrs Josephine Teo: Mr Speaker, the number of companies on the Watchlist is largely stable. We continue to work with each one of them to improve their hiring practices. As and when we are told of companies that have practices that are suspected to be discriminatory, TAFEP will engage the companies. Our intent is really to help them improve their practices in order to be fairer and more progressive towards Singaporeans. So, the number that we work with is not a fixed target, but it does give an indication of the intensity of the effort that we are applying.
The question which the Member asked relates to the advertising requirement under FCF. We have expanded the requirement so that more companies that employ Employment Pass holders have to make known the jobs that they are seeking candidates for. It used to be that for jobs that pay up to $12,000, you have to advertise; we have expanded it. Up to $15,000, you have to advertise.
We have also requested more companies to be covered under FCF. It used to be that you have to hire more than 25 persons. Now, as long as you hire 10 or more persons, you are covered.
So, as it stands right now, the advertising requirement would already cover the large majority of jobs at the PMET level. We will continue to monitor and make sure that FCF remains credible.
Mr Speaker: Ms Thanaletchimi.
\tMs K Thanaletchimi (Nominated Member): I would like to ask the Minister a follow-up question on those companies on the FCF Watchlist. Are they still eligible for Government funding, such as Adapt and Grow and all the others, to improve their businesses? Are they still eligible to apply for those kinds of fundings?
\tMrs Josephine Teo: Mr Speaker, if I remember correctly, the Member had a question some months back whether one of the conditions for eligibility to apply for various Government schemes, including those that are administered by MOM, ought to include their support for FCF, and perhaps some other schemes as well.
I think we try not to conflate the two. Whilst these firms may be on the Watchlist, and we are working with them to improve their hiring practices, in the meantime, they are still employers of Singaporeans, and we do not want to unfairly penalise their Singaporean employees whilst they are going through this process. If the scheme is beneficial to the companies, if the scheme can benefit our citizens, I do not see why we should prevent them from doing so.
Having said that, generally speaking, if the firms are on the Watchlist, I think they have multiple issues, and it is not quite likely that they are at the same time looking at application to the other schemes to support various human resource initiatives.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Limit on Salary Reduction for Work Permit Holder","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"31 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) in the past three years, of the notifications received to reduce the salary of a Work Permit holder stated in their in-principle approval letter, what proportions are within (i) one month, (ii) one year of the Work Permit issue date; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider a limit on the amount a company is allowed to reduce the salary of the Work Permit holder.
\tThe Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) (for the Minister for Manpower): In the past three years, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) was notified of salary reductions affecting less than 2% of non-domestic Work Permit holders per year. From that number, less than one in 10 were within one month, and about four in 10 were within one year, after the Work Permit was issued.
As explained in a reply to a Parliamentary Question raised by the Member on this topic last month, MOM is studying the issue and we will consult the relevant stakeholders to determine the best step forward for foreign workers.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Could I just check further whether 2% is about 14,000 workers every year? It is quite a huge number. So, I want to check whether MOM obtains this copy of the written consent to show that the worker accepts the salary reduction, or do we only verify that this written consent exists when a dispute occurs, during the dispute resolution stage.
Second, could I also ask, with the upcoming consultation, whether MOM would also be consulting with non-government organisations (NGOs) that are working on this issue as well?
\tMr Zaqy Mohamad: I thank the Member. I will take the second question first. Certainly, we are open to NGOs being consulted or taking their feedback.
On the first question, certainly, I think that all the foreign workers have direct access to MOM if they want to make a complaint. At this moment, we do not take every written change at the point of application. But having said that, when there is a dispute, we will require the documentation to be provided. And the law protects the worker, especially when there is no documentation provided in terms of a written agreement on the change in salary.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Sir, just one more question. I understand that the reply is that five in 10 of these salary reductions occurred within one year from the Work Permit issue date. But could I also check whether we have data on how many of the salary reductions occurred before the Work Permit issue date, which means that the foreign workers were promised a salary, but when they arrived in Singapore, the salary was immediately reduced? Does this conduct constitute providing false information to MOM during the Work Permit application stage?
\tMr Zaqy Mohamad: I thank the Member. In short, any reduction in salary before the Work Permit issuance will constitute an offence. Technically, there is no need for them to submit any documentation because reduction in salary before Work Permit issuance is not allowed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Changes in Size and Limit to Number of Occupants for HDB Rental Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"32 Mr Alex Yam asked the Minister for National Development (a) what the sizes of the largest available public rental flats in each decade since 1965 are; (b) why the sizes have changed, and (c) whether the size of new public rental flats built since 2006 are suited for large families.
33 Mr Alex Yam asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether there is a limit to the number of occupants for HDB's rental flats; and (b) whether the Ministry has plans to introduce basic occupancy standards for these rental flats.
\t
\tMr Speaker: Minister, are you taking both questions?
The Minister for National Development (Mr Lawrence Wong): Yes. Thank you for the reminder. I am taking Question Nos 32 and 33 together, with your permission, Sir.
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Public housing first started with Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks comprising 1-, 2- and 3-room rental flats. Subsequently, as part of the Government's overall move to encourage Singaporeans towards home ownership, HDB sold existing 3-room rental flats to the sitting tenants and closed the 3-room rental register in 1982. Hence, when HDB resumed the rental building programme in 2007, only 1- and 2-room flats were built.
The rental rates for these 1- and 2-room public rental flats are heavily subsidised so that they remain accessible to the lower-income households. More than 90% of households in these public rental flats have four or fewer persons living together. Larger families who form two separate family nuclei, such as grandparents living with parents and children, and need more space may also apply for two separate rental flats.
There are no plans to impose a limit on the number of family members who can live in a rental flat or to impose occupancy standards for such flats. And we take a similar approach for flats which are sold or rented in the open market because, in the same manner, there is no limit on the number of related persons who can stay together as a family in these units.
We will continue to review how best to meet the needs of public rental households, including larger families, as part of the Government's broader effort to support vulnerable families.
Mr Speaker: Mr Alex Yam.
\tMr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee): I thank the Minister for his reassurance. Just one very quick factual clarification. The Minister mentioned that larger family units can rent two separate rental flats. How many of these families have applied for them, and how many have been approved so far?
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Mr Speaker, as I mentioned, they have to form two separate family nuclei. So, this would typically apply to multi-generational families. I do not have the numbers, but the applicants are not many. This also goes back to the reason why we have to better understand the needs of the families we are talking about.
When HDB closed the 3-room register in 1982, the experience was that many of these families, in fact, preferred to buy, rather than to rent, the 3-room flats because it made more financial sense for them. They could pay using their Central Provident Fund and, at the end of the day, they would have a flat of their own.
So, if you were to talk larger families who want to apply for two separate units, they would have to pay a larger rental amount. Some of them may prefer not to do so. They may prefer to save, for example. If it is a first-timer family, they may very well prefer to build up their savings first in order to buy a flat later. So, I think there are multiple needs here. The Housing and Development Board and the social service agencies are committed to engage these families to better understand their needs and to resolve and tackle them holistically.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Main Reasons for Rejection of Applications for HDB Rental Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"34 Mr Alex Yam asked the Minister for National Development (a) what the main reasons for the rejection of applications for HDB rental flats are; and (b) what HDB's projections for new rental flats in the next decade are.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) public rental flats, which are heavily subsidised, cater to needy citizen households who have no other viable housing options or family support.
The most common reasons for rejecting requests for HDB public rental flats are that applicants have the ability to buy a flat, have family support, or are unable to meet the citizenship requirement. For households who do not meet the eligibility criteria, HDB exercises flexibility based on their individual needs and circumstances.
On the Member's second question, there are about 60,000 existing HDB rental flats, with another 3,000 units under construction. HDB will continue to monitor the net demand for rental flats, as more rental families have become homeowners, and make adjustments to our rental flat supply as required.
Mr Speaker: Mr Alex Yam.
\t
\tMr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee): I thank the Parliamentary Secretary. Two follow-ups. One is with regard to a point on the citizenship criterion. I think a number of Members in this House have mentioned this before, especially those who are undergoing a divorce and come from a Permanent Resident (PR) background, so the mother is a PR. And because of the Court requirement to sell the flat, they then have an issue of housing their children, especially if they are young. Does HDB guide these families in the process of application or point them in the right direction, especially if they do not qualify for a rental flat?
A second issue is with regard to the Joint Single Scheme where quite a number of people have also given feedback that they prefer to stay on their own. What advice does HDB provide to them because they are unable to find an appropriate, related family member or friend to stay with them, but still prefer to stay on their own?
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. For non-citizen parents with a Singapore Citizen child, we will adopt a child-centric approach. So, in such cases, the Member could reflect the case to HDB and HDB will take a child-centric approach and make sure that where the applicant has no other options for housing, they will make sure that accommodation is provided for the child.
On the second question, could I ask the Member to repeat, please?
\tMr Alex Yam: For the Joint Single Scheme, for those unable to find an appropriate, related family member or friend to stay with them, but still prefer to stay alone, what options are available to them?
\tMs Sun Xueling: Firstly, based on our understanding, the number of singles who have not been able to find a suitable, eligible single person to live or rent with, is not large. But where such cases are surfaced to us, HDB will try its very best to find a suitable person to co-rent with the applicant.
\tMr Speaker: Members are encouraged to use the microphones where possible. Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reduction of Single-use Plastic","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"35 Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how will the Government tackle marine plastic pollution in the region; (b) what steps are being taken to prolong the life of Semakau landfill beyond 2035 by reducing excessive consumption of single-use plastic; and (c) how is the Government encouraging the private sector to develop, use and promote sustainable alternatives to plastic.
36 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what plans does the Ministry have to encourage more businesses to reduce usage of single-use plastic.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): With your permission, Speaker, may I take Question Nos 35 and 36 together?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please.
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Thank you. My Ministry takes the issue of marine plastic pollution seriously, and measures are in place to prevent marine pollution from land-based sources. For example, we have strict anti-littering measures and dispose of all general waste at our waste-to-energy plants. Any litter that enters our waterways is removed using litter traps and flotsam removal craft before it reaches the sea. Beach and underwater clean-ups are also conducted.
However, tackling marine plastic pollution will require international and regional cooperation because of its transboundary nature. There has been positive momentum. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 emphasises the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. Singapore actively participates in regional and global discussions to address marine litter and microplastics. Singapore also contributes to international capacity building efforts under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. Last October, the National Environment Agency (NEA) organised a joint Third Country Training Programme with Norway on waste management and reduction of marine litter for government officials from our region.
Our only landfill at Semakau will run out of space by 2035 based on our current waste disposal trends. Waste, including single-use plastics, are already incinerated where possible as this reduces the volume of waste by up to 90%. To prolong the lifespan of Semakau Landfill, my Ministry has been developing measures that address the entire waste value chain and across different waste streams by encouraging businesses and producers to reduce waste and recycle, engaging and partnering the public and private sector and supporting research and development (R&D).
Regarding single-use plastics, a recent NEA life-cycle assessment study found that available alternatives to plastics, including biodegradable bags, also have an environmental impact. For example, they consume water during production or they result in forest destruction. Substituting plastics with these alternatives is not likely to improve the environmental outcome. This is especially so in Singapore where we incinerate our waste instead of landfilling it. Our approach, thus, is focused on reducing the use of single-use plastics and packaging.
To encourage businesses to minimise their contribution to plastic waste, my Ministry recently announced that the implementation of mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging reduction plans will be brought forward by one year, to 2020. This will include single-use plastic packaging. We are also studying the feasibility of implementing an Extended Producer Responsibility framework for certain single-use packaging and plastics. We have already taken the lead by disallowing the use of disposables in our new hawker centres for dine-ins.
NEA provides funding support to organisations with initiatives to reduce the use of single-use disposables or promote plastic recycling. These include the 3R Fund, 3P Partnership Fund or the Call for Ideas Fund. For instance, Zero Waste SG received funding for their Bring-Your-Own Campaign in 2017, where they partnered retailers to encourage consumers to use reusable containers, bottles and bags through educational tips, resources and incentives. We will continue to engage, educate and support businesses and the public in reducing the use of single-use plastics.
The private sector has also taken steps to discourage the excessive consumption of single-use plastics. For example, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has stopped providing plastic lids and straws for dine-in. Startups like UnPackt are also promoting packaging-free shopping by requiring customers to bring their own reusable containers for groceries.
To support R&D in waste reduction, recycling and the recovery of valuable fractions, NEA has embarked on the Closing the Waste Loop Initiative. The Initiative encourages collaboration between institutes of higher learning, research institutes and private sector partners to develop technologies and solutions to tackle challenges in waste management. As part of the Initiative, NEA has solicited and is evaluating research proposals on the sustainable design of plastic materials, reducing the use of plastic materials and packaging, making plastics more reusable and easier to recycle, and recovering value from waste plastics.
Ultimately, the issue of marine plastic litter and excessive use of single-use plastics will require everyone to play his or her part. This can be done by properly disposing of waste into litter bins and using reusable bags and containers, instead of disposables. Individuals can find information on other ways to reduce and reuse on our NEA website and the myENV mobile app.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply and I am glad that mandatory reporting is going to be brought forward. Can I ask whether we will consider providing some incentives to these businesses or companies that are promoting environmentally friendly practices, such as the companies that are not giving out straws and plastic lids or even the packaging-free companies that the Senior Minister of State had mentioned?
The second is on the plastic bag charge. I have brought this up previously. I know that, on the ground, one of the concerns is how do we reuse plastic bags when they were used to contain frozen food or meat and seafood. So, can the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) consider a selective plastic bag charge so that if you are using it not for frozen food, meat or seafood, then there will be a charge involved?
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: On the first question relating to giving incentives to companies, as I have alluded to, we do provide support to companies that have initiatives to promote recycling, reduce the use of single use plastics and waste minimisation projects. So, an example would be the 3R Fund, which I have talked about that was launched in 2009. It is a co-funding scheme for companies. Since then, we have disbursed about $1.36 million for such projects and have diverted 11,000 tonnes of waste from the incineration plants.
There are also other incentives to acknowledge companies who have put in effort to reduce packaging waste. There is the Singapore Packaging Agreement Award that we give out. This year, we have awarded Australian Fruit Juice (S) Pte Ltd because they have put in effort to reduce their packaging waste like reducing the packaging material for their 2-litre bottles.
We also have the 3R awards for hotels and shopping malls to recognise their achievements. And there are other funds like the Call for Ideas Fund and the 3P Partnership Fund. We will continue to see and look into ways to support companies which promote waste minimisation and help us in our efforts to achieve a Zero Waste vision.
Regarding the second question about plastic bag charge, as I have said earlier, the NEA lifecycle assessment study has shown that different types of disposables, whether it is single-use plastics or other types of bags, have an impact and cost on the environment, even biodegradable bags, because you need lots of water for production, for instance, or there will be forest destruction and greenhouse gas emissions in the process.
What we are really looking at is how we can do this in a holistic manner. In fact, a city like San Francisco, for instance, is now imposing a charge not just on single-use plastic bags, but all kinds of disposable bags, paper as well as plastics. We are monitoring this closely to see the effectiveness of the policy.
Having said that, what is important is, we need to look at our local context, to adopt a rational and discerning approach to design policies suited to our unique needs and circumstances. In Singapore, for instance, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) study, the recent survey, has shown that two-thirds of the respondents who take single-use plastic bags from supermarkets say that they use these bags to bag and dispose their garbage. In fact, many of us stay in high-rise apartments and we use plastic bags to bag and dispose of our garbage. It has taken us many years from the 1970s to get Singaporeans to do this. It is a key way for hygienic disposal of waste. Therefore, we cannot take this for granted. We need to carefully consider how imposing a mandatory charge on single-use plastics will impact on such behaviour.
Secondly, we have proactive measures in place to tackle the harmful effects of plastics in the oceans and landfills, which are actually the subject of discussion by many other countries and internationally. We have a safe and efficient waste management and disposal system. All our plastic bags that are disposed properly will be incinerated. They do not go directly into the landfill. Even for those that may get into our waterways, we have measures in place – litter traps, for instance, and flotsam removal craft – to retrieve these bags before they go into the sea.
Notwithstanding this, we recognise that plastic waste is a key waste stream. As I have noted, we will not hesitate to implement legislation and policies where they are appropriate. So, we are bringing forward our mandatory packaging waste reporting and waste reduction plans, including for plastics, by a year.
Mr Speaker: Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan.\t
Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan (Nominated Member): I thank the Senior Minister of State for a very comprehensive answer. Can I just ask a follow-up question, please?
I appreciate that the Ministry is looking at both taxes and incentives. That is what we were asking about. And we know that there are some incentives for the companies that are doing the right thing. The Senior Minister of State mentioned KFC as an example, and they have a \"no straw\" policy. Can I ask: would the Government Ministries and agencies be encouraged not to use single-use plastics for all the catering, for all the events that happen? Will there be something that could be introduced or encouraged within the Government, in the public-private partnerships?
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Certainly, this is something that we ought to consider.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. May I just confirm MEWR is going to review this plastic bag charge or is this a \"case closed\"?
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: As I have said, I think what we want to do is to adopt a holistic approach and to tackle this upstream. So, by bringing forward the mandatory reporting of packaging waste and waste reduction plans, we are working on addressing the issue of excessive consumption of disposables, not just plastics, but all kinds of disposables. Currently, we do not plan to implement a charge on single-use plastics. But we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of various policies that are implemented overseas.\t
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension of Surveillance Cameras to Private Estates to Prevent High-rise Littering ","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"37 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether NEA can extend the deployment of surveillance cameras beyond HDB estates to high-rise private estates to carry out enforcement against high-rise littering; and (b) whether the Ministry will amend the necessary legislation to empower NEA to do so.
38 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether there are effective programmes to cultivate the habit of not littering and to dispose of waste in a proper manner like that in Japan and Taiwan.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): Mr Speaker, with your permission, may I take Question Nos 37 and 38 together, please?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please.
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Thank you. Singaporeans take pride in a clean and green Singapore, and most do their part to keep the environment clean. However, there is an irresponsible minority that continues to litter and disregard prevailing societal norms. To tackle such anti-social conduct, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has taken a tough stance on litterbugs. Last year, it took 32,000 enforcement actions against littering offenders.
While enforcement may serve as a deterrent, it is not the panacea. Our primary line of defence against such behaviour should be to foster collective responsibility for our environment and cultivate positive social norms and civic mindedness among our people.
To this end, NEA and various partner organisations have been conducting campaigns and programmes to promote environmental awareness and encourage greater stewardship of our common spaces. The annual Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) co-organised by NEA, the Public Utilities Board, the National Parks Board and the Community Development Councils encourages the community to play an active role in keeping Singapore clean and litter-free. There are also other initiatives, such as the Public Hygiene Council's annual Keep Clean, Singapore! campaign, which advocate the value of maintaining cleanliness beyond our own homes and fostering the habit of picking up after oneself. The month-long event held in May this year saw more than 370 organisations, including grassroots organisations, public agencies and corporations, taking part in more than 500 clean-up activities across the island. NEA has also been targeting its publicity efforts at mass events, such as the National Day Parade celebrations, to remind people to pick up after themselves. These efforts reflect the whole-of-society approach needed to keep our public spaces clean.
Our national schools have also set aside time for students to clean the common areas of their school each day, and these activities have helped to inculcate values, such as a sense of responsibility and consideration for others, as well as for the environment. By starting young, these positive habits are passed down through the generations, just like in Japan today.
To the Member's question regarding littering in high-rise estates, our approach is no different. We will continue to work with grassroots organisations and Town Councils to raise awareness about this issue amongst residents. Unlike public estates, private estates are collectively owned by their residents and public access to such estates are restricted. Home owners in private estates, therefore, have the autonomy to govern and manage the shared private spaces in a responsible manner. For this to happen, residents should come together to encourage and influence acceptable social behaviour in their communities. Many condominiums have already put in place by-laws prohibiting littering within their estates. The management committees of these private estates can work with their residents to cultivate the right behaviour accordingly.
While the Government will persist in our efforts to develop greater environmental stewardship, we cannot do this alone. I, therefore, urge everyone to play their part in keeping Singapore a clean and green city.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
\tMr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah): Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the information and also thank the NEA officers for the hard work, carrying out 32,000 enforcement actions last year.
The fact that NEA has committed significant resources to enforce against high-rise littering, including the deployment of surveillance cameras, rightly show that NEA and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources are concerned about the situation of high-rise littering in our neighbourhoods. Hence, I want to ask the Senior of Minister of State: why is there a difference in the approach and actions by NEA when it comes to enforcement actions, whether it is public housing or private housing or the Executive Condominiums (EC) and the condominiums, especially where littering does pose safety concerns?
Secondly, if the EC or the condominium managing agent were to seek help from NEA to carry out such enforcement actions, can NEA assist in those situations, especially where the littering situation is very serious and a concern for safety?
Lastly, would the Ministry keep an open mind and review the need to amend the legislation as, otherwise, NEA will have to resort to a private suit to take the culprit to task in ECs and private estates?
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I thank the Member for his three questions. I would take them together. With regard to the difference in treatment, let me say that the prohibition against littering under our current law, the Environmental Public Health Act applies to publicly accessible places only. That is as defined in the Act.
Private estates, such as ECs and private strata-titled condominiums, are not regarded as such a place in law, as access to such places by the public is restricted, which I have mentioned earlier. So, our anti-littering law, therefore, does not apply to littering within these private estates, such as condominiums. And NEA is, in turn, unable to carry out enforcement against littering incidents within these private estates.
However, when a Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) approaches NEA for assistance to tackle cases of high-rise littering, NEA will explore ways to collaborate with them, to educate and advise the residents against such anti-social acts, for instance, working with them to send out advisory notices against such anti-social acts.
But having said that, many condominiums already have by-laws that prohibit littering within their estates. The management committee of these private estates can actually work with the residents to encourage and influence the right behaviour accordingly. For private estates where access is largely restricted, in fact, to residents of family members and their friends, it will be best for residents to work together to foster collective responsibility and cultivate the right positive social norms and behaviour.
But if all else fails, the management corporation can apply to the Courts to enforce these by-laws against errant residents. While the process may be challenging, MCSTs can, nonetheless, turn to this option if all other means, like reaching out to the errant residents, fail, including even community mediation, for instance.
Amending our legislation to extend our anti-littering laws to private estates would likely illicit negative reactions, such as it being intrusive. So, we currently have no plans to amend our current legislation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Immediate Benefits to Singapore from Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"39 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the estimated benefits of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) for the first three years when it is implemented; (b) which industries will benefit most from CPTPP; and (c) how will the Ministry educate and promote the benefits of CPTPP to the local companies.
\tThe Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Speaker, the ratification and pending entry into force of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a strong affirmation of the Parties' commitment to free and open trade and a rules-based trading system. The benefits include greater business and investment opportunities. It will also enhance market access opportunities for Singapore businesses in CPTPP markets, especially Mexico and Canada, with which Singapore does not currently have bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
For the 11 CPTPP countries as a whole, accounting for approximately 13.5% of the global economy and a market of 500 million people with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of US$10 trillion, the Agreement is expected to generate an additional S$147 billion in global income. For Singapore, total exports and GDP are each expected to increase by 0.2% by 2035 arising from the CPTPP.
Many industries and sectors will be able to benefit from CPTPP. First, Singapore-based goods producers will benefit from preferential tariffs when exporting to a CPTPP market. Processed food, textile and apparel manufacturers, in particular, will benefit from preferential tariffs under CPTPP, which will be easier to qualify under CPTPP rules, to markets, such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Second, service providers will benefit from preferential access in a wide range of sectors. Examples include transport and distribution services in Australia, energy and telecommunications in Mexico, and professional services in Canada.
Third, investors will benefit from the removal of foreign equity restrictions that would otherwise apply in certain CPTPP markets, such as the private healthcare, telecommunications, courier, energy and environmental services sectors in Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Fourth, enterprises will be able to bid for government procurement projects in Malaysia, Mexico and Vietnam, which were previously closed to foreign bidders. Beyond specific business opportunities, the value of CPTPP is in establishing a common set of enforceable rules that govern trade and investment in the 21st century. These include rules in the areas of e-commerce, innovative industries and provisions to help small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) is working with our agencies, and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and other trade associations and chambers to conduct outreach sessions to our companies on how to benefit from CPTPP. Our economic agencies, including Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Economic Development Board (EDB), are also at hand to facilitate companies' plans to access or establish supply chains in the CPTPP markets.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Ang Wei Neng. Keep it short, please.
\tMr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong): Thank you, Speaker. I have just two short questions. \t
Mr Speaker: One short question. We do not have time for two. Keep it short. Just one question.
\tMr Ang Wei Neng: What is the timeframe for the rest of the countries to ratify CPTPP and whether the United States (US) has indicated an interest to join CPTPP?
\tMr Chan Chun Sing: CPTPP will come into force shortly after six countries have ratified it. So far, we have three. We are on track to see three more countries come on board by the end of this year and we should see this enter into force by the first quarter of next year. As for the US, our focus at this point in time is to get CPTPP to enter into force and, subsequently, the US can then make its decision as to whether it wishes to join.
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Ministerial Statement, Minister for Health.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Cyberattack on SingHealth's IT System","subTitle":"Statement by Minister for Health and Minister for Communications and Information","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Minister for Health (Mr Gan Kim Yong): Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make a Statement on the recent cyberattack on SingHealth’s information technology (IT) system. Several Members of Parliament have also asked about the incident, and I will address their questions in my Statement.
Sir, what we encountered was a sophisticated and unprecedented cyberattack. Personal particulars and outpatient dispensed medicines of SingHealth’s patients were accessed and copied.
Let me once again apologise to our patients for this incident. Our healthcare family’s priorities are not just to provide good patient care, but also to safeguard the confidentiality of their data.
This is a very serious cyberattack. The attacker accessed SingHealth’s system through an initial breach on a frontend workstation, circumvented the multi-layered security barriers by using advanced and sophisticated tools, and then gained access to privileged credentials to access the database. This is not the work of casual hackers or criminal gangs, but a sophisticated and resourceful attacker.
Let me provide a quick recap of the incident based on what we know thus far. On 4 July 2018, data administrators of our Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS) detected unusual activity on one of SingHealth’s IT databases. IHiS is the technology organisation that administers the IT systems for the public healthcare sector.
The immediate priority of the team was to stop the unusual activity and block the connections to prevent further access. As a result, we prevented further loss of data and no further exfiltration has been detected since 4 July.
Concurrently, the IHiS team immediately investigated the suspicious activity to determine its nature and whether it was malicious. This process took time as our hospital systems process millions of data queries daily. There will always be a number of unusual processes that need to be investigated and most of these turned out to be legitimate activities. Furthermore, the attacker was careful to remove its traces as it worked, making investigation harder. On 10 July, IHiS confirmed from its investigations that it was a cyberattack, and informed SingHealth, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA).
Thereafter, several streams of tasks were carried out concurrently. An interagency team, comprising MOH, IHiS, SingHealth, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and CSA, worked closely together to contain the cyberattack and undertake measures to prevent further attacks. We implemented additional containment and monitoring measures, such as restricting user access, blocking additional connections, resetting security tokens, mandating password changes for users and heightened monitoring of IT systems across our public healthcare sector. At the same time, a separate team in IHiS supported SingHealth’s efforts to assess the extent of the data affected and identify the patients these data belong to, and to plan for patient engagement to inform them of the incident.
The cyberattack has resulted in the personal particulars of one-and-a-half million SingHealth patients being accessed and copied. These included the name, National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) number, address, gender, race and date of birth. Of this, 160,000 had information on their outpatient dispensed medicines accessed. However, no phone numbers, passwords or credit card information were accessed. All records in SingHealth’s IT system remain intact and are unaltered. IHiS staff combed through detailed access logs to confirm that the databases were not tampered with. Patient care has not been compromised and services were not disrupted during the period of the cyberattack.
Despite the additional cybersecurity measures, we detected further malicious activity on our networks, but no further patient data were accessed or copied. We decided to effect Internet surfing separation for SingHealth on 19 July to minimise the risk of further intrusion and exfiltration. On 20 July, we assessed that the situation had been stabilised and informed the public of the cyberattack, even while investigations were ongoing.
Between 20 and 23 July, SingHealth sent short message service (SMS) notifications to about two million patients who visited its healthcare institutions between 1 May 2015 and 4 July 2018, to inform them whether their personal information or medication information were affected. Let me just clarify that this includes patients who visited SingHealth during this period but whose data were not affected. SingHealth also set up an online data check through the SingHealth website and Health Buddy application and expanded its call centres to attend to queries from patients. Let me just clarify that this includes patients who visited SingHealth institutions during this period, but whose data was not affected.
Many of our colleagues from the healthcare family were mobilised at short notice to help manage the situation and address patient concerns about the cyberattack. I would like to thank them for stepping up in this time of need.
Patient well-being is our top priority. This includes safeguarding the confidentiality of patient data as well as ensuring safe and effective patient care. We face the constant challenge of striking the right balance between having stronger cybersecurity safeguards, while ensuring effective and safe patient care.
To achieve this, we adopted a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity.
First, prevention. Our systems are designed with defensive measures against illegal access. For example, there are multi-layer security defences in place, both at the perimeter guarding against threats on the Internet, as well as within the perimeter to protect against unauthorised access. Vulnerability scans and tests are conducted regularly. Independent IT security audits are also carried out, with the last such audit on the affected system carried out in the second half of 2017.
Second, detection. We have monitoring tools and services to detect breaches. Our systems are also designed to provide extensive detailed activity logs for internal and external round-the-clock monitoring.
Third, response. We have established operating and technical procedures and measures to contain the impact and neutralise the threat once a breach is discovered. In the event of a breach, we will also notify and work with CSA to contain and investigate the breach. Exercises are conducted regularly to ensure staff are familiar with the procedures.
Beyond setting up a resilient system, we also need a culture of vigilance and cybersecurity awareness. This applies to our healthcare staff, as well as our IT staff. We should always adopt safe cyber practices, watch for suspicious emails and messages, and report them to our IT departments as soon as possible.
Members of Parliament have also asked about Internet surfing separation (ISS). In view of continued malicious activity that we discovered, that we observed, I decided to temporarily impose ISS for all our public healthcare systems. ISS was implemented for SingHealth since 19 July, and the National University Health System (NUHS) and National Healthcare Group (NHG) have done so since 23 July. Imposing ISS will limit avenues for attackers to enter and exit the healthcare clusters’ IT systems. However, ISS has created some inconveniences as well as operational challenges for healthcare workers and patients. We have taken precautions to ensure patient care and safety are not affected. I would like to thank our healthcare workers and patients for their understanding and support.
Could we have initiated ISS earlier? ISS is not a decision to be taken lightly. In fact, even before the incident, IHiS had been working with our clusters to study and assess the feasibility of ISS and the ways to mitigate the impact on patients and healthcare professionals. Internet access is an integral part of many of our healthcare institutions’ daily operations. They rely on the Internet to access other systems for the delivery of some healthcare services. These include receiving and reading reports from laboratories, referrals to our private sector partners, video consultation and tele-rehabilitation, as well as the payments and claims systems. We were also learning from the experiences of other countries’ healthcare IT systems and exploring alternative approaches to achieve similar protection as ISS, while minimising the impact on operations and patients.
Many healthcare systems in other countries have also found it difficult to implement ISS for practical and operational considerations. Healthcare systems, such as Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority and Kaiser Permanante have not adopted full ISS. One possible approach we are studying and piloting is the virtual browser solution. This enables users to access the Internet more safely through a set of quarantined servers. This will reduce the number of potential attack points. The virtual browser solution will be complemented by the deployment of Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) measures, which will provide additional defence against advanced cyberattacks. The deployment of ATP had been initiated before this incident and is currently underway, expected to be completed by end of this month.
Our ongoing pilot on virtual browser was scheduled to be completed by September this year. Nevertheless, given the urgency of the matter, we went ahead to implement ISS, albeit a temporary measure. To mitigate the challenges on the ground and allow the healthcare institutions to continue to operate safely, our engineers worked overnight and through the weekend to put in place temporary work-around solutions. The team continues to be on the ground to resolve the problems that have arisen as a result of ISS. Areas that have been affected include reading of diagnostic reports from laboratories, video consultation and assessment of suspected stroke patients at our emergency department. Waiting times for consultation may also be longer as doctors may need to access references on the Internet through a separate computer.
There remain some issues not yet fully resolved, such as referrals to private sector partners, and submission and retrieval of results from screening systems. These do not compromise patient care and safety, but affect the efficiency of our healthcare system.
