Mr Speaker: Order. Leader of the House.
The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Singapore Parliament, I would like to pay tribute to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who passed away on 8 September 2022.
I would also like to acknowledge Her Excellency Kara Owen, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to the Republic of Singapore, who is here with us in the House today, in the upper gallery.
Her Late Majesty was not only Queen of the United Kingdom but also the Head of the Commonwealth, a family of 56 nations across the globe, of which Singapore is a proud member.
Queen Elizabeth had a unique role in Singapore’s history. She was Queen during Singapore’s transition from a crown colony to an independent state, including when the fledgling legislature that would eventually become this Parliament was born.
After the landmark general election of 1955, at the inaugural session of the Singapore Legislative Assembly, the forerunner of this Parliament, she sent a congratulatory message that was delivered in this House on 22 April 1955, which said: “I am glad at the opening of the first session of the Legislative Assembly under the New Constitution of Singapore to express to my people in Singapore my great satisfaction at the significant advance in their constitutional progress which is marked by this occasion. The Council of Ministers will now have to deal with the many problems of Government and upon them will fall the chief burden of responsibility for the continued advancement and prosperity of Singapore and for the welfare and safety of its citizens.
I look forward with every confidence to the faithful discharge of this trust for I am sure that those on whom this responsibility falls will carry it out with foresight, courage and honesty of purpose. It is my earnest hope that the work of the Legislative Assembly under the New Constitution will be blest with every success.”
Throughout her remarkable life, The Queen was the epitome of duty, stability, wisdom and grace. Above all else, she embodied duty and service before self, in an unbroken thread through the decades.
On her 21st birthday, she dedicated her life to the Commonwealth in these words: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.” Her life was indeed long, and she more than fulfilled that pledge – quietly, steadfastly and humbly – in the service of her country and the Commonwealth. She showed her humility in the less often quoted next sentence of the speech, “But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do”.
The Queen continued to discharge her duties right to the end, including meeting with and appointing The Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss as her 15th Prime Minister just two days before she passed.
However, beyond duty and public service, Queen Elizabeth was also loved because of her personal touch and the warmth, sincerity and graciousness that she displayed to people from all walks of life. She was charming, witty and disarming, with an intrinsic ability to put someone immediately at ease. I can personally attest to these attributes, having had the privilege of meeting her as Singapore’s representative at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in 2002, the year of her Golden Jubilee.
Between The Queen and Singapore there has always been a reciprocal relationship of warmth and affection.
She made three State Visits to Singapore: in 1972, 1989 and 2006. During these visits, she enjoyed the unique sights, sounds and experiences of Singapore.
Beyond the formality and ceremonials involved in State Visits, The Queen took the time and effort to get to know ordinary Singaporeans better. In 1972, she visited Toa Payoh where she met Mr Thomas Pung and his family in their HDB flat. They graciously invited her into their home and offered her a drink: a glass of 7Up. Thirty-four years later in 2006 on her third State Visit, she visited the Pungs again. On her second State Visit in 1989, The Queen visited Ang Mo Kio, where one young girl was photographed presenting her with a bouquet of flowers. Her name was He Ting Ru and she is now a Member of Parliament.
Although she did not visit in the last decade, The Queen would also be a familiar figure to our younger generations, many of whom have studied, worked or holidayed in the United Kingdom.
During her long reign, The Queen received countless gifts from around the world. Members will be happy to note that at least a couple from Singapore appear to have meant something to her. On her first State Visit, she visited the Rollei factory at Kampong Chai Chee, of which we were very proud. They presented her with a small gold-plated 35mm Rollei camera made in Singapore. The Queen was quite a keen photographer and made good use of it. We learnt this only when she celebrated her 70th wedding anniversary, and BBC carried an old photo of her using the distinctive camera, which some of us were old enough to recognise and remember.
The second gift is a gold and diamond Peranakan brooch, referred to by Buckingham Palace as the Singapore Shield Brooch, which was presented to her on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 by the late President SR Nathan. [Please refer to \"Clarification by Leader of the House\", Official Report, 12 September 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 67, Corrections by Written Statements section.] By some accounts, she wore this brooch more than 20 times, most recently at the opening of the Elizabeth Line in May 2022 for her Platinum Jubilee.
The Queen’s association with Singapore continues to be marked in and around our city. Queen Elizabeth Walk, along Marina Bay, and Queenstown, Singapore’s first satellite town, were named to commemorate her coronation in 1953. Places and roads in Queenstown are named after places in Scotland where she spent time during her childhood, such as Strathmore, Forfar and Stirling. Princess Elizabeth Primary School in Bukit Batok was also named after her. We have kept these place and school names. They record part of our history and reflect our continued high regard for Her Late Majesty and our enduring friendly relations with the United Kingdom.
The passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II marks the end of an era.
On behalf of this House, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and the Royal Family and to the people of the United Kingdom on the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Mr Speaker, Sir, as a mark of respect, I propose that the House observe a minute of silence.
Mr Speaker: We will now observe a minute of silence as a mark of respect to the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to express our deepest condolences and sympathies to His Majesty King Charles III, members of The Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Will Members please rise.
[(proc text) The House rose and observed a minute of silence. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Thank you. Please be seated.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Benefits of New Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass to Singapore and Singaporeans","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"1 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Manpower with the launch of the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass (a) how does the Ministry ensure that Singaporeans continue to get access to senior level jobs; and (b) how will the Ministry prevent abuse of such work passes by applicants.
2 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Manpower how will the new Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass benefit Singapore and Singaporeans.
3 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Manpower what is the rationale for the relaxation of the eligible criteria for the Employment Pass and Fair Consideration Framework.
4 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what will make the Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass more attractive to foreign talent than the Tech.Pass; and (b) why are the dependants of ONE Pass holders able to work in Singapore on a Letter of Consent instead of being assessed based on their own merits.
5 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower in view that an Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass holder is allowed to work at multiple companies (a) whether such Pass holder can work as a freelancer or must be employed by a company; (b) whether the multiple companies are required to be Singapore-based; and (c) whether the fixed monthly salary of at least $30,000 for the ONE Pass holder is shared among the multiple companies.
6 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how will the enhancements to the work pass framework benefit Singapore workers, especially the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass; and (b) in the past 12 months, what is the number of jobs with salaries exceeding $10,000 per month that are advertised on MyCareersFuture under the Fair Consideration Framework that are eventually filled, broken down by Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans.
7 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower regarding the new Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass (a) what is the maximum number of companies that a ONE Pass holder may work for; (b) whether the minimum monthly salary of $30,000 is an aggregate of the salaries from the multiple companies that the pass holder is employed in; and (c) if so, what is the minimum salary that the pass holder must receive from each company.
8 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower in relation to the newly announced Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass (a) whether there is any target or projections on how many applicants will be granted the ONE Pass annually; (b) if so, what are these target or projected numbers; and (c) whether there will be enhanced or stepped up checks on applicants for ONE Pass to ensure the veracity of information provided during the application process.
9 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower how will the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass scheme enhance the Singaporean leadership bench strength and align with the policy to build the Singaporean Core and complementarity of foreign manpower.
10 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the planned promotional, awareness-raising activities or channels to promote the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass; (b) which agencies will be in charge of these activities; (c) what is the timeline for such activities; and (d) what is the annual budget proposed to be allocated to these activities.
11 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether any studies have been carried out on the number of Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Passes the Ministry intends to issue particularly with regard to the impact on job opportunities for Singaporeans; and (b) what are the objective criteria set for the issuance of the ONE Pass to individuals who do not meet the $30,000 per month salary threshold.
12 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Manpower what is the Ministry’s consideration for exempting the top 10% of Employment Pass holders from the Fair Consideration Framework job advertising requirement and the Complementarity Assessment Framework.
13 Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry define the criterion of “outstanding achievements” for the Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass; (b) how will the Ministry assess whether an applicant meets this criterion in the eligible areas; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to limit the number of ONE Passes issued annually.
14 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower in light of the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising duration requirement reverting to 14 days from 28 days from 1 September 2022 (a) what is the percentage of successful hires from job listings for the period 1 October 2020 to 31 August 2022 compared to the period before the extension; (b) what is the number of job applications received during the 28-day job advertising period, broken down by the number of days since the job listing; and (c) what is the average number of applicants shortlisted for an interview for work pass applications that are deemed to have fulfilled the FCF requirements.
15 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Manpower whether there are measures to help Singapore companies develop more Singaporeans, instead of relying on foreign talent, to helm leadership positions and, if so, what are they.
16 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Manpower what are some of the considerations for (i) not imposing a time limit requiring eligible Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass applicants to remain employed and (ii) allowing their spouses to work in Singapore on a Letter of Consent without having to meet other work pass requirements.
17 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many of the existing Employment Pass holders will meet the eligibility criteria for the Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass; and (b) how many (i) Singapore Citizens and (ii) Permanent Residents are in direct competition with eligible ONE Pass holders for jobs respectively.
18 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower with regard to the newly launched Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass (a) whether there are measures in place to ensure that Singaporeans are not disadvantaged as the ONE Pass allows eligible persons to work for multiple companies in Singapore at any one time and, if so, what are they; and (b) whether measures have been taken to enhance our systems and processes to prevent fraudulent ONE pass applications from taking place and, if so, what are they.
\tThe Minister for Manpower (Dr Tan See Leng): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take oral Question Nos 1 to 18 in today's Order Paper in my Ministerial Statement to be delivered later.
\tMr Speaker: Please do. Miss Rachel Ong.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Assessing Cases based on Hoarding Management Framework","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"19 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether regular assessments are conducted under the Hoarding Management Framework (HMF) to ensure that housing units of those assessed to be a threat to public health and safety under the framework do not pose as fire hazards to themselves and their neighbours; and (b) whether the current set of standard operating procedures under the HMF is adequate in ensuring that these housing units do not become a source of fire hazard.
