1 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the call by the UN Climate Change Conference 2023 (COP28) to accelerate zero and low emission technologies (a) what has been the progress in Singapore to increase renewable energy capacity and to improve the overall rate of energy efficiency; and (b) what are the plans ahead to accelerate towards the COP28 goals.
2 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the plans for operationalising the UAE Consensus from COP28 including the transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050; and (b) what is the timetable for this transition in Singapore.
3 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment how will Singapore contribute to global efforts agreed at the global stockttake at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) to (i) transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science (ii) triple renewable energy capacity globally and double energy efficiency by 2030 and (iii) phase down unabated coal power, reduce methane emissions and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
\tThe Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to address Question Nos 1, 2 and 3 on today's Order Paper by a combined reply?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, you may. Please proceed.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you. At the UN Climate Change Conference 2023 (COP28), Singapore co-facilitated negotiations on mitigation and the first global stocktake that contributed to the successful adoption of the UAE Consensus. The UAE Consensus calls on countries to transition away from fossil fuels, accelerate the phasedown of unabated coal power, phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency globally by 2030, among others.
Singapore supports the UAE Consensus. As part of our Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS), Singapore has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, despite being a small, alternative energy disadvantaged city state with many natural limitations on our climate action measures. Our LEDS is aligned with the UAE Consensus.
Over the past few years, many Members have spoken extensively about the urgent need to address climate change – in particular, during the two climate Motions that have been endorsed by this House, as well as the debate on the Carbon Pricing (Amendment) Bill. I am glad that Members, including those from the Opposition, who advocated for a carbon tax above $100 per tonne, agree that more should be done to support our net-zero goals. We have raised our carbon tax to $25 per tonne from 1 January 2024 and will progressively raise it further, to between $50 and $80 by 2030. Our carbon tax ensures that the negative externalities of carbon emissions are properly priced, and is an effective mechanism to spur economy-wide decarbonisation efforts to achieve our net-zero ambition.
At COP28, Singapore signed on to the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency pledge, which is a collective global effort that aims to triple the world's renewable energy generation capacity and double annual energy efficiency by 2030. Singapore has been accelerating our energy transition as part of the Singapore Green Plan 2030. We have doubled our solar power deployment since 2021 to over 1,000 megawatt-peak (MWp) currently. We aim to at least double this deployment again, to achieve our target of at least 2,000 MWp by 2030.
We are also partnering like-minded countries to import low-carbon electricity from the region. Last year, the Government issued Conditional Approvals for 4.2 gigawatts of imports from Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. When implemented by 2035, these projects will meet about 30% of our electricity needs. They will also support our neighbours' development of renewable energy projects and serve as building blocks towards our shared vision of an ASEAN Power Grid.
Beyond solar power and electricity imports, we will need to leverage other energy alternatives to further expand our low-carbon energy capacity. We are working closely with the industry and academia to realise the potential of low-carbon technologies. These include research and development as well as industry projects in areas such as innovative solar power deployment, transport and utilisation of hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture, utilisation and storage, as well as advanced geothermal energy.
The Government is progressively updating our regulations to facilitate the adoption of these low-carbon alternatives. Last year, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) announced new emissions standards for power generation units, which will require all new generation units to be at least 30% hydrogen-ready by volume, with the ability to be retrofitted to become 100% hydrogen-ready in the future.
In the area of energy efficiency, Singapore's overall energy efficiency is already much better than the global average. According to the International Energy Agency, Singapore's energy intensity in 2019 was almost half that of global energy intensity. This has been achieved through consistent efforts to identify and realise energy efficiency opportunities. For example, the National Environment Agency (NEA) enhanced the Energy Conservation Act in 2017 to require energy-intensive industrial facilities to conduct regular energy efficiency assessments. Another example is the Economic Development Board (EDB)'s Resource Efficiency Grant for Emissions, which supports businesses in improving their energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For households, our Climate Friendly Households Programme continues to help eligible households offset the higher cost of energy-efficient appliances.
Accelerating the energy transition in Singapore will require a whole-of-nation effort. The Government, businesses, communities and individuals must all contribute to this overall goal.
Even so, no country can tackle climate change alone. Despite our natural limitations in size and natural resources, Singapore is committed to do our part as a responsible global citizen and will continue to work with like-minded countries and companies for a cleaner, greener future.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
\tMr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Thank you, Sir. My first question is, as the Minister was at COP28, I would like to hear from her whether she is satisfied with the overall outcomes of COP28.
The second question is about this call to triple renewable energy capacity and doubling the rate of efficiency by 2030. It is a major undertaking, notwithstanding the plans we have in place. I would like to ask the Minister if Singapore is confident to achieve these goals.
My third question is, in COP28, there were also increasing calls for the use of nuclear energy as one of the renewable sources, with the goal to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. I believe there were 20-over countries that came up with a declaration, including the United States (US) and some Asian countries like Japan and Korea. Can I ask the Minister whether this declaration will have any bearing on the Government's position on nuclear energy as another source of renewable energy?
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mr Speaker, with regard to the first question about the overall outcome of COP28, I think we must look at it in the context that it is being held. It is being held in a period where there is high energy inflation, there is also great geopolitical contention. But the fact that all parties were able to come together and again, re-affirm that the UN Climate Change Conference (COP) is the only relevant multilateral platform for climate discussion and negotiations is a major undertaking.
On top of that, I think there were several improvements and I would say movements in negotiations. Transitioning away from fossil fuels is one major achievement – it is the first time that such language has appeared. But more importantly, it is that with a global stocktake, there was a louder and more concerted call to accelerate action in this decade. Climate projections, temperatures are telling us that we need to do more in the near term. The focus of the global stocktake has been a lot on implementation. What the Member has spoken about – whether it is three times renewable energy capacity, two times on energy efficiency improvements – these are going into the so-called \"nitty gritty\". It is no longer just setting net-zero targets, but, really, what is the pathway to 1.5 °C. There were some very specific recommendations and agreements. I think that is a major achievement of COP28.
There are many other details. It is a very extensive and comprehensive process, and it does not do justice to the process by just answering supplementary questions. It deserves a much more extensive discussion.
Having said that, I think it is important and useful for Members to also understand that this being a global UN process, we need to pay attention to the language that is being used. Although there is a consensus, the basis of the consensus is still on the basis of the Paris Agreement, where some of the basic values – for example, common but differentiated responsibilities, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), national context – are still relevant.
Where we have goals, such as three times renewable energy capacity, two times energy efficiency improvements, these are global collective measures. The implementation is still dependent on countries incorporating those into their NDCs, taking into consideration their own national context.
On nuclear energy, that is the same basis. A few countries have a declaration, they have started to look at it separately. These declarations outside the negotiation documents are helpful. Because these are the initiatives that are pushing movements, directions and developments in technologies, in finance and in global action.
So, we need to look at it in two ways: look at what is happening outside the negotiations, look at what is in the documents and see how Singapore can leverage on some of the developments, such as the development of technology in nuclear energy. This is an area where we have some interest to understand the development, because we think that the advanced nuclear technology offers us some potential. In terms of safety, there is better safety in these technologies, and also, in terms of cost competitiveness. These are two very important metrics that feed into our energy decision.
We have not made a decision on adopting nuclear energy, but we are building capabilities to understand how these technologies are advancing and also, how these technologies can potentially be of help to Singapore.
I hope that answers the Member's questions.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just two supplementary questions for the Minister. The first, following up to the previous supplementary question and in relation to my original Parliamentary Question, given that this is the goal that we have, is there any timetable or transitional plan or milestones that we will be setting along the way in order to achieve this in the next couple of decades or so.
The second supplementary question is, the Minister also mentioned at COP28 that we will not be claiming from the Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund. I just wanted to understand whether or not we will be contributing to the L&D Fund today or any time in the future.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: I think I have gone into some extent on how we are progressing on our climate action. In fact, from the Singapore Green Plan that was announced in 2021, we have been updating some of the sub-goals almost annually. Even though there are five pillars and two horizontals, there have been movements on every vertical, every pillar of work that we are doing. I would encourage the Member to watch this space, to give us suggestions as to how we can move further. And I think the Member has the assurance that all the participating Ministries are working flat out towards our net-zero 2050 goals.
It is by no means easy, given our constraints. In fact, we are looking at some of the alternatives that have yet to come on stream, such as low-carbon hydrogen that is so important in our energy transition but which we are still in the process of developing a viable, commercial market for it. So, do not misunderstand that although there is a lot of effort, there are also many, many challenges. But we are not afraid of challenges, and we will do our very best for climate action and for Singapore's decarbonisation.
On L&D, can I understand from the Member whether it is the Workers' Party's position that Singapore should contribute and, if so, what would the Member suggest that we contribute?
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: I thank the Minister. I think there was also a related supplementary question that was asked last year. I know that the Minister mentioned that we will be facilitating countries to claim from the L&D fund. But at the same time, in light of what was also shared by my fellow colleague, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, about contributions to international funds and all that, I think we do have a role to play in terms of — we may not be the main contributors to this from the historical context, but I do believe that we do have a part to play in terms of using finance terms, introducing, say, seed funding, to enable people to join in the cause and to show people that, look, even though Singapore is small and resource-constrained, we are also doing our part in that regard.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: I did not get a clear question from the Member because the Workers' Party has been asking us: are we contributing to L&D? So, I just wanted to know whether the Member is asking us to contribute to the L&D funds specifically. But it is okay. I think that our position is quite aligned, that we will do our part in finance.
Senior Minister Teo has announced an initiative called \"FAST-P\" to basically galvanise up to $5 billion in seed funding and also in blended finance to help in climate action. But L&D is very specific. It has a specific purpose – loss and damage. This is where I think countries that are looking to claim are looking for outright grants. So, we believe that we can play a role to facilitate, to develop capabilities, to do technological transfers, and capability and capacity-building.
That is where Singapore's strength and role as a financial centre can come into play. So, we do not think that our current capacity or resources would be meaningful in contributing grants in L&D, but we definitely will be supporting other developing countries, particularly in the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) grouping, to tap on the L&D fund because they are most badly affected. But if the Member would like to suggest a sum to the Government to contribute to L&D, I would really welcome his suggestion.
Mr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
\tMr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Mr Speaker, I have three supplementary questions and I thank the Minister for her earlier answers.
My first supplementary question is that Singapore set up the Singapore Pavilion at COP28. Could the Minister share what were the objectives behind the Pavilion and also the cost and resources that were involved in setting up the Pavilion? And how does the Government assess the gains that we have made through the Pavilion and the efforts of our delegation at COP28 in contributing to the agenda and objectives of COP28?
My second supplementary question is that moving forward, what are the Government's shorter-term goal and emphasis in the run-up to the submission of Singapore's first biennial transparency report in 2024 later this year and also as we submit our updated NDC at COP30?
Finally, how can Singapore play its part globally or regionally to engage and persuade, by both actions and words, the transition efforts from fossil fuels, including unabated coal power, reducing methane emissions and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies?
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mr Speaker, I would put through you, to ask the Member to, perhaps, file a separate Parliamentary Question on Singapore Pavilion because, by itself, it is quite a topic and it is not related directly to his question.
Secondly, it is about the biennial transparency report as well as NDC. The preparation is in progress. There is some time for us to do it, until the end of this year. So, I think we are making good progress. Unabated coal, fossil fuel subsidies, as I mentioned in my reply, our LEDS is actually aligned to the UAE Consensus. So, we do not think we need to make major adjustments because it is out of sync or out of place with what has been agreed. So, we will, basically, progress with what we have already planned under the Singapore Green Plan.
Mr Speaker: Dr Tan Wu Meng.
\tDr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): I thank the Minister for her comprehensive answer. May I draw the Minister's attention to my speech from the 2022 Budget Debate two years ago where I spoke about Singapore, the climate crisis, our climate ambition and our energy security.
In particular, can I ask the Minister, given the speed of developments in the climate space, including what commentators described as the risk of a climate endgame with catastrophic change upon the world, will Singapore – at a whole-of-Government level – look at moving ahead of the market in certain strategic areas?
Two years ago, I had asked about Singapore and a potential position as a hydrogen hub. The Minister mentioned this in her earlier answers. Can I ask: is there a role for us more actively moving ahead of the market in a calibrated way so that we can be the first mover and not last mover or too late to move when the market finally evolves.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: I thank the Member. Indeed, I think this is where our Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and Ministry of Transport (MOT) folks are working flat out to be ahead but, at the same time, leveraging on the massive investments in R&D that is going into new areas.
The world is looking for new solutions – solutions in hydrogen and carbon capture, for example, are not an exclusive arena for Singapore. And given the kind of resources that are available globally, it will serve Singapore's interest to really tap on and leverage on such global investments.
But there are certain areas that we want to invest in. So, as I have mentioned in my speech, already in our power generation system, we are making provision for hydrogen to be introduced as an alternative fuel.
In the maritime sector, for example, we are also pioneering, with other ports, green shipping with alternative fuels, learning how to handle, store and move new types of fuels.
So, we are moving in many, many different ways. Even in aviation, a similar undertaking is ongoing to really be at the cusp of change. The change is going to be massive. We will not be alone and we want to really be out there, to be early enough to tap the change and not to be left behind, but at the same time, also capture opportunities that may arise.
Mr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
\tMr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: Mr Speaker, just a clarification regarding my third supplementary question. I thank the Minister again for her answers earlier.
Regarding my third supplementary question, yes, I did hear the Minister in her original answer. This is regarding the transition efforts from fossil fuel, including unabated coal power, reducing methane emissions and phasing out inefficient fuel subsidies. My supplementary question pertains to us living in an area where our neighbouring countries may use a lot of coal, for example. So, I am asking how Singapore can engage our neighbours or other countries globally by action and words to persuade other countries to journey along this transition as well.
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: I thank the Member and would like to commend Mr Dennis Tan for his ambition to have Singapore play a regional and global role in climate action. We will try to do our best by being, I would say, an active partner in global negotiations, as well as propagating, advocating at the regional level. So, whether it is at ASEAN or other regional groupings, we will do our best.
For example, we bring our climate projections, the 3rd National Climate Change Study (V3), to many of the ASEAN fora, whether it is on agriculture, environment or water. We also bring in finance. Our Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as well as our banks are working actively to look at how we can have a taxonomy that allows transition energy and transition fuels to be financed so that, as the Member said, neighbouring countries that still have a lot of coal-fired power plants are able to benefit from finance to help them transit.
There are many, many opportunities for us to play a role. But ultimately, the decision, pace, direction and investment decisions have to be taken by the respective countries. That is why I think the UNFCCC remains such an important multilateral forum for us to have those discussions on the global basis.
Mr Speaker: Last supplementary question on this topic. Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, can I just ask about the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs)? I think various sectors have just released their refreshed ITMs 2025. Could I ask whether MSE is monitoring these ITMs to make sure they are aligned with our goals of reaching net-zero emissions by 2025, and also whether they are now consistent with the COP28 consensus that the Minister just talked about?
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: I thank the Member for his question. ITMs do not come under the purview of MSE per se. We do have ITMs that are under MSE that have to do with environmental services and waste management. But I will bring that as a suggestion to my colleagues who are responsible for the respective ITMs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Guidelines for Use of Diplomatic Bags and Past Cases of Misuse","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"4 Mr Vikram Nair asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) what are the Ministry's internal guidelines on the use of diplomatic bags; (b) whether there are any previous cases of diplomatic bags being used for personal rather than official matters; and (c) whether the Ministry is taking any steps to manage the risk of the misuse of diplomatic bags.
5 Mr Alex Yam asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how often are checks conducted to ensure that diplomatic bags are utilised for their intended purposes; (b) how many instances of egregious use have been detected in the past five years; and (c) what measures, if required, will be introduced to ensure that diplomatic privileges are not abused.
\tThe Minister for Foreign Affairs (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Mr Speaker, the diplomatic bag is used for the conveyance of official documents. Limited quantities of personal items are allowed to enable our staff to fulfil their overseas duties effectively. So, for example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some limited medical supplies were also sent to our staff.
There have been no instances of questionable use of the diplomatic bag in the past five years, except for a case that is presently before the Courts.
We have a system and guidelines in place for the proper use of the diplomatic bag and we will review our processes periodically.
Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
\tMr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Just one supplementary question for the Minister. Are spot checks carried out on the diplomatic bags now and then just to make sure that it is not used for personal items?
\tDr Vivian Balakrishnan: Sorry, Mr Speaker, I should have clarified that I am also answering Question No 5.
Mr Speaker: You are right. I had assumed so and I was going to ask you next.
\tDr Vivian Balakrishnan: Yes. In response to the Member's supplementary question, I will, in fact, go a little bit beyond that. The staff have to declare the items which are going in the diplomatic bag. The items must not contravene any import or export restrictions imposed, either by Singapore or by the receiving state.
And like all other baggage that goes on board planes, they are also subject to x-ray surveillance and, of course, any other checks that are legally permissible under diplomatic practice.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":" Inspections of Licensed Cord Blood Banks and Support for Customers Affected by Recent Lapse at Commercial Cord Blood Bank ","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"6 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider (i) increasing the frequency of its biennial routine inspection and (ii) enhancing the monitoring and reporting requirements of all licensed cord blood banking service providers.
7 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Health in view of the incident involving damaged cord blood units by a commercial cord blood banking service provider (a) whether the Ministry has received any reports or requests for assistance from affected parties; (b) whether the Ministry has been directly supporting the affected clients; and (c) if so, how.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 6 and 7 in today's Order Paper.
\tMr Speaker: Yes, you may.
\tDr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, all cord blood banks in Singapore are currently subject to scheduled inspections every two years to assess their compliance with regulatory requirements under the Healthcare Services Act (HCSA). In addition, the Ministry of Health (MOH) may conduct additional visits, including unannounced visits, if there are any specific areas of concern or suspected lapses.
Arising from the Cordlife incident, MOH will review the regulatory requirements under the HCSA and the Healthcare Services (Cord Blood Banking Service) Regulations, including frequency of inspections and other aspects of inspections as well as the monitoring and reporting requirements. However, in reviewing these regulations, we also need to be mindful not to add inappropriate costs and regulatory compliance burden. We need to take a risk-based approach.
Many clients of Cordlife have approached MOH for assistance. Most have wanted Cordlife to rectify their shortcomings and this will be MOH's supervision priority as investigations are being conducted. MOH has also received enquiries about transferring cord blood units to another provider. We have engaged the other storage providers, who are prepared to assist. MOH has advised that clients wait for the investigation to complete, likely in a few weeks' time, before deciding whether to do so. Transferring cord blood units at ultra-low temperatures is a complex task and carries risks that are not insignificant.
Mr Speaker: Ms Soh.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): I thank the Senior Minister of State for his response. I have one clarification. I understand that inspections are carried out every two years. Is there a rationale behind why is it two years? In view of this Cordlife incident, can we also explore to see if there are any possibilities of having it on an annual basis instead, to prevent the recurrence of this unfortunate incident?
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\tDr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I thank Ms Soh for the supplementary question. We are reviewing the regulatory requirements and so, one of the things that we will be reviewing is the frequency as well as the type of inspections, audits and review.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Safeguards to Ensure Suitability of Adults who Foster or Adopt Children who Have Endured Traumatic Past","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"8 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what safeguards are in place to ensure the suitability of adults who express interest in adopting children, especially children who have endured traumatic pasts; and (b) what measures exist to prevent incidents of abuse by such adults.
9 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will (i) enhance existing training schemes of social workers and professionals handling cases of vulnerable underaged persons to detect sexual and other forms of abuse and (ii) strengthen its due diligence and surveillance over the youth development firms the Ministry works with that have exposure to vulnerable underaged persons.
\tThe Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Sir, may I have your permission to take both questions – Question Nos 8 and 9 – together?
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed.
\tMs Sun Xueling: Ms Nadia and Ms He probably have in mind a recently reported case where a child from a children's home was sexually abused by a kith caregiver. Kith caregivers are adults who are not related to a child and meet the child through family or community connections, and are not registered as foster parents. I would like to clarify that while the offender and his wife had expressed the desire to adopt the child, they had not taken any steps to start the adoption process. I would also like to clarify that the offender's firm was not working with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), but directly with the children's home.
Ms Nadia asked about the safeguards in the adoption process. The primary consideration when processing applications for adopting children is the child's welfare and best interest of the child. There are various steps in the adoption process to ensure this.
During the first stage, prospective adopters must undergo a comprehensive Adoption Suitability Assessment. This is conducted by social service staff from an accredited adoption agency. Prospective adopters are assessed on a range of factors including their ability to provide a protective and nurturing environment, their motivations for adoption, stability of the marital relationship and overall capacity to meet the child's needs. Prospective adopters also undergo screening for risk factors, including criminal records.
If found suitable, prospective adopters receive a favourable Home Study Report. This allows them to search for a child to adopt through adoption agencies or their own contacts. Once a child is identified, the adopters then make an application to the Court. As part of the adoption proceedings, the Court will appoint MSF as the Guardian-in-Adoption.
Where the child is already being cared for by the family, an MSF officer will conduct a social investigation to check on the safety and well-being of the child in the family, including whether the prospective adopters are providing good care for the child and meeting the child's needs. This stage involves interviews with the child about the child's views on the adoption, checks with character referees and consultations with the applicants' support network, which could include household members, friends, teachers and social service professionals working with the family.
Ms He asked how the contact between children and staff, volunteers and vendors is overseen. Social workers and professionals employed at our children homes receive compulsory training to recognise signs and symptoms of sexual and other forms of abuse. Professionals at MSF's accredited adoption agencies also receive training to help them identify abuse.
Staff, volunteers and personnel engaged by children's homes are screened for prior criminal records before they have contact with children. In the recently reported case, these procedures were followed by the home. The offender did not have a prior criminal record.
This incident is very regrettable, and all the professionals and social service workers who have been in contact with the child are shaken. Based on our knowledge, the children's home had made every effort to perform due diligence on persons who have contact with the child and to supervise the contact. The social service professionals had also followed up actively with supervised visitations, check-ins and house visits.
While every effort is made to ensure adopted children enter families that provide a safe environment, it is not possible to predict with absolute certainty how the relationship between an adopted child and the adoptive parents develops.
We are very grateful to the teacher whom the child confided in. This shows the critical role of having trusted individuals in one's life. We would like to call out to everyone, whether a teacher, neighbour or friend, to promptly report abuse when they come to know of it or suspect it. We need the collective help of everyone to protect the safety of our children.
Mr Speaker, the MSF will continue to emphasise to the homes the importance of selecting and training their volunteers well, and to constantly monitor their residents' safety and well-being. At the same time, we should not let this incident make homes reluctant to work with community partners and volunteers, many who do good work and befriend children and run recreational and other activities for them out of a desire to help the children. It would be a shame if our homes isolated children from well-intentioned volunteers who wish to help them.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Nadia Samdin.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Indeed, with many other Singaporeans, I think we were very disturbed when this case first came to light. I would like to ask three follow-up supplementary questions.
First, if the Minister of State could provide more details of this kith caregiver scheme, in terms of how the volunteers are assessed to be suitable and managed over a long period of time, that would be very helpful.
Second, given that the abuse, very unfortunately, happened over a prolonged period and throughout this time the youth was actually receiving social service support. What improvements are the home and MSF putting in place to try and avoid from such incidents happening again?
Finally, given that MSF does work through various agencies, be it through the adoption agencies or other social service agencies (SSAs), such as this kith caregiver scheme, how does MSF ensure the rigour of supervision, check-ins, home reports, and how is this applied equally across the different agencies that MSF works with?
Ms Sun Xueling: I thank Ms Nadia for her questions. On the first point, there are two schemes that we are talking about. You had mentioned kith caregivers and volunteers. There could also be instances where volunteers are not kith caregivers. So, I would touch on both the points.
For kith caregivers, before a caregiver is identified to provide care for a child or a young person under MSF's care, like I have mentioned before, background checks and assessments are conducted by trained professionals. For this particular case, MSF had conducted background checks on the man and his wife before they were identified as caregivers for the child. They had no adverse records.
Trained professionals had also assessed the couple as capable of providing adequate and safe care for the child. There had also been paced contacts between the couple and the young person that had ranged from supervised visitations at the treatment centre to outings and home leave, before the couple provided full-time care for the child.
There were regular therapy sessions, check-ins and home visits conducted by the professionals, both prior to and during the child's home leave and while under the couple's care. And during these interactions, the professionals had observed that the couple provided supportive care and they did not identify any signs or symptoms indicative of sexual abuse by the caregiver.
The child did not disclose any abuse to the professionals until she informed her schoolteacher in November 2020. From what I understand, the sexual abuse was between the period of September 2020 and November 2020, whereas the interactions that the child had with this caregiver started in 2019.
Coming back to volunteers, which was another aspect of the Member's question, I had mentioned before that all volunteers in MSF-funded programmes who have contact with clients, will need to undergo suitability assessments and background checks. These are run by the agencies. So, as part of the suitability assessment, all prospective volunteers must provide information about their areas of interest in volunteering, the skills and expertise that they have to offer, any medical concerns and any prior criminal convictions.
The SSA will then review the submitted information and interview these prospective volunteers to better understand their motivations and abilities to support the SSA's programmes and engagement with clients. Background checks are also conducted to verify the information which has been provided including screening for criminal records and to identify other risk factors including adverse history.
Interviews with character references and checks with other SSAs where the prospective volunteer may have previously volunteered in, are also performed.
I will now like to go to her second question, which I believe was about what more we can do, if I am not wrong.
I had talked about the training that all social service professionals have to undergo. For staff at children's homes, they have to attend compulsory training courses. This include understanding the legal frameworks and the legislation that protect children in state care. They also have to undergo training and strategies to identify child abuse and how to keep children safe. This training is provided by the NCSS Social Service Institute (SSI) in Singapore.
The training courses are either developed by MSF or in partnership with local stakeholders from the social service, education, health and law enforcement sectors. The training includes evidence-based assessment frameworks, which are recognised internationally, to promote safety and well-being for children and young persons at risk of neglect or abuse. And this training has been contextualised to the Singapore context.
Just to give a few examples of this training. The training courses include introduction to the child protection framework, the sector-specific screening guide and the child abuse reporting guide.
The Member may recall that we had a task force on family violence, and family violence includes many forms of violence, including sexual abuse. This was co-chaired by myself and Minister of State Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim. We had earlier recommended to develop consistent, standardised assessment and screening tools to enable frontline professionals to better identify and detect family violence cases, of which sexual abuse is one form of it.
\tThis is to manage the risks and needs of survivors and also perpetrators, and know when to report cases.
MSF will progressively be launching a suite of tools to ensure a more robust and consistent decision-making system for the domestic violence sector. So, this is something that we are working on to make sure that not only has there been training provided to social service professionals, but that there are standardised assessment tools so that the social service professionals know what the baselines are and under what circumstances to report.
Finally, on the Member's last point, MSF meets with the SSAs regularly. The SSI is also a platform where the SSAs come together regularly to receive up-to-date training.
Learning from this episode, I think it is a stern reminder to all of us that we will continue to focus on making sure our social service professionals are up-to-date when it comes to training, to recognise family violence, domestic violence, sexual abuse and to know when to report, what are the symptoms to look out for. But at the same time, I think it is also a clear reminder to all of us that we have to work with many other community partners, including teachers, because in this case, it was a teacher who reported after the child confided in the teacher.
We must recognise that even as our social service professionals continue with supervised visitations, home check-ins, house visits, this may not take place on a daily basis. Whereas if we compare that to a child's interaction with a teacher at school or a neighbour to the home, these are almost daily interactions, if not daily interactions; there is more opportunity for a child to share instances of neglect and abuse. I think this is a call to action for more members of the public to be aware of what are the signs of family violence, domestic abuse, sexual abuse.
MSF has been very active in rolling out MSF's Family and Domestic Violence Awareness Training, which is part of the Break the Silence campaign. We have reached out to 7,550 individuals, which include preschool teachers, students at the National Institute of Education (NIE), teachers in our foreign system schools. And we will continue in this effort to make sure that more members of the public are aware of the signs to look out for and in so doing, all of us can better protect the safety of our children.
\tMr Speaker: Ms He Ting Ru.
\tMs He Ting Ru (Sengkang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have a couple of supplementary questions. The first is, I think the Minister of State mentioned earlier about the importance that teachers can play in this. I just wanted to know, is there and what is the basic training given to preschool educators and assistants to enable them to recognise these signs? Is there a very general training that is available to these preschool educators to enable them to detect signs and symptoms of abuse in children, given that children of this age are usually less able to articulate or verbalise what is happening to them?
My second supplementary question relates to, when we talk about training given to educators and to people who work within the social services sector, especially those with vulnerable young children, we talk about reporting and understanding the reporting framework. I would like to check whether this training that is given to them also includes training about how best they can respond initially to a child coming up to them and telling them potentially that they have been — or recognising that this child might actually be a victim? I am just wondering whether or not there is basic training given to teach them how to respond and how best to first respond to these children, so that these children are not further traumatised or are better protected.
\t
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her two supplementary questions. On the first point, the MSF's family and domestic violence awareness training has been rolled out. I mentioned that we have engaged 7,550 individuals, many of whom are teachers. We have a curriculum in place and the topmost in this curriculum includes sharing with teachers what are the different forms of abuse.
I use the term \"family violence\" but actually, within this context, there are different forms of it, such as physical violence, sexual abuse, neglect, psychological and emotional abuse. So, we teach our teachers who come for this training that all these forms of neglect and abuse, all come under the ambit of family and domestic violence.
We fully recognise that victims or survivors may respond differently, especially when we are dealing with children. That is why we have focused on teachers, because they are an important touchpoint with children and young persons. So, in the training, we also train our teachers to recognise how children and young persons may respond or show symptoms of such abuse and neglect. For instance, is the child more withdrawn than usual? Are there visible marks on the child? Is the child adverse to physical contact? Are there changes in the child's behaviour? Has the child lost appetite, not interested anymore in the games and the activities that the child used to be interested in?
Some of our SSAs also use play therapy. We have observed that some of the children, because of their young age, they are not able to verbalise their personal experience, not able to talk about it in first person terms. Instead, they have to use toys, other objects and talk about it from a third-person perspective because that is their way of protecting themselves from further hurt. These are ways that children and young persons can communicate. Our teachers and our social service professionals are made aware and sensitive to the point that children may respond in such ways. So, that is the first point on what we aim to do and continue to try to do through the family and domestic violence awareness training.
On the second point, we have a specialised division called the Clinical and Forensic Psychology Services team which provides specialised psychological services to children, youths and their family, and in particular, they have a good understanding of how to understand the profile and needs of children who have undergone trauma and abuse, and how to communicate with these children and their families. We will look at how to ensure that this expertise is also further translated and communicated to frontline professionals, which include the teachers and social service professionals that I had talked about.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin.
\tMs Nadia Ahmad Samdin: Speaker, thank you for your indulgence. Minister of State, with all due respect, this is a case of a child who first witnessed her mother's suicide and then was sexually abused by her own biological father, before then being sexually abused by this fatherly figure. I think what many people truly want to know is beyond training, how do we improve the current processes? How is the home looking at improving its current protocol, recognising that constant, or even daily check-ins, are too resource-intensive? How do we really strengthen the rigour applied across the different MSF agencies to ensure that this does not happen again, as much as possible?
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her follow-up questions. I would say this: we would spare no effort when it comes to training our social service professionals to identify signs of abuse. That is their job and when social service professionals come to this profession and want to help children and young persons, in particular in children's homes, they are well intentioned and this is what they set out to do every day.
So, like I said, this incident is something that has shaken the community. Nobody wants to see this, in particular, the social service professionals who have been in contact with the child. We all know the traumatic experience of this child. It is terrible for a young person to have to undergo this in her own biological family, to seek refuge in a children's home and to have a glimpse of a future with a prospective adopter, only to be abused at their hands of this potentially trusted adult that she has come into contact with.
Like I said, this has shaken the community. What we will continue to do is that even though training sounds like a very generic term, it is a very important one because it is fundamental to equipping our social service professionals to have the means and the background to identify, to prevent and to stop abuse from happening.
I would like to further reinforce the point that the social service professionals, with all the resources that they have and they are managing many cases at the same time, they are in contact with the child through supervised visitations, check-ins, home visits. During COVID-19, there was the added element of check-ins over video. But, of course, post-COVID-19, we have replaced that with physical home visits because that, fundamentally, is the best way of assessing the environment.
But what is very, very important is that we really need members of the public to be together with us in this fight to protect our children. As you can imagine, for a young person or child who is experiencing this, you never know at which point and what might trigger the child to finally open up. When he or she decides to open up, then there must be a trusted adult nearby for him or her to open up to. In this case, it was a teacher who was open, who had obviously spent time building a nurturing and trusting relationship with the child; and it was one such teacher whom the child had trusted and whom she confided in.
So, I would say that the most fundamental, and perhaps the most comprehensive, way of tackling this issue is to raise greater awareness among more members of the public, in particular, persons who have immediate touchpoints with children and, therefore, I mentioned teachers, I mentioned neighbours, I mentioned friends.
At the same time, I would also like to share that we had rolled out the hand signal for help because we want to make sure that whether there is opportunity for the child to be in the community and should he or she decide to disclose this abuse, that he or she is able to reach out for help. We hope that members of the public will recognise what the sign means and please call the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment helpline or reach out to Social Service Offices' or our protection specialist centres, so that help can be given to this survivor victim of family violence as soon as possible.
\tMr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
\tAssoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive response to the safeguards that the Ministry has in place. Let me state at the outset that I fully agree with the exhaustive, almost to the point of onerous, processes that are necessary to protect the children in Home Study Reports and the various other safeguard mechanisms.
That said, I wish to caution against going too far in the other direction and let me elaborate. I have had residents who wish to adopt the children of their spouse from second marriages. Based on their feedback, this process tends to be very drawn out, and more often than not, the child is of a foreign nationality. And so, the Permanent Residency and citizenship process, based on what they have shared, is very lengthy.
I think, in this case, it is a little bit different just because at least one biological parent tends to be present.
I wonder whether the Ministry will, even as they review their processes to protect the child, not to go too far in the other direction and make the process of adoption more onerous, especially for children that result from second marriages.
\t
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for raising this. I suppose the Member has a specific case in his mind when he shared this. If he does not mind, perhaps after this Sitting, he could share the case with me offline, so we can take a closer look at it.
In general, for prospective adopters, what happens in the process is that they first have to attend a pre-adoption briefing and they have to undergo a comprehensive Adoption Suitability Assessment which is conducted by social service staff from an MSF-accredited adoption agency.
\t
The prospective adopters have to first obtain a favourable Home Study Report that I mentioned earlier, before they can proceed to identify a child to adopt. If the child is a foreigner, and I think this is a point the Member raised in the case, the prospective adopter would have to apply for a Dependant's Pass, so that the child can reside in Singapore while undergoing the adoption process.
After the Dependant's Pass is granted, the prospective adopter can apply to the Family Justice Courts (FJC) to adopt. That would then be MSF's Guardian-in-Adoption, which is appointed by the FJC who will conduct social investigations. And by that, I mean checking in with the prospective adopters, family members, character referees, professionals and so on.
So, as you can see, there is a process in place. Whether it is overly onerous, at the onset, I think we have to agree in principle that we have to make sure the child's interest, welfare and well-being – whether or not a Singaporean or a foreign child – has to be front and centre. That is why we have all these processes in place, to make sure that we are able to assess and screen the prospective adopter, to make sure that they have the basic requirements and have the best situation to be able to care for such a child.
So, like I said, I guess the Member has a specific case in mind. If the Member does not mind, we could take this offline after this.
\tMr Speaker: The last supplementary question on this, Mr Dennis Tan. Please keep it succinct; and likewise, the response.
\tMr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister of State, whether she is able to share with the House what specific attributes MSF look for from the prospective adoptive parents of children, specifically where they may have a traumatic past.
\t
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. At the stage of pre-adoption requirements, I had mentioned that the prospective adopter has to undergo a comprehensive Adoption Suitability Assessment and prospective adopters who wish to adopt a child with a traumatic history, will need to be assessed if they are able to meet the child's complex care needs. So, it is one layer above what I shared earlier.
I had also shared that we have a specialised Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service team. They have the expertise, given that they have dealt with children with a traumatic history before. So, their input will also be taken in. We will then see whether the prospective adopters have the capabilities to properly care for such a child, given the fact that the child has had this unfortunate experience of having a traumatic past previously.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Take-Up Rate Of SkillsFuture Credit","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"10 Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current take-up rate of the SkillsFuture Credit (SFC) for lifelong learning and training in the workforce; (b) how responsive have senior citizens and back-to-work women been in utilising their SFC for training and retraining; and (c) whether there are any problems that workers have highlighted in accessing their SFC.
11 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Education (a) as of 2023, how many eligible Singaporeans have fully utilised their SkillsFuture credits; (b) whether the SkillsFuture credits can be replenished for those who have used up their credits; and (c) what are the reasons why 70% of eligible individuals have not been utilising their SkillsFuture credits since 2015.
\tThe Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 10 and 11 together?
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed.
\tMs Gan Siow Huang: The SkillsFuture Credit (SFC) empowers Singaporeans to take ownership of their learning and also skills development. The SFC, we all know, can be used to offset the fees for a wide range of skills-related courses, after Government course fee subsidies are applied.
Since launching the SkillsFuture movement, the training participation rate of individuals, including employer-sponsored training, has increased from 35% in 2015 to around 50% in 2022. Utilisation of SFC was higher among the younger age groups, at close to 40% for those in their 30s, while the utilisation rate of SFC for those aged 60 and above was around 25%. Only a small minority of Singaporeans have fully expended their SFC. These individuals can continue to enjoy substantial course fee subsidies of up to 90% provided by the Government.
In 2022, 192,000 Singaporeans used their SFC. This is an annual increase of around 12,000 per year, from 156,000 in 2019. This growth has been supported by efforts of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and its partners to promote a culture of lifelong learning and help individuals to make informed choices, based on their training needs. These partners include the trade unions, enterprises, Community Development Councils (CDCs), trade associations and professional bodies.
For example, SSG works closely with these partners to expand the provision of skills and training advisory services at job fairs, workshops, community events and touchpoints across the island. Specific to older Singaporeans, SSG works with partner agencies to ensure that there is a suitable range of SFC-eligible courses to cater to their upskilling and lifelong learning needs, such as digital literacy, financial literacy and physical and mental well-being. There are also longer courses under the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme that incorporate career coaching and employment facilitation services. This is to help the trainees secure employment upon completion of these upskilling courses.
To further improve SFC utilisation, SSG has enhanced the user experience of mySkillsFuture portal, making it easier for users to navigate and search for suitable SFC courses for themselves. SSG has also simplified the claims submission process, based on users' feedback. In addition, to keep the courses relevant to the industry, SSG works closely with industry partners and regularly analyses data on job vacancies and skills in demand.
Given that mature workers require more support to pursue substantial reskilling and upskilling to stay employable, the Government is looking into providing a further substantial SFC top-up. And this will be for mature, mid-career Singaporeans. More details will be announced later this year.
Mr Speaker, I urge Singaporeans to make good use of the support available, provided by the Government, training institutions and SkillsFuture partners to advance their own lifelong learning and strengthen their career resilience.
\tMr Speaker: Dr Lim Wee Kiak.
\tDr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Sir, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. I would like to ask two supplementary questions. First is that, is the Government happy with the state of affairs of the current SFC utilisation? Is 50% of the of the population using SFC the target? Is there a near-term three years or five years target of raising this even higher?
Second, for eligible Singaporeans, is there any way to encourage the remaining 50% on how they can use their SFC? What is the reason why they are not using it now, currently? Can the Ministry look into how to use AI or other methods to suggest courses for Singaporeans as well as identify skills or courses that they may take up? So, prompt them, push them a little bit, so that they can use this important fund to help improve their lives.
\t
\tMs Gan Siow Huang: I thank Dr Lim Wee Kiak for the two good supplementary questions. First, is on whether we are happy with the state of the utilisation of SFC? I would say that we have seen good progress over the years. Especially since the launch of SFC, we see more Singaporeans understanding the needs of lifelong learning and upskilling; and employers too, seeing the benefit of upskilling their workers.
I would say that we know we are on the right trajectory. What is more important is that skills development and training are available and relevant, where the individuals need them. It is not limited to the use of SFC. Although SFC is a key pillar in this ecosystem, we know that employers too, also play a big role in shaping and supporting their workers and their new hires in upskilling. There are also, of course, free courses online that are widely available and that are very popular.
So, the utilisation of SFC is a proxy, I would say. We are moving in the right direction and we welcome suggestions by members of public, as well as Members in this Chamber, on what else we can do to improve the utilisation.
On why some Singaporeans might not be using SFC, some have cited lack of time and some have cited opportunity costs when they go for upskilling. So, we hope that the upcoming announcements for us to enhance SFC, as well as training allowance, will help more Singaporeans take the big step to go for upskilling.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
\tMr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Sir, I am glad to hear that the Government is looking to further upscale or increase the SFC amount or top-ups.
My first question is, whether this new push in SFC, is there any change in emphasis, or any new emphasis? Is this like a version two of SFC that we are expecting? And secondly, the Minister of State mentioned about working with professional bodies. I thought it is a very good idea because they are more attuned to the changes, the professionals skill needs. And so, whether under the new push, are we going to work more closely with the professional bodies?
\t
\tMs Gan Siow Huang: SkillsFuture is a movement. It is not a programme; by that, I mean it takes many parties to come together for this movement to create impact on individuals. We are glad that professional bodies are also coming onboard. SSG has, over the years, started partnering professional bodies to understand from them better what are the skill needs in the professional field that are envisaged and, working then, with training institutions to make available the upskilling opportunities.
We hope the announcements later this year on the SFC top-up for mid-career mature Singaporeans, will be a boost for this group. Because we have heard through Forward SG conversations and also, over time, feedback from the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), from the unions, that this group of workers, find it even more challenging to be re-employed, especially if they lose their job or if they are retrenched in their 40s or 50s. Substantial upskilling will mean opportunity costs and also a lot of resources, drawing on their savings. This is something that we ought to do, to give our mid-career, mature Singaporeans a better chance to have longer-term employability.
\t
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ensuring Licensed Remittance Companies Fulfil Commitments","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"12 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Prime Minister (a) how many complaints has MAS received in the past year about MAS-licensed remittance companies not fulfilling their commitments to remit funds; (b) whether such remittance companies have a legal responsibility to ensure that funds reach their intended recipients and, if not, why not; and (c) what recourse do consumers have if the funds they placed with remittance companies are not remitted through no fault of their own.
13 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Prime Minister (a) whether remittance companies in Singapore that handled the failed transfers of monies to China have an obligation to ensure funds placed through them reach their intended destinations; and (b) whether an update can be provided on the cooperation with its counterpart agency in People's Republic of China to resolve the issue of frozen or confiscated remittances.
\tThe Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan) (for the Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 12 and 13 in today's Order Paper?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, you may.
\tMr Alvin Tan: Sir, under the Payment Services Act 2019 (PS Act), licensed payment service providers or licensees must ensure that any money accepted for money transfer services is deposited into the designated recipient's accounts, within three to seven business days. Licensees must also provide proper documentary evidence to show that the recipient has received the money transmitted.
Licensees that fail to comply with the three to seven business days money transmission timeframe, unless agreed with their customers, would be in breach of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)'s requirements. MAS will undertake a supervisory review and/or take enforcement action for such breaches, including reviewing the licensee's suitability to hold a licence under the PS Act. The number of complaints directly received by MAS in 2023 on alleged failed remittances, is lower than 100 and amounts to less than 0.01% of total value remitted from Singapore.
Affected remitters should first approach the remittance company concerned for resolution if their intended recipients did not receive the money. If the matter cannot be resolved, affected remitters may file a claim in the Small Claims Tribunals for amounts up to S$30,000 or consider seeking legal advice on civil action to be taken against the remittance company.
In providing the money transfer services, licensees commonly pass the funds to intermediary institutions, based either in Singapore or overseas, for the onward transmission of the funds to recipients. These intermediaries include banks, operators of card payment systems or third-party agents.
Under MAS' requirements against money laundering and terrorism financing, licensees must conduct due diligence on the intermediary institutions they directly work with. If the licensee fails to perform the necessary due diligence, it will face regulatory or enforcement action by MAS.
\t
For the recent disputes regarding remittances to China, the issues were not about failed remittances. For these cases, the funds had been successfully remitted and deposited into the recipient's bank accounts. However, these funds were frozen or forfeited by the PRC law enforcement agencies.
As of 15 December 2023, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has received more than 670 reports of funds remitted to China being frozen. MAS and SPF are seeking information from Chinese authorities to establish the reasons and concerns that led to the freezing of recipient bank accounts in China.
To minimise risks to consumers remitting funds to China, MAS has decided to temporarily suspend the use of non-bank and non-card channels by licensees for money transfers to China. While consumers may now have to pay more to remit funds to China, this temporary suspension will protect consumers from the uncertainty of funds being frozen by the authorities in China.
Relevant Government agencies have also been engaging the PRC government, so that the PRC government can provide information to help affected remitters understand how they can get their accounts and monies in China unfrozen by PRC law enforcement. MAS has also told the licensees to render the necessary assistance to affected consumers, also to strengthen their complaints handling processes and to review the existing arrangements with partners and intermediaries for remittances to China, in view of these complaints and the impact to their customers. MAS and SPF will continue to engage the relevant Chinese authorities and the Singapore licensees and render assistance to affected remitters.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): I thank the Minister of State for his reply.
Some remittance companies have a practice of going through third-party payout agents to perform the funds transfer using personal bank accounts. The Minister of State earlier said that MAS has prohibited this practice for three months. Are there plans to extend this prohibition for longer or ban the practice outright in order to better protect consumers?