As a result of the security measures, some patients may experience a longer wait for consultations and in receiving their test results, as well as delays in checking their MediSave accounts or making their claims. The productivity and efficiency of our services may also be affected in some areas. We would like to thank our patients for their understanding as we work through these issues on the ground.
Although I said ISS was a temporary measure, now that it has been implemented, we will study the impact of ISS on the ground and determine whether we can keep it as a permanent measure, at least for some parts of our healthcare system. We will need to develop longer-term mitigation solutions to overcome the operational issues if ISS were to stay.
Sir, the cyberattack is unprecedented. Despite our security measures, the attackers had been very patient, very persistent and very resourceful. With advanced hacking tools, they eventually succeeded in gaining access to SingHealth’s IT system. We take this seriously as there is no reason to believe that they will not try again, with even more advanced tools. Therefore, we are reviewing the cybersecurity measures of our key IT projects and strengthening them where necessary.
Members of Parliament have asked about the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system. The NEHR is a separate system that was not affected by this cyberattack. Due to the need for the system to interface with multiple external partners, NEHR is designed differently from the systems that were infiltrated. Nevertheless, we recognise that this is an important national system of significant scale, as it will eventually house key medical records for all patients.
We will, therefore, put NEHR through a rigorous independent external review before we proceed with the mandatory contribution of electronic health records. We have engaged CSA and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Singapore as independent third parties to help identify any vulnerabilities and recommend measures to address them. We must assure ourselves, users and patients that the necessary safeguards are in place, before we proceed with wider implementation of NEHR.
However, we should not reverse our direction in the use of technology in healthcare. Digitalisation, technology and use of data in healthcare have brought many benefits to our patients. We cannot return to the days of paper and pencil.
IT systems have allowed us to greatly improve the safety and effectiveness of patient care. During an emergency where a patient is unconscious, access to his medical history in the NEHR helps doctors prescribe more effective medication and treatment in a timely manner. Data analytics help us to better understand disease patterns and plan ahead to meet our needs in the future. Automation improves productivity, reduces human errors and enables patients to receive better care.
When patients receive care beyond the hospital, integration of IT systems allows easier referrals across settings and enables better team-based care, and more effective emergency response. These have to be matched with efforts to continually improve our ability to secure patients' data, and the increasing robustness of the systems to deal with a constantly evolving cybersecurity threat.
Given the broader national cybersecurity implications, Minister Iswaran has appointed a Committee of Inquiry (COI) to look into this incident. We will extend our full support to the work of the Committee. We look forward to its report and recommendations to further strengthen our resilience against cyberattacks.
At the same time, we will be conducting a thorough review of the robustness of the cyber safeguards of our key IT systems. We will identify potential areas for improvement in cyber threat prevention, detection and response. To do this, we will bring in third-party experts to support us in this work where necessary.
Finally, we will ensure that the lessons learnt and improvements needed are shared widely, across both the public and private healthcare systems.
We must take this cyberattack seriously. While we have implemented additional cybersecurity measures, including the ISS, we must not be complacent and assume that we are now safe from cyberattacks. Instead, we must work on the assumption that the perpetrators will continue to try with increasingly sophisticated tools and techniques and may succeed in getting through. We must all remain vigilant, learn from this and continually strengthen our systems against evolving cybersecurity threats.
Mr Speaker: The Minister for Communications and Information will be making a related Ministerial Statement. I will allow Members to raise points of clarification on both Statements after this Statement. Mr Iswaran.
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mr S Iswaran): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. Let me start by reiterating the key facts.
First, SingHealth's IT system was the target of a deliberate and well-planned cyberattack.
Second, this attack caused the most serious breach of personal data in Singapore's experience.
Third, the personal particulars of 1.5 million patients, including the outpatient dispensed medication records of 160,000 patients, were illegally accessed and copied.
Fourth, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's records were specifically and repeatedly targeted.
SingHealth and IHiS are private companies. They are not Statutory Boards. However, their patient databases are part of our Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). A cyberattack on any CII can disrupt essential services and affect public welfare and confidence.
We have done a detailed analysis of this attack and have determined that it is the work of an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group. This refers to a class of sophisticated cyberattackers, typically state-linked, who conduct extended, carefully planned cyber campaigns, to steal information or disrupt operations.
The APT group that attacked SingHealth was persistent in its efforts to penetrate and anchor itself in the network, bypass the security measures, and illegally access and exfiltrate data. The attack fits the profile of certain known APT groups. But for national security reasons, we will not be making any specific public attribution. Given the serious implications of this incident for public health and safety, I have convened a COI to get to the bottom of this incident, learn from it, and implement stronger safeguards.
We will do our utmost to strengthen our cybersecurity. But it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of another cyberattack. This is an ongoing battle, with potential cyberattackers who are constantly developing their capabilities and seeking out new vulnerabilities.
We should not let this incident or any others like it derail our Smart Nation initiatives. In fact, we must pursue these initiatives for they will bring benefits and opportunities for Singaporeans.
What matters most is that our people and systems remain resilient, that we are able to respond swiftly and effectively to a cyberattack and that we strengthen our defences and harden our systems. I want to thank Members who have raised a range of questions on the cyberattack, our response and the COI, and I will now address them in detail.
Let me start by adding CSA's perspective to the Minister for Health's detailed account of this incident and subsequent response. On 10 July 2018, CSA was notified that an unauthorised network intrusion had occurred at SingHealth. CSA immediately deployed members of its National Incident Response Team (NIRT) to investigate the incident. The CSA team conducted forensic investigations on suspected compromised computers and supported IHiS in implementing measures to contain the attack. This included blocking unauthorised connections to prevent access by the attacker, resetting servers, enforcing mandatory password resets for all SingHealth users, heightened monitoring across all public healthcare IT systems, and implementing Internet Surfing Separation.
CSA's investigations ascertained that on 4 July, IHiS system administrators had discovered unusual activity on one of SingHealth's IT databases which triggered follow-up investigations by IHiS' IT team. CSA subsequently established that the attackers had obtained a foothold in SingHealth's network by infecting a frontend computer with malicious software, or what is called malware. The attackers had evaded detection by the SingHealth network security tools, moved stealthily through the system, eventually gained access to the database servers storing SingHealth's patient records, and copied the data to servers hosted overseas on 27 June to 4 July. No further data loss has been detected since 4 July.
Based on the logs, two types of data were illegally accessed – personal particulars, including the name, NRIC number, address, gender, race and date of birth of 1.5 million patients, and the outpatient dispensed medication records of 160,000 patients.
The attackers also repeatedly and specifically tried to steal the medical records and data of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Prime Minister Lee's personal particulars and outpatient dispensed medication records were stolen.
However, to reinforce the point that Minister Gan Kim Yong made, no telephone numbers, passwords or credit card information were accessed or stolen. Neither were other medical records, such as diagnoses, test results or doctor's notes. They were not illegally accessed. The data that was illegally copied was not tampered with, nor was it deleted.
CSA has done a detailed analysis of the SingHealth cyberattack and has determined that it is the work of an APT group. An APT group refers to a class of sophisticated, usually state-linked cyberattackers who conduct extended and carefully planned cyber campaigns to steal information or disrupt operations. Some recent examples of cyberattacks by APT groups include the hacking of the US Democratic National Committee in 2016, and the theft of more than 20 million personnel records from the US Office of Personnel Management in 2014. Singapore has also been the target of APT attacks, such as that on the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) last year. The cyberattack on SingHealth had characteristics that are typical of an APT attack. The attacker used advanced and sophisticated tools, including customised malware that was able to evade SingHealth's anti-virus software and security tools. After establishing a foothold in the network, the attacker took steps to remain in the system undetected before stealing the patients' information. The attack fits the profile of certain known APT groups but, as I have said earlier, for national security reasons, we will not be making any specific public attribution.
Let me now turn to the COI. Mr Speaker, may I have your permission for the distribution of the note on the COI's composition and terms of reference, please?
Mr Speaker: Yes, please. [A note was distributed to hon Members.]
Mr S Iswaran: As the notes are being distributed, let me summarise. The COI will establish the events and contributing factors leading to the cyberattack and the incident response. It will also recommend measures to safeguard public sector IT systems containing large databases of personal data, including those in the public healthcare clusters, against similar cyberattacks. The COI will submit its report by 31 December 2018.
The Chairman and members of the Committee have the legal, technical and operational expertise to conduct a thorough and rigorous inquiry. The Chairman, Mr Richard Magnus, was formerly the Senior District Judge, and he has chaired two other COIs before; Mr Lee Fook Sun is the former president of ST Electronics and currently Executive Chairman of Quann World, a cybersecurity company; Mr T K Udairam was formerly Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Changi General Hospital and he has decades of experience in healthcare administration; Ms Cham Hui Fong is a former Nominated Member of Parliament and Assistant Secretary General at the National Trades Union Congress.
The COI has already started its work. The Committee has had preparatory meetings and will soon hold its first pre-Inquiry conference. The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) will lead evidence and CSA will lead a team to conduct the investigations.
After receiving CSA's investigation report, the COI will conduct the Inquiry hearings. As some aspects of the Inquiry have security implications, the COI will decide which part of its hearings can be held in public.
Some Members have asked whether the SingHealth cyberattack could have been prevented and what are the lessons learnt. As the COI will be addressing these issues, I seek Members' understanding to allow the Committee to conduct a thorough investigation and to complete its work without pre-empting its findings.
Meanwhile, the Government has taken additional measures to strengthen our cybersecurity defences. CSA's forensic investigations team has analysed the compromised computers and extracted Indicators of Compromise. These are pieces of forensic data used to identify malicious activity on a network. CSA then instructed owners and regulators of CII to scan for these Indicators and advise on possible measures to mitigate a similar incident. CSA has also instructed CII sectors to strengthen the security around their network connectivity gateways.
In addition, the Cybersecurity Act passed by this House in February this year gives the Government additional levers to strengthen the protection of CII against cyberattacks and to respond to national cybersecurity threats and incidents. CSA is currently implementing the provisions of the Act and will designate all CII by the end of 2018.
Notwithstanding these measures, we must recognise that a balance must be struck between cybersecurity on the one hand, and operational efficiency and service quality on the other. This is a dynamic balance, one that will change as the threat landscape evolves. CSA will direct CII owners on the essential security measures they must adopt to meet a required standard. Beyond this, CSA will also render its professional advice on what CII system owners could do to further strengthen their defences. Ultimately, owners and regulators of CII are responsible for ensuring the security and uninterrupted operations of the essential services they provide.
The Government had taken the added precaution of calling for a pause in the introduction of new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems, although there was no evidence that Government ICT systems had been compromised in this cyberattack. The Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) was directed to review the cybersecurity measures of all existing and upcoming Government systems. SNDGG has completed its review and will implement additional security safeguards where necessary. The pause on new systems was lifted on 3 August, just Friday last week.
Cybersecurity is the foundation of our Smart Nation and Digital Government drive, and the Government is resolute in its commitment to strengthen our cyber defence, as well as our detection and response capabilities, in the face of the evolving cybersecurity threat.
All organisations – not just CII operators – should take this incident as a warning to review their cybersecurity system and ensure the protection of their IT systems and databases, including personal data.
There have been concerns that the data stolen through the SingHealth cyberattack could be used for fraudulent transactions or identity theft. I want to emphasise that there are multiple safeguards in place to mitigate such risks, especially for financial transactions and sensitive Government e-transactions.
Let me elaborate. Financial institutions generally do not rely solely on personal information, like those stolen in the SingHealth cyberattack, to verify customer identity. All banks and insurance companies in Singapore already have two-factor authentication (2FA) for online financial services, such as making fund transfers or accessing account details. To log in, the account holder has to input his/her Personal Identification Number (PIN) and a one-time-password (OTP), received via SMS or the bank’s authentication token. An additional authentication layer – commonly known as \"transaction signing\" – protects higher-risk transactions, such as adding a third party payee or transferring large sums of money. Unless the attacker has access to all authentication information, it would not be possible for fraudulent transactions or identity theft to occur.
To address any residual risk, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has directed all financial institutions to take further measures, as announced in its press statement on 24 July.
Similarly, since July 2016, all sensitive Government e-transactions have been protected by SingPass 2FA. The account holder would need to input his/her SingPass username and password, and an OTP. Since the SingHealth cyberattack, agencies have taken further measures, such as heightened monitoring of their IT systems, and strengthening of the identity authentication process.
Individuals can also do their part by practising good personal data protection and cybersecurity habits. They should ensure that their passwords, user IDs and security questions are not based on personal data, use strong passwords, enable 2FA for online transactions, and watch out for fraudulent transactions and suspicious requests for personal data. SingCERT has published online the precautions that individuals can take in view of the SingHealth incident. Individuals may also contact SingCERT to report a cybersecurity incident, and the Personal Data Protection Commission to lodge reports of personal data breaches under the Personal Data Protection Act.
Mr Speaker, to conclude, I would like to emphasise that this was a well-planned and targeted cyberattack by an APT group. We will get to the bottom of this incident, learn from it and further strengthen Government IT systems. But I caution the House: we cannot completely eliminate the risk of another cyberattack breaking through our defences.
Ensuring cybersecurity is a ceaseless battle, like our battle against terrorism. It involves changing technology and sophisticated perpetrators who are constantly developing new techniques and probing for fresh weaknesses. Therefore, even as we do our best to strengthen our IT systems, it is crucial that our people and systems remain resilient, that we are able to respond robustly and decisively to an incident, and that we constantly learn and reinforce our system.
Despite this incident, or any others like it, we must press on with our plans for a Smart Nation, after learning and applying the lessons from this incident. We must adapt ourselves to operate effectively and securely in the digital age, to deliver better public services, enhance our economic competitiveness, and create good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans.
The Government takes with utmost seriousness its responsibility of ensuring the security of public sector IT systems and databases. We will learn from this cyberattack, implement measures to better secure our IT systems and databases, and uphold public trust in our systems.
Mr Speaker: Dr Chia Shi-Lu.
Dr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar): I thank both Ministers for their comprehensive Statements. We have been talking about cyberattack but, practically, this has been more a case of cyber snooping or cyber theft rather than an attack, which brings me to my main question: how sure are we that no malicious malware still remains in the systems? I think we have been lucky in the sense that the systems have not been disrupted in terms of patients' safety or care. But as I understand it – correct me if I am wrong – with this APT type of attacks, a lot of these initial attacks are meant to demonstrate that they can actually invade the systems, but the ultimate goal may be to be able to plant some malware that can disrupt our systems when the time comes. That was my main question: how sure are we that no malicious software remains in the systems, given that the databases is a very large and complex system.
Mr S Iswaran: Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. First, I do not think we should speculate on the motives of the attacker. I think it does not detract from the fact that this is an illegal criminal act and we have the responsibility to get to the bottom of it.
Having said that, can we be sure that there is no remnant malicious malware in the system? As I had said earlier, our agencies –CSA working with their counterparts in IHiS and SingHealth – have done everything they can to secure the system and to detect and eliminate the risk. In fact, as we also elaborated, even as we were doing the work to contain the challenge, as late as on 19 July, there was evidence of some residual risk which had to be dealt with. At midnight on 19 July, Internet Surfing separation was then imposed.
The short answer is that we have done everything in our means to secure the system, to detect any residual risk and eliminate it. But as I have said several times in the course of my Statement, one can never be sure that we have fully eliminated that risk.
Mr Speaker: Ms Joan Pereira.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): I thank the Ministers for their Statements. Since the cyberattack, a few of my elderly residents came to see me and told me that they worry that their medication records will be altered. How can we help our people, especially our elderly residents, to better understand our cybersecurity matters and even measures that will be taken?
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I explained in my speech, IHiS, together with CSA, has gone through our detailed access logs to ensure that the data has not been altered. But we understand that patients will still be anxious and want to know more about this incident, and how they can protect themselves, and what implication there is for them. I encourage them to contact SingHealth which will then follow up with more detailed explanation specifically to the affected patients. There is a hotline that they can call, and the number is 6326 5555. If they want to have more details, please contact SingHealth and our people, our hotline operators, are trained to answer their questions and to help them clarify any doubts or anxiety that they may have with regard to their medication information.
Mr Speaker: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Speaker, I have two clarifications. I have actually filed a question to the Minister for Health to ask if the Government could elaborate on the reasons for the several days of delay between the time that the attack was confirmed and the time that the public was made aware of it. According to the timeline released by the Government, it was confirmed on 10 July that a cyberattack had indeed taken place and, two days later, in fact, a Police report was lodged. But the public only got to know about this attack on 20 July. I would like to ask the Minister to elaborate on the reasons why the public was not made aware earlier because they could have taken some steps, for example, to change their passwords or protect their information.
Second question is also for the Minister for Health. During the first press conference on 20 July, we noted that the Minister apologised for the incident. But we are hearing today, really, that the CIIs are responsible for safeguarding the data on the systems. So, is there any significance as to why it was not SingHealth that apologised but rather the Minister who apologised?
Mr Gan Kim Yong: I will first clarify the second question. I think SingHealth, during the press conference, had also apologised, probably it was not carried in the media. But they did apologise to the patients for the incident as well as the inconvenience that has been created. Anyway, my apology is on behalf of the entire healthcare family. I take it that, ultimately, I will have to apologise to the patients who are affected.
On the first question on the time between 10 July when we confirmed that it was a cyberattack and 20 July when we had a press conference and informed the public, I explained in my Statement that between 10 and 20 July, many things were happening and there were multiple streams of work that were carrying on at the same time. Our priority at that time was to ensure that our system was protected, our data would not be subject to further exfiltration. That took a while because, first, they had to trace back where the sources of attack came from, so that the Cyber Security staff would know where and how to protect the database. We also need to investigate to determine whether or not there were additional data that were compromised beyond what we already knew.
So, the first stream of investigation was to focus on protecting the data. The second stream of work was on investigation of the incident to trace back to see how it started, so that we were confident that this was the only attack that we were experiencing. The third stream was to identify what were the data that were compromised and who were the patients that were affected, so that we could pave the way to inform them. Therefore, the third stream was very important as well.
At the same time, SingHealth also started to prepare to inform the patients, and all these will require time. In the meantime, we also had to make sure that there were no further attacks on the system. As we mentioned earlier, as late as 19 July, there was still malicious activity in the data system. That is why we had to impose ISS on 19 July evening, so that on 20 July, when we disclosed to the public, we were quite confident that the system had been stabilised. At the same time, we have sufficient information to share with the public on how the incident happened, what were the data that were compromised, and who were the patients that were affected.
All these require time to prepare. And it is important for us to ensure that our information given to the public is accurate as far as we are able to ascertain.
Mr Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): I thank the Minister for apologising and, in fact, not denying or defending the positions. So, thank you very much for that.
My second point is that cyberattacks, such as these, are actually, to me, a new form of terrorism that calls for the same, if not, more of the resources and attention that are given to, for example, physical terrorism by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). There is a lot of public education. I can still remember it is run-hide-tell, and many of these are things that were done to ensure that we are very cognisant of physical terrorism. So, for cyber terrorism, it is all the more important.
In view that Minister Iswaran has said that the Smart Nation plans will press on for various reasons, what is the Government's plan in terms of added resources and also acquisition of cybersecurity expertise, for example? We know that nation-wide, there is a shortage of such cybersecurity expertise. And so, what are we going to do about it to ensure that we are protected in the long term as we proceed with our Smart Nation plans?
Mr S Iswaran: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her clarification. The Member is absolutely right. We should be very clear that our challenges with cybersecurity are in no way different from our challenges with terrorism. We have raised our awareness about terrorism. We have a systematic effort for that. But when it comes to cybersecurity and defences, perhaps the level of awareness is not as palpable. The reason is probably also because many of us, all of us, use digital devices as part and parcel of everyday life and we do not pause to think sometimes what the implications are of having this hyper-connectivity and the kind of data that flows through our devices and the connections that we have with the Internet and the wider Internet community.
So, in terms of the specific question, what are we doing? First, we have to use this opportunity to reinforce the message and the importance of cybersecurity to the general public and the measures that they can take at a personal level, which is what we have just outlined, but also to organisations, public and private organisations, because often the investment in cybersecurity is seen as a cost, without an obvious payoff and value. This sort of instances helps to crystallise why cybersecurity must be taken seriously at the top management level, and you put in place systems and make the judgement in terms of what kind of resources should be allocated for this.
As far as the Government itself is concerned, we are very clear that we have to continue to invest in our ability and capabilities to prevent, detect and respond to any kind of cyberattack. As I said earlier, the reality is that this is going to be a ceaseless battle because the perpetrators or the potential perpetrators are constantly developing their own capabilities. So, we have to also ensure that we are able to do so. This is why we are investing in cybersecurity, not only in terms of building our capabilities within CSA, but also in the broader system. We have many efforts in the broader ecosystem – the ICT ecosystem – and cybersecurity is one of the focal points for that.
And the final point I would make is that as part of our overall defence, if you will, cyber defence, this is not just a battle we fight alone. We have allies from around the world. All of them face similar challenges, they are all investing in their capabilities, and the cooperation with our allies helps to strengthen our own capabilities in resisting such attacks.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Daniel Goh.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Speaker, I thank the Ministers. I have one clarification for Minister Iswaran and one for Minister Gan. For Minister Iswaran, will the Ministry be investigating whether there is any negligence on the part of SingHealth in meeting the standards of proactively protecting the CII under the Cyber Security Act? And for Minister Gan, the Minister mentioned that the permanent ISS may be implemented for parts of the healthcare system. Can the Minister elaborate which part of the system is likely to face the permanent ISS and, given that this attack happened at a frontline workstation, would this actually mean most of the healthcare systems face a risk?
Mr S Iswaran: Mr Speaker, the COI has been asked, as elaborated in the Terms of Reference, to study what were the factors that led to the incident and how were the relevant players involved in the response, in order to derive the lessons that can be used and applied in the context of our public sector ICT systems and databases and also specifically for the health system.
In that process, I imagine that they would be looking at what could have been done, what should have been done and then, make their recommendations accordingly. I would urge Members to refrain from going down the path of allocating blame at this stage. Our resolute focus should be on ensuring that the system in SingHealth is secure and patient data is protected. And for this, we need all parties who are involved to be working together in order to achieve that objective. The COI will conduct its due process and, when we have the outcome of that and we know the recommendations and findings, then we can take appropriate action.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Sir, let me, first, respond to the second part of Assoc Prof Daniel Goh's question on which part of the system should be continued with ISS and which one should be exempted from ISS. It is still early days. I would not want to pre-empt the decision. IHiS, together with SingHealth and the clusters, are reviewing and we have also just implemented ISS. We really want to understand the impact on the ground and assess which are the parts that really can continue with the ISS and which are the portions of the healthcare system that actually ISS is not practical and could affect patient care in the long term.
So, just to explain, today, whilst we have introduced ISS, there are a number of workaround solutions which the IHiS team has been working with our clusters on the ground to help our doctors and patients to ensure that the system will continue. But some of these workaround solutions are not sustainable in the long term because they are basically workarounds. And, therefore, we will have to look at whether there are practical, long-term solutions for some of these workarounds. In areas where it is not possible and there may be alternative safeguards that will be able to provide added protection but not necessarily ISS, those are the alternatives that we could consider. One example I mentioned earlier in my Statement was a virtual browser solution, together with Advanced Threat Protection measures. Taken together, they will provide significant protection without having to resort to ISS.
I would imagine that in a healthcare system where care is quite closely linked to Internet access in some areas, for example, emergency departments and so on, it may be critical, and these are the areas which are more likely to be given certain rights for Internet access. And even with Internet access, there are ways to protect against our core database system. For example, you could designate specific servers that they have access to and denied access to other servers that are not related.
I do not want to go into too much detail because these also have implications on our security measures. Suffice to say that I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the review. We give the Committee and the team time to look at the system and to review the implementation of ISS on the ground today. And from the experience of ISS, we can then make an informed assessment of which are the parts that should continue with ISS and which are the parts we should maybe refer to alternative solutions.
Mr Speaker: Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Ministers for answering the questions and, in particular, allaying concerns about the impact of financial liabilities, especially to residents. I just have one question. In relation to the COI's Terms of Reference No 5, I noticed that the focus is largely on public sector IT systems. I am aware that the COI's Terms of Reference are, in particular, on public health data. Can the Minister for Communications and Information probably share a bit more about the private sector IT systems and, in particular, whether there are any public sector databases which potentially have systemic risk impact on Singapore and Singaporeans in particular? Maybe the Minister can share a bit more on that, in particular, for example, telecommunications companies, banks and private hospitals, and what is the plan, strategically, for CSA to address some of these issues.
Mr S Iswaran: I thank the Member for the clarification. First, we have to be clear. The COI's Terms of Reference have been scoped to focus on this incident because if we scope it too wide, then you will lose the value of setting up such a Committee, which is really to go deep, understand what the issues were and then to come up with valuable insights and recommendations which we can apply across the public sector and, specifically, in the healthcare system.
The Member then asked whether there are issues around databases and IT systems that reside outside the public sector. Sir, I want to bring Members back to the point I made earlier, which is that the CSA will be designating computer systems in 11 sectors as CIIs. Some of these sectors the Member highlighted are banking, telecommunications. There are others like energy, water and so on.
And each of these sectors has computer systems that may be within the public sector or in the private sector, but by virtue of the functions they perform, the databases they hold, they are deemed to be CIIs and, therefore, they will be designated and governed as such by CSA, by the rules and provisions under the Cyber Security Act.
And that is where, as I mentioned in my earlier Statement, CSA will ensure that there are certain minimum requirements that are implemented. But beyond that, there may also be certain advisory guidelines on what else they can do to further strengthen cybersecurity. But ultimately, the regulators and owners of those CIIs will have to make the judgement call and be accountable for the uninterrupted essential services they provide.
On the point of the private sector, what we learned from this incident will be shared. We have various platforms to do that in because there are, generally, various education sessions that Government agencies conduct to heighten awareness of cybersecurity and the measures that can be taken. We also have the frameworks of the Personal Data Protection Act and the Personal Data Protection Commission which are actively involved not just in following up on complaints or reports of personal data breaches but also in terms of raising awareness and education and sharing best practices, so that the general private sector can also continue to harden itself against cyberattacks.
Mr Speaker: Mr Low Thia Khiang.
Mr Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied): Sir, Minister Iswaran, in his Statement, mentioned twice that this attack is state-linked, which means I take it that it is not a normal kind of cyberattack and Singapore is being targeted by another state and thereby this attack is state-linked. If that is the case, then may I know whether the Government knows which state is behind the attack or is linked to this attack? And, if so, whether or not the Government is prepared to share the knowledge with Singaporeans on which state is carrying out such an attack on us. In the details, Minister Iswaran mentioned that the attack was conducted by a professional group, APT Group. Does the Government or CSA in its investigations, know what is the name of the Group and where this Group has launched the attack from? And the Minister also mentioned that data was copied to another server. So, may we know where is the server sited?
Mr S Iswaran: Mr Speaker, let me state it for the third time for the Member's reference. The attack fits the profile of certain known APT groups, but, for national security reasons, we will not be making any specific public attribution.
The Member asked whether we are prepared to share the names, if we know specifically who, and whether we are able to then share that. I would put to the Member that, first, I have explained why we have a larger set of concerns around this matter. Secondly, in this sort of matter, whilst one can have a high level of technical confidence, one may not be able to have the certainty that you might need in order to specifically assign responsibility. And this is the kind of evidentiary threshold that may not stand up in a Court of law but, at the operational level, the agencies that are involved have a high level of confidence in their findings.
Having said that, we do not think it serves our national interest, nor is it a productive exercise for us to be making specific public attribution. What is essential is that we diagnose the problem clearly and take the appropriate steps. And if, in the process of the COI deliberations, specific attribution can be made in a manner where action can subsequently be taken up in a Court of law, we will certainly consider that course of action.
Mr Speaker: Er Dr Lee Bee Wah.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Sir, I have one question for Minister Iswaran. Many of my residents expressed concern when they heard that their personal details had been stolen, especially of NRIC. They are very worried and they do not know how this data will be used later on. I would like to ask the Minister: what more can the Government do to address the concerns of those whose details had been stolen?
And there are some suggestions whether an SMS alert can be sent to them if, let us say, their NRIC details were being used, for example, to open certain accounts or be involved in certain financial transaction.
Mr S Iswaran: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her question which I think is a genuine true reflection of some of the concerns on the ground. That is why, in my Statement, I try to explain why Singaporeans in general and elderly residents, in particular, can draw some comfort from the fact that transactions that involve banks, financial institutions and those involved in sensitive Government e-transactions all have 2FAs. So, it is not just about the ID, although in some cases, and I think, in many cases, the IC number is used as the ID. And this might be an opportunity for us to review that and see whether we can use other IDs which are more robust. And then, in addition to ID, you need the password as well as the one-time password.
So, what we can explain to our residents in general is that the system that is in place is a secure one. But what might be prudent for them to do is, where they have got accounts, where they have already set them up and they have used their IC number particularly as an ID, or in some cases, people even use their NRIC as the password, they should reset and ensure that they have thoroughly reviewed this kind of exposure.
On the point the Member made about alerting them to any other kind of activity which can have financial implications, typically, in all of these transactions, you would have to not just put in your IC number or name. If you are going to, for example, buy something online, you need either credit card data or some other kind of financial information. That information has not been taken in this instance and, therefore, that link is broken. Hence, the consumers and the general residents can be comforted by that. But we should not get complacent and we should review this. And where they have got some accounts, it is well worth using this opportunity to look at resetting passwords.
Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): I believe Minister Iswaran mentioned that this has many analogies to a terror attack. And certainly, in dealing with the terrorists, the Government does have powers, for example, under the Internal Security Act, to investigate and detain without evidence that would stand up in a Court of law. And the national security reason is why you would not want to put it in the Court of law. Does the Minister think we need similar frameworks to deal with cyber threats?
Mr S Iswaran: I thank the Member for the question. I think our existing legislative framework provides us with sufficient scope, because if you can demonstrate and prove a criminal act, then you can take action under the Penal Code or appropriate legislation. If we can find a specific actor or individual who has posed a threat to our national security, then we also have legislation that allows us to take action against such individuals. So, the legislative levers are adequate. But this is a domain where the nature of the crime and specific attribution can be quite challenging at times.
Mr Speaker: Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Ministers for their Statements. Just one supplementary question for Minister Iswaran. After the conclusion of the COI process, will MCI or other relevant authorities attempt to reach out to cybersecurity and IT professionals across the whole-of-Government and, indeed, in the private sector, to apprise them of some of the findings, to educate them maybe about the signatures of some of these groups that have made the attacks so that they can be better alerted to detect and pre-empt them, and also educate them on some of the preventive measures that they should undertake, drawing on the learnings from not just this attack, but perhaps the one at NUS and NTU as well that happened previously?
Mr S Iswaran: The answer is certainly yes. In fact, that is the objective of the exercise. We want to make sure that whatever the findings are, we are able to extract the lessons and recommendations which can then be used not just within the public sector or within the CII sectors but for other private sector operators because there is a general concern about security.
But the qualifier I will make is that what we can share is constrained by the considerations I had pointed out earlier. Secondly, it is also about having a risk-adjusted approach because, in certain types of companies and certain types of operations, their risk profiles are different and are at a lesser level and, therefore, they may not need to do everything. But they do need to take up certain basic measures for cybersecurity purposes. So, it has been a differentiated approach. But the larger point about drawing lessons which can then be shared, this is something that we certainly intend to do.
Mr Speaker: Mr Chong Kee Hiong.
Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh): As IT talents are global and, as part of our cyber defence, I would like to ask the Minister if the Singapore Government Ministries, Organs of State and Statutory Boards and agencies have in place bug bounty programmes to tap upon the global expertise of white hats or ethical computer hackers, and if the compensations for their effort and time are globally competitive.
Mr S Iswaran: I understand where the Member is coming from. Let me say this: we are aware of the range of possible ways to harness talent, and we have to use them in a judicious way in order to ensure that we have our fair share of the talent that is needed for the kind of challenges that we face.
Mr Speaker: Mr Cedric Foo.
Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng (Pioneer): My question is for the Minister for Communications and Information. While we regret this incident in SingHealth, can the Minister enlighten us whether other countries are also victims of cyberattacks? Secondly, can the Minister confirm that, apart from the COI, there is also a Police report that is lodged, and what is the purpose of that Police report? Is it to see if any crimes have been committed?