20 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether an update can be provided on the effectiveness of the implementation of the Hoarding Management Framework; and (b) whether it has reduced the number of reported hoarding cases in the last two years.
21 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for National Development in view of the recent spate of home fires in HDB estates, whether HDB, SCDF or the relevant agencies will step up inspections and consider issuing decluttering notices to homes with excessive hoarding that pose serious fire hazard risks.
22 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for National Development whether an update can be provided on efforts by the multi-agency workgroup in coordinating hoarding cases under the Hoarding Management Framework to reduce fire hazards in HDB flats.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for National Development (Ms Sim Ann) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, a few preliminary matters, please.
First, I seek your permission to answer Question Nos 19 to 22 together?
Second, Members Mr Don Wee, Mr Murali Pillai1, Mr Melvin Yong2, Mr Desmond Choo3, Mr Gerald Giam4 and Ms Joan Pereira5 have also filed questions on the same topic which are scheduled for today and tomorrow. My reply will effectively address their questions as well, and as such they may wish to withdraw their questions if their queries are answered today.
Third, Question Nos 23 to 26 on today's Order Paper on the issue of fire risk in HDB flats, which are directed to MHA, have a bearing on and are relevant to, the MND Parliamentary Questions (PQs). As such, may I request that the answers to both the MND and MHA PQs be provided first, and the supplementary PQs from Members on both sets of questions be taken together thereafter.
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed.
\tMs Sim Ann: Thank you. Sir, compulsive hoarding is characterised by the excessive acquisition of items that are of little or no value and an inability or unwillingness to discard them. While hoarders’ homes may be filled from floor to ceiling with what most may deem as \"rubbish\", they view these items as important and cannot bear to part with them. In the most severe cases, the hoarder may even rough sleep outside their homes as there is hardly any space left inside. Internationally, the Clutter Image Rating Scale (CIRS) is used to measure the extent and severity of hoarding.
The root cause of a hoarder's behaviour is complex. For example, one's hoarding could be a symptom of underlying mental health conditions like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or developed after trauma or deep grief. Hoarding behaviours could also be exacerbated by social factors, such as disputes with one's family or the stockpiling of collected items at home for one’s “karang guni” business. Hoarding strikes people of all ages. While hoarding is more often observed in the elderly, it is a behavioural trait that could have slowly deteriorated throughout adulthood and worsened as one ages.
Hoarding can happen within the confines of one's flat, but can also spill out into common areas such as shared corridors. A hoarded home may be infested with pests from rotting food or pose a fire risk as occupants may be unable to escape in an emergency due to blockages to exit routes from the extreme accumulation of clutter. Hoarding that clutters corridors also obstructs evacuation routes for neighbours in times of fire. The emanating stench may also inconvenience neighbours and be a nuisance by preventing them from enjoying living in their own homes. These public health and safety risks and dis-amenities warrant state intervention for the well-being of both the hoarder and the community.
The Government has taken an inter-agency approach to address hoarding because of its complexity and potentially fatal public hazards. The Hoarding Management Core Group (HMCG), led by the Municipal Services Office (MSO), was set up in 2014 to coordinate efforts across agencies and resolve protracted and severe hoarding cases. The HMCG comprises HDB, NEA, the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) of NParks, SCDF, MSF, People's Association and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).
In the Hoarding Management Framework (HMF), hoarding cases are assessed and prioritised based on whether there is threat to public health and safety. Where risks are identified to the extent that established rules and laws are violated, regulatory agencies will issue orders or take enforcement action on the hoarder or homeowner. For example, NEA may order the owner to remove items contributing to pest infestations in their home, while SCDF may order the owner to cease hoarding flammable items, such as fuel. AVS will also act against hoarding of animals within a HDB flat where animal welfare is harmed, or Town Councils may require owners to remove hoarding in the common areas.
HMCG considers community and social interventions in tandem with enforcement efforts. If the hoarder is suspected to have mental health issues, the hoarder will be referred to AIC and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for professional assessment and treatment. Agencies work closely with healthcare workers, community partners such as social workers from Family Service Centres, grassroots leaders, volunteers and the hoarders' family members in a concerted effort to resolve hoarding cases. However, even with the involvement of mental health agencies and professionals, deep-seated issues may still result in recurrence as behavioural change is unlikely to happen overnight.
Nevertheless, HMCG has achieved some success, and as of the first half of 2022, we have managed to reduce the severity of 210 cases of hoarding and are actively monitoring these cases to prevent recurrence. If your family member is a hoarder, we seek your strong support on agencies' efforts to declutter as family intervention has proven to be a major success factor in hoarding intervention.
Agencies are currently working on another 260 active hoarding cases. These complex cases remain protracted and unresolved because it is difficult to gain hoarders' cooperation to declutter. Frontline officers face real tensions on the ground in balancing between the person's individual right to choose how they want to upkeep their own home and their neighbours' enjoyment of their own residences, especially in cases where the clutter falls short of outright legal violations, or does not meet the threshold for public health and safety risks as determined by SCDF and NEA.
In such cases, officers need to obtain the cooperation of the hoarder to help them declutter. This involves repeated engagements, persuasion and at times, referrals to social workers and/or mental health professionals. We have encountered cases where hoarders refuse to open their door for inspections or cooperate in decluttering – some may even threaten self-harm at the thought of losing their belongings. Even if their homes were successfully decluttered once, the clutter may recur as habits do not change so quickly.
However, as recent cases have shown, decluttering is needed not just for the communities' safety, but to protect the individual's safety. HMCG will continue to work hard at this problem. We empathise with neighbours' frustration with the recurrence of inconveniences and disamenities, but also seek your understanding that the challenges and complexities in hoarding intervention require persistent efforts sustained over a long period, both on agencies' and the hoarder's part. To this end, agencies are committed to reviewing enforcement levers and acting more decisively on decluttering efforts.
We plan to intensify actions to keep corridors clear for passage. In the coming months, agencies intend to work with Town Councils to step up enforcement on cluttered corridors. In tandem, MSO will work with the media as well as social and grassroots workers to further spread and reinforce key messages through more Public Education on the dangers of hoarding and cluttered corridors.
We will also continue to tackle known cases of egregious hoarding within flats. We will work with agencies to assess risks posed by the worst hoarding cases. Where orders are issued for public health and safety reasons and hoarders are cooperative, we will proceed to declutter via the community-based approach with the assistance of volunteer groups. However, even in cases where hoarders are unwilling to part with their items, we will act firmly in the interest of public health and safety to intervene. We seek the understanding of the public that we cannot allow decluttering efforts to be blocked by the remonstrations of individuals who may be endangering public health and safety with their actions.
Lastly, HMCG alone cannot identify all hoarding cases. Residents who come across hoarding behaviour with public health and safety concerns may report such cases through the OneService App, which will then be referred to agencies for further assessment.
Mr Speaker: The supplementary questions will be taken later. Response by MHA.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what steps have been taken to date by the inter-Ministry Hoarding Task Force (HTF) to (i) identify HDB flats which are the subject of hoarding and (ii) tackle and alleviate problems posed by hoarding; and (b) whether a hotline can be set up for residents to report instances of hoarding at HDB flats to the HTF for investigation.","2 : To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many cases of hoarding in HDB flats have been recorded annually over the past five years; (b) whether there is a rising trend of such cases; and (c) what is being done to help residents who suffer from mental health disorders that result in their hoarding behaviour.","3 : To ask the Minister for National Development what are the ways that HDB engage with Government agencies and the community to address the issue of excessive hoarding in HDB flats.","4 : To ask the Minister for National Development in each year from 2016 to date (a) how many times have Government agencies intervened to enforce the clearance of items hoarded within HDB flats where the hoarding situation presented a threat to public health and safety; (b) how were these clearances executed; and (c) what is the average time taken between the date the agency was notified of the hoarding situation and the date the clearance was completed.","5 : To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the current Hoarding Management Framework is sufficient in addressing the issue of residents who continually hoard items outside their flats and in the common areas of residential buildings, causing threat to public health and safety; and (b) if not, whether more measures can be introduced to better address this issue."],"footNoteQuestions":["19","20","21","22"],"questionNo":"19-22"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review of Fire Safety Standards for HDB Blocks and Installation of Home Fire Alarm Devices for all HDB Public Rental Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"23 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the installation of Home Fire Alarm Devices (HFAD) for all HDB public rental flats has been completed in 2021; (b) if not, what percentage of flats remain to be fitted with such devices and when will the installations be completed; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider installing HFADs for HDB 2-room Flexi flats owned by seniors.
24 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider (i) placing fire extinguishers along the common corridor of specified floors for each HDB block (ii) rolling out educational programmes to instruct residents on the locations and appropriate deployment of these fire extinguishers and fire hose reels in the common areas and (iii) forming a partnership with Resident Committees or Town Councils for the maintenance of the fire extinguishers in their community.
25 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Government will review the fire safety standards of HDB blocks and flats to better mitigate the spread in the event of a fire; and (b) whether the policy on installation of fire-rated doors can be reviewed to allow more pervasive use of such doors.
26 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether there is any update on the free installation of Home Fire Alarm Devices in public rental flats; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider extending such installations to all lower-income households or households with at least one elderly person aged 60 and above.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, I will address oral Question Nos 23 to 26.
\tThe Home Fire Alarm Device (HFAD) Assistance Scheme, which provided for free installation of HFADs for all HDB public rental flats on a non-mandatory basis, was completed in June 2021. The take-up rate as of the completion of the initiative was 75%. HDB will progressively install HFADs in the remaining 25% of public rental flats when their tenants' leases end.