Secondly, given that most of these funds have left Singapore's jurisdiction and are held up by authorities in China, has MAS been in communication with all the complainants to inform them about the limits of Singapore's jurisdiction beyond the outreach session that was conducted in December, which was attended by just 39 individuals?
\t
\tMr Alvin Tan: Sir, I thank the Member for his supplementary question. MAS will review the temporary suspension before 31 March. As the Member had said, it was for three months. So, we are still working together with the licensees, the remittance companies as well as those affected.
On the second point, maybe I want to also set the context. Both MAS, as well as SPF, have been working with the relevant government agencies in China. But what is also useful is that, in this regard, MAS considers the remittance companies to have discharged their obligations once the funds have reached the intended recipient. So, once these funds have been successfully deposited into the bank accounts, then they have discharged their obligations. But the funds have been frozen or forfeited by the law enforcement agencies, and MAS and SPF are continually engaging the relevant government agencies in China to understand the situation and then also to work with the remittance agencies to see what we can do to assist those affected.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Mr Speaker, just two supplementary questions for the Minister of State. The first is in relation to remittance companies which might potentially exempt themselves from any liabilities by making their customers sign certain waivers. Is this the case for the remittance companies that are currently involved in these cases, especially for one of them, Samlit Money Changer, which I understand from the press release, is responsible for the majority of the cases that have been surfaced, and are these exemptions basically against the current regulations?
The second supplementary question is in relation to, again, these licensed payment institutions, especially the major ones. I understand from MAS' requirements that they must comply with requirements to protect customer money and, in this case, is that protection of customer money about just ensuring that the funds reach their intended destination or that they can be accessed at their intended destinations?
\t
\tMr Alvin Tan: Sir, we are, indeed, reviewing the complaints and have been following up with the remittance companies. In the case of Samlit, we understand that they have considered some civil action as it is a civil matter. But we are working very closely, through SPF as well as MAS, with Samlit and the other remittance licensees that the Police have received reports regarding this particular case.
If these remittance licensees – they are licensed under the PS Act, as I mentioned in my original reply – are found not to meet with the regulatory expectations, we will take action. While MAS cannot compel the remittance companies on compensation, we have told them that they should treat their customers fairly. But if they are found to be in breach, we could take regulatory and enforcement actions, including fines and reprimand. But as I mentioned in my earlier response to the supplementary question, in this case, we found that they have discharged their obligations in terms of remitting, and this is an issue that MAS, SPF and the relevant Government agencies are engaging with the PRC agencies to resolve the matter.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness Given Recent Increase in Phishing Scams","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"14 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the recent phishing scams involving at least 237 victims since November 2023 with total losses amounting to at least $606,000 as stated in the Police advisory of 13 November 2023, what specific measures are being taken to enhance cybersecurity awareness among the public, especially regarding the use of popular messaging platforms.
\tThe Minister of State for Home Affairs (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, in this recent scam variant, WhatsApp users who were attempting to access their WhatsApp account on their computer had clicked on a fake \"WhatsApp Web\" phishing website. They had then scanned the QR code in the website via their WhatsApp account on their mobile device and, in doing so, they inadvertently granted the scammers access to their WhatsApp account. The scammers then used the compromised WhatsApp account to impersonate the user and reached out to the user's family and friends and convinced them to transfer monies to the scammers' bank accounts or PayNow numbers.
To combat this scam variant, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has been working with Meta to stop further abuse of compromised WhatsApp accounts as soon as they are detected. The SPF have also been working with online platforms, including Google, to introduce stronger safeguards to mitigate the risk of fraudulent takeover of online messaging accounts, such as through the preemptive detection and blocking of URLs linked to phishing websites.
The Online Criminal Harms Act which will be progressively operationalised from this quarter, will allow the Government to direct online messaging platforms to disable access to accounts suspected to be involved in scams. The Government can also require designated online service providers to introduce upstream measures to safeguard against the misuse of online accounts.
Ultimately, however, the best defence against scams is a vigilant and discerning public. To this end, the Government has been running campaigns to encourage the public to adopt good cyber practices. For instance, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) recently launched the fifth edition of the National Cybersecurity Campaign, which aims to raise awareness and drive adoption of good cyber practices.
The SPF and CSA also work with other agencies on more targeted campaigns, such as the SG Cyber Safe Students Programme, which supports schools in the conduct of cybersecurity lessons.
In addition, the SPF regularly highlights emerging scam variants and the measures that the public can take to protect themselves. Specific to the recent spike in phishing scams involving compromise of WhatsApp accounts, the SPF had issued several advisories which urged members of the public to adopt the three simple steps of \"Add\", \"Check\", \"Tell\".
First, \"Add\" security features, such as enabling two-step verification, on your WhatsApp and other online messaging accounts. Turn on your notification settings to be alerted to changes to linked devices.
Second, \"Check\" that you are on the official WhatsApp website. Check your settings for unauthorised linked devices and be wary of unusual requests from your contacts whose accounts may have been compromised.
Third, \"Tell\" your friends and family about your scam encounters and report any fraudulent activity to your bank and to the Police immediately.
\tMr Speaker: Dr Wan Rizal.
\tDr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for sharing what has been taken in terms of mitigating this issue. She mentioned earlier about the collaboration between the SPF and Meta in terms of combating these WhatsApp phishing scams. Apparently, many of my colleagues and I, we do use such services because of its ease. Could the Minister of State elaborate on the effectiveness of the measures that have been taken so far to reduce future compromised accounts since its implementation?
For my second supplementary question, the Minister of State mentioned earlier about the collaboration with Google in terms of enhancing pre-emptive detection and blocking of URLs linked to phishing sites. I know this is common, but are there any measurable outcomes of this initiative so far?
\t
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his two questions. In my response, I will attempt to take them together.
I mentioned that the Police have been working with Meta to stop further abuse of compromised WhatsApp accounts and the Police have also been working with online platforms, including Google, to introduce safer safeguards, and I had specifically mentioned through the pre-emptive detection and blocking of URLs linked to phishing sites.
First, I would like to share that the platforms have responded with varying degrees of urgency and they had leaned to it to different extents. For example, Meta has, on some occasions, required more time to recover compromised WhatsApp accounts. We intend to work even closer with Meta and to highlight to them that we need them to do more. They need to respond more quickly to our requests, to be more effective and efficient in recovering compromised WhatsApp accounts and disabling the service if it is part of a scam. So, the Government will continue to engage these online platforms since they are key vectors for the propagation of scams.
For Google, as we all know, they run a search engine. So, we are working with them so that they can be more proactive and also more capable at detecting links which are links to phishing websites. And this is something that requires technical work on Google's end. We are highlighting these scam variants to them, so that they can take better care and look at how their search engines can be better optimised to prevent such scam variants from taking place on their platforms.
I mentioned also that the Online Criminal Harms Act will come into force in the first quarter of 2024. We have various levers under the Online Criminal Harms Act which will allow the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government to better work with these platforms to issue Government directions against scams and to also require designated providers to detect and minimise scams and other malicious cyber activities.
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Introduction of Government Bills.
[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":"Criminal Procedure (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 and to make amendments to certain other Acts\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) on behalf of the Minister for Law; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Financial Institutions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Financial Advisers Act 2001, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2022, the Insurance Act 1966, the Monetary Authority of Singapore Act 1970, the Payment Services Act 2019, the Securities and Futures Act 2001 and the Trust Companies Act 2005\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan) on behalf of the Prime Minister; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament on or after 1 March 2024 and to be printed. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act 1992\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Senior Minister of State for Finance (Mr Chee Hong Tat) on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society","subTitle":"Motion","sectionType":"OS","content":"Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson): Sir, I beg to move*, \"That this House reaffirms our commitment to adopt a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society.\"
[(proc text) *The Motion also stood in the names of Mr Sharael Taha, Ms Hany Soh, Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Alex Yam. (proc text)]
Speaker, Sir, the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Communications and Information, comprising People's Action Party Members of Parliament Ms Jessica Tan, Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Alex Yam, Mr Sharael Taha, Ms Hany Soh and me as the GPC Chair, is moving this Motion as Singapore comes to a point in our national trajectory towards digitalisation where we must confront challenges that could erode trust in institutions and individuals pivotal to our nation's success and cohesion.
Singapore has always been unafraid of transformations. Over a relatively short period post-Independence, we transformed from a traditional, domestically focused economy to export-led industrialisation facilitated by multinational corporations. Subsequently, Singapore strategically pivoted towards developing modern services and made substantial investments in emerging sectors like biomedical industries. Singapore also invests heavily in building up our infrastructure ahead of time so that when the wave arrives, we are ready to ride it.
This forward-thinking approach, combined with the courage to explore uncharted territories, has proven successful, bolstered by a united and high-trust population. Our gross domestic product (GDP) per capita grew from US$500 in 1965 to US$13,000 in 1990 and to US$83,000 in 2022. Going digital is a reality around the world and it is imperative for Singapore. As it is, our digital economy contributed 17.3% to our GDP in 2022, up from 13% in 2017.
As we continue to transform and embrace the opportunities presented by digital transformation and immerse ourselves in the digital realm for our daily activities, we are confronted with a growing set of challenges. The digital landscape is becoming increasingly perilous, marked by the surge in online harms such as scams, ransomware, deep fakes, misinformation and other malicious cyber activities. Compounded by rapidly evolving tactics, the situation poses a constant challenge.
Much like cockroaches, scams often operate in the dark corners of the digital realm, exploiting vulnerabilities and thriving in unsuspecting spaces. They are agile, quick to evolve and adept at camouflaging themselves, making it challenging to eradicate them entirely. Similarly, just as we believe that we figured out the latest scamming trick, new and more sophisticated threats emerge.
The rising prevalence of scams demonstrates this. Reported cases reached 31,728 in 2022, marking a 32.6% increase compared to 2021. Between January and August 2023, losses due to malware scams exceeded $20.6 million.
Notably, a global study reveals that Singapore, unfortunately, bears a significant brunt, with scam victims in the country experiencing an average loss of US$4,031 per individual. This could be a substantial loss of hard-earned savings for some Singaporeans.
In MacPherson, I have encountered several residents who were victims of scams. In late 2021, one young resident, Ms Tan, shared about how she and others lost money to fraudulent transactions on her credit card when she did not receive or provide to anyone her one-time password (OTP).
Quoting her, \"Even without evidence that the consumers have received the OTP sent by the banks, that is, through a history of incoming message from the telco, banks requested customers to make payment for the fraudulent transactions without investigating whether the OTPs could have been diverted. Frustrated by their disadvantageous position in dispute against banks, consumers oftentimes bear the burden of making up to five-figure payments for these transactions.\"
As an ordinary citizen and consumer, it is typically difficult to retrieve information or history of SMSes from the telecommunications company (telco) and the victim usually finds themselves to and fro between the bank, telco, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Police.
In another example, I met my elderly resident, Mr Yee, who fell prey online to an investment scheme supposedly endorsed by then Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He did not understand how credit card transactions work online and consequently was charged several thousand dollars in fraudulent credit card bills, which he could ill-afford as he only had a few hundred dollars left in his savings account. He was under tremendous stress as he was frail and worried that he will lose everything.
We managed to get the bank to waive it, given his dire circumstances, but how many such goodwill write-offs are possible?
These are just some of the notable cases that I have come across in MacPherson and I am certain my Parliamentary colleagues have many similar examples as well. Such cases are compelling motivation for us to move this Motion.
Moreover, the escalating global artificial intelligence (AI) arms race raises concerns about potential compromises on ethical considerations as powerful technology companies prioritise winning at all costs. This heightened competition may lead to a disregard for addressing social disparities, including the widening gap between the digitally know-how and the digitally know-nots, exacerbating divisions within the population.
Additionally, if institutions solely concentrate on leveraging AI or any emerging technology for enhanced productivity without concurrently investing in workforce training and re-training initiatives, ordinary citizens could grow fearful of what we will lose more than being hopeful of what we can gain from technological advancements as a society. This fear, in turn, can impede Singapore's progress.
The trustworthiness of critical infrastructures and essential services also plays a role in shaping public confidence towards the security of their personal data. With 99% of resident households in Singapore connected to the Internet, we have one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. This is testament to Singapore's progress, but it also means that we are all the more susceptible to online threats.
DBS' repeated digital service disruptions in 2023, Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings lost to Android malware scams and personal data breaches in public healthcare – these incidents affected a significant portion of our population and in turn, affect the public's trust in the digital. These issues, if left to fester, will undermine trust.
Not being able to trust every information received, every transaction made, every voice heard and every image seen is paralysing. Trust is fundamental in a society as there will inevitably be difficult times when individuals need to be willing to temporarily sacrifice individual interests in favour of collective societal benefits. Trust is important for value-creating transactions to happen, for creative ideas to be shared and not be suppressed.
Hence, if we do not make a clear stand and actively manage these issues, we risk losing the public's trust in the digital world, thereby losing out on the benefits of convenience to citizens and benefits of productivity and innovation for our national economy.
Against this backdrop, we decided to move this Motion to reaffirm this House's commitment to adopt a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society.
At the onset of this speech, I have explained the context for why we have moved this Motion. I have also emphasised why trust is important and strengthening trust in a digital society must be the end goal of this Motion. Allow me to elaborate on the \"safe\" and \"inclusive\" tenets of this Motion.
On \"safe\", a safe online environment is crucial for building trust in a digital society because it directly influences people's confidence and willingness to engage in digital transactions and interactions.
Underlying a safe online environment are: number one, trust in digital transactions
First, we need reliable digital infrastructure so as to provide the foundation for secure, reliable and accessible digital services.
Unreliable systems, frequent outages or vulnerabilities in the infrastructure make users skeptical about the security of their transactions, hindering the growth of digital trust. Thus, the organisations across all sectors must intentionally and systematically incorporate measures and practices that prioritise and enhance trust throughout the entire digital transaction process.
Second, we need to combat scams and fraudulent activities swiftly and effectively. Scams erode trust by exploiting unsuspecting users, leading to financial losses and undermining confidence in digital transactions.
Number two, addressing cyber threats. Cybersecurity threats, such as data breaches and identity theft via malwares, contribute to fear and suspicion among users. Privacy breaches and unauthorised access to personal information can also make individuals hesitant to engage in digital activities. Hence, we must ensure that related policies and capabilities continually evolve to keep up with the rampant and fast-changing threats online.
Number three, countering online harms. Online harms, including cyberbullying and harassment, have real-life consequences on individuals' mental health and well-being, hampering their potential. Further, vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly, are particularly susceptible to online harms. Hence, we must promote respectful and responsible behaviours and implement measures that protect vulnerable groups from exploitation, thereby fostering trust among users of all demographics.
Number four, meaningful human connections. The interconnectedness of online and physical worlds often influence real-life relationships. We should focus on creating more positive online experiences so that human connections remain meaningful even as we go digital.
And number five, digital inclusion. Ultimately, people will be keener to participate if they feel safe. Hence, we must create a safe online space that allows broad-based participation if we are to achieve a truly inclusive digital society.
In short, a safe online environment is a cornerstone of building trust in a digital society. This trust, in turn, contributes to the growth and success of the digital ecosystem, positively impacting both online and offline aspects of individuals' lives.
Moving on to \"inclusive\", inclusivity builds trust in a digital society as it ensures that the benefits of digitalisation are accessible to all, fostering a sense of fairness, equity and shared progress.
Key to this include: number one, access to essential services. As essential services such as Government, healthcare, finance and telco services increasingly transition to digital platforms, these must remain accessible to everyone.
Number two, digital skills empowerment and closing social gaps. We must empower our citizens with digital access and the right skills for active participation in the digital society. We must be mindful of not creating new gaps between the digitally savvy and those who are not. By doing so, individuals, including the vulnerable, can gain the confidence to navigate digital platforms, reducing the digital divide and fostering trust in their ability to engage with digital technologies.
Number three, workplace evolution for all ages. We must evolve jobs and workplaces to keep up with the fast-changing digital landscape, whilst ensuring the workforce continues to have the right skill sets, so that everyone can contribute meaningfully, regardless of age or background.
Number four, enhancing citizen participation. We must ensure that digital platforms and environments are safe, kind and respectful as I have had earlier articulated, so that citizens are not denied their voice or meaningful online participation for fear of being \"cancelled\" just because one holds a different view from a vocal few.
And number five, embracing diversity. We must ensure digital interfaces are inclusive by design so that citizens of all ages, languages and physical conditions can comfortably and confidently engage in the digital space.
To achieve a safe and inclusive digital society, everyone needs to play a part. Hence, our GPC for Communications and Information, together with several People's Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MPs), have set out 13 calls to action, urging a whole-of-nation approach to make the online space a safer and more inclusive one for all Singaporeans.
I will first cover five calls to action, while my fellow GPC members and PAP MPs will speak in greater depth on the rest.
First, Government to take the lead to set up information-sharing mechanism with the industry, modelled after \"Stop Scams UK\".
Companies, given the competitive nature, are fundamentally unwilling to cooperate and share information and best practices, which could help with timely interventions or enforcement against scams or digital threats. Ironically, collaboration on this front would have catalysed learning and improvements to their operations and business.
However, companies tend to be more willing to share data and experiences with the Government, which could then anonymise and aggregate such information. Hence, we need a stronger framework for public and private players to share information on scams, to enable faster detection and intervention.
Taking a leaf from the \"Stop Scams UK\" that allows industry players to share intelligence and collaborate on scam-related initiatives, our Government can and should take the lead in setting up a similar information-sharing mechanism with the industry. My hon colleague Vikram Nair will also touch on this in his speech later.
Second, Government to further integrate expertise and prioritise resources to regulate and enforce online safety. The Singapore Government has done much to combat scams and online harms, from legislation updates, introduction of codes to introducing new tools for companies' and public's use.
It is also encouraging to note the establishment of Anti-Scam Command in 2022 and co-location of major banks' staff with the Police to facilitate scam detection and reporting. But the broader efforts in combatting scams and online harms still necessitate extensive coordination across various Government agencies and departments, and private institutions, such as banks and telcos, which may have varying mandates and resource priorities.
Hence, there is scope for further integration of expertise and resource prioritisation in regulating and enforcing online safety. My hon colleague Yip Hon Weng will further touch on this and specifically on stakeholder coordination later in his speech.
Third, device manufacturers and digital service providers to strengthen safeguards against malware and ensure their offerings are safe by design and default. We have seen an increase in prevalence of scams enabled by malware on users' mobile devices. These malware threats are difficult for everyday citizens to detect. Even with public education, it will be difficult for individuals to know if their phones and devices have been compromised. Even someone who is in the tech industry will find it difficult to know.
Therefore, device manufacturers and digital service providers should be proactive in informing consumers of vulnerabilities detected and in strengthening their safeguards against malware to ensure that their offerings are safe by design and default. From another perspective, greater transparency and evident efforts in enhancing safe use will bolster customer confidence and drive sales. So, it is a win-win.
Fourth, banks and e-commerce platforms to adopt stronger authentication solutions like the Fast Identity Online (FIDO) passkeys to keep our accounts secure.
Many digital service providers continue to use authentication methods, such as traditional passwords that are vulnerable to phishing. As bad actors evolve their methods, banks and e-commerce platforms with their powerful tech capabilities have a responsibility in keeping their customers' accounts secure and should thus be adopting phishing-resistant authentication, such as FIDO passkeys.
Fifth, everyone can play their part in making Singapore's digital society safe, gracious and inclusive. As we spend more time online, the digital and physical worlds are converging and our actions in either realm can have a profound impact on the other. Ultimately, we should ask ourselves what kind of environment do we desire to see in the digital world? If we desire safety, inclusiveness, kindness and respect in the real world, we should also aspire to create the same online. Why should the digital world be any different from the real one? My hon colleague Vikram Nair will also speak on this later.
As my hon colleagues engage in deeper discussions on online harms later in their speeches, I wish to highlight the need to ensure a safe space for freedom of ideas and expression online. The Internet has the power to amplify the voices of a vocal few. If this ability becomes misguided, it risks drowning out or cancelling others who hold a different opinion or who are, simply, different. Hence, this call of action calls on every one of us to continue upholding the values of kindness and respect online and offline, to look beyond ourselves and reach out to others who may be in need of help.
Following my opening speech, the remaining speeches by our PAP MPs will focus on the remaining eight calls of actions. Allow me to briefly list them.
Holding social media services accountable for the proliferation of harmful content and malicious ads. My hon colleagues Nadia Samdin, Wan Rizal and Mariam Jaafar will be covering this.
Next, reviewing the approach to victims of scams by unauthorised transactions, with larger players doing more to prevent losses and share consequences. My hon colleagues Hany Soh and Yip Hon Weng will also be covering this.
Requiring social media services and app distribution services to step up age assurance measures to better protect young users from harmful content. My hon colleague, Nadia Samdin will be speaking on this.
Requiring social media services and app distribution services to improve timeliness in responding to user reports on harmful content on their platforms. My hon colleague Nadia Samdin will also be covering this.
Requiring essential service providers to ensure accessibility for all. My colleagues Jessica Tan, Nadia Samdin and Yip Hon Weng will be speaking on this.
Driving corporates and community organisations to promote awareness of essential digital skills and partner public sector to help close digital skill gaps. My hon colleagues Jessica Tan, Hany Soh, Sharael Taha and Mariam Jaafar will be speaking on this.
Driving stronger partnerships between public, private and individuals to deepen focus on educating our young and old on digital literacy, scams and online harms. My hon colleagues Darryl David, Wan Rizal, Sharael Taha and Yip Hon Weng will be speaking on this.
And finally, strengthening efforts in establishing future-ready workplaces for a more digitally-savvy workforce. My hon colleague Sharael Taha will also be speaking on this. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to say a few words in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Since Independence, Singapore has always been fearless in breaking through the status quo, and daring to transform and reform over the relatively few decades.
Our country has evolved from a traditional economy primarily focused on domestic sectors to an export-oriented industrialisation driven by multinational corporations (MNCs) and then to the development of modern service industries and investment emerging sector to maintain our competitiveness.
Singapore has also made forward-looking investments in infrastructure development, enabling it to seize opportunities as they arise.
Coupled with unity, high trust and cooperation of its people, Singapore has been able to reach where it is today.
However, the increasing opportunities brought about by a digital transformation, we have also faced increasingly severe challenges.
Cyber threats, such as scams, ransomware, deep fakes and misinformation are rapidly on the rise, significantly increasing the risks in the digital environment.
As the saying goes, the higher the level, the greater the devil.
These cyber threats are like cockroaches that will never say die.
Furthermore, the escalating global competition in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised concerns about potential ethical compromises.
Powerful technology companies may prioritise winning the competition at all costs and this potentially leads neglecting social disparities.
Additionally, the credibility of critical infrastructure and essential services can also affect the public's confidence in their personal data security.
If left unchecked, these issues will erode trust. People will not be able to trust every piece of information they receive, every transaction they conduct, every voice heard and every image seen.
This is a worrying scenario. How do we live on? How do we proceed?
Of course, there are no absolutes in the world and in the real world, nothing is perfect.
In real life, we do not refrain from leaving our homes for fear of encountering accidents.
However, trust is a key factor in building the foundation of society as difficulties are inevitable in life.
During these times, we may need to temporarily sacrifice personal interest in exchange for the collective interests of society.
Trust is also important in conducting transactions that create value and sharing ideas.
Therefore, if we do not clearly set our position and actively address these issues, we may lose trust in the public in the area of digital technology, resulting in the loss of convenience for the people, as well as productivity and innovation benefits for our economy.
In this context, I and the Members of Parliament from the PAP, have decided to propose this Motion, presenting 13 calls to action to reaffirm Parliament's commitment to build an inclusive and safe digital society through the combined efforts of the Government, businesses and the people to sustain trust.
(In English): As technology continues to develop, new methods of scams and cyber threats will also emerge. We may not be able to totally stamp out such risks or threats as they are like cockroaches. But if we can do more, if everyone is willing to take on a larger share of the responsibility, we can protect more people and reduce the harms or damage to the ordinary citizen.
In conclusion, to sustain trust and build an inclusive, safe digital society in Singapore, cannot be the responsibility of a single Government, entity or individual. As Singapore continues to advance towards a digital society, public and private stakeholders must collaborate as a whole-of-nation to manage the risks, address the challenges and help each other thrive in the digital future. Sir, I beg to move. [Applause.]
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, my topic today is about restoring trust in the digital arena to tackle a crisis of confidence. On restoring trust, I will touch on scams and AI.
First, scams. I read with interest about an interview given by Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) Minister Josephine Teo to Lianhe Zaobao in December on MCI's priorities for this year. Among other things, she underscored the urgent and pressing need to restore confidence in the digital space and telecommunications.
On scams and in particular scams through phone calls, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has revealed that out of the 1.6 billion international calls received in Singapore each year, about a quarter or 300 million were suspected to be scam calls and were blocked by telcos in the first nine months of last year.
To block 300 million calls is a staggering statistic. But I would surmise that many other scam calls would have gotten through. Our parents, residents and we ourselves are all in the pool of potential victims.
Since I spoke this House in mid-September on scam losses and doing right by bank customers, the landscape has evolved further.
On the positive side. I note that banks appear to be taking more steps to prevent scams and to stop scams in progress. I cannot over-emphasise why banks of all people need to do this. Banks are making healthy profits and have the resources and expertise to do more to protect and detect scams.
At the same time, the modus operandi of scammers has continued to evolve and leverage on victim psyche. From impersonating Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and bank officers, they now impersonate officers from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Phishing scams involving Paylah! have been effective in spoofing SMS messages typically sent by DBS Bank.
On New Year's Day this year, I, too, received the SMS about the withdrawal of $289 from my Paylah! account and a link to stop the transaction if it was unauthorised. As I was in the midst of some work then, I did not scrutinise the message carefully and clicked on the link to stop the transaction. The link then brought me to a page to enter my banking credentials, whereupon I had my Eureka moment and stopped in my tracks.
Not so fortunate were some residents who received the same SMS who then came to the Meet-the-People Session (MPS) in desperation. All in all, I have to conclude that these organised criminals must have very good consultants.
Even modes of savings we thought were very safe, like our Central Provident Fund (CPF) monies and fixed deposits, are not safe against scams and malware. This is leading to a change in thinking about digital transactions.
On this, I note that the \"money lock\" options now offered by the three local banks are a practical feature to ringfence funds that can only be withdrawn by a physical visit to the bank. I myself have opted for this. But from a helicopter perspective, \"money lock\" is actually a concession that the digital space is not that safe.
I would not like to exaggerate the situation but I would say that we are moving towards a crisis of confidence in digital banking, without stronger intervention by Government regulators.
Of course, customers need to do their part. Customers need to be wary and alert to prevent being scammed. However, we should be ever mindful not to expect too much from the public. As stated in a Straits Times Forum page letter on 22 September, it is not always possible for people to be on full alert against scams as one's level of alertness could be affected by multi-tasking, stress, fatigue or medication.
According to the IMDA's Singapore Digital Society Report last November, 78% of seniors over 60 used e-payments for online transactions but only 44% of the same group was moderately confident about identifying scams. Ninety-nine percent were worried about becoming victims of scams. These numbers show that the threat of scams is very real and that more needs to be done.
Sir, I acknowledge that the Government is working on restoring confidence in the digital space. The MAS has been working on further regulating banks and more must be done on prevention and loss sharing. I have spoken on this previously and shall not repeat myself today. I have also made a submission to the MAS on the risk-sharing framework for scam losses.
Sir, given the unequal bargaining power between banks and consumers, the MAS should be mindful that the public look to it as the bank regulator to ensure that banks behave responsibly and ethically.
Over the last few months, I have received skeptical feedback from some members of the public that the banks' interests will always be protected at the expense of the customer. I hope that the MAS will demonstrate that this is not true.
On the more general issue of digital communications and services, I acknowledge the potential of the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) to prevent scams. Among other powers, the OCHA will enable law enforcement to proactively issue orders such as access blocking directions and app removal directions to require internet service providers to protect the public from scams and other malicious cyber activity. On OCHA, it would be good to know when all the provisions will be effective.
In addition, I note the announcement by the Minister for Communications and Information on the setting up of a multi-agency group called the Task Force on Resilience and Security of Digital Infrastructure and Services – what I call the RSD task force. The work of the RSD task force is set to oversee matters of public confidence in the country's digital services.
While the set-up of the RSD task force is an important development, I note that its stated composition does not mention any representative from the MAS. Since banking is such a big part of digital infrastructure and services, should MAS not be on the task force?
Sir, my colleagues, Jamus Lim and Gerald Giam will elaborate more on scams and the sharing of responsibility later. I move on to artificial intelligence.
Twenty twenty three is generally hailed as the year when ChatGPT came into the world's consciousness and everyone started exploring its potential. The focus is now shifting to how AI tools can be deployed at scale as AI develops in sophistication. From asking AI to carry out a specific task, AI tools have gone from classification AI to generative AI where content is created, like mimicking voices of loved ones. It has further developed into interactive AI where AI tools can interact with humans to reason and arrive at watershed decisions affecting work and personal lives.
Last year, the Government published Singapore's National AI Strategy 2.0. In it, the report acknowledged both the vast potential of AI to do both good and bad. The bad aspects included how AI could amplify harms such as enabling scams using deepfakes, spreading this information and others.
According to CNA, the prevalence of deepfake videos in Singapore jumped 500% in 2023 compared to the previous year. We should be acutely aware of AI's pitfalls and the need for AI regulation to ensure that Singaporeans remain safe online.
Sir, I believe the Government is closely watching for the potential pitfalls of AI. It has set up the AI Verify Foundation, which published a discussion paper last year entitled, \"Generative AI: Implications for Trust and Governance\". The paper was stated to be targeted at senior leaders in Government and business, advocating for more discourse and collaboration on building an ecosystem for the trusted and responsible adoption of generative AI. Among the emergent risks of generative AI listed by the paper were the making of mistakes, copyright infringements and the spreading of toxicity and cyber threats. Apart from these emergent risks, the fact that AI will lead to drop losses and disinformation alone will erode public trust in the digital arena.
Across the world, the fundamental question of whether human beings really want to go further with AI is being asked. There is growing concern about creating more powerful AI tools that may replace the human function and even control human interactions. The concern comes from those in the AI industry as well.
For instance, there is a non-profit organisation based in the United States (US) called the Future of Life Institute. Its multidisciplinary international team engages in policy work aimed at improving AI governance. In March this year, the institute launched a petition calling for a pause in AI development beyond GPT-4. The petition gathered more than 33,000 signatures, including those of CEOs of AI companies.
Some of the big questions identified for reflection include the following questions: (a) whether we should let machines flood our information channels with possible propaganda and untruth; (b) whether we should automate away all jobs including, the fulfilling ones; and (c) whether we should develop non-human minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart and replace us.
Other prominent thinkers have cautioned that reliance on AI tools to process information and to think may result in the potential loss of human reasoning and analytical ability. Speaking for myself, I must say that the thought of major decision-making in the world being outsourced to AI tools is simply unacceptable.
Moving forward, the need to harness AI and yet ensure humans are in charge will be the big challenge. Technology should be our servants and not our masters. We should take time to reflect on what is happening and not let technology run away unbridled with us in toll. To this end, having effective regulation for AI will require the Government to invest in constant capacity building.
Sir, let me conclude. My speech today was on restoring trust in the digital arena. I have highlighted that online scams and the risk of AI have put trust under a microscope. The Motion today posits that a whole-of-nation approach should be taken to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society. I am able to support the Motion as I agree that everyone has a role to play.
Nevertheless, for the reasons I have stated, my view is that it is incumbent upon the Government and businesses to spearhead this effort.
Mr Speaker: Dr Tan Wu Meng.
Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): Mr Speaker, I had not originally intended to intervene in this debate and speak, but a number of Clementi residents had been sharing about the timeliness of this Motion and I feel I should just share a couple of perspectives.
I will speak today about the consumer protection angle to scams and secondly, more broadly, on the landscape in the age of AI and Singapore's survivability.
Firstly, on the issue of scams. There is, I would say, agreement on all sides of the House that it is a serious issue, especially in the era of digital banking, where senior citizens who grew up in a world of face-to-face counter transactions now can have their bank accounts and life savings depleted at the click of the device by a scammer far away, outside of Singapore.
This is a serious issue, especially in societies such as Singapore, where we progressed rapidly from third world to first and seniors growing up in the pre-digital era today exist in a world of digital access and digital technology. That is the first point about consumer protection.
Even as Members on both sides of the House call for additional measures to scrutinise how banks treat their customers, I would like to once again call upon the MAS and the relevant authorities, to call upon and make the point I have raised previously in this House on multiple occasions, which is that there needs to be a consumer protection approach to scams involving banking customers who get scammed out of their savings online.
In recent times, there have been efforts by the MAS – initially called the risk sharing framework or risk allocation framework, depending on how commentators look at it. But the key point has to be this: the norms that we approach consumer safety in banking, the approach to consumer safety for banking should not be too different from consumer safety in other more tangible areas of the marketplace.
As I shared to the Minister of State from MAS not too long ago, if today, a company had a consumer product and if somebody could be tricked by a stranger into configuring that product wrongly so that there was either bodily harm or damage to property resulting in the loss of someone's entire life savings, we know what the consumer protection approach would be.
We see that with vehicles, where if there is a design flow in the vehicle that predisposes to human error or catastrophic outcomes of human error, that vehicle has to recall, that manufacturer is dealt with in a very serious way.
Yesterday, in a written question to the Minister for Communications and Information on operating systems, what was quite notable was that a certain operating system accounted for virtually all of the online banking scams made known to the Police, while a certain different operating system did not figure very much in the figures reported in that Parliamentary written answer. So, again, we see quite a different situation between these consumer products.
Once again, I call upon this Government to take a consumer protection focus and make sure that manufacturers as well as service providers, including financial institutions, are held accountable in a way that is not too different from other sectors of society.
If your family owns a car and there is a design issue leading to bodily harm or loss of your life savings, you know what the manufacturer must do. If there is a home appliance in your kitchen and someone can trick you into pressing the wrong button so that someone is injured and loses their life savings along the way, you know what the approach will be when it comes to that home appliance.
I call upon this Government, MAS and the other agencies to take a hard look at the financial institutions and banks and ask: are the banks and telcos and technology firms shouldering enough responsibility in the digital world that tangible goods providers shoulder in the physical world? So, that is the first part of my speech, Mr Speaker.
The second part of my speech will be on the age of AI and what Singapore needs to do to adapt. I spoke on this last year, during the debate on the President's Address. Early last year, I spoke on the age of AI and it was a humbling moment, because after the speech was delivered and it got a little bit of viral traction online, I think, just a little bit over 100,000 people around the world watched it – not that many. But we started getting emails, messages, from people around the world. Someone from the USA wrote to me, someone from Africa wrote in as well and it touched a chord. But this is not about that speech. It is about what Singapore represents to the world. When people see our Parliamentarians, whether our Ministers, office holders, whether our backbenchers of various persuasions, looking to the future about what the world will be like, people look at what Singapore is thinking about and they want us to try and find the way forward as well.
And so, on the issue of AI and the issue of deepfakes, I have a few suggestions as well for the Government to consider. Some I have put forward before in Parliamentary Questions and in my speeches, but let me just reiterate again.
The issue of deepfakes is going to be a serious matter for democracies around the world – because if we can no longer discern easily what is real and not real, you cannot even have a functioning democracy. No government, regardless of which political party they come from, will be able to govern in any country without that fundamental basis for deliberative, democratic discussion.
That means, as a society, we need to deal with this pre-emptively. The Prime Minister not too long ago, in a Facebook post, talked about how there was a deepfake of him trying to sell certain investment products, a fake video. But that is just deepfake 1.0. Project that forward three, five years, 10 years, with more computing power, you can imagine how authentic those deepfakes are going to be. Therefore, as a society and as a government, we must not shy away from moving pre-emptively to address the issue of deepfakes.
I have called upon this Government to look at ways of electronically watermarking content, so called \"proof of human\", whether it is proof of human when someone transacts with an AI bot, with a tech firm online that may be giving answers by AI, but the broader point is that we need ways to confirm that the content is real and is a human.
We also need to continue moving upstream, a point which I made to the Education Minister yesterday in Question Time. From young, we will have to continue training and teaching and bringing up our young Singaporeans, our children and grandchildren, to be even more aware of deepfakes and how subtle they can be.
In short, as a young Clementi friend not too long ago, this young Clementi friend was sharing about his worry about deepfakes, saying, \"You know, look, some of these look a bit sus\", suspicious. But the whole point is, the first step is to have that healthy scepticism to sense when something might be a bit \"sus\". To sense, while at the same time not losing faith in society being able to move forward.
It is of course, a whole-of-Government effort, there needs to be many ways to look at it, education, regulation, social norms, making sure tech firms are held accountable as well. But we need to move on this very quickly because by the time the genie is completely out of the bottle, the horse has bolted, it is much harder to rebuild these norms and reconstruct the democratic process in our society.
So, in summary, Mr Speaker, just two key points, but fundamentally about seeing through the eyes of our people.
The first, seeing through the eyes of our consumers and making sure that firms in the digital space and in the financial sector, retail banking services, they treat consumer protection the same way online as we would treat consumer protection for an offline tangible product in the home, around the home.
Secondly, likewise seeing through the eyes of our people in a world where we have to cope with deepfakes, training, educating our people to see better, so that we can safeguard this very precious idea that is Singapore, in a world that is continually being disrupted by AI.
One last point I wanted to make is that we need to double down our investments in AI capability in our Government and in our industry as well. There has been mention of the AI roadmap version 2.0, but sometimes let us also ask ourselves, can we have even higher levels of ambition?
From public domain information, if I recall correctly, not too long ago, I think less than a decade ago, Microsoft pumped $1 billion investment into OpenAI. It seemed like a big amount then, but in hindsight, it seems like it was a quite a good deal at the time, given what OpenAI grew into. This also links to a point I made a few years back during a Budget debate. Sometimes when we invest ahead of the market, invest in certain technological capabilities which may see tenuous today, but which could have high yields tomorrow, it means that we are able to get those dividends later on.
Many of the big tech firms today, whether Apple, Google, Meta, back then known as Facebook, would not have seemed sure bet investments in their very early years. But those who were willing to make those bets yielded substantial dividends and today our tech powerhouses.
So, let us think about that as we move into the next phase of AI, the next phase of tech in the digital world for Singapore. What investments can we bet on that may seem tenuous today but which could put Singapore in a position to be a world power of such capabilities in years ahead.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for your indulgence in allowing me to speak. I stand in support of the Motion by Ms Tin Pei Ling. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Ms Jessica Tan.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast): Mr Speaker, our GPC for Communications and Information is advocating for commitment of all stakeholders to build an inclusive and safe digital society as the pace of technological advancements has changed how we live, work and play. These changes have enabled ease and speed of access, ability to connect or interact, bringing benefits as well as new capabilities and opportunities.
As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital connectivity enabled people to continue to access timely information, services and to communicate. Businesses and work could continue – albeit virtually.
Increasingly, access to many services for living are digital. From everyday tasks such as booking a taxi or private hire car, ordering food or making a restaurant reservation, making payments, getting information or directions, to accessing and transacting Government services and banking transactions. Even to get discounts requires you to scan a QR code or go online. For some organisations, job applications and interviews are done online. The latest news is availably digitally as soon as it happens or even as it happens.
If an individual is digitally excluded, he or she will not get timely information, services and its benefits. It is therefore important to ensure that no one is left behind as we become increasingly digital.
While it is encouraging to see in the Singapore Digital Society (SGDS) Report 2023 that 99% of households in Singapore have Internet access and there is a higher adoption of digital technology and skills even amongst seniors. However, a study by IMDA showed that while Singaporeans are more willing to try new technologies, only 55% of those aged 18 and above and 24% of seniors know how to use devices and applications with emerging technologies such as voice recognition, virtual or augmented realities.
Singapore takes a digital first but not digital-only approach as a central organising principle to harness the innovation potential and productivity but still ensuring that those who may not be comfortable with using digital technologies not be excluded from essential services.
But while we continue to provide non-digital options, we must work to encourage and enable as many as possible to participate digitally. If we do not, what it will mean in a digital first but not digital only society is that those who do not use digital will miss out on the ease, timeliness and benefits that digital can offer.
Let us just take a simple example of the collection of the Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers to illustrate the point. You can get the physical CDC vouchers by going to a community club (CC). To do so, you will be required to make time to go to the CC when it is open. If you are lucky, there is no queue and you do not have to wait in line to get you CDC vouchers at the CC before you can use them. If instead you \"collect\" your CDC vouchers online using your Singpass, it would take you a minute or even less and you can proceed to use your CDC vouchers.
The point applies to many other transactions that we do like banking. You can go to the bank to get your transactions done which requires travel and time. It also has to be done during the opening hours of the bank. With online banking, you can do so anytime, from wherever you are.
This now brings me to the critical point of digital safety and resilience which impacts trust and adoption. You heard from all the previous speakers about the concerns, the risks, the dangers. But I would like to just make a few points on this.
Digital inclusion is more than access. It must be accompanied with the ability to use digital technologies effectively and safely and trust in the security and resilience of the digital environment and the platform in order for someone to really benefit from it. This includes important skills to stay safe online such as how to interact safely, how to protect your personal privacy online and how to effectively search for and discern information.
The increasing use of new technologies does have its risks and safeguards against cyber risks, scams and misinformation is vital to increase building confidence and trust.
With the increasing use of sophisticated technologies and tools by scammers, the number of persons affected by and amounts lost to scams is significant. Of particular concern are unauthorised transactions.
While there are measures including legislation that have been introduced to safeguard the online space from harmful content and Government agencies continue to implement strategies with critical services and digital platform providers to prevent, detect and recover monies lost to scammers, more still needs to be done to secure digital transactions and online transactions and protect vulnerable users.
When we think of vulnerable users, we tend to think of seniors and those less digitally savvy. Sadly, I have had both seniors who lost their life savings to scams as well as younger individuals who had been scammed, approach me for assistance.
Recently, a young resident in her 20s came to see me for help as she had worked hard to save her money, and had spent a few years building up her savings, but as a result of an online transaction she made, unfortunately she lost all her savings. To add to it, she had her bank account details and credit card credentials stolen which resulted in unauthorised credit card payments as well.
Basically, what it means is that with the new technologies and sophisticated tools, user digital literacy will not be sufficient to safeguard against digital risks. We must put more demands on Government, on platform players, telcos and device manufacturers to do more to improve the standards of security to enhance online safety of users on their platforms and for their services.
But as we talk about the dangers and risks, there are also opportunities. As we put more demands on all the larger players, and the key players and stakeholders, I will say that there is also an opportunity for platform and service players in Singapore. Singapore is an advanced market with high levels of connectivity, as I have shared earlier, and also high levels of residents owning smartphones. The number of seniors owning smartphones has increased to 89%, as per the report I cited earlier. This provides platform and service players an opportunity to use Singapore as a base for innovation to apply and showcase higher standards of security. I do urge all players to do this, because as the Government pushes the measures, if all players come together, it will be a great opportunity for us to try new things, as Dr Tan Wu Meng had said, to really make Singapore that showcase to bring trust and confidence back in the digital space.
As I have mentioned, it is key to building trust and confidence for digital adoption. I just want to make another point that, the Singapore Digital Society (SGDS) Report 2023 did say that 55% of Singaporeans aged 15 and above are willing to accept the risks that come with the use of technology and only 33% amongst those aged 60 and older. So, people are aware of the risks. But what we now need to do is to manage that.
So, let me now also talk about the role of users and public education. Industry players and Government play a big role to strengthen digital safety and security and digital literacy of persons using these applications and online systems. Public education and efforts to equip people with digital literacy, especially for certain segments like seniors and vulnerable segments, have been effective and have helped adoption. But more needs to be done and more efforts need to be continual because the digital space does not stay static.
But, I do want to make a point about each of us and the role that we have to play. We do need to remind ourselves that what we do to protect ourselves in our physical interactions should also be practised digitally. Take, for example, in our physical lives, before we let someone enter our homes, we would check on who they are and we would not let anyone suspicious or someone we do not know into our homes. We would not give our NRIC details, bank account information or ATM card to anyone we do not know or trust. These same principles and practices must be applied when we are online and using our digital devices and applications. Otherwise, no matter what measures and legislation are in place to improve digital safety and security, they would not be able to protect us in our digital transactions. So, we all have to do our part.
Let me now touch on a few other points.
While digital literacy allows us to transact digitally, one of the areas when people do hit issues with transaction is the ability to get help to resolve these issues can, sometimes, be quite challenging, given how access to support is currently structured. Unless you are a victim of fraud or have been scammed, most helpline numbers provided take quite a bit of navigation. Prioritising support for those who have been scammed is necessary. However, users of digital services when faced with issues during their transaction, do also need support to resolve their transaction issues.
I do agree that it is challenging to resource support given manpower constraints, cost and capacity. But as commercial businesses and Government services become more digital-first, we need to rethink the model of support and find more effective ways to provide timely access to support for users when they encounter issues with their digital transactions. This will reassure and build digital trust and confidence. Especially when transactions involve monies, it can cause anxiety for users, young or old.
I do want to touch on another point about digital inclusion and that is about the ability to participate in opportunities. New areas of technologies, including AI, have the potential to enable new capabilities, cause disruptions, of course, but create new ways of doing things and generating new opportunities.
Singapore continues to have ambitious plans to leverage new technologies to grow and bring benefits to our people and businesses. An example is Singapore's second National AI Strategy (NAIS 2.0), which was recently launched last December by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. It outlines both the opportunities and risks of AI. It outlines also our ambition and commitment to building a trusted and responsible AI ecosystem, driving innovation and growth through AI and empowering our people and businesses to understand and engage with AI. But it will require new governance models as well.