Mr S Iswaran: I thank the Member for the questions. First, have other countries been victims of cyberattacks? In my Statement, I highlighted a couple, both of which are in the context of the US. But there have also been other incidents in Europe. And I think many of these may not even be reported in the public domain, but we know that they are occurring. So, the truth of the matter is that this is a universal challenge; we are not an exception. In fact, every country is facing this challenge and the greater their connectivity and the use of digital technologies, the greater their challenge as well. So, that is an important point that all of us need to understand and appreciate.
The second point is on the contemporaneous Police investigation. So, the COI is doing its work. It will be aided by CSA, which leads a team of investigators, and they will also have the AGC leading evidence. The Police report was lodged because there was suspicion of a crime being committed. And so, the Police will investigate this incident in that context. But the Police will also take reference from any deliberations that take place in the COI.
And I would add that there is a third stream, because there was also a report lodged with the Personal Data Protection Commission. And they, too, are conducting their own investigations. And again, they too, will take reference from what is being conducted within the COI hearing process as well.
Mr Speaker: I will take one last question. Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah): This question is for Minister Iswaran. My sense, after hearing what the Minister said in the Statement, is that we are really at the mercy of these state-linked cyberattackers, almost to operate on their terms. So, I want to ask the Minister whether besides the defensive measures that we take, are there any counter-offensive measures that we can also take as part of cybersecurity strategy so that we can not only defend but also deter such attacks.
Mr S Iswaran: Let me say this. First of all, I think we should not create the impression that we are helpless or that we are at the mercy of these potential perpetrators. If that was the case, then why have this strong robust response? Because we have conviction that we can deter, and we have the capability. And where we do not, we will build it, and we will find ways to strengthen our systems so that we can resist such attacks.
And as far as this effort is concerned, it is also important that even as we do this, it is important that, psychologically, not just this House, but Singaporeans at large, understand that it cannot be foolproof. And so, we must have that resilience that when it happens, we will pick ourselves up again and we will learn from it, grow stronger and we will carry on. I think that is the most important aspect of the way we can deter such attacks.
Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting. I will take the Chair at 4.35 pm. Order. Order.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 4.14 pm until 4.35 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.35 pm.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make this Statement. In May this year, I informed the House that a Committee of Inquiry (COI) would be convened to investigate the death of full-time National Serviceman Corporal (First Class) (CFC) Dave Lee that occurred on 30 April 2018. The COI has submitted its preliminary findings to the Armed Forces Council on 16 July this year and I would like to update this House on their findings, as well as follow-up actions taken by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) since May.
Under the SAF Act, the COI is structured primarily to investigate and determine facts related to the incident and to identify causation, lapses and systemic problems, if any, which resulted in the incident. The COI does not deal with culpability of individuals. Specifically, to encourage disclosure and cooperation by all involved in the incident, section 8C of the SAF Act provides that no statements made to the COI shall be admissible as evidence in a Court Martial or for disciplinary proceedings. To keep to this remit, I will, therefore, use no names nor designations in this Statement but instead use a generic term – commander/s or person/s, as appropriate.
As I mentioned in May to this House, Police investigations are ongoing and the Coroner may hold an inquiry. Their procedures and evidence uncovered are part of the judicial process to determine if any criminal offence has been committed in this incident and are separate from the COI.
In May, I had also informed this House that the COI would submit its report to the External Review Panel on SAF Safety (ERPSS). The COI has done so for their preliminary assessment and I will also be sharing the ERPSS' responses and recommendations.
Let me start with events that occurred the day before the heat stroke occurred. On 17 April this year, CFC Dave Lee and the troopers from the Support Company participated in two physical training sessions in Bedok Camp, namely, Combat Circuit 4 from 6.30 am to 7.30 am at the hockey pitch, and Cardiovascular 6, followed by Balance, Flexibility and Mobility 6 from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm at the running track. This was a day before the heat stroke.
The COI found the training for Combat Circuit 4 to be compliant with regulations or guidelines.
However, the COI did discover breaches of the Army's Training Safety Regulations (TSR) for Cardiovascular 6 and breaches of the Army's directive for another subsequent event that took place later that day.
Let me, first, deal with Cardiovascular 6. In this lesson, soldiers had to run six laps of 400 metres each, a total of 2.4 kilometres (km). They have to run according to the lesson plan, grouped according to their running ability. However, the entire company was asked to run at a common pace. This meant that, for the first three laps, CFC Lee was asked to run at a slightly faster pace than required, of about 10 seconds faster per lap. For the next three laps, CFC Lee was allowed to run at his own pace. The rest timing in between each lap was noted to be reduced to one minute, which is 45 seconds shorter than what was stipulated in the lesson plan. These deviations were a breach of Training Safety Regulations. The reason given was that the commanders wanted to enhance fitness and foster greater cohesion by keeping the platoon intact, and the soldiers running at the same pace, not in groups.
Later that night, before the fast march the next day, the collective punishment that was meted out to CFC Lee's platoon was also not authorised.
At about 9.40 pm, the entire Scout Platoon, including CFC Lee, were told to fall-in in their No 4 uniforms and assault bags. The commander/s had wanted to punish the platoon collectively for the perceived lack of teamwork and the use of mobile phones after Lights Out, in particular, by two troopers, despite repeated warnings. At 9.45 pm, the commander/s meted out the informal punishment. This was in the form of physical exercises, which comprised Bear Crawls, Sprints, Leopard Crawls, as well as Push-Ups and Crunches. In total, it was from 30 to 35 minutes. They also had water poured over the troopers from their water bottles and subsequently from the jerry can. The session ended with the troopers reciting the Guards Creed a few times in a high kneel position. As I have said, the entire session lasted for about 30 to 35 minutes. The platoon was eventually sent back to their bunks at about 10.25 pm to wash up and had Lights Out by 10.45 pm. The troopers were also instructed by commanders not to switch on the lights in their bunks. The COI noted that the commanders did not seek prior approval for the conduct of this informal punishment or inform their superiors after the punishment.
While the majority of the troopers interviewed opined that the commanders were good commanders who demanded high standards, this punishment was unauthorised.
The COI found that the conduct of unauthorised informal punishment compromised the seven hours of uninterrupted rest as the trainees had about six hours 15 minutes instead. Less sleep could be one of the factors which caused CFC Lee to have more fatigue before participating in the fast march.
Let me move on to the day of the heat stroke. The COI's assessment was that the conduct of the fast march was in line with the lesson plan and relevant regulations. CFC Lee had undergone the requisite build-up training prior to the eight-km fast march, and all measures to prevent heat injuries according to the TSR had been complied with – which are temperature-taking regime, hydration regime, water supply where soldiers must carry water and have resupply points planned for, work-rest cycle based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, and rest management, except that CFC Lee and his platoon did not have the requisite seven hours of sleep that I have just mentioned.
Before the fast march, CFC Lee had taken his temperature, which was normal at 36.3°C, and had drunk water. This was witnessed by his buddy, who also observed him to be looking well and seemed to be his usual self. CFC Lee and his fellow scout troopers then consumed their Recommended Dietary Allowance, which consisted of an oatmeal cracker and chrysanthemum drink.
Thereafter, the safety brief was conducted by the Conducting Officer. Troopers were asked if they had completed their six-km fast march build-up training, completed their water parade, and had seven hours of uninterrupted rest, and taken their body temperature during the declaration. The troops were asked to declare if they had. The Conducting Officer had checked if there was anyone who was not feeling well. Three troopers stood out as they had not completed their six-km fast march and were subsequently deployed as marshals. No one else sounded off any other concerns when the checks were made. This was followed by the conduct of warm-up exercises to get the troopers ready for the eight-km fast march.
After the conduct of warm-up exercises, the fast march commenced just before sunrise with the troopers despatched in four waves, at five-minute intervals. Each wave included a commander as a rear sweeper. CFC Lee was in the fourth wave – the last wave.
After CFC Lee completed the first six km, he had a mandated 20-minute rest. After the 20-minute rest period, as CFC Lee was moving off for the last two km, he sounded off to the commanders that he had cramps in his calf muscles. They advised him to stretch his calf muscles, which he did, and encouraged him to complete the march.
CFC Lee was the last one to complete the eight-km fast march in around 100 minutes, including the 20-minute break. Shortly after the fast march, as CFC Lee was walking from the end point of the fast march to the Support Company line, he was observed to be disoriented and immediately attended to by the commander/s and the cover medic/s.
Let me now state the findings at the completion of the eight-km fast march.
After the fast march, the persons attending to CFC Lee thought that he was suffering from physical exhaustion. His pulse was assessed to be normal and his skin felt cold to touch. His temperature was not taken. The first aid that was administered comprised the removal of CFC Lee’s equipment, unbuttoning his uniform, applying ice packs at his vital points, pouring water on him and giving him water. He was also given oxygen. However, the COI noted that the onsite cooling measures administered were inadequate, including the failure to administer an onsite intravenous (IV) drip, the improper placement of ice packs and the improper use of a ground sheet. When his condition did not improve, CFC Lee was subsequently evacuated to the medical centre. However, there was a significant gap between the onset of symptoms and his arrival at the medical centre.
On arrival at the Bedok Camp Medical Centre, CFC Lee was semi-conscious. His temperature taken measured 42.7o Celsius (C). Two bags of fast IV drip were administered and he was also placed in the Body Cooling Unit, for two cycles. Seeing that CFC Lee was not responding to the treatment, the Medical Officer decided to evacuate him to the Changi General Hospital.
The Medical Officer accompanied CFC Lee in the SAF ambulance to Changi General Hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) department where he was handed over and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated and he passed away on 30 April 2018. This was 12 days later.
The COI opined that the significant delay from the time of symptoms to evacuation could have escalated the heat injury to a heat stroke. Full body cooling should have been instituted as soon as possible and within 30 minutes of presentation of signs and symptoms.
The delay in evacuation resulted as the persons attending to CFC Lee mistook his signs and symptoms as being due to physical exhaustion. Though trained, they had never encountered any previous case of heat injury themselves.
There were several suggestions for CFC Lee to be evacuated, but these calls were either not heard or not heeded.
For completeness, let me share the COI’s finding on one other aspect, which is CFC Lee’s state of health prior to the fast march. While CFC Lee had no significant medical history, it was established that he had been taking some medication in the weeks prior to the fast march following a visit to the Jurong Polyclinic on 31 March 2018 for acute upper respiratory tract infection. This was more than two weeks before the fast march on 18 April.
Let me conclude with the COI’s preliminary assessment on the cause of death. The COI found that CFC Lee’s death was the result of heat stroke leading to multiple organ injury. Other than this, the COI did not find any physical injury sustained, as verified by the autopsy, nor any evidence indicating any foul play or medical negligence that caused his death. While the COI was unable to ascertain the direct causes which led CFC Lee to suffer from his heat stroke, it noted that possible contributing causes were accumulated fatigue, insufficient rest, CFC Lee’s less than optimal state of health and his potential use of medication. However, the COI’s preliminary assessment was that the likely reasons for CFC Lee succumbing to the heat stroke were inadequate onsite casualty management and delayed evacuation to the medical centre.
The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will await the outcome of the Police investigations and Coroner’s Inquiry, as well as the Attorney-General’s Chambers' decision whether to prosecute any persons in the criminal Court. If no criminal charges are filed, MINDEF will prosecute persons responsible for lapses in this incident in our military Court. In the meantime, the relevant persons in this incident had been removed from command.
Let me share the findings of the External Review Panel. With your permission, Mr Speaker, may I ask the Clerks to distribute a copy of the ERPSS’ statement?
Mr Speaker: Please do. [Handouts were distributed to hon Members.]
Dr Ng Eng Hen: First, the ERPSS agreed with the COI’s preliminary assessment on the cause of death, as earlier stated.
Second, the panel emphasised that it is essential for personnel to comply with safety rules promulgated in the approved operating manuals. Breaches, such as those found by the COI in this case, should not be condoned.
Third, the ERPSS highlighted the value of strengthening the safety culture in Army units. They felt that if each soldier takes greater personal ownership and responsibility for safety, it would bring about desirable behaviours, such as (a) having a strong respect for safety rules and guidelines; (b) being willing to speak out when there are safety concerns; (c) taking care of one another; and (d) open-reporting, so as to share lessons and prevent future accidents. Such behaviours would substantially strengthen the Army’s efforts to ensure safe training.
Finally, the ERPSS flagged out three areas for further emphasis based on the COI’s findings. First, the need to strengthen commanders’ knowledge on heat injuries and improve their decision-making processes. Second, for medics to be able to exercise their professional authority when dealing with medical issues. This includes being able to communicate effectively with commanders who are much more senior than them. Third, for commanders to watch out for soldiers who are feeling unwell or are unable to cope and proactively pull them out of training before they get injured.
The COI will submit its final report after completion of the Police investigations and Coroner’s Inquiry, if held.
Let me now focus on what the SAF has done or will put in place to reduce the risks of heat injuries so that we can achieve zero training fatalities. Training and safety protocols were reviewed and advised by an External Review Panel on Heat Injury Management (ERPHIM). This was chaired by Assoc Prof Mark Leong, who is a senior consultant at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). The following changes will be put into place.
First, a simplified protocol to lower the bar for immediate evacuation. Under this protocol, all commanders and medics across the SAF will evacuate every trainee that cannot respond to simple questions on time, place and identity. The intent is obvious. This takes the guesswork out of the assessment and what the reason is, as this case showed, and imposes early evacuation as the default, as a strict Training Safety Regulation to be followed. This Training Safety Regulation is effective immediately.
Second, additional methods to cool servicemen during training. For example, the Army will implement what is called the Arm Immersion Cooling System – you immerse your arms – and this has been used in the United States (US) and Australian militaries to reduce heat injury for all fast marches and route marches that are 12 km and longer. Portable cooling methods, such as purpose-built cooling pads, will now replace less effective ice packs, to be used on the spot. These will be implemented in phases, starting from this month.
Third, there had been suggestions for wearables. The expert opinion of this Expert Review Panel on Heat Injuries is that those currently available in the market are not effective for measuring core temperature.
Fourth, the Army will ensure that our commanders and soldiers can better recognise the signs and symptoms of heat injuries. Lesson plans on safety will be improved and the annual Training Safety Regulation test will also include mandatory questions on heat injury prevention and management.
Fifth, the importance of open reporting will be emphasised. Soldiers will be encouraged to use the Hotline to report any unauthorised activities or violations of rules, especially during Basic Military Training phase and reinforced during In-Camp Training.
Sixth, more opportunities for make-up training. The Army will encourage our soldiers not to push themselves beyond safety limits. If a soldier feels that he is unwell during any training activity, or if the buddy notices it, soldiers will be reminded to err on the side of caution, to stop and make up training another day.
Seventh, more clinical exposure and patient contacts for medics to upgrade their skills in resuscitation and handling of emergencies. This may include periodic attachments to hospitals, A&E departments or to run in ambulances.
Mr Speaker, we need a strong SAF that can defend Singapore, but it must and can be built up without compromising the safety and well-being of Singapore’s precious sons serving their National Service. CFC Lee was an exemplary soldier who served with commitment, and was well-respected by his peers for his positive attitude. The loss of such a good soldier like CFC Lee is deeply grievous to us. It will take collective effort to achieve zero training fatalities. Each serviceman must take care of himself or sound the alert when his buddy is not well, or if regulations are not complied with during training. Commanders must be alert and pull out early those who are not coping and use another occasion to train.
Zero training deaths must be the norm and any mishap should be vigorously attended to by commanders to achieve this norm. Let me conclude by expressing this House’s deep condolences to the late CFC Lee’s family. The SAF has updated the family of the COI’s findings and the actions that the SAF is taking to prevent recurrences of the lapses found. I assure all Members that MINDEF and the SAF will do all it can to help the family through this difficult period.
Mr Speaker: Mr Murali Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the hon Minister for Defence, on 18 April 2018, before the fast march started, when CFC Lee and the other platoon mates were asked whether or not they had seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, what was the response of his platoon mates and himself? And if they did not respond that they did not have seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, how do we, in future, make sure that the soldiers would state the truth of the matter?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, the facts are what I have recounted. The findings were recounted by the COI and that three troopers stood out, declared that they did not fulfil all the conditions of the conducting officer, and they were deployed as marshals and were not put on the eight-km fast march. How do we ensure that, in their zeal, perhaps, soldiers take cognisance and take training safety regulations seriously? I presume that some of them who did not have seven hours uninterrupted sleep, for instance, still said, \"I can go on\". As I have said, this was the external safety review panel's comment, too, that you have got to make it second nature for the trainees to say, \"Look, this is for my own self-protection or my buddy. I am going to tell on you because you did not do it, because I am going to protect you.\" We thought that one crucial factor was to give more opportunities for make-up training. So, if they know they have time to make up and they would not fail the course, there will be more incentives for them to declare that they did not have it. And if commanders know now that if the conditions are not met, they will ensure that the conditions are met.
There is not going to be an easy answer. At this stage of ours where we have the regulations but we are not sure everybody follows these, we need everybody to play their part to achieve zero training fatalities.
Mr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister for the Ministerial Statement with many details of the COI Report. I would like to ask the Minister – not sure if I heard correctly – what was the COI's finding with respect to the detection of the physical status of the soldier CFC Dave Lee during the fast march itself. Did any of his colleagues or instructors detect or spot that he was not coping well during the training? My second question is: would the SAF look into the possibility of training commanders for early detection of soldiers who are not coping well during an extreme, strenuous exercise like the fast march so that they can be pulled out before the completion of the fast march?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, the findings are, again, as I have given in the Ministerial Statement. For the first six km, there did not seem to be any witness who noticed anything out of the ordinary. He took his 20-minute rest. During the last two km, he complained of cramps, told his commanders and his commanders advised him to stretch, which he did. And he was the last one to complete the fast march. It was only at the end of the fast march as he was walking towards the company line that they noticed that he was disoriented and then, the medics and others gave him immediate attention.
How do we ensure better recognition by commanders and men? That, indeed, is the point. So, as I have said, one of the recommendations is to take the guesswork out of this. In this instance, those attending to him thought he had physical exhaustion, not heat exhaustion. The immediate training safety regulation, effective now, is that we do not really care what the reason is. As soon as anybody is disoriented, we take him out, we send him to the medical centre, where there are facilities, where there is expertise. And we have learnt from this that, you do not guess, you may not be in the best position, err on the side of caution. And we want a simple mechanism where you can determine if someone is disoriented. If he is not oriented to time, place and identity – that is, to either one, not all three – you evacuate him.
Mr Speaker: Mr Henry Kwek.
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Nee Soon): I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. In the Report, I do not sense that the weather was a factor for this heat injury. But in the face of global warming – and the last few months have been very, very intense weather – I am just curious: are commanders given the discretion to, in extreme weather conditions, extreme heat waves, pare down the training, or is there a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to allow them to have flexibility, not during normal times, but extreme heat situations?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, Sir, our training requirements are much more serious than that. It is not discretionary, and Members will remember when I updated this House about what the requirements are for fast marches or any training activities, we use special sensors which measure the wet globe temperature and, depending on what the temperature is based on this instrument, you mandate work-rest cycles – you can only work so much and you need to rest so much.
So, yes, indeed, temperature is taken into account. In fact, after this, we looked around other militaries to see whether we were more stringent or less stringent than others. And we have learnt from it. So, different militaries use different work-rest cycles depending on what the temperature or the humidity is. So, we are reviewing that. But it is not a discretion given to commanders. They must follow it. It is part of the TSR.
Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): I thank the Minister for sharing the Committee of Inquiry's Report. I think the next steps are all quite logical. But one of the things that struck me – this was a trainee who, for all intents and purposes, appeared healthy to everyone, even completed the exercise and then passed out after that. There are many situations where tough training pushes people to the limits. So, are there any thoughts about looking at exercise-specific instructions? For example, if you are doing, say, trench-digging, where you would not sleep for a number of nights, you might be a little bit tired; you might be a little bit disoriented. But does that require the same procedures – what is normal, what is not? And maybe something more attuned to specific exercises, particularly those that are higher, I guess, that test people more, may be useful as well because it will probably be different in different exercises.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: The approach that the Army uses is graduation – in other words, graduated activities that train up. So, if you notice from my Ministerial Statement, one of the prerequisites that the conducting officer had asked was: have all of you done the six-km march? And some did not, alerted themselves and fell out of the march.
So, there was graduation, and not only in terms of just distance but tolerance for heat. So, that is also built into the programme. I would say at our level that we have not had a heat stroke of this magnitude for the last nine years, as I have said. Unfortunately, the commanders, those who dealt with CFC Lee had never encountered one in their own experience and that may have been part of the problem.
How do we simulate this? How do we teach better? I think it is a challenge. But for every activity, as Mr Vikram Nair pointed out, we want to make sure that the trainees are built up to take higher levels of activity, and that is the prevailing principle and practice.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Randolph Tan.
Assoc Prof Randolph Tan (Nominated Member): Sir, I would like to thank the Minister for all the efforts that have been put in to uncover these details so far. I would like to seek two clarifications.
I am not sure if I understood correctly, is it true to say that the conclusion is that CFC Lee's condition and the six-km march could not be linked to what happened to him subsequently? Did the COI actually give any conclusions about whether there was a link? My second clarification is: I think the Minister said earlier that wearables were considered but have now been ruled out. Would the possible use of wearables continue to be explored?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, what the COI did was to investigate in detail, first of all, chronologically, the events leading to the heat stroke. And they started from the day before the fast march. I have related how there were a number of activities, two of which did not comply with Training Safety Regulations – one part of the lesson plan where CFC Lee ran faster than he should have for three laps of 400 metres each. And that night where there was an informal unauthorised punishment which lasted 30-35 minutes which resulted in them not having seven hours of sleep as required – they had about six hours 15 minutes or thereabouts.
The COI concluded, based on all these findings – and I would repeat this because I think it is important – that CFC Dave Lee's death was a result of heat stroke. There is no argument there. Other than this, they did not find any physical injury sustained nor any foul play or medical negligence. The COI was unable to ascertain the direct causes which led CFC Lee to suffer from heat stroke. It noted the possible contributory causes were \"accumulated fatigue, insufficient rest and less than optimal state of health and his potential use of medication\". These are words that they used. But their preliminary assessment was that the likely reasons for him succumbing to the heat stroke were inadequate onsite casualty management and delayed evacuation to the medical centre. Heat stroke is usually a culmination of events – exposure to heat, your own body's mechanisms cannot cope with the heat produced and it shuts down. The COI opined that they could not find any direct cause but it could have been due to a number of accumulated causes. But they felt that his succumbing to the heat stroke was a result of delay between the symptoms and evacuation.
I think the Member's second question was on wearables. We had an expert panel of doctors – the Chair, who is a senior consultant in the A&E Department in SGH – and they concluded that wearables that are on the market do not measure core temperature that well because, for heat injuries or heat strokes, you need to measure core temperature. In this case, as Members have noticed, when they touched CFC Lee's skin, it was actually cold, cooler than norm – it was not warm. So, if you have wearables that measure surface temperature, it does not quite work. You have to measure core temperature, and the technology just is not there yet.
Mr Speaker: Mr Kok Heng Leun.
Mr Kok Heng Leun (Nominated Member): I thank the Minister for the Report. My condolences to the family. I have one clarification and one question. The first clarification is the part about the conducting officer asking them if they had seven hours of rest. The troop apparently did not respond to that. Did the COI talk about why they did not respond to that? Was there a reason why they did not? That is the first clarification.
The second question is, I wonder if there is a daily log of the activities that the troops go through that would have been recorded every day so that that would include how many hours of rest that they have or any extra activities that have been added on. Is there such a daily log that has been placed so that we could check on it, at least, for the conducting officer?
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, those are good questions. I would have to go back to the detailed COI Report to see whether they had asked the various platoon members why they did not all say they did not have the seven hours of sleep. From what I can recollect, they did not give specific reasons. And as I have said, one surmises that they wanted to do it because they wanted to carry on with their training.
Was there a log? As I have said earlier in my Statement, the commanders who conducted the informal punishment neither sought permission nor told their superiors of this. So, I think, this was missed – the seven hours – they did not have the requisite seven hours of sleep.
Mr Speaker: Order. Introduction of Government Bills. Minister for Transport.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Land Transport (Enforcement Measures) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"\"to amend certain Acts to strengthen enforcement capacity and measures across certain Acts relating to land transport management and regulation\",
presented by the Senior Minister of State for Transport (Dr Lam Pin Min) on behalf of the Minister for Transport; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"\"to amend the Stamp Duties Act (Chapter 312 of the 2006 Revised Edition)\",
recommendation of President signified; presented by the Second Minister for Finance (Mr Lawrence Wong); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"\"to amend the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act (Chapter 310 of the 2002 Revised Edition)\",
presented by the Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) on behalf of the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Companies (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
The Bill introduces two amendments to the Companies Act.
The first amendment seeks to exempt Shipowners' Liens from the requirement of registration as a charge under the Companies Act.
The second amendment seeks to clarify the categories of persons bound by a compromise or scheme of arrangement when a company is in the course of being wound up.
Mr Speaker, let me now take Members through the details of the two amendments in the Bill.
First is on Shipowners' Liens. Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to preserve the ease of doing shipping business in Singapore. Specifically, this clause exempts Shipowners' Liens from the requirement of registration as a charge under section 131 of the Companies Act. A Shipowner's Lien is a standard feature in ship charterparties. A charterparty is a maritime contract, typically between a shipowner and a charterer or a hirer of the shipowner's vessel.
The Shipowners' Lien in such a contract gives the shipowner the right, in the event of the charterer's default, to claim payment from monies owing to the charterer by third parties. In other words, should the charterer be unable to pay the shipowner, the lien allows the shipowner to directly recover payment of sub-hire, sub-freight or, in certain instances, bill of lading freight, from a sub-charterer.
The term \"Shipowner's Lien\" is the term of the art used by the shipping community to refer to liens provided to others, beyond the registered owner of the ship. These include a disponent owner, bareboat charterer or other charterer, in addition to the registered owner.
In 2017, the status of an unregistered Shipowner's Lien vis-a-vis a liquidator of the charterer and its interaction with section 131 of the Companies Act was litigated in Singapore for the first time.
The High Court in Duncan, Cameron Lindsay v Diablo Fortune Inc recognised a Shipowner's Lien as a charge that is required to be registered under section 131 of the Companies Act. In March 2018, the Court of Appeal affirmed the High Court's decision.
As a consequence of non-registration under section 131, the lien in that case was not enforceable against the liquidator of the charterer and the shipowner who would otherwise have had the benefit of the lien, ranked together with the unsecured creditors of the charterer instead.
The effect of the Diablo case gives rise to several practical difficulties for the shipping industry in connection with section 131 of the Companies Act and Shipowners' Liens.
First, leaving aside the long-standing industry custom and practice where shipowners do not habitually register Shipowners' Liens, the registration of Shipowners' Liens is particularly difficult from a practical perspective. This is because each ship is typically subject to a continual series of charterparties, each entered into as quickly as possible, to ensure that the ship is continually gainfully employed. Often, charters are for periods as short as a few days. This means that many charterparties may have been completed before a charge can even be registered.
Second, given the volume of charterparties, there would likely be significant administrative and cost implications for shipping companies.
As a result, compliance with section 131 of the Companies Act in relation to Shipowners' Liens would be particularly burdensome for the shipping industry.
Furthermore, the underlying rationale of section 131 of the Companies Act, which is to protect third parties who deal with companies, by disclosing charges against a company’s property, is less applicable in the shipping context. As observed by the Court of Appeal in its grounds of decision in the Diablo case, \"[n]otice…may not be necessary in the [shipping] context since all parties who deal with charterers are aware that such liens are standard in charterparties\".
Moving to the specifics of the amendment, there is precedent for the introduction of a statutory exemption from registration under section 131 of the Companies Act. Similar exemptions exist within the Companies Act. For example, section 131(3A) of the Companies Act exempts charges over securities issued by the Government.
There is international precedent for excluding Shipowners' Liens from registration requirements. In Hong Kong, for example, the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance stipulates that a Shipowners' Lien does not amount to a charge and, consequently, Shipowners' Liens are excluded from the requirement of registration.
We have taken a different approach. In our case, the Bill, while exempting such Shipowners' Liens from registration requirements under section 131 of the Companies Act, maintains the Singapore Courts' characterisation in the Diablo case of such liens as charges. The effect of this is that the Shipowners' Lien retains its essential nature as a security but without the need for registration. As a result, the Shipowners' Lien will take priority over other charges created subsequent to it, as well as over unsecured creditors. This is unlike Hong Kong where, given that a Shipowners' Lien is not a charge to begin with, it will not take priority over other charges and will rank pari passu with unsecured claims.
So, this will be the position for all Shipowners' Liens that are created on or after the date that the amendments in this Bill come into effect.
With regard to Shipowners' Liens that are already in existence, or which are created before the effective date of these amendments, the position is as follows.
Clause 2 contains a saving provision that preserves, where possible, the validity of unregistered Shipowners' Liens existing prior to this amendment coming into force.
Specifically, such unregistered Shipowners’ Liens would generally remain valid, unless the relevant company is already in winding up, or a creditor has already obtained proprietary rights or interests in the subject matter of the charge.
Next, compromise and schemes of arrangement. Clause 3 of the Bill seeks to clarify the categories of persons bound by a compromise or scheme of arrangement when a company is in the course of being wound up.
Section 210 of the Companies Act provides the mechanism for a compromise or arrangement to rearrange the rights of the company, its creditors or members. In 2014, the provision was amended to clarify that holders of units of shares in a company can be parties to a compromise or scheme of arrangement. However, creditors and members, who were bound by a compromise or scheme of arrangement before the amendments in 2014, were inadvertently excluded from the amended provision, in respect of a company which is in the course of being wound up. Thus, clause 3 is a technical amendment to reinstate these categories of persons. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Speaker, I first declare my interest as a shipping lawyer.
Mr Speaker, the main thrust of today's Companies (Amendment) Bill provides that a Shipowner's Lien for bill of lading freight, sub-freights, sub-hires or for any amount due under any charter, no longer requires registration under section 131 of the Companies Act. Under the proposed amendments, a shipowner includes a registered owner, a disponent owner or a bareboat charterer of a ship.
Simply put, the shipowner can intercept income due to charterers in the form of bill of lading freight, sub-freight under a voyage charter or sub-hire under a sub-charter.
Today's Bill for the proposed amendment of section 131 of the Companies Act stems from the recent Court of Appeal case of Diablo Fortune v Duncan Lindsay. The Court of Appeal, with five judges hearing the appeal, affirmed the decision of Judicial Commissioner Audrey Lim in the High Court below.
Diablo Fortune Inc are the owners of the cargo vessel V8 Stealth II. Their bareboat chartered the vessel to Siva Ships International Pte Ltd. The charterers entered into a pooling agreement with another company by which the charterers earned charterhire. The charterers then went into liquidation and the owners sought to enforce a lien over subhire pursuant to clause 18 of the bareboat charterparty by serving a lien on the pool. The pool withheld hire payments to the charterer. The liquidators applied to the High Court directing payment of the charterhire to the charterer.
In the High Court decision below, the hon Judicial Commissioner held that the lien over sub-hire created by a charterparty was registrable pursuant to section 131(3)(f) of the Companies Act as a book debt or pursuant to section 131(g) as a floating charge.
The decision in July 2017 last year generated a strong reaction from the maritime community in Singapore. Although it can be said that the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the High Court are not surprising given that they are, in some respects, consistent with English law on the registrability of liens on sub-hire and sub-freights, the recent decisions are nonetheless the first local judicial pronouncements on the effect of the non-registration of such liens. The shipping community, led by the Singapore Shipping Association, bemoaned the “onerous” and “administrative burden” of having to register all such liens and pleaded for a “statutory carve out”.
The reaction from the shipping community is perhaps hardly surprising, at least to those in the community. And I am in total agreement. Such a lien clause is very common in standard charterparties all over the world, not just in bareboat charterparties which are the subject of the Diablo case, but also in time and even voyage charterparties; in many of these commonly used charterparty forms, we will use a variant of a lien clause allowing lien over hire, freight, sub-freights or sub-hire. Parties all over the world enter into charterparties on an everyday basis. Singapore is, of course, a major maritime hub in the world with many shipping businesses setting up companies, subsidiaries and operations in Singapore. Moreover, many charterparties and fixture notes have Singapore or Singapore law as part of their jurisdiction or arbitration or governing law clauses.