The number of fires in HDB estates continues to decrease annually, and the fire fatality rate remains low. MHA does not currently intend to expand the HFAD Assistance Scheme.
Under the Fire Code, every residential unit is designed as a fire compartment to prevent the spread of fire beyond or into the unit. The Fire Code currently requires fire-rated entrance doors for residential units, except where the residential unit faces an external corridor, as such corridors have been assessed to sufficiently facilitate heat and smoke dissipation. Other fire safety requirements for residential buildings include the provision of adequate exit staircases to facilitate swift evacuation of occupants, fire engine access roads and rising mains to facilitate fire-fighting operations.
SCDF regularly reviews the Fire Code together with stakeholders from other Government agencies, industry and academia. An example of an enhancement would be a requirement for new residential buildings exceeding 24 metres in habitable height, to be provided with an apron wall or horizontal ledge on the building façade to minimise risk of vertical fire spread.
SCDF is embarking on a trial with HDB, Town Councils and Temasek Foundation to place and maintain one fire extinguisher at a lift lobby of every two HDB blocks for use by residents during fire emergencies.
SCDF has been educating residents on the use of the fire extinguisher through public engagement programmes such as the Community Emergency Preparedness Programme and Community Resilience Days. Through these platforms, SCDF encourages residents to install fire extinguishers in their premises on a voluntary basis and also shares information on the locations where hose reels can be found in the common areas.
Mr Speaker: Mr Lim Biow Chuan.
\tMr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I ask the Minister of State for Home Affairs this question. Sir, I am sympathetic to the residents affected by hoarding. I have one such case in my own constituency. I must say that MND has been very helpful in helping to solve the hoarding issue.
However, I am asking whether the Town Councils can get better support from SCDF to carrying out an assessment of the fire safety every time there is a reported case of hoarding. And also, whether NEA can also rapidly come to make an assessment of the health risk because, otherwise, by the Town Councils themselves, it is a big difficulty to try to persuade hoarders to clear the junk in their house, which Senior Minister of State Sim Ann has said represents a health risk as well as a nuisance to their neighbours.
\tAssoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. SCDF does not assess cluttered houses or homes, in general, to be a key fire risk. That said, we understand the Member and the general public's concerns and are working closely with the inter-agency HMCG to address the issue.
Mr Speaker: Mr Murali Pillai.
\tMr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the hon Senior Minister of State, in relation to the approach of involving a number of agencies to tackle hoarding, how would it be expressed in practice? Would the resident know which is the lead agency that would be coordinating the efforts? And how would the resident know, in relation to steps that has been taken and also, in relation to the historical matters? Because some of these cases stretch back not just months, sometimes even years. How would the residents be assured that the historical facts are all recorded and being followed through?
\tThe Senior Minister of State for National Development (Ms Sim Ann): In response to Mr Murali's question, HMCG is a multi-agency effort. In practice, however, it would usually be the HDB officers that are interfacing with the case on the ground and it would also be the HDB officers who are interacting more frequently, for instance, with the neighbours or perhaps the grassroots' advisor, or with the Town Council or whoever has been raising the alert in the first place.
As for documentation, within HMCG, the various agencies consulted, depending on the specific details of the case, would contribute their inputs and at the HMCG level, we will be keeping a record of all the various cases. Also, I also want to take this opportunity to thank advisors, like Mr Murali, who has been following up closely with HMCG on various specific interventions.
Mr Speaker: Ms Foo Mee Har.
\tMs Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Thank you, Speaker. In view of the recent spate of home fires in HDB estates, my residents have shared that they would like HDB to review the policy around fire-rated doors to mitigate the spread, in the event of a fire. The Minister of State briefly spoke about that.
Based on the prevailing Fire Code, a significant number of households having existing fire-rated doors are being offered non-fire-rated doors as replacement under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). So, my residents are not quite convinced with the basis for the more relaxed SCDF rules. I have two supplementary questions for both Minister of State for Home Affairs as well as Senior Minister of State for National Development.
First, whether HDB and SCDF can work together to further review the requirements on fire-rated doors. Two, whether residents who prefer to keep the fire-rated doors during HIP will be offered new fire-rated doors, even though the prevailing SCDF Fire Code does not require a fire-rated door.
\tAssoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. I will address these. As explained in my answer earlier, the Fire Code does not require entrance doors of residential units facing external corridors to be fire rated, as such corridors facilitate heat and smoke dissipation.
The HIP offers fire-rated doors in accordance with the prevailing Fire Code. If a unit does not require fire-rated doors under the Fire Code, HDB would offer non-fire-rated doors under the HIP. We all know that. And if a unit requires a fire-rated door, HDB will offer as such. So, the resident will have the option to change his or her existing fire-rated door to a new one, at a subsidised cost.
\t
Residents may opt to install fire-rated doors even where this is not required under the Fire Code, but this would be at their own expense, as there is a cost difference between fire-rated and non-fire-rated doors. If the Fire Code does not require fire-rated doors, this additional cost will not be covered under the HIP.
We regularly review the Fire Code and we work with Government agencies, industry players as well as academia to see how the fire safety aspects remain relevant, which facilitates how we can live together in our home in Singapore.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Thank you, Speaker. I know that there is currently a multi-agency approach to hoarding cases and it often involves engaging volunteers to persuade the hoarders and to help clear the items. I am very grateful for the big-hearted work of these volunteers, but given that there may be urgent public health and safety issues at stake, does the Senior Minister of State agree that there is a need to deploy more trained and experienced officers to lead the engagement of the hoarders and for paid workers to help with the clearance so that it can be done more expeditiously?
Secondly, the Senior Minister of State said that just now that enforcement levers are being reviewed. What will be the scope of this review and will it involve putting more resources into dealing with this difficult problem, not just in terms of engagement, but also in terms of engaging the hoarders and their families?
\tMs Sim Ann: In response to Mr Gerald Giam's questions – first, in terms of the clearance of clutter, we do work together with a variety of partners. So, yes, volunteers are very helpful in this regard but also there are professional officers who are involved. I have just mentioned in response to Mr Murali, that HDB officers are very often on the front line and they are spending their time together with MSO officers to effect the clearance of items as well. So, the key, though, is very often to obtain entry and cooperation, especially in cases where the level of cluttering or hoarding falls short of outright legal violations. This is where most of the effort is being expended.
In terms of the enforcement levers, within HMCG, we do and we will continue to work very closely first with the technical agencies, whose professional assessment we rely upon to determine whether or not a legal order can be issued. These are all covered under their respective Acts, within NEA as well as SCDF's purview. I mentioned, for instance AVS as well, and that is for a smaller subset of cases.
I think one of the ways in which we can also help the officers on the ground is for there to be more public understanding of some of the complexities of the issue. It is very often not a simple matter of pressing a button and then the decluttering will take place. The individual is very much a part of the picture and sometimes not being able to contact the individual or evasive actions taken by the individual to avoid anyone speaking with him or her, or gaining entry to his or her flat, very often that can delay action very considerably. Also, the degree to which the family members are supportive makes a very clear difference on the ground. To this end, the media reporting recently has also been, in my opinion, very helpful because I think it helps people understand a little bit better that it is something which is not so straightforward to do, but that efforts are being expended on the ground and we will continue to do so.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Joan Pereira.
\tMs Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Speaker. I have a supplementary question for Senior Minister of State Sim Ann. I have observed that agencies face extremely great challenges in getting our hoarders, especially those who face mental well-being issues to cooperate. Can I ask if there could be dedicated mental health or social support resources set aside for cases specifically under the Hoarding Management Framework, so that more attention can be given to resolve such cases very quickly?
\tMs Sim Ann: I thank Ms Joan Pereira. On behalf of the MSO which chairs HMCG, I would like nothing better than to see more resources being devoted to this issue by all the agencies that are working with us.
However, working closely with them, we also understand that there are different professional considerations. For instance, what we have learnt from our mental health colleagues is that hoarding itself is not an illness or a condition. It is an expression of underlying conditions which can be quite varied. And therefore, in terms of dealing with the root cause, every case is different.
So, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach and actually as with quite a number of mental health conditions, it is again, not a straightforward issue of prescribing a treatment. Access to the individual, the ability to engage the individual, some awareness or response by the individual and strong support from the family members are very important, not just in terms of addressing the behavioural manifestation, in terms of the hoarding, but also whatever underlying cause could have contributed to this behaviour in the first place.
So, this is something that we will continue to work together with our colleagues from the mental health sector. Broader understanding, as I have explained earlier, would also help because then, it gives our officers more confidence on the ground as they interact with each family or household and address their responses or sometimes lack thereof in their efforts to declutter.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Gan Thiam Poh.
\tMr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio): Thank you, Sir. I would like to check with the Senior Minister of State: is there a time frame to the enforcement order to be taken? Some cases are very complicated; I personally have come across a resident's case – after years of trying, the hoarding issue still cannot be solved. The family members are seeking help, they are in distress that one of their family members has this habit. This poses safety concerns to the family. I just want to find out, under such circumstances, what else can as the Ministry do?
\tMs Sim Ann: I thank Mr Gan. First of all, within HMCG, we already have a framework and as I have also shared with Members just now, we have managed to see progress in some of the cases. I understand that Members, especially those who have witnessed or who have been handling hoarding cases in your own wards, would also like to see more speedy resolution. This is also a goal that we share.