So, my point is, to realise these ambitious plans, we will need people with skillsets in new areas of technology and cybersecurity. Why? It is to build thoughtful design and solutions to really benefit from these new technologies. What it also means is good jobs for Singaporeans. But in order to take advantage of these opportunities will require new skills. Organisations must make investments to support their employees in building new skillsets, educational institutions must prepare our students and those in the workforce for these opportunities, individuals of all ages and career stages must be open to learning and taking on new opportunities. There must be investments by the Government and the private sector to build deep skills.
New technologies will allow for new ways of doing things and this involves more than technologies. We will need new thinking and ideas. And this brings me to a point about a diverse workforce. A diverse workforce will enable organisations to leverage different perspectives, skills and experiences because you need that to develop new ideas to grow and thrive in a digital society. This is possible. On that note, I do want to make a point to employers and organisations that we must tap on the vast pool of wealth and experience of senior workers and bring that into that diverse workforce to enable us to find new ways, both young and old, to create new ways of doing things with technology.
Let me now conclude. While we discuss building an inclusive and safe digital society, core to our Motion is our People. It is not about being a digitally advanced society with the best infrastructure, policies and skills or level of excellence and technology adoption. All these are necessary, but the purpose of an inclusive and safe digital society is to ensure that everyone can actively participate and benefit to make their lives better and that no one is left behind. But in order to achieve this, it will take all of us to do our part to enable an inclusive, trusted and safe digital society.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Mr Speaker, others in this House, in particular, my hon friend Ms Sylvia Lim, have previously articulated reasons as to why the MAS' Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF) is inadequate and unjust.
While I support the Motion as it stands, I will elaborate in my speech today on why, as currently conceived, it remains fundamentally unfair in stark contrast to its stated aim of equitable sharing.
The official press release describing the framework states that, and I quote, \"All parties have responsibilities to be vigilant and to take precautions against scams.\" Financial institutions need to implement robust controls to safeguard customer accounts and to detect and clamp down on suspicious transactions. Customers need to take precautions to not frivolously release their banking credentials and to practise cyber hygiene. Losses would then be assigned according to how far each party falls short of these responsibilities.
All this sounds reasonable on its face. But, in practice, fraud is almost always perpetrated on the weaker link in the chain, in this case, the vulnerable consumer, more often than not, than on the relatively better-equipped and technologically sophisticated bank or telecoms company. Hence, the equitable sharing framework becomes less about fairly distributing losses, but about distributing responsibilities. Losses, when they occur, would appear overwhelmingly borne by the consumer. Put another way, we should only expect the framework to yield equitable outcomes if the fair assignment of responsibilities were all that mattered.
Anyone who has bargained over the price of fish or vegetables at the market or negotiated a salary or a raise with an employer or taken part in discussions over the distribution of chores or workload would know full well how power differentials matter massively and how the altar, how the pie ends up being split.
This is not mere speculation. A large literature on the theory of bargaining shows that those in possession of power, tend to do better in negotiations. In cases where the bargaining is explicitly antagonistic, canonical models suggest that those who are more patient and are able to make the first move possess an advantage.
Even when we allow for the possibility that players see the benefits of cooperation and embed this in their negotiations, the outcome remains heavily conditioned by each party's relative bargaining power. Moreover, those who are better able to walk away tend to do better.
If we look carefully at the two parties involved in negotiating a settlement over fraudulent claims, it is clear who has the greater power, patience and ability to hold firm to their offer, and that is the bank.
Financial institutions are not only larger. If they can simply demonstrate that they have not erred in effecting a fraudulent transfer, they can currently credibly insist on refusing any share of the loss altogether. And write-offs, when they do occur, are typically only a small fraction of the institution's balance sheet.
In stark contrast, scams are often ruinous for the depositor. At the extreme, they could constitute either an individual's entire life savings, or worse, it could saddle an unwitting \"mule\" with onerous debt. What is the split then that best reflects distributive justice?
While there are variations, many have concluded that a 50/50 split or something close to it, is the only just solution to most bargaining situations. Importantly, the notion of a 50/50 split should not be seen as one where each party takes an equal nominal share. Rather, the notion of an equal split suggests that each is made to bear a burden that is commensurate with what they are able to afford.
This is why the Government needs to step in to empower depositors with a more robust set of laws that offer financial protection to consumers. At the simplest level, these could be laws that limit liability on fraudulent transactions to a pre-specified amount.
I had previously raised this point in a speech on the Financial Services and Markets Bill delivered last year. Here, I will elaborate why doing so will not only help redress the power imbalance between customers and banks, but also why it is fundamentally fair.
Mr Speaker, the Government first shared with this House that it was working on a loss-sharing framework early in 2022. It explained closer to the end of that year that it was taking longer than expected and the release was further postponed in the middle of last year. MAS finally published a joint consultation paper in October, but it was extremely circumscribed to deal only with phishing scams.
Perhaps more importantly, what the framework proposes is to adopt a \"waterfall approach\", where financial institutions and telecom operators will only bear the full losses when they \"fail to discharge their respective prescribed duties\" and will not require payouts to be made to consumers if they are deemed to have done so.
Alas, this approach will absolve financial institutions and communications companies from the costs of business, so long as they have done their part. While this does not close the door to other resolution mechanisms, such as the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC), it remains too cavalier in apportioning liability in the first instance. SRF is a split based on effort, not outcomes. Put another way, should there be a realised loss, as long as the financial institution or telecom operator can demonstrate that they have satisfied a certain set of obligations – which, to be honest, is not even exhaustive – their loss share will not be half. It would not be a third or even a quarter. It could well be zero. This cannot be fair.
Think of it this way. Imagine that there are two cars driving side-by-side on the road. It is the responsibility of both drivers not to drive beyond the speed limit and to stay in their lanes. Should one car brake suddenly and it is ahead, the following car should always maintain a safe distance. But what if the cars were side-by-side and a child were to run out in front of one of them? If one of them were to swerve to avoid an accident and the other fails to yield, it is hard to say that only one of the cars should bear responsibility for the crash.
Financial fraud, while preventable to a certain extent with sound system design and due diligence, is almost certainly likely to occur, regardless of the best efforts of either party. Much like the analogy that I just shared, there will seldom be clear-cut pinning of blame on one party versus another. If so, it is only fair that both sides bear some of the costs of the loss.
Such a legislative may, of course, seem foolhardy. The standard line trod out by critics is that protecting customers from the consequences of scams must mean that they are less likely to take the necessary precautions to safeguard against falling for them. This is what is often referred to as moral hazard – since one side is protected, one takes less care.
But while I am sympathetic to the argument in principle, a crude application of this theory is problematic. For starters, this kind of argument places too little faith in the agency of Singaporeans. After all, why would anyone wish to fall victim to a scam?
Even if they bore only limited consequences, most of us would take active steps to counteract crime, even when we do not receive a clear pay-off. Furthermore, just as we co-payments in most insurance plans, so long as savers are required to absorb at least some reasonable amount of loss – say, an upper limit of $100 or $500 – then it is hard to claim that the consumer incentives are not well-aligned with combating fraud.
We should not think that only a catastrophic loss would be sufficient for individuals to practise the necessary amount of cyber hygiene. Nobody would rather lose $100 to a scammer, rather than none, if they can avoid it.
Of course, this opens up the possibility that unscrupulous scammers may use this very notion of victim protection to defraud banks directly. Yet, this is true for any form of insurance fraud and there are well-established mechanisms for identifying and clamping down on such abuse, which would emerge when losses are more equally apportioned to both sides.
That naturally brings me to the sort of indirect long-run benefits to having a system where both sides are made to bear some of the losses. Such a law would also likely lead to a sequence of favourable developments in the financial ecosystem that could render it more robust.
Financial institutions would take more care to police phishing and fraud. Since they can no longer pass on most of the costs of losses to consumers, there would also be more pressing incentive to chase down transfers made to suspicious counterparties and they would no longer condone unauthorised purchases made with ill-gotten money.
Fraud detection and prevention tools have been around for a long time. But the widespread rollout of generative artificial intelligence has made the rapid deployment of the latest algorithms both less costly and simultaneously more sophisticated. Merchants and banks, in turn, would apply more caution as they seek to implement their own safeguards lest they lose the right to accept payments or transfers electronically. Insurance schemes to cover fraud would likely emerge. And since all financial institutions would be involved by law, the market would deepen rapidly keeping such insurance costs sufficiently low.
Such developments could well be the unintended but welcome side effect of making our system recognise a truly equitable distribution of losses.
The Government seems to be aware of the potential benefits of insurance mechanisms of this nature. In his initial discussion of CPF-related fraud, Minister Tan See Leng suggested an openness through such mechanisms. However, this was walked back the very next day with the Ministry stating that it had and I quote, \"no intention\" to consider insurance schemes.
While I appreciate that pricing could ultimately be prohibitive, one is left to wonder why the notion of insurance does not, at the very least, warrant a deeper and further study. After all, even the limited liability insurance scheme – one that caps the maximum amount of fraud-related payout – would still be preferable to a system that is entirely bereft of such protection.
Sir, I have focused most of my speech on what can be done on the supply side. I will close with a discussion on why demand side measures, while useful at the margin, are ultimately inadequate.
Banks have already independently implemented certain features to introduce additional frictions into online transactions in collaboration with MAS and the Association of Banks Singapore (ABS). One is to implement a cooling-off period after a charge is made to the maximum daily transfer limit or other key account features. Another is to remove clickable links in emails or SMSes.
But it is noteworthy that while these were first rolled out in January 2022 and if the continued proliferation of scams over the past two years are any guide, these measures alone remain insufficient to stem the tide of financial fraud.
Another step banks can consider: introduce their own hurdles. For example, one could require certain classes of account holders, such as the elderly or less tech-savvy to opt into a scheme where they designate a separate individual, such as a trusted associate or a family member as a second key who will need to provide approval for transactions that are anomalous. But this will almost certainly bring problems of conflict and control of their own, such as when even well-meaning family members impose restrictions on others' use of their own funds.
Similarly, cooling-off periods only work to the extent that victims are even aware or accept that they have been scammed. There are many instances of careful instructions by scammers building on the trust, naivety or simply insecurity of the victims that lead them to consciously circumvent such circuit breakers.
Unless we think that we surely will never fall victim to such schemes, recall that many fraudsters are extremely skilled confidence artists and even professionals may succumb, as a study by the Police Psychological Services Division conducted in 2018 has shown.
Mr Speaker, the loss sharing framework proposed by the Government is a step forward in helping establish liability on financial fraud. But for the reasons I have offered, I do not believe that it fulfils its fundamental promise of being fair. This has led to a steady erosion of trust in digital transactions, one that if not addressed expeditiously, could result in the crisis of confidence over online payments and digital finance.
To rebuild trust, regulators should require actual loss absorption by financial institutions and communications companies with an upper limit to consumer liability of $100 or $500 when losses are perhaps inevitably and unfortunately realised. This will not only be fair but help evolve the system in the long run to a more robust one.
Mr Speaker: Ms Nadia Samdin.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, I rise in support of the Motion and would like to declare my interest as a board member of SG Her Empowerment, a non-profit platform that champions gender equity to empower individuals from all segments of Singapore and my speech will cite incidents of sexual crimes.
Sir, I speak on behalf of the victims and the survivors.
About five years ago, SG Nasi Lemak Telegram group was first created. Thousands of non-consensual sexually explicit photos and videos of women and schoolgirls were distributed to more than 44,000 members.
About half a year ago, a dating show created by a TitTok content creator garnered criticism for its lack of sensitivity in the way it featured and seemed to exploit individuals with special needs.
About a month ago, a 65-year-old Singaporean retiree lost her life savings in 15 days. For one of my resident's grandmother, it was lost over 115 transactions and six days. This was the result of an online scam.
In the last week, articles report that the UK police are investigating a reported case of alleged gang rape of a teenager's virtual avatar in the metaverse.
These are but some examples. For many, the digital world offers validation, connection and convenience. Unfortunately, it can also lead to cyber abuse, trolling and painful scams that is often debilitating, in particular, for vulnerable individuals.
Society is changing more rapidly than ever, with new technologies affecting every aspect of life, from emails after work hours to WhatsApp group chats for classes and sharing locations at the tap of the screen. COVID-19 also pushed much of our world online, from grocery shopping to Zoom meetings.
But access to these technologies and competence to use them is not enough to deal with the dangers. We have to go beyond this, towards digital well-being and digital citizenship for every individual to feel included and empowered to safely participate in the online sphere.
The Government has been taking great steps to this end, in particular, towards digital access and taking a stand against technology-facilitated sexual violence. For example, MCI's Digital for Life Fund funds inclusion projects that empower all Singaporeans to embrace digitalisation.
In July 2023, IMDA's Code of Practice online safety came into effect, requiring designated social media services to enhance online safety in Singapore and curb the spread of sexual content, violent content, suicide and self-harm content on their platforms.
However, it will take the whole-of-society to create a safer online space; and today I will speak on content, communication and cyber habits, three Cs.
Every day, an approximate 34 million videos are posted to TikTok and 15 million Telegrams are sent, the digital kind. Our modern society craves content and loves to create it. I would like to highlight three consequences – other than the increasing occurrence that some friends may go hungry while the phone camera eats first, to post Instagram stories because if you did not post it, did it really happen?
First, algorithms open up opportunities for creators to reach large audiences. But the curation of perfect content may be harmful to self-esteem. Studies have shown that social media use appear to play a role in perpetuating negative body concepts and exacerbate eating disorders. Young girls and boys are pushed videos and tips on unrealistic body expectations and radical diets.
This idea of a filtered life also creates discontent and intensifies social comparisons. Pressure to create videos which draw quick likes also can lead to unverified or sensationalised content where truth is sacrificed for popularity.
Second, some users, including impressionable miners create suggestive content for validation, at times egged on by peers or malicious actors. This is different from adult content creators who are in control of their actions and aware of consequences.
I call on platforms and apps to step up age-assurance measures to better protect young users from harmful content and have not placed better verification and restriction measures.
Of course, it is not enough in an empowered digital society to simply elect to ban our youths from using their devices or confiscate them. We must also create a safe environment for them to turn to during their curiosity and to receive trusted and effective support in unfortunate circumstances.
Third, I have spoken about the number of social media channels selling, encouraging and circulating non-consensual and illegally obtained sexually explicit materials. A few months ago, we were shaken by the disturbing news of seven men meeting on an online forum as early as in 2010, before discussing their wife-sharing fantasies and turning their plans into action, even live streaming these acts.
What steps can we take to prevent such heinous acts by perpetrators and protect women and girls who are also our mothers or sisters and our friends? How can we hold online forums and social media services accountable? The longer they permit such harmful content to circulate and improve timeliness in responding to user reports where servers are located overseas, how can we prevent such incidents from happening again?
Most importantly, good online habits start from a compassionate and safe offline world built on respect. Incidents of sexual online harms often involve elements of power and humiliation. In order to gain control over their victims, perpetrators of sexual violence tend to resort to practices, such as manipulation and coercion.
Offenders may not necessarily find the act gratifying in itself, but in the meaning attributed to power for men and this may override the goals of such acts.
To this end the kind of content we create to regulate and amplify about women is key. How can we promote gender equity messages based on merit and move beyond stereotyping objectification and hyper-sexualisation?
Beyond content, the online space is also a place for us to converse with each other. But in a world of strangers who comment more than communicate and hold different and divergent views, how do we create a respectful space?
Often times, regretfully, we see comments expressing racist or rude remarks. At times, these are disguised as fairy comments or posted by unnamed troll accounts whose creators would perhaps not make such comments to a person's face in real life, but feel empowered hiding behind the veil online.
While their grievances may be authentic, we must do better in digital education such that our people do not lose basic compassion or tolerance for each other and understand the consequences of their words posted in a rage.
How do we reach beyond algorithms and filter bubbles which seem to confirm our existing beliefs and biases without exception, while hiding content that challenges our thinking? Such bubbles lead to a polarised and fragmented society where even real-life friends are unable to engage with ideas or opposing frequencies that are different from their own.
On cyber habits and how we integrate social media in our day-to-day lives, there are two ends of the spectrum. First, the fear of technology which prevents participation such as seniors would deliberately avoid stalls that exclusively use e-payments; and on the other hand, individuals who may get addicted to social media and excessively consume content or participate in online gambling.
How can we better equip individuals of all ages and literacy levels with positive cyber habits? Sir, the community plays a part. Community-based digital interventions and innovations are key ways through which we as a people can take ownership and do something about these issues. For example, NUGU, a group-based application has been used to improve self-regulated smartphone usage and has been proven effective. In my constituency, Cheng San-Seletar, a group of youths known as the Cheng San Chapalang Club held one-on-one digital workshops in various languages and dialects for seniors to boost their literacy. Non-profits, such as Cyber Youth Singapore, play an important part too. The Surf Safe Initiative was launched in 2022 to cultivate safer cyber habits among secondary students and to date has reached 33,944 of them.
Beyond programmes, ultimately, it comes down to the fostering of a positive and trusting Internet culture. This is particularly important towards ensuring that every individual can participate fully, including our friends with special needs. Studies have shown that the online life may provide a sense of safety, for example, for individuals who autism. In the digital space, they have increased control over their communication and engagement styles, fostering a greater sense of tranquility during these interactions. What more can the Government do to equip and empower persons with special needs towards digital participation and independent living?
Technology can be a great leveller, where you find support in online communities who have the same rare disease as you or date online or visit places in virtual reality that you may never get the chance to see in real life or be the hero in a team game. But this can only happen if persons with special needs can tap on assistive technology and learn digital skills in a way that is tailored to their understanding of the world.
How many individuals has the Digital Enablement Programme served since its inception? Are there plans to further scaffold our digital structure, for example, by creating specialised websites to cultivate accessible and inclusive online platforms?
Of course, societal efforts must be bolstered by rigorous policies and law enforcement. As the velocity of technological advancement increases, it can be hard for regulators to keep pace and in the grey zone, at times, the de facto rules are set by dominant actors who may not have the public's interest at heart.
From data privacy, content regulation, online harms and AI, jurisdictions from the European Union (EU) to the US to Australia have also been developing new regulations. However, this comes with its own complications. The digital space does not always stop at physical borders and the fragmentation of digital governance and regulations may see a confusing patchwork of laws where malicious individuals exploit and play in the gaps, for examples, scammers who hide behind confusing IP addresses.
At the end of the day, it is the innocent victims who suffer. Beyond effective investigation, how can we better provide emotional and mental support to victims of online scams who may feel a deep sense of loss and injustice?
Enforcement is also key and social media platforms play a major role. In July 2023, Google launched the YouTube Priority Flagger programme, which empowers community partners by training them to assess content that violates YouTube community guidelines. These priority flaggers include organisations such as Touch and SG Her Empowerment, who are able to flag content directly to Google, allowing problematic content to be prioritised for review.
By having the community play a bigger role in reviewing content and building trust and safety, this leads to a more resilient Internet culture. Sir, briefly, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In today's world, we are constantly surrounded by technology. Technology helps us but it can also hurt us. It is important that our digital community builds trust in each other, regardless of age and background, by:
Understanding how the algorithm works and exercising care to avoid becoming so immersed in the algorithm until we no longer consider other views. We may also become entangled in narrow-minded views because of what is being shown to us, and such content can potentially create tension in society. Therefore, it is important for us to cultivate healthy online habits, so that we can benefit from the use of technology in our day-to-day lives.
Second, communicate judiciously, even when we are behind a screen. While technology has given many people a chance to speak out about issues that they believe in, it has also become a platform for online harms. According to a study conducted by SG Her Empowerment (SHE), three in five Singaporeans have experienced online harms, or know someone who experienced it. The ability to conceal identities behind a screen has given confidence to many \"keyboard warriors\", thus emboldening them to make comments online in a way that they do not dare to say or do to someone directly. Many such cases have been reported, one of which involved a lewd survey on local female asatizah in 2021. Communicating judiciously, as well as having better awareness and support for victims of online harms, will certainly have a big impact as we try to create a safe online space for all segments of society.
(In English): Sir, every technological advancement comes with its risks. The question is not how we stem the tide but how we can rapidly change the way we respect and protect one another as a digital community, as equal participants of an online world. To this end, I hope that as a country, we continue to pursue a national digital strategy that is agile and collaborative in approach as well as inclusive, empowering and human-centered.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Razwana Begum.
Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon Member, Ms Tin Pei Ling, for moving this important Motion together with Mr Sharael Taha, Ms Hany Soh, Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Alex Yam.
Ms Tin, in her speech, suggested several strategies and emphasised the need to adopt a comprehensive whole-of-nation approach, working together with private and public sectors in developing an inclusive and safe digital society.
I stand in support of this Motion. My speech comes from an educational perspective and focuses on shared responsibility, awareness and accountability.
In 2014, Singapore embarked on the Smart Nation initiative, with the vision to develop a \"Singapore where people will be more empowered to live meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all\".
Over the years, we have progressed well, with notable transformation in key domains such as health, transport, finance and education. Singapore is recognised for its success. According to the 2023 Smart City Index published by Swiss Business School, Institute for Management Development, Singapore is the smartest Asian city and the seventh in the world.
Mr Speaker, this is a remarkable achievement and our continuous success is contingent upon inclusivity and our commitment to ensuring that all Singaporeans benefit from the technological advancements that define our Smart Nation landscape. We must, however, do more to guarantee that everyone, regardless of age, race or social background, fully benefits from digital services and is able to meaningfully participate in the digital world.
Before sharing my perspective on what more can be done to build an inclusive and safe digital society, I would like to note some concerns.
Sir, as we move toward a digitally interconnected future, cybersecurity threats have increased. Digital fraud attacks are on the rise, with Singapore receiving 32 million such attacks last year. According to Singapore Police Force data, in the first half of 2023, there were close to 25,000 scam and cyber crime cases, an increase of almost 70% from the same period in 2022. Point of concern, more than 50% of the victims of these crimes were young adults aged 20 to 39.
Tactics adopted by the scammers are also changing. Just last week, the media reported a cyber-kidnapping scam that took place in the US. In that case, the victim was a 17-year-old foreign student.
The digital space is not immune to the social issues that exist in the physical world. Online harassment, discrimination and hate speech are widespread, affecting individuals of all ages and from diverse backgrounds.
In a recent survey conducted by SG Her Empowerment, a local independent non-profit organisation, 52% of respondents who reported a personal experience of online harassment or discrimination were between 15 and 24 years of age. In the same survey, two in five victims reported experiencing at least one severe consequence as a result of the harassment or discrimination, including physical and mental health issues and suicidal ideation.
Mr Speaker, the data shows that young people are at greater risk. This was highlighted by the hon Member Ms Jessica Tan and Ms Nadia Samdin. The data also shows that we are aware of the extent of the problem and that we have been progressively trying to mitigate the situation with robust legislation and regulations.
At this juncture, I would like to commend the Government for being proactive and for constantly keeping track of these issues. I would also like to thank the many community agencies who continue to support victims of crime and provide preventive education programmes. Their involvement reinforces the need to work collaboratively and in partnership with the community sector. As we adopt a whole-of-nation approach, it is crucial to recognise the role played by community agencies in working with victims and potential perpetrators.
Now that I have highlighted some of the current challenges, I would like to share my thoughts on potential strategies.
First, digital trust. Mr Speaker, the era of digital advancement presents many possibilities for innovation, connectivity and economic expansion. Yet, to unlock these potentials requires trust and shared responsibility. Unlike most other nations where technological innovation is driven by the private sector, in Singapore, the Government has taken a central role in this space. This approach has yielded notable results, placing Singapore at the forefront of global advancements.
For example, with over half a million Police surveillance cameras and web-based Police portals, Singapore is regarded as one of the world's safest countries. As we know, safety is fundamental in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Here, in Singapore, we have met this need very well.
As we continue to embrace digitalisation, we have also been working towards the active engagement of citizens. We have been focusing on co-creation. However, we also need to work towards cultivating a shared sense of responsibility and nurture active citizenry. Mr Speaker, let me provide an example.
As the Head of Public Safety and Security programme at Singapore University of Social Sciences, I have been working with several groups of students to address issues of cyber crime, scams and specifically, technology-facilitated sexual violence. I am proud to share that since 2020, students from my programme have, with support from community agencies, developed several community engagement projects to raise awareness on technology-facilitated sexual violence.
One of the key learning points from this project is the need to engage young people to be proactive and to tap on their connections to raise awareness.
It is critical to foster a culture of inclusivity by involving those who are likely to use digital services and be harmed by such services, as well as suggesting and implementing effective mechanisms to prevent unlawful behaviours, young people are also able to assist to address the root causes of such behaviours by educating those who may become perpetrators. Such initiatives also provide opportunities to engage young people who may experience mental health issues to come forward and seek assistance.
Second, digital literacy. Mr Speaker, to build a secure digital society, governments and businesses must cooperate both domestically and internationally to prioritise cybersecurity. However, while the Government and the private sector, including companies, have a role to play, cybersecurity attacks are often directed at consumers. As such, consumer cybersecurity awareness is critical.
Empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills to navigate the digital world is fundamental. As we progress with our Smart Nation initiative, with a focus on innovation and increasing productivity, we should simultaneously strengthen digital literacy for all. By doing so, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of age or background, can harness the benefits of technology while understanding the associated risks.
It is equally important to recognise that empowerment is not just about having the power to do certain things. It is also about developing responsible behaviours and accountability. It is more than just sharing and informing individuals the \"dos and don'ts\". More needs to be done to truly empower individuals to act and be responsible in safeguarding their privacy and the privacy of others in the digital world.
One way to move forward is to consider introducing incentives for responsible online behavior, whether through recognition programmes or other tangible rewards. Positive reinforcement can motivate citizens to actively contribute to the well-being of their communities.
Third, digital citizenship. Mr Speaker, everyone who uses electronic devices to go online and interact with others is participating in a digital world as a digital citizen. Digital citizenship requires individuals to act responsibly online by adhering to the law, protecting privacy, managing reputation and considering how one's online behaviour impacts on oneself, acquaintances and the broader digital community. Mr Speaker, briefly in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Digital citizenship refers to a concept where individuals are responsible and act judiciously when using technology and in the virtual world.
\tParents play an important role in shaping a generation that acts wisely and responsibly in the digital world by providing good guidance and support.
\t
\tValues that need to be taught to children within this context include awareness of the law, safeguarding privacy, managing reputation, as well as considering the impact of their online behaviour on themselves and the global digital community.
(In English): During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital tools became a necessity. Digital tools allowed the world to continue moving, to remain economically viable by allowing work to be done remotely. Adults were not the only recipient of this advancement. Children and young people relied on digital tools extensively for education and for play.
We were in a crisis mode then, and we had to react and improvise quickly. Now that we are in a stable environment, it is important that parents and teachers support and guide children on how to communicate and collaborate safely and responsibly in online environments.
Just as all children need help from their parents and teachers to become good citizens, today's young people, known as digital natives, also need guidance to learn how to apply citizenship principles in the digital world. Promoting digital citizenship values, emphasising empathy, tolerance and inclusivity will foster a positive online culture and ensure a safe and more harmonious digital society.
Mr Speaker, in summary, constructing a secure and inclusive digital society is a complex challenge that requires a whole-of-nation approach, including cooperation among individuals, communities, governments and businesses. By increasing digital trust, advancing digital literacy and nurturing a culture of digital citizenship, we can lay the foundation for a future where everyone all can engage and thrive in the digital world.
Together, let us shape a Singapore, a Smart Nation that is also a safe nation, with digital society embodying the finest qualities of humanity – a society that is resilient, inclusive and founded on the principles of equality and respect. With this, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Ms Hany Soh.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Mr Speaker, in order to build an inclusive and safe digital society, the 3Ps must each play their part. And as what Assoc Prof Razwana has just shared with us earlier, it is with mutual trust and shared responsibility, with corporations and community partners continuing to equip users with the right skillsets to function in this rapidly-transforming digital society or providing accessibility options for those who are unable to do so, while helping to deter online threats, such as scams, and educating the public about them at the same time.
I am pleased to note that in the recent years, several of our Woodgrove community partners are already making efforts to make this digital society more accessible for all in our community. One good example can be found in the POSB Woodlands West branch, situated in Woodgrove's Fuchun Neighbourhood Centre. After its renovation, the branch now exclusively offers self-service banking options that are available 24/7, with branch staff continuing to be present during the bank's usual operating hours to guide customers, especially our seniors, on how to access their desired services with the new teller machines. The branch also features a community space specially for conducting talks and seminars in various languages that aim to educate residents further regarding digital banking and e-payment services.
I must also register my appreciation for the Singapore Digital Office (SDO)'s Digital Ambassadors who, in 2023, have supported a total of 12 senior-centric community events in Woodgrove, such as our Seniors' Carnival and digital upskilling workshops.
Notwithstanding that the SG Digital Community Hub at our Fuchun Community Centre had to be closed due to the Community Centre's ongoing major upgrading works, the SDOs continue to work closely with our grassroots organisation to operate roving counters at various Woodgrove locations to raise awareness and motivate our residents to adopt digital technologies and enhance their digital skills.
Despite these efforts, however, many of our seniors in Woodgrove have shared with me that, notwithstanding that they are now equipped with smart phones, they are still apprehensive about exploring and navigating the digital world on their own, even though they are now well capable of using mobile apps like Facebook and WhatsApp to stay in touch with their family and friends. This does not come as a surprise to me, as they are constantly made aware of heart-wrenching stories from fellow Singaporeans who have suffered great financial loss after falling prey to online scams.
A sobering example comes from one of my Woodgrove residents in his late 60s, who had lost close to $800,000 of his and his wife's life savings due to an impersonation scam. The amount was meant to enable the couple to go on their Haj pilgrimage and to see them through their remaining years after retirement.
With news and anecdotes of scams like these being reported on an almost daily basis, how do we ensure that Singaporeans, especially our seniors, attain sufficient trust in the safety of the various digital platforms to begin to use them confidently, yet remain vigilant against the ever-evolving risks?
I believe that large organisations, such as banks and e-commerce platforms, will need to do more to prevent losses from online scams and bear their consequences. Just like what Dr Tan Wu Meng had shared earlier, the approach ought to be consumer protection-centric.
Just two days ago, I attended to one of my Woodgrove residents, Mr Yu, during our weekly Meet-the-People Session, where he shared about his unpleasant experience with his bank since June last year. Back then, Mr Yu was making an online hotel booking when he fell prey to a malware by entering his OTP on a bogus website. He promptly contacted the bank's customer service upon discovering several unauthorised transactions amounting to over $6,000 charged to his credit card. But despite his request to terminate them immediately, Mr Yu was advised by the bank's customer service officer that because the monies have yet to be received by the scammer, he would have to wait until he received his next monthly statement of account as proof before raising a dispute on the fraudulent credit card transactions.
Mr Yu took this officer's advice. Almost six months later, the bank replied after completing their investigations to inform him that he is expected to bear 50% of the unauthorised transacted sum. To add insult to injury, the bank in their written response reminded him \"to always take care of your credentials and refer to the bank's website for more information about how to protect from scams.\"
It is, therefore, understandable that Mr Yu remains aggrieved and perplexed as to why the bank had refused his request to terminate these fraudulent transactions in time. What else could he have done or done better? What should others who find themselves in similar situations do?
Meanwhile, in a recent news article where another bank was interviewed after one of its customers lost his entire life savings due to another malware scam, the bank likewise took a similar position that their customers \"remain the singular most effective defence and strongly urged them to exercise vigilance and caution in this ever-evolving threat landscape.\"
I disagree with the position taken by the banks in both cases, in that they conveniently expected their individual customers to fend for themselves. By taking such an approach, it could deter more from becoming active participants in our digital society and cause more to lose faith in our banks' credibility.
It is the joint responsibility of all stakeholders to commit towards adopting a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society. Therefore, the banks could and should do more to contribute, such as adopting better anti-phishing solutions, improving authenticity verifications, and being extra vigilant towards abnormal transactions to keep accounts secure and prevent the likelihood of scams.
The children of the elderly couple I spoke about earlier who had lost their entire life savings due to an impersonation scam, have shared with me that banks could have done more to prevent these unauthorised transactions from taking place. Amongst other efforts, the banks ought to have paid more attention to each customer's regular banking patterns. In their parents' case, the couple's bank account had zero withdrawal activity for years until the scammers wiped out over half a million dollars of their savings through two large transactions. The bank should have made calls to them to seek confirmation on the abnormal request before releasing the funds.
There are other solutions that may help in terms of safeguarding funds against scams. In November last year, OCBC introduced its anti-scam security feature called OCBC Money Lock, which allows customers to lock away funds in their bank accounts and can only be unlocked after the customer's identity has been verified by the bank. This is a good initiative which I hope MAS can mandate to be rolled out across all of the banks in Singapore and to encourage sign-ups by our seniors.
In addition, MAS can also consider working with banks and insurance companies to introduce an insurance scheme akin to the concept of Deposit Insurance Scheme, which anyone with a bank account can purchase to protect their monies in the event that they fall prey to an online scam.
Concurrently, we should also step-up collaborations between financial institutions and our community. Upskilling workshops, such as OCBC's Digital Silvers programme, and the digital literacy partnership by DBS Foundation and IMDA, are prime examples of such initiatives. If deployed in conjunction with the previously mentioned measures, the banks can also make use of these workshop as opportunities to promote and encourage seniors to sign up for the \"money-lock\" features as well as enrolling for the anti-scam insurance to protect funds in their bank accounts. I hope that such workshops can be made easily available, just like those run by the SDOs, and I will explore how I can best help my Woodgrove residents benefit from them. In conclusion, in Mandarin, please, Mr Speaker.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In recent years, scams continue to evolve, especially online scams. The ever-changing scam methods have made many Singaporeans, especially the seniors, feel very anxious and helpless.
Singapore is not the only country targeted by the scammers. As technologies progress, countries all around the world are facing the thorny issue of how to fight scams.
In October last year, The Straits Times reported that globally, the annual loss due to scams is a staggering $1.4 trillion. In Australia, in 2022, the loss amounted to about S$2.6 billion. Neighbouring countries, like Malaysia, reported in December last year that between January to November, the amount of loss amounted to as high as RM1.3 billion.
How do we prevent ourselves from becoming the next target of these scammers? Some seniors have adopted the \"see no evil, hear no evil\" approach to stay safe by not trying at all.
In my opinion, that is certainly not ideal and will cause them to fall behind even more in keeping up with the fast-paced transforming digital society. Today, in countries like China, online purchase and mobile payments have become an integral part of Chinese society, with cash payment becoming quickly a thing of the past.
In conclusion, combatting scams require a whole-of-society effort, starting from the public being vigilant and remaining up to date on the types of scams in the wild, assisted by Government-funded information outlets. Meanwhile, corporations such as banks should also work in tandem to enhance digital safety nets. Together, we can work our way towards boosting public confidence, and nurture an inclusive and safe digital society.
Mr Speaker: Ms Hazel Poa.
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Speaker Sir, I rise to speak in support of the Motion.
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) agrees that a whole-of-nation approach to build an inclusive and safe digital society is very much needed. As society digitalised over the past decade, there has been an increase in the prevalence of many varieties of online scams which has lowered the trust level of many Singaporeans in digital tools. Horror stories abound of people losing their life savings in a twinkling of the eye.
Last year, my parents gave me half their life savings to put in my bank account, not in theirs, because they are not confident of not losing it to scams. Their trust level in the security of their money in their bank account has never been so low in their entire lives. I am sure that many other Pioneer and Merdeka Generation Singaporeans share my parents' sentiment.
Over the years, the Government has been promoting financial self-reliance by Singaporeans. For most of us, our own savings is what we have to rely on to meet our expenses and to live in dignity. Any compromise to the security of our savings is a big deal to us. Given the gravity of the issue, I feel that the Government can do more to safeguard citizens' savings and foster a strong culture of consumer protection.
The proposed Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF), which assigns financial institutions and telcos relevant duties to mitigate phishing scams and requires payouts to affected scam victims where these duties are breached, is a step in the right direction, but it is just a baby step. There are two main issues with the SRF.
Firstly, the SRF has a limited scope. It only covers phishing scams and does not cover the whole range of other scams including malware scams, Police official scams, investment and love scams. Its protection is thus rather limited. For example, in the recent case of a family losing their life savings due to downloading malware when they tried to buy organic eggs, the SRF does not help them at all.
Secondly, the duties that financial institutions and telcos are required to carry out are extremely limited. For example, under the SRF, financial institutions are directed to perform four duties:
One, impose at least a 12-hour cooling period after activation of digital token during which high-risk activities cannot be carried out.
Two, send notification alerts for activation of digital token and conduct of high-risk activities.
Three, provide outgoing transaction notifications by way of SMS, email or in-app notification selected by the consumer.
Four, provide a 24/7 reporting channel and a self-service feature for consumers to promptly block online payment transfers from their accounts.
These four duties do not create a sufficient incentive for financial institutions to proactively protect their customers and to remove potential for fraud from their systems. While vigilance and personal responsibility of the consumer are a critical line of defence against scams, the average consumer has less resources to protect themselves against scams as compared to financial institutions.
Financial institutions have the capacity to do more to protect consumers against scams with systems to monitor transactions and detect suspicious payment flows. Large overseas transactions by individuals who rarely or never perform them should immediately trigger alarm bells within the systems of financial institutions. This would not affect businesses that regularly perform such transactions and would not be difficult to implement given the scale and capacity of the IT infrastructure at financial institutions.
In contrast to Singapore's framework, jurisdictions like the UK have moved towards mandating full reimbursement to scam victims by banks, except in cases of fraud or gross negligence by the consumer. This model has also been considered in Australia and the European Union (EU).
I acknowledge that there are moral hazard issues with a full reimbursement and would thus like to suggest a co-sharing of liabilities between the bank and the consumer.
In assessing the issue of online scams, there is a trade-off between financial security on the one hand and convenience and productivity on the other. If banks are totally not liable for any losses, then they have only financial incentives to move more and more towards digital financial transactions and services due to the savings in manpower costs. The cost of digital financial transactions come in the form of greater ease of losing huge amounts of money, and it is being borne by bank customers, especially the most vulnerable. In addition, banks are in control of the security features in their banking apps and the payment processes, but customers, who have no control over those, pay the price for any inadequacies. This is clearly not balanced and hence not tenable.
In considering the trade-off between financial security and convenience and productivity, it may be difficult for the authorities to draw a line for everyone. For example, when OCBC introduced security features in their banking app that prohibited the downloading of suspicious apps, there were complaints from some customers. It is foreseeable that different customers will have different needs. But there is no need for a one-size-fits-all.
I urge the Government to consider a multiple-tiered system with different levels of security versus convenience. Banks can offer different versions of banking apps and processes; for example, one with maximum security features and low convenience, and it comes with a 75% reimbursement of financial losses by the banks in cases of online scams not covered by the SRF. Another with lower security features and comes with a 50% reimbursement for customers who need greater convenience.
Banks can adjust the security features in their apps and processes to commensurate with the different level of liabilities. For example, banks might want to re-evaluate the benefits of requiring a separate physical token. The hon Member Ms Sylvia Lim had spoken previously about the difficulties of getting one from the bank. Whilst the token is an additional cost for banks, it provides the added security of requiring a second device for the authorisation of transactions, not just a handphone which can be hijacked by malware. Using again the example of the family involved in the recent egg scam, if a physical token had been required, the family might not have lost their life savings.
Banks are private commercial entities. They are expected to conduct cost benefit analysis in evaluating any investments in additional security measures. But the Government can alter their cost benefit analysis by imposing a loss-sharing arrangement, which can lead to a different decision.
Reimbursements can be subject to an upper limit of a loss amount equivalent to the basic retirement sum.
Under such a model, both the banks and their customers share the liabilities of any losses due to scams and they both have incentives to be vigilant. Customers can choose the level of security they are comfortable with. Banks will have incentives to push online transactions in line with their ability to provide security, thereby ensuring that the development of digital financial transactions is a more balanced and holistic one. The maximum limit on reimbursement helps to limit the banks' exposure and at the same time, ensure that the most protection is given to the most vulnerable.
Another institution to which duties should be assigned to mitigate scams is the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board, where many Singaporeans' life savings are held. It is very worrying that recently, there has been a trend where CPF accounts were emptied by scammers who had taken control of the user's Singpass and bank accounts. It was only in June 2023 that the CPF Board and GovTech introduced Singpass Face Verification as a step-up authentication challenge for certain CPF e-services.
In October 2023, my colleague Mr Leong Mun Wai asked a Parliamentary Question regarding why the CPF website has not implemented security measures commonly implemented by the banks, such as transaction limits and kill switches. It is heartening to know that with effect from 30 November 2023, a default online CPF withdrawal limit of $2,000 a day will be applied to all CPF members aged 55 and above.
However, this default daily limit can still be adjusted to any amount up to $200,000 at any time online. This includes those CPF members who have activated the CPF Withdrawal Lock, which instantly sets the daily withdrawal limit to $0.
Singpass Face Verification is required for changing the withdrawal limit. I would like to ask the Government for a confirmation on whether the face verification can be passed by using a photo of the scam victim. Would it strengthen the protection to require CPF members who have activated the CPF Withdrawal Lock to change the withdrawal limits in person at a CPF service centre, similar to the arrangements for the banks' money lock accounts?
The same duties that we impose on banks to protect the savings of bank customers should also similarly be imposed on the CPF Board to protect the retirement savings of CPF members.
Finally, I would like to talk about Singpass. We have seen examples of how scammers can take control of victims' Singpass. I am concerned about the wealth of information available in Singpass. Information like family members, education background, income and CPF information and so on. If scammers took control of victims' Singpass, would they not gain very comprehensive information about individual victims and their family members, to enable them to device more ways of scamming? Is this wide range of information necessary and would the Government consider re-introducing physical tokens for Singpass? Mr Speaker, in Mandarin please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, the Progress Singapore Party supports today's Motion. It is crucial for our country to establish an inclusive and secure digital society. In recent years, there has been a surge in fraud cases, causing much concern among many citizens.
Last year, my parents split half of their savings into my bank account for safekeeping, fearing that they might fall victim to fraud and lose their hard-earned money. I believe many elderly citizens share the same sentiment.
Over the years, the Government has advocated self-reliance amongst citizens. Therefore, for many citizens, their savings are the only means to ensure they can live with dignity. Online fraud has seriously affected citizens' confidence in the safety of their savings. The Government can do more to safeguard citizens' savings and protect consumers.
Under the Shared Responsibility Framework released by the MAS and IMDA, there is still insufficient incentive for financial institutions to proactively protect consumers and eliminate potential fraud within their systems.
The Progress Singapore Party urges the Government to consider implementing a multitiered Shared Responsibility Framework. In this framework, consumers can make trade-offs between security and convenience.
For example, consumers can choose to use a banking application with high security features, which may inconvenience them. But in the event of fraud losses, the bank must bear 75% of the losses. If consumers choose an application with lower security features, the losses borne by the bank will be lower. This will give consumers more choices and, at the same time, incentivise banks to provide more secure online transactions, striking a better balance between digitalisation and security in our country.
(In English): Mr Speaker, as a nation, we need to adopt a proactive and holistic approach to fight scams and create an inclusive and safe digital society for all.
Scams have serious consequences for victims. Beyond financial losses, victims also suffer from mental and emotional trauma, such as the embarrassment of having fallen for a scam. There are also financial implications on their family members, such as a child who may by law be responsible for the maintenance of a parent who has lost their life savings to a scammer.
Society must ultimately pick up the tab when people lose their life savings to scammers and the ability to live independently and must instead rely on handouts and charity to survive.
A recent study by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance revealed that Singapore has the dubious honour of being the country with the highest amount lost to scams per victim. This makes Singaporeans the most attractive targets for scammers.
There is much more we can do as a nation to create a safer digital society. Let us all work together to achieve this.
Mr Speaker: Ms Mariam Jaafar.
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): Mr Speaker, Sir, I first declare my interest as a managing director and senior partner of a management consulting firm that does work in digital and AI.
I thank the hon Member Tin Pei Ling and other members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information for securing this debate on an area of pressing importance for all of us. I think almost everyone here shares my experience of hearing gut wrenching stories of residents who have seen their life savings wiped out by online scams.
In my early days as an MP, an appeal by a group of girls whose faces had been superimposed on sexually explicit photos spreading on social media not only in Singapore but in neighbouring countries shook me to the core. I will forever be grateful to Minister Shanmugam and Minister of State Rahayu for their assistance in expediting justice.
More recently, in my engagements with Woodland seniors to encourage them to sign up for Healthier SG, I found a not insignificant number of seniors were ignoring the messages from the Ministry of Health (MOH) as they were afraid of scams. I also saw that most of them were reliant on less secure password authentication on their Singpass app, partly because they did not know how to use and partly because they did not trust biometric authentication.
I support much o f what colleagues before me have said on the need to sustain trust and build an inclusive and safe digital society. I join this debate because I believe the implications of AI and, in particular, the lightning fast development of generative AI (GenAI) on an inclusive and safe digital society deserves special consideration.
Mr Speaker, in my speech on the Motion of Thanks in April, I spoke about AI and GenAI – the opportunities as well as the risks. I said then, \"The progress in AI is both exciting and worrying at the same time... we need our AI strategies, policies and people to keep pace with the breathless development. So, let us buckle up.\"
In relation to the online space, the rapid development of AI and GenAI poses many risks: misinformation and disinformation, lack of transparency, privacy concerns, ethical concerns, data leaks, bias, economic inequalities, copyright violations, security risk, concentration of power and more.