I agree that it is wholly impractical to require all liens for freights, hire, sub-freights or sub-hire to be registered as charges under sections 131(f) or (g) of the Companies Act.
If the law is not amended, businesses may be compelled to register charges for such liens, and failure to do so may even lead to penalties under the Companies Act.
Besides being impractical, it is inconvenient and the legal fees for registration are unnecessary expenses for businesses. Notwithstanding the recent judicial pronouncements of there being a need to register a charge under section 131(3)(f) or (g), the reality is that the practice of registering was never part of our commercial landscape in Singapore.
It is notable that the Court of Appeal made comparisons with the corresponding laws in the United Kingdom (UK) and Hong Kong, respectively. I would suggest that the comparisons with the UK and Hong Kong are not merely of jurisprudential significance. Whether as admiralty jurisdictions, legal or maritime centres, England and Hong Kong are arguably two of Singapore's closest rivals.
While it may be a slight exaggeration to say that maintaining the status quo will put Singapore in a distinct disadvantage compared to Hong Kong, it is important that we continue to make our maritime and legal hub as competitive as possible and minimise or avoid any unnecessary shortfalls that make us less sensitive to the views and needs of the business community. The amendments should, in my view, now place our law on shipowners’ lien in a better position than Hong Kong or the UK.
The proposed amendments under this amendment Bill are also timely in that Singapore is also aiming to be one of the leading international debt restructuring centres in Asia, especially with the amendments to the Companies Act provisions brought in May 2017 with the introduction of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency. In recent years, insolvency cases involving internationally well-known companies have been started or filed in our Courts for various reasons, such as insolvency protection and debt restructuring. They include companies in shipping or oil and offshore industries, too. The proposed amendments will bring about some certainty to the interpretation of section 131(f) and 131(g) of the Companies Act, while the amendments themselves will not necessarily put any party in a position of great disadvantage.
Mr Speaker, for the above reasons, I support this amendment Bill. The Court of Appeal was certainly right to recommend the proposed changes to Parliament.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. This is a swift legislative response to the Court of Appeal's proposal in the case of Diablo Fortune Inc vs Duncan, Cameron Lindsay, as the Minister has pointed out, to carve out liens on sub-freights from the registration requirement under section 131(1) of the Companies Act.
As the law currently stands, given the Court of Appeal and High Court decisions that characterise a lien on sub-freight as a floating charge and a charge on the company's book debts, a shipowner must register its lien as a charge under the Companies Act, failing which, this lien will not be valid against other creditors.
However, this requirement is viewed by the industry as onerous and commercially inconvenient for charterparties that are usually of relatively short durations.
This reform would resolve the dilemma shipowners face between expediency and protection of their right to exercise the lien.
The proposed statutory carve out differs from the Hong Kong approach, which the Minister has also mentioned, which provides under section 334(4) of its Companies Ordinance that a lien on sub-freights is not a charge on book debts of the company or a floating charge for the purposes of registration.
Given that the outcome on the registration requirements is, in effect, the same, can the Minister clarify if there are any other practical implications that are intended in affirming the Singapore Courts' characterisation of a lien on sub-freight as a charge on book debts of the company or a floating charge?
Given the lack of clarity on the characterisation and registration requirements of liens on sub-freights prior to the Courts' decisions and this amendment, shipping companies and creditors would understandably have acted according to what is most commercially expedient.
In practice, registration of liens on sub-freights is not commonplace, especially for shorter charters.
The new section 131(3AC) provides for a period of transition by clarifying that the consequences of non-registration should only apply prior to the amendments commencing where there is a liquidator or creditor.
Until the new amendments take effect, under section 132(1) of the Companies Act, the lienor or company and every officer of the company is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine for not registering such a lien. Can the Minister clarify whether these penal consequences will be applied against shipping companies and their officers?
Clarifications notwithstanding, I stand in support of this Bill, which provides much needed clarity on this area of law and is in line with commercial practice.
\tMr Speaker: Second Minister.
Ms Indranee Rajah: Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Louis Ng for their support of the Bill. In their speeches, they have highlighted the practical difficulties that would be faced by shipping companies if the requirements for a lien to be registered were maintained. The difficulties that they have described are very real. For that reason, it was in response to feedback from the shipping industry, the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA), and also looking at the Court decision, that we move very quickly to put forward these amendments to Parliament.
Mr Louis Ng had two questions. The first was, he asked, given the approach of Singapore and Hong Kong gives the same practical outcome, whether there were practical implications or differences between the two.
On the practical implication of affirming the Court's characterisation of the lien as a charge, as I explained earlier in my speech, this results in Shipowner's Liens retaining their nature as security. This affords enhanced protection to shipowners and charterers in the event of default and insolvency, as they will be secured creditors. Otherwise, the shipowners and charterers would have to compete with unsecured creditors for payment. In short, with these amendments, in Singapore, a lien is still a charge and, because it is a charge, it will rank ahead of charges which are created after it, and it will also rank ahead of unsecured claims.
In Hong Kong, it is not a security at all and does not have to be registered. So, in Hong Kong, the lien will rank together with unsecured claims after secured creditors and, as Mr Dennis Tan pointed out, this, in fact, puts us in a better position.
With respect to Mr Louis Ng's second question on whether, because until the new amendments take effect, he said the lienor company and officers may be guilty of an offence, and asked for clarification on whether there will be penal consequences against the shipping companies and their officers.
First and foremost, I should clarify, it is not the case that all Shipowner's Liens created prior to the effective date of these amendments need to be registered.
New subsection 3AC provides that the lien will be regarded as registrable and be subject to the consequences of non-registration only if: as at the effective date of the amendments, the company has been wound up; or a creditor has acquired a proprietary right to, or an interest in the subject matter of the Lien. So, in other words, it is only in those two situations – the company has been wound up or a creditor has acquired a proprietary right to or interest in – that it will become registrable.
Therefore, a large majority of the existing Liens will not be registrable and, hence, no offence would be committed. They will only be regarded as having been registrable in the event of winding up or other creditor acquiring an interest. So, unless this has already occurred, you would not know at this stage whether those Liens are registrable or not, as these are contingent events.
Compared to the overall number of Shipowners' Liens, we would expect that the number affected by winding up or other creditors acquiring an interest, and hence being registrable, to be a small proportion of the whole. In those instances, suffice to say that this will be a matter for prosecutorial discretion. In exercising that discretion, the Registrar of Companies will take a practical and commercial approach and all relevant factors, including the fact that current industry practice is not to register and the fact that it was an open question of whether such Liens were registrable until the Diablo case was decided.
In short, we will take a commonsense approach and also, assuming that the Bill is passed today, we will work to bring the commencement date of the amendments into effect as soon as possible. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
[(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. – [Ms Indranee Rajah.] (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":"Transport Safety Investigations Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Singapore is a vibrant transport hub. We have world-class air and sea ports that connect us to the rest of the world and an extensive public transport system that enables our people to move around efficiently for work and leisure.
Ensuring safety is a key focus of our transport system. We set high safety standards through legislation and regulations and close oversight of our transport operators. Our transport operators also employ technology, train their personnel and run safety campaigns.
Despite these measures, incidents happen. When they do occur, it is important that we learn from them, identify the causes and take measures to prevent a recurrence. We do this by conducting safety investigations. As these investigations aim to identify lessons and not to ascribe blame, they enable those involved in an incident to freely share information in a truthful manner without any fear of being penalised.
The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB), a department of the Ministry of Transport, will be the authority responsible for conducting safety investigations into air, sea and certain land transport incidents.
The Transport Safety Investigations (TSI) Bill will be the single legislation that governs the conduct of safety investigations. It will facilitate the TSIB's work and enable TSIB investigators to effectively perform their safety functions.
Currently, TSIB conducts safety investigations into air and marine incidents. The TSIB Bill will extend the no-blame safety investigation principles, processes and best practices from the air and marine sectors to the rail sector. It will standardise the procedures for the conduct of investigations and apply the same set of safeguards on the treatment of information obtained during an investigation.
Mr Speaker, Sir, let me highlight the key provisions of the Bill.
Clause 3 of the Bill states the purposes of the Bill, one of which is for the prevention of future transport occurrences and not for ascribing blame to any person or organisation.
Clause 15 makes clear that TSIB may investigate incidents involving any combination of modes of transport vehicles, and between civilian and military transport vehicles.
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair]
Clause 16 of the Bill sets out the scope of TSIB's investigations, which include incidents involving civilian aircraft and vessels. When TSIB has built up its rail accident investigation capabilities, they will also conduct safety investigations into domestic and international railway incidents which happen on or after a date set by the Minister under clause 5. When directed by the Minster for Transport, TSIB may also investigate incidents involving certain land transport incidents involving buses, such as those operating under the Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) public bus services contract.
As is the case under the existing legislation in the Air Navigation Act, clause 16 of the Bill will continue to allow TSIB to investigate an incident involving only military aircraft engaged in a flying display in Singapore organised by civilians.
To ensure that investigators are able to effectively perform their roles, clauses 26 to 31 of the Bill confer on TSIB investigators the necessary powers, including powers to access occurrence sites, gather information and records, take possession of evidence, and require medical examinations of persons involved.
Clause 23(5) specifies that these powers are exercisable by TSIB investigators only when and to the extent authorised by the Director of TSIB.
Clause 43 of the Bill prescribes limits on the disclosure of restricted information collected during an investigation. This limit on disclosure is important in order to encourage the free flow of safety information in transport safety investigations and is also necessary in order to meet international requirements. Examples of restricted information include witnesses' statements, medical or private information, voice and image recordings and their transcripts, analysis of information and draft final reports. This clause, however, does not prevent transport regulators and other agencies from conducting their own investigations to obtain similar information directly from the source.
Subsection 4 of clause 43, however, allows the High Court to order the disclosure of any restricted information, if the High Court is satisfied that any adverse domestic or international impact that the disclosure might have on any current or future investigation is outweighed by the public interest in the administration of justice.
Clause 44 provides that TSIB investigators are not compellable to give any evidence or provide any expert opinion in any proceedings except to a Coroner's inquiry. This reinforces the purpose of the Bill, which is not to ascribe blame to any person or organisation. Information obtained by TSIB in the course of their investigation is to be used solely for the purpose of improving safety and not by the judicial system whose purpose is for blame or liability.
Clause 18 of the Bill specifies that the expenses incurred by TSIB during an investigation is recoverable from the owner or operator, or both, of the transport vehicles involved in the incident.
To enable the findings and lessons learnt from TSIB's safety investigations to be shared with as many people as possible, clause 20 of the Bill requires TSIB to make their investigation reports publicly available.
Clause 21 of the Bill prevents the TSIB's reports from being used for disciplinary or criminal purposes. Accordingly, the TSIB's draft reports are inadmissible in all Courts and proceedings. Reports of completed investigations are also inadmissible in all Courts and proceedings except a Coroner's inquiry. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, I stand in support of the Bill.
The work of TSIB is notable for its independence and objectivity, and its focus on preventing future accidents and incidents rather than apportioning blame. These characteristics allow it to carry out its existing functions effectively through the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Marine Safety Investigation Branch (MSIB). As such, it would be beneficial for the TSIB's investigative powers to be extended to two other modes of transport, rail and LTA-contracted buses, as proposed in this Bill. This will allow a greater proportion of transport users to benefit from the robust work of TSIB.
I would like to raise a few short clarifications with regard to the Bill.
First, I would like to clarify a point with regard to the recovery of costs and expenses of the investigation, under clause 18 of the Bill. The clause states, \"the Director of the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau may recover from the owner or operator of a transport vehicle or both, a reasonable part of the remuneration of an investigator; and all expenses reasonably incurred by an investigator in the exercise of any powers.\" Can I clarify with the Minister under what circumstances would these costs be borne by TSIB, and under what circumstances would it be borne by transport owners or operators?
Second, I would like to clarify a point with regard to the powers to detain vehicles under clause 30 of the Bill. The clause states that the director of TSIB has the power to detain a transport vehicle on reasonable grounds, which includes the powers to stop, move and take control of the vehicle.
The clause also states that the Director must not detain a transport vehicle under this section for longer than is necessary and reasonable to exercise any other powers under this Bill. Can I clarify if there is a maximum duration for such detainment?
Lastly, I would like to clarify a point with regard to the general exemptions of the Bill, under clause 47. The clause states that the Minister may, by order in the Gazette, exempt any person or class of persons or any transport vehicle or class of transport vehicles from all or any provisions of this Bill.
Can the Minister clarify if there are certain classes of transport vehicles that are currently in contemplation for exemption? Are there specific circumstances which would govern an exemption that can be made known in this Bill? Sir, notwithstanding the above clarifications, I stand in support of this Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): This Bill tasks TSIB with the mission of investigating incidents relating to aviation, marine, rail and public transport with a view to enhancing transport safety and preventing accidents or the recurrence of accidents. This mission will improve public safety and should be supported. Nevertheless, I have two queries on the enhanced TSIB and how it will operate.
First, TSIB investigations and other investigations or proceedings. My first query relates to how TSIB investigations will proceed if there are other agencies or bodies investigating the same incident.
According to clause 9 of the Bill, TSIB's role is to independently investigate occurrences, identify factors that have contributed to the occurrence and report publicly on those investigations. As I understand it, TSIB's primary concern is safety and recommendations to improve safety. To this end, clause 9(3) makes it clear that assigning blame and liability is not the function of TSIB. However, the same clause rightly recognises that blame or liability may be inferred from its report.
How will TSIB's work relate to the work of other investigative agencies? Let us take a scenario of two marine vessels colliding within Singapore port limits, resulting in deaths. A Coroner's inquiry or other Inquiry will usually be conducted, which means the Police will likely commence investigations. Under this Bill, TSIB will also be activated to conduct its own investigations into what caused the accident. Will TSIB and the Police share their findings with each other, or will they work independently? Is there a possibility of conflicting findings being reached by TSIB and other agencies, for example, TSIB may find that there was a mechanical problem in one of the vessels, while the Police may find that the crew was reckless? Further, according to clause 21 of the Bill, the TSIB report will be admissible before a Coroner's Inquiry. Does this mean that the Coroner will wait for TSIB to finalise its report before the Coroner reaches his verdict on the likely cause of death?
My second point concerns how TSIB will preserve its independence.
According to clauses 8 and 11 of the Bill, TSIB is to be headed by a Director who will be a public officer. As for the investigators, clause 23 provides that where an investigation is needed, the Director will appoint either TSIB staff members or consultants as investigators.
Sir, investigating transport occurrences are major investigations with grave implications. For instance, a finding of the factors that contributed to deaths or injuries may encourage lawsuits from victims and lead to reputational and economic damage to big players in the transport industry. Such findings thus carry high stakes.
To illustrate, we can recall the tragic crash 20 years ago of Silkair flight MI 185 over Palembang. In that incident, there was controversy around whether the crash had been caused by deliberate pilot action, or by mechanical or other causes. A lawsuit was brought in Singapore by the families of six victims who refused to reach settlements with Silkair. The Court had to consider two conflicting findings from transportation investigation agencies – the Indonesian National Safety Transportation Committee and the United States (US) National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The Indonesian agency concluded that the cause of death was unascertainable while the US NTSB found that the crash was likely caused by intentional pilot action. Eventually, the Court found that the cause was unascertainable and the families lost their cases. However, if the US NTSB finding had been accepted, Silkair would not have been covered by the applicable Warsaw Conventions to limit payout to each victim to US$75,000 each.
Sir, I understand that under this Bill, a TSIB report would be inadmissible in such a Court proceeding. However, the Silkair incident illustrates that the enormous pressure that may confront the TSIB Director and investigation team when probing such high-stakes incidents. It seems to me that if we want TSIB to succeed as a credible agency, TSIB must be absolutely fearless in its investigations and not be seen to cower to transport regulators or big business. To this end, I have two concerns.
First, how senior in the Public Service will the Director of TSIB be to have the independence and clout needed?
Secondly, clause 19 provides that the Director may provide a draft report to any person he considers appropriate, to allow the person to make submissions to the Director about the draft report before it is finalised. This is potentially worrying. In the normal course of events, TSIB would have interviewed the relevant parties in the incident before coming to conclusions in any draft report. By allowing parties to make representations about the draft report, could this be a window for parties to lobby TSIB to change its findings? I would ask the Minister to clarify the purpose of allowing a person to make representations at this late stage.
Sir, in conclusion, I have stated my general support for the TSIB's proposed expanded role and work. However, I have raised several queries and concerns for the Ministry's response.
I certainly hope that the enhanced TSIB will grow into an agency with a solid reputation for independent investigations that will enhance transport safety.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Ms Joan Pereira.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Deputy Speaker, Sir, we pride ourselves as a busy regional and international aviation and maritime hub. On top of that, our railways see a huge volume of traffic on a daily basis. While fortunately, accidents involving aircraft, marine craft and railway are not a frequent occurrence in Singapore, the probability of incidences is certainly on the higher side, given the volume of traffic we handle.
To keep this probability low, besides having in place adequate safety measures, it is crucial to ensure all incidences are duly reported. In doing so, the key is not to lay blame on anyone, but to empower the relevant authorities and personnel to learn from shortcomings and resolve them, so we may prevent them in future. Thus, I am pleased to note the significance on incident management and reporting in the Bill.
When it comes to transport, there is plenty at stake. In less severe cases, there is some damage and/or loss of property. In serious accidents, human lives are at stake. So, TSIB certainly has heavy responsibilities.
Prevention should remain the focus when it comes to dealing with accidents. It is not just about looking into how an accident had happened and what could have been done to prevent it. Rather, the prevention work that is in place to lower the probability of an accident happening at all is imperative. Can the Minister explain how will TSIB be staffed with sufficient professionals with the necessary skills to collate information, analyse and study the patterns of near-misses and anticipate weak links so that preventative measures can be drawn up and implemented? Will the initial staff strength be drawn by transferring some manpower from the Civil Aviation Authority, Maritime and Port Authority, Public Utilities Board and so on? If so, how many people will be affected by this transfer?
Next, with a new set up and a new grouping of people in place, how long will it take before TSIB becomes effectively operational?
Are we seeking any ad hoc appointments of experts from overseas to help put us on a strong foundation? Will staff who are earmarked for jobs in the Statutory Board be sent abroad for training? Also, how many investigations are currently ongoing, being conducted by other Government agencies, which will be transferred to the TSIB umbrella? There would even be opportunities for TSIB to collaborate with our Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to work on fire safety matters, as I see it.
I note in the Bill, it is stated that TSIB may be called upon to render assistance to foreign countries. I would like to ask how the Ministry intends to grow the expertise and services of the Board and how much resources would go into foreign assistance? I note that \"consultants\" are referred to in the Bill. I believe this means TSIB recognises that it would have to draw on external expertise to augment its investigation teams. And on the subject of expertise, it would be ideal if, further down the road, TSIB could set up its own training centre to develop local talents who would be well-versed in dealing with local and even transport occurrences in foreign context.
Accidents involving drones are a growing concern. In recent years, international media has captured a number of high-profile drone accidents. Amongst them, one of the most serious accidents involved a drone operator who crashed a quadcopter into the grounds of the White House, triggering a security lockdown. Eventually, the US attorney did not pursue criminal charges against the operator as the incident was determined to be not deliberate as the operator had simply “lost control” of the device. This brings to mind some grave concerns. Indeed, most accidents are not deliberate, so who will be held responsible if damages, casualties, or even fatalities stem from a drone accident?
In July 2014, a drone had narrowly missed colliding with an Airbus A320 as it was taking off from London's Heathrow airport. In Singapore, we have been fortunate to have had no serious accidents involving drones. With technology enthusiasts touting the potential of the use of drones in all sorts of important situations, from delivering parcels to security patrols, it is high time we also looked into safety and incident management for drones.
Are there plans for more incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in the area of data science? I would foresee TSIB working closely with our Defence Science Technology Agency (DSTA), using technology to develop accident prevention devices that can be used by our transport operators. Sir, in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] On the other hand, in light of the sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks on databases of the Government and public services, we must ensure that security of our data systems is in top form and frequently reviewed. Errors in or deliberate tampering of data can lead to inaccurate information, causing disruption and inconveniences to transport commuters. In the worst scenario, fatal accidents may occur. I would foresee that terrorists could hire hackers to tamper with public transport systems to cause mass accidents. I urge the Bureau to prioritise cybersecurity management and cyberhygiene as part of safety management efforts.
(In English): I now refer to section 22, Responses to reports of, or containing, safety recommendations. After TSIB has made a recommendation, the party to whom a recommendation is made must give a written response to the Director within a prescribed time after the report was published. The penalty for failure to comply without a reasonable excuse is a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both. Sir, I feel the $10,000 fine should be reviewed because safety involves lives. The penalty should be more punitive and set at a minimum of $50,000.
This Bill is a representation of the Government’s determination to shore up safety lapses and provide a safer transport system worthy of a regional and international transport hub. It also brings with it potential for greater interest and development in safety and risk management, which could lead to more careers in a meaningful industry that saves lives. Sir, I support the Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Melvin Yong.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to declare my interest as the Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union. My members include public rail workers and public bus workers. I stand in support of the Bill which seeks to enable TSIB to conduct independent safety investigations into transport incidents, across the air, land and sea domains. However, I do have some questions for the Minister.
The TSI Bill is a new omnibus Bill that will centralise the conduct of transport safety investigations by TSIB. I would like to ask what the rationale was when deciding to centralise the safety investigations of all air, land and sea transport modes into one investigation body. What key advantages would such centralisation provide, and has the Ministry studied examples of what have been done overseas?
Australia, for example, has a similar transport safety bureau that only covers the aviation, marine and rail sectors. As they do not cover bus accidents, I am curious as to why the TSI Bill has catered specific provisions for investigations into public bus accidents. Is there certain specialist knowledge required to investigate public bus accidents, as compared to a normal vehicular accident on our roads?
Mr Deputy Speaker, as the new TSIB would have enhanced powers to investigate rail and bus accidents, it comes across as odd that certain segments of the land transport sector are not covered under its ambit. For example, the Bill limits the TSIB’s role to investigating only incidents involving buses that are operating under the LTA’s public bus service contracts. Why not extend the powers to cover all types of bus incidents? With so much innovation disrupting the land transport sector currently, should not TSIB have the powers to step in and investigate major incidents on our public roads that are beyond the public bus contracts?
On that note, new and emerging forms of land transport also do not seem to have been covered under the Bill. Autonomous buses and shuttles are soon to be deployed in Punggol, Tengah and the Jurong Innovation District in 2022, and TSIB should also be empowered to investigate any incidents involving such autonomous public transport, should an unfortunate accident happen in Singapore.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Bill also covers investigation into incidents involving military and Police vehicles. Clause 16(3) states that subsection (2) – which covers exempt vehicles – does not prevent an investigation of a transport occurrence that involves a Singapore military ship or Singapore military aircraft, if an appropriate authority in the Singapore Armed Forces requests the Director or TSIB to conduct an investigation into the matter. It is my understanding that military and Police vehicles are exempt because otherwise the personnel involved would have to give testimony that may cover national security matters. Hence, I would like to ask the Minister under what circumstances would the Air Force or Navy request TSIB to investigate an incident involving a military aircraft or a military vessel. If a request is, indeed, made for TSIB to investigate, some protocol should be put in place to address and safeguard security information relating to the incident or the assets.
What about incidents involving Police vehicles or those used by our border control or Civil Defence departments? The Bill clearly exempts such vessels from investigation by TSIB. Would a similar provision, therefore, be made for these agencies to request TSIB to investigate?
Mr Deputy Speaker, an investigator’s skills are like a muscle that needs to be constantly exercised in order to remain at its peak. With the move to expand the TSIB’s scope into the rail and bus sectors, how does TSIB intend to build its capabilities in investigating such areas? In addition, how does the Ministry plan to keep the skills of their investigators sharp? Perhaps the Ministry could also shed light into how many investigations TSIB typically conducts in a year, and the estimated number of incidents TSIB would be expected to investigate annually in the future.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the first 24 hours of any major incident is crucial for an investigator to gather and preserve important pieces of evidence. It is, therefore, necessary that our transport investigators are well-trained and have the mandate to be flexible enough to investigate all possible modes of transport across the air, land and sea sectors. My concern is with the deep specialisation of these specialist investigators and how to upkeep the currency of their knowledge and skillsets.
Like Ms Sylvia Lim who spoke earlier, I hope that TSIB will one day be a highly regarded transport safety investigation agency that we can all be proud of. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary.
Dr Janil Puthucheary: Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members, Ms Joan Pereira, Ms Sylvia Lim, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Louis Ng for their support for the Transport Safety Investigations Bill.
This arena of transport safety investigations is very specialised. It is a fairly unique process; it has been tested in practice; it has an international application. It arose really from our obligations under some international treaties, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This Bill brings together the work that has been already ongoing. TSIB was administratively created in August 2016, coming out of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau. They have been doing the work already but this Bill will facilitate that work. It brings it together under one legislative framework, and it enables the investigators to effectively perform their safety functions, improve transport safety, and be in accord with international practices as well as our international agreements under one legislative framework.
Many countries have a similar multi-modal transport investigation agency – Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, the US. Having a multi-modal transport safety investigation agency allows the cross-sharing of best practices and resources. While there is a need for domain-specific industry experience, engineering experience, safety operation experience, there is a significant amount of cross-sharing in terms of legal practices, cross-border issues, and how one interfaces with other Government agencies, among other things.
So, there is a need for deep specialisation – aviation experts, maritime experts, subsequently rail experts. But there is also a need to bring them together administratively, and the experience from overseas shows that this works. It also allows the deepening of the investigation expertise, for example, in the human and system factors.
TSIB is staffed with very experienced and competent investigators, currently with aviation and maritime industry experience. So, this industry experience is something very significant. While they have been in industry, they have had the experience of operating some of these safety issues, of designing safety policies within their agency, within their commercial organisation. So, they bring to bear, when they come and work under TSIB, all of those years of experience. The director has 20 years of experience and is a fairly senior person, and it is that level of expertise that we will need to have.
Some of the Members asked about training and capability development. The investigators attend both local as well as foreign training courses to update their knowledge of transport systems, to sharpen their investigation capabilities. And the training is ongoing; it is not just merely at the point of entry at TSIB. They go on attachments with TSIB’s counterparts. Indeed, we are able to and have brought in both volunteer investigators as well as appointed overseas experts, depending on the nature of the incident and the case that is being investigated. A whole series of resources will be brought together, depending on what is needed.
The number of people, however, that we need here in Singapore in order to do this, while they are very talented and have deep expertise, is probably not a number that will justify a single training centre. So, that is not something that we are currently planning on.
We are planning to build up our rail safety investigation capabilities over the next two years through the recruitment and training of rail safety investigators. But we are not looking to do this by transferring people across different parts of the Government because these types of capabilities will be needed in other agencies and in other entities, because there is an ongoing need for investigations, for disciplinary processes, enforcement and regulations, and so forth. So, we want to build up a separate arm of capability.
The objective of TSIB is really just to focus on the safety standards, looking at the causes, drawing safety lessons, preventing recurrence.
As has been noted, we have included the provision for TSIB to be activated to investigate incidents involving LTA-contracted bus services. The question was raised about why not all buses, why not all major incidents? So, again, I would reiterate, there are plenty of other organisations and agencies that can investigate – the Police; LTA itself can conduct an investigation; the Minister for Transport can also convene committees and Commissions of Inquiry, for instance.
So, by constituting TSIB, it is not that all investigations will only happen under the remit of TSIB. It is a very specific and particular type of investigation that will happen under TSIB, and all the other agencies that can continue to investigate incidents and systems will continue to have that opportunity to do so.
The reason why we have looked at the provisions specifically for LTA-contracted bus services, firstly, it is about the systems associated with it. You need something which is a fairly complex system to begin with organisationally to justify this type of investigation.
Secondly, ordinary road accidents usually are about human error and the opportunity is there for the Traffic Police as well as LTA to investigate. But in this case, we wanted something, apart from LTA, to investigate LTA-contracted services. I hope that answers the Member's questions. This independent assessment of safety issues and recommendations would run in parallel to any potential Traffic Police investigation.
The TSI Bill does provide for the investigation of incidents involving unmanned aircraft, unmanned vessels, unmanned rail vehicles, and, at the Minister's direction, unmanned buses which operate on services contracted by LTA.
There were a number of questions about military vehicles and exemptions. This is a requirement under international agreements that transport safety investigations are not conducted into occurrences involving only military and state transport vehicles. So, as part of that international agreement, we have had to then put in that exemption clause. But we do have jurisdiction to investigate the occurrences between one of these exempted vehicles and one which is not, that is, one which is a civilian vehicle.
One of the Members asked about what are the circumstances in which the SAF would request TSIB to conduct an investigation into a transport occurrence that involves a Singapore military ship or Singapore military aircraft. I think that is an issue for them to answer. TSIB is available as a pool of resources and expertise that are there, so, if there is a need for this particular type of safety investigation and we are resourced to be called upon by the SAF. If the investigation involves information that is relevant for national security, there are already protocols in place, and that came out of the experience that the Air Accident Investigation Bureau had, working together with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). So, protocols have been developed and they will extend across all these different interagency boundaries to deal with issues around sensitive information, to allow these investigations to proceed.
Members brought up the issue of the exemption that the Minister for Transport can order through the Gazette. This will only be exercised in highly exceptional cases and it will not be taken lightly. This exemption arises from the fact that there is an international requirement for the provisions of the Bill, which provide TSIB with a significant amount of powers and require the reports to be made public, and we do want to make sure that when it is necessary from a national interest, that certain vehicles can be exempted from those provisions. It will be done through an order in the Gazette and will not be taken lightly.
In the past two years, TSIB has initiated an average of 17 investigations into aviation and marine incidents per year. Each investigation takes approximately one year to complete. TSIB institutes its own investigations. There is no transfer of investigations from other agencies, and there will not be as these new domains are investigated. These will be independent and separate investigations.
Mr Louis Ng asked about the detention of vehicles under clause 30, which empowers the Director to detain a transport vehicle for the reasons given. There is no expressed cap on the duration of detention. Clause 30, paragraph 5, explicitly says \"The Director must not detain a transport vehicle under this section for longer than is necessary and reasonable to exercise any other powers under this Act.\" The transport vehicle can only be detained for both what is necessary and reasonable to facilitate the investigations. So, TSIB will be mindful not to detain these vehicles for longer than necessary.
With respect to the issue of costs, today already, air incident investigation costs and expenses are recovered from owners and operators whose aircraft are the subject of investigations. So, clause 18 is really looking for parity across a number of domains just to make sure that the same approach and same treatment are applied.
The examples of the types of costs were asked, for example, the cost of conducting specialised tests, recovering and storing the wreckage as well as administrative and operational overheads of conducting the investigation.
Ms Sylvia Lim, in particular, asked about the information that will be obtained by TSIB in the course of investigation. So, the requirement is that the information is used solely for the purpose of improving transport safety. That is why the Bill is crafted in the way it is, in order to maintain that opportunity to have a free flow of information without the fear that the persons giving that information will be penalised. So, in order to do so, the TSIB staff, as well as former staff who are involved need to be distanced from judicial proceedings. They cannot be compelled to give evidence in civil or criminal proceedings related to the incident. Further to that, some information, such as onboard recording information, cannot be disclosed. This is the international practice.
The final part of this component is that the investigation report is inadmissible as evidence in Courts and proceedings, with the exception of the coroner's inquiry, and that is to stay consistent with the fundamental purpose of these transport safety investigations. The reason why the coroner's inquiry has an exception made for it is because the purpose of the coroner's inquiry is to determine the cause and circumstances connected with the death without necessarily framing a finding as to determining a question of criminal, civil or disciplinary liability.
However, this barrier against disclosure is not absolute. Under clause 43, paragraph 4, the High Court may order the disclosure of the restricted information if it is satisfied that this is necessary. But ultimately, it is the coroner's prerogative to decide whether it is necessary to wait for the conclusion of the TSIB investigation before making a decision about the cause of death, the verdict on the cause of death. This is not under TSIB's remit, it will be up to the coroner to decide, and the coroner will be aware that this investigation is happening and the coroner will have to make that decision.
There are issues with respect to the coordination of multiple investigations from multiple agencies. So, the agencies involved have developed a standard operating procedure to make sure that they adhere to their own regulatory framework as well as to allow the investigation to proceed. If there is sharing of information, it is done within the regulatory and legal frameworks for each investigation and for each agency.