In terms of working together with the agencies, we will seek to have intensified ground actions because I think it is important that we do the clearance, for instance, of corridors together in a more concerted way, such that there would be first, broader understanding of the importance of clear passages; there would also be some increased understanding in hoarding and what are the factors surrounding it; and also, we hope that even for members of the public who may not be living next to someone who keeps clutter, but that, when there are actions that are ongoing, when there is some enforcement and if there is, for instance, some objections on the ground from the person who owns the clutter, we actually seek the members of the public's understanding as well, that this is something that needs to be done for the greater good.
\tMr Speaker: I will take one last supplementary question. Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
\tMr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Thank you, Sir. I wanted to seek clarification from the Minister of State for Home Affairs, whether SCDF indeed have the authority to carry out enforcement or issue decluttering notices to household with excessive hoarding, especially those that pose fire risks? If yes, is the Ministry or SCDF stepping up these inspections and issuing such notices? If no, would the Ministry consider empowering SCDF with this authority so that they can ensure fire safety in our residential areas?
\tAssoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. As I shared earlier, SCDF does not assess cluttered homes, in general, to be a key fire risk. So, at the end of the day, we have to look at the different cases. However, that said, we understand the Member's and the public's concern; and we are working closely with the inter-agency HMCG to look into the issue.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Improve Work-Life Balance Among Teachers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"27 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Education beyond increasing salaries for teachers, what other new measures are being introduced to reduce burnout and improve their work-life balance.
28 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry is considering other measures besides pay increase to enhance the working conditions for teachers including concerns over workload and long hours, such as adding more staff.
29 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Education (a) apart from salary increment, whether the Ministry has also looked into ways to ease teachers' workloads and improve their mental well-being in order to attract and retain talents; and (b) whether the Ministry will be working with relevant agencies to ensure that the salary increment and benefits will also apply to MOE-seconded teachers in special education schools.
\tThe Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take the three questions – Question Nos 27 to 29 – together, please?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr Chan Chun Sing: Mr Speaker, Sir, first, let me thank Members of this House for the concern over the well-being of our educators. MOE is mindful that the quality of education depends on the strength of our teaching force, and teachers' well-being is critically important to our mission to teach, inspire and nurture future generations. We are heartened by the public support for the salary and benefits adjustments to MOE-specific schemes, so that our educators continue to be competitively remunerated. These adjustments will apply to all MOE staff, including MOE teachers seconded to other agencies such as special education schools.
Mr Speaker, Sir, having said that, building a quality teaching service goes beyond salaries and benefits. MOE values our teachers, and pays close attention to their well-being and work-life balance. Many of our dedicated teachers go above and beyond the call of duty for our students. To help teachers manage their workload, we have supported schools and teachers by streamlining administrative processes such as taking attendance electronically, centrally providing services such as demand aggregation for common purchases and giving schools greater flexibility to pace the implementation of new initiatives. This allows teachers to focus their time on student-centric work, including CCAs and counselling.
Schools have also implemented more flexible work arrangements for teachers where feasible, while maintaining the duty of care towards students. This includes holding virtual or hybrid afternoon meetings where meaningful and effective and allowing teachers to leave school when they have no further duties that require them to be in school. Teachers who require greater flexibility in work hours can also apply for part-time teaching arrangements.
Schools' Staff Well-Being Committees have also been provided with more resources to enhance staff well-being, such as additional Staff Welfare Funds and in-house curated resources to help them organise meaningful programmes for staff. Teachers may also take part in well-being workshops, talks and webinars and access online resources to help learn about self-care and support for one another.
\tTeachers are encouraged to share their concerns with their supervisors and school leaders or with the superintendent overseeing their school. They can also tap on other channels for support, such as the school’s Wellness Ambassadors, MOE’s in-house professional counselling services and the 24/7 whole-of-Government counselling hotline.
Beyond MOE and schools, our parents and other stakeholders can also play critical roles in supporting our teachers’ well-being. For example, by respecting teachers’ personal time and minimising non-critical communication with teachers outside work hours, parents and the public can also work closely with teachers to establish positive partnerships and set appropriate expectations on the teachers’ responsibilities for our children’s development.
MOE will continue to work with school leaders and the public to keep workload manageable for our teachers and to support their well-being. This will ensure that teaching continues to be a meaningful and fulfilling career and that we can continue to attract and retain good teachers to help mould the future of our nation.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Seah Kian Peng.
\tMr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade): I thank the Minister for his answers. First, we fully support what the Ministry has been doing. All of us in this House would have spoken to or know many teachers who are in the service. Teachers love to teach. What they do not like is the administrative part of things and my first supplementary question to the Minister is that we continue to focus more on the relentless effort to reduce their administrative duties because less is always more.
I am also happy to note that the Minister talked about how parents can help in this. This is one area which I hope that, for the many parents out there, beyond saying what parents could help, maybe we could consider drawing clear boundaries on where parents should not or cannot do because I think many teachers that I spoke to also said that one of the things that stress them is what parents are imposing on them, either directly or indirectly. So, could the Minister consider drawing up a very clear set of rules on what can and cannot be done, as far as parents are concerned, to the teachers?
\tMr Speaker: Can I remind Members to keep your supplementary questions uncluttered?
\tMr Chan Chun Sing: Mr Speaker, Sir, let me thank Mr Seah Kian Peng for his comments. Indeed, on the first supplementary question, we will continue to do what we can to recruit more quality teachers for our education system. We will also do what we can to recruit more allied educators to help our teachers in taking care of the school and the children. But let me maybe just put in context some of the progress that we have made.
If we look at the pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) – not the parent-teacher ratio – in 2010, the PTR for Primary school was about 19; in 2020, we were at about 15. For Secondary schools, our PTR in 2010 was about 16; in 2020, we were at about 12. So, we have made progress and we hope to be able to continue to recruit good quality teachers to take care of our students. For the allied educators, in 2017, we had about 960; in 2021, we had about 1,300. So, we do what we can to try to improve the numbers.
The second part is that we also want to streamline many of the processes that we have so that we do not take up this capacity because one of the challenges that we have now is that we have to reinvest the capacity in helping our teachers themselves grow and learn so that they can bring on board with them new experiences, new perspectives to enrich the teaching of our students.
At the same time, as suggested by Mr Seah Kian Peng, we also have higher-needs students and families and special needs children that we want to take better care of, and we also need to manage the socioemotional development of many more children and families. So, these are places where we need to reinvest the capacity.
On the Member's second supplementary question about the rules for parents – if you like, the dos and don'ts – yes, indeed, MOE has a set of rules and guidelines for all our schools. We communicate these rules to the public and our parents and we hope that our parents will also work with the schools to bring this about.
If I may say so, I would like to put in context that not all parents are difficult. We certainly have our fair share of them. But, perhaps, one difficult parent can take up a substantial amount of time from the teachers, which then makes it unfair for the teachers to take care of the rest. But just to pay tribute to some of the parent support groups which have done well in this. We have many examples of parent support groups – and I have met them recently – who have come forward to help the teachers and the schools to manage many of these things – from curriculum to how to role model a positive relationship between parents and teachers. For example, Admiralty Secondary School, Crest Secondary School and Fuhua Primary School all have very strong parent support groups which work with the teachers to bring about a better outcome in our schools.
At the same time, we also have many schools with very strong alumni groups which have also contributed much to the schools to alleviate the load on the teachers as well. But having said that, it is true that there are some parents who may not abide by some of the rules in this code of conduct that we have mentioned. Some negative examples would be like going after the teachers for the slightest of issues which require the teachers to spend an inordinate amount of time to try to answer those questions.
Once, I met a principal and she told me that she has to deploy her teachers on \"corridor\" duties. I asked \"What are corridor duties?\" I understand canteen duties. But I was a bit intrigued by corridor duties. And she said that, \"Well, just in case the child falls down and the parents want to know what happened. So, we must be around to see. Otherwise, the parents might be quite upset.\"
So, I think we need to have shared expectations of what we expect from our teachers and what we should not expect our teachers to do. Perhaps, in the larger scheme of things, sometimes, it is useful for us to take a step back and ask ourselves what is the kind of environment we want in the schools in order for us to bring up our children who are independent, resilient and creative. And, sometimes, if we overdo things by removing all uncertainties, difficulties and untidiness from the child's life, it may not be the best way for us to bring up our children.
On the other hand, when a child encounters a difficulty and if we, as parents, prematurely step in too often, it may also deprive our children of the ability to deal with some of these difficult situations, including working in teams for project work. So, we take Mr Seah Kian Peng's points very seriously because such clear expectations on the roles of the teachers are very important for that healthy relationship between parents and teachers and, at the same time, for our teachers to manage their time well.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
\tMr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Speaker, I thank the Minister for his answers. I have two supplementary questions.
Firstly, I would like to ask the Minister whether there are any plans to review our current teacher recruitment efforts to attract more people to join teaching as a profession.
Secondly, the Minister talked about enhancing the resources. I would like to ask specifically whether there are any plans to review and enhance administrative non-teaching manpower resources in schools so as to reduce the workload on teachers.
\tMr Chan Chun Sing: Mr Speaker, Sir, on the first question on teacher recruitment, MOE has been very fortunate that we have been able to recruit our fair share of teachers and to hold up the quality bar because the quantity and the quality must come together. So, we have been pretty fortunate and will continue to intensify efforts to make sure that we continue to have a fair share of the best people in every cohort to become teachers.
Of course, all Members of the House would know that, as we speak now, the labour market is tight. Our people have many choices. But we will still want to have our fair share of talent invested in the Education Service, just like how our forefathers did, because we believe that this is the best investment for the next generation – to put a fair share of the best people into the teaching service so that we can groom the next generation and we will continue to do that.
But having said that, I think it goes beyond the pay. It is about systems, culture, how we respect our teachers that engender more who want to join the service in service of our children and nation. So, we will continue to do that.