The accessibility of GenAI allows anyone on the Internet to manipulate the tool itself as well as the content it can produce, with potentially devastating consequences. For example, while chatbots like ChatGPT are now specifically trained to reject harmful prompts like \"how to build a dirty bomb\", they can still be fooled by bad actors pretending to be doing a research paper or writing a movie script.
Fake news, fake images – they are not new in online trust and safety. But as we move from fun face swapping apps and camera filters to the rapid proliferation of deepfakes being used in harmful ways, such as investment scams featuring our own Prime Minister, it is clear that AI presents a new frontier in online trust and safety.
Nowadays, we are urged to be careful and skeptical of what we take in and do online, to question everything we see online. But therein lies the rub. Some have asked, are we now to be distrustful by default? This is a very serious question, one that I hope all of us in Parliament will reflect upon.
Think back to the Ah Ma who did not open the Healthier SG enrolment SMS from MOH. In the business world, there are companies that have blocked GenAI tools from their systems. What happens when \"distrustful by default\" turns into \"distrust and drop-out\"?
Mr Speaker, trust is the basis for any digital society. It is what gives us the confidence to interact and transact online. It is needed to drive innovation and adoption in order to reap the considerable benefits of digital and AI. If we want AI to uplift Singapore's economic and social potential, if we want Singapore and Singaporeans to be at the vanguard in developing, deploying, adopting and innovating technology, we need our people to be satisfied that the products and services they consume are safe. If we are going to ride in a racecar, we have got to trust the brakes.
Most, if not all major platforms, have put in some form of brakes or safeguards. Safeguards can take the form of policies, practices and tools, such as robust community guidelines, content moderation policies and ensuring that data is representative and scrubbed for bias.
Machine learning and AI itself will play a powerful role in creating new types of safeguards and building trust. Machine learning tools can be used to ensure privacy and trust by design and to detect and block fraudulent transactions. They can also be tuned to make the right tradeoffs in proportion to the risks involved.
AI tools can also reduce bias – both human bias as well as bias that has crept into machine learning models. By enabling the identification and measurement of bias, they allow platforms to take steps to reduce discrimination and bias or to de-bias the algorithms. A well-known example is Airbnb, which has used data and machine learning to reduce discrimination, for example, against black guests and black hosts and promote inclusion on its platform.
Mr Speaker, the age of AI is upon us. My position has not changed from when I made my speech in April. The response to the associated risks cannot be fear and paralysis, but rather to equip ourselves with the knowledge, strategies and tools to navigate these risks, including to use AI itself to keep propelling us forward.
To that end, I offer give suggestions, building on some of the suggestions of my colleagues, to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society in the age of AI.
First, increase safeguards and hold social media services accountable for the proliferation of harmful content, scams and malicious ads, including AI-generated content, to protect consumers, especially children.
Online safety and scams are global issues. While it will never feel timely enough for those who suffer from the harm, the Government is proactively taking steps to safeguard safety and inclusion.
The passing of the Online Safety Act in February 2023 and the subsequent release of the Online Safety Code by IMDA in July 2023 have strengthened the regulatory framework, holding social media services accountable to take preventive measures against online harm. The Government has also rolled out a series of measures to protect against online scams, including the much discussed Shared Responsibility Framework slated to be implemented this year.
The approach taken by the Government has been one of engagement and utilising a range of levers, not just legislation but also voluntary adoption of codes of practice and tools, to ensure effectiveness – and I would add sustainability – before making them mandatory. It is an approach that engenders trust and buy in, helping to take away some of the usual impediments to move.
Indeed, Singapore was one of the world's first to introduce regulations to ensure designated social media services take preventive measures to ensure online safety. In contrast, the UK Online Safety Act was delayed some five to six years, falling victim to political crises making it very hard to move.
Some of the measures to combat scam such as the mandatory registration of all alphanumberic SMS sender IDs with the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry (SSIR) would be hard to pull off in many other jurisdictions.
The hon Member Sylvia Lim has said that we are moving towards a crisis of confidence in digital transactions and banking, without stronger intervention by Government regulators. I believe the Government has taken important steps, but I also believe they will continue to take more. I hope the Minister will provide an update on the implementation of recently announced measures and share additional measures the Government may be exploring, including expanding potentially the scope of some of the restrictions on other platforms such as online technology platforms.
However, this is a rapidly evolving space. Online harms related to AI-generated content such as deepfakes may not be sufficiently covered by current laws.
Singapore has taken a pragmatic approach to AI regulation – we should not rush to regulate what we do not yet understand, when the solutions are not yet clear – is how I would articulate it. Rather, the approach has been, again, one of engagement, of testing different solutions and of building capacities while recognising that legislation will come at some point. It is a sensible approach.
Notwithstanding, the Government should continue to review the adequacy of safeguards and provisions in the Online Safety Act to protect against AI-generated content. At this point, I would like to ask the Minister if she is looking to introduce any AI focused protective measures in the near future. In particular, I echo the concerns said by many on deepfakes.
Looking around, the UK Online Safety Act has made transmitting deepfake pornography illegal and platforms will need to quickly act to remove them from their platforms. The US Executive Order seeks to establish standards and best practices for detecting AI-generated content and authenticating official content, with the Department of Commerce tasked to develop guidance for content authentication and watermarking.
There seems to be momentum behind reviewing the safeguards against harmful deepfakes and parsing out accountability. There is also the risk, as highlighted by the hon Member Tan Wu Meng, on democracy itself.
Indeed, there are calls to require that in any interaction with AI, be it text, image or voice, the AI has to declare that it is AI. In addition, we have to think of how to support individual victims whose images may have been exploited in deepfakes and harmed – a highly traumatic experience.
Second, engage in a whole-of-nation partnership between all stakeholders in the online ecosystem to educate and empower our people, especially the young and the old, on scams, online harms and digital literacy, including AI literacy.
While the tech platforms can and must do more, an inclusive and safe digital society requires the concerted effort of many more stakeholders. These stakeholders include the Government, the public sector, the private sector, the tech platforms, but also telcos, banks, AI companies and other companies offering products and services online, law enforcement agencies, parents and caregivers, schools, social services and community organisations, and at the centre of it all, the individuals themselves.
AI literacy refers to as a set of competencies that enables people to critically evaluate, communicate and collaborate effectively with AI. Yesterday, Minister Chan Chin Sing shared how the Ministry of Education (MOE) is preparing students in our schools and IHLs by developing their foundational knowledge of AI, promoting safe and responsible use of AI, measures to guard against the risks of AI and teaching cyber wellness skills, such as evaluating information and identifying fake news.
There is nascent interest on AI literacy in early childhood education, with some promising effects. Some studies have highlighted how early AI literacy can improve many aspects of child development, such as creative inquiry, emotional inquiry and collaborative inquiry. Some argue that with more well-designed AI toys and services such as PopBots, Zhoria, Quickdraw, young children could explore AI-related concepts and develop their digital and AI literacy, even if they may not know and understand the knowledge behind it. Others argue that since young children are already using devices and tablets, it is important that they attain some elements of data literacy even at a young age, such as understanding the concepts of personal data and data privacy.
Yet, there are also question marks like whether age-appropriate curriculums can be developed for early childhood, the readiness of early childhood educators themselves and concerns over inequalities and inclusiveness. Does the Minister see AI literacy in early childhood as a worthwhile investigation?
Third, Government to lead the way by deploying AI at scale through high value use cases in public services and advancing research into online trust and safety.
The recently launched National AI Strategy 2.0, which I am hopeful will get a good airing in Parliament in due course articulates a vision for \"AI for the Public Good, for Singapore and the World\". The focus will be on directing AI towards addressing big challenges, not just locally, but globally like climate change and population health, as well on empowering individuals, business and community to use AI with confidence, discernment and trust.
Among other actions, the Government seeks to pursue meaningful use cases in both public services and industry that will deliver outsized impact to our lives. I urge the Government to make a big push to deploy high value use cases, at scale, in public services. Not only will the AI itself create value, it will build capability within the Government as multi-disciplinary product teams will learn to make adjustments and deploy solutions to address weaknesses that surface and policy teams will learn how to prevent the spread of harmful activities and to shape effective regulations by doing.
We start in an enviable position, where there is strong trust in the Government, hard earned over decades. If the Government is transparent on the value as well as the risks as it deploys these high-value use cases, if we are able to advance research into Online Trust and Safety and build and test tools and solutions, such as \"Trust by Design\" technologies like watermarking and content authentication and use these tools in these use cases in the public sector, Singapore can set an example for the private sector and governments around the world.
Fourth, take the lead in adopting responsible AI across the digital economy. Responsible AI is a holistic approach to developing, assessing and deploying AI systems in a safe, trustworthy and ethical way that spans the full product life cycle. It entails being transparent about when and how products leverage AI, how algorithms influence decisions and the steps being taken to mitigate bias, privacy violations and other risks. The value of responsible AI goes beyond risk mitigation; it can strengthen trust between organisations and their customers, assuring customers that the products and services they consume are safe.
The public sector and companies across sectors in the digital economy deploying AI solutions, whether in developing their products and services or supply chain AI , should operationalise responsible AI as fast as they build and deploy AI solutions. Because Responsible AI demands teams of individuals with different expertise, experiences and background and cooperation across the organisation at all levels, the Prime Minister and chief executive officers themselves leading from the top to drive and sustain investment and focus is required.
And lastly, increase the international cooperation on Online Safety, including AI governance and safety. Given the global nature of the cyberspace, driving dialogue, sharing knowledge and cooperating on solutions is important. Boosting inclusive AI governance and interoperability to achieve our shared goal of trustworthy AI is something that Singapore must commit to do and can seek to play a key role in.
The open sourcing of AI Verify, cited by the Member Ms Sylvia Lim earlier, is actually a way of promoting international cooperation and putting a claim on some intellectual leadership and legitimacy in this space. Non trivial, when parties involve actually do have some tensions.
Another global issues like climate change, Singapore has led the way on some fronts. Minister Grace Fu's leadership of negotiations on Article 6 and mitigation at successive COPs come to mind. Can the Minister provide an update on our participation in the AI governance and safety space?
Mr Speaker, I wish to end with a thank you to the many agencies and task forces across multiple Ministries involved in keeping our online space safe, inclusive and trusted today. I know it sometimes feels like you are playing whack a mole. It sometimes feels like a thankless task. I hope the nation will rise to this call for each of us to play our part in order to continue closing the trust gap between the online and physical space. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Minister, Dr Tan See Leng.
The Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to address the Member Ms Hazel Poa's allegation. And to address the point that earlier, she mentioned that CPF accounts have been emptied. That point is not true. It is inaccurate. The way we have constructed the CPF, is, at 55, you have the Basic Retirement Sum within the Retirement Account. So, only amounts above the Basic Retirement Sum can be withdrawn from the CPF Ordinary Account or Special Account.
Our CPF safeguards are no less stringent than what banks have put in place. That being said, any amount belonging to any CPF member is precious, is hard-earned and is most important to us. And that is why CPF Board constantly looks into and constantly reviews the ways to improve security, whilst preserving flexibility for our members.
CPF Board also works very closely with a whole-of-Government to ensure this is kept tight. The Member may also take comfort in knowing that after the Singpass facial verification implementation in June 2023, no unauthorised losses was observed.
I think for the balance of the other initiatives, I will leave it to Minister Josephine Teo who will provide a summary at the end.
Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.30 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 4.09 pm until 4.30 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.30 pm.
[Deputy Speaker (Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo) in the Chair]
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the rise of sophisticated online scams and the resulting financial devastation on victims is a critical concern impacting Singaporeans from all walks of life. Across our nation, residents, both young and old, tech savvy and not, have fallen victim to these fraudulent schemes. I have met constituents who have lost their entire life savings to scammers, with even fixed deposit accounts being cleared out by these criminals. Some have joint accounts with their children or parents, doubling the impact on families. These incidents demonstrate a concerning vulnerability that affects us all. While I consider myself relatively tech savvy, I have to admit that even I feel the looming threat of becoming a victim one day.
Many victims I have spoken to describe a disheartening response from their banks. Upon reporting the fraud, they frequently receive responses that are frustratingly vague or non-committal. They offer little information citing banking secrecy, and at times, a goodwill payment that does not fully cover the loss. Victims are sometimes told by the Police that the funds had been transferred overseas and nothing further can be done to retrieve the funds.
The technical nature of these scams is deeply concerning. Drive-by download attacks and the more advanced zero-day exploits make it possible for malware to be installed on phones with little or no user action. These methods exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications.
In view of these sophisticated attacks, how far do the authorities investigate each reported scam, especially those involving screen reading and key logging malware? Without thorough investigations, it will not be possible to ascertain fault and ensure that innocent victims are not held responsible for losses that they did not cause. Is the default blame then placed on the victims, who have to bear most of the financial loss?
Scams have emerged as a formidable obstacle to advancing digital access for our citizens, particularly in our senior community. Numerous elderly residents I have encountered expressed a fear of using internet banking or online payments because they are apprehensive about falling prey to scams. Consequently, I find myself hesitant to advocate the use of digital banking to them, despite its convenience, due to the real risk of them losing their entire life savings if they are targeted by scammers.
This situation has precipitated what Member for Aljunied, Ms Sylvia Lim, as she describes, as a crisis with confidence with the digital banking system. Unless the authorities address the issues of scams more effectively and establish stronger consumer protections, our extensive efforts to transition all our citizens into a digitally empowered society will come to naught.
One tool the Government has on hand to deal decisively with scams is the Online Criminal Harms Act. This will allow the Government to, inter alia, direct online platforms to disable access to accounts suspected to be involved in scams. Parliament passed this Act last July. However, it is only set to be progressively rolled out this year.
When will the Online Criminal Harms Act be fully operationalised? Given that an average of 87 scams are taking place every day in Singapore, each day of delay will be one day too late for many scam victims.
Banks must shoulder a greater responsibility in protecting their customers. I echo Ms Sylvia Lim's earlier call for banks to reintroduce physical tokens as a default measure for multi-factor authentication for all their customers. Multi-factor authentication relies on a combination of something you know and something you have. However, when phones are compromised by malware, allowing scammers to view screens and keystrokes, this system collapses into a single factor. This allows scammers who have access to the password entered by the user to bypass the additional security layer. Therefore, bringing back physical tokens will reinstate the crucial second layer of security.
MAS must more assertively and decisively tackle the problem of scams in the banking system to protect consumers. In my dealings with MAS, when advocating for constituents victimised by scams, I have observed that MAS tends to forward these critical cases to the banks for their follow-up instead of directly addressing and resolving the issues on behalf of victims. This delegation process then places the onus on the banks to determine who is at fault, the institution or the victim, for the occurrence of the scam. Such a practice raises serious concerns about the impartiality and effectiveness on the investigation.
I have also observed a discrepancy in MAS' approach to enforcing actions on financial institutions for different violations. On one hand, MAS imposes very punitive measures like restrictions on acquisitions and additional capital requirements on banks when there are brief downtimes in online banking and ATM services. On the other hand, this level of decisiveness and rigour is markedly absent in addressing scam cases.
MAS should require banks to tackle scams with the same level of intensity and rigour as they do in safeguarding consumers interest for system outages.
Scam victims need a comprehensive explanation from a knowledgeable and impartial entity like MAS about how the scam occurred. This explanation should detail the roles of banks, telcos, customers and other entities in both the occurrence and prevention of such scams. This will determine who is responsible and who should bear the loss, the cost of these fraudulent acts.
Furthermore, responsibility should not be limited to financial institutions, telcos and consumers. Social media companies and mobile phone handset manufacturers should be held accountable for securing their platforms again scams. All handsets sold in Singapore should be required to disable side loading of apps by default and make it difficult for end users to override critical security features. Social media platforms should be required to have processes in place to remove fraudulent posts soon after being notified.
MCI has revealed that a notable proportion of residents, approximately 37%, do not regularly update their devices. Many of these may be less tech savvy users. It is not reasonable to expect that everyone will have the technical proficiency to keep their devices updated. Therefore, consumer protection strategies must be designed on the premise that a significant number of users will not know how to keep their devices updated and should incorporate additional layers of security to safeguard these users.
A central agency should oversee all scam investigations and responses. I am aware of the Anti-Scam Command (ASCom) and the important work their officers are doing. However, given that ASCom is a department under the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force, I do not think it can be held accountable for whole-of-Government efforts to combat scams. Who therefore, is ultimately accountable for the Government's anti-scam efforts?
To summarise, my recommendations as follows. First, banks must significantly increase their responsibility towards consumer protection, including by providing physical tokens to customers. Second, MAS should take a more active role in acertaining responsibility for scams carried out on banks, digital platforms and supporting victims. Third, the Online Criminal Harms Act needs to be fully operational operationalised without further delay. Fourth, the Government needs to hold technology companies more accountable for their security of their platforms and devices. And finally, a central anti-scam agency should oversee and be ultimately accountable for the Government's anti-scam efforts.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, we stand at the critical juncture in the battle against scams. Our actions in the face of this scourge will determine our commitment to protecting our citizens in the digital age. Let us act swiftly and decisively to protect our people and indeed, ourselves. I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Jean See.
Ms See Jinli Jean (Nominated Member): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I thank my Parliamentary colleagues for putting forth this Motion.
In 1970, economist Milton Friedman asked a fundamental question, \"What is the role of business in society?\" In response, he submitted an argument to the New York Times stating that, \"The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.\"
Since then, this narrative has shaped the growth of corporations. Thankfully, the narrative was interrupted by the rise of the socially conscious investor. The socially conscious investor demanded that corporations be held accountable to higher standards of social responsibility. This has in turn, led to the emergence of corporate social responsibility and ESG, or environmental, social and governance goals as new priorities.
In response to the Motion, I would like to update Friedman’s question to today’s context: In a digital-driven economy and society, what is a socially responsible business and its role in society? As a Labour advocate, I would like to highlight three trends that are worrying and offer three suggestions of how we could respond as a society.
First, technologies will get more complicated and powerful. Many of us appreciate the convenience that technologies such as booking or buying apps bring to us. In exchange for the convenience, we might consent to our data being re-marketed by these companies behind these apps.
Given the fluid nature of data, users might find themselves at the receiving end of unsolicited marketing messages as companies seek to profit from new consumer segments. Many individuals struggle to extricate themselves from the never-ending web of marketing messages as they lack the knowledge or ability to do so. The struggle imposes mental strain on individuals who are constantly inundated by advertisements and often tempted to spend more time and more money on the apps. How might we cultivate a respectful code of ethics for commerce in the digital age?
Second, technologies will get simpler yet more complex. On the one hand, mobile technology coupled with AI tools are set to herald a new age of productivity for service frontliners; we do see resources being customised and at the fingertips of service frontliners when interacting with customers. On the other hand, workers can also be held hostage by technology. Many workers are users and operators, and unexposed or underexposed to technology's working mechanics. If companies train workers only for deployment rather than staff development, a firm’s decision to change technology provider could render its current cohort of workers struggling to become competent in a new technology within a short timeframe. This story would end with the workers being made redundant and the firm let off the hook when the firm cites incompatibility of worker skills and business needs.
How might we reduce worker precariousness arising from information asymmetry and in its place, cultivate a sense of shared responsibility between companies and workers to enhance workers’ career longevity in a digital economy?
Third, the spotlight on technology and online harm has made us more aware of our rights. However, many of us are less certain of how to exercise them. While businesses are conscious of seeking consent from users on data privacy, default privacy settings are often onerous to navigate. It is even more challenging to attempt a complete opt out from the default settings. Furthermore, users who consent to the default settings might not be aware of what the settings allow or mean.
In this regard, it would not be far off to consider that the default mindset of these companies to be, and I quote journalist Zeynep Tufekci: \"to expect users to accept what they are given, not know their options or not have the constant vigilance required to keep track of the available options, however limited they may be.\"
Workers of technology companies, whether freelancers or employees, are also not spared. In fact, workers might be required or made to feel obliged to download their employer's or company's app and to always accede to requests to update the apps, unknowing that each update could reset their data privacy settings and void previous opt-outs.
As more companies transform into digital for businesses, how might we introduce oversight into the processes by which companies obtain data privacy permissions to ensure accountability and transparency? Central to the three trends is our expectations of what is a socially responsible business and its role in a digital economy and society.
I would like to contribute three suggestions towards the Motion's narrative of building an inclusive and safe digital society.
To address the harmful effects of unsolicited marketing and the powerlessness that users experience in relation to the data that we hand over to the companies, I would suggest that regulators take a proactive approach to educate companies on respect for user rights. For instance, a socially responsible company would ensure default settings favour user privacy and autonomy. This means that users must have unrestricted access to their own data privacy settings.
There must be avenues for users trapped in unsavoury data privacy settings to get help to set themselves free from the snares of predatory companies. Such help could be in the form of a helpdesk managed by public and private players working together.
Regulators should consider imposing punitive action on recalcitrant companies and establish guardrails to keep in check companies exhibiting such predatory behaviour.
To address the precarity of workers in the face of technological innovation and disruptions, I would urge companies to adopt a forward-looking approach. For instance, they could work closely with the unions and sector agencies to dial up the digital and technology fluency of their workers.
In this regard, a socially responsible company would work together with unions and agencies on continual training and on-the-job learning for their workforce to improve workforce mobility across technologies. This will build up workers' digital capital and is key to workers' career longevity in the digital age.
Just as Friedman's narrative was reshaped by the rise of social consciousness in society, the responsibility is upon us as workers and users to make a difference.
I would encourage workers and users to unite under representative bodies, such as the unions and associations and to put forth our updated expectations on the social responsibilities of businesses in the digital age.
By working closely with Government and like-minded businesses and organisations and leveraging the tripartite framework, we can establish updated standards and legitimise the norms to form the bedrock for a safe and inclusive digital society. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Dr Wan Rizal.
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. In an era where digital technology permeates every aspect of our lives, today's Motion holds more relevance than ever.
As an educator and a father to teenagers and young children, I am acutely aware of the impact of a digital world. Our responsibility goes beyond technological progress. It involves safeguarding our young generation's mental health and well-being.
The digital world has transformed education and communication, offering unparalleled opportunities for learning and connection. A key player in this transformation is AI. AI has revolutionised the educational experience by personalising learning and providing real-time feedback.
In online safety, AI can detect potential dangers. It can identify patterns of cyberbullying, flag inappropriate content and even offer proactive and swift interventions to protect our young users.
When harnessed correctly, AI is a powerful ally. However, the deployment of AI has its challenges. The misuse of perpetuating cyberbullying through deepfakes or other manipulative content is a growing worry.
Furthermore, if not developed ethically, AI systems can inherit biases, leading to discriminatory practices or inadequate protection for certain groups.
Privacy is another critical issue. The balance between leveraging AI for safety and respecting individual privacy rights is delicate and requires careful navigation.
Another significant challenge in the digital world is the alarming prevalence of cyberbullying. A global report from 2020 brought to light a \"cyber pandemic\" affecting children worldwide.
In Singapore, this issue is particularly concerning, as studies show that four in 10 children aged eight to 12 are at risk of cyberbullying, a risk that increases for teenagers. Contributing factors include widespread smartphone ownership, excessive social media use and high gaming activity.
Reinforcing these findings, an online survey by the Sunlight Alliance for Action (AfA) revealed that a similar proportion of youths experience cyberbullying, leading to deep emotional scars. The link between social media and mental health issues like anxiety and depression in young users is increasingly evident. Our responsibility is to ensure that digital access does not compromise our children's mental health and well-being.
Madam, allow me to share an anecdotal story of Aisha, a Secondary 1 student, not much different from my daughter's age, whose experience in the digital world reflects the multi-faceted nature of online harms.
Like many of her peers, Aisha was active on various social media platforms. And despite her age, she easily bypassed the age verification processes with a falsified birth date, a common oversight in many platforms' registration procedures.
On these platforms, Aisha encountered a barrage of challenges. Despite these services claiming to have stringent content filters, she was exposed to inappropriate content. This exposure disturbed her and skewed her understanding of social norms. Furthermore, she faced cyberbullying. These were sparked after a harmless AI face swapped picture of her was posted online. Harassing messages and public ridicule and shaming from anonymous accounts became a daily ordeal, deeply affecting her.
The turning point came when the school intervened, recognising her sudden withdrawal and decline in academic performance. They worked closely with her parents to address the issues she faced online. But the question is: was it too late?
It became clear that while digital literacy at school and parental involvement at home were crucial, more accountable and stringent policies were needed to complement these efforts.
In that regard, I would like to highlight a three-pronged approach encompassing schools, homes and the Internet, which we are practising.
Firstly, in schools, we must continue to build on our successes in digital literacy and cyber-wellness education, recognised as the \"gold standard\" by experts around the world. We must continue to instill a culture of ethical and mindful digital engagement. Our children must understand the complexities of the online world, discern fact from fiction and build healthy digital relationships.
Topics like online privacy, recognising misinformation and understanding the ethics and psychological impact of digital media are crucial. We must continue to creatively integrate these digital literacy programmes into the core curriculum of our education system at all levels. This integration should not be limited to just IT lessons. Rather, it should be woven into the fabric of all subjects, where appropriate, to ensure that our children are equipped with digital skills and ethics as a fundamental aspect of their education.
Secondly, in homes, the engagement and education of parents in digital safety must be intensified. The home environment is equally critical in shaping children's digital experiences. Parents and guardians must be well-informed but most importantly, actively involved. This can be achieved through regular workshops and resources that empower them to create a safe digital environment at home.
These initiatives should focus on educating parents about online risks, appropriate content monitoring, which many are shy to do and strategies for open communication with their children about their online activities and experiences, a skill not many are willing to do but is crucial in a child's development. The aim is to foster a collaborative approach between schools and families, ensuring consistency in the messages and practices regarding digital safety and usage.
Finally, Mdm Deputy Speaker, is the Internet itself. The gateway to digital experiences must be fortified. Stringent measures to protect children from online harm, age-appropriate content filters and stricter regulations on digital platforms are necessary to create a safer digital environment. Policies and regulations must be robust, holding social media services and application developers accountable.
Therefore, I applaud MCI for the Code of Practice for Online Safety, which is crucial in governing digital content and interactions to create a safer online environment. The Code mandates social media services like Meta and Google, which have significant reach in Singapore, to establish systems and processes to shield users, especially children, from online harm.
However, while social media services and application developers have policies specifically for young users, a critical gap remains, the challenge of accurately determining the age of users. Beyond self-declaration, these platforms need reliable age assurance measures, as the current system is easily circumvented.
Therefore, I urge social media services and application developers to intensify their age assurance measures. They must be more vigilant in safeguarding young users from harmful content.
Furthermore, it is essential that social media services improve their response time to user reports, ensuring that flagged harmful content is acted upon promptly. It is worth considering how long these services take to remove harmful content and should we establish a specific timeframe for them to take down such content. Should we implement stricter implications for non-compliance?
Aisha's story underscores the importance of a robust age verification system, effective content filtering and proactive measures against cyberbullying by these platforms to safeguard our children.
As legislators, we must support and enforce such initiatives. We must ensure that social media services and application developers comply with these practices and continually evolve their strategies to address emerging online safety challenges. Madam, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, we live in a rapidly-evolving digital age, where digital technology touches every aspect of our lives.
However, we must ensure that this digital world is a safe and inclusive space, especially for our younger generation.
In our efforts to build an inclusive and safe digital society, I propose three strategic steps,
First, in school, it is important to integrate digital literacy into the curriculum. This is not just about teaching how to use technology, but also about digital ethics, online security and the skills to navigate the digital world responsibly.
Second, at home, where the role of parents is critical. They need to be equipped with knowledge and resources to create a safe digital environment at home, as well as becoming a partner in their children's digital education.
Third, on the internet, we should fortify the gateway into the digital world. This means that legislation and policies should be tightened to ensure that Social Media Services and application developers shoulder more responsibility in protecting our children from harmful online content.
The latest initiative by IMDA, including the Code of Practice for Online Security, is an important step to improve online safety, especially for children.
Through this approach, I hope we can work together as a society to build a digital domain that is not only technologically advanced, but also one that has peace, understanding, and inclusion for all, especially for our younger generation.
(In English): Madam, in conclusion, this is a call to action for service providers, lawmakers, educators, parents and the tech industry. We must work together to create policies, educational curricula and technological solutions that safeguard our digital spaces.
Ensuring the safety of our children in the digital world is a shared responsibility. My vision is simple – to see our children safe to explore, to learn and grow without fear and harm. With that, I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Ong Hua Han.
Mr Ong Hua Han (Nominated Member): Madam, in light of the recent news coverage highlighting the dangers of deepfakes and the rise of scams in general, the timing of this Motion is, indeed, fitting.
The Motion tabled today has two key thrusts – that our digital society is both inclusive and safe.
Between 2018 to 2022, scam incidences have been reported to increase fivefold. Losses to scams in 2023 will likely again cost us more than half a billion dollars. E-commerce, job and phishing scams have quickly become the most prevalent scam types through popular channels like messaging apps, social media and online shopping platforms.
Clearly, as our society becomes more digital, having a safe online environment is of utmost priority. Numerous phishing websites and mobile applications have emerged recently. Scammers create fake websites that are almost indistinguishable from the real ones. Fake websites deceive users into entering their credentials, targeting those who seek to use messaging, email and banking services. Link shorteners are frequently used by scammers to make these links appear legitimate.
One way to identify fake websites is to carefully examine the domain name. An example of a legitimate domain name is \".gov.sg\", which cannot be replicated by scammers. \"Go.gov.sg\" is the official link shortener used by Government agencies and users are prompted to pause and check their browser address bar when they click on the shortened Government link for the first time. The Government also publishes and updates a list of trusted sites and clearly highlights that people should look out for \".gov.sg\" in the URL of Government websites.
For a more holistic approach, would it be feasible for the Government to require consumer banking and messaging services to publish such clear advisories and implement measures similar to the \"pause and check\" feature? In January 2022, MAS and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) announced additional measures to bolster the security of digital banking. Among these measures, banks in Singapore have removed clickable links in emails or SMSes sent to customers.
Now, the question arises – in an environment where phishing scams involving clickable links still take place, how do we ensure that all retail banking users, particularly seniors, are aware of this initiative? Furthermore, these measures do not apply to non-bank financial institutions, such as digital investment platforms. Could the Government consider widening the scope of these measures to ensure that non-bank financial institutions serving retail customers also conform to the same standards? After all, it is in the interest of end users and service providers when scammers fail in their attempts.
Having considered online safety, I would like to now turn our attention to the other equally important tenet of this Motion. In the rest of my speech I will raise certain issues to ensure that our digital society is also inclusive to disadvantaged groups. This is especially important as daily life becomes digitalised over time. Today, the Internet has become a significant and unparalleled source of data. All of us in this Chamber would not think twice to search something up on the web or add to its content through social media. In day-to-day living, instant payments via our smartphones are second nature. For some in society, it is not quite the same.
According to MCI, seniors in Singapore continue to find using technology for purposes, such as contactless payment, a challenge. For seniors over the age of 60, this struggle is even more prevalent. The SG Digital Office (SDO) set up in June 2020 by IMDA runs a Seniors Go Digital programme that aims to help our seniors navigate the digital landscape with ease and confidence. Given that some seniors still express hesitancy over the use of technology, can the Government clarify if such programmes have been successful in achieving their objectives and what more can be done?
Moving on to our friends with sensory disabilities, more attention is required to ensure that they are not left behind as we develop what we call our Digital Social Compact. I will begin by addressing the concerns of the deaf community, followed by a discussion on issues relating to the visually impaired (VI).
In September last year, I asked a Parliamentary Question on whether the Government will consider providing Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) interpretation services during significant Government live TV broadcasts. It was noted in the reply that since April 2020, MCI has required TV broadcasts of significant national and public interest to be accompanied by SgSL interpretation. This move marked a crucial step towards inclusivity and events, such as the National Day Rally and Budget speeches, have, indeed, become more accessible to the deaf community. However, there had been significant live events where SgSL interpretation was absent or only provided in a delayed broadcast.
For instance, during the most recent Presidential Forum in 2023, I understand that SgSL interpretation was not available in realtime but only in a delayed broadcast. This was despite the fact that the Presidential Election 2023 was the first contested Presidential Elections in over a decade in Singapore.
Critical live broadcasts, such as the initial COVID-19 briefings during the outbreak of the pandemic, also lacked sign language interpretation. Although it was eventually provided in later briefings, it is essential we recognise the challenging and unsettling environment the deaf community faced during those early, deeply uncertain moments.
Beyond TV broadcasts, there has also been feedback highlighting the disadvantages faced by the deaf community. Today, in our digital first but not digital only approach, there are still Government services that involve face-to-face or phone interaction. This includes reporting flat damage to HDB, consulting MOH or health clusters or addressing issues with CPF, ICA, LTA, among others. These are not fully accessible to the deaf. The deaf often have no choice but to hire a sign language interpreter at their own expense in order to communicate with Government agencies through these channels.
Given these persistent challenges, it is easy to empathise with the deaf community. It is natural for them to feel that their social participation in day-to-day living, access to essential services or time-sensitive information lag behind those of their hearing peers currently. I am aware and grateful for the ongoing collaboration between ServiceSG and SADeaf in addressing these accessibility challenges. That being said, it is necessary that we continue to push for inclusive and timely solutions. We must ensure that no one in the deaf community feels left behind as our world becomes digital.
I will use the final part of my speech to highlight issues on behalf of the visually impaired (VI) community. According to the Enabling Masterplan 2030 report, about 61% of all high traffic Government websites are accessible. These high traffic websites are defined as those with at least one million visits per year. The Enabling Masterplan 2030 rightfully acknowledges the existing gap in digital accessibility. It commits to designing accessible websites and applications for Government services. Additionally, it aims to raise the adoption of e-accessibility by the non-Government sectors.
Despite this, on the ground, many of those with VI continue to provide feedback that digital inaccessibility remains a big issue. People with VI consume digital content in a different way. For those with low to no vision remaining, they use a type of software called a screen reader. A screen reader is a text-to-speech software that turns a user's phone or computer into a talking machine. It scans all available text and reads the contents out loud. For images and buttons, the screen reader needs clear, user-friendly labels or alternate text to enable meaningful audio playback of screen content.
Speaking with the VI community, their experience with accessing digital content in Singapore via their screen readers is riddled with inconsistencies. For example, following the latest update of the HealthHub application, I am told that, unfortunately, blind users can no longer access the app like before. Previously, the app featured well-labelled buttons, enabling blind users to easily book hospital appointments or make bill payments seamlessly. After the update, the buttons somehow became unlabelled and the screen reader could only announce \"button\" or \"unlabelled graphic\" without any helpful context. Currently, blind users are left to navigate the app by trial and error, leading to an inefficient and often frustrating experience.
Thankfully, there is a brighter side. Visually impaired users have reported positive experiences with other Government websites like IRAS and CPF, showing that with the right focus and consideration, our digital services can, indeed, be made accessible.
Apart from Government services, many websites and applications from local companies are not screen-reader friendly. For most of us, consuming Government services is not the most significant proportion of our online activity. This also applies to those who have visual impairments, who engage in diverse online interactions.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is an international standard to ensure online content is accessible to persons with disabilities. In Singapore, our Digital Service Standard (DSS) aligns with WCAG 2.1 at the AA level. The WCAG standards have three levels of conformance: \"A\" being the minimum; \"AA\" being mid-range; and \"AAA\" is highest.
The DSS framework in Singapore applies exclusively to Government agencies. We do not have legislation in Singapore that requires companies to make their products and services accessible to persons with disabilities. There is also no direct incentive for companies to make them accessible for all users or consumers.
Without these, companies do not spare enough thought or consideration for disadvantaged groups in their online offerings. For instance, some e-commerce websites use puzzles or sliders to verify that users are, indeed, human. These methods often do not meet the basic level \"A\" of the WCAG standard, which requires alternative challenge-response authentication to cater to different types of sensory perception. Examples like this cause persons with disabilities to frequently find themselves relying on others when using the simplest of online services. They, too, yearn for the autonomy to independently manage their day-to-day activities like you and I.
In our physical built environment, we have the BCA Accessibility Code, which sets minimum accessibility requirements for new developments. The BCA-administered Accessibility Fund provides capital incentive to improve building accessibility. These measures benefit everyone, including the physically disadvantaged.
As goods and services become more digitalised, it becomes equally if not more important to implement similar standards and incentives in the digital domain to ensure accessibility for all. I fully agree with the hon Member Ms Tin Pei Ling in her opening speech: why should the digital world be different from the real one?
Looking abroad, Singapore can draw inspiration from internationally established frameworks for online accessibility. An example is the 2019 EU Directive, which sets accessibility standards for consumer banking and e-commerce services, among others. This directive ensures that services are designed for easy use by persons with disabilities. Key measures include providing information in a way that can be perceived by everyone. This means offering alternatives to supplement non-textual content, using easily readable fonts, ensuring high contrast and allowing adjustable spacing in text.
Shifting our focus from online accessibility frameworks, we must also guarantee that future designers are educated on accessible user experience design and digital inclusion. To move towards a future where digital accessibility is the norm, it is crucial that these principles are integrated from the very beginning of any new digital venture. Thoughtful, or should I say, universal design, must be considerate towards those with diverse usage requirements.
Having discussed various challenges and the need for inclusive digital design, I would like to propose three key suggestions.
First, could we consider requiring non-Government, essential services, starting with high traffic online platforms to conform with an accessibility framework similar to DSS?
Second, to encourage smaller businesses, could the Government consider expanding the scope of the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to support the development and improvement of websites, mobile applications, digital products and services and make them accessible to all?
Third, could the Government work with Institutes of Higher Learning to ensure that future web designers and programmers are sufficiently trained on digital accessibility?
With the application of these suggestions, we take significant steps towards ensuring that the VI community will, one day, enjoy full inclusion in every aspect of our digital society.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, the issues we have addressed today – ensuring safety, supporting the elderly, accommodating the deaf and including the visually impaired – all underscore the need for a whole-of-nation approach. While the Government takes the lead, sets the example and facilitates this agenda, we also need corporates, programmers, UX designers and end-users to implement this in practice, safeguard online activity and confidently participate in the digital landscape.
I share the hope of those in the community that with a concerted effort, this digital utopia will not remain a dream, but soon become reality. I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the digital realm, powered by AI, offers unprecedented opportunities for connection, growth and progress. It fuels our economy, empowers our communities and enriches our lives in countless ways. But, like any frontier, the digital world also harbors hidden dangers and challenges.
I stand before you today to advocate for a cause close to my heart and one that deserves our urgent attention: ensuring a safe and inclusive digital world for our senior citizens.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, our Silver Generation has built the Singapore we know and love. They worked tirelessly, sacrificed immensely and laid the foundation for our nation's success. Now, as they navigate the twilight of their lives, it is our duty to ensure they can enjoy the fruits of their labor in a world increasingly shaped by technology. However, for many seniors, the digital revolution presents challenges. Confusing interfaces, complex online procedures and the ever-present threat of online scams can leave them feeling overwhelmed and excluded.
Given the rapid pace of society and the push towards digitalisation, many may have no choice but to go digital to transact, communicate and stay connected. While many seniors possess smartphones, not all know how to use them effectively. They may struggle with basic concepts like data versus wi-fi, digital tokens and password management.
I understand this from first-hand experience from helping my parents set up new accounts on their handphones. Downloading the apps and creating the accounts, is but the first step. The real challenge lies in navigating the maze of features, logins and verifications. Even with patience and repetition, committing the steps to memory is not easy. The troubleshooting, the fear of getting locked out – they have so many questions and it is not just a one-time fix. My parents, thankfully, have me. But, what about countless others who face this digital divide without a familiar voice to guide them?
I witness these struggles at my Yio Chu Kang Meet-the-People sessions (MPS). Imagine Mdm Tan, who spent her life nurturing her family, grappling to access online Government services just to pay a bill, due to a lack of accessibility to physical options or clear information about it.
Picture Mr Lim, a veteran of our nation's independence who built an honest living from little resources, now feeling a gnawing helplessness as he struggles to decipher a phishing email.
Consider Mr Ahmad and his wife, pillars of our community, building their lives on hard work and friendly smiles. Years of working at their nasi lemak store, saw their five children through school, only for their dreams of retirement to vanish in a single tap. A scammer's cunning app devoured their life savings, leaving them helpless and heartbroken. These are not hypothetical situations; these are the lived realities of countless seniors in Yio Chu Kang and across Singapore.
The digital divide is not just a matter of convenience; it is a barrier to essential services, financial independence and social connection. Without proper digital literacy and support, our seniors risk being left behind, isolated and vulnerable to exploitation. Over the years, the SG Digital Office (SDO) have done much to equip seniors with necessary digital skills. I wish to ask for an update on how many seniors have been reached and how many more do we need to reach? How do we measure success? Are we moving fast enough?
Measuring digital literacy for seniors should not be a mere tally of workshops attended or apps downloaded. Just like learning to cook as a life skill takes more than a single class, using digital tools as a life skill too, requires sustained practice, advancement and exploration. The stakes, however, are higher in the digital realm. A misguided click can vanish years of hard-earned savings, understandably instilling fear and doubt. This creates a cruel contradiction: urging seniors towards digital dependence on one hand and then, blaming or even mocking them for the costly mistakes made. Imagine the bewilderment, when the promised convenience suddenly morphs into potential peril. It is no wonder that some seniors, despite making initial progress, choose to retreat entirely.
Sadly, Mdm Deputy Speaker, the digital world also harbours malicious actors who prey on the seniors' vulnerabilities. From fake investment schemes to impersonation scams, these predators exploit their trust, inflicting financial and emotional harm. The rise of deepfakes further underscores the need to shield our seniors from online predators.
We have seen recent troubling instances of deepfakes targeting high-profile figures like our Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, promoting dubious investment schemes. These malicious attempts not only sow confusion and erode trust in online information, but also prey on seniors' susceptibility to such scams. We must not let our seniors become easy targets. We must equip them with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital landscape safely and confidently.
The Motion rightly puts that bridging the digital divide and combating online scams require a multi-pronged, whole-of-nation approach. I have the following proposals.
First, Mdm Deputy Speaker, we must continue to empower seniors. We have started the journey and we must persist. Building digital literacy for seniors is an ongoing work. We need sustainable, engaging programmes woven into the fabric of their lives. Programmes tailored to their needs and interests, where trusted mentors guide them step-by-step, refresh their memories and nurture their confidence.
These ongoing journeys will empower seniors to slowly but surely unlock the full potential of technology, one click or one tap at a time. It is about empowering them to build critical thinking skills and encourage source verification to be more discerning in the online space. Do not just forward messages; check email addresses and never share passwords. Importantly, our seniors themselves must inculcate a mindset of continuous learning and exercise vigilance about technology and new threats.
Second, Mdm Deputy Speaker, we must build support systems for our seniors. Dedicated helplines and support networks are critical for seniors to seek assistance with digital issues and report scams without fear. To address the prevalence of online scams, can the Government consider a centralized agency managing these support networks and helplines? Can we consider something like the Municipal Services Office (MSO) or the OneService App?
Third, Mdm Deputy Speaker, we must strengthen enforcement. Law enforcement agencies must actively crack down on cyber criminals targeting seniors, bringing them to justice and deterring future scams. We know seniors often approach their MPs for help in expediting police investigations to recover lost funds. However, once perpetrators acquire money, retrieval is understandably difficult. I have previously advocated in this House for timelines for law enforcement agencies to update residents on such matters, especially seniors impacted by online scams.
Mdm R, a senior resident of mine, wrote to me and expressed her frustration about waiting for an outcome after reporting a scam at my MPS. Her words reflect the emotional toll these situations take, and I quote, \"What is the update so far? I feel restless, stressed and worried. It is my hard-earned money. I need the update. I need my money back.\" Our seniors deserve timely updates and having the confidence that our processes can deliver results.
Fourth, Mdm Deputy Speaker, we must improve our infrastructure and cyber resilience. We need to review the approach to victims of scams by unauthorised transactions. Placing the sole blame on scam victims for such transactions is unfair. While education is essential, in today's complex digital landscape, losses can stem from vulnerabilities within the system itself. Larger players, from telcos to banks and app developers, must share responsibility and invest in robust security measures.
The recent government interventions and efforts are welcome. Nonetheless, more time and resources are needed to upgrade our infrastructure and ecosystem. Can the Minister share some of the plans to further strengthen cyber resilience and infrastructure?
On this note, I wish to ask how does our fight against financial scams compare to other cities like Hong Kong, New York and London? What about in China, where even elderly citizens are known to navigate online payments with ease? Learning from best practices abroad can help us build a more secure and inclusive digital ecosystem for all, where convenience does not come at the cost of vulnerability.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, while we diligently work to bridge the digital divide and protect our seniors online, building and maintaining their trust in our efforts is paramount. This requires transparency in how we address their concerns. It also demands swift and decisive action to combat these threats, demonstrating that we are truly committed to their well-being.
A timely response to their anxieties and frustrations, like providing updates on investigations to Mdm R, reaffirms their faith in our agencies and processes. By prioritising their safety and empowerment, we can build a digital future where our seniors feel not only included, but also that they are protected and are valued members of the community.
In the meantime, seniors and vulnerable citizens must not bear the brunt of digital progress. While building cyber resilience takes time, essential services must remain accessible, even if it means facilitating physical options. We cannot celebrate digital convenience while leaving our elderly behind, inconvenienced and frustrated.
In conclusion, imagine this Mdm Deputy Speaker. Mdm Tan confidently navigating online forms, a smile on her face as she pays her bills without needing help. Picture Mr Lim laughing alongside his grandchildren in a distant land, brought together by technology. Mr Ahmad, enjoying the convenience of purchasing online without fearing that he will lose his life savings from it.