Indeed, during the course of the investigation, TSIB will engage with the parties concerned to deliberate the information collected to analyse the contributing factors and to try to make some preliminary recommendations. But ultimately, the drafting of the report is by TSIB. TSIB has to take full responsibility for those recommendations and stand by them. So, where there is, for example, conflicting information that is coming in, TSIB has to make the decision about what would be their recommendations and justify these in their report.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked particularly about the issue of making the draft report available. This is a practice that has been happening in the aviation industry, particularly, internationally, and the commercial players see value in this because it increases public confidence in the safety of the processes – their processes as well as the international agreements. It should be seen not as a vetting of the final report but as a completion of the fact-finding and analysis of the information that is there and how experts interpret what has happened.
But ultimately, the positioning of where TSIB sits within the Ministry, its protections under the law, and the structure of their operations as regulated by this Bill give it that independence from commercial interests. I am sure there will be an attempt to put across vested interests and lobbying and so on and so forth. But it is precisely because of that, that we need to ensure that there are protections for the Director of TSIB and the officers of TSIB to have that independence when they issue their recommendations in their final report.
Ms Joan Pereira asked about the penalty for failing to respond to safety recommendations. This is not the penalty for a safety lapse. This is a penalty for failing to administratively cooperate with TSIB and respond to safety recommendations. It is not as a punitive penalty for a safety lapse for an incident, which is a matter not for TSIB to determine, but for the Police or for the agencies or the regulators to investigate and determine as needed.
Mr Deputy Speaker, once again I thank the Members for supporting this Bill and the good work that our TSIB officers do, and for bringing up these key and important issues in the operations of the maritime, air and, in the future, rail sectors. I beg to move, Mr Deputy Speaker.
[(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 Janil Puthucheary.] (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":"Adjournment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resolved, \"That at its rising today, Parliament do stand adjourned to a date to be fixed.\" – [Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien.] (proc text)]
The Leader of the House (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\"
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Deputy Speaker, Members of this House may remember an accident that happened in March last year, where a wheel that became dislodged from a trailer truck travelling along the Kranji Expressway (KJE) bounced across the road divider to the other side and struck a motorcyclist travelling in the opposite direction. He died at the scene.
The runaway wheel also narrowly missed another motorcyclist as it tumbled across the road. It was sheer luck that others did not come into contact with this wheel and suffer the consequences. That motorcyclist was the late Mr Slemat Rakisan. He was 57 years old. I knew Mr Slemat. We were fellow community leaders serving together in Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC). He was a well-loved gentleman. The hon Minister and Grassroots Advisor of Yuhua grassroots organisations (GROs), Ms Grace Fu, in her eulogy posting, described him as a \"humble and compassionate leader\" who also brought much laughter with his Tom Jones and Elvis Presley impersonations. I met him just the weekend before he died at a community music event. The randomness of the accident leading to his death remains disconcerting.
Just three months after the KJE accident, there was yet another instance of a loose wheel coming off a Malaysian-registered truck, this time, on the West Coast Highway. This rolled across the lanes and smashed into a car travelling in the opposite direction. Thankfully, the driver of the car only suffered a minor injury to his right ear.
Wheels come off the vehicles as a result of mechanical failures. These unfortunate accidents illustrate how mechanical failure in heavy vehicles often lead to accidents that may cause serious injuries or fatalities. Regrettably, these two are not the only instances of accidents involving mechanical failure in heavy vehicles. In July last year, a private bus driver realised the brakes of the bus had failed and, to avoid a collision with the stationary cars in his path, he mounted a kerb intending to manoeuvre his vehicle into a nearby tree for a controlled crash. Unfortunately, he hit a woman cycling home from work along a footway. She died at the scene. It was determined by the Coroner after an inquiry that the brake failure was due to a missing drain valve component, which led to the bus having no braking ability whatsoever.
In such fatal accidents caused by mechanical failure, as opposed to driver negligence or recklessness, these are often ruled as misadventures and there is little that the authorities can presently do to impose criminal liability for the accidents, although civil remedies, such as insurance claims, remain available. This state of affairs is, with respect, unsatisfactory because the parties responsible for maintaining the critical component parts of the heavy vehicles that failed, escape criminal liability for causing the accidents.
I respectfully suggest that the Government consider imposing liability on the owners and operators of the heavy vehicles to hold them to account for accidents arising from mechanical failure that may be obviated through proper maintenance.
It is well-known that a significant number of fatal accidents involve heavy vehicles. In a joint circular issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Singapore Police Force, it was noted that there was an increasing trend of fatal and injury accidents involving heavy vehicles, from 816 such accidents in 2013 to 877 in 2015.
In the workplace context, the figures of fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles are also concerning. In September 2017, Minister of State for Manpower, Mr Sam Tan, highlighted that in 2016, 22 workers were involved in fatal accidents caused by moving vehicles. This was a 47% increase from 2014. He also highlighted that in the first half of 2017, there were 379 injuries and seven fatalities caused by vehicle-related incidents. This led to the implementation of new workplace vehicle safety initiatives, which is very welcomed.
It appears that there are no publicly available studies which has been done to ascertain how many of these accidents involved mechanical failure. What is clear is that such accidents do happen, whether in Singapore or overseas. In the 2015 Major Accident Investigation Report conducted by the Australian National Truck Accident Research Centre, it was stated that mechanical failures accounted for 5% of crash incidents in Australia, with tyre failure accounting for 72% of losses attributable to mechanical fault. In the US, federal statistics show that mechanical failure plays a role in 12% of all motor vehicle accidents.
Common types of mechanical failures include malfunctioning brakes, faulty steering systems, faulty headlights or taillights, and tyre and wheel issues, such as worn tyres and overtightened wheel bolts.
Under our current system, there are three separate regimes that deal with different aspects of road safety involving heavy vehicles.
On one end, the Traffic Police's focus is on the culpability of the driver, such as for reckless or negligent driving, under the Road Traffic Act or, sometimes, the Penal Code. This would cover accidents caused by the behaviour of drivers of heavy vehicles, such as speeding and red-running. However, whilst it is an offence under the Road Traffic Act for a person who causes a heavy motor vehicle to collide with any buildings or structures, there is no specific offence under the Act which attributes responsibility of the owners and operators of heavy vehicles for road traffic accidents caused by mechanical failure that is preventable.
Let me illustrate this through a recent case.
Last year, a public bus driver was acquitted of the offence of rash driving. He was accused of driving above the speed limit whilst negotiating a bend along the slip road of Bukit Timah Expressway into Dairy Farm Road. The bus crashed. A passenger was killed and another was injured. The driver testified that he experienced brake problems and, in his words, \"engine runaway\" which caused the bus to accelerate on its own.
The prosecution's expert witness testified that he found an air leak in one of the bus' air pipes which could have affected the brake efficiency, but he could not conduct a brake efficiency test due to the damage the bus sustained in the crash.
The learned District Judge accepted the driver's defence and acquitted him.
What is evident from the case is that there was no focus on the bus company to ascertain whether it had properly maintained the brake system of the bus. This is understandable because of the current legislation.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) enforces the periodic vehicle inspection regime as well as the requirements under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) Rules which lay down the specifications for critical component parts. The objective is to minimise vehicular breakdown and road accidents.
With the exception of omni-buses, which are inspected every six months, trailers, goods vehicles and all other buses are subject to mandatory inspection only once a year if the vehicle is less than 10 years old, and once every six months if the vehicle is more than 10 years old.
In the intervening period between inspections, there always remains the probability that vehicles are driven without proper maintenance as recommended by the vehicle manufacturers until just before the inspection.
This is a moral hazard that must be addressed.
Whilst non-compliance of these rules per se give rise to regulatory offences, there is currently no provision that pins liability for non-compliance of the rules giving rise to the fatal accidents. In other words, these rules operate independently. LTA does not routinely open an investigation to identify the responsible party behind the mechanical failure leading to the fatal accident.
Finally, MOM has oversight over workplace safety, including vehicle-related accidents which lead to workplace fatalities. For example, the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations stipulate that it is the duty of the owner of any vehicle used in a worksite to ensure that the vehicle is of good construction and is roadworthy.
It was recently reported in June 2018 that one out of every three deaths in the workplace last year was caused by a vehicular incident, making it the No 1 cause of workplace deaths last year. To address this issue, MOM has launched the new Drive Safe Work Safe campaign to raise awareness about good vehicular safety practices and is also trialling the use of devices that track and monitor the speed of heavy vehicles.
Whilst the Workplace Health and Safety Act allows MOM to prosecute errant employers for safety lapses leading to injuries to workers, the Act is focused on addressing the safety, health and welfare of persons at work in workplaces. It does not go so far as to cover situations where such vehicle-related safety lapses cause injury or death to members of the public.
To illustrate, the late Mr Slemat’s accident case does not constitute a workplace incident as he was not a worker. However, if the driver of the trailer truck was injured, then it would be a workplace incident.
As may be evident from the above outline, there is a gap in that, practically speaking, under the current regime, there may be no further investigation if mechanical failure or malfunction had caused the accident since this would likely be beyond the ambit of the Road Traffic Act and the Workplace Health and Safety Act.
In the joint MOM and Police circular I mentioned earlier, as well as in the Workplace Safety and Health Guidelines, it was recommended that, firstly, heavy vehicle owners should implement a regime for the maintenance of all vehicles in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations on the basis that a well-maintained vehicle is more likely to work better and last longer. Secondly, a daily pre-operational check is also recommended as a simple and useful way to spot potential risks or defects before the vehicles are operated. However, the limitation lies in the fact that these recommendations remain as non-mandatory guidelines, and there is presently no applicable provision that triggers an investigation and prosecution of owners and operators for not complying with the same.
It is time for us to close these gaps, such as to mandate compliance with the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, the keeping of maintenance records and/or the conduct of daily pre-operational checks. These records will serve as a \"treasure trove\" for investigators of fatal accidents looking into whether or not the owners and operators have contributed to the accident by not properly maintaining their heavy vehicles.
The imposition of criminal liability on owners and operators of heavy vehicles for mechanical failures of critical component parts leading to fatal accidents would serve as a deterrence against skimping on the proper checks that should be conducted on heavy vehicles and reduce the incidents of such fatal accidents.
In this regard, I wish to highlight three practical points for consideration by the Government.
It is important for the regulations to cover not just owners but operators. This is because it is not unusual for individuals to own heavy vehicles, such as cement mixers and tipper trucks. These individuals then support operators, which tend to be the big companies, in activities, such as construction and logistics. Practically, it is these operators who will have the greatest influence over the maintenance standards of vehicles used in their operations.
From a liability viewpoint, it should suffice if the mechanical failure, as a result of lack of maintenance, played a contributory factor, as opposed to the effective factor, that led to the fatal accident. Otherwise, we may create a loophole for errant owners and operators of heavy vehicles to take advantage of.
Finally, I suggest that provisions be introduced that make it easier to impute liability on corporate bodies for negligent and intentional acts of its employees for not maintaining the critical component parts that led to mechanical failure and contributed to the cause of the fatal accidents. Without such provisions, it will be difficult to impose criminal liability on corporations and, consequently, there may be not a sufficient motivation to change the corporate culture within the corporations to ensure strict compliance with the maintenance regimes.
Apart from this, we may also wish to consider incentivising companies to leverage technology to deal with issues of maintenance, for example, the provision of a technology fund to assist in implementing fleet management systems that are able to track maintenance records and alert the owner when a vehicle is due for a periodic inspection in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation.
Properly maintained heavy vehicles are more likely to work better and last longer. Hence, the interests of owners and operators of heavy vehicles should be aligned with this initiative.
Sir, please allow me to conclude. Heavy vehicle owners and operators play an important role in ensuring that no other road user will be imperiled as a result of mechanical failure in critical component parts due to lack of maintenance. The legislation must be updated to reflect this plain fact.
Ironically, “Selamat” means “Safe” in Malay. When Mr Slemat died, the road was not safe for him. After his death, I do hope that the measures that I have proposed, once implemented, will make the road safer for road users who may otherwise fall victim to accidents caused by mechanical failure.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Dr Janil Puthucheary): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the Member for raising his concerns about the safety of heavy vehicles. Indeed, safety is an important part of these operations. And my thoughts and condolences to Encik Slemat and his family. It was a tragic story that was shared with us.
Today, LTA requires all in-use vehicles to be regularly inspected at LTA-authorised Inspection Centres (AICs), ensuring that they are roadworthy and that emission standards are met. These inspections are conducted every six months to a year, depending on the type and age of the vehicles. As the vehicles age and as they are used more intensively, frequency of inspection goes up. These inspections cover key vehicle components and systems, such as brakes, steering, tyres and exhaust systems, to ensure that they are in good working order. Besides these regular inspections, LTA and the Traffic Police also have powers to call up vehicles for ad hoc inspections to ensure their safety and roadworthiness.
Heavy vehicles tend to be used more intensively and are, therefore, more prone to wear and tear. We have imposed statutory lifespans on heavy vehicles to ensure that the population of heavy vehicles on our roads stays young. Except for public buses, most heavy vehicles are subject to a maximum statutory lifespan of 20 years, after which they must be deregistered and can no longer be used on our roads. Public buses are subject to a shorter statutory lifespan of 17 years because they are very heavily used.
It is the vehicle owners' responsibility to ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained and pass LTA's vehicle inspection requirements. In the case of heavy vehicles that are typically used for commercial purposes, the responsibility lies with the companies that own these heavy vehicles. The companies are incentivised to ensure that their heavy vehicles are well-maintained, because those which fail the inspection will not be allowed to be used until the fault is rectified. This will have an impact on their business operations and the companies will also have to bear the costs of additional inspections.
With regard to Mr Murali Pillai's suggestion to mandate a preventive maintenance regime, our view is that it is not necessary to be prescriptive about the maintenance regime as our inspection regime is already very frequent and stringent. LTA takes an outcome-based approach, which balances the imperative to create a safe working and commuting environment with the regulatory burden on vehicle owners. Such an outcome-based approach also leaves room for new technologies to be brought in very quickly to improve maintenance regimes and improve safety, rather than being very prescriptive of the technology and the process.
The Member has asked about the Government's powers to prosecute businesses which do not properly maintain their heavy vehicles and, as a result, cause fatal accidents. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA), employers have a duty to take adequate measures to ensure the safety and health of their employees at work. This includes the proper maintenance of equipment used by their workers, including heavy vehicles. Employers who fail in their duties under WSHA, regardless of whether it is an individual or body corporate, may be prosecuted. In the case of an individual, the employer may face a fine of up to $200,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both. In the case of a body corporate, the employer may face a fine of up to $500,000. This is under section 50 of WSHA.
Persons, including body corporates, who cause death by a negligent act can also be charged under the Penal Code. Persons who have been found guilty may face imprisonment for a term up to two years, or a fine, or both. This could include persons who were negligent in maintaining their vehicles, thereby directly leading to a fatal accident.
MOM's Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) also provides for the payment of compensation to employees for injury or death suffered in the course of their employment. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the compensation payable could be up to $262,000. In addition, accident victims can also seek legal recourse by taking those responsible for causing the accident to task through civil lawsuits.
In summary, Mr Deputy Speaker, we do have a comprehensive framework of vehicular inspections and laws to hold vehicle owners responsible for ensuring their vehicles are roadworthy and safe. In 2016 and 2017, there were a total of 85 fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles both on-road and on worksites – 85 fatal accidents over two years. Less than 5% of these accidents involved claims of mechanical failures, of which, some are still pending investigations. More often, heavy vehicle accidents are primarily caused by driving behaviour. Even as we take errant drivers to task, it is even more important that we continue to work with companies to promote a safe driving culture and ensure that drivers have sufficient rest.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 6.42 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":"Update on Local Enterprise and Association Development-Plus (LEAD+) Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"40 Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether he will provide an update on (i) the $30 million that was set aside for the Local Enterprise and Association Development-Plus (LEAD+) programme introduced in 2016 to improve the capabilities of Trade Associations and Chambers (TACS); and (ii) the LEAD+ feature to second up to 20 public officers to TACs to forge closer partnerships between the Government and industry and to better the public officers' understanding of the needs of enterprises.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) have an in-depth understanding of industry needs and growth opportunities and are connected to extensive business networks. They are able to complement efforts by Government agencies to support and reach out to a wide pool of enterprises. Our TACs play important roles to help companies transform their operations, enhance their competitiveness and capture new growth opportunities in domestic and overseas markets. As we move into a new phase of economic development, we must continue to evolve and strengthen the partnership between the Government and TACs.
Many TACs have stepped up to work closely with Government agencies to catalyse enterprise and industry transformation. For instance, the Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation worked with JTC to jointly conceptualise the development of JTC Food Hub @ Senoko, which lowers business costs for food companies through features, such as a shared cold room and warehouse facility. The Singapore Business Federation has also been working with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Enterprise Singapore to organise training workshops for our companies, so that they know what the benefits are under the free trade agreements which we have signed with other economies. In the area of sector-specific training, the Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association and the Logistics Alliance have also worked with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to curate a list of SkillsFuture Series courses for their respective industries. These are some of the important roles which we want our TACs to focus on.
The Local Enterprise and Association Development-Plus (LEAD+) programme was introduced at Budget 2016 to encourage TACs to raise their internal competencies to be more effective champions of industry transformation. At the Committee of Supply 2018 this year, MTI announced the consolidation of several grant programmes for TAC initiatives, including LEAD+, into a single enhanced LEAD programme to drive comprehensive industry upgrading and internationalisation efforts. The combined LEAD programme budget for 2016-2020 is about $115 million.
TACs can now tap on the enhanced LEAD scheme to strengthen their leadership and secretariat teams, improve organisational processes, and deliver new and value-added services to their members. As of June 2018, Enterprise Singapore has provided almost $10 million to nine TACs to upgrade their internal capabilities. We expect more TACs to come on board over the next few years.
The enhanced LEAD programme covers all areas that were previously supported under LEAD+, including the secondment of public officers. Efforts to second public officers to TACs are not new. Prior to Budget 2016, then-Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING) had seconded over 10 public officers to TACs to drive the implementation of key programmes, such as the SME Talent Programme and SME Centres.
Since Budget 2016, three more officers have been seconded to the TACs. We will facilitate more secondment arrangements for TACs which are keen to play a constructive role and can organise themselves to work with the Government to transform their sectors and upgrade the capabilities of their members.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Differentiate between Taxi Drivers and Part-time Hire Drivers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"41 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can update the House on the Ministry's review on the regulations of private hire car services with a view to differentiate the tax regime between taxi drivers and part-time hire drivers; (b) whether the minimum mileage clocking is one of the areas under review to differentiate the two categories of drivers; and (c) when is the review expected to be completed.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has reviewed the tax treatment for taxi and private hire car (PHC) drivers and held a public consultation on the draft Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2018. The draft Bill proposes allowing PHC drivers, regardless of whether they drive part-time or full-time, to claim tax deductions on car-related expenses against their driving income, under the revised tax treatment. This is because, like taxi drivers, PHC drivers also provide similar point-to-point transport services. With this proposed change, all PHC drivers can enjoy the same tax treatment as taxi drivers. The proposed change will take effect from Year of Assessment 2019, that is, on income earned in 2018.
To improve taxi availability, the Land Transport Authority had previously required taxi companies to maintain a certain percentage of their taxi fleets with minimum daily mileage of 250 kilometres. This was removed in 2017 as the introduction of PHC services had boosted the availability and range of point-to-point options for commuters.
The Ministry of Transport is currently undertaking a review of the regulatory framework for the point-to-point service sector. More details will be released when ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Barring Companies with Safety Lapses from Public Project Tenders for Longer Duration","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"42 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport whether contractors who have a record of safety lapses or who have been blacklisted by the Ministry of Manpower for safety lapses can be made ineligible to tender for public infrastructure projects for a longer period of time to ensure that all contractors take building quality and safety seriously.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Standing Committee on Debarment, which consists of representatives from various agencies, decides on all cases of debarment of contractors from participating in tenders by Government agencies. Contractors may be debarred on safety grounds, such as when a contractor had been blacklisted by the Ministry of Manpower due to breaches of workplace safety and health laws. The period of debarment depends on the severity of each case.
For land transport infrastructure projects, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) follows the whole-of-Government framework for debarment. In addition, LTA scrutinises contractors’ safety records and may disqualify bids by contractors with poor safety performance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reviewing Quality of Roads","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"44 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Transport what processes are in place to review the quality of roads, such as those with potholes and those affected by maintenance shortcomings.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) maintains more than 100 kilometres (km) of expressways, more than 700 km of arterial roads, and more than 2,000 km of minor roads in Singapore. LTA conducts inspections regularly to ensure their serviceability, looking out for not only potholes, but also defects in lane markings, signs, kerbs and so on. The frequency of the inspections ranges from once a week for expressways to once every two weeks for major roads to once every eight weeks for minor roads. Defects, such as potholes, are typically repaired within 24 hours upon discovery. Members of the public who wish to provide feedback on road matters can do so by calling the LTA Hotline.
LTA also takes additional measures to reduce the frequency of the occurrence of potholes, ranging from patching of localised road sections to resurfacing of entire stretches of roads. LTA is also studying the feasibility of using asphalt preserver and asphalt mix additives to prevent the formation of potholes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Digitalisation on Bank Tellers and Their Jobs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"46 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Prime Minister in light of the announcement by a major bank to reduce the number of bank tellers by half (a) whether there will be similar changes across the banking industry; (b) what are the measures in place to help older residents migrate to digital banking; and (c) how is the Ministry helping bank tellers who are at risk of losing their jobs as digitalisation persists.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): Technology is changing the way that financial services are being provided and used. Consumers in Singapore, as in other countries, are increasingly making use of their smartphones for electronic payments and other banking transactions. This reduces the demand for physical bank branches, and for bank tellers. However, this also means new jobs are created in areas, such as service ambassadors, software development for banking apps, data analytics for consumer insights, and cybersecurity.
The opportunities presented by technology are immense. But the upside is limited by how much we can retrain and reskill employees to take on new roles, and to educate and help consumers to embrace technology.
On the first1, the approach taken by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is to work closely with the banks and unions to pre-emptively reskill and redeploy affected employees into new job roles.
Specifically for jobs in consumer banking, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), MAS, Workforce Singapore, the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) and the banks have put together a professional conversion programme to reskill bank tellers and customer servicing staff to take on new roles in relationship management, quality assurance, process redesign, data analytics and digital marketing. Through the programme, the major consumer banks have committed to retrain 3,500 employees over the next three years under the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP). To date, more than 800 employees have commenced training, of which over 450 have successfully completed their training and have been deployed into new roles. PCPs are in the works for three other areas in banking, namely, operations, technology and wealth management.
In the case of the bank which the member asked about, as announced by the bank earlier, it has committed to retrain existing customer service officers at branches to take on these new roles, and does not expect them to be retrenched.
Digital banking models will become more ubiquitous in the years ahead. This is a trend not just in banking, but across industries. With close collaborations among the Government, unions and employers, we will do our best to educate and help consumers, and to retrain workers, so that Singaporeans can ride the wave of the digital revolution.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : The second issue will be addressed in the reply to Question No 2137 for Oral Answer, which has been deferred to the next Sitting of Parliament."],"footNoteQuestions":["46"],"questionNo":"46"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Projected Number of Data Protection Officers Needed","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"48 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what is the projected number of Data Protection Officers (DPOs) needed in Singapore for the next five years; (b) what is the current shortfall; and (c) what is the Ministry's plan to train and deploy more DPOs.
Mr S Iswaran: It is mandatory under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), for all private-sector organisations to designate one or more individuals as a Data Protection Officer (DPO). The DPO is responsible for ensuring that the organisation complies with the PDPA.
According to a 2018 survey commissioned by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), close to 60% of private sector organisations in Singapore have appointed at least one DPO. This represents a six percentage point increase from the previous year. PDPC is studying this issue closely, with a view to increasing both the numbers and capabilities of DPOs.
There are two parts to my Ministry and PDPC's plan to train and deploy more DPOs. Firstly, we are developing and supporting training programmes for DPOs. For example, since 2014, PDPC has developed an e-learning programme for DPOs to learn about the fundamentals of the PDPA.
PDPC is supplementing this by rolling out more advanced training programmes to enhance DPOs' skills. These include the Professional Conversion Programme for DPOs, which started last month, and the Practitioner Certificate for Personal Data Protection Preparatory Course, which starts in October this year. In addition, PDPC has supported the development of personal data protection-related courses to be taught at the National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University starting this academic year, through which graduates can attain professional, internationally recognised certification.
The second part of our strategy is to foster a collaborative environment where DPOs can learn best practices. PDPC is making Singapore a training hub for data protection professionals in the region by anchoring data protection-related events here, such as the annual Personal Data Protection Seminar hosted by PDPC. PDPC is also encouraging the formation of more communities of practice, such as AsiaDPO and the Law Society's Cybersecurity and Data Protection Committee.
While we continue to grow and deepen the pool of DPOs, organisations must also do their part by appointing and supporting their DPOs. By doing so, organisations will not just comply with the PDPA but, more importantly, build consumer trust in their ability to use and safeguard personal data responsibly.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singapore’s Role Post Trump-Kim Summit","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"52 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs after the Trump-Kim summit (a) what role can Singapore play to keep up the momentum for dialogue between the US and North Korea; (b) whether Singapore is involved in any diplomatic efforts to encourage the denuclearisation of North Korea; and (c) how has the summit strengthened relations between Singapore and North Korea.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Singapore acceded to the request by the United States (US) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to host the Summit between US President Donald Trump and DPRK State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un on 12 June 2018. We did so in order to facilitate peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.
Before I address the role of Singapore in future developments on the Korean Peninsula, allow me to highlight two key features of the Summit that resonated with some of the key attributes of Singapore.
First, the choice of Singapore as the venue of the Summit reaffirmed our reputation as an impartial, reliable and safe country. We did not put our hand up or volunteer to host the Summit, but we were pleased to provide a conducive and secure venue which had the full confidence of both parties. The US and DPRK have publicly stated that they selected Singapore as host because we are politically neutral. Singaporeans can take pride in this expression of trust and confidence in us. We should continue to uphold our reputation as a credible, trusted and consistent partner that is able to play a constructive role on the international stage.
Second, hosting the Summit highlighted the importance of a whole-of-Government effort. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) was the lead coordinating agency, an undertaking of this scale and nature is not something that MFA can do alone. We worked closely with other Ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), amongst others, to organise the Summit. The various agencies had to deal with the major security and logistical challenges, as well as facilitating the large global media presence. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of Team Singapore who made this Summit possible. I am also grateful to all Singaporeans for your understanding and patience during the Summit.
Let me now address the question on Singapore's role in the dialogue between the US and DPRK. We were not involved in the direct bilateral discussions between the US and DPRK that led to the signing of the Joint Statement between the two leaders in Singapore. Neither are we party to the ongoing discussions between the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), China, Russia and DPRK. Singapore welcomes the Joint Statement at the Singapore Summit, which is an important step forward, and we wish the US and DPRK success in implementing it.
Of course, we are aware that the Summit is only the first step in a long and difficult peace process. We hope that the US and DPRK will continue to engage in dialogue and make efforts towards peace, building on the agreement forged during the Singapore Summit. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers have also issued a statement welcoming the successful conclusion of the Summit.
Although Singapore is not party to the ongoing negotiations on the Korean Peninsula, anything that happens on the Peninsula will affect the rest of the region, including Singapore. It is in our collective interest to see a peaceful, stable and denuclearised Korean Peninsula, and we will continue to support efforts to these ends.
What are some of these efforts? On our part, we encourage the DPRK's engagement with the international community, such as through participation in multilateral fora. One of these is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF), which was just held in Singapore over the last weekend on 4 August 2018. The ARF is a constructive platform for participants to promote confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the region. It is currently the only ASEAN-led platform that DPRK is a member of, and we hope that their continued participation in the ARF would contribute to efforts in resolving the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
The Singapore Summit has also helped broaden our relations with DPRK. Prime Minister Lee met Chairman Kim on the sidelines of the Summit, where the two leaders exchanged views on Singapore-DPRK relations, as well as developments in DPRK and on the Korean Peninsula. I also visited Pyongyang in the lead-up to the Summit, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho. During my visit, I called on the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong Nam, and met Foreign Minister Ri. We had wide-ranging and frank discussions on bilateral relations, developments on the Korean Peninsula and global issues. I continued my discussion on these issues when I hosted Foreign Minister Ri on his visit to Singapore last week, in conjunction with his participation in the ARF. These engagements with DPRK have increased the mutual understanding between our two countries.
At the same time, notwithstanding the positive developments on the Korean Peninsula in recent months, the reality is that United Nations Security Council sanctions on DPRK remain in place. All UN member states, including Singapore, are obligated to implement the UN Security Council Resolutions. We take our international obligations seriously and remain committed to fully implementing the sanctions. We look forward to concrete progress towards the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, which would create an environment for the easing of sanctions.
We will continue to keep our channels with DPRK open, while fully complying with the UN Security Council Resolutions. We encourage DPRK to continue engaging with the international community through multilateral fora. We hope that all parties involved will continue the dialogue and efforts towards establishing lasting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Locations of SingHealth Dental Clinics","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"54 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the considerations for the locations of SingHealth dental clinics; (b) what is the average waiting time for patients to make a dental appointment; (c) whether there are plans to have more SingHealth dental clinics in other big estates to enable affordable dental services and accessibility to the public; and (d) whether a SingHealth dental clinic can be made available in every polyclinic.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Singaporeans can receive subsidised primary dental care at polyclinics as well as private dental clinics through the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). There are currently more than 700 CHAS dental clinics and, together, they served a total of about 438,000 patient attendances in 2017.
Ten of our polyclinics also offer subsidised primary care dental services. The median waiting time for new dental appointments at our polyclinics is about 4.5 months in 2017, compared to 5.8 months in 2013.
Specifically on the Member's question about dental clinics at SingHealth polyclinics, there are three of them in the eastern region, serving about 31,000 patient attendances in 2017. They are Bedok Polyclinic, Punggol Polyclinic and Tampines Polyclinic.
In planning for dental care capacity, The Ministry of Health takes into account both CHAS dental clinics and polyclinic dental capacity. Therefore, not every polyclinic will need to provide dental care services, if overall, there is adequate subsidised capacity to meet the dental care needs within a geographic location.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Drug Rehabilitation Centre’s Assistance for Inmates to Stop Addiction and Cultivate Healthy Pursuits","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"55 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Home Affairs how is the regime in the Drug Rehabilitation Centre assisting inmates to stop their addiction and replace addictive desires with healthy pursuits.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) introduced the Enhanced Drug Rehabilitation Regime (EDRR) in the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) in 2014. Under the EDRR, inmates are assessed for their risks of re-offending and the severity of their drug abuse problem upon admission into DRC. They undergo psychology-based correctional programmes which are calibrated to their risk levels and target the underlying attitudes and beliefs behind their drug abuse problem. For example, lower-risk inmates learn about the consequences of drug use and pick up skills to prevent relapse. Higher-risk inmates will undergo high-intensity counselling programmes which address multiple risks and needs, such as criminal thinking and drug addiction issues.
SPS also provides meaningful activities to engage DRC inmates and encourage them to desist from future drug abuse by pursuing healthy alternatives. One example is the Basketball Clinic programme, which encourages inmates to take up the sport, and inculcates positive values like teamwork. Another example is Urban Farming, which was introduced in May this year. Through this activity, inmates learn how to collaborate with others and to take ownership of shared goals. DRC inmates also participate in family programmes, skills training and religious counselling.
So far, we have seen encouraging results with the enhanced regime in DRC. The two-year recidivism rate of DRC inmates has come down from 60%-70% in the 1990s to around 30% for the 2015 release cohort. We will continue to enhance the regime for even better outcomes.
While interventions within DRC are important, community-based programmes also form an integral component of rehabilitation. It allows inmates to serve the tail-end of their DRC detention in the community under structured supervision, supporting their reintegration back into society. We will continue to work closely with our community partners to strengthen the support to inmates on this front.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singapore's Contribution to Upcoming Singapore Convention on Mediation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"56 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Law (a) what is Singapore's contribution to the anticipated Singapore Convention on Mediation to be signed in August 2019; (b) how will the Convention be promoted; and (c) how is Singapore preparing the legal industry for it.
Mr K Shanmugam: On 25 June 2018, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) at its 51st session in New York, decided to recommend to the 73rd United Nations General Assembly the following: first, to adopt a United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation; second, to authorise a signing ceremony for the Convention to be held as soon as practicable in 2019 in Singapore; and third, for the Convention to be known as the \"Singapore Convention on Mediation\".