On the second supplementary question, I have addressed it earlier. Yes, we will continue to recruit more people to help out in the non-teaching tasks. But having said that, we will also work to streamline our own processes to make sure that we make the best use of the resources available, besides the structures and organisation issues, then we go back to the issues of how we build this shared relationship with parents and the community to bring out the best in our children.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Hany Soh.
\tMs Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): I thank the Minister for sharing the examples of efforts to ease the workload of our MOE teachers as well as to address their mental well-being. My supplementary question pertains to seeking the Minister to share whether more of such benefits will also apply to the MOE-seconded teachers in Special Education Schools.
\tMr Chan Chun Sing: The answer is yes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Probe into Network Hardware Issues that Caused System Outage at Polyclinics on 27 August 2022 ","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"30 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health in light of network hardware issues affecting the IT systems of public healthcare institutions on 27 August 2022 (a) how many institutions, apps and IT-dependent services are affected respectively; (b) how many patients are existing inpatients, patients admitted that day and outpatients scheduled to be seen that day respectively; (c) how many of such patients have experienced diversion or delayed care provision; and (d) how are the affected patients and healthcare workers supported.
31 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health in respect of network hardware issues affecting the IT systems of public healthcare institutions on 27 August 2022 (a) whether a cyber attack has been ruled out; (b) what are the root causes of the outage; (c) whether existing redundancy measures are sufficient to maintain provision of healthcare services; (d) what lessons have been learned; and (e) what is being done to improve resilience against such incidents.
32 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the budget, headcount and deliverables of the Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS); (b) how do these benchmark against best-in-class international healthcare institutions and top technology-sector firms; and (c) what is being done to strengthen the capabilities of IHiS systems, processes and staff.
33 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Health with regard to the network hardware issues that caused a system outage at some polyclinics on 27 August 2022, what are the safeguards in place or that will be implemented to prevent disruptions in the future.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, may I please address Question Nos 30 through to 33 together?
\tMr Speaker: Yes, please.
\tDr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, Members have asked about the cause and impact of the IT system's outage at public healthcare institutions on 27 August 2022. There was a related outage that occurred in the morning of 5 September 2022, which I will also address.
From 7.00 am on 27 August 2022, the public healthcare monitoring systems detected IT network connectivity failures. The faults were rectified and the systems were restored by 10.45 am on the same day. In total, 26 IT applications were affected, including the electronic medical records, appointment, pharmacy and laboratory systems. Seventeen public healthcare institutions, including the acute hospitals, community hospitals and specialist outpatient clinics and all the polyclinics, were also affected.
On 5 September, at 10.00 am, another fault occurred in the IT infrastructure. Some functionality was restored from 1.00 pm on the same day and full functionality was restored by 6.00 pm the next day. This outage affected eight public healthcare institutions and two out of three polyclinic groups. Due to the nature of this outage, the time to recovery of the system was longer. Hence, operations and services were switched to their back-up infrastructure.
Both incidents caused a significant impact on operations. On both 27 August and 5 September, our affected public healthcare institutions activated their downtime procedures and business continuity plans to keep operations running using alternative systems and, in some cases, manual documentation. These business continuity plans are exercised regularly and staff were able to switch processes to sustain operations during the outage. But they had to work doubly hard to keep healthcare operations running smoothly.
Patients experienced longer wait times ranging up to one hour at the affected institutions. Some had their outpatient appointments rescheduled. There were delays in dispensing medications to patients.
\tFortunately, there was no compromise to urgent care services across the institutions during the IT disruptions. Nobody was turned away from the emergency departments or denied urgent care.
I would like to express my thanks to all the teams, the nurses, the admin staff and the clinicians for keeping the services running for our public healthcare system and for keeping our patients safe. We are investigating the incidents with the manufacturer of the IT hardware to rectify any weaknesses in the system. This is what we have found out so far.
The main cause of the outages were failures of hardware devices in our data centres. Public healthcare IT infrastructure is housed in more than one data centre for resilience and redundancy. At each data centre, there are a few firewall zones. Each firewall zone consists of multiple nodes, these are hardware devices which operate in tandem, so if one fails, the load of data traffic is managed by the other nodes in the cluster, so that service operation is uninterrupted. This system had generally been working well until the recent outages.
On 25 August, two days before the incident that we are describing here, on 25 August, a node failed and the system resilience features kicked in and services were maintained. The same thing happened on the 26 August, when another node failed and the systems and services continued functioning.
On 27 August, when the engineers tried to restore the two failed nodes, under the supervision of the manufacturer and following the manufacturer's procedures, which had been successfully used in the past, the operation failed. It is this failed operation that caused the cluster of firewall nodes to malfunction and subsequently caused the outage. The engineers worked to reset the systems to the prior state without the function of the two affected nodes and service was progressively restored.
The failure of the nodes was caused by bugs in the firmware of the devices. They have since been identified by the manufacturer, CISCO, and the devices have been patched.
The outage on 5 September was caused by the simultaneous failure of two further nodes, again from the same manufacturer and of the same model. The way in which this failure on 5 September occurred, was noted to be different from the previous incident, it was assessed that it would take longer to restore operations, and hence, the decision was made to switch operations to the back-up systems. The root cause of why these two nodes failed is still under investigation.
There was a suggestion in one of questions from Members that the failures may be due to the lack of manpower at IHiS. IHiS has a headcount of 3,500 personnel. They have a lot to do and will always welcome more manpower, but a lack of manpower was not the cause of these failures.
Our cybersecurity specialists are monitoring our network and systems for threats in our public healthcare network at all times. When the network problems occurred, IHiS initiated an investigation and also alerted the Cyber Security Agency. Based on the investigations thus far, there are no indications of security compromise to the affected systems.
All the firewall hardware involved in the incidents are from the same established device manufacturer. Fixes for some of the issues have been made available and have been deployed. For the others we continue to work with the manufacturer.
In the meantime, we have increased capacity in the network for more operational buffer to increase resilience.
I thank the Members for their questions. We will continue to review our system design and architecture, and invest in capabilities and readiness to reduce disruptions. Disruptions like this can occur again in the future and we continue to have at the ready back-up systems, downtime procedures and manual processes.
Once again, Mr Speaker, allow me to express my thanks to all the personnel of our public healthcare system who kept our patients safe and the services running and for the members of the public who were involved and affected during these days for their patience and understanding as we tried to cope and mitigate the circumstances as best we could.
\tMr Speaker: Dr Tan Wu Meng.
\tDr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): I thank the Senior Minister of State for his answer. Mr Speaker, I filed all three of my oral Questions on this topic and I seek Speaker's indulgence for supplementary questions.
Let me first declare that I am a healthcare worker at a public healthcare institution. I had Clementi residents contacting me – some were affected and saw how hard it was on the doctors and nurses, who nevertheless rose to the occasion and made efforts to help despite the outage. Some healthcare workers living in Clementi also contacted me and were concerned about the reliability of the system.
I have the following supplementary questions for MOH.
First, how do we benchmark our systems' reliability and usability? Do we take reference from best-in-class examples elsewhere? How do we benchmark? Secondly, the Senior Minister of State mentioned that there were issues with a hardware item from a particular manufacturer. Do we know whether this hardware item has given similar issues elsewhere in the world? If not, what is being done to look for other as yet, undiscovered potential vulnerabilities?
\tDr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I thank Dr Tan Wu Meng for the questions. His first question was about the benchmarking of reliability and usability. We do indeed take reference from other parts of the technology industry and healthcare technology industry. There are service level agreements about the uptime availability, as well as the user interface usability for the products that IHiS manages and these are indeed benchmarked against best-in-class around the world.
The second question was about the hardware, were there similar issues and what are we doing to look at vulnerabilities, and I think, other vulnerabilities with similar hardware. The bugs that we have detected as part of these incidents have not previously been described before in other parts of the world. The hardware that was involved is used in other parts of Government systems but in relatively limited numbers and they are configured differently. And this is partly because the way in which the Government requires its data flow and its inter-operability, its system architecture, is different from the requirements of the healthcare space. And so, the specific configurations for this type of hardware in the rest of the Government, is not present.
But nevertheless, we are working together, the various agencies that are involved in public sector technology – Cyber Security Agency, GovTech, IHiS and others – share information and are looking to scan across the various infrastructure that we have to check on these possibilities.
\tMr Speaker: Ms He Ting Ru.
\tMs He Ting Ru (Sengkang): I thank the Senior Minister of State. I would like to ask what support was actually given to frontline staff who were trying to cope with the outage, as I imagine that the situation was quite challenging when this was happening during both instances.
Also, is there training given to these frontline staff about what to do and what the business continuity plans (BCPs) were and also do these plans need to be updated after what happened in the last two instances?
\tDr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I thank Ms He for her questions. The support for frontline staff, indeed, the support from MOH and IHiS is largely around the communication and providing clear information about what has happened, what are the expected steps taken to restore functionality and how much time will be required. Because, the next set of decisions, which BCPs and processes to implement are done at an operational level, depending on the needs of each team. So, from IHiS and MOH, a lot of the support is around communication.
Within the healthcare ecosystem and the clusters, clearly, they mobilised staff, they mobilised the senior staff and the junior staff, everybody had their hands on deck to cope and deal with the outages as well as the extra processes required for the outages. And that includes overtime for some staff, having to work extra hours, and then, consequently, overtime claims as a result of that. And so, the entire team mobilises together to support each other and we provide as much support as we can to help them through this difficult time.