This is not just a vision; it is a promise we can make to our seniors, a promise of a digital world where they are not left behind, but empowered and embraced. This journey requires action, not just words. We must accelerate digital literacy programmes, equipping every senior with the tools they need. We must establish a centralised support network, a single point of contact for their digital anxieties and fears. We must hold accountable, those who target our seniors with swift and decisive action.
Let this be our pledge today: we will bridge the digital divide, hand in hand with our Silver Generation. We will weave a digital tapestry where their voices are heard, their concerns addressed and their safety enshrined. This is not just about technology; it is about respect, inclusion and honouring the legacy they have built.
Let us, together, build a digital Singapore where every senior, from Mdm Tan to Mr Lim to Mr Ahmad, walks confidently into the future, empowered and as valued members of our community. Mdm Deputy Speaker, let us support this Motion, let us make this promise a reality.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Usha Chandradas.
Ms Usha Chandradas (Nominated Member): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of this Motion and I, too, would like particularly to speak about the way our society has considered our seniors in the creation of our safe and inclusive digital society. This is a point that has been raised by many other hon Members today and I would like to add my views as well, to this discussion.
According to the annual Population In Brief report, Singapore citizens aged 65 and above make up around 19% of our demographic. That figure is expected to increase and by 2030, around 24% of our citizens will be aged 65 and above. These are large numbers, and by now, I am sure everybody in the House is quite familiar with them.
Our approach is for Singapore to be a \"Digital First\" society, and not a \"Digital Only\" society. Accordingly, there is a need to make sure that our non-digital options – where we choose to provide them – are effective and thoughtful ones. Again, this is not a new point at all, it has been addressed and acknowledged in this House many times in the past.
I would like to add two further points to the discussion. First, in the context of building inclusivity, I would like to re-emphasise the need to think about the digital experience as a whole and not just in respect of the functionality of specific services and apps. Let us take a step back and consider for a moment – what does the larger digital environment look like right now, for a senior trying to live out their retirement years?
In spite of posting record profits, banks continue to cite cost factors as the reason why they have decided to do away with physical cheques or to implement charges for their use – never mind that this is a mode of payment that generations of Singaporeans have been used to.
A number of bank branches have closed and self-service video teller machines have replaced human bank tellers. Medical appointments, prescription refills, health records – these are all accessible through apps such as HealthHub and Health Buddy. Shops, supermarkets and cafes have started to go cashless and smartphone apps are also used for the collection of points and allocation of discounts. If you go to a restaurant, chances are that you have to scan a QR code to access the menu and sometimes even to order and pay. And while your entire life is condensed into your tiny smartphone, there is an additional fear and worry that you will be targeted by scammers.
All of these digital initiatives, while improving efficiency, do not necessarily improve overall experiences for our seniors. It is perhaps easy to say that elderly folks unfamiliar with technological developments in banking, healthcare and other sectors should simply be educated on how to improve their digital skills or seek to depend on trusted family members for help. This approach, however, ignores a few things.
First, it overlooks the fact that not everyone has caregivers whom they can rely on. For some of our seniors, doing their banking or shopping in person might be the only form of social interaction that they have in a single day.
Secondly, dignity and agency are imperative in ageing well. No one wants to feel like a burden or like they need re-education to just continue on with functions that they have managed independently for years.
While reported figures may indicate that more seniors are engaging in digital transactions, how many of these are in fact carried out by caregivers, friends or family members on their behalf?
There is a case to be made, I feel, for allowing seniors who wish to carry on with non-digital options to simply live out their lives as they wish in the way that they are used to. They can learn to adopt digital solutions if they want, but they should be gradual and they should do this in their own time.
I acknowledge that there are many good avenues for learning, such as the Seniors Go Digital initiative, and the Government has done well here. But we must remember not to move too quickly.
This idea echoes a principle that can be found in the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights report entitled \"Ensuring Access to Public Services in Digital Societies\". In this report, it says that while \"member states should proactively support all initiatives by opening lifelong learning opportunities to older persons of all ages... individuals should not be obliged to acquire the necessary digital skills for access to digital services.\" The report then goes on to state that public administrations should always provide other access channels for citizens who cannot or do not want to acquire these skills.
Mr Speaker, Sir, true inclusivity is about choice and agency. Even if adaptability is required in a changing world, a positive choice needs to be made by a person to acquire new skills. His or her community then needs to provide the right environment for this learning to take place.
This is, of course, not to say that we should all be Luddites who reject technological advances. In fact, there are many ways in which technology can be deployed to create inclusivity and safety for our seniors.
Singapore's Digital Readiness Blueprint emphasises the need for user-centric design, which is absolutely spot on, but we need to remember to apply this thinking in an expansive way and not just in a piece-meal fashion. We need to step into the shoes of our seniors in all the different demographics, seriously think through each of their respective lived experiences and apply our minds to how this technology can help them.
This brings me to my second point, which is about how arts-related related initiatives can assist in building digital literacy, inclusivity and safety for our seniors in our digital society. Three examples come to mind, which I would like to share with you today.
In 2021, the National Gallery Singapore launched a superb project called The People's Gallery. Here, through the use of augmented reality (AR) technology, the gallery transformed more than 25 HDB void decks across heartland neighbourhoods into virtual art galleries.
All you had to do was point your phone camera at a QR code on a void deck wall and an artwork from the National Collection would appear before you as if it had been hung on that wall. In one magical swoop, viewers could suspend physical reality for a moment and enjoy the experience of having a beautiful piece of art appear right in front of them. They did not have to pay a single cent. All they had to do was simply turn on their phone cameras.
This is technology which is easy to use and something that, to my mind, we could use just as easily in different scenarios, for example, in hospital waiting areas of geriatric clinics, where elderly folk are required to wait for lengthy periods of time. These long waits can create huge amounts of stress for seniors whether they are alone or with caregivers and it is quite possible that access to digital art could alleviate some of that tension while familiarising our seniors with digital tools. This is a great example of how technology can be inclusive, easily accessible and applied in a way that makes sense in order to serve the real needs of our seniors.
The next example I would like to talk about is the use of technology in dementia care. Artist and programmer Eugene Soh is one such person who is working in this space. Specifically, he helps patients to cope with dementia using virtual reality (VR) technology. In his Mind Palace social enterprise, Eugene and his team are able to virtually transport nursing home residents to evocative places which are familiar to them, such as their old homes or neighbourhoods or even places of interest such as Haw Par Villa and Chinatown. They are also able to incorporate family members in created VR scenes, which helps the elderly patients to trigger memories, relieve social isolation and expand their physical boundaries.
But that is not all. Being mindful of the fact that wearable VR goggles may not be attractive to seniors and may come with the risk of spreading viruses, Mind Palace decided to convert entire rooms into immersive interactive environments where interaction with fitness and meditative experiences is done via motion sensors. So, to summarise, the whole experience is totally contactless and in line with what users of this service require and prefer.
To date, Mind Palace has conducted hundreds of trials and built five permanent immersive rooms at various eldercare facilities. It is, again, another great example of solution-based and user-centric design thinking.
As Eugene described to me, his creativity is a compulsion. It is about using technology as a way of facilitating story-telling and expression, in a way that can reach out to communities in need in order to do some good.
The final example I would like to refer to is that of HSBC Bank in Hong Kong, which last November, organised an art exhibition aimed at promoting public awareness on fraud prevention and online scams. Amongst others, the show featured an art piece that leveraged on face-swapping technology to show exhibition visitors how their images could be transformed into those of famous local celebrities. The point of this exhibit was to educate visitors about deepfake video call scams.
In Singapore, the Government engages with popular creators on YouTube to raise awareness on scams and disseminates information through innovative mediums such as music videos. This is indeed a good step in the right direction to raise awareness amongst digital natives. But I also read with interest earlier this week that the DBS Foundation and POSB have engaged with getai performers to entertain and educate seniors on digital literacy.
I applaud these steps and I hope that the Government takes note of our large arts community in Singapore and the talents that they have to offer. Creative, entertaining and empathetic storytelling can result in much better outreach on digital literacy to different segments of society, including harder to reach groups like our seniors.
While we progress in our Smart Nation goals towards inclusivity and safety, let us not forget these two points: first, that design thinking should always be applied in a holistic and empathetic manner to honour the full lived experiences of our seniors; and secondly, in our whole-of-nation Government strategies, especially when we think about the allocation of funding and other resources, let us not forget the important role that our artists and creatives play in crafting inclusivity and safety within our digital society.
Mr Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am grateful that in Singapore, we live in a high-trust society where our trust transcends barriers of race, language, religion and differences. It is notable that this trust extends to our institutions. Based on a study by the Edelman Trust in 2023, our Government remains the most trusted institution in Singapore.
Only with trust, can we remain united. In a 2022 Pew Research, 75% of Singaporeans polled shared that they felt more united after COVID-19, topping the list of 13 countries. This is remarkable, considering an increasingly divided world where trust for state and government institutions is hard to come by.
We have been able to maintain a high degree of trust between people, Government, organisations and businesses through many years of working and facing challenges together.
However, this trust is fragile and can erode if our differences are manipulated. Racial or religious tensions, increasing income gaps, fake news, deepfakes, as shared by fellow Parliamentarian Dr Tan, perceived unfairness and unaddressed anxieties can very easily unravel the trust we have meticulously built over the years. In this Motion, our GPC thus calls for the House to reaffirm our commitment to adopt a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society.
How do we ensure that amidst increased global digitalisation, everyone feels secure and feels part of our society? How do we tackle falsehoods that threaten social cohesion? How do we combat technology-based scams? How can we provide equal and equitable opportunities such that the opportunities do not only benefit the few at the top?
I would like to focus on just three critical points to help sustain trust by building a safe and inclusive digital society.
Firstly, redefining employment. Redefining employment is essential as the employment landscape is evolving. The landscape is multifaceted and dynamic and any business owner in Singapore will tell you that we face challenges in securing the right manpower due to our limited population and an ageing demographic.
It has been mentioned repeatedly that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be above the age of 60. Currently, jobs for seniors are typically manual in nature, such as cleaners and pump attendants, possibly because of the lack of digital skillset of the current seniors. However, what is different compared to what we are experiencing now is our young seniors now are digitally literate and can continue to contribute to the economy in a different way.
At one of my house visits, I met a resident in her early 50s doing accounts for companies. She shared that since COVID-19, she has not been to her office. She hopes that she can continue to do so, well into post-retirement. She wishes to continue working as she enjoys the interaction but wants to spend time with her grandchildren too.
COVID-19 has expedited the concept of flexible work arrangements in Singapore. Guidelines on flexible work arrangements have been shared by Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). Some degree of telecommuting is accepted as the norm at the workplace now. However, job sharing, staggered time, part-time work have yet to be embraced in earnest.
So, how do we bring all of these different elements together and leverage digitalisation to meet the needs of our future seniors to have meaningful employment with a comfortable work-life balance when they retire, to meet the needs of future retirees to continue to build their retirement nest egg and to meet the manpower needs of our economy?
To do so, we must take a structured, whole-of-nation approach to rethink the definition of employment to encourage flexible work arrangements like job sharing, staggered time, part-time work, where possible, to truly unlock the potential of digitally abled young seniors. Moreover, individuals with disabilities and back-to-work moms can stand to benefit too from such arrangements, helping to foster inclusivity while ensuring economic activity continues.
Secondly, while our digital connectivity is commendable, we must ensure every school-going child has digital access and digital skillsets required in the future economy.
The latest Singapore Digital Society Report indicates that through schemes such as DigitalAccess@Home and NEU PC, Singapore has a 99% internet connectivity rate for all households and 98% of households with school-going children have access to computers. At the grassroots level, we work with community partners to provide lower-income families with digital access. An example is in Pasir Ris East, where we worked with Schneider Electric to distribute 100 laptops to children from lower-income families.
However, what I find surprising is that, despite all these programmes only 98% of household with school-going kids have access to computers. This represents two out of every 100 households with kids in school still not having access to computers for whatsoever reason.
This is worrying, especially when we consider that these households may likely be from the lower-income families. How do we ensure that all households with school-going children have access to computers?
While ensuring connectivity and accessibility to digital devices is an undoubted priority, we must also ensure that our education system provides essential digital skills as early as at primary and secondary school levels. After all, when Singapore pursued compulsory 10 years education, the intent is to ensure that our school-going children has the necessary basic knowledge and skills for their future.
Typically, more affluent families send their kids to extra classes on coding, AI, AR and robotics. The access to such expensive extra-curricular activities, especially at a young age, may not be available to the lower-income families who face hurdles in accessing resources as well as being aware of and learning these crucial digital skills. This widens the skill gap between the haves and the have-nots. How do we ensure all our youths have equal opportunities to be exposed to and to develop these digital competencies?
Can we identify essential digitals skills such as basic coding, robotics, applied AI, cybersecurity and digital wellness to be included as core curriculum in primary and secondary schools, so that all our students have access and are exposed to these essential digital skills at an early age? I fear if we do not do so, kids from lower-income families are unduly disadvantaged in the future economy.
Hence, it was reassuring to hear from Minister Chan Chun Sing yesterday, that MOE is preparing our students to develop the foundational knowledge of AI. And I hope we can have more digital skills taught formally in schools. To ease the academic load on our students, I propose that these topics are included into the core curriculum as non-examinable, while we replace topics that may not be as critical in the future economy.
Providing a platform to create awareness and knowledge of the skills required in the digital economy, is precisely one of the things M3@PRPG (Pasir Ris-Punggol) hopes to achieve. Through our programs such as M3 goes digital, 3D Makers Workshop, Mentoring Program, Learning Journey and HashTech, M3@PRPG hopes to equip kids, especially those from the lower-income families with the awareness and basic knowledge of these skills and the possible opportunities in the future economy.
Without such platforms, how will kids from lower-income families be aware of the skillsets required in the digital economy, let alone be inspired to have a career in these growing industries? Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] One of M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol’s priorities is to provide opportunities to our students, especially those from low-income families, to learn, try and upgrade their skills in the digital field. It is only through trying that our students can cultivate their interest and aspire to continue doing it as a career.
Programmes such as M3 Does Digital and 3D Makers Space, where students learn about 3D printing; the M3 Learning Journey where students visit engineering and technology companies; and the #Hashtech programme where students pick up skills in dashboarding, cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence; all these provide a platform for our students to acquire digital skills.
One example is the champion of the 3D Makers Challenge. The winning team comprises pupils from Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah who created a toy helicopter using 3D printing.
Another example is the runner-up in the #HashTech competition; a team of three siblings, Nurul Musfirah, Nurul Shahzanie and Nurul Zahirah, who presented an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform that helps people to better understand the various support schemes currently available in Singapore.
Congratulations to all the students and I would like to thank all volunteers from M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol, MENDAKI, MUIS, MAEC, MMiT dan MM in Engineering for giving our students the opportunity to improve their digital skills.
A few months ago, in my capacity as a panel member of the 4PM Bestari Award and Resilience Award for our youths studying at the ITE colleges, I was very moved when I saw the determination and resolve of these students in overcoming their challenges. Many of them are also pursuing further studies in various specialised fields, such as Applied AI and cybersecurity.
To our students, please carry on pursuing digital knowledge. Our community must continue to encourage our students to explore and enhance their digital skills that are essential in the new economy.
(In English): Moving on from digital inclusion to the need to protect Singaporeans against online scams. I would like to thank the officers from the inter-Ministries for their continuous hard work in combatting scams. While many of our fellow Parliamentarians have talked about preventing scams, I will briefly touch on two post-scam recovery efforts.
Firstly, can we review the approach of dealing with scams by unauthorised transactions? Many scams originate from transactions which the victims have been misled to authorise. However, some scams are executed without the transactions being authorised. Can we review the approach such that financial institutions bear some consequences for scams by unauthorised transactions?
Secondly, given the volume of scam cases, more than 24,000 scam cases from just January to June 2023 alone and the complexity of scams with only 10,000 regular officers, it is understandable that investigations take some time. However, during the investigation, the victims' bank accounts or account, can be frozen. This can be highly challenging for the victims especially if it is the victim's sole account. Can we review the process of freezing bank accounts for the entire duration of the investigation period?
In conclusion Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has stood as a beacon of unity amidst a world experiencing growing division. However, trust remains delicate and will falter if left unnurtured. Leveraging digital advancements responsibly is pivotal in sustaining trust within our communities. Let us collectively strive to build a safe, inclusive and trustworthy digital society where no one gets left behind. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Mr Mark Lee.
Mr Mark Lee (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, as we gather today to discuss the future of our nation and the digital era, it is crucial to recognise the importance and relevance of digitisation in shaping a prosperous, efficient and connected Singapore. While we are mindful of the challenges it presents, the benefits of embracing digital transformations are undeniable and pivotal for our nation's progress.
Digitalisation is a key driver of economic growth and innovation, opening doors to new markets and opportunities. It enhances operational efficiencies and productivity revolutionising how businesses operate and compete globally. It empowers businesses to offer improved customer experiences, leveraging data analytics for more effective strategies and services.
While digitalisation can lead to the automation of some jobs, it also creates new ones. The European Commission reported that for every job that is destroyed by digitalisation, 2.6 new jobs are created in that digital sector.
Digitalisation also play a significant role in the environmental sustainability, reducing our carbon footprint through innovative solutions. The resilience demonstrated by businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic largely due to their digital capabilities, underscores the importance of being digitally prepared. This readiness not only ensures business continuity in crises, but also strengthens our collective ability to adapt and thrive in changing circumstances.
As Singapore steadfastly progress towards our vision of a Smart Nation, it is imperative that our digital transformation journey is not only marked by technological advancement but is characterised by its inclusivity and safety. This holistic approach is essential in ensuring that the benefits of digitalisation are accessible and secure for all members of our society.
Businesses are an important pillar of Singapore's digital society. Many businesses are either adopting or developing digital products and services to better engage and serve the needs of consumers, and in a manpower tight situation, implementing digital solutions with automation to streamline operations to improve efficiencies.
In an age where digital transactions and interactions are integral to our daily lives, the safety and security of digital information have become paramount concerns for users worldwide, including here in Singapore. Singaporeans are increasingly vigilant about how businesses handle their digital information. Incidents like the SingHealth data breach in 2018, have left an indelible mark on the public consciousness.
Another personal incident – a close friend of mine, who owns an engineering and construction company, experienced an ordeal that brings to light the stark realities of our digital age. His company was a victim of a ransomware attack, a malicious intrusion that stole his company servers and all of his engineering blueprints locked and encrypted by hackers. This attack brought his operations to a standstill with losses escalating every minute.
In a desperate bit to regain control, he was compelled to pay a ransom of $160,000. Yet, the financial toll extended beyond the ransom, with significant downtime and disruption losses adding to his burden. Regrettably, his experience is not an isolated one that I know. Many have suffered silently.
It is a part of a growing trend of sophisticated cyber attacks that are deeply concerning the business community. These incidents are stark reminders of the vulnerabilities in our digital infrastructure, the need for robust cybersecurity measures. Yet, in the face of a swiftly changing digital landscape, achieving digital inclusivity and safety necessitates significant investments in terms of finances, time and personnel. This requirement may present considerable challenges to some companies, especially those with limited resources.
According to the most recent National Business Survey 2022/2023 by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), 64% of businesses expressed concern over the high costs associated with adopting new technologies. Additionally, businesses, regardless of their size, are grappling with challenges such as the need for upskilling staff to keep pace with technological advancements and a shortage of management expertise to effectively spearhead technological change.
While there is a growing confidence among businesses in managing cybersecurity challenges, with 80% feeling confident this year compared to 74% the previous year, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still find themselves trailing behind their larger counterparts. According to recent data, 78% of SMEs feel confident or somewhat confident in their security measures to protect against cyber threats, which is lower compared to the 91% confidence level of larger companies.
Furthermore, a 2023 survey conducted by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) revealed that 32% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are prioritising the strengthening of their resilience against cyber threats, marking a significant increase from 11% in 2022, indicating a growing awareness and commitment to cybersecurity in the SME sector.
Today, I aim to tackle the prevailing notion and apprehension among businesses, particularly small enterprises, that are implementing digital safety and cyber defences and feel that it is prohibitively expensive. I intend to introduce and discuss various tailored, accessible self-help tools and collaborative resources designed to enhance the cybersecurity stance of companies affordably and effectively.
The Internet Hygiene Portal (IHP), crafted by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), serves as a comprehensive platform for businesses to utilise self-assessment tools. These tools are designed to evaluate the security of a company's websites, email services and domain configurations. Following the assessment, IHP provides tailored, actionable recommendations, enabling companies to enhance their overall internet security posture effectively.
Additionally, the IHP enhances transparency by publishing an Internet Hygiene Rating table. This feature offers a simplified overview of the cyber hygiene status of various digital platforms. By providing such critical information, it empowers businesses and consumers alike to make informed decisions regarding their digital platform usage, therefore enhancing the security of their digital transactions and protecting against cyber threats.
For SMEs who are ready to deepen their commitment to cybersecurity, CSA offers the Cybersecurity Health Plan. Under this initiative, cybersecurity consultants act as the SMEs' virtual Chief Information Security Officers, conducting cyber health audits and crafting bespoke cybersecurity health plans. To encourage participation and alleviate financial burdens, eligible SMEs can avail themselves of up to 70% co-funding under this scheme, making advanced cybersecurity more accessible and affordable.
Proper cyber risk management is pivotal for SMEs to confidently navigate their digitalisation journey. The CTO-as-a-Service (CTOaaS) initiative, a part of the SMEs Go Digital Programme developed by IMDA and managed by SBF, is designed to bolster this confidence. Through CTOaaS, SMEs gain access to a shared pool of seasoned digital consultants who provide comprehensive advisories and project management services. This support helps SMEs identify and address digitalisation gaps and seize opportunities, ensuring a more secure and efficient digital transformation.
SMEs lacking in-house IT expertise or dedicated resources have found significant benefits in this service, receiving tailored digital solutions and training roadmaps specifically to their needs. This initiative guarantees that SMEs have access to market-proven, cost-effective solutions, ensuring they are not marginalised in our collective stride towards an inclusive and safe digital society. It is a step forward in democratising digital advancement, allowing all businesses, regardless of size or resource, to partake in and contribute to our digital future.
Considering these existing initiatives, I would like to propose some recommendations to the Government to further support our SMEs: the development of resources tailored to the emerging and critical areas of digitalisation, such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence on a sector-specific basis.
By working closely with trade associations and companies, this approach can significantly accelerate SMEs' transition into an inclusive and safe digital society. These resources should encompass sector-specific training and assessment plans, baseline tools, and solutions that are pertinent to each industry.
Also, as highlighted in the recent Singapore Business Federation (SBF)-KPMG Budget recommendations for 2024, the Government can consider adjusting existing grant schemes to support SMEs in adopting these tools and solutions. For instance, a tiered support approach with a higher grant support quantum for the adoption of advanced AI and blockchain technology may be necessary to help companies to progress along their digitalisation roadmap beyond basic process and operational automation. There is also scope to consider expanding existing schemes to support digital projects where development work is conducted outside of Singapore for operational and cost efficiency, given the tight IT manpower pool here.
Additionally, establishing a dedicated assistance channel for SMEs to reach out when addressing potential cybersecurity or AI governance breaches would provide a safety net, ensuring that SMEs have the support they need when they need it. This comprehensive strategy will not only safeguard our businesses but also empower them to confidently embrace the digital future.
As technology becomes even more integral in our daily lives, the demand for skilled workers correspondingly evolves. It is essential to cultivate a culture of learning and innovation within our workforce. As leaders and stakeholders, we must recognise and address the apprehensions of our workers, providing reassurance and support to those who may feel overwhelmed by the rapid digital changes.
We must continue to invest significantly in training our workers, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their starting point, is given the opportunity to grow and adapt. This is not just about keeping pace with the digital society; it is about empowering them to lead and innovate within it. By fostering continuous learning, providing comfort and guidance, and encouraging innovation, we would not only enhance individual careers but also drive the collective progress of our industries and the nation as a whole.
It is therefore crucial for companies to recognise that training our workforce transcends merely keeping pace with technological advancements; it is also about strategically upskilling them to unlock the full potential of technology adoption. When our workers are adept and agile, the company as a whole reaps substantial benefits.
For instance, Utracon Corporation, through its participation in the CTOaaS initiative, leveraged expert advice to implement targeted solutions, significantly enhancing real-time project monitoring and fostering improved team collaboration. This example underscores the broader value of investing in our employees' growth, leading to enhanced operational efficiency and innovative capabilities within the company.
To assist companies to continue their commitment to upskilling their workers, as proposed in the SBF-KPMG budget recommendations, the Government can also consider complementing the efforts of businesses by introducing a grant scheme to support costs related to employee upskilling and adoption of new technologies such as AI and machine learning, as well as by providing a secure and convenient centralised platform for SMEs to access these upskilling services.
Finally, in today's digital age, I would like to stress that the ethical handling of customer information has transcended beyond just a mere legal obligation. It is a fundamental aspect of building trust and maintaining the integrity of our businesses. As custodians of customer data, we must adhere to the highest standards of ethics, ensuring that every piece of information is collected, stored, and used with the utmost respect for privacy and consent.
This means being transparent about our data practices, providing customers with clear choices, and taking proactive steps to protect their information from breaches and misuse. By committing to these ethical practices, we not only comply with regulations but also fortify our reputation, foster customer loyalty, and contribute to a more trustworthy digital ecosystem. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to conclude in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In conclusion, as we navigate the complexities and opportunities of building an inclusive and safe digital society, let us embrace a holistic approach. This involves not only investing in robust technology and infrastructure, but also fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation and ethical practice.
By doing so, we ensure that our journey towards a Smart Nation is one marked by trust, security and inclusivity, benefiting every individual and business within our society. Together, let us commit to a future where digital advancement equates to a safer, more prosperous and ethically grounded Singapore for all.
(In English): Mr Speaker Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Mr Speaker, Singapore's move to a digitised society has been remarkable. Over the last few years, the Government and key players in society have kept up with and utilised technology to make our lives better and simpler.
Once upon a time, each of us had to keep physical copies of all our important documents, including birth certificates, identity cards, driver's licences, health records, marriage certificates, bank account statements and CPF statements. Now, all this information is readily available on or through apps on our mobile phones.
The Singpass app readily links us to most of our official records, while all major banks provide most of their services through mobile phone apps. For many of us, there is probably no need to carry cash or wallets anymore, or to queue up at post offices, banks, ATM or AXS machines, as almost all payments can be done on our phones, from wherever we are.
Even the marketing and shopping experience has changed completely, with online stores now bringing this experience to our fingertips. We can now shop from the comfort of home or while on public transport. Indeed, when I spoke to an executive in an online retailer, she mentioned that very significant percentage of shoppers made purchases while they were in the toilet in the morning.
These changes have also changed our business landscape significantly, with online giants such as Amazon and Alibaba replacing physical retailers such as Borders and Robinsons. For small businesses, getting goods displayed on platforms like Shopee and Lazada allows them to sell without retail shopfronts, while for those who have retail shopfronts, getting online has been an important way to supplement sales.
This Motion highlights two important issues that need to be addressed in this move to digitisation: inclusion and safety. Let me start with inclusion.
For those of us who are online and get our services online, life has never been easier. For young people too, getting online seems to be second nature. My daughter had learnt to download games on my wife's mobile phone from around the age of four or five, and shortly after that, she had learnt to make online purchases. All this, without any of us teaching her.
On the other hand, I do have many older residents who are not fully online and struggle. I used to get requests for more bank branches to remain open when banks started closing branches and transitioning people to ATMs and AXS machines. Now, banks are also pulling back on ATMs and residents who have spent a lifetime transacting with cash are now finding it more difficult to do so. The same applies to many small business owners, and while many shops in wet markets and HDB malls have gone digital, there are still a few who have not signed on to online payments or record keeping. This includes some very educated people, including, in some cases, senior doctors who prefer to practice the way they have done for many years.
There have been wide ranging initiatives by different Government agencies to bridge this divide and bring more people into the digital fold. For example, Hawkers go Digital, an initiative by the IMDA to subsidise hawkers to move their business online and accept digital platforms, was rolled out, bringing many heartland hawkers into the digital world. Seniors Go Digital, likewise, is targeted at seniors with courses available at locations throughout the heartlands and trains them in the range of functions and services they are able to access through their phones.
I believe these initiatives are working, but in order for them to work better, I think it will take the whole of society to be involved, for us to encourage people around us to go for courses, go online and become more enabled. Whenever I get requests by residents for more ATMs, I explain the challenges we face in getting more ATMs, but also gently nudge them to getting online banking apps and to move digital.
The next aspect of the Motion which has received a lot of attention is digital security. This has several facets.
One aspect is security of the systems. This includes keeping systems operating and protecting from cyber threats. There have been several instances, for example, of some of our banking systems going down, preventing transactions taking place. Where people operate largely digitally, this can create issues. For example, if a bank's payment systems are down, what happens to people who only have digital means of payment from that bank?
I suffered a minor inconvenience in this because I was at a shop the first time the system went down. I had to return the items and went back home. Not a major issue but definitely something that needs to be looked at if we are going more digital.
But more important are malicious cyber threats, including hacking and ransomware, where organisations may have systems hacked, information stolen and then demands are made for payment. Many companies and organisations have extensive personal information from individuals and if the systems on which these are stored are not secured, individuals could be exposed to attacks. On these matters, I think it is necessary to ensure that those who collect personal data are able to protect it.
The third aspect which I think has received the most attention from many speakers in this House is online scams. I have spoken on this issue several times in this House.
The challenge with scams is multi-faceted. First, the perpetrators are mostly located out of Singapore. This makes it difficult for local law enforcement agencies to take action against them. The Singapore Police is closely plugged in with Interpol and counterparts in other agencies, but it is sometimes difficult to trace exactly where each of the numerous scams originate from.
Second, victims normally have their trust taken advantage of. The types of scams include job scams, love scams and investment scams. Some in this House have spoken about how the prevalence of scams is creating a crisis of confidence in our digitisation process. I beg to differ on this.
I think digitisation is a fast moving train and most Singaporeans are on board. The victims of scams are often too trusting and take at face value the calls and messages they get, which hook them into the process.
In the course of my work, I was approached by a victim of a love scam. She had fallen in love with an individual through online exchanges and one meeting in-person. Eventually, this individual allegedly died, leaving her a massive inheritance. However, to get this inheritance, she had to and did make regular payments for various purportedly official purposes. By the time she approached me, she had spent more than $1 million dollars. It is still difficult for her to believe she has been scammed. She still wants to believe there is an inheritance waiting for her.
Scammers are essentially criminals who are trying to steal. Digitisation has simply created an easier way for them to do so. I do not think there is a crisis of confidence in digitisation, but rather this is a matter on which each consumer must learn to be more careful and vigilant. Just as in the real world, we take precautions, such as not leaving our wallets and phones lying around, or leaving our houses unlocked when we are out, we must exercise the same care digitally.
The third challenge is where the losses for these scams should fall. Generally, we are all sympathetic to the victim, who have been taken advantage of. Some have lost life savings or monies they needed for important purposes. Some of the victims I have met at the Meet-the-People Sessions have had heart wrenching stories. There are calls for more of these losses to fall on telco operators and/or banks, or generally, any other big companies that may be involved in this process.
There are several attractions to this approach. We all believe that big companies should be better able to bear losses than individuals. We also want to put more pressure on big companies to take the necessary precautions to protect individuals. I would, however, like to highlight some risks I see if we swing too far in this direction.
First, every large company, including banks and telcos, have to make money from their customers and if taking a large proportion of losses from online scams falls on them, they will have to recoup these losses from one of their customers. So, we may see prices rising across the board.
Second, this may mean that more invasive approaches by service providers to their customers. For example, if telcos are held liable for scams through phone calls or WhatsApp messages, they probably going to have to take more efforts to monitor and scan private calls and messages in order to ferret out scams. To what extent do we want banks to second guess instructions and transactions?
The third point, that of moral hazard, has been recognised. If people believe that losses may fail elsewhere, they are more likely to take less precaution.
Balancing these considerations, Singapore has taken a three-pronged approach to fight scams.
Firstly, they adopt upstream measures, including things like ScamShield, which filters and blocks scammed messages, an SMS sender identity registry regime to label non-registered scanners who are likely scammer. I think many of us already have this adopted.
Second, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) adopts downstream measures, including trying to chase down scams syndicates. I think there was a report in The Straits Times that at least one scam had been successfully cracked with this, adverting over $12.6 million in losses – a drop in the ocean but a step in the right direction.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) have also begun working with banks to tackle this issue. One example of this the work with OCBC Bank in March 2023 to use robotic processes automation to allow them to identify potential scammers. MAS has also been involved in this approach to combat scams, working closely with banks to strengthen anti-malware controls, faults surveillance and detection capabilities. Major retail banks have enhanced their security measures. So, certainly, bigger organisations and the Government are taking steps to fight scams.
Of course, the most important approach is the third aspect, which is public education. I think SPF, Cyber Security Agency, MoneySENSE and banks have used multiple platforms, reach out to residents and many of us, Members of Parliament, have also been conducting talks and dialogues in our constituencies to encourage people to download ScamShield and to warn them about the risks of scams.
Singapore is also involved and plugged into global cooperation to fight scams. We have to play our part if we want others to assist us.
There was a recent crackdown in Singapore where large numbers of people were arrested and I believe a large part of this money is from crimes committed abroad. Of course, the full details of this are large scale arrests and seizure methods have not been released, but I think it is part of our cooperation with international work.
This is a matter that affects all countries and other countries like the UK, Australia and the United States and also similarly taking these approaches to fight scams. One initiative that caught my attention was actually \"Stop Scams UK\", which is an industry led collaboration of businesses, including major banks, credit card operators and big online players, such as Amazon and Google.
In the UK, just like in Singapore, fraud is the most commonly experienced crime. In the UK, one is twice as likely to be the victim of a fraud than any other crime. What is interesting here is this is a private-sector-led initiative. This may have been partly motivated by UK's legal measures to require banks to reimburse victims of authorised push payment or APP scams. This is where a payee poses as someone else and defrauds victims to make payment. By placing potential lability on private sector players, they have been financially incentivised to get together to work to stop APP scams. The jury is now whether this will work or whether it may increase moral hazard and increase the incidence of frauds, but we should keep a watch on it.
It should be noted that despite the seemingly radical approach, the UK's aim is to reduce fraud by 10%. Even they are not ambitious or claiming that it can be completely eradicated but they just want to reduce the incidence. So, this is something that is going to be with us, but with which we all have to take the necessary precautions.
In Singapore, it may be necessary for the Government to take the lead in these initiatives and/or in the passed legislation, to put adequate risk for industry players. MAS' risk-sharing framework is a start and it is one thing that can be reviewed and modified, if needed, to balance the allocation of risks amongst the different players. I believe that financially aligned industry collaboration is, in general, a sensible approach.
Mr Speaker, digitisation is important to all our lives and generally, it has made our lives better and easier. We have to embrace and ride this wave. I do not think avoiding digitisation is an option. However, in riding this wave, we need to bring in everyone we can, that is, inclusion and be aware of the new dangers that this poses, that is, security. I therefore support this Motion.
Mr Speaker: Leader of the House.
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Mr Speaker: Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How): Sir, I rise in support of the Motion in the name of Ms Tin Pei Ling.
I thank Members for their thoughtful suggestions on building a safe and inclusive digital society. I will speak on the topic of digital inclusion and Minister Josephine Teo will speak on issues related to digital trust and safety.
With your permission, Sir, may I ask the Clerk to distribute to Members supplementary materials on the topics that Minister Josephine Teo and I will cover today. Members may also access the handout through the MP@SG Parl mobile app.
Mr Speaker: Please proceed. [Copies of handouts distributed to hon Members.]
Mr Tan Kiat How: Sir, let me first address Members' points on the impact of digitalisation on the workforce and on mental health and well-being.
Ms Tin Pei Ling, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Mark Lee asked about the impact of digitalisation, especially the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on our workforce and our SMEs and our businesses.
The field of AI, generative AI, in particular, is evolving rapidly. Analysts' predictions on the impact of AI on the workforce and industries vary greatly and sometimes, even contradict each other. But there is broad consensus that AI is here and its development will have profound effects on the world and the certainly for us on this little red dot.
We should not be overly fearful or be overly anxious of this trend. Instead, we should confidently embrace the possibilities with AI. The competition is not between \"man\" and \"machine\" but which economy and society can better use technology to improve our competitiveness and our lives.
Singapore is well placed to harness the power of AI, as we have done in previous waves of technological change. The Government's approach has always been to support our businesses and workers to adapt to changes so that they can fully benefit from the opportunities that digital technologies can bring. Some examples include how we are using Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs), which are specific to different sectors, help employers and workers understand and prepare themselves for future tech-enabled job roles. SkillsFuture and Workforce Singapore offer programmes to support workers to upskill and reskill to take on new jobs. For those who wish to transit to tech roles, they can tap on IMDA's TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme. The Government will continue to work with our tripartite partners, including our Labour unions on this important effort as suggested by Ms Jean See, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Mark Lee.
Dr Wan Rizal raised the issue of the impact of technology on mental health and well-being. This House will have a fuller discussion on this topic during the Motion on \"Advancing Mental Health\" next month. So, let me just broadly touch on MCI's approach on this issue.
MCI recognises that technology and social media use can have grave impact on mental health and well-being. As Dr Wan Rizal, Assoc Prof Razwana Begum, Ms Nadia Samdin as well as Ms Mariam Jaafar had mentioned, such risks include exposure to harmful online content, such as cyberbullying and self-harm content, as well as excessive and problematic use of social media. To mitigate these risks to Singaporean users, MCI has introduced regulatory measures to enhance online safety for users, which Minister Josephine Teo will touch on later.
We also work with partners across the public, private and people sectors to raise awareness amongst Singaporeans on online safety and good practices on using technology in a healthy and balanced manner. For example, we work with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to strengthen cyber wellness education in schools, teaching students to be discerning, safe, respectful and responsible users of the online space. They are also taught the importance of respect and empathy, how they can protect themselves and others online and to seek help when necessary.
Dr Wan Rizal also spoke about the role of parents. We agree that parents play a crucial role in guiding their children's digital journey, especially at the early stages. We work with partners, such as the Media Literacy Council, to develop resources for parents and caregivers.
MCI has also worked with technology companies to launch an Online Safety Digital Toolkit in March last year, which guides parents to make use of the parental controls, privacy and reporting tools, as well as self-help resources on the social media platforms.
Collectively, these efforts aim to make the online space safer for all and empower individuals with the know-how to protect themselves and their loved ones and it is an ongoing journey. We will continue to work with partners in this effort.
Sir, let me turn to the theme of digital inclusion. Members have made many good points on how digitalisation has brought benefits and opportunities to Singaporeans. Indeed, as a little red dot with scarce natural resources, we cannot afford to unplug from the global digital economy, especially when others are actively pursuing strategies to be more digital, including leveraging emerging technologies like AI.
Therefore, our aim has always been to make digital work for all so that every Singaporean can benefit. I am glad that all Members share this belief.
Mr Yip Hon Weng, Ms Jessica Tan, Mr Ong Hua Han and Ms Usha Chandradas spoke about some of the challenges that Singaporeans face when going digital. I can relate to these points. I meet many Singaporeans in similar circumstances in my walkabouts, Meet-the-People Sessions as well as many focus groups.
Making digital work for all is not just about going digital, but also recognising that some Singaporeans still prefer non-digital options for certain transactions. Our approach is therefore not digital only for all. An example is CDC Vouchers, which Ms Jessica Tan mentioned earlier. Within a week of the launch, 80% of the 1.27 million Singaporean households have claimed their vouchers. I believe most Singaporeans claimed their CDC Vouchers digitally.
However, those who prefer to use physical vouchers can visit Community Centres to print hard copy vouchers. To better support residents, student volunteers, Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors and our Digital Ambassadors are on hand to help.
Singaporeans who need in-person support for Government services can visit one of our seven ServiceSG Centres. The Centres can help with close to 600 Government services and schemes. Last year, close to 400,000 transactions for services such as Singpass applications, CPF and IRAS services were completed at ServiceSG Centres.
Making digital work for all also means supporting all Singaporeans, regardless of their circumstances, to benefit from digitalisation. It is often said that the measure of a society is how it looks after its most vulnerable. We are taking steps to support those who need more help to benefit from going digital.
In this regard, we are building on a solid foundation. Last year, IMDA released the inaugural Singapore Digital Society report as a stocktake of our efforts. We have made good progress over the years. We are one of the most digitally connected countries in the world. Our digital inclusion efforts are well regarded internationally. Singapore has ranked first on the Inclusive Internet Index from 2018, to the latest report released in 2022.
These datapoints show that we are on the right track. But we are not resting on our laurels. I thank Members for their valuable suggestions on how we can better support lower-income households, small businesses, seniors and persons with disabilities with digitalisation.
Let me touch on some of our efforts.
Mr Sharael Taha stressed the importance of supporting lower-income households with digital connectivity. IMDA introduced the DigitalAccess@Home scheme in April last year to support lower-income households with subsidised broadband and digital devices through a simplified and streamlined application process. Since then, we have supported about 6,800 households.
In particular, together with preceding schemes like NEU PC Plus, we have supported a total of 26,000 households with school-going children with access to digital devices over the last three years. [Please refer to \"Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information\", Official Report, 10 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 119, Correction By Written Statement section.]
Currently, 98% of resident households with school-going children have computer access. We will continue to support the remaining 2% through schemes like DigitalAccess@Home. This complements efforts by MOE and schools to support students' home-based learning by providing school-prescribed personal learning devices to secondary school students under the National Digital Literacy Programme. In addition, schools loan computers and internet-enabling devices to students who require them for school work.
We will continue to work with schools and our community partners to reach out to all families with school-going children.
We also introduced the Mobile Access for Seniors scheme in June 2020 to provide lower-income seniors with subsidised smartphones and mobile data plans along with training. Since 2020, over 11,000 lower-income seniors have benefited.
Importantly, industry and community partners play a big part to support digital access for lower-income households. For example, SG Bono, a non-profit organisation refurbishes donated laptops for use by lower-income families, especially those with school-going children. I am particularly glad to know that SG Bono extended this support to madrasah students from lower-income households since 2021.
Mr Vikram Nair spoke about hawkers. It is another group of microbusinesses or Singaporeans that we are supporting through the Hawkers Go Digital programme. As of November last year, more than 11,000 stallholders, which is around 60% of all hawkers, have adopted e-payments via the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) platform. Under this programme, SGQR has facilitated an average of 5.1 million transactions worth $42 million per month between June and November last year.
In addition to SGQR and e-payments, this digitalisation support to hawkers and heartland merchants give them the confidence to come onboard other digital initiatives such as the CDC Vouchers.
I am very encouraged to see many stories of how these heartland merchants and small businesses have further built on this foundation and gone further to transform their business models and capture the opportunities of e-commerce.
Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Ong Hua Han and others spoke about the Seniors Go Digital programme and asked about the progress.
The Seniors Go Digital programme was set up to equip seniors with basic digital skills so that they too can be part of a digital society and enjoy the benefits of going digital. At the time of the programme's inception in 2020, the need was particularly pressing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have conducted training for over 280,000 seniors.
Uptick in seniors' adoption of digital skills has improved over time. For example, in 2022, 86% of seniors knew how to find information online, a 29% increase from just three years ago in 2019. I am always inspired by our seniors who gamely picked up digital skills even though it can be challenging at the outset. This is a testament to their spirit of lifelong learning and the dedication of SDO's Digital Ambassadors, our Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors as well as family and friends who patiently guide seniors on their digitalisation journey.
Singaporeans who want to learn digital skills can visit one of the 37 SG Digital Community Hubs islandwide and they can visit one of the more than 200 roving counters in our workplaces, healthcare institutions and community spaces.
Another aspect is designing services inclusively, with the needs of specific groups in mind. Ms Nadia Samdin and Mr Ong Hua Han spoke about supporting persons with disabilities. In particular, I would like to thank Mr Ong for his feedback on behalf of the deaf and the visually impaired communities, and for his thoughtful suggestions.
We are making progress towards our goal of making all high traffic Government websites fully accessible to persons with disabilities by 2030. We have increased the percentage of high traffic Government websites which are fully accessible from 61% in 2022 to 73% last year.
Mr Ong Hua Han mentioned that we have introduced sign language interpretation for key national events and critical public announcements to improve access to information of national importance. Today, 61% of free-to-air TV programmes carry subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. We are working with Mediacorp to achieve our target of 70% coverage of free-to-air TV broadcasts accessible through sign language interpretation, captioning or subtitling by 2030.
Ms Nadia Samdin raised the importance of supporting persons with disabilities with assistive technology and learning digital skills. Persons with disabilities who need assistive technology, such as a specialised keyboard and mouse, can tap on the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)'s Assistive Technology Fund, which provides individuals with a means-tested subsidy of up to 90% of the cost of assistive technology devices, subject to a lifetime cap of $40,000. The fund can be used to acquire, replace, upgrade or repair those devices.
They can also receive assessment and training in the use of these devices at Tech Able, which is an assistive technology centre jointly managed by SG Enable and the disability social service agency, SPD, at the Enabling Village. The Digital Enablement Programme, which Ms Nadia Samdin mentioned, is a Digital for Life (DfL)-funded programme which supports persons with disabilities with essential digital skills for a world of hybrid work. As of March 2023, the programme has supported 200 training places.
I agree with Mr Ong Hua Han that industry partners, especially those providing essential services, must play their part to enhance the accessibility of their services.
We are lowering the adoption barriers for industry partners through providing resources and tools. SG Enable provides e-accessibility training and consultancy services for companies to learn how e-accessibility features can be incorporated into their digital services. The GovTech Accessibility Enabling Team (ALLY) has developed Purple ALLY, a free and open-sourced testing tool for digital teams to check how they can make their digital products or services more accessible.