The Commission also adopted the Model Law on International Commercial Mediation and International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation.
In recent years, mediation has become an increasingly popular means for resolving cross-border commercial disputes. Mediation is cost-effective, flexible and efficient. It is particularly attractive for businesses which wish to preserve relationships and leave open the possibility of working together in future. However, one oft-cited concern of mediation is the lack of enforceability, should one party later renege on his obligations. The Convention will address this concern. It will make it easier for businesses to enforce mediated settlement agreements, provide certainty to users, and facilitate international commerce.
Singapore will host the signing ceremony of the Convention in August next year. It will be the first UN treaty named after Singapore. This will put Singapore on the world map for our thought leadership.
Support for Singapore to host the signing of this significant Convention and for the Convention to be known as the \"Singapore Convention on Mediation\" at UNCITRAL was unanimous. This is a strong testament to Singapore's leadership in international dispute resolution and Singapore’s contribution to the development of the Convention.
Singapore is today one of the leading cross-border dispute resolution centres in the world. We have a trusted legal system, with strong rule of law. We provide a complete suite of professional dispute resolution services to meet the varying needs of business, including litigation, arbitration and mediation. To this end, we have also set up Maxwell Chambers, the world’s first integrated dispute resolution complex.
As part of our efforts to strengthen the dispute resolution ecosystem, Singapore has invested heavily in the development of international commercial mediation, including through building up institutions and updating our laws. In 2014, we set up the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC) to provide international commercial mediation services and the Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI) to set standards for mediation and professionalise the sector. In 2016, we set up the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy to complement service and training with research, to develop Singapore thought leadership in negotiation and dispute resolution, including in mediation. In 2017, the Singapore Parliament passed the Mediation Bill to strengthen the enforceability of mediated settlement agreements in Singapore. In other words, we have already sought to address in Singapore the fundamental problem which the Convention seeks to overcome.
As part of this effort, Singapore also contributed directly to the development of the Convention at UNCITRAL. We had a multi-agency team which worked hard on this. The team included the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) representatives and local industry experts, all of whom played a big part in seeing to the outcome we have today. Over a period of about three years, the delegation worked on the terms of the Convention, negotiating and building consensus when there were different positions amongst member states, and taking steps to ensure that diverse interests were accommodated. This process was chaired by a Singaporean. Overall, our team at UNCITRAL was able to exercise thought leadership on various issues of differences which emerged over the course of negotiations, leading to a successful outcome.
While conclusion of the Convention would be a significant achievement, it is but the start of a long journey. Adoption will take time, as individual countries consider the implications of becoming parties to the Convention, get the support of various domestic stakeholders and make the necessary adjustments to enable implementation. When the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (the New York Convention) was first adopted in 1958, it had 10 signatories. This year, as it marks its 60th anniversary, the New York Convention now covers close to 160 parties.
The Singapore Convention on Mediation will enter into force six months after three States have signed and ratified the Convention. We hope that a critical mass of like-minded countries can sign on to the Convention in the first instance when the Convention is open for signature in Singapore in August next year. Singapore will support UNCITRAL in its work to promote awareness of the Convention amongst member states. Singapore will also be happy to share our own expertise and experience supporting and developing international commercial mediation. We look forward to welcoming all interested States to Singapore to be the first signatories to the Convention.
Within Singapore, the next step is to ensure that we are \"Singapore Convention-ready\" in two ways: first, that our businesses are familiar with and competent in the use of mediation as another tool to handle commercial disputes; and second, that we have a good pool of practitioners who are capable of handling international commercial mediation and advising parties on its use. MinLaw will work with the industry and mediation institutions like the SIMC to conduct briefings to raise awareness of international commercial mediation, and to have available training in this area for interested corporate executives and legal practitioners.
The Singapore Convention on Mediation is a great opportunity for Singapore to further strengthen our reputation as an international dispute resolution hub and for our legal industry to play a greater role in this growth area. My Ministry looks forward to working closely with the legal industry to propagate the benefits of the Convention and the strengths of our dispute resolution services to ensure that the needs of international commercial businesses operating out of Singapore continue to be well-served.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Trend of Graduate Underemployment in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"58 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Manpower what is the trend of graduate underemployment in Singapore and what Government interventions are in place to facilitate optimal deployment of degree holders to relevant jobs.
Mrs Josephine Teo: In line with international practice, Singapore tracks time-related underemployment, or the percentage of residents in part-time jobs but willing and able to engage in additional work. Among resident degree holders, such underemployment has remained stable at around 2% over the last decade.
Singapore's autonomous universities (AUs) work closely with industry partners and sector agencies to ensure that course offerings stay relevant to the needs of industry. Increasingly, the curriculum and learning experience are infused with work-learn elements to better prepare students for employment. As a result, our AUs have consistently seen high rates of employment for their graduates.
In addition, AUs provide students with career services, such as career preparatory workshops and modules on resume writing and interview skills. Career guidance offices also continue to offer such support to their alumni. These efforts are complemented by MySkillsFuture portal, a key source of industry information with tools that enhance our students’ knowledge of employment opportunities and progression pathways in various sectors.
Graduates who join the workforce can continue to tap on various SkillsFuture initiatives to acquire new skills and upgrade themselves. They may also take up Adapt and Grow programmes, such as the Professional Conversion Programmes, to move into new jobs or careers. Those looking for relevant job opportunities can use the MyCareersFuture online portal for smarter and faster job search.
Jobseekers who require further assistance in their job search may also approach Workforce Singapore's Careers Connect or the National Trades Union Congress' Employment and Employability Institute career centres for help.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Design of Lift Lobbies at BTO Blocks Traps Rain","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"59 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for National Development what can be done to rectify the situation where BTO blocks' lift lobbies and the walkways between lifts and flats are always drenched during rainy days.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The lift lobbies and common corridors at Housing and Development Board (HDB) Build-To-Order (BTO) projects are designed to be naturally lit and ventilated. This open concept design is eco-friendly and lowers maintenance costs.
In Singapore's tropical climate, especially during monsoon seasons, rainwater splashing along more open areas like lift lobbies and common corridors in a heavy downpour is inevitable. Hence, for weather protection, common corridors are provided with an extended overhang, that is, a canopy. While this measure is generally adequate, it may not be able to fully prevent the corridor from getting wet during heavy downpours accompanied by strong winds. To avoid water-ponding and overly wet floors during rain, the floors at lift lobbies and common corridors are graded to allow excess water to flow to the scupper drain.
HDB introduces rain screens where appropriate, based on feedback from residents as well as its own studies. Nonetheless, such screens are not installed in all locations as some locations need to be kept open and well-ventilated for fire safety reasons. Some residents may also view the rain screens as an obstruction to their view.
Members who have feedback on issues related to specific blocks can approach HDB so that we can look into the details.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage Scheme for Stray Dogs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"60 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether he can provide an update on the Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage Scheme for stray dogs; (b) what resources can be provided to animal welfare groups which are helping and working with the community to address the stray dog problem; and (c) whether there are plans to regulate the pet industry further to minimise irresponsible abandonment of pets.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) programme is a humane and science-based method to reduce the stray dog population through sterilisation. Our animal welfare groups (AWGs) have been working on localised sterilisation efforts in different areas in Singapore for many years. To take these efforts further, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has announced a nation-wide TNRM programme to sterilise more than 70% of the stray dogs in Singapore over five years.
AVA plans to implement the programme progressively from the last quarter of this year, with support from AWGs, veterinarians and other stakeholders. AVA will provide funding support and resources, and maintain oversight over key operational work, such as trapping, sterilisation and outreach. However, AVA cannot do it alone. The success of this programme requires close partnership with many stakeholders. In particular, we will need AWGs and vets to continue contributing their experience and expertise. For example, AWGs can help with trapping and rehoming efforts while vets can assist with the sterilisation procedure.
As for the Member's question on pet abandonment, AVA regularly reviews its regulations and programmes to promote responsible pet ownership. For example, AVA revised the dog licensing regime in March 2017. Pet businesses now have to license all dogs before they are sold. They also have to transfer the dog licences to the new owners when the dogs are sold or transferred. This helps to improve traceability and deters abandonment. AVA will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the revised dog licensing regime. AVA will take enforcement action against errant pet owners who abandon their dogs. A person found guilty of pet abandonment may be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed up to 12 months.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Subsidies for Early Intervention Programmes at Preschool Level","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"61 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many special needs children are receiving subsidies for early intervention programmes at preschool level under the Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (PPIP) scheme; and (b) whether there are plans for increasing the number and geographic distribution of Enhanced PPIP centres.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (PPIP) scheme complements the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC). It provides developmental and therapy services for children aged zero-six who are at risk of moderate to severe developmental delays. Parents whose children are referred to EIPIC can also enrol their child in an approved PPIP Early Intervention programme. Children will receive the same Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) subsidies, whether they enrol in the PPIP or EIPIC programme.
There are currently 21 EIPIC centres serving 3,000 children with developmental delays. MSF has recently increased the number of PPIP providers from six to 10. From 2015 to 2017, an average of 115 children were enrolled in PPIP each year.
To ensure that these centres are accessible to parents and children, we have expanded the geographic spread of the centres. Earlier, the six PPIP centres were located in the Central, West and East regions. The current 10 centres operating are geographically spread across the North, North-East, Central, West and East regions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"NEA’s Standard Protocol for Handling Feedback about Smoking in Prohibited Areas","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"62 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the standard protocol for NEA to handle feedback about smokers smoking in prohibited areas; and (b) where there is no pictorial evidence and NEA is unable to catch the culprit red-handed, what other measures are taken to ensure that culprits will be apprehended, especially those who have had multiple reports made against them in residential areas.
63 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the progress of efforts to keep our neighbourhood spaces smoke-free; (b) whether banning smoking in more designated areas have resulted in improving a smoke-free environment; (c) whether operators and premises managers are doing their part to stop patrons and visitors from smoking in prohibited areas; and (d) whether there are adequate enforcement resources and penalties to stop smokers who disregard the prohibitions imposed by NEA.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Government has, over the years, progressively extended the smoking prohibition to more public places to protect more people from the harmful effects of passive tobacco smoke. Such places include the common areas of housing estates, such as void decks, fitness corners and playgrounds, as well as sheltered pedestrian walkways and bus stops. In 2016, the prohibition was further extended to neighbourhood and reservoir parks. Today, smoking is disallowed in more than 32,000 places and progress has been made towards our vision of a smoke-free and conducive living environment.
Generally, smokers appreciate the reasons behind these restrictions and most comply willingly. However, there is a minority who do not, and this is where the concerted efforts of various stakeholders can make a difference. When someone we know – be it a family member or a friend – lights up where he or she should not, we ought to remind them to spare a thought for those around. Such social cues are important for signalling and entrenching the positive social norms that smokers should abide by.
Operators and managers of smoking-prohibited premises have a statutory responsibility to stop patrons from smoking and request them to leave if they refuse. Most managers are aware of the important role they play in safeguarding the health of their non-smoking patrons. Managers who fail to discharge their duties will be liable for a maximum fine of $2,000 upon conviction.
Regarding the Member's question about the National Environment Agency's (NEA's) protocol in responding to feedback on unlawful smoking, NEA, upon receiving such feedback, will engage the manager of the relevant smoking-prohibited premises to ensure that signs are prominently displayed to remind smokers of the prohibition, and to remove any misleading cues, such as litter bins fitted with ashtrays.
If the complaints persist, NEA will undertake further investigations by contacting the complainant and other witnesses for additional information. NEA may also obtain video footage from nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, if available. If the alleged offender is identified, NEA will interview the person to ascertain culpability. A summons may then be issued if there is evidence that an offence had been committed. Errant smokers can face fines of up to $1,000 upon conviction.
All said, it is not possible for NEA to monitor every one of the 32,000 smoking-prohibited places at all times. Residents who come across people smoking in prohibited areas can submit feedback, including details of the incident, to NEA through the myENV mobile application, and NEA's hotline and website. Such information can provide useful leads for us to target areas where breaches of the smoking prohibition occur repeatedly.
While enforcement of the smoking prohibition will continue, it is not the panacea to curbing inconsiderate smoking. Our hope is for smokers to be mindful of the potential harm they may cause others and not light up in places where smoking is prohibited. The families and friends of smokers, as well as the general public, can also help reinforce positive social norms through reminders. Ultimately, we would like to help smokers kick the habit for the benefit of their own health, their loved ones, and the community.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Government's Plans to Further Liberalise Energy Market","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"64 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how will the further liberalisation of the energy market and introduction of new energy sources, such as JTC's SolarRoof project, help to moderate prices of electricity in the short term and long term; and (b) what are the Government's plans to further liberalise the energy market.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Singapore relies on imported fuel to meet our energy needs, with natural gas accounting for about 95% of our electricity generation. Our electricity prices are thus largely driven by movements in the global energy markets, given that we are a small country and price takers for natural gas.
Nevertheless, the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA) has pursued various measures to improve the price-competitiveness of our electricity supply. EMA has progressively introduced competition into our electricity market since the 1990s, so that companies would strive to be more cost-effective and offer better service in competing for customers. This includes our retail electricity market, which EMA has gradually opened up to competition since 2001, by allowing larger businesses to purchase electricity from retailers, instead of buying from SP Group at the regulated tariff.
EMA is working to open up the rest of our retail electricity sector through the Open Electricity Market (OEM), which would allow all households and small businesses to choose an electricity supplier and price plan that best suits their needs. We introduced a soft launch of the OEM in Jurong in April 2018 and are on track to begin the nationwide rollout from the fourth quarter of this year. We will be sharing more details in the next few months.
Beyond promoting competitive markets, the Government has also sought to diversify our sources of generation to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and exposure to volatile global fuel prices. For instance, we have been working to facilitate the adoption of solar power, which has grown from 0.4 megawatt peak (MWp) in 2008 to around 145 MWp by end-2017. Initiatives, such as JTC's SolarRoof project, are part of our plan to raise solar adoption further to 350 MWp by 2020, and one gigawatt peak (GWp) beyond 2020.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Construction of Pedestrian Overhead Bridge Lifts in Toa Payoh East-Novena","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"65 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on Pedestrian Overhead Bridge (POB) lifts slated for construction in Toa Payoh East-Novena; and (b) whether a lift can be prioritised for the POB in front of 308 Thomson Road.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: To make public transport more accessible, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been retrofitting pedestrian overhead bridges near public transport nodes with lifts. We give priority to bridges which are used by large numbers of less ambulant pedestrians. By the end of this year, we will have completed such retrofitting works at 47 sites, including a recently completed one near Block 26 Toa Payoh Lorong 6.
As for the pedestrian overhead bridge at 308 Thomson Road, the site will undergo major works as part of the North-South Corridor construction. LTA is taking the opportunity to study the various barrier-free crossing options, including the possibility of a lift, at this site. LTA will engage the Grassroots Advisors and other stakeholders in mid-2019 after the preliminary findings are ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proposal for Free Public Transport on Buses and MRT for Senior Citizens during Off-peak Hours","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"66 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will consider implementing free public transport on buses and MRT for senior citizens above the age of 75 during off-peak hours; and (b) whether audio announcements on buses to indicate stop locations can be introduced to aid elderly passengers.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Public transport is affordable for our seniors. First, senior citizens above 60 years old enjoy substantial discounts of up to 57% off adult trip fares. With these discounts, their rail and basic bus fares do not exceed 87 cents. Second, with Differential Fares, senior citizens enjoy a further discount of up to 50 cents off their rail fare if they started their journeys before 7.45 am. Third, senior citizens who travel frequently can buy monthly concession passes at $60, to enjoy unlimited bus and train rides. Fourth, senior citizens from lower-income households receive further assistance through Public Transport Vouchers.
The Public Transport Council (PTC) regularly reviews our fares to keep them affordable while ensuring the financial sustainability of the public transport network. In fact, over the past three years, fares for senior citizens have decreased as part of the annual Fare Review Exercise. Today, the total discounts for senior citizens travelling on our public transport network amount to about $80 million every year. Larger subsidies for one group of commuters will mean higher fares for other commuters or a heavier burden on taxpayers. The PTC has to balance these difficult tradeoffs.
As for the Member's second suggestion, I am pleased to inform that all new buses will have visual and audio announcements of the next bus stop.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Top-performing Students Opting for Further Studies in Information Technology and Engineering","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"67 Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked the Minister for Education among the students who perform in the top 10% tier for GCE \"O\" and \"A\" levels (a) what is the proportion who opt to pursue studies related to information technology and engineering fields in each of the last three years; (b) how do these figures compare to those who opt to study medicine and law; and (c) what measures are in place to encourage more of our best and brightest to consider pursuing their studies in engineering, computer sciences, information technology, artificial intelligence and robotics in order to build a strong Singaporean Core in these fields.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Among the top 10% of students in the GCE \"A\" level exam between 2012 and 2014, 14% entered courses in engineering or information and digital technologies, while 22% entered medicine or law courses at the local autonomous universities (AUs). It is not meaningful to compare the numbers for those who take the \"O\" level exams because not all students sit for the \"O\" levels, such as those in the Integrated Programme.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) encourages and enables our students to discover their interests and strengths through the curriculum taught in our schools and a variety of programmes and experiences, supported by strengthened education and career guidance at all levels. For example, to expose students to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), 60% of our secondary schools offer Applied Learning Programmes in STEM domains. MOE also organises Science enrichment and mentorship programmes for secondary school and junior college students. The Science Centre Singapore also conducts a range of science-related activities and enrichment programmes to encourage interest in STEM among the public, including students.
The polytechnics pool their efforts to promote engineering diploma programmes to secondary school students. They hold talks featuring industry practitioners who share why they chose engineering as a career. They also reach out to school teachers and involve them in industry learning journeys and workshops.
Our AUs also offer unique programmes tailored to attract good students with the interest and aptitude in STEM. For example, the Nanyang Technological University offers the Renaissance Engineering Programme, and the National University of Singapore, the Global Engineering Programme. The Singapore University of Technology and Design infuses technology and design into every aspect of a student's learning experience.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Foreign Domestic Worker Grant Eligibility for Those with Mentally Disabled Parents Living in Separate Households","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"68 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider equalising the treatment of assessing Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Grant eligibility for (i) FDWs employed by children of mentally disabled parents to take care of their parents at separate households and (ii) FDWs employed directly by parents who are compos mentis and living in separate households, through sponsorship of their children and, if not, why not.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Foreign Domestic Worker Grant (FDWG) provides a monthly grant of $120 to help families employ an FDW to care for their loved ones who require permanent assistance with three or more Activities of Daily Living. As the grant is targeted at lower- and middle-income households, employers with household monthly income per person of $2,600 or lower will be eligible for the grant.
Regardless of whether the FDW is employed by a family member living in a separate household, or the care recipient himself/herself, we consistently assess the means of the FDW employer's household in determining the eligibility for the grant. This allows us to take into account the needs of the employer who is directly responsible for paying the salary of the FDW. Nevertheless, we will also consider appeals from families who have extenuating circumstances and genuinely require financial aid.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Smartphone Addiction among Young Children and Teenagers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"69 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is concerned about the increasing trend of smartphone addiction, especially among young children and teenagers, and what are the steps that it intends to take to arrest the situation.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Smartphone addiction is not a medical diagnosis under the international classifications, such as the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases1 (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders2.
Nevertheless, some children and teenagers do seek help in healthcare institutions for possible smartphone addiction and some of them have been diagnosed with impulse disorders3. Based on data from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the Response, Early Intervention, Assessment in Community mental Health (REACH) teams, the number of young patients diagnosed with impulse disorders did not show any upward trend between 2013 and 2017. IMH reported an average of about 46 cases per year, and REACH teams reported an average of 14 cases per year. The figures, however, encompass various types of impulse disorders as there is no specific diagnosis for smartphone addiction.
IMH's National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) has put in place measures on addictions related to the use of smartphones. These include education through outreach efforts at various schools and improving awareness amongst the general public on behavioural addictions through various media platforms, such as print and radio, as well as during the National Addictions Awareness Day. There are also intervention services for young children and teenagers who experience related problems, such as gaming addiction. NAMS provides assessment on the severity of the condition and offers treatment, such as counselling, to overcome such addictions. Beyond NAMS, there are also services available in the community provided by REACH, Community Health Assessment Teams (CHAT) and TOUCH Community Services.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : 10th Edition.","2 : 5th Edition.","3 : Impulse disorders are characterised by the repeated failure to resist an impulse, drive or urge to perform an act that is rewarding to the person in the short-term, despite consequences, such as longer-term harm either to the individual or to others, marked distress about the behavior pattern, or significant impairment in personal, social or other important areas of functioning."],"footNoteQuestions":["69"],"questionNo":"69"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Jobs Made Obsolete due to Artificial Intelligence and Global Downsizing Trends","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"70 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many jobs have been made obsolete since 2016 because of artificial intelligence; (b) how can support networks be strengthened for those who are retrenched; and (c) whether the Ministry will offer support to encourage businesses to retrain and offer new opportunities to the affected employees.
71 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Manpower with global trends of companies downsizing (a) how many Singaporeans working in MNCs have been affected since 2017; and (b) what is the job market outlook for the rest of 2018 and 2019.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Overall, the number of local retrenchments fell from about 11,000 in 2016 to about 9,000 in 2017. This is based on surveys of establishments with at least 25 employees. We do not specifically track retrenchments from multinational corporations (MNCs), but these companies are included in our surveys. Over the same two years, close to 70% of local retrenched workers were displaced due to company reorganisation and restructuring of business processes which, in some instances, may include the adoption of new technologies to automate job tasks. However, new jobs were created at the same time. In particular, local employment grew by 11,200 in 2016 and by a further 21,300 in 2017.
The impact of technology on jobs is often mixed. While it may reduce manpower reliance in some areas, growing companies still have to hire more to fill other jobs. For example, Amazon hired more staff even as it introduced more robots in its business operations. Likewise, an industry may be shrinking due to technological disruption, but other industries may be growing in its place. Technology could also boost productivity, enabling higher wages for those with the skills to work with or alongside technology.
While keeping an eye on the impact of technology, including artificial intelligence, the Government's priority is to help workers stay in employment by keeping their skills current, or get back into employment quickly if they are displaced. Through the Adapt and Grow (A&G) initiative, Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the National Trades Union Congress' Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) offer employment facilitation services, such as career coaching, employability workshops, job fairs and job matching. The Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) and Place-and-Train Programmes provide wage and training support for employers to retrain workers to enter new occupations or sectors. The Career Support Programme (CSP) encourages employers to give opportunities to mature, retrenched professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) by providing wage support. In 2017, the A&G initiative helped place over 25,000 jobseekers, about 20% more than in 2016.
Where possible, it is better to intervene upstream, before workers are retrenched. Together with the economic agencies, WSG engages companies on their transformation plans and manpower needs, so as to support them in reskilling and redeploying employees in jobs at risk into new job roles. Last year, about 500 at-risk workers were retrained for new job roles through redeployment PCPs. WSG will make a bigger push in sectors that are restructuring.
Looking ahead, real gross domestic product growth for 2018 is expected to be between 2.5% and 3.5%. We thus expect overall labour demand to expand, but with some unevenness across sectors. Job opportunities will be available in the Services sectors, including Finance and Insurance, Infocommunication and Media, Healthcare, Professional Services and Wholesale Trade. However, hiring is expected to remain cautious in the Construction and Marine Shipyard sectors.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Penalties for Companies Not Implementing Wildlife and Environmental Mitigation Measures for Projects near National Parks and Nature Reserves","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"73 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to impose penalties on companies which do not implement proposed wildlife and environmental mitigation measures when carrying out construction near national parks and nature reserves.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Development projects that are near to sensitive areas, such as Nature Reserves, Nature Areas, areas of significant biodiversity, and marine and coastal areas, are required to undergo an in-depth consultation process with the relevant technical agencies. Where necessary, agencies will stipulate the environmental requirements that need to be met and ensure that mitigating measures are put in place by the developer to minimise the environmental impact. Agencies will also work with developers to ensure that the recommended mitigation measures are implemented, through environmental monitoring and management programmes. Should the developers deviate from the measures, agencies will ask developers to take appropriate actions to rectify the situation.
If there is any unanticipated environmental impact or when the mitigation measures prove insufficient, developers will need to modify existing mitigation measures or put in additional mitigation measures, in consultation with the relevant agencies.
The Ministry of National Development and the technical agencies are reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment framework to ensure that it remains robust and meets the intended objectives. As part of this review, we will study how best to ensure that mitigating measures are implemented in the right spirit, and whether there is a need to strengthen the penalties for non-compliance.
Today, developers who violate regulatory requirements already face penalties under the various environmental Acts. These include the National Environment Agency's Environmental Protection and Management Act, and the Public Utilities Board's Sewerage and Drainage Act in relation to air, noise and water pollution, and the National Parks Board's Parks and Trees Act in relation to activities within nature reserves and national parks.
For example, under the Parks and Trees Act, conducting activities within nature reserves and national parks which cause alteration, damage or destruction to any plant, or injury to or the death of any animal or any other organism, are considered offences. The penalty for these offences is a fine of up to $50,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. A fine of up to $500 is further imposed for every day or part of the day which the offence continues after conviction.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Creating Awareness on Zero-wastage and Recycling","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"74 Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether there has been a study on the effectiveness of campaigns and programmes to create awareness on zero-wastage and recycling; (b) if so, what are the outcomes of such a study; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider embarking on a mass public consultation exercise to collate suggestions from the public on effective strategies to encourage zero-wastage and recycling.
75 Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what are the current efforts or guidelines for businesses to penalise wastage as well as incentivise the reduction and recycling of waste; (b) whether the current efforts and guidelines have been effective; and (c) whether there are any plans to build on the existing framework.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: My Ministry and the National Environment Agency (NEA) adopt a combination of strategies to reduce waste generation and encourage recycling. In particular, we are focusing our efforts on three priority waste streams – food waste, e-waste and packaging waste. While there has been progress, more needs to be done to achieve our vision of a zero-waste nation and circular economy.
To make recycling easier, those living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats or landed properties are provided with either a blue recycling bin under their block or a centralised chute for recyclables under the National Recycling Programme (NRP). This has led to an increase in recyclables collected, from 25,300 tonnes in 2011 to 44,400 tonnes in 2017. In a survey conducted in 2015/2016, more than 70% of HDB households indicated that they practised recycling. However, this has not translated into an increase in our domestic recycling rates, which have hovered at around 20% in recent years. Taken together, these figures indicate that households are generally aware of recycling, but do not practise it regularly. More needs to be done to make recycling part of daily living for all Singaporeans, by making it more convenient for households to recycle and through more outreach and education on good recycling practices.
We also target large waste generators by requiring them to report their waste data and waste reduction targets and plans since 2014. In 2016, 269 large hotels and shopping malls provided this information to NEA. They have also become more aware of how to improve their waste management systems. The proportion of large hotels and malls that recycle has increased from 84% in 2014 to 94% in 2016. We will look into how the reporting requirement can be extended to other large waste generators, such as industrial premises.
My Ministry works closely with other Government agencies and private sector partners to combat food waste. NEA and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) have published food waste minimisation guidebooks for food retail establishments, supermarkets and food manufacturing establishments. NEA’s 3R Fund has also supported 22 premises to install onsite food waste treatment systems. Our food waste recycling rate has increased from 12% in 2012 to 16% in 2017. But we can do better. My Ministry will continue to explore how we can not only recycle more food waste but reduce its generation in the first place.
To better manage e-waste, my Ministry will put in place an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for e-waste management by 2021. We are also studying the feasibility of extending the EPR concept to other waste streams, such as packaging waste, including plastics. We will bring forward the mandatory reporting of packaging data and waste reduction plans from 2021 to 2020. This will build on current voluntary efforts, such as the Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA), which encourages businesses to minimise packaging waste. Since its introduction in 2007, the signatories have collectively reduced 46,000 tonnes of packaging waste and saved over $100 million in packaging material costs.
My Ministry recently announced that we are developing an inaugural Zero Waste Masterplan to be released next year. In developing the plan, we will be consulting the public and industry stakeholders on our strategies for achieving a Zero Waste Nation and circular economy.
In the meantime, we encourage ground-up efforts to reduce waste and encourage recycling. Everybody must do their part. We also welcome anyone with good suggestions to write in to NEA via email or social media. Consumers can also encourage businesses to adopt environmentally-friendly practices through their purchasing choices and by giving them feedback. Everyone's effort is important in our journey towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation and achieving a circular economy.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Bicycles with Long Handlebars Not Allowed on Footpaths","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"76 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether any action is taken to ensure that owners of bicycles with handlebars exceeding 700-millimetre length are made aware that such bicycles are not allowed on footpaths and walkways; and (b) whether owners are given reasonable opportunity to change their handlebars without their bicycles being impounded immediately when they are found on footpaths and walkways.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: After extensive public consultation in 2015, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel recommended that bicycles used on public paths be subject to a maximum width of 700 millimetres (mm). This is to ensure that there is sufficient space for cyclists to pass other path users, including individuals in wheelchairs, safely on footpaths that may only be 1.5 metres wide. This width limit has been widely publicised by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) since 2016 through numerous platforms, including videos, posters and banners. LTA also works with retailers, interest groups and Active Mobility Patrol volunteers to reach out to the public about this width limit. Participants in the Safe Riding Programme developed by LTA and the Singapore Road Safety Council are also informed of this width limit.
It is an offence to use a non-compliant bicycle on public paths, and bicycle owners should proactively ensure that their bicycles are compliant before using them on public paths. Non-compliant bicycles may be seized if they are found to be used on public paths, and users could be liable for a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment up to three months, or to both.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Advance Medical Directive as Opt-out Scheme for Older and Terminally Ill Persons","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"77 Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider implementing the Advance Medical Directive as an opt-out scheme for (i) those aged 85 and above and (ii) those aged above 80 who are terminally ill and have been unconscious for more than a year.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Advance Medical Directive (AMD) is a legal document that a person signs in advance, to direct the doctor treating him, not to employ extraordinary life-sustaining treatment to prolong his life, in the event that he suffers a terminal illness and is unable to exercise rational judgement at that time. Making an AMD is a personal, voluntary and optional decision. It represents a person’s considered and rational decision in advance.
It is critical to maintain the principle that the decision on whether to accept or reject treatment should be considered carefully and made personally. Hence, we do not support an opt-out scheme for AMD.
Where a person is unable to communicate his preference and has not made an AMD, decisions relating to the care should be made by the attending doctor, in close consultation with family members and caregivers, taking into consideration the best interest of the person, and any documented personal preferences.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Treatments that Blend Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"78 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health (a) how many clinical trials featuring integrative treatments that utilise Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine are in the works; and (b) how will the landscape for integrative medicine evolve in the years to come and what are the expected treatment costs.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Ministry of Health has been encouraging collaborative research between researchers and practitioners in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and those from our healthcare institutions and institutes of higher learning. To support this, the Ministry established the TCM Research Grant in 2013. We have provided $8 million funding to date.
Ten research projects were funded after the first two grant calls, and they are in various stages of progress. Examples of the collaborative projects include (a) a randomised controlled trial conducted by the Singapore Eye Research Institute and Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution on the use of acupuncture and herbal treatment in dry eyes; and (b) a study conducted by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution on the supportive role of TCM in the management of mild to moderate childhood asthma. The third grant call closed on 30 June 2018 and the proposals are being reviewed.
TCM plays a complementary role in our healthcare system. Where evidence for efficacy and safety is demonstrated, like acupuncture for pain management and post-stroke rehabilitation, our public healthcare institutions have incorporated these into the care for patients. As more research evidence supporting its efficacy emerges, TCM can play a larger role.
However, as we are still in the early stages of our research collaborations, we are unable to estimate the future costs of treatments integrating conventional western and traditional Chinese medicine. We will continue to monitor the progress and evaluate research evidence supporting not only its effectiveness but also its safety when TCM is used together with modern mainstream medicine.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Retrenchment Benefits Paid Out by Companies that Retrench Workers for Reasons not Related to Financial Distress","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"79 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Manpower what levers are available to the Ministry to ensure that retrenchment benefits meet industry norms in the case of companies that retrench workers for reasons not related to financial distress.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Companies must pay retrenchment benefits to workers who have served two years and above, if it is specified in their individual employment contracts or the collective agreements negotiated by their unions.