Is training provided? Yes, business continuity plans, disaster recovery plans, are drilled regularly in the healthcare units and teams. They are part of standard training for all the healthcare workers that are in our public healthcare sector and the training is updated on a regular basis. This is not something that is standardised in every team and in every unit across the healthcare ecosystem because these are peculiar to the operations and flows within each clinical team. And so, you have standards that are set broadly, expectations that are set, guidance that are set. But then each team will develop the granularity of their business continuity plans and these are then drilled as well.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Nurses' Shift Rosters in General and Intensive Care Wards","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"34 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has annual data in the past five years on the average number of times when nurses in public hospitals are rostered for an afternoon shift that ends in the evening and is immediately followed by a morning shift the next day in the (i) general wards and (ii) intensive care units; (b) if so, what are they; and (c) if this data is not available, whether the Ministry intends to collect it and, if not, why not.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, may I address Question No 34 together with queries on related matters filed by Mr Seah Kian Peng1 and Mr Louis Ng2 scheduled for future Sittings?
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: The rostering of nurses for shifts is managed by the hospitals which MOH does not and should not interfere. Hospitals are operational environments, which have to address patient needs on a day-to-day basis. Generally, healthcare workers understand and embrace this, and will cover for each other occasionally when there is an operational need, even if it means a heavier workload. A rigid system will result in compromising on patient care.
On Mr Ng's suggestion in respect of the MOE Connect Plan, we would highlight that MOH regularly reviews and adjusts the compensation and benefits for healthcare workers to ensure that they remain competitive. Our most recent review saw the base salaries of nurses in the public healthcare sector enhanced between 5% and 14%, which was implemented over two phases in July 2021 and 2022. We can study Mr Ng's suggestion along with other options in future reviews.
We will continue to work on various ways to support, develop and retain our healthcare workers. We have to take a multi-pronged approach including ensuring staff well-being, regularly reviewing compensation, attracting foreign nurses to augment our local workforce and working with families and caregivers to alleviate the load on healthcare workers.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
\tMr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Can I just ask again, specifically, how does MOH look into the workload of our nurses? I ask this because, the nurse-to-patient ratio that we shared previously in Parliament of one is to four or five, seems quite far from the reality on the ground. Many nurses are sharing that they are looking after way more patients.
Second, I do agree with the Senior Parliamentary Secretary, maybe we should not be that prescriptive. But a lot of nurses are now sharing that they only have five hours of rest between shifts and I fear not just for the nurses, but also the level of care that patients would get for someone that is overworked. And so, I hope MOH can again review the rostering system of the hospitals and also the nurse-to-patient ratio.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his questions and I appreciate the concerns he has for the nurses and the healthcare workers in general. He has raised many questions in this House relating to their workload and the things that they have to address in the realities on the ground today. But I am sure he also appreciates and understands that it is a pandemic situation that we are dealing with, and these are the realities on the ground. We have to be cognisant that we not only have to ensure that the nurses are taken care of, we also need to ensure that the patients are taken care of.
So, in the light of the context that we are facing today, these are the realities on the ground that we have to acknowledge and learn how to manage. We have accepted that there are some difficulties and I have explained in previous Sittings in response to Mr Louis Ng's questions about the efforts that we have been taking. There is a staff well-being committee that has been set up to look into different areas and different aspects of the work and to see how we can improve and fill in some of these gaps. We have set up a task force, looking at issues relating to abuse of healthcare workers. We also have the workgroup looking into the issues relating to the junior doctors. This is the holistic effort and we are taking into account.
So, one aspect of it is the managing of their workload. This is something that we need to leave to the hospitals and public healthcare institutions to manage. It is an operational setting and setting too much rules does not help. It will be counter-productive. The reality is, even if we set the rules, the professionals, even if they are going to leave their shift, if they see a patient who is unwell, they would also still stay and still want to take care of the patient. I think this is the reality that we have to accept of the nature of the work in the healthcare sector.
Notwithstanding that, we appreciate that it is a challenging time. I have explained just now and also in earlier Sittings, that we are looking at this from a multi-pronged approach. We are looking to see what are the areas where we can augment the work with regard to, maybe, having technology, employing more people to help with the administrative load, looking at how we can augment the workforce with foreign nurses, looking at how we can get families and caregivers to understand where they can alleviate the load of the nurses.
\t
So, these are all the efforts that are being put in place. We appreciate the concern and care, issues that Mr Louis Ng has raised, are issues that we are cognisant of and we are taking steps to try and address them.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Seah Kian Peng.
\tMr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade): I just want to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary, the war for talent is felt in all industries and the healthcare industry is certainly not spared. In the review of our current policies, I want to ask Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether it includes what other countries are offering because, as I said, nurses are in short supply worldwide amongst other things. So, I hope our review takes into account who we are up against and how we can deal with them.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank Mr Seah for the question. And actually, he has hit the nail on the head. These are some of the issues that we are facing because we are facing competition from other countries. We are watching closely and trying to see how we can come up with strategies where we can overcome and make jobs more attractive and for healthcare workers to want to come and work in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Question subsequently withdrawn: To ask the Minister for Health beyond increasing salaries for healthcare workers, what other new measures are being introduced to reduce burnout and improve their work-life balance.","2 : Question subsequently withdrawn: To ask the Minister for Health on top of the Nurse Special Payment Package (a) whether the Ministry will study the Ministry of Education’s CONNECT Plan, which gives payout throughout a teacher’s career to incentivise them to stay in the teaching service, to see if a similar plan can be implemented to improve nurse retention rates; and (b) if not, why."],"footNoteQuestions":["34"],"questionNo":"34"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proposal to Defer GST Increase Given Increased Tax Collection in FY2021/2022 and Below-inflation Income Growth","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"35 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in light of the $60.7 billion tax revenue collected in FY2021/2022, whether the 22.4% increase in total tax collection can help defer the GST rises planned for 2023 and 2024.
36 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in view of the reported tax revenue increase in financial year 2021/2022 (a) whether this increase will adequately cover a shortfall in the funding for our ageing population and healthcare; (b) whether the Government will be reviewing our fiscal strategy in light of economic recovery; and (c) if so, whether this review will negate previous committed measures to increase tax revenue.
37 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in light of the recent study by DBS which found that income growth has not kept pace with inflation, and the sharp increase in tax receipts for the past financial year, whether the Ministry has considered (i) postponing the need to raise GST at the start of 2023 and (ii) adjusting the GST voucher amounts issued to lower-income household quintiles.
\tThe Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take the Question Nos 35 to 37 together, as they are related?
\tMr Speaker: Please do.
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Sir, Members have asked whether tax measures can be deferred in view of two considerations. First, the concerns with inflation, and second, the increase in tax revenue in FY2021. I will address these two considerations in turn.
First, the Government shares Singaporeans' concerns over inflation. Over the past decade, Singaporean workers have experienced real wage growth. Wages have exceeded inflation. We do not have real wage growth figures for 2022 yet, as the data will only be available later this year. But we know that inflation has gone up in this year and that is why the Government will continue to provide support for Singaporeans to mitigate the impact of higher prices. Besides the measures in Budget 2022, we had announced a $1.5 billion support package in June, with more support given to the lower-income and vulnerable groups.
While we deal with these immediate cost pressures, we have also been working with employers and unions to help our companies and workers become more productive and competitive. This is important to sustain real wage growth over time. We will also continue to uplift the wages of lower-wage workers by expanding the Progressive Wage Model to more sectors and to raise the wages of lower-wage workers along with enhancements to their skills and productivity.
To help businesses adjust in this challenging economic environment, the Government is providing a transitional support of up to 75% for employers to pay their workers progressive wages. That is an increase from the previous level of 50%. This was enhanced in June as part of the $1.5 billion package. And as announced at Budget this year, the Government will also spend about $9 billion on transitional wage support to businesses and Workfare enhancements, as part of our commitment to help workers achieve broad-based and sustainable income growth.
Let me now address the second point which is on tax revenue in FY2021.
We experienced revenue increase of more than 22% in FY2021 and this sharp increase is partly due to a lower tax base in FY2020 arising from the impact of the pandemic that year.
But more importantly the increase was also driven by higher-than-expected collections of sentiment-based revenue. In particular, stamp duty collection accounted for the largest share of the tax revenue increase in FY2021. The property market has recovered at a much faster rate than many market observers had anticipated. But just as a bullish property market can provide upsides, there can also be downsides in a muted market, as past experience has shown. We therefore cannot rely on such sentiment-driven collections, which can fluctuate from year to year, as a stable and sustainable source of revenue to meet our rising recurrent expenditure needs.
We have used the higher tax revenue in FY2021 to support new spending needs, including the enhancements to the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme, as well as to provide short-term relief for businesses and families. These include our COVID-19 support packages during periods of heightened restrictions last year and measures to help Singaporeans with cost of living support this year.
Sir, our spending needs are growing, largely driven by higher healthcare expenditure as our population ages. We also need to accelerate our economic and green transformation and shore up our resilience in essentials like food and energy amid global economic uncertainty. As Members would remember from the Budget Statement this year, we expect our Government expenditure which now stands at 18% of GDP to rise to 20% or more GDP by 2030.
And this is why I had introduced a slate of revenue measures in Budget 2022. These will provide us with the resources we need to meet our longer-term priorities in a responsible manner. We will proceed with these measures, including the GST increase as planned. But as I have assured Members previously, we will also ensure that the majority of Singaporean households will not feel the impact of the GST increase for at least five years, while lower-income households will not feel the impact for about 10 years. That was the assurance we gave in the Budget. We will uphold this commitment even with the inflationary outlook and will further enhance the Assurance Package if necessary.
Sir, prudent management of our finances has been one of Singapore's strengths. It has allowed us to emerge stronger from COVID-19 and will allow us to continue to meet our collective aspirations and to seize every opportunity that comes our way. Let us continue to steward our resources responsibly and sustainably, and leave behind a stronger and more resilient Singapore for our future generations than what we had inherited from our forefathers.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.