Mr Ong also asked if we can ensure that future digital infrastructure designers and programmers are exposed to digital accessibility. We will continue to work with our Institutes of Higher Learning on this. For example, students in the Diploma in Design at Ngee Ann Polytechnic design electronic devices to support users with disabilities as part of their curriculum. We will continue to work with Institutes of Higher Learning to incorporate some of these considerations into their curriculum.
I encourage industry partners to make use of these resources and do more to make their services accessible to all Singaporeans.
At the same time, I commend the spirit of Mr Ong's remarks and suggestions. All of us, as a society, can do more to make our digital services and products more inclusive. As a first step, it is oftentimes understanding where each other is coming from and how we can take pragmatic steps to achieve that. In that regard, I would certainly love to invite Mr Ong to address and speak to many of our community partners on this aspect. We will reach out after this Sitting.
This brings me to my next point. The Government cannot do this on our own. I am glad many Members – Ms Hany Soh, Mr Ong Hua Han, Ms Usha Chandradas and others – emphasised that this is a whole-of-nation effort. The Government, corporates, communities and individuals must come together to support different groups who need help on their journeys.
The Digital for Life movement launched in 2021 is an important part of this collective effort. And it is making encouraging progress, bringing together three key partners – the public sector, private sector and people sector – for this common cause.
Over 140 DfL partners have reached out to more than 270,000 beneficiaries. Partners have also come forward to generously contribute some $14 million to the DfL Fund, which supports digital inclusion efforts, including ground-up projects from the community.
I am heartened that there are many who are willing to step forward to support their fellow Singaporeans. I encourage more partners to step forward and work together with us.
For example, Ms Usha shared examples of how we can better involve members of the arts community in our digital inclusion effort. We will certainly reach out to them.
Sir, we have made good progress to enhance access to digital connectivity and services. But access alone is not enough. After all, what good is connectivity and a digital device if we do not have the skills to use them for our benefit? Ms Mariam Jaafar spoke about AI literacy and Mr Sharael Taha spoke about how we must give all Singaporeans, especially students from lower-income families, opportunities. I agree with them.
MOE launched the Transforming Education through Technology plan in September last year to further strengthen students' development of digital literacy and technological skills, starting with AI literacy. Yesterday, MOE has also responded to questions from Members on opportunities for our students to learn about AI.
Together with MOE, we introduced the Code For Fun (CFF) programme to expose students to coding and computational thinking. Since 2020, it has been mandatory for all upper primary school students to go through CFF or a comparable coding programme.
As technology continues to evolve, IMDA and MOE will review the CFF enrichment programme to ensure that it is relevant and up to date. We are working towards introducing new content on AI and data literacy in the refreshed curriculum for 2025.
Outside schools, there are many opportunities for students, young people and members of the public to explore new technology. For instance, community partners like SGBono and VIVITA have been collaborating with the Bedok Social Service Office to bring tech experiences closer to children from less privileged backgrounds who typically would not have such opportunities. Earlier, Members raised many good initiatives in the community.
For the general public, we have programmes like ExperienceIT and MakeIT at our libraries. These showcase emerging technologies and innovations, such as AI, machine learning and 3D printing, through informative displays and hands-on activities. So, please check out these exhibits and showcases at your nearest library.
At the same time, we recognise that some of us may not be ready to take on the more advanced digital skills. We may want to focus first on building the fundamentals to go online safely and use digital services and tools confidently in our daily lives.
To support this, IMDA will launch Digital Skills for Life (DSL) today. In the handout distributed, Members will find a factsheet with more details on DSL. Unlike existing frameworks to equip Singaporeans with digital skills for the workplace or specific sectors, DSL outlines the digital skills to enable Singaporeans to carry out day-to-day tasks online. We have referenced overseas examples and got inputs from experts. But more importantly, we heard from Singaporeans themselves. We learned from our insights from reaching out to more than 280,000 seniors through the Seniors Go Digital programme over the last three years and I would like to especially thank the 16,000 learners who were part of the pilot last year for their valuable feedback.
The DSL framework covers five competencies. Firstly, setting up and using smart devices, how to operate the basic functions on our devices. Secondly, exploring information online. Through the Internet, we can access limitless information and new opportunities. But we need to know how to search, view and retrieve this information safely for our use. Thirdly, communicating online with others. Fourthly, transacting online for greater convenience – accessing banking and Government services, booking healthcare appointments, just to name a few examples. And importantly, fifth, being safe, smart and kind online – understanding how to keep ourselves safe from scams and false information and how to build a positive presence online.
These are all practical skills that can make a real difference to Singaporeans' day-to-day lives. Let me share one example. A few years ago, I met an elderly lady at the SG Digital Community Hub at Heartbeat@Bedok. She was asking our Digital Ambassador many questions on how to use her smartphone and I saw her taking copious notes down on a small, little notepad. She was probably around her late fifties and early sixties, speaking in Mandarin. When I asked what she was learning, her answer both surprised and inspired me. She said that she was a victim of an online scam and she lost some money. She was there to learn how to make sure that this would not happen to her again. So, instead of being fearful and withdrawing, she wanted to confront the issue head on by learning how to safeguard herself.
There are many seniors like that. The Digital Ambassador at the Hub patiently walked her through practical cybersecurity tips that would be useful for all of us. For example, how to create a stronger password instead of just using the default password \"Password\" which scammers could easily guess. I was most heartened by her resilient spirit and willingness to learn, and we want to support Singaporeans like her with the right tools, resources and competencies to pick up the skills they need.
To do so, we are collaborating with partners under the DfL movement to develop resources in line with the DSL framework. Interested learners can access in-person learning at the SG Digital Community Hubs where Digital Ambassadors and Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors will walk alongside less-digitally savvy Singaporeans on their journeys. Learners can also learn at your own pace and access videos and guidebooks on the Digital for Life Portal. Those who are keen to help their family and friends pick up skills can use these resources to teach them. The digital resources in English will be rolled out progressively from this month, and resources in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil will be available by the first half of this year.
Sir, let me say a few words in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Digital Skills for Life (DSL) is a bottom-up movement, and we hope to see more partners and organisations join in, pooling our efforts to achieve success together.
We will make the relevant content and other teaching materials available online for partners to use for free. This is a small contribution to the global digitalisation process.
Our partners can refer to these resources when conducting digital skills training. They can also use innovative ways to help learning and further promote the DSL movement. For example, turning materials into games to make children's learning more interesting and vivid, or creating audio and video content in dialects to introduce the five basic skills to the elderly.
I hope that everyone will make good use of these resources to benefit more Singaporeans.
The DSL framework is a starting point to help Singaporeans embark on their digital journey. Just as we start learning to write by mastering each stroke, acquiring digital skills must also start from the very basic level. With a solid foundation, as digital technology advances, we will be more confident in learning new skills and keeping up with the times.
We will regularly review this framework to ensure that the content it covers meets our current needs.
(In English): Let me conclude. Over the years we have made great strides to build our vision of an inclusive and safe digital society. We have a strong \"hardware\" foundation in terms of access to devices and broadband connectivity. We are strengthening our \"software\" layer by building up Singaporeans' skills and competencies to navigate the online space safely and confidently to fully benefit from exciting digital opportunities.
However, as many Members have spoken passionately about, we must aspire to go beyond the \"hardware\" and \"software\", and nurture our \"heartware\" on how we treat one another and to foster a kinder online space for all where we make an effort to listen with the aim to understand, instead of shouting to press across our point; where we make an effort to respect another person's viewpoints and find common ground even if we disagree on certain issues; where we make an effort to offer a kind word, instead of joining in to spread negativity.
In our physical world, we are comfortable to let our loved ones walk freely down the street, trusting that they will have pleasant interactions with people and not have to look over their shoulders for threats. We trust that there are norms which govern how we conduct ourselves and interact with one another. We must aspire to bring this to the online space as well where our seniors will be able to go online safely without anxiety; where our children can go online confidently without having the fear of cyberbullying or encountering harmful online content.
But it is all up to us to keep our digital streets safe. Each one of us can play our part to build a safer, more inclusive and kinder digital society. With that, Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Minister Josephine Teo.
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion in the name of Ms Tin Pei Ling and thank her, together with Mr Sharael Taha, Ms Hany Soh, Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Alex Yam, for drawing attention to this important topic.
When the Smart Nation Initiative was launched in 2014, we envisioned Singapore as \"a nation where people live meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all.\"
A decade on, this vision has certainly come alive. Technology has become a big part of our daily lives and 84% of Singaporeans say they have benefited in one way or another. Of every $100 value-added in our economy, at least $17 can now be attributed to digital-related activities. It amounted to $106 billion in 2022, more than financial services and insurance, and comparable with wholesale trade.
There are, today, more than 200,000 tech jobs in Singapore, earning median wages that are higher than that of the resident workforce. Although they represent just over 5% of all jobs, there are thousands more across all other sectors that have been enhanced by digital technologies.
Our aim must be for all Singaporeans to gain from these developments. Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How has spoken about digital inclusion and the Government's efforts to ensure that benefits are felt by all segments of society.
At the same time, our digital way of life has exposed us to new risks. Cyberattacks, scams and harmful content pose a growing threat to our safety and security. As many Members have noted, trust in society, so crucial for normal human interactions, could be undermined.
I will focus my speech on two topics specifically. The first is what we have we done so far to protect Singaporeans in the digital domain; and the second, what more we need to keep people safe.
Sir, in most domains, Singapore could learn from the examples of many other countries when designing our own governance approach. Unfortunately, in the digital domain, there are few ready playbooks with proven solutions. In fact, Singapore is considered an early mover in digital governance and has been recognised as such.
Mr Mark Lee spoke about the need for our businesses to protect and handle customer information ethically. We moved to address this issue more than a decade ago. In 2012, we introduced the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), before the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. By 2020, we had amended the Act to strengthen organisational accountability and consumer protection, while bolstering confidence for using personal data for innovation. In 2018, we enacted the Cybersecurity Act to address the threats in cyberspace, particularly those faced by our critical information infrastructure (CII).
Beyond protecting our CII, we have also introduced initiatives to help businesses enhance their cybersecurity posture. Mr Lee recommended developing sector-specific resources. We agree. In the next phase of the SG Cyber Safe Programme for enterprises, CSA will introduce sector-specific cybersecurity initiatives, starting with healthcare and manufacturing.
Also, I had previously announced that we expect to update the Cybersecurity Act so that it remains fit-for-purpose. Public consultations on the proposed amendments are ongoing.
In 2019, recognising the harms of misinformation, we introduced the Prevention of Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA). As a small, multiracial, and multi-religious country, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to falsehoods that deepen fault lines and polarise society. POFMA is a calibrated tool to safeguard the infrastructure of fact. Its usefulness was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, to defend against all kinds of falsehoods about vaccines and COVID-19 related deaths.
In 2021, to counter potential hostile information campaigns launched by other states against us, we introduced the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA). This helps to ensure that Singapore politics remains only for Singaporeans.
Dr Wan Rizal, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Nadia Samdin spoke about the risks of children being exposed to harmful content online. We have also introduced measures to tackle this. In July 2023, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) launched the Code of Practice for Online Safety. It requires social media services with significant reach or impact in Singapore to put in place measures to minimise users' exposure to harmful content on their platforms. These include additional measures to protect children below-18 years old.
Dr Rizal and Ms Nadia suggested that platforms implement age assurance measures. There is currently no foolproof measure to prevent false age declarations on social media platforms. But the technology has improved. Today, age assurance is achievable to a fairly high degree of accuracy without compromising privacy. MCI and IMDA are monitoring the developments and will study viable regulatory options to better protect children online through age assurance measures.
I am aware that Mr Darryl David will speak about addressing online dangers such as cyber stalking and body shaming, and providing support for victims. Currently, online harassment and doxxing are dealt with under the Protection from Harassment Act 2014. Victims can seek redress through the Protection from Harassment Court, which has served thousands since it was set up in 2021.
The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) is looking further into how victims can be better empowered to put a stop to such online harms, and to seek redress from those responsible. MinLaw's efforts will complement MCI's efforts to enhance the Government's regulatory tool kit, as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)'s efforts to address online criminal harms, which I will say more about later.
Sir, from what I have cited, Members will see that we have actively and progressively introduced new laws and regulations for digital governance. We have consciously avoided a big-bang approach, choosing instead an accretive approach to understand the issues deeply and to move quickly when we identify measures that are likely to be effective.
Where solutions are untested, we have not held back completely. Instead, we have introduced model frameworks or advisory guidelines for voluntary adoption.
We have also developed practical tools to help organisations meet their regulatory obligations, or raised governance standards. This will remain Singapore's approach to digital governance for the foreseeable future. It was, in fact, how we dealt with AI governance. I thank Dr Rizal, Mr Jamus Lim and Ms Mariam for emphasising the importance of responsible AI use and development.
Members may recall that even before we launched our first National AI Strategy or NAIS in 2019, we had introduced a Model AI Governance Framework or MGF – the first of its kind in the region. In 2021, Singapore became one of the first in the world to develop a testing framework and software toolkit for safe and responsible AI, which we call AI Verify.
More recently, we committed to develop Advisory Guidelines on the use of personal data in AI systems, including safeguards to protect personal data of vulnerable groups like children.
Global conversations on AI governance are important. Singapore will continue to participate actively at international fora, such as the Global Partnership on AI and the United Nations' High Level Advisory Board on AI.
As mentioned by Ms Tan and Ms Mariam, we have refreshed our AI strategies through NAIS 2.0. We will soon update our recommendations on dealing with AI risks. For example, we are very concerned about the mis-use of generative AI to spread misinformation and carry out targeted scams.
Mitigating biasness and enhancing the explainability of AI models are also crucial to developing and deploying them responsibly. We aim to release MGF 2.0 for public consultation later this month.
Of all the risks in the digital domain, one category is particularly concerning – and they are scams. This was an issue raised by almost all MPs.
Recent concerns about scams may sound new, but are in fact very similar to past cases of fraud. Older Singaporeans may remember the sale of fake insurance policies in the 1970s. In 2006, Sunshine Empire, which disguised itself as a multi-level marketing company, operated a Ponzi Scheme that promised high returns on fake products and services. In the early 2010s, the SureWin4U Ponzi Scheme lured victims to invest in betting schemes against casinos.
These days, scammers use technology to sell fake jobs, fake love and fake discounted items like eggs or holiday packages. Through variety, speed and scale, they have claimed more victims than before. Whenever I speak with a scam victim and hear their harrowing experience, I am reminded of a very similar panic I experienced as a child.
Back in the 1970s, I lived with my grandmother in an old shophouse in Joo Chiat. On several occasions, we were awakened in the middle of the night to nearby shouts of \"Fire! Fire!\". We had very little clue as to how far and fast the fire might reach us, only that we must be ready to run for our lives. This kind of fear and helplessness, you never forget.
Today, fire hazards have largely been brought under control and most fire incidents have moderate impact. This is because we have well-trained and well-equipped firefighters to contain fires that do break out. There are regulations, including the Fire Safety Code, to prevent potential fire incidents. We also have the support of organisations and citizens alike, who do their part to create and maintain an environment safe from fires.
In many ways, we are fighting scams like how we successfully fought fires. We have invested resources to strengthen our capabilities to contain the impact of emerging scam campaigns. Two years ago, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) established the Anti-Scam Command (ASCom). This helps to facilitate the swift tracing of funds and freezing of scam-tainted bank accounts. In the first half of 2023, the ASCom froze over 9,000 bank accounts and recovered about $50.8 million of the victims' losses.
We have also put in place tools to limit losses for victims, much like the use of retardants to slow the spread of fires.
Banks have implemented an emergency \"kill-switch\", so customers can quickly suspend their accounts if they suspect compromise. In November last year, several banks implemented a \"Money Lock\" feature, allowing customers to set aside an amount in their bank accounts that cannot be transferred digitally.
Another recent example is the lower default daily limit for online CPF withdrawals, which cannot be increased without strong user authentication. Members can also disable online CPF withdrawals easily by activating the CPF Withdrawal Lock, which instantly reduces this limit to $0.
Sir, these containment efforts are helpful but we really prefer to prevent the scams from happening in the first place. Preventive safeguards are easier said than done, as they require close coordination with industry. Several sets of measures have been or are being implemented.
First, we will keep closing off known avenues for scammers to reach prospective victims. Members will recall that not too long ago, scammers were spoofing the SMS IDs of key organisations to trick victims into giving their banking credentials. To counter this, IMDA introduced a novel solution. From January last year, all organisations that want to send SMSes using alphanumeric sender IDs had to register with the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry (SSIR). SMSes from unregistered senders are labelled \"Likely-SCAM\" to alert phone users.
The SSIR has been effective. Cases of scam SMSes fell by 70% in the first three months that it was mandated and remain a minority – less than 5% – among new cases reported. Additionally, telcos have implemented firewalls within their networks to proactively block suspicious calls and calls that attempt to spoof local numbers. These efforts have also been helpful. The volume of suspicious international calls blocked in 2023 has nearly doubled compared to a year ago. To further protect the public, telcos have now introduced an option for subscribers to block their mobile phones from receiving international calls, which is a common source of scam calls.
Sir, whilst we can introduce blocking measures, we must expect the scammers to keep starting fires in new ways. As mentioned by Mr Ong, scammers are increasingly abusing online platforms to deceive their potential victims. To deal with this more effectively, we introduced the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA), which will be progressively implemented from this year. Many Members supported the Bill and I thank them again.
This Act will allow authorities to order the swift blocking of online accounts or content suspected to be used for crimes, including scams. For the protection of consumer on high-risk platforms, we will also impose ex-ante requirements such as stricter requirements for identity verification.
The second set of preventive safeguards aim to disrupt fraudulent transactions, even after a victim has been tricked. This includes preventing Singpass accounts from being taken over. It is why last year, we introduced more friction into the authentication process for Singpass.
When conducting high-risk transactions, users are required to perform facial verification. To protect against impersonation attempts, which Ms Hazel Poa asked about, facial verification includes liveness checks, which guards against attacks such as using a still photo.
Facial verification was also introduced as an additional safeguard for high-risk CPF e-services. Since then, there have been no further losses to scams due to unauthorised CPF withdrawals.
Also last year, we observed the emergence of scammers exploiting malware to bypass existing safeguards and make unauthorised fraudulent transactions on victims' accounts. Having identified this new scam variant, we worked with the banks to enhance their fraud and malware detection capabilities. Compromised devices were prevented from transacting with the banks. We cannot quantify it but millions more dollars could otherwise have been lost.
Ultimately, our devices themselves must be better able to defend against malware attacks launched by scammers – Ms Tin spoke about this. We are therefore working with key industry players to enhance the security of mobile devices sold in Singapore. For instance, we are working with Google to design new features that can better detect and deter users from downloading malicious files onto Android devices.
The third set of measures involve harsher consequences to deter money mules from misusing our key digital services, such as Singpass, to perpetrate scams. We have recently tightened our legislation to criminalise individuals who intentionally disclose their Singpass credentials in aid of scams. We are also reviewing how to extend these principles to those who sell SIM cards to scammers.
Sir, fighting scams is a team effort and the Government cannot do it alone. Ms Tan spoke about the need for platform players, telcos and device manufacturers to do more to improve online safety for their users. We agree. As mentioned by Mr Ong and Mr Tan, we need companies to ensure that their customers can enjoy a safe and secure environment as they interact online.
Last August, OCBC was among the first banks in Singapore to disallow account access, if the bank app detected the presence of potentially risky mobile apps on the customers' devices. Some customers felt inconvenienced, but in fact, they may have been among those that were saved from at least $2 million in losses in the first month of roll-out. The MAS has since worked with other major banks to implement similar safeguards.
Several MPs also spoke about the need for larger companies to take more responsibility to mitigate scams by unauthorised transactions. This year, the upcoming Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF) will further enhance the accountability of the banks and telcos in protecting their customers from the threat of phishing scams. During the public consultation on the SRF, many suggestions were received, which are similar to those raised today. They relate to the expansion of coverage to more scam types and more entities, besides banks and telcos.
The SRF covers phishing scams because such scams were the main contributor to fraudulent transactions taking place without the consumer's knowledge and consent when SRF was first conceived. Compared to the payout frameworks in other jurisdictions, which only impose obligations on banks, the SRF already holds a wider scope of entities accountable by including telcos.
Duties are also specified to clearly hold banks and telcos accountable to the victims. Even if there is no breach of duty and, hence, no payout under SRF, there are other avenues of recourse for victims. These include banks' goodwill frameworks, which can provide some comfort to victims of new scam tactics. As was shared in Parliament last year, MAS has leaned on the banks to be more accommodative in applying their goodwill frameworks.
These complementary measures notwithstanding, the Government will consider how to enhance the accountability of key entities and strengthen protection for individuals within SRF or through other means that are available to us.
We hear the specific calls to include social media platforms and closed-messaging services, in particular, for scam variants involving malware and phishing that result in unauthorised transactions. I appreciate Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Hazel Poa's acknowledgment that there are trade-offs and moral hazards to consider and that the Government cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach.
With regard to physical tokens, these are available upon customer request. I should caution, however, that existing physical tokens may be resistant to malware, but they are still vulnerable to phishing tactics. Agencies are, therefore, studying longer-term solutions, such as the Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) passkeys that were mentioned by Ms Tin.
Sir, I thank Members who have recognised the many steps we are taking and also the challenges our agencies face, such as those identified by Mr Vikram Nair. To Mr Yip Hon Weng's suggestion to learn from best practices abroad, we have been proactive. Our efforts include exchanging information on the latest scam variants and strategies to combat scams.
However, all of these efforts notwithstanding, this may still beg the question, \"Has Singapore been slack in fighting scams?\"
On the contrary, Singapore is widely regarded as a leader in thought and action when it comes to battling scams. When interacting with our international counterparts, I can only share with you how much they marvel at some of the initiatives that we have put in place, which they consider quite unthinkable in their own context and still quite cutting edge. And these include widespread call blocking, the SMS Sender ID Registry (SSIR) and the kill switches that the banks now use; and also CPF Board.
The fact that we have an Anti-Scam Command, which involves the co-location of banks and, soon, other entities that we are speaking with; the fact that we have ScamShield; and something that people in the trade are very interested about: the backend processes that none of us will get to talk about in this room – among the agencies and all the stakeholders to smoothen the process of following up on leads – that is something that they find very difficult to even bring about.
Many measures have also reduced the losses – stemmed the losses – to a very significant extent. So, then that begs the question, \"What about these rankings that you come across that named Singapore as one of these top places in terms of how much victims have lost?\"
Well, I can only say this. In many places, scam victims are not going to take the trouble to report the fact that they have been scammed, because they do not expect whichever authority they report to, to be able to do anything about it. And so, when these kinds of reports are a function of reporting, what this really tells us is that reporting levels in Singapore are very high. This is, of course, not to trivialise the amounts lost. But I think we have to recognise that fact.
In this regard, I think we also have to recognise that our members of the public have been quite remarkable in terms of their openness and willingness to pay attention to public education efforts on scams. I appreciate that it sometimes makes them quite anxious – because they keep hearing about it when they are at the bus stop, they see it when they are at the void deck and they see the digital display panels and then they go to a grassroots event and the Member of Parliament is also advising them to listen to the Police talk about anti-scam measures. So, I appreciate this. It gives a certain sense of anxiety.
But it is an essential part of our overall scam defence which we cannot avoid and which we aim to fortify through a variety of means. And so, the question is: what more can we do?
First, let us take a step back and acknowledge that all countries recognise that when it comes to dealing with scams, there is really no silver bullet. There is not a single measure that you can implement and be done with it. In the trade, they call this a wicked problem. In cyber as well as in scams, you solve one problem, the bad actors are driven somewhere else and you have to start again.
Therefore, an agile approach is critical and a very good example is how we had to very quickly pivot to dealing with the malware-enabled scams which had not been conceived of before and had not been seen before. It is very easy to say that, \"You should have anticipated it.\" Not so easy in reality.
The last thing, in this context, is not for us to politicise the debate or to vilify any group because you do not know when the next scam variant comes around who you need to work with to try and solve the problem. So, vilifying any group is not a good idea and we should very consciously try to avoid this. This is a problem that has emerged and we have observed in other countries. This is one lesson that we are taking away. Do not go around vilifying various groups and saying that you should have done this, you should have done that. We will need them at some point. It is better to preserve the relationship and find ways to work together.
So, in this context, I was listening carefully to Members' contributions and I appreciate all of them a great deal. I could not help but notice that, amongst the Members who spoke from the Workers' Party, there was this term that was repeated quite a few times. This is what Mr Vikram Nair also responded to. He said that he disagreed with this idea that there is a crisis of confidence.
I am not sure what the purpose of describing this problem this way is. We do have a situation that we are dealing with and we are taking it very seriously. But let me perhaps offer a viewpoint from the agencies and the officers who are looking at this problem and listening to this debate and share what it comes across like to them.
This is a bit like, you know, firefighters on the frontline. You are trying all ways and means to, firstly, figure out what is the terrain that you are working with and trying to push back the fire, not let it spread. And there, we have a group of bystanders who are, you know, instead of praying for them, encouraging them, we are saying to them: you should be doing this, you should be doing that – pontificating.
And then, when they do manage to put out some fires, with great effort and actually getting ready to fight the next fire because they know it is coming, the very same bystanders say, \"Thank goodness, I said that.\" You know, see, how wonderful!
I say to Members, have a care. This is a tough fight and I think our agencies and all the people involved they are not just public officers. By all means recognise the fact that there are also private sector players involved. It is hard work. And I think one of the Members said it is quite thankless. I believe it was Ms Hany Soh who said so and I appreciate her for acknowledging that. So, let us cheer them on. It is not so easy.
So, Sir, overall, I am still very glad that all parties support the Motion and have largely avoided grandstanding. I call on Members to please use your own networks and your social media influence not to spread this, you know, very easy labels, to tag onto something like this, but to spread awareness of the tools that can really help people. I think that is a far better use of your social media influence. Use it appropriately.
And my humble appeal to all Members who have contributed your ideas and suggestions, please give our agencies time to consider the feedback and to prioritise what is most needle-moving, because, actually, it will not be a matter of doing more, but doing more of the right things continuously. At any one time, we will be introducing new measures while designing some more. In fact, I would like to announce three today.
As apps are the most common way to transact online, we also need app developers to design for security. This is why Cyber Security Agency (CSA) is publishing a new recommended Safe App Standard (Standard) that app developers should adopt to ensure that high-risk monetary transactions performed on their apps are secure.
The Standard will set out best practices that reduce the risk of malicious actors exploiting weaknesses in the app design. For example, apps could be designed to require additional authentication of a user before authorising high-risk transactions, such as those providing access to our assets or savings.
The Standard will also recommend that developers build in malware detection capabilities on their apps, since this feature has proven to be effective in disrupting scammers' unauthorised transactions using compromised devices. CSA will incorporate more of such effective practices in the Standard as they emerge or as the technologies evolve.
CSA will also consider how best to help end-users easily identify apps that meet these Standards. As the Standard is new, we will assess its usefulness in due course and whether to keep it voluntary or make it mandatory.
Besides apps that people use, we must also better protect vulnerable segments. To strengthen safeguards against them being tricked into signing up and footing the bill for phone lines used for scams, IMDA has published the Advisory Guidelines for telcos to protect vulnerable consumers.
It calls for measures to help frontline staff identify vulnerable consumers during service sign-up and handle cases of suspected exploitation. The Guidelines also encourage telcos to waive charges for vulnerable consumers who have fallen victim to scams. Arising from earlier cases encountered, MHA is also exploring ways to better protect the public, particularly those who continue to believe the scammers, despite being warned by the Police and even their own family members.
As the landscape evolves, we will need to grow new capabilities to keep pace with scammers and online risks. Several Members mentioned the misuse of deepfakes to create compelling pitches, such as the recent ads featuring our leaders' likeness to promote crypto scams. We are most concerned about this.
As a first step, MCI and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) will officially launch the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety (CATOS). The Centre will be a platform to bring together our community of research partners, companies and practitioners in Singapore to build capabilities for a safer Internet.
Such capabilities may include tools and measures to: (a) detect harmful content, such as deepfakes and non-factual claims; (b) inject watermarks or trace the origin of digital content; and (c) empower vulnerable groups with resources to verify information they encounter online.
These research efforts will also help inform new legislation or regulations that we will need for issues, such as deepfakes, and which we are studying. As Ms Tan pointed out, even with extensive efforts by the Government and businesses, we must each do our part as individuals to remain vigilant online.
First, we should adopt measures that can mitigate the risks of scams, even if they may seem inconvenient or unnecessarily strict. This could mean downloading and enabling the ScamShield app or turning on multi-factor authentication for online services. We should avoid downloading apps from unfamiliar sources and avoid responding to suspicious videos promising guaranteed returns on investments or giveaways. When accessing websites, individuals should also exercise vigilance by always checking the URL in the address bar of their web browser.
We agree with Mr Ong that consumer banking and messaging service providers can do more to prompt users to adopt such habits. The Government will continue working with key industry players to further strengthen efforts to raise public awareness.
Second, we should educate ourselves on the latest scam trends and anti-scam measures such as those on ScamAlert.sg. We should use available tools to make more informed decisions when transacting online. These include the E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings (TSR), which provide information on how secure an e-commerce platform is against scams.
Even as we continue our efforts to stop scams and recover losses, we must not forget about the trauma experienced by victims. We understand the panic and anxiety that victims go through. That is why the SPF has trained volunteer Victim Care Officers to provide emotional and practical support to victims. The Anti-Scam Resource Guide on SPF's website also sets out additional avenues of community support.
Mr Sharael Taha suggested reviewing the process of freezing bank accounts for the entire duration of the investigation period. SPF only freezes bank accounts when there is reason to suspect that they are involved in criminal activities. The time taken for investigations can differ from case to case.
Victims with frozen bank accounts may be offered new ones by banks, which may come with restricted access to certain facilities, or be subject to enhanced monitoring measures. But these will still meet basic banking needs such as receiving salaries and Government support. Victims can also make an application to the Courts to withdraw money for reasonable living or other legitimate expenses. Mr Speaker, please allow me to conclude in Mandarin.
Mr Speaker: Minister, you have about two minutes. Would that be enough? If not, I would suggest that the Leader of the House moves —
Mrs Josephine Teo: I will make it.
Mr Speaker: Alright. Go ahead.
Mrs Josephine Teo: (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, firstly, I would like to reiterate my support for the Motion put forward by Ms Tin Pei Ling.
Singapore's digital journey has brought great benefits, such as new economic opportunities for our people and businesses. However, it has also introduced new risks, including digitally-enabled scams that many people are concerned about.
Therefore, the Government must enable our people to ride the wave of opportunities arising from our digital transformation, whilst doing everything possible to strengthen safety and trust in our digital domain.
To this end, the Government has prioritised efforts to deal with scams. Many measures have been implemented and proven to be effective. However, as the scammers evolve their tactics, we too must update our counter measures.
The Government will introduce three new measures to further strengthen our defences against scams. They are: enhancing the security of mobile applications; advisory guidelines for telcos to protect vulnerable consumers; and efforts to develop advanced technologies to combat scams.
There is no silver bullet in the fight against scams; neither can the Government do it alone. This is a long-term battle that requires everyone's cooperation.
But I believe that with persistent efforts and contributions from everyone, the battle can eventually be won. Thank you.
Mr Speaker: And you still have 30 seconds to spare. Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to respond to the Minister for Communications and Information's reference to what myself and my colleagues have mentioned about moving towards a crisis of confidence.
First of all, I would like to state categorically that in my speech, I did not do so to politicise the issue or to create panic. My desire was to actually reflect what I see as the current sentiment in significant sections of the public. I would like to offer five reasons, if I may, on how I come to this opinion.
First of all, according to the IMDA's Singapore Digital Society Report released in November, the statistics show that 99% of persons aged 60 and above are worried about becoming scam victims. Ninety-nine percent. That is almost 100% of the people in this age group who are worried about becoming scam victims.
Secondly, today, during the course of the debate, we have also heard of MPs talking about residents ignoring official communications because they cannot tell whether this is authentically from the Government or if it is a scam message. So, messages to enrol in Healthier SG are ignored.
Third, I think we all know the statistics of scam losses. As the Minister herself pointed out, the fact that there is so much public education now, may also lead to feelings of anxiety in the public, which I think are very real.
Fourth, I myself have received feedback from members of the public who expressed the desire to take their accounts offline. These could include retirees, with their CPF transactions and so on. I do not think they are isolated incidents.
Last of all, the fifth reason I would offer is that with the setting up of this new task force on Resilience and Security of Digital Infrastructure and Services, I believe that its purpose is to oversee matters of public confidence.
So, I would argue that there is a serious issue with public confidence and I think it is borne out by these factors that I have mentioned. And I also acknowledged the work done by the agencies – it is not that we are ignorant of such. Of course, we do appreciate it and realise that it is a big task and a 24/7 effort.
So, Mr Speaker, I would argue that I believe I am entitled to my opinion, just as the Minister is entitled her opinion.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Speaker, I appreciate Ms Lim for her clarifications. I do not think there is a question that we are each entitled to our opinions. This was not a question of opinion at all. It is simply to say that following the debate, whatever goes on to social media for the benefit of the people who are not able to take part in this discussion, I hope that messages being put out by MPs do not simply use very sensational, glaring headlines.
I would very much appreciate if we can keep our efforts focused on the actual things that will make a difference. That is all I am asking for. I appreciate that if there is alignment on this issue across the aisle. And I would also urge MPs – let us try to keep it that way. It is the only way we can win this war against the scammers.
Mr Speaker: Mr Darryl David.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Motion today, \"Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society\", is a very broad one. Indeed, we have heard views approaching this topic from many different angles.
In my capacity as Deputy Chairman of the GPCs for Culture, Community and Youth and Education, I would like to focus on the issue of online harms and the impact of online harms on two specific groups in our community – women and children. And also from an education perspective, what more can be done to help mitigate the impact of online harms through education.
Although there has yet to be a universally accepted definition of what constitute online harms, this can be broadly described as online behaviour that may directly or indirectly hurt a person physically or emotionally, harmful information that is posted online or information sent to a person via electronic means.
Increasingly, countries are realising the dangers of online harms and the adverse impacts they could have on vulnerable communities. The UK passed the Online Safety Bill in October 2023 to protect people, especially children, from online harms.
In Singapore, we have taken active steps to mitigate the danger of online harms by introducing the Codes of Practice for Online Safety and the Content Code for Social Media Services in 2022 and also passing the Online Criminal Harms Act, as was referenced earlier in the debate, in 2023.
While these codes of conducts and regulations were introduced and passed in good faith and they are laudable and much needed attempts to make online spaces safer, they are also broad strokes that probably do not adequately capture the complexities of online harms.
Mr Speaker, Sir, the online world is in many ways just as if not more diverse than the offline physical world. Online harms are notoriously nebulous and regulating them is difficult because, although they are undesirable and morally questionable, many of them are not, strictly speaking, illegal. For instance, how do we define and regulate trolling, cancel campaigns and the issue of body shaming online? Different people would understand and interpret them somewhat differently, depending on whether they are engaging those activities or are on the receiving end of such behaviours.
These online behaviours, although not illegal, can cause severe mental distress, emotional anguish and diminish the self-worth of victims, even causing victims to experience physical harm if left unchecked over prolonged period.
I believe there is an urgent need to tackle these non-illegal but distressful online harms since they are more likely to happen on a day-to-day basis on social media platforms, thereby impacting a wider community, and are harder to detect and act on than overt online dangers such as terrorism propaganda, child sexual abuse and other exploitation materials.
I would like to speak now on having a more nuanced topology on online danger and online harms.
Overt online danger such as terrorism propaganda, sexual exploitation and abuse, threats to racial and religious harmony and public health are entirely different from online harms such as cyberstalking, body shaming, unwanted sexual attention, trolling and cancel campaigns. So, bundling them together within the same topology of undesirable online content could sometimes risk obfuscating the nature and impact of these online harms, potentially reducing the efficacy of remedy or remedial actions that can be undertaken.
The World Economic Forum has recently developed a Topology of Online Harms that had provided a more nuanced breakdown of such harms, examining them from content production, distribution, consumption and whether such harms took place through interactions with others – contact-based – or were through behaviours facilitated by technology, which is more based on conduct.
I believe there is a need for us to adopt a similar approach to classify online harms in Singapore in a more nuanced manner, so that we can build a more robust regulatory framework on online harms, implement target-based upstream preventive education in schools and communities to inoculate as we educate Singaporeans, especially women and children, against online harms and provide victim-centric downstream remediation support by working with civil societies and other groups to offer accessible legal and non-legal assistance.
Mr Speaker, Sir, a recent study by RySense, Sunshine Alliance for Action and MCI highlighted that almost 50% of the sample have experienced some form of online harm – not surprisingly, with women less likely to feel safe online and feeling more likely to be targets of online harms. What is worrisome is the unwillingness of victims to seek remediation with the top three reasons being: (a) the belief that perpetrators will not be brought to justice due to anonymity of the Internet; (b) ineffectual reporting channels of social media platforms; and (c) victims not knowing what to do.
Separately, in a report titled \"10 Online Harm Myths\" published by SG Her Empowerment, women between the age of 25 and 34 are more likely to suffer from online harms and a good portion of youths believe that online harms are less serious than offline ones and would stop once you go offline. Worryingly, there are also youths who believe that women who upload images online should be accepting of negative comments; as in, it is acceptable to receive sexually explicit images even when unrequested. These beliefs are quite disturbing.
The results from the two studies are telling.
First, they suggest that the actual number of victims of online harms might be higher than we think because many victims are unwilling to come forward to disclose their experience because they feel that disclosure and reporting would not make much difference to their ordeals.
Second, the results also suggest that not only is there a general lack of awareness about such harms, but there is also a certain level of apathy among youths on the possible repercussions arising from these harms, ironically when they themselves are more likely to be the target of such behaviours.
Extending this line of argument further, the lack of awareness and being apathetic towards online harms might result in youths becoming unintentional perpetrators of such behaviours.
Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe there is a need for us to stem and stop such misbeliefs among victims and youths by adopting victim-centric education and remediation.
First, I would like to encourage MOE to create mandatory online learning modules for students to better understand the wrongful content nature of online harms, how their distribution and consumption will cause distress and hurt to victims and where to seek help if they are victims. Just as how some companies require their employees to complete annual mandatory e-learning exercises and quizzes on the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), for example, perhaps all students in Singapore above a certain age must complete the module and obtain a minimum score in the online harms quiz.
Second, I hope that we can take a more strident position on perpetrators of online harms, bearing in mind the long-term scarring impact that such harms might have on victims. When social media platforms take down identified offensive online content, can they consider banning or restricting the offending IP address from accessing their platforms or from creating new social media accounts?
Third, at present, I believe there is only one dedicated centre – SG Her Empowerment – where victims of online harms can seek assistance. Could the Government consider working with other civil society groups, especially community-based ones, to provide additional avenues for victims of online harms to seek for assistance?
To further encourage victims of online harms to seek for help and to increase their confidence that actions will be taken against perpetrators, would the Government then consider with working even with social media platforms to compile an annual report of the number of online harm cases reported, the number of successful actions taken, the type of actions taken against the perpetrators and the number of convictions made in a year?
I believe making these statistics and the identification even of convicted perpetrators available will give victims the assurance that their voices are being heard and actions will be taken to safeguard their online safety.
Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has been a forerunner in tackling potential harms of the Internet. We began to take a serious view on misinformation and disinformation in 2017 when we conducted a review on our existing laws to combat fake news. When the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act was passed in 2019, we were one of the first countries in the world to pass a law tackling online falsehoods. So, we are leaders in this field.
With generative AI and deepfakes opening up a new frontier on online harms, I believe that it is timely that we calibrate our approach towards online harms by taking a more serious view on them and thereby making a digital indeed, not just inclusive, but a safe space for our community. With that, I end my speech in firm support of the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Ms Tin Pei Ling. Hold on. Mr Leong, do you have a clarification? It should be a clarification and not a speech.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I just have one question for Minister Josephine Teo.
I am glad that many Members have pointed out that digital inclusivity is also about ensuring that digital systems are inclusive and user-friendly and not deployed just for profit-seeking by businesses. That indeed is PSP's core position as presented by my colleague, Ms Hazel Poa.
In view that, I would like to ask the Minister how she will respond in relation to what we have discussed and debated today about digital inclusivity, how she will respond to the many negative feedback from Singaporeans about SimplyGo. Incidents like SimplyGo will affect the trust in digital systems in the long run.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Speaker, I invite Mr Leong to file a Parliamentary Question on that. I think that will be more appropriate, so that a proper response can be given.
Mr Speaker: I agree. Ms Tin Pei Ling.
Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson): Sir, it has been my great privilege to debate in this House on taking a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust through a safe and inclusive digital society.
Our PAP MPs, Ms Jessica Tan, Mr Sharael Taha, Ms Hany Soh, Ms Nadia Samdin, Dr Wan Rizal, Mr Yip Hon Weng, Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Vikram Nair and Mr Darryl David have put forth a total of 13 calls to action, many more, if we double click into these calls of action, calling on our Government, industry players and individuals, like you and me, to play a more proactive role in ensuring a safe and inclusive online environment as Singapore continues to forge ahead into the digital future. I thank my Parliamentary colleagues for working on and making these calls.
Past Parliament Sittings have seen colleagues from both sides of the aisle raising questions and putting forth suggestions on different issues pertaining to both opportunities and risks that come with digitalisation. Hence, I am heartened that we have had a robust debate on this Motion in this House today and most of all, I am heartened by the echos of support for the Motion, from both sides of the aisle, that the GPC for Communications and Information has put forth.
And I sincerely appreciate the interest and support from the Workers' Party, namely, Ms Sylvia Lim, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and Mr Gerald Giam as well as the Progress Singapore Party, Ms Hazel Poa and, of course, our Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs), Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim, Mr Ong Hua Han, Ms Usha Chandradas, Mr Mark Lee and Ms Jean See, in this Moton debate as well.
I will not recap everyone's points and suggestions, but I have gained useful insights from all of you in this House.
Through the debate, it is clear that Singapore is not alone in facing the challenges that come along with digitalisation. Challenges, such as scams and online harms, have been a global issue. Advanced economies, like the US, UK and Europe are also still in the process of better understanding the issues and formulating responses and safeguards to better protect their own citizens, given the evolving nature of these risks and challenges.
That being the case, having heard from Minister Josephine Teo and Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How earlier, I believe we can feel more assured now, with the many initiatives and safeguards that the Government has already put in place to protect and enable our citizens in the digital economy and digital society.
These include pooling of resources and expertise, tools, codes and legislation to tackle scams, harmful online content, misinformation and data protection, as well as financial assistance and support schemes to enable digital access and empower the vulnerable.
Given the many initiatives implemented at different points of time, some publicised and some not, it is sometimes easy to misunderstand the Government as being too slow, too slacked, uncaring and only favouring business or money. But arising from this debate, I am glad to note the suite of Government initiatives in place to detect, deter and protect Singaporeans. The \"big picture\" is a lot clearer now.
So, instead of claiming that there is a \"crisis of confidence\" in Singapore towards digital, it is more appropriate to note that Singapore has been proactive in tackling the challenges, when some advanced countries actually found it unthinkable to do.
I am also especially appreciative that the Government has been open to our 13 calls to action and committed to taking actions on our calls made.
Ultimately, both sides of this House do not disagree that digitalisation has and will continue to bring benefits to our nation and our people.
But there are risks that we must manage and we will, because it is debilitating if we stop moving forward and living our lives, just because we are worried about all the possible consequences outside. I should add that we need to also recognise that there is always a balance to be struck. While we want rigour in how we manage risks and prevent harms to our people, we also want to ensure that we do not add disproportionate amount of friction to digital transactions or meaningful innovations. So, let us also be mindful that there will be trade-offs.
Still, it remains that we all need to do more. If everyone is willing to take on a larger share of the responsibility, we can protect more people and reduce the possible harms to the ordinary citizen.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Earlier on, I mentioned the opportunities and challenges brought forth by digital transformation. Online harm is also evolving rapidly, as the Chinese saying goes \"the higher the level, the greater the devil\". I hope that through the combined efforts of the Government, businesses and the people, we can defeat the devils even as they get more sophisticated. Thus, we will be able to build an inclusive and safe digital society with deep trust.
(In English): As I conclude, I would like to echo what my fellow Parliamentary colleagues have expounded in this debate. With stronger partnerships between the Government, industry players and our people, Singapore can be the beacon and lead the world in fostering trust in the digital future, through a safe and inclusive digital society. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Any clarifications for Ms Tin? No.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That this House reaffirms our commitment to adopt a whole-of-nation approach to sustain trust by building an inclusive and safe digital society.\" (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Leader of the House.
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The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\"
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Keith Chua (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity to raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment. May I first declare my interest as a board member in various social service agencies and charities and as a trustee for a charitable trust and a foundation that contributes to education, health and heritage.
There have been several positive developments in the recent months both in philanthropy and also in Government initiatives to support the more financially vulnerable in our society. These come at a crucial time of need for several in our midst.
The most recent distribution of Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers for 2024 will certainly be welcome for many to help offset higher living expenses. I would also applaud the Government's initiative to offer the option to households to donate CDC vouchers to charity. Here, we have a generous Government providing the option for those who are in a position to in turn generously share with charitable causes. Besides the gift of the money itself, I am sure that this will also raise awareness of needs and causes in our midst.
In recent years, we have also heard these words repeated by our national leaders: \"No one gets left behind\". I do hope that this will find its way to be a shared national aspiration alongside our Government's commitment. I would like to suggest that this may be best achieved with a whole-of-society approach – the public, the private and the people sectors.