The tripartite partners recognise that retrenchment is a difficult time for companies and affected employees. In this regard, we issued the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment to provide guidance to employers on implementing retrenchment in a fair and responsible manner. The Advisory states that the prevailing norm is to pay a retrenchment benefit of between two weeks to one month of salary per year of service, depending on the financial position of the company and industry practices. According to our survey on retrenchment benefits in 2017, around 90% of establishments which retrenched workers paid retrenchment benefits, of which more than 70% paid retrenchment benefits that met or exceeded the prevailing norms.
Retrenched workers who have not been paid retrenchment benefits as specified in their employment contracts can lodge a claim at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for mediation. If mediation fails, the claim will be heard at the Employment Claims Tribunals. Retrenched workers who do not have retrenchment benefits specified in their employment contracts can also approach TADM for advisory and mediation services. For eligible union members with retrenchment benefit disputes, the unions will help to negotiate an agreement with the employer. If no agreement can be reached, the unions can refer the disputes to the Ministry of Manpower for conciliation, failing which, the disputes can be arbitrated at the Industrial Arbitration Court.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Special Employment Credit for Freelancers and Seniors Working in Shared Economy Sector","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"80 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Special Employment Credit (SEC) is applicable for seniors working in the shared economy sector and freelancers; and (b) if not, whether there are any programmes that can help those seniors with a monthly income of less than $4,000.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The Special Employment Credit (SEC) scheme offers direct wage offsets to employers to encourage them to hire older Singaporeans aged 55 and above earning up to $4,000 per month. It is not a wage supplement to the individual and does not apply to self-employed freelancers who generally decide on their own age of retirement.
Nonetheless, there are other schemes to support seniors who are self-employed. The Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Scheme is applicable to employees as well as self-employed persons (SEPs). Under WIS, older workers earning up to $2,000 monthly receive higher cash payouts and CPF contributions, compared to younger workers earning the same income.
Programmes under the Adapt and Grow (A&G) initiative also help older self-employed persons find suitable jobs. For instance, the Career Support Programme (CSP) offers wage support to employers who hire long-term unemployed or retrenched jobseekers, with more funding for older jobseekers. SEC also helps by incentivising employers to hire older self-employed persons who wish to take on regular jobs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Preserving Farrer Park Field and Adjoining Facilities for Sports Heritage","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"81 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider preserving Farrer Park Field and the adjoining facilities as the area has a rich sports heritage and memorable sports milestones instead of repurposing it into a residential development.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Farrer Park Field has been used as a sports field since the 1930s. Other sports facilities adjoining the Field, such as the Athletic Centre and Swimming Pool, were built in the 1950s, and served as the training grounds for many local athletes. Over the years, as newer facilities, such as the nearby Jalan Besar Stadium and Swimming Complex and the National Stadium were built, the facilities in the Farrer Park area were less frequently used as competitive sports venues. Today, they are used mainly by the public for recreational sports.
The Farrer Park area is close to the city and the Little India Mass Rapid Transit interchange, making it suitable for housing. The current plan is to develop the area for housing and community facilities, including a park. We are mindful of the Farrer Park area's history as a sporting ground and will see how best to weave in elements of the heritage of the area in our future plans. We will seek feedback and ideas from key stakeholders and community partners as we develop more detailed plans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for NEA's Daily-rated Staff to be Skilled for Future Jobs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"82 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what are the plans for NEA's daily-rated staff to receive the necessary skills required for the future jobs under the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) launched the Skills Framework for Environmental Services (ES) in December 2017 as an integral component of the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map (ES ITM). The framework maps the skills and competencies that workers in the industry need to perform their roles effectively.
NEA’s daily-rated employees (DREs) are potential beneficiaries of the ES ITM. To equip DREs with the skillsets for future jobs, NEA has been providing training opportunities, such as Workforce Skills Qualifications courses in environmental cleaning, landscape operations and digital literacy. NEA also encourages its DREs to attend relevant training programmes under the ES Skills Framework to broaden and deepen their skills and knowledge. With the requisite training and work experience, DREs may take on more challenging or expanded roles within the agency and in the wider ES industry.
One DRE who has benefited from NEA's upskilling efforts is Mr Somasundaram Ganeson. Mr Somasundaram was previously an Environmental Support Assistant who kept the streets clean. At 62, he was recently promoted to be a Higher Environmental Support Assistant in vector control, after completing a vocational course and attaining the skills needed for the new portfolio. Accordingly, he now commands a higher salary. Other DREs have similarly upgraded their skills and taken on new roles.
NEA is also working with Post-Secondary Education Institutions to enhance existing technical courses and develop new Continuous Education and Training programmes on relevant topics that would also benefit DREs who wish to upskill and avail themselves of job opportunities in the industry.
NEA will continue to partner stakeholders to expand education and training programmes to address the skills and manpower needs of the ES industry.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress on Raising Awareness for Climate Change","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"83 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the progress thus far on raising the awareness of climate change; (b) what is the number of individuals, organisations and educational institutions that have taken the Climate Action Pledge; (c) what are the plans to include more individuals, organisations and educational institutions in the second-half of the year; and (d) whether the Ministry will work with or track the organisations and educational institutions in terms of their follow-up actions and, if so, how.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Singapore designated 2018 as the Year of Climate Action to raise awareness of climate change and to urge people to take climate action for a sustainable future. The public response has been very good. Many community groups, grassroots organisations, corporations, schools and non-government organisations (NGOs) have stepped forward to organise events and activities to raise awareness of the importance and impact of climate change, and to encourage the public to take responsibility to live more sustainable lifestyles.
Since the Year of Climate Action was launched on 26 January 2018, more than a quarter million climate action pledges have been received. Of these, 221 are from educational institutions and 266 are from organisations, including NGOs.
Many initiatives have come out of this Year of Climate Action. Let me highlight a few. The National Youth Council (NYC) is organising a series of youth conversations throughout the year, and climate change is a key topic. Youths have shown keen interest in how they can contribute to climate action. The Singapore Scout Association has introduced a new Climate Action Programme, where Scouts earn Climate Action Ambassador Badges by initiating climate action activities and encouraging the community to do likewise. The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has launched an EcoLifeSG app which helps users to calculate and track their carbon footprint. As part of United Nations (UN) Environment's call to action on World Environment Day, City Developments Limited (CDL) and Global Initiatives (GI) launched a \"live\" art installation at the Marina Barrage using discarded plastic bottles to raise awareness on the urgent need to reduce single-use plastics.
Recently I went to the UN to present Singapore's first Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. I shared that Singapore's sustainable development is a whole-of-nation effort. Since our Independence, we have balanced economic growth with environment protection and social inclusion. We have also taken a long-term approach towards policy implementation, based on collaborative multi-stakeholder partnerships. Our Year of Climate Action efforts is a good example of how we have come together as a nation to fight climate change and ensure sustainable development.
We will continue to work with stakeholders to promote climate action messages in the second half of the year. The recent Partners for the Environment Forum on 10 July 2018 was themed \"Accelerating Action on Climate Change\" and gathered more than 260 participants to discuss how to better collaborate on climate action. A Climate Action SG Alliance has been formed by 18 corporate, educational and civil society leaders to develop new climate action initiatives to rally the public. In the coming months, they will look at how to promote education in schools on waste minimisation, how to encourage businesses to be more environmentally sustainable, and how to educate the community on recycling right.
Individuals, organisations and educational institutions that have taken the climate action pledge have taken an important step by making a public commitment of their plans. As organisations and institutions are at different stages of their climate action journey, they are able to craft their own pledges to commit to a realistic and achievable climate action plan that works for them. My Ministry will not be tracking the fulfilment of the pledges but will be happy to work with interested parties to support their plans.
NEA offers a Climate Action SG Grant for NGOs and interest groups to fund projects that promote climate action messages, promote the 3Rs and energy conservation. Successful applicants receive a grant of up to $5,000. We have also supported organisations with good ideas to reach out to a wider audience. For example, we worked with PacificLight on their climate action-themed \"Crea8 Sustainability\" competitions for educational institutions. We encourage parties who have taken the climate action pledge to share their progress at suitable events so that there are mutual sharing and mutual encouragement as we all walk the sustainability journey together for the good of Singapore and the world.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Elderly Patients Readmitted within 30 Days after Discharge From Hospital","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"84 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the readmission rates for patients aged 65 and above within 30 days after their discharge from public hospitals have declined in the last five years; and (b) what measures have been taken to minimise readmission.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Across all public hospitals, the readmission rates for patients aged 65 and older within 30 days after discharge showed a slight increase in the last five years, rising from 18.9% in 2013 to 19.5% in 2017, as our patients get older. After adjusting for patients’ age and severity of their conditions, readmission rates range between 11.6% and 11.8%.
Our public hospitals have implemented various programmes to reduce readmissions. These include the Hospital-to-Home (H2H) programme which provide integrated care support to facilitate patients’ transition home via medication reconciliation, telephonic support, linkages with appropriate community-based services and caregiver training. To date, H2H has served more than 14,000 patients. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has also developed more community hospitals to provide sub-acute as well as rehabilitation care for acute hospital patients who require a longer period of recovery. This enhances the functions and confidence of the patients, thus reducing the risk of readmission.
MOH and the public hospitals will continue to work with community and primary care providers to enhance the continuation of care for our patients in the community after their discharge from the hospitals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Companies’ Ability to Meet Water Efficiency Benchmarks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"85 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) in the past three years, how effectively are firms meeting water efficiency benchmarks; (b) whether PUB will work closely with those that fail to achieve the benchmarks to help them reduce water wastage; (c) what is the status of the industry consultation on water efficiency practices; and (d) what else is the Ministry doing to keep water consumption manageable.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: As one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, water has always been an existential issue for Singapore. We need to invest ahead in weather-resilient water sources and expand and renew our water infrastructure and network in a timely manner. But this is not enough. To ensure the long-term sustainability of our water resources, it is equally important that we manage demand and use water prudently.
The non-domestic sector currently makes up more than half of our total water demand, and this is projected to increase to about 70% in 2060. Companies must use water efficiently.
The Public Utilities Board (PUB) requires large water users in the non-domestic sector to monitor their water usage through the installation of water meters and submit a water efficiency management plan annually. Through this process, companies can better understand their water usage patterns and identify ways to conserve water.
Since 2015, more than 600 large water users have been submitting their plans annually. This has given PUB insights into how various industries use water and enabled PUB to develop targeted initiatives.
During the Committee of Supply debate this year, I announced the launch of the Best Practice Guide on Water Efficiency for the Buildings sector. Another two guides – for the Wafer Fabrication and Semiconductor sector and the Refineries, Petrochemicals and Chemicals sector – were launched during the Singapore International Water Week last month. PUB has also developed water efficiency benchmarks for the office buildings, hotels, retail malls, wafer fabrication and semiconductor sectors. The series of consultations with industries and relevant stakeholders, as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has mentioned, was instrumental to the development of these guides and benchmarks. PUB will continue to work closely with industries on water efficiency benchmarks and guides for other sectors.
Through these benchmarks and guides, companies can assess how well they fare relative to their peers and learn from best practices. As the benchmarks have just been published this year, PUB will monitor the performance of the companies and help them improve their water efficiency, especially those who fall below the median performance. Through one-to-one engagement sessions, PUB advises the companies on opportunities for water savings and offer customised expertise for water recycling and reuse projects.
To encourage companies to implement such projects, PUB provides funding support, such as the Water Efficiency Fund and the Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund. Companies can tap on these funds to carry out water audits, water recycling, use of alternate sources of water, and the test-bedding of innovative water technologies.
Companies have responded positively, with a number looking to implement new water efficiency projects. For example, PUB has worked with and co-funded Micron Semiconductor Asia Pte Ltd to install a wastewater recycling plant this year. Once implemented, there will be an expected annual reduction of 400,000 cubic metres (m3) in their NEWater demand.
To recognise exemplary companies, PUB introduced the Water Efficiency Awards in 2017 for companies which are within the top 10th percentile of the industry-specific benchmarks. Last year, 27 award recipients from seven industries were presented with these awards.
PUB is taking it one step further. From 2019, all large water users will need to appoint a certified water efficiency manager who has undergone training on how to conduct water audits and implement water efficiency measures. This will level up the capabilities of the industries in managing their water use.
Water is valuable and I urge all companies to look into water conservation efforts. PUB stands ready to help companies in this.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singapore's Efforts in Managing Climate Change","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"86 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how are Singapore's efforts to manage this year's climate change proceeding; (b) whether such efforts are sufficient in light of the forecast by the Climate Prediction Centre of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of a 70% chance that El Nino will develop during end-2018; and (c) what countermeasures will Singapore adopt should El Nino develop.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Climate change poses existential challenges for Singapore as an island city-state. In 2016, we published our Climate Action Plan which outlines Singapore’s long-term strategy to mitigate and adapt to climate change. We continue to build on these plans.
This year, we announced the introduction of a carbon tax which will take effect from 2019. This tax will incentivise emissions reduction across the economy and encourage our companies to adopt more energy-efficient practices as we transition to a low-carbon future.
We have also made progress in adapting Singapore to the potential impacts of climate change. In June, we opened Singapore’s third desalination plant in Tuas, and two more are currently under development. These weather-resilient sources will contribute to our water resilience as we continue to diversify our water supply. To prepare for warmer temperatures, agencies have put in place precautionary guidelines for groups that are at higher risk of heat injury, such as outdoor workers. Across the Government, agencies will continue to take steps to build a carbon-efficient and climate-resilient Singapore.
But climate action cannot be the sole undertaking of the Government. Everyone must participate in this effort. This is why we have designated 2018 as the Year of Climate Action, to raise our national consciousness of climate change and galvanise ground-up action for a sustainable Singapore. So far, more than 250,000 individuals, organisations and educational institutions have made Climate Action pledges. We are encouraged by their commitment and hope this momentum continues beyond 2018.
The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) assesses that there is a 60%-70% chance of a weak El Niño developing late in the year. Should the El Niño occur, it is not likely to have a significant impact on rainfall patterns in Singapore and the nearby region, due to its expected weak intensity and late development during the year-end rainy season. We do not expect a repeat of the strong El Niño event experienced in 2015/2016, which was one of the strongest in recent history and led to significantly reduced rainfall in Singapore. MSS will continue to monitor developments and provide relevant alerts to the public and relevant agencies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Hyflux’s Debt and Business Reorganisation on Singapore's Water System and Water Security","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"87 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the debt and business reorganisation of Hyflux Ltd will affect Singapore's water system and water security.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Public Utilities Board's (PUB’s) key interest is to safeguard Singapore's water security and confidence in our water supply. There are two desalination plants that Hyflux is involved in under a Design, Build, Own and Operate arrangement. One is the SingSpring Desalination Plant, which is majority owned by Keppel Infrastructure Trust with Hyflux owning a minority stake. This plant is not affected by Hyflux's recent debt and business reorganisation.
The other plant, the Tuaspring Desalination Plant, wholly owned by Tuaspring Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyflux, is affected by the reorganisation, but continues to supply desalinated water to PUB.
Hyflux, Tuaspring and its creditor are currently in discussion on the potential divestment of Tuaspring. As this is a commercial matter, it will not be appropriate for my Ministry to comment further. Nonetheless, we are monitoring developments closely. Members of the House can be assured that there are adequate measures in place to ensure the plant remains in operation. Any divestment has to be approved by PUB.
Water supply is an existential issue and is one which PUB treats with the utmost seriousness. Water supply infrastructure is planned well into the future and investments made ahead of demand. We just opened our latest desalination plant, Tuas Desalination Plant, in June 2018. More water supply infrastructure is being constructed over the next few years. We will not allow the security of our water supply to be affected.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Alternative Sites for Sea Burials","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"88 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether other alternative sites to Tanah Merah for sea burials will be considered and studied before making a final decision on the location of the sea burial facility proposed at the shoreline of Tanah Merah; and (b) whether the findings of the environmental impact study on this proposal will be published prior to a decision being made.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been working with the relevant authorities to identify a suitable site on mainland Singapore for the conduct of post-death rites prior to the scattering of cremated remains at sea. The provision of such a facility is in response to public feedback, to preserve the dignity and decorum of post-death proceedings and to ensure adequate provision of after-death care facilities to meet the needs of the various communities in Singapore.
The site at Tanah Merah was proposed in consultation with the relevant authorities and with careful deliberation over competing needs. In addition, NEA has commissioned an Environmental Impact Study to be completed by 2019 to better assess the possible environmental impact of the facility.
NEA has received feedback from stakeholders and engaged interested parties, for example, the sailing fraternity, on their suggestions. We will take into account the outcomes of the Environmental Impact Study and suggestions from stakeholders when considering the next steps. NEA will also be engaging stakeholders and interested parties when the study is completed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"People's Association’s Malay Activity Executive Committees Council","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"89 Mr Azmoon Ahmad asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what does the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (MESRA) set out to achieve and what is its mission; (b) how is MESRA different from the Malay/Muslim Community Leaders Forum (CLF); and (c) whether the CLF Steering Committee is still functioning and if it has achieved its objectives since it was formed in 2003.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Co-ordinating Council (MESRA) and the Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAECs) play a key role in developing opportunities for which the Malay community can interact and collaborate with other communities and groups in Singapore. MESRA coordinates the efforts of the MAECs, which are based at Community Clubs across Singapore. The Community Leaders’ Forum (CLF) is a platform under the Council for the Development of the Singapore Malay/Muslim Community (MENDAKI), formed in 2003 to support Malay/Muslim Voluntary Organisations (MMOs).
Our MMOs are central to efforts to uplift and empower the Malay/Muslim community. The Community Leaders' Forum (CLF) will continue to support the MMOs in areas, such as education, youth, family and employability. For example, the Youth-in-Action programme carried out by 12 MMOs, such as the Association of Muslim Professionals, the Majulah Community and the Progress Class Society, addresses low school attendance rates and negative social behaviours, complementing efforts by schools. The CLF will also continue to fund partners that collaborate with community or Government agencies to address social issues. For instance, through the Vista Sakinah programme, the CLF funds the Singapore Muslim Women's Association (PPIS) to support remarriages and stepfamilies.
Over the years, CLF has made significant progress. Within 10 years, the number of CLF partners increased from 10 MMOs and two mosques in 2004, to 65 in 2015. CLF identified service gaps that led to the implementation of flagship programmes by CLF partners, including Tiga M, Community Tuition Subsidy Scheme (CoTS), Family Excellence Circles, and SENSE employability programmes.
Having achieved its initial objectives of forging community partnerships and providing capacity building for MMOs, the CLF Steering Committee was succeeded by two committees in 2015, namely, the Malay/Muslim Capability Development Fund (MMCDF) Steering Committee and the CLF Leadership and Advancement Benefaction Scheme (CLF LABS) Steering Committee, which collectively oversee CLF. MENDAKI serves as the CLF Secretariat, and also administers the MMCDF, which supports projects by the MMOs. CLF LABS supports youth-led and informal groups in test-bedding innovative ideas with MENDAKI’s seed funding.
Moving forward, the Malay/Muslim political officeholders and I will strengthen collaboration across our key community institutions comprising MESRA, MENDAKI and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). We will strive to enhance MENDAKI's and MESRA's programmes so that, collectively, they can reach more community segments and deliver greater impact. They will also strengthen the last mile for outreach, as well as expand and develop our pool of volunteers and community leaders.
MESRA, MENDAKI and MUIS will work in partnership with Government agencies, MMOs and other partners to harness the Malay/Muslim community's energy and creativity to contribute back to the community and the wider society.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Access to and Security of Data from Street Lighting Cameras Using Facial Recognition Technology","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Leon Perera asked the Prime Minister in respect of planned installations of street lighting cameras using facial recognition technology (a) what measures are in place to ensure security and privacy protection; and (b) which Government agencies and what types of personnel within those agencies will have access to the data so generated.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Under the Smart Nation Sensor Platform project, the Government is progressively testing and deploying different sensors and related technologies, with the objective of providing better and more responsive services to citizens.
These sensors include cameras mounted on street lamps that can support facial recognition for follow-up investigation in the event of a security incident. These cameras are similar to those already installed in other public places.
To ensure security and protection of privacy, the Sensor Platform will incorporate industry best practices and standards in data security. These include access controls, encryption and identity hashing to prevent re-identification. Data collected from these sensors will only be accessed by public officers who require such data for their specific operational needs. The Public Sector Governance Act (PSGA), recently passed by Parliament, makes clear when data sharing is allowed across Government agencies, clarifies which agency is responsible, and criminalises the misuse of data.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Fines on SMRT for Fatal Accident in March 2016 and Tunnel Flooding in October 2017","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is discovered in the investigations leading to the fines imposed on SMRT on 20 July 2018 in respect of the fatal accident near Pasir Ris MRT station on 22 March 2016 and the tunnel flooding incident between Bishan and Braddell MRT stations on 7 and 8 October 2017; (b) what lessons have been learned from the investigations; and (c) what measures have been put in place by SMRT to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: On 20 July 2018, the Land Transport Authority announced its intention to impose two financial penalties totalling $1.9 million on the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) for the fatal accident which took place on 22 March 2016 near Pasir Ris MRT station, and the flooding incident in the tunnels between Bishan and Braddell MRT stations from 7 to 8 October 2017. SMRT has apologised and accepted responsibility for these incidents.
Under the Rapid Transit Systems Act, following the imposition of financial penalties, SMRT has the right to lodge a statutory appeal to the Minister for Transport. As the appeal window has not closed, it would not be in order for the Minister for Transport to comment on this case now.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Review Eligibility Criteria for National Service Deferment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether there are plans to review the eligibility criteria for National Service (NS) deferment; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider setting up a review committee comprising esteemed individuals beyond the defence and armed forces sector to review applications for NS deferment on their individual merits.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Singapore's founding leaders knew the strict conditions that National Service (NS) would impose on its citizens when they passed the NS (Amendment) Bill 51 years ago and the Enlistment Act in 1970. In 1984, just as he was about to retire, a reflective Dr Goh Keng Swee acknowledged it plain and simple – \"National Service imposes (not only) a great sacrifice of time and money on the young men called up.\"1 But Dr Goh followed with the reason why NS was crucial to our nation’s survival – \"deep in his heart the average Singapore Citizen knows the danger he faces are real and not hypothetical, and that there is a need to defend ourselves.\"2
The Appellate High Court also brought their minds to bear on our NS policy in 2017 during an appeal on the sentencing of NS defaulters. Their written judgment3 spelt out the reasons why more stringent sentencing benchmarks were justified but those same reasons lie at the heart of what Members of Parliament (MPs) have asked today – how strict is this requirement for every male to serve his NS when required? What exceptions or flexibility can be given? It was a landmark decision, presided over by the Chief Justice. The Appellate High Court referred to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Teo Chee Hean's Ministerial Statement given in 2006 to this House when he was Defence Minister. That Ministerial Statement, coupled with the written judgment, illuminate the fundamentals on which our NS policy is based, that we must not unwittingly weaken lest we undo this nation's foundations. I urge all Members to read them. The judges opined that, \"In practical terms, what the three fundamental principles of national security, universality and equity mean is that in order to ensure Singapore's national security, every male Singaporean must serve NS and at the time he is required to under the [Enlistment] Act, without regard to his personal convenience and considerations. When a person refuses to serve NS at the time that he is required to and instead returns to serve at a time of his own choosing, or worse, at an age when he can no longer serve, his actions strike at the very core of the principles of national security, universality and equity.\"4
Thirteen NS defaulters were prosecuted after the new sentencing framework was established last year. In Court, each gave reasons why he did not enlist as required. Some wanted to complete their university degree first before NS. Others said they had to support their families. In every judgment, the Courts dismiss these personal reasons, convicted and sentenced them to jail terms. Harsh as it is, the Enlistment Act is blind to \"personal convenience and considerations\"5, no matter how talented the individual or exceptional his circumstances. At the core of the Enlistment Act, the critical national need for a strong defence puts aside personal pursuits and mandates that each liable male performs his NS when required.
The written judgment noted that everyone was asked to do his \"fair share\"6. \"This entails every citizen who is required to serve NS making sacrifices or postponing individual goals to serve the nation when the nation needs his service\"7. These arguments spell out in unequivocal terms the NS obligations for every Singaporean male. Deferment, therefore, cannot be for that individual, no matter how talented, to pursue his own interests or career, even if it vicariously brings credit or fame to Singapore. This would be fundamentally wrong and goes against the core principle of equity.
Some Singaporeans have voiced the same opinions over Mr Davis' application. Mr Suresh Nair, who wrote, \"Let this Davis case be the right and timely reminder of the need for absolute fairness in applying laws regarding NS deferment\".8
To preserve equity for all National Servicemen, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will only defer individuals very selectively if their deferment serves Singapore's interest first and foremost, never their own. This was the only basis to defer three sportsmen, swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen, and sailor Maximilian Soh, from NS to train and compete in the Olympics. The sportsmen deferred know this, as clear expectations were laid out when deferment was given, in discussion with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) on the standards required for their training. Neither was deferment open-ended nor unconditional. They will have to return to serve NS, and if they do not meet the standards agreed upon, deferment will be curtailed. These strict conditions are necessary because even for these individuals who can bring glory to Singapore, there are detractors, who think it is unfair for anyone to be deferred. Mr T Ng wrote to MINDEF – \"Please be fair to all Singaporean males, who spent years serving NS. Every Singaporean male's career is important from his own point of view.\"9
Disruption for individuals after they are enlisted for NS follows the same principles and is also given only for national reasons. We disrupt medical students to complete their medical studies because we need them to serve as Medical Officers during their NS to take care of their fellow soldiers. It is not an entitlement and, once the reasons are no longer valid, the disruption will end. For example, we previously allowed overseas medical students to disrupt, but this was stopped in 1992, when we could produce enough doctors locally. Similarly, dental students were not disrupted after 1989, as there was no need for NS Dental Officers. For transparency, MINDEF publishes a full list of all medical students who are disrupted every year.
Having stated the general principles, let me explain why the application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son's deferment was rejected even though MINDEF recognised Mr Ben Davis' achievement in obtaining a senior contract with Fulham Football Club (FC).
First, Mr Ben Davis is playing for Fulham FC as an English national, not a Singapore Citizen. MINDEF is not privy to the contract signed between them, but we assume this published information is correct and that the father must have his reasons for doing so.
Second, Mr Harvey Davis has consistently refused to indicate when his son would return to serve NS, if deferred. The father replied to the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Sport Singapore (SportSG) and Football Association of Singapore (FAS), stating: \"We are unable to commit to a date for his return should he be playing professional football in the UK or Europe. In addition, it is also a possibility that Ben could be offered a new two-year contract in 2019 after the first year of his pro-contract just like he has been offered a new two-year pro contract halfway through his two-year scholarship contract. Or he could be sent out on loan or sold to another club. There are a lot of variables all dependent on his development and progression.”10
Third, if he was not granted deferment, the father indicated that Mr Ben Davis would still proceed to sign the contract, and he has done so. The reason given by the father was that his son would only return to fulfil his NS commitment if he is unsuccessful in his professional career.
In fact, Mr Harvey Davis went further after MINDEF rejected the application – that he would consider the option for his son to renounce his Singapore citizenship in order to pursue his career.
The father's responses made clear his intent for his son to pursue a professional football career to the fullest. If Mr Ben Davis will not give up his senior contract, which provides for an allowance of a few hundred pounds a week, to serve his NS, it is even more unlikely that he will return to serve NS if he subsequently gets offered a contract worth many times more. And if he is not given a further contract with Fulham FC, the father has said that he may find other clubs which his son can be loaned to.
The application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son's deferment is to further his son’s professional career first and to the longest extent possible. He has been quite open about this. Singapore and her interests, including his son’s NS obligations, are a secondary consideration, if at all. There has been no indication, commitment or plans as to how Mr Ben Davis would help football standards in Singapore, if deferred. Mr Harvey Davis has urged MINDEF to approve deferment for his son so that it would serve as an inspiration, he tells us for the 1,000 students registered with his company Junior Soccer School and League (JSSL) Singapore, 500 or so of whom are local. JSSL Singapore is a youth football club and academy business run by Mr Harvey Davis and advertises itself as having links to Fulham FC.
MINDEF could not find any valid grounds to approve the application for deferment by Mr Harvey Davis for his son. There is no commitment to serve Singapore or our national interests. To grant deferment to Mr Ben Davis to pursue his personal development and professional career would be unfair to the many others who have served their NS dutifully as required, and not at a time of their choosing. It would also erode the basis on which our Courts have upheld the Enlistment Act passed by Parliament and punished those for not fulfilling their NS liabilities to pursue personal pursuits.
As a writer, Mr Patrick Tan Siong Kuan, wrote to The Straits Times Forum page: \"The defence of our country cannot be a matter of serving when it is most convenient. It is a responsibility that every man must take seriously when called upon, regardless of race, family connections or financial status. It takes personal sacrifice and putting the country before self. Otherwise, there will be no Singapore tomorrow.\"11
Mr Suresh Nair who wrote to the MINDEF Feedback Unit: \"If Davis is proud of his red passport, he must do what every Singapore teenager does, to dutifully observe the NS obligations.\"12
I know it must be difficult for a 17-year-old to receive such public attention. It was never MINDEF's intent, but MINDEF had to respond to his father’s claims to the media to explain to Members of Parliament (MPs) and Singaporeans the basis of our decision on this important policy.
I have dealt with the application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son. Let me now address the important issue that MPs have asked – can and how do we achieve sporting excellence, including for team sports, if NS duties are to be fulfilled? NS does require sacrifices, certainly personal ones, but performing one's NS duties and pursuing national aspirations for sports excellence need not be mutually exclusive.
Many talented sportsmen have served NS as required and yet at the same time raised the level of their own skills and the teams they played with. To MINDEF's knowledge, there are three other footballers who have also been talent spotted to take part in trials for professional leagues overseas. All three have completed their NS as required – Saifullah Akbar, Ikhsan and Irfan Fandi. In fact, Saifullah Akbar and Ikhsan Fandi asked to be enlisted early, presumably so that they could complete their NS early to pursue their professional careers. Prior to enlisting, Saifullah played for the Under-16 national team and was reportedly spotted by an Australian club at age 16 but went ahead to enlist for NS. During their NS, Irfan and Ikhsan trained and played for the Under-22 national team during the 2017 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, supported by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Home Team. Irfan and Ikhsan are now playing for the Young Lions in the Singapore Premier League and representing Singapore in regional football competitions. I understand Irfan has gone for trials with European clubs, including an upcoming trial with Sporting Braga, and Saifullah and Ikhsan are slated to follow suit at CD Tenerife and Braga, respectively. All of us will certainly cheer them on to succeed. This is a good sign for football in Singapore and talented footballers, Ben Davis included, can emulate the example of Irfan, Saifullah and Ikhsan to complete both their NS duties as required and also advance their professional football careers.
For the recent SEA Games 2015 and 2017, MINDEF supported those competing, both as a team and individually. Enlistment dates for NS were adjusted for those affected so that they could participate in the games first, including some footballers. Those who were already enlisted were given time off to train and maintain their peak performance. For the upcoming Asian Games later this month, so far, 10 of our National Servicemen have been given a short postponement of their enlistment of a few weeks, or if they have been enlisted, time off to train for the games, including a member of the Water Polo team who clinched their 27th straight SEA Games Gold medal last year. We wish all these sportsmen every success and hope that they continue to do well for Singapore in the Asian Games and beyond.
Besides these provisions, MINDEF has offered disruption to Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) competing in these games. Very few have chosen to disrupt, perhaps because they are able to train adequately in the SAF.
These many examples show that MINDEF has exercised flexibility towards sportsmen competing in team sports, a question asked by Dr Intan Mokhtar and Mr Muhamad Faisal and others. MINDEF has done so without transgressing the fundamentals of NS and still maintaining equity for all National Servicemen. MINDEF will work with MCCY, SportSG and other relevant agencies through various pathways that can allow our sportsmen to do well and still fulfil their NS obligations, be it in individual or team sports.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Speech by Dr Goh Keng Swee, 25 Sep 1984.","2 : Ibid.","3 : Public Prosecutor v Sakthikanesh s/o Chidambaram et al. [2017] SGHC 178","4 : Ibid., at [47], [48].","5 : Ibid., at [47].","6 : Ibid., at [34].","7 : Ibid., at [34].","8 : Email to the MINDEF Feedback Unit, dated 19 Jul 2018.","9 : Email to the MINDEF Feedback Unit, dated 21 Jul 2018.","10 : Email to MCCY, dated 15 May 2018.","11 : Letter to ST Forum, dated 20 Jul 2018.","12 : Email to the MINDEF Feedback Unit, dated 19 Jul 2018."],"footNoteQuestions":["3"],"questionNo":"3"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proportion of Full-time National Servicemen Downgraded for Mental Issues","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Defence whether there has been an uptrend in the proportion of Full-Time National Servicemen downgraded for mental issues in recent cohorts compared to cohorts in previous decades.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Over the past five years, around 4% of each National Service (NS) cohort was downgraded for mental health issues. The majority of these were downgraded after the pre-enlistment check-ups, before commencing their NS and, therefore, the prevalence of mental disorders for National Servicemen reflects that of the male population in Singapore.