\tMr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for his response. In light of the higher than expected $60.7 billion tax revenue collected in FY2021, how will the Ministry better project and estimate tax revenue in the future, so that we can better fine-tune our fiscal and monetary strategies so that we can better implement measures pertaining to tax policies?
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Sir, if anyone has a way of predicting property prices, please let me know. Frankly, no one I know can predict what property prices would be next year. And all the market observers never expected the property market to recover as strongly as it did. So, that is fundamentally always going to be a very difficult revenue item to predict because it depends on asset prices and asset prices are volatile and very hard to predict.
The rest of the revenue estimates are based on GDP, largely related to economic growth – could be income growth as well as consumption growth. These are, I would not say, easier to predict, but less volatile than asset prices. But still, there is a high degree of uncertainty given how small and open Singapore economy is. If you look at all our economic forecasts of growth at the start of the year and you compare with the actual out-turn, even the best of professional forecasters do not get it right all the time, because Singapore's economy is just so small and open and subject to external demand fluctuations.
So, these are the considerations we have when we look at economic forecasting as well as revenue forecasting. We will continue to see how we can do to improve. But I hope Members understand the inherent challenges because of our unique structure and circumstances.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Foo Mee Har.
\tMs Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Thank you, Speaker, first, I would like to thank Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Loh for for his response and I think we appreciate the Government —
\tMr Speaker: I think you are referring to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong?
\tMs Foo Mee Har: I am so sorry. Of course, it is Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong!
We appreciate his response about Singapore's fiscal position and I especially want to acknowledge the one-off support that was given to Singaporeans, the $1.5 billion. It is probably at the back of the increased revenue. So, when things are going well, we appreciate the Government doing more and the $1.5 billion support measures recently, is a good example. And the 75% support to employers for the low-wage is also a good example.
My question, Speaker, to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is: bottom line, whether the expected overall deficit of $5 billion in FY2021 and the deficit of $3 billion in FY2022 will actually materialise in light of the strong revenue growth.
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Sir, it is still too early to tell. For FY2022, for example, these are still early days and there will be revenue fluctuations from month to month as well as expenditure fluctuations from month to month. These things are not – you cannot just project a straight line every month and assume that it is a constant trajectory. So, we will continue to monitor closely.
Our aim is not to accumulate a surplus. Let us be very clear about this. Our aim is to run a balanced budget over the medium term. That is our consistent fiscal policy. And should there be revenue upsides, I think that is a plus for us because if the economy does better than we had projected, we should take comfort that we are in such a situation rather than the reverse situation.
At the same time, if the economic situation worsens, as we have said, we will be prepared to do more to support and help Singaporeans. We are monitoring this very closely. We are looking at Singaporeans' income growth across all the different segments and comparing with the higher inflation that they are experiencing to see where the gap is, after taking into consideration the transfers and help measures that we have provided.
And if there is indeed still a gap, if there are still groups in Singapore facing pressures, then, we will certainly consider doing more to help them cope with this difficult period.
\tMr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
\tAssoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Mr Speaker, if I may reiterate the second part of my original Parliamentary Question (PQ), the issue, which Minister Lawrence Wong has suggested is that, the distribution of real income growth and the impact that inflation has on real income growth for different quintiles of the income distribution is different. There has been a larger-than-expected erosion of real wages expected by the very poorest. And, so, it makes sense, I would argue, for this group to have a GSTV payout adjusted accordingly, unless perhaps the Minister has identified that it is still the case that the five years of frozen GST is still the case because of higher inflation.
And if I may follow with a second supplementary question, I wonder if MOF has actually performed studies to ascertain that the PWM payouts for this group will more than actually offset real income losses that they have already incurred as a result of inflation.
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Sir, that was exactly the point I was making just now in my reply, which is that we are looking and monitoring very closely at income growth of the different segments of society, taking into consideration the rollout of PWM, Workfare and all of these measures; and then looking at how higher inflation is impacting each of these segments. We fully understand that higher inflation disproportionately impacts the lower-income groups. Which is why our measures have already taken that into consideration and we give a lot more help to the low-income groups, both in our Assurance Package as well as in the cost of living package which we designed and rolled out in June this year.
After taking all into consideration, we are monitoring, we are looking at the latest figures. And as I mentioned just now, if there is still a gap that some groups face, in terms of difficulties coping with higher inflation, even after taking into account all the different packages and measures, we will certainly consider doing more to help these families cope through these challenging times.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Prohibiting those Convicted of Sexual Offences and Violent Crimes from Practising as Educators or Tutors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"38 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider prohibiting those who had committed or convicted of sexual offences and violent crimes from practising as an educator, tuition teacher or enrichment teacher.
The Second Minister for Education (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, MOE and its educational institutions, including our kindergartens, are committed to providing a safe learning environment for our students. MOE does not hire anyone who has committed offences of moral turpitude, including sexual offences and violent crimes. We expect our educators to conduct themselves in a manner which upholds the integrity of the profession and the trust placed in them.
\t
MOE takes a serious view of any misconduct by educators and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards, including dismissal from service. The private tuition and enrichment industry is diverse, with a wide range of providers and settings. This includes tuition and enrichment centres, as well as freelance private tutors and enrichment teachers.
Under the Education Act, centres offering tuition or enrichment programmes to 10 or more students must be registered with MOE. Tutors working at these centres must also be registered with MOE. During registration, applicants must declare whether they have been convicted of any offence punishable with imprisonment, including sexual offences or violent crimes.
MOE will not register any applicant who declares that he or she has been convicted of such serious offences.
However, MOE does not conduct background checks on these applicants as they are employees of private businesses. Freelance tutors or enrichment teachers who offer private lessons outside of centres, for example, in homes or agencies that provide matching services between private tutors and students, currently do not need to be registered with MOE and are not covered by the regulations.
As the Minister for Home Affairs had informed Parliament in April 2022, the Government is reviewing how best to strengthen the screening framework for those working with children. This includes whether to make it mandatory for freelance providers of services for children to be screened for serious offences, including sexual offences.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Patrick Tay.
\t
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): I thank the Minister for the response and reply. Just two supplementary questions. Firstly, I take cognisance that MHA will be reviewing the screening of potential educators and even trainers and coaches of young children. But in light of the recent spate of cases of sex fiends against young persons, would MOE be looking at licensing tuition teachers, whether in a private setting and second, coaches and instructors that deliver services to students?
\tDr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Mr Speaker, Sir, as mentioned, MOE currently does not regulate private freelance tutors as these services are delivered in a wide range of settings, including informal forms of home tuition and roving home tutors. But we will be working with MHA, as I have mentioned earlier. MHA is currently reviewing it and the relevant Ministries are looking into how this screening framework for those working with children can be strengthened, including whether to make it mandatory for freelance providers of services for children to be screened for serious offences. Some of the considerations include balancing between protecting the vulnerable while providing people with second chances. So, we will come back to the House when the review is completed.
But the other issue, Mr Speaker, is that we also want to encourage parents who engage these private tutors and service providers to also exercise care and due diligence, for example, not leaving the tutors and child alone behind closed doors and continue to engage their own children and the tutors, and communicating with them so that they can also ensure the safety of their children when they engage such private operators and service providers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Wait Times for Childcare and Infant Care Places, and Strategies for Ramping Up Capacity when Needed","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"39 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there is a standard wait time that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has to maintain for provision of (i) childcare (ii) infant care and (iii) preschools and, if so, what is it; (b) whether an update can be provided regarding ECDA’s plans to develop 10,000 new full-day preschools by 2023; and (c) whether ECDA collects data on maternity appointments so as to anticipate the demand for infant care in various constituencies with more geographical accuracy.
40 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what strategies are currently in place to assist the Early Childhood Development Agency ramp up the capacity of existing preschools during periodic higher placement demands as a result of a surge in the sale of flats when the minimum occupation period is met.
\tThe Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Parents who registered interest on the Preschool Search Portal experienced waiting times ranging from a few weeks to a few months for infant care and childcare places. Any system for matching vacancies to children involves optimising three elements: vacancies, parents' choice and the time taken to arrive at a match. For instance, giving every parent their preferred choice while also achieving short waiting times would necessitate maintaining a large number of vacancies at all times. Costs will rise for childcare operators, which will find their way into higher fees for parents. The current system aims to strike a balance – to have a reasonable number of vacancies available while trying to meet parents' preference. The waiting time is then an outcome of trying to optimise these two variables.
We understand the Member's and parents' concerns. Preschool capacity remains tight in certain areas, especially for the younger infant and playgroup ages. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is working closely with anchor operators to ramp up operations and recruit manpower so that they can enroll more infants and children in newly-opened centres in the coming months. Where possible, ECDA also supports operators to increase capacity by building extension blocks to existing centres, though this is contingent on space availability in the immediate vicinity of the preschool, as well as finding adequate manpower to staff the new capacity.
The Member asked for an update on plans to ramp up preschool places. Between January and July 2022, 4,900 of the 10,000 full-day preschool places in ECDA's plans have materialised. ECDA is on track to develop another 5,100 additional places by 2023. Separately, commercial operators have also responded to market signals and collectively opened another 2,200 places.
Let me now address the Member's questions on the planning system. ECDA analyses the demographics, enrolment trends and existing supply in each planning area and plans for preschool places to meet projected demand. ECDA works closely with agencies, such as HDB and URA, to inject preschools together with new housing developments where families with young children are concentrated. Specifically, for HDB developments, preschools are developed in tandem with new public housing flats so that residents can access preschool services soon after they move in. If additional capacity is necessary, ECDA works with preschools and HDB to activate available void deck and communal spaces for centre extensions. Maternity appointments could be useful as a leading indicator of upcoming demand. However, for preschool infrastructure planning purposes, it does not provide sufficient lead time.