What do our Parliament records show about the word \"generosity\" or \"generous\"? Well, as I prepared for this paper, I did a simple word search on our Parliament website. For the word \"generosity\", there were nine results and for the word \"generous\", there were 38 results. I then searched the word \"money\" and there were 1,790 results. And I looked at the next word, \"finance\" and it displayed 3,680 results.
Mr Speaker, Sir, many of us witnessed an outpouring of generosity during COVID-19. Our fellow citizens and residents came out in so many different ways to help one another. We did not need a committee or extensive discussions or we did not need to fill out multiple pages of applications. Many across all strata of our society stepped forward in small and not so small ways. Public, private and people sectors acted spontaneously, responding to needs from basic necessities to financial support and financial support for both individuals as well as businesses and to caring for each other.
So, this does beg the question: can we be a continuously generous and caring society now that we have settled in the post-pandemic new norm? I do believe we can if we want to and work towards a shared vision of our future; and I would say, much along the aspirations shared by way of feedback through Forward Singapore.
Tertiary institution research carried out in recent years on philanthropy in Singapore show that generosity is a visible though often silent thread that flows through our heritage and history. At many stages in our modern history since 1819, the whole of society have stepped forward. Our earliest philanthropists were individuals and families from across the main racial groups. I hope that there will be opportunity to make the history of Singapore philanthropy and generosity more available and accessible.
Mr Speaker, Sir, through my involvement in a Centre for Philanthropy at the National University of Singapore from 2009 to 2019, I was introduced to the term \"grassroots philanthropy\". In the simplest definition, this describes the active engagement and mobilising of all of society in acts of giving and generosity. These would be through giving of time such as volunteerism and befriending, the giving of talent such as giving expertise and programme development and also the giving of treasures through direct donations.
Grassroots philanthropy continues to grow and thrive in Singapore. The good work of groups such as the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) and National Council of Social Service (NCSS) is encouraging the growth of all three areas of generous giving.
If I look back, the response that we see in appeals for help and contributions should continue to be an encouragement to all of us. I recall years back, how society responded in highly generous giving when we became aware of, for example, a foreign worker injured and needing financial help or individuals and their families needing particular financial support for specialised medical treatments. If you look over the years, you would find that our live charity shows, for example, bring together wide sections of our society in generous and spontaneous giving.
I propose we take on the task of nurturing grassroots philanthropy and building generosity to its fullest potential. To achieve this we will need to be intentional.
We can cover this at the earliest stages starting in our schools, progressing it through our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). We can encourage this through youth programmes and organisations. We can bring this deeper through existing initiatives such a NVPC's City of Good and Companies of Good. We can encourage families to give as a family across all generations. We will certainly benefit from engaging our seniors in acts and activities around generosity.
Religion plays a key role in shaping generosity by the very nature of the teaching of kindness, respect, love and compassion. The majority of Singaporeans belong to one of the major religious groups. Our mosques, temples, churches and other places of worship all contribute toward a culture of generosity in multiracial and multi-religious Singapore. The support of our religious leaders will definitely strengthen our collective efforts and collective responsibility.
These are just some example of ways that we can build on an existing generous society. The values we have been teaching and inculcating have already contributed toward a more caring and compassionate society – and I do hope we keep building on this.
May I highlight a couple of recent Straits Times reports. One on the $2.50 shop which is keeping food affordable for needy customers. Ms Hani and her family are a wonderful example of one of many forms of grassroots philanthropy. Another recent report featured 12-year-old, Ms Chng Rui Jue, who has raised over $1.2 million for charitable causes. Thank you, Ms Hani. Thank you, Ms Chng and the many, possibly countless fellow Singaporeans giving generously, quietly, every day.
Mr Speaker, Sir, we have also been a relatively generous nation. Let us remember that as a fledgling independent nation we benefited from the generosity of larger and more developed nations. We also benefited from the generosity of our local philanthropic community such as the early foundations established by successful families.
Education and training overseas was an important area where we were able to build up a key team for our public sector and essential services. Colombo Plan scholarships are one example of the generosity of others during our crucial early years. Some of our early scholars became political leaders. Our professionals have also benefited from acquiring knowledge, skills and expertise to improve many aspects of our society in areas such as medicine and healthcare.
Gradually, with the transfer of knowledge and our own economic growth, we began to build up our own capabilities. In recent decades we are now sharing this through ASEAN scholarships, and also inviting public sector leaders from the region to attend the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, just to cite a couple of examples.
The establishment of Temasek Foundation and Singapore International Foundation (SIF) are also tangible initiatives that help to benefit and serve communities outside of Singapore.
I believe our foreign missions can also increasingly serve as a conduit of generosity for us as a nation. While there are the natural and the normal priorities for our foreign missions such as economic and trade development, diplomacy and political engagement, we can also, through our foreign missions, continue to plant seeds of generosity in tangible and meaningful ways. I visited Myanmar in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis and had several meetings with our then Ambassador. He was personally engaged in helping local communities in development initiatives, among which, would be the provision of affordable, clean water solutions. Our Non-Resident Ambassadors can be bearers of generosity to countries where we find ourselves in a position to offer help.
As a nation, we also regularly respond to appeals, unfortunately accompanying natural disasters, and we respond with donations in kind and at times with medical and humanitarian aid. During COVID-19, we also helped countries around us to tackle the pandemic and our neighbours have acknowledged this, with appreciation. The more recent introduction of tax offsetting for approved foreign charitable donations is another step toward enhancing our place as a generous nation.
In its 2023 report, the Charities Aid Foundation that does an annual World Giving Index ranks Singapore as 22nd out of 140 countries. The ranking covers categories such as \"would you willing to help a stranger\", \"donating money\" and \"volunteering\". Were were 22 out of 140 countries. At the top of the list, Indonesia, has topped the global ranking under this report for six years. It may be of interest to note that the SIF's annual Young Social Entrepreneurs programme, attracts a high level of interest from Indonesian participants.
A nation with a spirit of generosity is a breath of fresh air to a troubled world. Allow me to summarise and conclude with some thoughts and suggestions for further consideration.
Firstly, develop Singapore as the Silicon Valley of philanthropy. A visionary Singapore philanthropist shared this idea recently. The more I reflect on it, the more strongly I feel we should take this suggestion seriously as we continue to develop Singapore as a philanthropy hub. Attracting both the financial resources and the service providers to work out local, regional and global solutions is such a powerful and impactful combination.
Secondly, review the current 2.5 times tax deduction for donations to Institutions of Public Character (IPCs). I had made an appeal for the 2.5 times tax incentive to IPCs to be made available for longer than three year cycles, to enable longer-term planning in both giving and in receiving. Providing, for example, a five year or longer, rolling cycle would enable both the donors and the beneficiaries to enhance planning of services with greater certainty.
Thirdly, as I touched on briefly earlier, promote giving as a family. We can action this as part of bringing generosity to the next level and to encourage active participation across all generations. My generation may be more comfortable with direct donations and this is still one of the more common methods. Amongst the younger generation, there may be more interest in volunteerism and direct engagement.
Fourthly, encourage and nurture Singaporeans to become ambassadors for good. Singapore Citizens are fortunate. We have one of the most accessible passports in the world. Yes, this enables us to pursue our business and economic interests, and there is great benefit for that. Yes, this also makes our leisure pursuits more convenient. But how about actively considering the social opportunity that this presents?
Fifthly, actively encourage and build collaboration. We are seeing this, over the years, growing very much so locally. But I would look at international giving. I would propose to encourage that we encourage stronger and intentional public, private and people sector collaboration. Temasek Foundation and SIF, our larger private foundations and philanthropic groups can increasingly take the lead to bring generosity beyond our borders as Team Singapore.
Six, consider to promote internationalisation. Just as our social entrepreneurs look to scale their programmes outside of Singapore, could we look at a suitable support programme for internationalisation for suitable social service agencies. I am thinking of an approach similar to the Enterprise Singapore support for local companies to internationalise.
Seven, maintain a healthy donor-beneficiary relationship. We need to maintain a healthy balance between donor and beneficiary organisation. Beneficiary organisations are expected to be responsible and accountable for public funds and donations. Donors may need to recognise and appreciate that the beneficiary organisations are expected to deliver high levels of service in their area of specialisation. They may also be more attuned to needs on the ground and therefore more knowledgeable, both in service delivery and needs. While fiduciary responsibility remains a collective responsibility, not every aspect of service delivery can be brought back to a simple cost denominator. For instance, the care of certain groups with special needs can require a high ratio, even one-to-one staffing such as adults with autism in a care facility.
Eight, maybe we need to rethink the phrase \"he who pays the piper calls the tune\". When it comes to identifying needs in the community and allocation of resources, we also need to keep the right balance so that the funding of initiatives does not result in solely being donor driven. We need to provide adequate space so that there is regular and adequate input from service providers and their beneficiaries.
Ninth, we have had an extensive discussion on this, harness technology. Technology has been playing an increasingly key role in the non-profit sector. During COVID-19, we saw how online giving benefited and replaced more traditional platforms. Let us continue to harness technology for all appropriate purposes and specifically for doing good.
Mr Speaker, Sir, whether we look back in more recent years or whether we examine generosity in our society over a longer time span, we can be encouraged by a country where we have been helping each other. The aspirations of our people are for a more caring, compassionate and generous society.
As we continue to unite and persevere in our shared aspirations, I believe that one day, hopefully in the not too distant future, Singapore will not just be recognised as an economic miracle but, also, as a generous society and a generous nation contributing toward a better world. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Minister of State Alvin Tan.
The Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Alvin Tan): Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Chua for his heartfelt speech for building a generous nation and society. His vision for Singapore echoes the aspirations many Singaporeans shared during our Forward Singapore engagement last year – to live in a society that is fair, inclusive and united, where we look out for others and support those in need.
All of us experienced that firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people from all walks of life volunteered, donated, cared, making a difference to our community, our society and our nation.
Mr Chua spoke about grassroots philanthropy and mobilising the whole of society in acts of giving and generosity beyond the pandemic. I share his vision. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) is striving to make this vision a reality by creating more avenues for everyone to contribute in their own unique ways.
One avenue to do this is through our SG Cares Volunteer Centres. We have set up SG Cares Volunteer Centres in 24 towns to connect residents, businesses, schools and other stakeholders with local volunteering opportunities. These Volunteer Centres work with Government agencies and community partners on the ground to identify and address pressing needs. For example, Volunteer Centres work with Active Ageing Centres to engage our seniors and help keep them physically active as well as socially connected.
Over the past five years, Volunteer Centres have recruited, trained and deployed over 100,000 volunteers to meet ground needs. So, please join one of the 24 Volunteer Centres around Singapore.
Mr Chua also spoke about encouraging people at different stages of life to give back to society. We are with him. We believe that giving as a habit can start as early as when our children are in preschool. Therefore, we have programmes in place to do just that.
Our Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA)'s \"Start Small Dream Big\" initiative and our Values in Action experiences in Ministry of Education (MOE) schools aim to inculcate empathy and a spirit of giving among our children and students. Our SG Cares office also works with the National University of Singapore to integrate service learning into their curriculum through a credit-bearing course that gets students to volunteer with seniors in our communities.
And as our students enter the workforce and they already get a taste of what it is like to volunteer as students, we hope they will continue to do so as they start working. To foster this spirit, MCCY partners professional associations from the legal, medical, accounting and engineering sectors to encourage professionals to volunteer their skills. For example, the Law Society's Pro Bono SG partners universities to inculcate a habit of volunteering among law students by encouraging the students complete 20 pro bono hours and channelling them to intern at its community law centre. Once they have graduated, Pro Bono SG continues to provide volunteer lawyers with avenues to volunteer and serve the community.
Beyond school and work, MCCY is also working with NVPC to rally businesses to give back to society. The enhanced Corporate Volunteer Scheme, which came into effect this year, 1 January 2024, allows businesses to claim a 250% tax deduction when their employees volunteer or are seconded to work at an IPC.
Businesses who are keen to do more can join NVPC's Company of Good programme, which helps businesses give back through corporate giving or by redesigning their business practices to benefit society. As advisor to the Company of Good Roundtable, I encourage businesses to join the Company of Good, because they do plenty of good.
Mr Chua also suggested that Singapore could become a Silicon Valley for philanthropy. Indeed, that is what we are doing. We are establishing Singapore as a regional philanthropy hub and making it easier for people and businesses to give. There is much more we can do and indeed plan to do, but let me share what we have been doing collectively.
The Wealth Management Institute and the Private Banking Industry Group launched the Impact Philanthropy Partnership (IPP) last year, with support from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). IPP helps work with high networth individuals and families to support philanthropic activities and causes, to foster partnerships and to drive impactful giving.
Temasek Trust, which Mr Chua mentioned, also launched the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) last year, gathering philanthropists, governments and businesses to develop novel solutions for social and environmental challenges in our region. This includes advancing education for girls in India and enabling healthcare access in the Philippines. PAA has now over 80 members and partners globally, with collective pledges of $1 billion.
We are also deploying finance, including philanthropic capital, to address the world's pressing challenges like climate change. At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, Singapore also announced new initiatives to catalyse a green transition here in Singapore and also beyond our shores. This includes the Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P), a blended finance initiative that aims to mobilise up to US$5 billion to de-risk and finance green and transition projects in the region by bringing together partners from the public, private and philanthropic sectors.
MAS also launched the Philanthropy Tax Incentive Scheme (PTIS) last year to encourage overseas giving among Single Family Offices in Singapore. PTIS approved qualifying donors can claim tax deductions on overseas donations that are channelled through qualifying local intermediaries.
We also regularly review our policies and programmes to support local giving. The Ministry of Finance recently extended the 250% tax deduction rate for qualifying donations made to IPCs and eligible institutions for three years until end 2026. This tax deduction rate is high compared to other jurisdictions and we will review what a more sustainable level of tax deduction should be for the longer term while balancing support for our local charity sector.
Apart from tax incentives, we also work with partners like The Majurity Trust (TMT) and Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) to drive impactful giving.
TMT works with philanthropists, companies and other stakeholders to foster collaboration within the philanthropic ecosystem. It supports ground-up groups and non-profit organisations to address community issues. I work closely with the team at TMT and attended their Majurity Night last month, where over 200 of Singapore's leading philanthropists, corporates and nonprofit charities gathered to channel their giving and expertise to the many worthy causes.
Meanwhile, CFS is working with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Community Chest to introduce a new programme that better connects donors to the needs on the ground.
Sir, these are all examples that point to the emergence of a growing and thriving philanthropic ecosystem that we are all collectively building in Singapore to make a difference here at home and beyond.
Mr Speaker, generosity is in our collective history and our collective heritage. As Mr Chua recalled, our early pioneer philanthropists built Singapore through their generous giving. Our early pioneer philanthropists worked with the community and local groups to build the Singapore that we see today.
Today, in modern, thriving Singapore, we have even more resources, more causes to impact and more ways to connect both to facilitate and to catalyse giving. Please join us. Heed Mr Chua's call to action to partner us to bring our shared vision to life. Join a local SG Cares Movement by signing up with your nearest Volunteer Centre today.
If you are a business, please join NVPC's Company of Good or check out the work that organisations like TMT are doing on the ground.
Sir, Mr Chua spoke about how we do not speak enough about generosity in Parliament. So, let us not only speak more about generosity in Parliament and in Singapore, but also act in generosity, because as Winston Churchill said famously, \"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.\" [Applause.]
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 8.25 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":"Proportion of Outsourced Healthcare Workers Being Awarded COVID-19 Resilience Medal","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"15 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health (a) how many and what proportion of outsourced workers serving during the COVID-19 pandemic including cleaners, porters, healthcare attendants and patient care assistants who were (i) deployed to healthcare institutions and (ii) deployed to patient care areas respectively have been awarded the COVID-19 Resilience Medal; and (b) what is the respective number and proportion of non-outsourced workers directly hired by the healthcare institutions that they served at who have been awarded the medal.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: My response today will also address the written question filed by Mr Yip Hon Weng, on the recognition of healthcare workers for the COVID-19 Resilience Medal (CRM) and the appeal channel.
About 91% of 68,6001 healthcare workers in our public healthcare institutions are recipients of the CRM. The remaining did not receive the CRM mainly because they were not assessed as having contributed substantially or on a sustained basis toward the COVID-19 Pandemic within the specified period of contribution. A very small number were disqualified due to their disciplinary records.
Outsourced workers such as cleaners, porters and patient care assistants are also included in the nomination process. About 2,000 of them in our public healthcare institutions are CRM recipients.
The list of CRM awardees was published in the Government Gazette on the Prime Minister’s Office website on 31 May 2023. From 31 May 2023 to end August 2023, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had received and reviewed numerous appeals for the COVID-19 Resilience Medal from the healthcare sector, and added more awardees to the list.
Despite the rigorous nomination process and inclusive approach, it is possible that some employers may have missed out nominating their staff. Individuals who feel they are deserving but have been missed out for the CRM can write to MOH, and we will review their appeals with their employers accordingly.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Staff strength of the three healthcare clusters as at 31 May 2022."],"footNoteQuestions":["15"],"questionNo":"15"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Assessment of Public Sector's Achievement of Green Targets Following Launch of GreenGov.SG Initiative","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"17 Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the Ministry's assessment of the public sector's achievements of the targets to go green following the launch of the GreenGov.SG initiative; (b) what yardsticks does the Ministry intend to use to assess the greening efforts of the private sector; and (c) what are some of the immediate areas that the private sector, in particular small and medium enterprises, can address in their efforts to go green.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Under the GreenGov.SG initiative, the public sector has committed to achieve net zero emissions around 2045, five years ahead of the national target of 2050. We have also committed to reduce our energy and water use by 10% and waste disposed of by 30% in 2030.
To achieve these targets, the public sector has introduced various measures to reduce its environmental footprint. For instance, new and existing public sector buildings that undergo major retrofitting are to achieve Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy standard. Since 2023, all cars newly procured and registered will also need to be clean energy vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions.
Since the announcement of the GreenGov.SG initiative in 2021, we have established baseline measurements for our emissions, energy and water consumption. These have been published in the inaugural GreenGov.SG report. We aim to start tracking and publishing our waste data beginning from the next report. We expect to see progress towards our targets, as public sector operations stabilise post-pandemic and various measures that are being implemented start to yield results. It is premature to assess the public sector’s current progress at this point.
As to the private sector, my Ministry has mandated companies with large energy or water consumption to report their resource use and submit improvement plans annually. In addition, large commercial and industrial premises must report their waste data and submit their waste reduction plans. The Singapore Exchange has also mandated climate reporting for listed companies on a \"comply or explain\" basis.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can do their part. They can start by tracking and reducing their electricity and water consumption. They can improve their energy efficiency by switching to more energy efficient cooling and lighting systems or invest in water recycling systems. In the GreenGov.SG report, we highlighted some actions that have been adopted by government agencies, which companies can reference. The Energy Efficiency Technology Centre, set up by the National Environment Agency and the Singapore Institute of Technology, offers affordable consultancy services to help SMEs identify energy efficiency improvement opportunities, while the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has published a Best Practice Guide for Water Efficiency to help companies identify opportunities to reduce water consumption. Interested companies can utilise grant support schemes such as the Energy Efficiency Fund and Water Efficiency Fund to implement these initiatives.
Sustainability is a whole-of-nation effort. The private sector, including small and medium enterprises, can contribute to building a greener Singapore. Such efforts will also help companies reap cost savings, and enhance their long-term competitiveness and resource resilience.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of E-cigarettes Ban on Potential Loss in Tax Revenue for Government","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"18 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the potential loss in tobacco tax revenue has been a factor in the decision by the Government to ban e-cigarettes; and (b) what are the practical limitations to introducing an equivalent nicotine tax on e-cigarette products, were they to be made legal.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Government’s decision to ban the use of e-cigarettes in 2018 was based on public health considerations, to protect our population from the harms of these products. The potential loss in tobacco tax revenue from the reduced consumption of tobacco products was not a factor in this decision.
If the Government were to legalise and tax e-cigarettes, the challenges would be similar to those we encounter for cigarettes and other tobacco products today. In any case, the Government has no plans to change our current approach, as our priority is to protect the health of our population and prevent e-cigarettes from causing harm to our people, especially to younger Singaporeans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension or Cessation of 4% Interest Rate Floor for CPF Special, MediSave and Retirement Accounts beyond 2024","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"20 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the 4% interest rate floor on the CPF Special, MediSave and Retirement Accounts will be extended beyond 31 December 2024; (b) what factors will be considered in determining the revised rate after that date; and (c) what are the circumstances under which the current interest rate floor may be reduced.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Government has extended the 4% interest rate floor on the Special, MediSave and Retirement Accounts (SMRA) monies to 31 December 2024 given the uncertain interest rate environment. With the pegged rate exceeding the 4% floor rate, Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will receive 4.08% per annum interest on their SMRA monies in the first quarter of 2024. The interest rate is reviewed quarterly.
We remain committed to help members grow their CPF savings. We will continue to review the CPF interest rates regularly, including whether to continue extending the 4% interest rate floor, taking into consideration factors such as the evolving global economic conditions and the interest rate environment.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Help Hawkers Cope with Increasing Costs of Supplies and Ingredients","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"21 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what support measures are in place for hawkers to cope with the escalating costs of supplies and ingredients; and (b) whether previous pilot programmes that consolidate hawker orders to leverage on bulk purchasing for ingredients have been effective in reducing costs for hawkers.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency (NEA) provides a conducive environment for hawkers to operate to enable them to price their food affordably and sustain their livelihoods at the same time. To do this, NEA moderates the rent of hawker stalls by not setting reserve rents in the tender of stalls and disallowing subletting. In addition, NEA has put in place support measures to help hawkers enhance their productivity. For example, the Productive Hawker Centres programme provides a subsidy for hawker centres to adopt centralised dishwashing and the Hawkers’ Productivity Grant provides co-funding for the purchase of kitchen automation equipment and digital solutions.
To moderate the costs of ingredients, some Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre operators have tapped on their network in the food and beverage and food supply sectors to offer bulk purchasing services. So far, the take-up for such services by stallholders has not been widespread as most of them already have established relationships with their existing suppliers or are particular on the source and quality of their ingredients. Nonetheless, NEA will continue to support such bulk purchasing options where possible.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"External Auditors for Verifying Charges Generated by Ride-hailing Platforms' Technological Systems","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"22 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Transport whether the Land Transport Authority will consider requiring licensed ride-hailing service operators under the Point-to-Point Passenger Transport Industry Act 2019 to appoint external auditors on a regular basis to check the data from technological systems that are used to derive prices for charging commuters and verify that the charges are correct and conform with regulatory standards.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): Point-to-point (P2P) transport operators must ensure that fares collected from passengers comply with the Public Transport Council’s Street Hail and Ride Hail Fare Pricing Policy Orders. The Land Transport Authority does not prescribe how P2P transport operators should comply with these regulatory standards. Operators who fail to do so will be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to penalties such as fines of up to $100,000.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Median Waiting Time for Hospital Admission and Proposal for More Day or Home Care Services for Elderly Sick","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"23 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health in relation to admission to public hospitals between November 2023 and December 2023 (a) whether there was an increase in median waiting time for hospital admission compared with the median waiting time for previous months in 2023; and (b) whether more day care and home care services may be made available to families caring for sick elderly or disabled relatives during festive periods to avoid non-emergency admissions.\n
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The median waiting time for beds increased by 2.4 hours from November 2023 to December 2023. This is due to the increased number of patients requiring hospitalisations during the recent COVID-19 wave.
Nevertheless, hospitals will activate inpatient teams to start investigations for all patients in the Emergency Departments and prioritise treatments for the urgent cases.
Day and home care services are available during festive periods. The capacity, however, is dependent on the number of centres we have established and are in operation. The Ministry of Health has expanded centre capacity by more than four-fold from 2,100 day places in 2011 to 9,200 day places in 2023. Loved ones of individuals with care needs may approach any Agency for Integrated Care Link for assistance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Change in Singapore Polytechnic's Course Management System in October 2023 and Resultant Impact on Students","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"24 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education (a) whether there was a technical outage caused by a system change in the Singapore Polytechnic course management system at the start of the semester on 16 October 2023; (b) if so, how many students were affected by this event; and (c) how did the Singapore Polytechnic administration address any loss of learning as a result.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Since the start of the semester on 16 October 2023, there has been no technical outage in Singapore Polytechnic to date.
All polytechnics, including Singapore Polytechnic, had switched their Continuing Education and Training course registration to a new system, the Skills Training and Enhancement Portal from the October 2023 Semester. Students and sponsoring companies were informed of the change in advance and most were onboarded smoothly. Any learners in need of further assistance with the new system can approach Singapore Polytechnic for support.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Consular Assistance to Singaporeans or Their Family Members who Suffer Serious Injuries Overseas","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"25 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what kind of assistance can the Ministry offer to (i) Singaporeans who suffer serious injuries overseas and (ii) Singaporeans who have family members who suffer fatalities overseas.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Assisting Singaporeans in distress is a priority for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). When we learn of Singaporeans who are seriously injured overseas, our immediate focus is to ascertain their status. We will quickly reach out to local authorities and medical institutions to check on the condition of the affected Singaporeans, and then ensure that they receive the necessary medical attention. We will assist to inform their next-of-kin in Singapore and render consular assistance to these family members. This may include linking them up with local doctors or providing information to facilitate medical repatriation if the families decide to bring their injured loved ones home for treatment.
For Singaporeans who have passed away overseas, MFA will advise their next-of-kin on the procedures in relation to funeral services, local cremation, and/or the repatriation of the bodies. We will help the families reach out to the relevant local authorities to obtain the necessary documentation to repatriate the body or the cremated remains.
Singaporeans who are travelling overseas are reminded to take precautions to ensure their personal safety. Prior to their departure, Singaporeans are strongly encouraged to monitor the situation at their destinations and e-register with MFA. Singaporeans are advised to purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover unexpected expenses, including medical costs, during their overseas trips.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Additional Co-funding at Reduced Percentages for Assisted Conception Procedures at Public Institutions for Unsuccessful Couples","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"26 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider providing additional co-funding at a reduced percentage for couples who have used up all the co-funding for Assisted Conception Procedures in public Assisted Reproduction centres for their first child.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The current co-funding limit of three fresh and three frozen cycles is based on clinical evidence which shows that the success rate of assisted reproductive technology decreases for successive cycles and as a woman progresses in age. It therefore strikes a balance between providing public-funded financial support to couples aspiring to be parents and ensuring the prudent use of public funds by taking into account clinical efficacy.
We will continue to monitor emergence of new data that show improved outcomes with further cycles. By setting a total funding limit based on six cycles, we also ensure parity and equitable treatment across all couples, regardless of their family size.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Percentage of Singaporean CPF Account Holders who Have Fulfilled Respective Healthcare and Retirement Sums","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"27 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower as at 31 December 2023, what is the respective number and percentage of Singaporean CPF account holders who have met their (i) Basic Healthcare Sum (ii) Basic Retirement Sum (iii) Full Retirement Sum and (iv) Enhanced Retirement Sum.
Dr Tan See Leng: Every successive cohort has seen a higher proportion of Central Provident Fund (CPF) members meeting and setting aside their Basic Retirement Sum (BRS). The number and proportion of active CPF members turning age 55 who have set aside the BRS have continued to improve from 26,500 or about 66% of the cohort in 2020 to 27,800 or almost 70% in 2022. Of these, about seven in 10 (or about 19,700) had accumulated the Full Retirement Sum or higher, and half (or about 14,100) had accumulated the Enhanced Retirement Sum or higher.
While the BRS for each cohort is set at age 55, the MediSave Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) is fixed at age 65. The number and proportion of active CPF members turning age 65 who have set aside their BHS have maintained steadily at 12,300 or 49% in 2020, and 14,000 or about 48% in 2022.
These figures are similar for active CPF members who are Singaporeans.
Complete data on attainment rates of CPF members who turned age 55 in 2023 is not yet available.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Turnover of Staff at Child Protection Service","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"29 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each of the past five years, how many and what percentage of Child Protection Service officers have (i) resigned or (ii) requested to be transferred to a different department within the Ministry or to another Government agency respectively.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Over the past five years, the average annual resignation rate for staff in the Child Protective Service (CPS) was around 15%, and an annual average of around 5% of CPS staff moved within the Ministry of Social and Family Development or to other public agencies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Gaining Support for Stronger Frameworks to Ensure Ethical Use of AI Technology","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"30 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Prime Minister with regard to the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy 2.0 (a) what will be done to gain the trust and support of all Singaporeans and stakeholders in view of the prevailing ethical and copyright concerns worldwide towards AI technology; and (b) whether the Government intends to focus on strengthening regulations and ethical frameworks on the use of AI technology before implementing the Strategy.
Mrs Josephine Teo (for the Prime Minister): We expect artificial intelligence (AI) to be deployed in a responsible and ethical way, so that its benefits can be enjoyed safely by all. Singapore’s practical and risk-based approach to the governance of AI has been explained at previous Sittings, most recently on 22 November 20231.
We launched (a) the Model AI Governance Framework in 2019; and (b) AI Verify in 2022, a toolkit that helps companies be more transparent about their AI systems, in areas such as fairness and explainability. We also engage widely with international partners on AI governance through multilateral platforms such as the Global Partnership on AI. Together, these efforts help ensure that all Singaporeans can interact with AI systems with confidence.
Recent advancements in generative AI have raised copyright concerns – for example, around the use of copyrighted materials for model training and copyright for AI-generated content. This is an area that many jurisdictions, including Singapore, are studying. The Ministry of Law and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore have been engaging stakeholders and will develop an appropriate response in due time.
Given the fast-evolving developments in AI, we cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to regulate it, nor can we anticipate every risk out there. We have been reviewing our regulations and governance frameworks to ensure that they remain fit-for-purpose and will continue to do so as we implement our refreshed AI Strategy.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : We have also explained our approach to AI governance at the 21 April 2023, 9 May 2023, 6 July 2023 and 6 November 2023 Sittings."],"footNoteQuestions":["30"],"questionNo":"30"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Use of GST U-Save Vouchers to Pay for Other Living Expenses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"31 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Ministry will allow households to utilise their GST U-Save vouchers to pay for other living expenses, such as their monthly service and conservancy charges; and (b) if not, why not.
Mr Lawrence Wong: U-Save rebates are meant to offset households’ utilities expenses. U-Save rebates have no expiry date, and unutilised rebates can be rolled over to offset future utilities expenses.
For service and conservancy charges (S&CC), eligible households receive the GST Voucher – S&CC rebates, which offset between 1.5 and 3.5 months of S&CC each year.
The Government has a range of support measures to help Singaporeans with their living expenses. These include the upcoming Assurance Package (AP) Cash and AP Cash Special Payment of $200 to $800 which all adult Singaporeans have received in December 2023 and $500 Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers which all Singaporean households will receive in January.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Healthcare Subsidy Savings Achieved with Use of Residential Property Annual Value for Means Testing","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"32 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health since September 2022 (a) what is the total value of healthcare subsidies saved with the introduction of the use of residential property Annual Value (AV) for means testing; and (b) whether the Ministry has given further consideration to removing the AV as a means testing criterion for healthcare subsidies.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The amount of healthcare subsidies provided to Singaporeans has increased significantly over years.
Performing means-testing based on Per Capita Household Income or Annual value of residential property is to ensure that even as the amount of subsidies increase, more subsidies continue to be channelled to Singaporeans who need them the most. It is not a means to save healthcare subsidies.
Patients who face difficulties in paying their medical bills after subsidies, insurance and MediSave can apply for financial assistance schemes such as MediFund, where their circumstances will be holistically assessed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Updating Existing In-school Financial Literacy Programmes Given Ready Availability of Financial Credit to Young People","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"33 Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Education with regard to the availability of financial credit to young people, whether the Ministry is considering reviewing existing in-school financial literacy programmes to ensure their relevance and effectiveness.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Education (MOE) regularly reviews its financial literacy programmes to keep up to date with the evolving financial landscape. For example, the most recent review for the secondary level was in 2023.
At polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education, students take mandatory financial education modules, which cover key concepts like savings and costs of borrowing. At the autonomous universities, financial education is available through course modules in finance and investment, as well as various campus activities, which build awareness of good money management and financial planning.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"HDB 3-room Flats Rented Out under Public Rental Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"34 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many 3-room HDB flats are currently rented out under the Public Rental Scheme; and (b) how many remain available.
Mr Desmond Lee: There are currently about 200 public rental households living in 3-room flats and 40 3-room public rental flats available for allocation.
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) works closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and selected Family Service Centres (FSCs) to offer 3-room public rental flats to large families with children under the ComLink Rental Scheme, on a case-by-case basis. These families receive holistic social support as part of ComLink, including from the FSC social workers and HDB’s Home ownership Support Team.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Improving Standards of Cleanliness for Public Toilets at Coffee Shops","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"35 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the National Environment Agency (NEA) imposes a minimum standard of cleanliness for public toilets at coffee shops; and (b) if not, whether NEA will consider issuing a guideline or standard to ensure the cleanliness of all public toilets.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Under Regulation 30(2) of the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations, every licensee of a food establishment, including coffee shops, must ensure that the toilets in its premises are kept clean and properly maintained. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) inspects such public toilets to ensure that licensees adhere to the regulations and implement measures to upkeep good public hygiene. Enforcement actions will be taken by SFA if lapses are detected.
Under the Environmental Sanitation Regime, coffeeshops are required to develop and implement upstream measures to achieve stipulated cleanliness outcomes at their premises, including their toilets. Premises Managers of coffeeshops have to adopt mandatory baseline cleaning standards such as minimum daily cleaning and disinfection frequency, as well as thorough cleaning and disinfection at least once every quarter.
In addition, the National Environment Agency (NEA) published an advisory in March 2023 to remind public toilet owners to keep toilets clean by having a proper schedule for cleaning and maintenance. Premises Managers of coffeeshops are recommended to adopt similar toilet cleaning frequencies as indicated for hawker centres in the advisory, which is to clean their toilets once every one to two hours during non-peak period, and every half-hour during peak period. The advisory also details the cleaning method, equipment and cleaning agents to be used for different surfaces.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension of Government Cybersecurity Agencies' Advisory Support to Non-government Entities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"36 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Cyber Security Agency and other related agencies provide advice, support and assistance to entities outside the .gov.sg Internet domain such as (i) banks (ii) NETS (iii) public healthcare institutions' intranet and internet-facing facilities (iv) utilities providers and (v) telcos to attain adequate cyber resilience against cyberattacks including distributed denial-of-service attacks; and (b) if so, what is the nature of the support.
Mrs Josephine Teo: In today’s cyber threat environment, a strong cybersecurity posture is essential. Even with best efforts, not all attacks will be prevented. There must therefore be resilience built into our systems. They must be robust and have the ability to resume normal operations without prolonged disruption.
For critical information infrastructure (CII), all entities, government and non-government, are regulated in the same way under the Cybersecurity Act. The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore provides cybersecurity support in the design of networks and systems, and issues advisories on the latest threats and the precautionary measures to be taken.
Sector regulators, such as for financial services, water and healthcare, may also have additional specific cybersecurity requirements for organisations operating within their sectors.
All companies and organisations, and not just those owning CIIs, should practise strong cybersecurity hygiene. They should make use of the resources available, to put in place the necessary cyber defences and be prepared to respond to cyber attacks swiftly and effectively.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension of Grace Period for Parking at HDB and URA Car Parks for Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"37 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider extending the grace period for parking in HDB and URA car parks for taxi and private hire drivers.
Mr Desmond Lee: Prior to April 2020, the grace period at all Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) car parks was 10 minutes. HDB and URA temporarily extended the grace period to 20 minutes in response to the COVID-19 situation then. Subsequently, as the situation stabilised, HDB and URA adjusted the grace period to 15 minutes with effect from 1 September 2022.
Based on the car park usage data, HDB and URA have assessed that the current 15-minute grace period is broadly sufficient for motorists to search for a parking lot or to carry out drop-off and pick-up activities.
The grace period is kept short to facilitate a quick turnover of vehicles in the car parks. This prevents congestion in the car parks, allows more motorists to access the car parks, and ensures that the interests of residents who drive or have season parking are taken care of. Nonetheless, we will continue to monitor the ground situation and review the grace period if necessary.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Higher Property Prices on Property Taxes Payable by Religious, Heritage and Cultural Organisations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"38 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what assessment has been made of the impact of higher property prices on the property taxes payable by religious, heritage and cultural organisations.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Registered charities do not have to pay property tax on the properties they own, so long as these properties are used exclusively for charitable purposes, including public religious worship and heritage. The recent increase in market rentals, which affects a property’s Annual Value, should therefore not have an impact on the property tax payable by these organisations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Feasibility of Making Integrated Shield Plan Insurance Fully Portable","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"39 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry can provide an update on the feasibility studies to make Integrated Shield Plan insurance fully portable.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The portability issue typically arises when employees change employers and lose corporate health coverage. This is an issue that the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has regularly raised over the years. It has been substantively addressed with MediShield Life, which is an enhanced national insurance plan.
There have been calls for another type of portability in the individual health insurance market, to allow policyholders to switch insurers without undergoing underwriting again. As these are commercial products, it is unlikely that insurers will do so as there is a strong likelihood that dissatisfied policyholders with pre-existing conditions will seek to change insurers, making the receiving insurer worse off. Therefore, the only way to do this is via Government regulation.
However, this will have other implications. Not all insurance policies are compatible to facilitate portability between insurance companies. While portability may trigger more intense price competition among insurers, there may also be pressures to cut benefits or raise premiums in order to remain sustainable.
The feasibility study on Integrated Shield Plan portability is ongoing and we will consider the experiences of other countries who have attempted this.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Single Room Shared Facilities Pilot for HDB Rental Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"40 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current status of the Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) pilot for HDB rental flats; and (b) when does HDB expect the first batch of successful applicants to be able to collect the keys to SRSF flats.
Mr Desmond Lee: Through the Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) pilot, we seek to provide more housing options for low-income singles under the Public Rental Scheme. We also want to improve the living experience of public rental tenants by giving them greater privacy while providing companionship and support.
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is in the process of appointing the operator for the SRSF pilot at the former Anderson Junior College hostel. After the operator is appointed, HDB will open applications for the pilot.
We expect the first batch of successful applicants to move in around 3Q 2024.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Criminal Cases Involving Use of Instant Messaging Services by Companies Not Registered in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"41 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs over the past three years (a) how many criminal cases investigated by the Singapore Police Force and Central Narcotics Bureau involved the use of instant messaging services by companies which do not have registered businesses in Singapore; (b) whether these overseas companies generally cooperated with enforcement authorities in investigations; and (c) what are the identities of uncooperative companies, if any.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) keep track of scam and drug cases respectively that involve the use of instant messaging services, but not for all criminal cases.
From January 2021 to November 2023, about 24,000 scam cases which involved the use of instant messaging services were reported to SPF. More than 95% of these cases involved the use of WhatsApp, Telegram and WeChat.
In the same period, CNB investigated about 600 suspected drug offenders who used Telegram to conduct drug transactions.
WhatsApp and WeChat are generally cooperative. Telegram, on the other hand, is less so.
We will continue to engage and work with instant messaging services and other social media platforms to tackle crimes in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulations to Prevent Cat Feeding to Reduce Disamenities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"42 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider regulations to prevent cat feeding at locations which will cause disamenities to the residents living in the area especially where the cat feeding results in excessive cat faeces in the neighbourhood.
Mr Desmond Lee: Enforcement action can already be taken under the Environmental Public Health Act for irresponsible cat feeding that results in littering. To promote the responsible feeding of community cats, the National Parks Board (NParks) works with stakeholders such as the National Environment Agency, Town Councils, animal welfare groups and community cat caregivers to encourage caregivers to clear leftover food, water and containers in a timely manner.
NParks also plans to work with stakeholders to develop guidelines for responsible community cat caregiving. These guidelines may cover appropriate locations to feed community cats, to reduce disamenities at high-traffic areas such as lift lobbies and staircases.
NParks will continue to work with its partners to take a holistic and science-based approach to sustainably manage the community cat population, such as through the Stray Cat Sterilisation Programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inspection of Construction Temporary Quarters for Compliance with Foreign Employee Dormitories Act","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"43 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has completed its inspection of all Construction Temporary Quarters (CTQs) for compliance with the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act; (b) what have been the most common minor lapses identified; (c) what have been the most common major lapses identified; and (d) what actions have been taken against the non-compliant CTQs.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower has inspected all existing Construction Temporary Quarters (CTQs) regulated under the Foreign Employee Dormitory Act.
There have been no major lapses uncovered. The most common minor issues uncovered include poor housekeeping such as faulty lights, water leakage in toilets and untidy rooms, which do not significantly affect the well-being of residents. CTQ operators have promptly rectified these minor issues and no penalties have been imposed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Support for SMEs to Manage Rising Vehicle Costs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"44 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of increasing COE prices for commercial vehicles (a) what support is available for SMEs to manage these rising costs; (b) whether the Ministry has evaluated the overall system effectiveness of previous pilot programmes for consolidating last-mile delivery via third-party logistics (3PL); and (c) if these pilots have been successful, how does the Ministry plan to encourage greater adoption of 3PL services among SMEs.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Government does not have specific schemes to help businesses with higher Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices. Instead, we have broad-based and sector-specific programmes to assist businesses. These include schemes to support companies with their operational cash-flow needs, such as the Enterprise Financing Scheme-Working Capital Loan. There are programmes to help companies invest in upgrades, innovation and growth, such as the Enterprise Development Grant. Businesses can visit the GoBusiness portal (gobusiness.gov.sg) for more information on these schemes.
In 2018, Enterprise Singapore and the retail industry collaborated to develop the Urban Logistics Offsite Consolidation Centre pilot, which consolidates last-mile delivery through third-party logistics (3PL). The programme aimed to improve productivity for companies by consolidating deliveries at an intermediate site, thus reducing the number of total deliveries made to malls. However, the adoption rate for this pilot was low, with only 13 companies participating. Feedback from companies indicated a preference for maintaining existing long-term logistics contracts with 3PLs or their fleet, as this option provides them with greater control over service requirements like frequency of delivery. In addition, the companies did not enjoy cost efficiencies from the pilot due to multiple handling of goods.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Effectiveness of Grants for Technology Solutions to Improve Productivity and Workplace Safety and Health","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"46 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many companies have applied for Government grants such as the Productivity Solutions Grant and the Industry Digital Plans for Workplace Safety and Health technology solutions in the last two years; and (b) how successful are these technology solutions in reducing workplace accidents and injuries in these companies.
Dr Tan See Leng: In the last two years, around 700 companies have received either the Productivity Solutions Grant or the Lorry Crane Stability Control System Grant. These grants defray the costs of adopting Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) technology solutions, amounting to a total of $8.4 million.
Technology solutions help reduce workplace incidents and injuries. For instance, Fleet Safety Management solutions improve situational awareness of drivers and equipment operators; electronic Permit-To-Work systems provide better oversight and control of high-risk work activities; and Lorry Crane Stability Control Systems prevent lorry cranes from toppling. However, it is difficult to ascertain the exact efficacy of the individual solutions, as this depends on industry-specific risk factors and companies’ WSH practices. More broadly, technology alone cannot improve WSH without complementary work processes and proper training of workers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rationale for Reinstating Bus Service 167 after Discontinuation Announcement","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"47 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the rationale for reinstating Bus Service 167 after the LTA announced its discontinuation; (b) whether the aforementioned rationale provides grounds for the LTA to reinstate other discontinued bus services, including along Bedok Reservoir Road; and (c) how much is the restoration of Bus Service 167 expected to cost the Government each month for the next two years.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): To optimise our limited bus resources in response to changing ridership patterns following the opening of Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 3 (TEL3), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had planned to discontinue Service 167 and shorten Services 162/162M and 75.
Service 167 is a long trunk route which serves commuters from Sembawang in the north to Tanjong Pagar in the south. As the shortening of Services 162/162M and 75 also affect these commuters, LTA decided to retain Service 167 at a reduced frequency for now, to give commuters more time to adjust to the new travel arrangements. We proceeded with the changes to Services 162/162M and 75, as the ridership on these services had declined significantly after TEL3 started operations. LTA also made adjustments to increase the frequency of other services such as 121 and 980 to ensure that there is sufficient capacity on alternative routes for commuters.
As a package, these changes have achieved a total annual cost savings of $5.1 million. This amount is reallocated to support new bus routes and feeder services for commuters from new housing estates in different parts of Singapore.
The annual subsidy required to operate the original Service 167 was $6.2 million. By reducing the frequency to one trip every 30 minutes, the amount of subsidies required dropped to $3.6 million per year. LTA will continue to monitor the ridership on these amended services and make further adjustments where necessary.
For buses plying Bedok Reservoir Road following the opening of Downtown Line Stage 3 (DTL3), LTA had shortened the routes for Services 22, 66 and 506 in December 2021, while providing commuters with additional connectivity and capacity on other services such as 65 and 228. The majority of affected commuters have switched to using DTL3 since 2021, enjoying cost and time savings on their journeys compared to taking a long bus ride. Currently, during the weekday peak hour where demand is the highest, Service 228 buses are mostly only half-filled, with no bus reaching 75% of the maximum capacity.
We understand that some commuters are affected when LTA shortens bus routes or removes services, as they would need to adjust their travel arrangements. This is why every such change is made judiciously, after careful assessment of the changing ridership patterns and alternative commute options, and taking on board feedback from key stakeholders.