For those who are enlisted, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) supports these Full-Time National Servicemen (NSFs) with a range of medical treatment and counselling services by our SAF psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and para-counsellors. Unit commanders undergo basic training to help them better understand mental health conditions and interview all NSFs at regular intervals to find out if they are facing any stresses, including emotional or psychological problems. In addition, NSFs can call a 24-hour SAF Counselling Hotline whenever they need help.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Deaths from Alcohol-related Violence and Traffic Accidents in Last 10 Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Home Affairs in the last 10 years, what is the number of deaths that have resulted from (i) alcohol-related violence and (ii) alcohol-related traffic accidents respectively.
Mr K Shanmugam: There were 10 deaths resulting from alcohol-related violence over the past 10 years.
The number of deaths resulting from drink-driving accidents has fallen from 22 deaths in 2009 to 14 in 2017. On average, there were 16 such deaths per year.
The Police will continue to take tough action against alcohol-related offences.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Expunging Police Reports Made by Private Parties against Other Private Parties but Not Pursued","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether Police reports made by private parties against other private parties are closed or expunged when no investigation of the allegations follows or when there is insufficient evidence to pursue an investigation; (b) if so, how long before they are closed or expunged; and (c) whether Police reports containing unproven allegations are firewalled from ICA decisions in respect of the person's applications for social visit passes, student passes and work passes in accordance with the principle of \"innocent until proven guilty\".
Mr K Shanmugam: The Police will review Police reports to assess if an offence could have been committed, and whether further investigations are warranted. Where Police investigations are initiated, the facts of the case will be examined and investigations conducted.
Police reports and findings from investigations are retained. There are several good reasons for retaining the reports. For example, if there is a need to relook at what had happened, the records will be important.
Immigration facilities and work passes are assessed on the individual merits of the case. The factors taken into consideration include, among other things, criminal and security antecedents, if any.
The Nominated Member of Parliament's (NMP's) question appears to be related to foreigners who apply for Short-Term Visit Passes, work passes and student passes.
Foreigners have no absolute right to demand such immigration facilities in Singapore. It is for the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to assess their eligibility for such facilities. Where a foreigner is being investigated in respect of a criminal offence, an application for an immigration facility, as mentioned by the NMP, will be held back, until the investigations are concluded. The investigations are obviously a relevant factor to consider. We assume that the NMP will not advocate that ICA or MOM grant an immigration pass to a foreigner who is being investigated – by way of an example – for committing a criminal offence like cheating people.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Digitise Current Photocard Driving Licence","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether there are any plans by the Ministry to digitise the current photocard driving licence given that the provisional driving licence is now paperless.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Traffic Police is similarly reviewing the digitisation of the qualified driving licence. More information will be released when the review is completed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Investigations into Chairman and Management of Swiber Holdings and Related Companies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) has completed its investigation of the chairman and management of Swiber Holdings and its related companies; and (b) if so, whether CAD will proceed with any charges for any breach of the Securities and Futures Act or other offences.
Mr K Shanmugam: Police investigations into Swiber Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries are ongoing. Investigations of this nature require the careful review of a large volume of documents. It is inappropriate to comment further on the case, so as not to prejudice the investigation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reported Cases of Investment Scams Targeting Members of Public","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Ong Teng Koon asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past three years, whether there is an increase in the number of reported cases of investment scams targeting members of the public; (b) what is the trend of the ratio of successful prosecuted cases versus reported cases over the same period; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plans to take a tougher stance to punish such investment scammers who defraud the public, such as strengthening legislation to deter and punish such behaviour.
Mr K Shanmugam: From 2015 to 2017, the number of reported investment scams has doubled, from about 200 to over 400 cases a year.
A key reason is the emergence of unregulated online investment platforms. These platforms allow trades across a wide range of products, such as currencies, shares, commodities and binary options. The public usually comes across such platforms via online advertisements, emails and unsolicited phone calls and messages. The operators of these online platforms are usually based outside Singapore, and payments are made directly to overseas bank accounts.
Since 2015, the Commercial Affairs Department has charged 30 persons for their roles in 14 investment scams.
The number of successfully prosecuted cases looks low compared to the number of Police reports. One of the reasons is that a significant proportion of investment scams today are committed remotely by syndicates operating in foreign countries, or the alleged investment assets, for example, distressed properties and agricultural products like seaweed farms, are overseas and difficult for the Police to track down conclusively. Also, one investment scam may have multiple victims, resulting in many Police reports. Some losses alleged in reports are not due to scams, but the ups and downs of the market.
A person who is convicted of a cheating offence under section 420 of the Penal Code may be liable for imprisonment of up to 10 years. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law are reviewing the need to further strengthen our legislative levers against fraud offences, as part of the ongoing review of the Penal Code.
The Police will also continue to work closely with foreign law enforcement counterparts to crack down on overseas syndicates targeting Singaporeans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Hospital Admissions and Deaths from Alcohol Overdose in Last 10 Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Health in the last 10 years (a) what is the number of hospital admissions for alcohol overdose; and (b) what is the number of deaths resulting from alcohol overdose.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Based on available public hospital data, between 2008 and 2017, the average number of hospital admissions per year for alcohol-related conditions, including alcohol intoxication, was about 550 cases.
Separately, over the same time period, we have not had any deaths reported where alcohol intoxication is the primary cause of death. In this same period, an average of 14 deaths per year were caused by longer-term effects of alcohol intake, including deaths from acute alcoholic hepatitis and advanced alcoholic cirrhosis.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Awareness and Practice of Breast Self-Examination among Females in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there are any statistics about the awareness and practice of breast self-examination among females in Singapore; and (b) whether the Ministry will work with schools to educate students about breast self-examinations and do needful follow-up when necessary.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females in Singapore, and the risk of developing the disease rises with age. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) works with healthcare providers and community partners on awareness and public education efforts on breast self-examinations. For example, HPB partners the Breast Cancer Foundation and the Singapore Cancer Society on outreach activities during the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October each year. An information booklet on breast self-examination is also available at all polyclinics. These efforts benefit females of all ages, including students. Previous surveys have found that approximately 45% of women in Singapore performed regular breast self-examinations1.
Because the risk of breast cancer rises with age, HPB puts added emphasis on females of working age and beyond, rather than students. For example, it recommends that from the age of 30, females should do regular breast self-examinations. It also has efforts to encourage women 50 years old and above to go for regular mammogram screening once every two years.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Sources: (i) Lim SK et al., “A Survey on Singaporean Women’s Knowledge, Perception and Practices of Mammogram Screening”, Annals Academy of Medicine Singapore, 2015; and (ii) A nationwide survey conducted by the Breast Cancer Foundation in 2017."],"footNoteQuestions":["11"],"questionNo":"11"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Average Life Expectancy of Disabled Persons Receiving Payouts under ElderShield","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the average life expectancy of disabled persons who received or are receiving payouts under ElderShield; and (b) what is the expected average life expectancy of persons who are able to claim and receive payouts under CareShield Life on the basis of their disabilities once the scheme comes into operation in 2020.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: As of 2017, the average duration of claim by ElderShield claimants is 2.8 years. About one-third of claimants have claimed for the full duration of five and six years for ElderShield 300 and ElderShield 400 respectively. Hence, the average duration of disability will be higher than the average duration of claim of 2.8 years.
The average life expectancy of Singaporeans who are severely disabled would likely increase in the future. Three in 10 severely disabled individuals are expected to remain in severe disability for 10 years or more. CareShield Life will provide payouts for as long as the policyholder remains severely disabled, which will provide Singaporeans greater assurance and better protection against their cost of long-term care.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Safeguarding Records and Personal Particulars against Cyberattacks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"13 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what are the implications to the individuals whose personal particulars and other records are stolen during the recent cyberattack on SingHealth; and (b) what precautions can an individual take to prevent the stolen personal particulars and other details from being misused, especially in the dark web.
14 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Communications and Information when will the provisions in the Cybersecurity Act that deal with the duty of owners of criminal information infrastructure to give notice of cybersecurity incidents within a prescribed period come into operation.
Mr S Iswaran: I thank the Members for their questions. I have addressed them in my Ministerial Statement at the 6 August 2018 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to \"Cyberattack on SingHealth's IT System\", Official Report, 6 August 2018, Vol 94, Issue 81, Ministerial Statements section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Provision of Free Digital TV Starter Kits","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"15 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the scheme to provide free digital TV (DTV) starter kits to all HDB households without cable TV service penalises households that had gone digital early as they thought they did not qualify for the initial DTV Assistance Scheme, which was conditional, and have hence missed out on the current offer of a free DTV starter kit or a $100 voucher to offset the purchase of DTV equipment with no other conditions attached.
Mr S Iswaran: The original Digital Television (DTV) Assistance Scheme, launched in September 2014, was aimed at helping low-income households transit from analogue free-to-air (FTA) TV to DTV, by providing and installing DTV equipment for them for free.
In April 2018, the Government expanded the DTV Assistance Scheme to help more Singaporean households move to DTV before analogue FTA TV ceases on 31 December 2018. The expanded scheme is known as the DTV Starter Kit. It allows all Singaporean Housing and Development Board (HDB) households without a Pay TV subscription to redeem either DTV equipment with free installation, or a $100 voucher to offset the cost of purchasing selected DTV equipment.
Singaporean households that have switched over to DTV on their own are not disadvantaged in any way because they can still enjoy the DTV Starter Kit by redeeming the DTV equipment for their TV sets, including as backup, or for their secondary TV sets, if any, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria as stated above.
Ultimately, our objective is to assist as many Singaporean households as possible to continue to enjoy FTA TV after 31 December 2018.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ensuring Good Re-employment and Age-friendly Hiring Practices by Public Service's Outsourced Providers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Finance how does the Public Service ensure that its outsourced providers have good re-employment and age-friendly hiring practices.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: The Government encourages all employers to have good re-employment and age-friendly hiring practices. This is achieved through broad-based measures that are available to all employers, including the Government’s outsourced providers. For instance, the Special Employment Credit provides wage offsets to employers who hire older Singaporean workers aged 55 and above and earning up to $4,000 a month. An additional wage offset of up to 3% of monthly wages encourages the employment of older workers above the re-employment age of 67.
To facilitate age-friendly employment practices, companies can tap on the WorkPro Age Management Grant. The Government has also worked with the tripartite partners on the Tripartite Standard on Age-friendly Workplace Practices to encourage employers to adopt age-friendly practices. These employers commit not to use age as a selection criterion in recruitment and commit to engage employees on re-employment issues at least six months prior to the retirement age and subsequent extension of re-employment contract. The tripartite partners have also issued the Tripartite Guidelines on Re-employment of Older Employees which provides and calls on employers to adopt good practices in re-employment.
In support of these efforts, the Government ensures that its tender specifications do not discriminate against outsourced workers in any industry based on factors, such as age or gender. As the primary objective of procurement is to obtain goods and services, our specifications do not dictate the employment practices of service providers. Promoting good employment practices is better achieved through the measures described above. The Government will continue to review the relevance and effectiveness of our policies in this area.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Solution to Mynah Nuisance along Upper Serangoon Road","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"17 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for National Development whether AVA has found a solution to address the noise problem created by mynah birds along Upper Serangoon Road following persistent feedback from residents over the last 18 months.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has worked with the National Parks Board (NParks) to prune the trees to discourage birds from roosting in the Upper Serangoon Road area. NParks will continue with regular tree pruning. AVA also conducted a trial to use lasers to disperse the birds in September 2017. However, the trial was unsuccessful in deterring the birds from roosting in the area. AVA is assessing other measures that can be deployed.
The public can also play a part by maintaining the overall cleanliness of the environment and not feeding wild birds. AVA and the National Environment Agency will continue to work with the Jalan Besar Town Council to encourage residents not to litter or feed wild birds. Enforcement actions will be taken against those who do not comply. For instance, a recalcitrant feeder in the estate was recently sentenced in Court and received a $450 fine for pigeon feeding. He had previously been fined on four occasions for similar offences.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inspection Regime for HDB Facades","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"18 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for National Development while awaiting for the mandatory building facade inspection regime to be rolled out (a) whether interim inspections can be conducted on HDB facades with the same installation methods as those that fell off; and (b) whether the inspection regime can also be extended to newly built BTO HDB flats.
Mr Lawrence Wong: In the design and construction of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, HDB ensures that all its buildings, including the external facade features, are designed and installed in accordance with approved Codes of Practice, the Building Control Act and Regulations, as well as other statutory requirements. Inspections are carried out during construction to ensure that works are completed in compliance with the requirements. In the case of claddings and fixtures, these installations are usually designed and supervised by a Specialist Qualified Person, who is a Professional Engineer, and the plans must be approved by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
Once the buildings have obtained the Temporary Occupation Permit, building owners are required to ensure that the building exterior is maintained in a serviceable state under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act. For HDB estates, Town Councils conduct regular inspections on the building facades as they are responsible for the maintenance of common property. Where necessary, they will engage a Professional Engineer to follow up on the repairs required.
The Periodic Facade Inspection (PFI) regime aims to enable early detection of tell-tale signs of deteriorating facade elements. It adopts a risk-based approach to balance enhanced safety against increased costs for building owners. This is why the PFI regime is scoped to focus on buildings above 20 years old, and excludes private landed houses, temporary buildings and low-rise buildings.
Notwithstanding the PFI regime, should any facade be dislodged from buildings, BCA will carry out an independent investigation on the incident to verify the cause of dislodgement. For HDB projects, HDB will also appoint an independent consultant to carry out checks on the HDB blocks with similar facade features to ensure there are no safety concerns. This is done regardless of the age of the building.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for Animal Rescue Shelter for Stray Cats Awaiting Adoption","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Ong Teng Koon asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether there are plans to create an animal rescue shelter for stray cats which are awaiting adoption; and (b) whether there is funding available to house these stray cats in private shelters as they await adoption.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) works with 14 Animal Welfare Groups (AWGs) that take in and rehome animals. Nine operate their own shelters, including eight that have taken up or will be taking up tenancy at The Animal Lodge in Sungei Tengah. This was fully funded and built by the Government as an option for AWGs whose premises were affected by development plans. There are also some AWGs that do not maintain a physical shelter, but work with fosterers to temporarily care for the animals before they are adopted.
AVA will continue to work closely with AWGs to manage the stray animal population. Members of the public can also help by volunteering with them, helping with their fund-raising, or adopting animals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Revitalisation of Shops Scheme for HDB Neighbourhood Shops","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"20 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for National Development (a) if he can provide an update on the Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) scheme in rejuvenating HDB neighbourhood shops; (b) whether there are plans to get these shops to go digital and, if so, what is the progress in doing so; and (c) what are the Government's plans to help these retailers overcome challenges as more residents shop online and at larger shopping malls.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartland shops play an important role in serving the needs of residents, and HDB has put in place several measures to ensure that our neighbourhood centres remain relevant and vibrant places.
First, new neighbourhood centres come with well-designed plazas and gardens to draw residents to these community spaces. Second, HDB curates the trade-mix to improve the vibrancy of the neighbourhood centres. Third, HDB has extended the enhanced Friendly Faces, Lively Places grant to HDB retailers and Merchant Associations (MAs) so that they can organise community and volunteer events to attract footfall. Fourth, HDB introduced the Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) Scheme in 2007 to help retailers and MAs enhance the vibrancy and competitiveness of HDB shops, through co-funding the upgrading of common areas and promotional events, and granting rent-free periods for tenants to renovate their shops.
The subsidies provided under ROS were recently enhanced in May 2016. Since then, 17 sites have been announced under the seventh batch of the ROS. These include (a) 13 sites which have applied for co-funding for upgrading of the common areas, of which, upgrading works at three sites have either commenced or will be commencing by October 2018; and (b) 11 sites which have applied for co-funding for promotional events have successfully organised events at the respective centres.
In addition, to help our heartland businesses deal with the rising competition from e-commerce retailers and private shopping malls, the Retail Industry Transformation Map (ITM) was launched in 2016. A key strategy is to help local retailers integrate their e-commerce and digital marketing capabilities into their business models to reach out to more customers.
Some assistance available to local retailers include: (a) the 12 small and medium enterprises (SME) Centres located islandwide, where advisors can guide SMEs in the use of digital technology to boost their productivity; (b) the Retail Industry Digital Plan (IDP), launched by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in partnership with Enterprise Singapore (ESG), provides SMEs step-by-step guidance on the use of digital technology at each stage of their growth; (c) HDB and ESG are also working to encourage HDB retailers to become more competitive via the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), which supports the adoption of pre-scoped information technology solutions in areas, such as customer management, inventory tracking and e-commerce. To date, more than 300 retail SMEs have applied for PSG support, and this number is expected to increase in future; and (d) IMDA will expand the list of pre-approved solutions in e-commerce to help SME retailers develop and strengthen their online presence. HDB retailers can also establish an online presence at no cost on HDB’s Where2Shop (W2S) website.
To support these digitalisation efforts, HDB will be separately trialling free wireless Internet service under Wireless@SG and a shopper traffic monitoring system at some of the HDB shopping complexes. The latter will allow HDB to collect data to gain insights on customer footfall and customer profiles to help heartland retailers tweak their programmes and promotional deals to better meet the needs of shoppers. Kampung Admiralty and Oasis Terraces will be benefiting from these initiatives. In addition, MAs in our town and neighbourhood centres can tap on ROS to implement digital initiatives, including the installation of digital directories, wireless routers and footfall sensors.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Special Needs Children of School-going Age","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"21 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Education (a) how many special needs children of school-going age are there currently; (b) how many of these children are enrolled in a school; (c) whether schools with places for special needs children can be made more accessible in heartland locations; and (d) what is being done to ensure that each child has a place in a school appropriate for the child's specific needs.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: As at December 2017, there were 30,000 students with a reported Special Educational Need (SEN). About 80% of them are in mainstream schools and 20% are in Special Education (SPED) schools. Many children with SEN obtain a diagnosis during their preschool years – usually at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and the National University Hospital (NUH) Child Development Centres – and a majority of them benefit from early intervention.
Today, the 19 SPED schools are geographically spread across the island, with most SPED schools in heartland locations, such as Ang Mo Kio, Hougang, Jurong West and Yishun. Three additional SPED school campuses have started operations this year and additional SPED school campuses are being planned.
Amongst the 19 SPED schools are those that focus on the needs of students with a specific disability profile, as well as those which serve a range of disabilities. For example, a student with moderate to severe cerebral palsy would attend the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS) school, a student with moderate to severe intellectual disability as well as autism could attend a Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) school, and a student with multiple disabilities and autism could attend a Rainbow Centre school.
Because the number of students with a specific SEN is not large, many are best served by central and specialised centres. This means that it may not always be possible to find a suitable SPED in the neighbourhood. That notwithstanding, over the years, we have made good progress towards ensuring that each child with SEN is able to attend a school that caters to his needs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"ITE, Polytechnic and University Graduates in 2015-2017 from Normal Technical, Normal Academic and Express Streams","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"22 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Education what is the breakdown of the percentage of ITE, polytechnic and university graduates in 2015, 2016 and 2017 who are from the Normal Technical, Normal Academic and Express streams respectively.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Over the last three years, among students who graduated from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), close to half were from the GCE Normal (Technical) [N(T)] course, about 45% were from the Normal (Academic) [N(A)] course, and the remaining were from the Express course. For those who graduated from publicly funded diploma programmes, the figures were about 5% N(T), 35% N(A) and the remaining Express. For publicly funded degree programmes, the numbers were about 1% N(T), 5% N(A) and the remaining Express.
It should be noted that a good proportion of graduates from ITE and the polytechnics further their studies in publicly funded institutes. We are also seeing university graduates attending ITE courses to gain hands-on skills. We must bear in mind that there must be different paths catering to the diverse strengths and talents of our people.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Programme to Fight Prejudices and Stigmatisation of Mental Well-being in Secondary Schools","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"23 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will be planning a regular and comprehensive programme to fight prejudices and stigmatisation regarding mental well-being in secondary schools in light of the IMH-led study showing widespread negative perceptions of mental illness among teenage students.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Negative perceptions of mental illness can stem from the lack of awareness and understanding of mental health. The Institute of Mental Health-led study also noted that the majority of the students would reach out to, stand up for and support a classmate with mental illness, which is encouraging.
Mental illnesses are caused by a variety of factors. To support students with mental illnesses, schools have been stepping up efforts to nurture the social and emotional competencies of our students, strengthen supportive school relationships, increase peer support efforts and encourage help-seeking behaviour. We work closely with parents and community partners to strengthen mental well-being and reduce the stigma for those suffering from mental illnesses.
The Ministry of Education leverages the Character and Citizenship Education, school-based conversations and student learning resources to raise awareness and destigmatise mental illnesses.
The Health Promotion Board also provides Mental Health Awareness Briefings and resources for school counsellors and teachers. This enhances their understanding of mental health, its impact on students as well as strategies on how to support these students better.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Aggregate Monthly Balances in Ordinary Accounts of CPF Members for 2015-2017","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"24 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Manpower what are the aggregate balances in the Ordinary Accounts of CPF members for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 on a month-to-month basis.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board reports the aggregate CPF account balances on a quarterly and annual basis. Table 1 below shows the Net Ordinary Account balances of all CPF members between 2015 and 2017 on a quarterly basis.
25 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower as at 30 June 2018, what is the total number of workers, resident workers and Singaporean workers who are classified as managers and executives and earning a basic monthly salary of not more than (i) $2,500 and (ii) $2,600.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Based on the June 2017 Labour Force Survey, there are 26,000 employed residents who are Managers and Executives (M&Es) and earning a basic monthly salary up to $2,500, and 28,000 earning a basic monthly salary of up to $2,600.
Over the last 10 years, the share of M&Es earning below the Employment Act salary threshold has declined. In 2017, M&Es earning up to $2,600 constitute 1.5% of all employed residents, compared to 10% in 2007. A significant 28% of such M&Es work part-time.
Depending on the employer's own human resource practices, some M&Es who earn a basic monthly salary up to $2,500 are provided with overtime pay even if not required by law.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adverse Records Given to Foreign Workers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"26 Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the main ways in which adverse records are attached to a foreign worker; (b) whether unsubstantiated allegations by employers constitute such records; (c) how can a worker know whether there are adverse records attached to his name; and (d) what avenues are available to the foreign worker to clear his name.
Mrs Josephine Teo: A foreign worker may have an adverse record if he committed an offence under Singapore laws or was found to have infringed the Ministry of Manpower's regulations. The Ministry does not place an adverse record based on unsubstantiated allegations by employers. The foreign worker would also have been given the opportunity to be heard if his employer alleged that he committed an offence.
The worker would be aware of the offence he committed as enforcement actions would have been taken against him. He can appeal against the decision, as provided for under the respective legislation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Cases of Underaged Domestic Helpers for Past Five Years and Actions Taken against Errant Agencies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"27 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of cases of underaged domestic helpers for the past five years; (b) what are the actions taken against the errant agencies; and (c) what is the Ministry's plan to prevent underaged domestic helpers working in Singapore.
Mrs Josephine Teo: In the past five years, 130 Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) per year or six FDWs per 10,000 FDWs in Singapore were found to be younger than the age requirement of at least 23 years.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) adopts a multi-layered approach to prevent underaged FDWs from working in Singapore. First, it is the responsibility of employment agencies (EAs) to ensure that the FDWs they have sourced meet the age requirement. The agencies are required to do upstream checks on the FDWs before they are deployed to Singapore. Action will be taken against EAs that fail to do so. Since 2013, MOM has taken action against over a hundred EAs. We meted out penalties ranging from warnings, demerit points and forfeiture of their security deposit, to prosecution for flagrant cases. Recently, two EAs were prosecuted and convicted, and fined the maximum $5,000 each. Their licences will also be revoked.
In addition to these measures, MOM makes it a point to highlight the minimum age requirement to FDWs before their arrival in Singapore through the In-Principle Approval letter sent to all FDWs, as well as through the compulsory Settling-In Programme (SIP) for first-time FDWs. During the programme, FDWs are warned of the consequences they face should they be found to be underaged. They are also given the chance to come forward if they are under 23 years old. Those who own up are assured of passage home and they will be allowed back to Singapore to work after they turn 23. On top of these steps, MOM also conducts visual checks during the SIP and work pass card registration. FDWs who flout the minimum age requirement will be permanently debarred from working in Singapore.
MOM urges employers to be vigilant of the FDWs' age. Putting their elderly or children in the care of an underaged FDW poses significant risks. Employers are advised to report to MOM if they suspect that their FDW is underaged.
Lastly, as the passport remains the primary document for identification and age verification, it is important that the authorities in source countries step up efforts to improve the accuracy of their official documents. Therefore, when we uncover cases of FDWs with inaccurate ages, we will provide such information to source country Governments.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Coverage of Singaporeans Working in Foreign Diplomatic Missions in Singapore under Employment Act","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"28 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether Singaporeans working in foreign diplomatic missions or embassies in Singapore are covered by the Employment Act; (b) whether Singaporeans working in such a setting can access the Employment Claims Tribunal; and (c) what support may be available to them when there are employment-related grievances.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Singaporeans working in foreign diplomatic missions or embassies in Singapore continue to be covered under the Employment Act and have access to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
We expect all employers to act in accordance with Singapore laws and regulations, and will take firm action to enforce compliance where there are breaches. While Singapore's obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations may not allow us to apply the same range of measures to foreign diplomatic missions and embassies here, we will not hesitate to seek compliance through diplomatic efforts.
Singaporeans working in such organisations can also approach the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management for assistance, such as mediation and advisory services, for employment-related disputes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Verbal Test Option for Singaporeans with Low Educational Qualifications Attending Mandatory Workplace Safety Courses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"29 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what percentage of Singaporeans who attended mandatory workplace safety courses in the last year took verbal tests instead of written tests; and (b) whether the Ministry will allow workers to apply for the verbal test option themselves if they have low educational qualifications.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Written tests for mandatory workplace safety courses are available in eight languages, so that language proficiency is not an obstacle to safety training. Forty-eight locals, comprising 0.4% of those who attended mandatory workplace safety training in 2017 took verbal, rather than written tests. Workers who face difficulty in taking a written test can already apply to the Workplace Safety and Health Council for the verbal test option. There is no need for them to have first attempted a written test, before applying to be tested verbally.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proportion of Registered Trade Unions not Initiating Collective Agreement Negotiations with Employers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"30 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what proportion of registered trade unions have agreed with employers not to initiate collective agreement negotiations; and (b) how has this proportion changed over the past five years.
Mrs Josephine Teo: There are about 1,700 unionised companies in Singapore, of which about two-thirds have registered Collective Agreements (CAs) with the Industrial Arbitration Court.
A CA is a formal and enforceable agreement between the union and the employer on the affected employees' terms and conditions of employment. Whether or not a CA should be put in place is a matter for the union and employer to decide on mutually. In lieu of a CA, it is not uncommon to have less formal arrangements like a memorandum of understanding on areas of cooperation. This could be a more practical approach for some companies, for example, those with a small workforce.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Elderly Singaporeans without Family Support","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"31 Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked the Minister for Social and Family Development with regard to the profile of elderly Singaporeans without family support (a) how many are currently totally reliant on support from the state and charitable organisations for survival; (b) how many have been abandoned overseas and in Singapore, in institutions of care; and (c) what are their gender, age group and ethnic profiles.
Mr Desmond Lee: Vulnerable elderly Singaporeans without family support may receive assistance for their basic needs under the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF's) ComCare Long-Term Assistance and/or support in our sheltered and welfare homes.
ComCare Long-Term Assistance helps persons who are unable to work due to old age, illness or disability, have limited or no means of income, and have little or no family support. They receive cash assistance for their basic living expenses, and assistance for medical and other needs. As at end-2017, there were over 3,300 persons aged 60 and above receiving ComCare Long-Term Assistance. Over 60% of those assisted by ComCare Long-Term Assistance were males and more than 70% were aged 70 and above. About 85% of these persons were Chinese, 8% were Malay, and 6% were Indian.
Vulnerable seniors aged 60 and above, with weak family support and no alternative accommodation arrangements are cared for in residential homes funded by MSF and operated by voluntary welfare organisations. As at end-2017, there were slightly over 1,000 persons aged 60 and above residing in these facilities. About eight out of 10 were males, and around half were 70 years old and above. Around 71% were Chinese, 17% were Malay and 11% were Indian.
We do not have data on seniors who have been abandoned overseas by their families.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Education Institutions in Singapore for Special Needs Youths Aged 18 and Above","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"32 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there are education institutions in Singapore for special needs youths of age 18 and above and, if not, whether there are plans to set up such an institution; and (b) for those special needs youths who cannot find employment at that age, what options are available to them.
Mr Desmond Lee: Students with special educational needs (SEN) who graduate from mainstream secondary schools and Special Education (SPED) schools may apply for enrolment into Post-Secondary Education Institutions (PSEIs), that is, junior colleges and centralised institutes, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) or specialised vocational training schools for further studies or vocational training.
Most of the students with a SEN diagnosis in mainstream schools, similar to their schoolmates, advance to the PSEIs every year. For those in SPED schools, a smaller proportion move to the PSEIs, given their need for more specialised and intensive support.
Since 2014, SEN Support Offices have been set up in all polytechnics, ITE colleges, autonomous universities and arts institutions. These offices serve as a first-stop support unit for students to provide course counselling and access arrangements for students with SEN. They also administer funding support for students with physical or sensory impairment to purchase assistive technology devices and support services. The SEN Support Offices also collaborate with voluntary welfare organisations to provide external support for students with SEN, such as internship placements and job matching. The Ministry of Education will continue to work with the PSEIs and agencies, such as SG Enable, to ensure that students receive sufficient support to continue with their education and prepare for future employment.
For students with moderate to severe SEN, two schools, Metta School and Delta Senior School, offer vocational training leading to nationally-accredited certifications for students up to 21 years old. Each year, about 120 students with intellectual disability graduate with vocational certifications in a range of industry areas. These schools continually update their vocational programmes so that SPED students of diverse disabilities can be better prepared for employment.
For SPED students who may not benefit from vocational certification but are capable of work, SG Enable works with SPED schools to support their transition into employment under the School-to-Work (S2W) Transition Programme. Students on the programme receive customised job training with job support from Job Coaches for up to one year post graduation to prepare them for eventual employment. About 30 students each year with diverse disabilities have benefited from the S2W Transition Programme. The programme will be rolled out to all SPED schools serving secondary-level students by 2019.
Other SPED students with heavier care needs may require closer supervision in their daily lives. They can be admitted into Sheltered Workshops or Day Activity Centres, depending on the level of care support required. Sheltered Workshops allow Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) to be engaged in completing straightforward tasks that are part of a simplified work process. Day Activity Centres provide long-term care services and equip PwDs with skills so that they can live as independently as possible within their homes and community. These centres provide therapeutic and behavioural intervention, training in interpersonal and community living skills, and support in activities of daily living.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Divorce Cases Awarded Shared Care and Control of Children","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"33 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development for each of the years from 2015 to date, what is the respective breakdown of the number and percentage of divorce cases where shared care and control of the children is awarded.
Mr Desmond Lee: There were 119 and 161 divorce cases where shared care and control was awarded in 2015 and 20161 respectively, which were 3% and 4.1% of the total number of divorces with care and control orders made for the respective years2.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Data on care and control from 2017 are not yet available.","2 : Figures are by the year of final judgment granted (under the Women’s Charter) and year of divorce registered (under the Administration of Muslim Law Act)."],"footNoteQuestions":["33"],"questionNo":"33"}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":48,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Joan Pereira","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20180806/vernacular-Joan Pereira Transport Safety Bill 6 Aug2018 Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Joan Pereira Transport Safety Bill 6 Aug2018 Chinese.pdf"}],"onlinePDFFileName":""}