As we expand our mass rapid transit (MRT) network and introduce new bus routes and services to serve new housing estates, it is necessary for LTA to continue reviewing and adjusting existing bus services. It is not financially sustainable for commuters and taxpayers if we only add new MRT and bus services over time, without reducing or shortening existing bus services when ridership patterns change.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Percentage of Unresolved Pigeon Feeding Complaints","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"48 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development (a) what percentage of complaints about pigeon feeding in the past three years are unresolved; (b) what are the key reasons for these unresolved complaints; (c) how is surveillance technology being used to identify and address pigeon feeding incidents; and (d) how can the Ministry permit culling in a humane manner with minimal environmental and community impact as a last resort.
Mr Desmond Lee: The National Parks Board (NParks) follows up on feedback received on pigeon feeding by investigating, engaging, or taking enforcement action against the feeder, and closes the loop with the feedback provider on actions taken.
Nonetheless, some cases are intractable, involving repeat offenders. For such cases, NParks works with the Town Councils, Municipal Services Office (MSO), People’s Association and Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to try to understand the offenders’ motivations to find solutions to discourage them from continuing to feed pigeons. For example, NParks may offer some feeders nature-based activities as alternatives to pigeon feeding, such as community gardening and bird-watching. For feeders with mental health needs, AIC will link them up with agencies to provide counselling or other forms of support.
NParks also works with agencies and Town Councils to deploy closed-circuit television cameras and conducts human surveillance at identified feeding hotspots, as part of its enforcement efforts against pigeon feeding. However, this is not always effective, as there may be blind spots or feeders may wear masks or caps that hinder identification. Feedback providers are therefore strongly encouraged to provide detailed information and evidence of the feeding activity, to help NParks identify feeders.
To manage the pigeon population, NParks undertakes the culling of pigeons in a sustainable and humane manner, in line with international standards, and encourages Town Councils to do the same. NParks will also continue to work with agencies and Town Councils on upstream measures to control the pigeon population, such as food source reduction, roosting and nesting sites exclusion, and engaging the community on the negative impacts of illegal bird-feeding.
All of us can play our part to keep the pigeon population under control and safeguard public health and safety, by not feeding pigeons and keeping our environment clean.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Cost Increases on Affordable Food Options at Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"49 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment how has the Ministry assessed the impact of cost increases experienced by hawkers on the prices of affordable food options at hawker centres operated by Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Operators of Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs) have committed that all stalls will provide at least one affordable meal option as part of their tender commitment. Hawkers have the flexibility to price other food items. Typically, they would do so taking into consideration various factors, such as market competition, operating costs, location and patron demographics.
SEHC operators may propose adjustments to the price of affordable meal options, subject to the National Environment Agency (NEA)’s approval. NEA will review whether the proposed increase is reasonable.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Requirement for At Least One Co-occupier for First-timer Application of HDB BTO Flats to Have Worked Continuously for 12 Months to Be Eligible for Housing Grant","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"50 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the rationale for requiring at least one of the co-applicants or co-occupiers of first-timer families applying for HDB flats to have worked continuously for 12 months to be eligible for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Families); and (b) whether the Government plans to review the need and period of this continuous employment requirement.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Government is committed to helping Singaporeans, particularly first-timers and lower to middle-income families, own a home. On top of providing significant market discounts in pricing new flats, we offer generous housing grants to further support first-timer home buyers. For example, eligible first-timer families may receive up to $80,000 of Enhanced Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant (EHG) when they buy a new or resale flat. The EHG amount is tiered by household income, to provide more support for those with lower household income.
To qualify for the EHG, at least one member of the core family nucleus must be in continuous employment for at least 12 months, amongst other conditions. The 12-month continuous employment condition provides a good proxy of a household’s financial situation, so that the corresponding means-tested grant amount can be determined fairly.
The majority of flat buyers are able to meet the continuous employment condition at the point of application for the Housing and Development Board (HDB) Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter. For eligible young couples comprising full-time students or National Servicemen, as well as those who have recently completed their studies or National Service, who may face difficulties meeting the continuous employment condition at the point of application for an HFE letter, they may still apply for an HFE letter first, while the assessment of their income for the EHG and HDB housing loan is deferred closer to key collection. Other flat buyers who face difficulties in meeting the condition at the point of application for an HFE letter can approach HDB for advice.
We will continue to monitor flat buyers’ needs and review our policies where necessary.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Disruptions to Shipping and Security in Red Sea Region on Singapore's Consumer Prices and Fuel Costs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"51 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the disruptions to shipping and general insecurity in the Red Sea region that escalated in December 2023 (a) what is the anticipated impact for Singapore on (i) consumer prices (ii) fuel costs and (iii) logistical and supply chain delays; and (b) what mitigation actions are being taken to lessen the impact.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Red Sea situation remains volatile. Major shipping lines have progressively suspended transit through the Red Sea and rerouted their vessels via the Cape of Good Hope. Despite this diversion in shipping routes leading to an additional 10 to 15 days of transit, businesses have assessed that the delays are still manageable thus far.
In the short term, we can weather the impact of the Red Sea situation on the flow of supplies to Singapore. We have sufficient stockpiles of critical supplies. In addition, more time-sensitive cargo is transported by air rather than via the Red Sea. Likewise, Singapore’s oil supply is not expected to be significantly impacted, as oil from the surrounding Middle Eastern region is primarily transported through the Strait of Hormuz. However, we can expect some increase in sea freight costs from the longer voyages and higher insurance costs. If the Red Sea situation worsens, the supply chain disruptions may cause an indirect longer-term impact.
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with businesses to manage their supply chains and strengthen their contingency plans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Accumulation of Unsustainable Levels of Debt by Young People","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"52 Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Prime Minister with regard to the availability of financial credit to young people, whether the Government is considering working with financial institutions to prevent young people from accumulating unsustainable levels of debt.
Mr Lawrence Wong (for the Prime Minister): The Monetary Authority of Singapore has put in place various safeguards on consumer credit extended by financial institutions, so that individuals do not borrow beyond their means.
Unsecured borrowing by an individual, including through credit cards, is subject to the individual meeting minimum income requirements, and the total amount of such borrowing is capped at his or her annual income. Accounts are suspended if the borrower is 60 days past due on their payments. Mortgages, which constitute the largest liability for households, are subject to both a loan-to-value limit and a total debt servicing limit, with the latter based on a borrower’s income. Together, these rules limit how much young people can borrow from financial institutions and ensure that it is in line with income.
Besides regulatory limits on borrowing, financial education helps to inculcate good financial understanding and habits among our young adults. The national school curriculum from primary up to the tertiary level has incorporated key financial concepts, such as the effects of compound interest and the responsible use of credit. The efforts are complemented by talks and exhibitions organised for youths by MoneySense, our national financial education programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Disputes between HDB Flat Neighbours Arising from Air-conditioning Related Condensation and Mould Growth","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"53 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each year in the past five years, how many dispute cases arising from overuse of air-conditioning in HDB flats causing condensation and mould disamenities to neighbours does HDB receive; (b) beyond referring the disputing parties to the Community Mediation Centre, whether HDB is looking to enhance regulations to prevent or enforce against indiscriminate use of air-conditioning in HDB flats that causes disamenity to others; and (c) if not, why not.
Mr Desmond Lee: Between 2018 and 2022, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received an average of 715 cases of feedback per year on air-conditioning related condensation.
Upon receipt of the feedback, HDB will carry out inspection to determine the source of the condensation. One of the common causes of air-conditioner condensation includes the use of air conditioner at prolonged low temperature with the air outlet louvres set to non-oscillating mode. HDB will also advise both flat owners of the actions that they can take to resolve the issue, such as setting the louvres to oscillating mode to minimise the concentration of cold air at a particular location and for the affected flat owners to keep their units well-ventilated to minimise mould growth.
It would not be appropriate for HDB to regulate home owners’ usage of air conditioning. Instead, HDB plays an advisory role and will encourage parties to practise mutual respect and neighbourliness. If warranted, HDB may advise the parties to seek mediation at the Community Mediation Centre, which will guide the neighbours to have a better appreciation of the issue and the impact of their behaviour on the other party. As a last resort, the aggrieved parties may also file a case with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proposal for Obesity to be Consider as Chronic Disease under Chronic Disease Management Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"54 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider obesity as a chronic disease under the Chronic Disease Management Programme and if not, what are the considerations or prerequisites to be met before the Ministry will do so.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Obesity is not considered internationally or locally as a chronic disease. However, obesity is associated with several chronic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorders, chronic kidney disease, which are under the Chronic Disease Management Programme.
Patients requiring weight management can access relevant programmes and should speak to their doctor for advice. Under Healthier SG, doctors will develop care plans and refer patients to the relevant weight management programmes according to each patient’s condition and care goals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Use of Non-textual Training Data for Singapore's Common Languages in National Multimodal Large Language Model Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"55 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Prime Minister whether the National Multimodal Large Language Model Programme will incorporate non-textual training data for commonly used languages in Singapore such as Singlish, Malay, Tamil and Chinese dialects to enhance its voice recognition capabilities and widen the accessibility of this programme to Singaporeans.
Mrs Josephine Teo (for the Prime Minister): The National Multimodal Large Language Model Programme aims to develop Large Language Models (LLMs) that are more suited for our context. The Southeast Asian Languages in One Network (SEA-LION) model that was recently released was trained on a dataset that has more than 10 languages, including colloquial English (or Singlish), Chinese, Malay and Tamil.
In the next phase, the programme will look at techniques to incorporate speech data containing non-verbal cues such as tone and pitch, to augment SEA-LION. For this, they will first evaluate the model performance when non-textual data in standard and colloquial English are added, before moving on to other languages. As we build our local expertise in developing and training regional LLMs through this effort, we will closely monitor ongoing developments and will adapt our plans as the technologies in the field evolve.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjusting Current Limit on Rental of Public Housing by Non-Malaysians Given Relaxation of Rental Occupancy Caps","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"56 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development whether the existing non-citizen quota for the renting out of public housing flats of not more than 11% of each block to non-Malaysian Singapore permanent residents or foreigners will continue to apply with the relaxation of rental occupancy caps.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question was addressed in the oral reply for Question Nos 10 to 14 delivered during the Parliament Sitting on 9 January 2024. [Please refer to \"Rationale for and Impact of Increased Rental Occupancy Cap for HDB Units\", Official Report, 9 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 118, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Take-up Rate of \"Money Lock\" Feature in Local Banks and Protective Measures Against Digital Banking Scams","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Prime Minister (a) whether the Government has data on the take-up rate of the “money lock” feature at the local banks; and (b) whether MAS is working with financial institutions to explore new technologies and measures to better protect local banking consumers from digital banking scams, especially for transactions involving foreign bank accounts and against scammers accessing local bank accounts from abroad.
Mr Lawrence Wong (for the Prime Minister): Money Lock is a feature that allows customers to set aside a portion of funds in their bank accounts that cannot be transferred digitally. This adds a layer of protection for customers to mitigate their losses should their digital access to bank accounts be compromised.
Since its launch by the local banks in November, Money Lock has been activated on about 38,000 accounts, with over $3.2 billion of savings set aside. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is working with other major retail banks to introduce the Money Lock feature as well, even as the local banks continue to raise awareness of this feature among their customers.
MAS works closely with financial institutions, industry players and other Government agencies to implement technologies and solutions to counter increasingly sophisticated scam tactics employed by scammers. A recent example is the enhancement of banks’ banking apps which block access to the app when there is a side-loaded app with access permissions turned on in the customer’s mobile phone. This enhancement has led to a significant reduction in the number of malware-enabled scams in recent months. MAS will continue to work with financial institutions to assess additional measures for higher risk transactions, including those relating to transfers to overseas payees and access of bank accounts from overseas locations. These and other measures will be rolled out if assessed to be effective.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Annual Returns Filed by Singapore-incorporated Companies over Three Years for SMEs and Non-SMEs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in each of the last three years, based on the annual returns filed by Singapore-incorporated companies, what is the breakdown in the average and median (i) operating margin, (ii) pre-tax margin and (iii) net margin for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and non-SMEs.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The data that the Member asked for on Singapore-incorporated companies is not readily available.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Hiring Auxiliary Police Officers from Taiwan and Work Challenges Associated with Such Hires","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the hiring of Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) from Taiwan since 2017 is continuing to date; (b) what particular work challenges have been associated with hiring such APOs; and (c) which other jurisdictions are being considered for the recruitment of APOs.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Auxiliary Police Forces (APFs) continue to hire Taiwanese Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs).
We need to allow the APFs to recruit foreign APOs, to meet the increasing demand for security services. They face challenges in sustaining an adequate pool of APOs, given the shrinking local workforce, requirements, such as physical fitness, and the job options Singaporeans have.
As of November 2023, Singaporean APOs made up approximately 68% of the total APO population, and the remaining 32% are Malaysians and Taiwanese.
The deployment of Taiwanese APOs has, generally, been positive for the APFs. But it has been a challenge to recruit and keep them. Their numbers have decreased significantly, by more than 60% from 2017 to 2023, to about 70 today. The APFs tell us that this is because of the demanding nature of public-facing security work, improved job opportunities and prospects back home in Taiwan, a desire to settle down with a family, and homesickness.
As such, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been considering expanding the jurisdictions from which APFs can be allowed to recruit APOs. These potentially include Asian jurisdictions, such as China, India, the Philippines and Myanmar. We have been in discussion with the APFs on the possibilities.
The risk of letting non-Singaporeans carry firearms is something we focus on. So far, misuse of firearms by APOs is extremely rare and is not more prevalent among non-Singaporeans.
We try and manage the risks through security screening, training and supervision of APOs. We are also careful and more restrictive where we deploy non-Singaporean APOs. It is a challenging environment because of our shrinking workforce.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Considerations of Applying Retail Premises Lease Agreements onto Private Hire Car Lease Agreements","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what are the Ministry's considerations in applying its approach to retail premises lease agreements onto private hire car (PHC) lease agreements by introducing practices, such as having (i) a code of conduct for the leasing of PHCs as well as (ii) an industry committee to guide the upkeep and adoption of such a code.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Code of Conduct for Leasing of Retail Premises in Singapore is an industry-led effort and a product of extensive deliberations between both tenant and landlord representatives, as well as relevant trade associations and chambers, to identify and resolve key issues in the leasing of retail spaces. It is currently overseen by the Fair Tenancy Industry Committee, an industry body comprising tenant and landlord representatives.
Industry stakeholders involved in lease agreements for private hire cars, such as leasing companies, drivers and relevant industry bodies, may wish to consider if a similar industry-led approach is relevant in their case. The Government welcomes stakeholder-driven efforts to ensure that the PHC leasing industry is fair and competitive.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on New Bus Services Introduced in Tengah New Town to Institutes of Learning","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Transport whether new bus services will be introduced to connect Tengah new town to nearby primary schools in Bukit Gombak or other schools with a high enrolment of Tengah residents.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): Currently, bus service Nos 870 and 992 provide Tengah residents direct connection to schools in Bukit Batok, such as Princess Elizabeth Primary School and Bukit Batok Secondary School. Tengah residents travelling to schools in Bukit Gombak, such as Dazhong Primary School and St Anthony’s Primary, can also take service No 870 or 992 before connecting to service No 188.
With the completion of more Build-To-Order flats and schools within Tengah, the Land Transport Authority will monitor changes in travel patterns and make further adjustments where necessary.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Extension of Bus Service 992 to Serve West Scape at Bukit Batok","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Transport whether LTA can consider extending Bus Service 992 to serve West Scape at Bukit Batok and, if not, why.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): West Scape at Bukit Batok is currently served by service Nos 160, 180, 947 and 993. These services connect residents to the transport nodes and amenities at Bukit Batok and Jurong East. In particular, service No 993 was introduced in September 2023 to replace the former service No 160M and extended to ply a longer route along Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 to enhance connectivity between West Scape and Jurong East.
There are no plans to extend service No 992 to serve West Scape as service No 947 already provides a direct alternative for residents travelling to the transport node and amenities at Bukit Batok. Extending service No 992 to serve West Scape will result in longer travel times and higher fares for other commuters, including residents of Tengah town.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Possibility of Working with Online Map Providers to Update Maps After Building New Roads","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Land Transport Authority works with online map providers to update their maps once new roads are built, especially in new estates, such as Tengah and Bidadari; and (b) if so, how can such updates be carried out in a more timely manner.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): The Land Transport Authority (LTA) publishes new road network map data on LTA Data Mall. This data is consolidated from LTA, Government agencies, such as the Housing and Development Board, JTC Corporation and private developers. LTA also informs online map providers of road network changes prior to road openings to allow them time to update their maps. LTA will continue to work closely with agencies, private developers and online map providers to ensure updated map information is provided in a timely manner.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Sheltered Bicycle Parking Facilities at MRT Stations and Possibility of Such Installations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many MRT stations are equipped with sheltered bicycle parking facilities; (b) whether LTA is considering installing such bicycle parking areas at all MRT stations; and (c) if not, what are the reasons inhibiting such installation.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): Currently, 13 Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations have sheltered bicycle parking within the station premises. There are also stations with sheltered bicycle parking provided by adjacent developments.
Sheltered bicycle parking lots are provided within stations when there is available space, but this is not always possible as there are site constraints.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Speed Limit Reduction on Personal Mobility Aid Users to Safely Cross Roads in Time","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport in respect of the recent recommendation by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel to reduce the speed limit of all motorised personal mobility aids (PMAs), whether the recommended speed limit of six kilometres per hour will allow all PMA users to safely cross all roads in time, including roads with two or more lanes in each direction.
Mr Chee Hong Tat (for the Minister for Transport): The Active Mobility Advisory Panel’s recommended speed limit of six kilometres per hour for personal mobility aids (PMAs) takes reference from normal walking speeds, which are typically not more than four to six kilometres per hour. Just as pedestrians have enough time to cross our roads safely, so can PMA users.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Private Operation of Interim Markets and Offering Subsidised Rentals at Such Markets","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) why are interim markets, such as the one for stallholders while Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre is closed for reconstruction, operated privately rather than by the National Environment Agency; and (b) why are subsidised rentals unable to be offered at interim markets.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: When a market/hawker centre has to be redeveloped, the Government will fully fund the construction of the replacement centre but will not fund or build temporary centres. The National Environment Agency (NEA) will inform the affected stallholders at least six months ahead of closure so that they can make alternative plans for their businesses. For stallholders who wish to continue their businesses during the redevelopment period, NEA will offer them the option to operate temporarily at vacant stalls in other hawker centres, subject to availability.
Notwithstanding the above, affected stallholders may choose to work directly with the local Grassroots Advisers and Grassroots Organisations to discuss and collectively finance and build a temporary centre. In the case of the Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre, the stallholders were informed in March 2023, more than a year ahead of the intended closure. After discussions with the Grassroots Adviser and local Grassroots Organisations, the community decided to collectively finance and build a temporary centre.
To facilitate the development of such temporary centres, NEA will work with relevant agencies to secure the use of the identified land at zero land cost, as in the case for the temporary Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre. As the temporary centre is funded, built and owned collectively by the community, the rental will be determined by the community.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics of Hawker Centres Operated by Social Enterprises and Relevant Costs Compared to Ones Operated by NEA","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) as of 31 December 2023, how many hawker centres are operated by social enterprises; (b) how do costs at hawker centres operated by social enterprises, such as rent, table-cleaning and dishwashing fees, and parking fees, compare with those at hawker centres operated by the National Environment Agency; and (c) whether these costs are regulated by the Government, and, if not, why not.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: As of 31 December 2023, there are 12 hawker centres that are operated by Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) operators.
To ensure that stall rental at SEHCs is kept reasonable and affordable, when the National Environment Agency (NEA) assesses bids, it takes into consideration the proposed rental, operating costs and ancillary costs to be paid by stallholders, such as table-cleaning fees and central dishwashing charges. The operator is not allowed to charge stallholders rent that differs from that stated in the tender bid or subject the stall rentals to bidding.
The median stall rental at SEHCs is comparable to that at similar hawker centres operated by NEA, taking into account stall sizes and amenities. The ancillary costs of business operations at SEHCs, such as table-cleaning fees and centralised dishwashing services, are also comparable with those at similar hawker centres operated by NEA.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Implementation of Disposable Carrier Bag Charge at Small Vendors Not Required to Participate in Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there have been efforts to monitor the implementation of the disposable carrier bag charge at smaller vendors who are not required to participate; and (b) if so, whether there have been any preliminary studies on the effectiveness of the programme in reducing plastic bag usage.\n
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Except for the obligated larger supermarket operators, other retailers have the prerogative to decide whether to charge for disposable carrier bags as a business decision. The National Environment Agency does not track such retailers that have voluntarily implemented disposable carrier bag charges.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics of Special Education School Students Entering Mainstream Schools and Continuing Education Journey","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"13 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Education in each year from 2019 to 2023, what is the percentage of autistic special education school students who (i) continued their education in a mainstream school after completing the PSLE and (ii) transferred to mainstream schools after being assessed as suitable by the Multi-Agency Advisory Panel.
14 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the ratio of special needs officer to student in post-secondary education institutions; and (b) what programmes are in place at these institutions to proactively monitor and support special needs students who have difficulties transitioning into post-secondary education.
15 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Education for each year from 2019 to 2023, what is the respective percentage of special needs students who graduated from mainstream secondary schools and are currently (i) employed and (ii) enrolled in an Institute of Higher Learning.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: In the past three years, about 18% of students with autism from special education (SPED) schools continued their education in mainstream secondary schools after passing the PSLE. From 2021 to 2023, 18 SPED students with autism transferred midway to mainstream schools after being assessed to be suitable.
From 2019 to 2021, from the latest data available, more than 83% of students with special educational needs (SEN) graduated from mainstream secondary schools and progressed to Post-Secondary Education Institutions (PSEIs). At the post-secondary level, SEN officers are deployed to junior colleges and Millennia Institute when necessary. The other PSEIs have an average of three to four SEN officers per institution.
To facilitate students’ transition to a new education environment, the Ministry of Education works with secondary schools to share SEN-related information with junior colleges, Millennia Institute, polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education. Students with SEN progressing to the autonomous universities or arts institutions are encouraged to share their conditions with their institutions and request SEN support where necessary.
The SEN officers will engage students with SEN to understand their individual needs and work with educators to provide targeted support, including in-class learning assistance, access arrangements and intervention support. PSEIs also have funds that students with SEN can tap on to purchase education-related assistive technology devices and support services.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Noise Regulations in Public Educational Institutions for During and After Operating Hours","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Education (a) whether there are noise regulations relating to public educational institutions for both during and after their operating hours; and (b) if so, what are these regulations.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Public educational institutions follow the same regulations and guidelines for noise as other entities.
17 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Education whether there can be better leverage of technology and processes to enable students to receive their Secondary 1 school posting results earlier than the third week of December of the particular year to allow more time for parents to pursue appeals and for the Ministry to respond in time before the start of the new academic year.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Over the years, \tthe Ministry of Education (MOE) has leveraged technology and enhanced information and processes for the Secondary 1 (S1) Posting Exercise to ensure that parents and students have sufficient time to make informed choices.
Typically, the Primary School Leaving Examination results are released around mid-November. Thereafter, parents and students are given seven calendar days to choose their secondary schools. The S1 Posting results are released about three weeks later. MOE uses this period to conduct the posting and to ensure accurate posting outcomes. Over 90% of students are posted to a school of their choice.
If parents wish to appeal after receiving the posting results, they can appeal directly within that week to the relevant schools. Schools are generally able to process the appeals and inform students of the outcomes prior to the start of the academic year.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data of Persons with Disabilities Using Personal Mobility Aids for Freelance Delivery Work and Assessing Impact on Income from Recent Reduction of Speed Limit","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"18 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many persons with disabilities (PwDs) enrolled with SG Enable are currently using personal mobility aids (PMAs) for freelance delivery work; and (b) for these PwDs who expect their income from delivery work to be reduced in view of the Active Mobility Advisory Panel’s proposal to reduce the speed limit of all motorised PMAs, what assistance can be given to (i) address the immediate impact on their finances and (ii) bolster their longer-term economic sustainability.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Ministry of Social and Family Development does not track the number of persons with disabilities using personal mobility aids for freelance delivery work.
From 1 January 2023, eligible persons with disabilities, including those who do freelance delivery work, qualify for the highest Workfare Income Supplement payment tier of up to $2,800 per year, regardless of age. As announced by Prime Minister Lee at National Day Rally 2023, the Government will also be further enhancing Workfare, and more details will be announced at Budget 2024.
Moves to strengthen protections for platform workers, which will be implemented from the second half of 2024, will enable platform workers, including persons with disabilities, to improve their retirement adequacy.
Persons with disabilities who wish to explore other employment options can also tap on support under the Open Door Programme, to receive up to one year of job matching and customised employment support from trained job coaches, as well as subsidies to attend training courses by Enabling Academy – SG Enable’s disability learning hub. Persons with disabilities can also take up job and training opportunities created under the customised Place-and-Train programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Special Education School Students' Continuation of Employment After Completion of School-to-Work Transition Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the mean duration that special education school students remain in employment after completing the School-to-Work Transition Programme; and (b) what is the average salary of students who complete the programme.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Introduced in 2014, the School-to-Work (S2W) Transition Programme provides customised training pathways and internship opportunities to help work-capable Special Education (SPED) graduates transit into employment.
Seventy-one percent of SPED graduates placed into employment through the S2W Transition Programme between FY2018 and FY2021 remained in employment as of end 2022. Based on CPF contributions, they had earned an average monthly salary of $1,100, across those who do part-time and full-time work.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rationale for Non-provision of Similar Infant Care or Childcare Subsidy for Non-working Mothers with Children Enrolled in Licensed Childcare Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"20 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the rationale for not providing non-working mothers with the same level of infant care or childcare subsidy as working mothers for enrolling Singapore Citizen children below seven years old in full-day infant care or childcare programmes at licensed childcare centres.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: All parents, regardless of their working status, are supported with a universal basic childcare and infant care subsidy for their Singaporean children. Working mothers receive more support for full-day childcare and infant care as they may have a greater need for care for their children while they are away at work.
Applicants who are not working due to extenuating circumstances and need full-day childcare, for example, illness, seeking employment, undergoing training/skills upgrading, and those who need to care for other dependants, can apply for special approval to receive subsidy support equivalent to what a working mother applicant will receive. Today, families under the Housing and Development Board’s Public Rental Scheme or the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s ComCare schemes are also automatically eligible for maximum preschool subsidies until the next fixed point of assessment, regardless of the mother’s working status.
Non-working mothers can also enrol their children in half-day kindergarten. Singaporean children enrolled in kindergartens run by the Ministry of Education or Anchor Operators may receive kindergarten subsidies, which do not depend on the mother’s working status.
The Government will do more to ensure that parents can consistently afford to send their children to preschool. As stated in the Forward SG report, we will extend full childcare subsidies to all lower-income families based on their income tier. More details will be provided when ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Possibility of Seniors Purchasing Assistive Devices with CPF or Government-endorsed Financing Arrangements","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"21 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Health whether there can be consideration as part of the Active Ageing agenda in allowing seniors to finance the purchase of assistive devices that counter ageing-related deterioration and enhance seniors’ work productivity, such as hearing aids, via their CPF monies or Government-endorsed financing arrangements with approved device providers.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Government provides a range of financial support schemes to defray the cost of assistive devices for seniors: (a) the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund provides subsidies for assistive devices that support seniors to age-in-place; (b) vouchers of up to $200 per set of assistive devices, such as spectacles, hearing aids and dentures, are available for seniors who participate in functional screening through Project Silver Screen; and (c) for assistive devices that are also medical implants listed on the Implant Subsidy List, subsidised patients in public healthcare institutions will be eligible for subsidies.
Patients may also tap on MediShield Life and MediSave to pay for implant costs, subject to prevailing criteria and limits.
Applicants who require further financial assistance may approach their healthcare providers or visit any Agency for Integrated Care Link.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rate for Public and Private Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"22 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, what is the Assisted Reproductive Technology success rate for public and private centres respectively for couples (i) under 30 years old, (ii) from 30 years old to 35 years old, (iii) from 36 years old to 40 years old and (iv) above 40 years old.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The average Assisted Reproductive Technology success rates by age groups, from 2017 to 2021, are as follows. The success rates between public and private centres are comparable. Data for 2022 is not available due to lag in data availability and the nine-month gestational delay.
23 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, how many patients fail to attend appointments at the IMH and are eventually discharged because they fail to attend the appointments.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Institute of Mental Health does not discharge patients who fail to attend appointments. Patients who default on follow-up appointments will be called by a case manager and encouraged to return for follow-up. Should the patient decline, a home visit may be conducted based on a risk assessment of the patient’s condition.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Possibility of Regulating Ultra-processed Food for Healthier Food Environment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"24 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Health in view of published studies that link ultra-processed food to poorer mental and physical health outcomes, whether the Government will consider introducing regulation to tackle this issue and promote a healthier food environment.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Processed foods, and especially ultra-processed foods (UPFs), are associated with poor nutritional characteristics, higher energy density; higher sugar, salt and saturated fat content; lower fibre and vitamin content and, hence, adverse health impact.
Currently, there are no international medical or dietary recommendations on the intake of UPFs. Singapore has also not introduced legislation targeting UPFs.
Nevertheless, the Health Promotion Board has implemented measures to encourage healthier eating and to consume less saturated fats, sugar and salt. The measures include the Healthier Choice Symbol, Nutri-Grade marks for pre-packaged and freshly prepared beverages, promotion of low sodium salt and prohibition of partially hydrogenated oils. If effective, it will cut down the consumption of UPFs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Strengthening Healthcare Services (Cord Blood Banking Service) Regulations 2021 to Enhance Consumer Protection","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"25 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider strengthening the Healthcare Services (Cord Blood Banking Service) Regulations 2021 to provide more provisions for consumer protection given the irreplaceable nature of cord blood.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Private cord blood banking is an elective, for-profit service, where parents pay to store their child’s cord blood for potential future use. There have been 14 withdrawals for transplants since the establishment of cord blood banking services in 2001.
The Healthcare Services (Cord Blood Banking Service) Regulations 2021 set licensing requirements for cord blood banks in the collection, handling, processing, storage and distribution of cord blood. The requirements are aimed at assuring the viability of the cord blood units released for transplant purposes. The Ministry of Health will review areas to strengthen these regulations, where appropriate, arising from the Cordlife incident.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Waiting Time to Secure Appointments for Root Canal Treatment at Public Healthcare Institutions and Use of MediSave","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"26 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current average waiting time to secure appointments for root canal treatment at public healthcare institutions; (b) with the growing importance of root canal treatment for preserving oral health and quality of life, whether the Ministry will consider expanding MediSave coverage for root canal treatment; and (c) if not, what are factors hindering such a move and what alternatives do patients have.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The average waiting time for patients seeking subsidised endodontic treatment, including root canal treatment, at public healthcare institutions is about 30 days. Regardless, emergency dental cases will be seen and stabilised on the same day before being referred for further management. In addition to public healthcare institutions that offer dental services, eligible Singaporeans can also benefit from subsidised root canal treatment at private dental clinics which are part of the Community Health Assist Scheme.
There are many requests for treatments to be eligible for MediSave deduction. They need to be carefully considered, to strike a balance between improving healthcare affordability, ensuring MediSave adequacy and keeping Central Provident Fund contribution rates reasonable for all. MediSave can currently be used to pay for dental day surgical treatments, which generally incur higher out-of-pocket costs.
Nevertheless, patients who cannot afford their dental treatment after subsidies and/or MediSave use can approach medical social workers for MediFund and other financial assistance. The Ministry of Health will continue to review our financing schemes to ensure dental services remain affordable.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proportion of Healthcare Workers Covering Frontline Functions Not Receiving COVID-19 Resilience Medal","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"27 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the proportion of healthcare workers working in frontline functions, such as those who had to liaise directly with COVID patients, who did not receive the COVID-19 Resilience Medal; and (b) what is the appeal process for those who did not receive the COVID-19 Resilience Medal but is of the opinion that they should be awarded the medal.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The question has been addressed in the answer to Question No 31 in the Circular for Written Answers To Questions For Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time on 9 January 2024. [Please refer to \"Appeals for Individuals who Missed Out on COVID-19 Resilience Medal\", Official Report, 9 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 118, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Dengue Vaccines Submitted to Health Sciences Authority for Consideration for Registration","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"28 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Health (a) which of the dengue vaccine candidates submitted to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) are under consideration for registration; and (b) what is the status of Takeda’s TAK-003 application to the HSA for registration as a dengue vaccine.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Takeda has withdrawn the application to register its dengue vaccine in Singapore following a review by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on its submitted scientific data. We note that the vaccine’s application was also withdrawn in the United States. At this point in time, there is no other application for registration of dengue vaccine to HSA. The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the development of dengue vaccines as part of a multi-pronged approach to dengue control in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Management and Impact of Community Gardens on Community Development and Food Resilience","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"29 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many community gardens are there currently across Singapore; (b) how are these community gardens managed; and (c) what have been the impact of these community gardens on community development and food resilience.
Mr Desmond Lee: As of January 2024, over 1,900 community gardens have been set up across Singapore under the National Park Board (NParks') Community in Bloom programme, which aims to encourage gardening and community bonding.
Community gardens are managed by volunteers, who oversee the management and programming of the gardens. Within housing estates, community gardens are managed by residents, with support from the Residents’ Networks under the People’s Association. There are also community gardens located within schools and organisations that are managed by these entities. NParks supports community gardeners by advising them on site selection, landscaping and plant selection and horticultural best practices.
Community gardens serve as common spaces for people from different walks of life to come together, to bond over their shared interest in gardening. In addition, edible plants are grown in some community gardens and harvests can be shared with the community. There are also outreach and education programmes to promote the growing of edibles. Through such efforts, community gardens can raise awareness on food resilience and local produce and enhance community well-being and social resilience.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Cost of Land Reclamation Project and Proceeds from Sale of Reclaimed Land","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"30 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for National Development since 2000 (a) what is the total cost incurred by land reclamation projects and the total area reclaimed; and (b) of the reclaimed land that had since been sold via Government Land Sales, what is the (i) total area, (ii) original costs incurred and (iii) land sales proceeds.
Mr Desmond Lee: Around 74.5 square kilometres of land have been reclaimed from 2000 to June 2023. Since 2000, the cost of land reclamation projects has been charged to Past Reserves and the total cost of land reclamation projects completed during this period is around $13 billion. About 0.5 square kilometres of these reclaimed land have since been sold via Government Land Sales and the proceeds are around $462 million. As reclaimed land forms part of our Past Reserves, the proceeds from the sale of reclaimed land accrue back to the Past Reserves.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Tree Failure Incident Reports Received by NParks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"31 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for National Development over the last 10 years (a) how many reports has NParks received regarding tree failure incidents on (i) public property, (ii) town council property and (iii) private property respectively; and (b) of these, how many cases are on trees which had previously been flagged or reported to NParks on grounds of safety concerns.
Mr Desmond Lee: The National Parks Board (NParks) manages over two million urban trees in Singapore’s parks, park connectors, state lands and along roads. With the strengthening of NParks’ tree management regime over the years, the annual number of tree failure incidents has declined by 65% from 1,250 cases in 2014 to around 430 in 2023. These numbers exclude trees found in Town Council and private properties, as NParks does not manage these areas.
NParks has a comprehensive tree management programme that includes a rigorous tree inspection and maintenance regime aligned with the best practices of the International Society of Arboriculture. Regular tree inspections are carried out by trained inspectors every six to 24 months, with trees that are close to areas with high pedestrian or traffic activity inspected more frequently. Upon receiving reports of trees with potential safety concerns, NParks will conduct tree risk assessments and take relevant risk mitigation actions where necessary.
NParks will continue to review and adapt its tree management regime to incorporate best practices to minimise the risk of tree failures.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Claims for Damages to Property or Personal Injury Caused by Trees Managed by NParks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"32 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for National Development over the last 10 years (a) how many claims for damages to property or personal injury caused by trees on public property managed by NParks were received; (b) how many claims eventually resulted in payments being made; and (c) what was the mean amount of such payments made.
Mr Desmond Lee: The National Parks Board (NParks) manages over two million urban trees in Singapore's parks, park connectors, state lands and along roads. From 2014 to 2023, NParks received an annual average of 87 claims for damages to property or personal injury caused by trees in these areas, of which about one-third of the claims resulted in payments. The payment amounts depend on the circumstances and merits of each case.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Physical National Library Board Books Borrowed, Reserved and Collected in 2023","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"33 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Communications and Information in the last one year: (a) how many National Library Board members have borrowed at least one physical book from the libraries; (b) what has been the total number of physical books borrowed; and (c) of these, how many have been reserved and collected as opposed to being picked up from the bookshelves.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Over the one-year period from December 2022 to November 2023, 524,000 National Library Board (NLB) members borrowed at least one physical book from NLB's libraries. They made a total of 20.9 million physical loans and renewals of books, of which 141,000 were reservations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Space Usage in NLB Libraries","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"34 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Communications and Information what proportion of space in NLB libraries is used for: (i) bookshelves; (ii) seats without desks; (iii) seats with desks; (iv) activity areas; (v) multimedia stations; and (vi) other purposes.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Each NLB library is designed to cater to the demographics of the patrons who visit each library, the unique characteristics of the surrounding area, feedback received as well as patron surveys and interviews. Hence, the space allocation, which is also affected by the size and layout of each library, differs across the public libraries.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Tax Deductions for Companies and Individuals Participating in Corporate Volunteer Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"35 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth for each year since 2017, (a) what is the: (i) number of companies and (ii) percentage of registered companies that participate in the Corporate Volunteer Scheme; (b) what proportion of these companies hit the annual qualifying deduction cap; and (c) what are the most common qualifying expenditures on which these companies submit tax deductions.
36 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether the Government will consider providing individuals who expend personal time to volunteer at Institutions of Public Character (IPC) the option of claiming a 2.5 times tax deduction on qualifying expenditures, like the provision extended to companies when their employees volunteer at IPCs under the Corporate Volunteer Scheme.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: The Corporate Volunteer Scheme (CVS) was introduced in July 2016 and allows businesses to claim a 250% tax deduction when their employees volunteer or are seconded to Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs). To encourage more companies to contribute to society, the CVS was enhanced on 1 January 2024 so that volunteering activities for the IPC that take place outside the IPC's premises are also eligible for the CVS. The cap on qualifying expenditure per IPC was also raised from $50,000 to $100,000.
Since the start of the scheme, about 170 companies have made claims under the CVS, with salary expenses being the most common qualifying expenditure. To date, no company has exceeded the $250,000 qualifying expenditure cap.
The CVS is a scheme developed specifically to encourage corporates to mobilise their resources to make a meaningful impact on society. There are currently no plans to extend the CVS to individuals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Employment, Resignation and Remuneration of Persons with Disabilities in Workforce","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"37 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Manpower from 2022 to 2023, (a) what is the: (i) average monthly resignation rate and (ii) proportion of part-time to full-time employment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the workforce; and (b) what is the median pay gap between PwDs who are Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) and PMETs who have no disability.
Dr Tan See Leng: \tBased on latest available data from the Comprehensive Labour Force Surveys done in 2021 and 2022, the ratio of part-time to full-time employed persons with disabilities in the workforce is approximately one to four.
\t The median pay gap between persons with disabilities who are Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians and those with no disability is about 13%. This median pay gap would be affected by differences in terms of occupation, industry, years of work experience and educational qualifications of persons with disabilities and those without.
We do not track the resignation rates of persons with disabilities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Dormitories Not Meeting Interim Standards under Dormitory Transition Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"38 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower what is the number and percentages for each of: (i) purpose-built dormitories and (ii) factory-converted dormitories, that currently do not meet the interim standards under the Dormitory Transition Scheme.
Dr Tan See Leng: Currently, around 80% of Purpose-Built Dormitories (PBDs) and more than 95% of Factory-Converted Dormitories (FCDs) do not meet the interim standards under the Dormitory Transition Scheme (DTS). Dormitories will progressively transit to the interim standards by 2030, with the first batch expected to complete the transition by 2027.
Of the PBDs and FCDs on old standards, around 40% and 20% respectively will be exempted from DTS because their remaining lease durations are short and it would not be practical to require them to undergo retrofitting to DTS interim standards. Any new or redeveloped dormitories on new leases will instead, be required to meet the new dormitory standards that were announced in September 2021.
39 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower in the last five years, what is the annual number of CPF members who have been exempted from CPF LIFE, due to them owning private annuities.
Dr Tan See Leng: CPF members who are required to join CPF LIFE1, can apply to the CPF Board to be fully exempted from setting aside their CPF Retirement Sum and joining CPF LIFE if they are receiving lifelong monthly payouts from qualifying2 private annuities bought using cash. The Board approves of such exemptions, if their qualifying private annuities' payouts are no worse off than the member's cohort Full Retirement Sum payouts under the CPF LIFE Standard Plan3. Over the last five years, no member has applied for this option to be exempted from CPF LIFE.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : This applies to CPF members born from 1958 onwards. CPF members born before 1958 are not required to join CPF LIFE.","2 : More details on the criteria for a qualifying private annuity can be found at the website: www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/monthly-payouts/cpf-life/exemption-from-cpf-life.","3 : These monthly payouts must be at least equal to their cohort’s Full Retirement Sum monthly payouts under the CPF LIFE Standard Plan, by gender."],"footNoteQuestions":["39"],"questionNo":"39"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Workplace Fatalities and Injuries Reported in Last Three Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"40 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower what is the monthly number of workplace fatalities and workplace injuries reported in the last three years with a breakdown by: (i) SMEs; (ii) non-SMEs; (iii) workers aged 55 and above; (iv) workers aged below 55; and (v) industry sectors.
Dr Tan See Leng: The requested data are in Charts 1 to 4 below. Data for the second-half of 2023 is not yet available. It is important to recognise the month-to-month volatility in the numbers and to assess the situation over a longer period, for a holistic and accurate view.
From 2021 to the first-half of 2023, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and workers aged below 55 represented the majority of workplace fatalities and reported injuries. Construction and Manufacturing sectors were consistently the top contributors for workplace fatalities and workplace injuries respectively.
Source: Ministry of Manpower – Workplace Safety and Health National Statistics Report
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"SMEs Tapping into StartSAFE Programme and Its Effectiveness in Improving Workplace Safety","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"41 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower: (a) how many SMEs have tapped into StartSAFE programme since its launch; (b) how effective has the programme been in improving workplace safety in SMEs; and (c) whether there are plans to expand and enhance the programme to encourage more SMEs to adopt StartSAFE.
Dr Tan See Leng: About 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have benefited from StartSAFE since its 2018 launch. Close to 800 StartSAFE participants have advanced to bizSAFE Level 3 and above. Companies achieving bizSAFE Level 3 would have passed an audit of their workplace risk management measures, which is a significant milestone. With this promising progress, we will continue to encourage more SMEs to participate in StartSAFE, a programme fully subsidised by the Government, to assist SMEs in strengthening workplace safety and health.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Cases Filed with Employment Claims Tribunal","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"42 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower regarding cases filed with the Employment Claims Tribunal for each year from 2021 to 2023, what is the breakdown of the number of cases: (i) filed with the tribunal; (ii) where there was a hearing; (iii) filed by employers; and (iv) filed by employees.
Dr Tan See Leng: From January 2021 to November 2023, 3,110 claims were filed at the Employment Claims Tribunals. Majority of these claims were resolved at the case management conference (CMC). Around 30% of these claims were not resolved at the CMC and were fixed for a hearing.
Out of the 3,110 claims, about 86% were filed by employees while the remaining 14% were filed by employers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Appeal Cases to High Court after Employment Claims Tribunal Judgment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"43 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower for each year from 2021 to 2023, what is the number of cases that: (i) went on appeal to the High Court after the Employment Claims Tribunal judgment was given; and (ii) leave was not granted to appeal on the Employment Claims Tribunal judgment to the High Court.
Dr Tan See Leng: From January 2021 to November 2023, 74 appeals were filed with the Employment Claims Tribunals for leave or permission to appeal to the High Court. Leave or permission to appeal was allowed in four cases.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WS","content":"[(proc text) The following statement was made in the speech given by the Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How) during the Motion on “Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society” at the Sitting of 10 January 2024: (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How): In particular, together with preceding schemes like NEU PC Plus, we have supported a total of 26,000 households with school-going children with access to digital devices over the last three years. [Please refer to \"Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society\", Official Report, 10 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 119, Motions section.]
[(proc text) Written statement by Mr Tan Kiat How circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)]
I wish to make the following factual correction to my speech given during the Sitting of 10 January 2024. My statement should read as follows:
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Tan Kiat How): In particular, together with preceding schemes like NEU PC Plus, we have supported a total of 26,000 households with school-going children with access to digital devices from 2020 to 2023.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":6101,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Tan Kiat How","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Mr Tan Kiat How Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Mr Tan Kiat How Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6102,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mrs Josephine Teo","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Mrs Josephine Teo Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Mrs Josephine Teo Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6103,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Tin Pei Ling","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Ms Tin Pei Ling Motion (Closing) 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Ms Tin Pei Ling Motion (Closing) 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6112,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Tin Pei Ling","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Ms Tin Pei Ling Motion (Opening) 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Ms Tin Pei Ling Motion (Opening) 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6113,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Ms Nadia A Samdin Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf","fileName":"Ms Nadia A Samdin Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6114,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-AP Razwana Begum Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf","fileName":"AP Razwana Begum Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6115,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Hany Soh","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Ms Hany Soh Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Ms Hany Soh Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6116,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Hazel Poa","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Ms Hazel Poa Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Ms Hazel Poa Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6117,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Dr Wan Rizal","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Dr Wan Rizal Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf","fileName":"Dr Wan Rizal Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6118,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Sharael Taha","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Mr Sharael Taha Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf","fileName":"Mr Sharael Taha Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Malay.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6119,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Mark Lee","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20240110/vernacular-Mr Mark Lee Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf","fileName":"Mr Mark Lee Motion 10 Jan 2024 - Mandarin.pdf"}],"onlinePDFFileName":""}