The Member is correct that home transactions increase upon the end of the Minimum Occupation Period, which results in new families moving in. The new families moving in may or may not have young children who require preschool services. However, what we observe is that once the childcare and preschool infrastructure is built to support the new precinct, they generally will be able to support the demand from the new owners when these flats are sold.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Carrie Tan. Please keep it really succinct.
\tMs Carrie Tan (Nee Soon): Thank you. I appreciate the Minister of State's responses and clarifications. Pertaining to the point about increased costs in order to maintain a pool of vacancies in order that we can optimise matching parents choices, what I see in my Meet-the-People sessions where a lot of residents are coming to me are challenges like the very real challenges, where distance actually matters greatly. The 15 minutes or 20 minutes of travelling time that they can save every morning goes a great way to alleviate their stress and mental health and mental well-being. So, when they are juggling between looking after old people, and then kids, and then multiple kids for some families, bring them to different locations to preschools and infant care and so on, it really simply does not make sense.
Hence, my follow-up question on whether ECDA or MSF will be open to looking into calculating what are the costs and trade-offs of maintaining a vacancy post so that we can allow families to have that peace of mind and reduce their stress in fearing that they might have to give up their jobs in order to maintain or upkeep this fetching and bringing of children to school and back, which actually could impede on the family's one source of income if someone has to lose their job in order to to manage all that caregiving within the family.
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her supplementary question. I agree that distance matters for many young families who have to juggle between work necessities as well as taking care of young children. That said, in my earlier reply, I had talked about a buffer, but actually this buffer is not a very large buffer.
Often times, in the hot spots, where there is a high demand for infant care, for playgroups, actually the centres are already operating very closely to their maximum capacity already. And that is why in my main reply, I had talked about where possible, the operators work with HDB, URA, to see whether or not it is possible to build centre extensions. Sometimes they may also ask for waivers to see whether or not they are able to increase capacity limits.
That is all being done at the local planning areas, but I hear what the Member is saying, and I would like to assure her that ECDA keeps a close watch on the numbers and works very actively with preschools on the ground to see how they can increase places as much as possible to serve the needs of young families.
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Ministerial Statement. Minister for Manpower.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix, unless Members had asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Strengthening Singapore’s Position as a Global Hub for Talent","subTitle":"Statement by Minister for Manpower","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Minister for Manpower (Dr Tan See Leng): Mr Speaker, Sir, Members of the House, I recently announced targeted enhancements to our work pass framework, to better attract top global talent and experienced tech professionals in areas of skills shortage.
Our goal is simple and unchanged: to create more opportunities for Singaporeans, at every level of the workforce.
At its core, economic development is human capital development. It is the skills, knowledge and ingenuity of a country's people that generate economic prosperity. Businesses attract talent with these attributes, local and global. And talent and the teams they develop around them in turn attract more businesses and encourages them to grow higher value-added activities.
Countries that manage to develop and anchor talent benefit from this virtuous cycle, which benefits everyone in the workforce. Those that do not, stagnate and worse, fall behind. Getting this right is all the more critical for Singapore, where people are our only real resource.
Many countries know this and they are playing an offensive game. They have populations larger than ours, but they are still going out of their way to court global talent.
The Prime Minister mentioned Germany and the UK in his National Day Rally speech. These are just two examples. Australia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also launched talent visas of their own. And within the last month, countries much nearer to us such as Malaysia and Thailand have done the same.
I do not think that it is mere coincidence that countries and even cities around the world have upped their game to attract global talent. They know that when it comes to talent, you can never have enough – because of the virtuous cycle that I talked about.
In this race, Singapore is coming from a position of strength, but we cannot stand still.
As we move to create a high value, inclusive and a more sustainable economy, there are many opportunities for us to capture, be it in the green sector, in AI, or in fintech. And to do that, we need to attract the best from around the world, even as we do our utmost to develop local talents in each field.
These are the rainmakers of the world, whom we hope to bring to Singapore, so that we can tap on their networks. We can grow teams around them and learn from their expertise, and through these efforts, we can level up our industries as well as our workforce.
Members of the House appreciate this. The questions raised on the recent enhancements to the work pass framework – across 24 Parliamentary Questions – generally seek more details on the targeted enhancements to attract global talent and our ongoing efforts to develop our own local talent pipeline. These are important and valid questions and I thank Members for them.
As part of my Ministerial Statement today, I will address oral Question Nos 1 to 18 from today's Order Paper as well as questions filed by Miss Rachel Ong, Mr Patrick Tay, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and Mr Don Wee for the sitting on or after 13 September. I would like to invite all Members to seek clarifications after my Statement and consider withdrawing the questions filed for future sittings so that we can address this issue in the same sitting.
Let me start by recapping the four targeted enhancements to our work pass framework.
First, a new Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) for talent earning at least $30,000 in fixed monthly salary, comparable to the top 5% of Employment Pass (EP) holders or with outstanding achievements in arts and culture, sports and research and academia.
Second, a new benchmark pegged to the top 10% of EP holders for our existing schemes, namely, the exemption from the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertising requirement and Complementarity Assessment framework (COMPASS) as well as salary criterion for the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP).
Third, restoring the FCF job advertising duration from 28 days to 14 days with effect from 1 September 2022 and improving the processing time of EP applications.
Lastly, the option of a five-year EP to experienced professionals filling tech occupations on the COMPASS Shortage Occupation List (SOL).
These are highly targeted enhancements. They are aimed at attracting top talent in diverse fields and experienced tech professionals in areas of skill shortages. They build on our efforts to improve the complementarity and diversity of our foreign workforce. The enhancements will also aim to build significant first-mover and sustainable competitive advantages in new growth areas to keep us ahead of the competition. I will address questions raised on each move in turn.
On the ONE Pass, Members have sought clarifications on the privileges, criteria, safeguards, expected numbers as well as impact on local employment outcomes.
Mr Leong Mun Wai has asked what would make the ONE Pass more attractive to talent, compared to the Tech.Pass. Similar to the Tech.Pass, the ONE Pass is a personalised pass that allows the holder to concurrently start, operate and work for multiple companies in Singapore at any one time. But compared to the Tech.Pass, it is open to candidates from all sectors and is not limited to the tech sector alone. It has a longer duration of five years instead of two years. Spouses of ONE Pass holders are also able to obtain a Letter of Consent (LOC) to work.
In response to Assoc Prof Jamus Lim's question, we do not have restrictions on the occupations that LOC holders can work in – this is, generally, the same approach for all other work pass holders, including dependants working in Singapore.
The longer duration of the pass as well as the LOC for spouses, is meant to give top talent the additional assurance they need when deciding whether to come to Singapore. Businesses tell us that these are key factors that top talent consider before deciding where to go.
Some Members asked why dependants of ONE Pass holders are able to work on an LOC instead of being assessed based on their own merits.
Today, dependants of EP holders are eligible to work in Singapore if they obtain a work pass. We stopped issuing LOCs to dependants, not because we did not want them to work here, but because it made sense to hold them to a similar bar as all other foreigners. This policy remains unchanged.
But when we are talking about top talent, we must be mindful of how global and mobile they are and how stiff the competition is for them. Many other jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, the UAE and the UK, offer work privileges for dependants. When people make major relocation decisions, it is usually a family decision. Without certainty for the spouse, these talents may choose to go elsewhere.
In terms of numbers, it is not that material. Of the top 5% of existing EP holders that might qualify for the ONE Pass as a proxy, only a small minority have spouses who are working. But in terms of the signal that we are giving to top talent, it is absolutely material and absolutely needle-moving.
Turning to the criteria for the ONE Pass, Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman and Mr Pritam Singh have asked for more details on the criteria for talent with outstanding achievements who do not need to meet the salary criterion of $30,000.
In gist, we are looking at individuals who have demonstrated exceptionally high levels of achievement in the fields of arts, sports, science and academia who can help us push new frontiers, draw in greater investments and interest to grow our local ecosystem and, most importantly, create a very diverse range of opportunities for Singaporeans.
In the case of sports, for example, it would include current and former world-class, top-ranked athletes who may wish to set up their commercial operations or training bases in Singapore, from which our own local athletes, coaches and sports ecosystem can benefit.
MOM will work with sector agencies that are experts in these domains, such as MCCY, NAC, MOE and NRF, to identify such exceptional talent.
Others, such as Mr Gerald Giam, asked whether the $30,000 fixed monthly salary criterion can be drawn from multiple employers. In general, the fixed monthly salary of $30,000 must be from one employer. This helps us ensure that the candidate has played or will be playing a meaningful role in a company. For overseas candidates, the previous or prospective employer must also have a market capitalisation of at least US$500 million or an annual revenue of at least US$200 million.
I think most people would agree with me that $30,000 is, indeed, a high bar, but some worry that there could be potential abuse of the new ONE Pass. Mr Desmond Choo, Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Yip Hon Weng have all asked about the checks that would be in place to prevent abuse or fraudulent applications. In general, the vast majority of employers and businesses are honest. They take our policies and MOM seriously and they know that there are grave consequences if they submit a false declaration. Nevertheless, we will take precautions as we roll out this new pass that offers more privileges and put in safeguards at two levels.
First level – we will carefully vet all applications. Today, MOM already conducts back-end checks to sieve out potential cases of false salary declarations. This includes scrutinising applications from companies with a limited track record and asking for more documents to verify that the salary declared will, in fact, be paid. This will also be applied to all ONE Pass applications. For those seeking to convert from an existing EP, we will scrutinise their personal income tax filings with IRAS to ensure they are consistent with their applications. For overseas candidates, we will further assess their company's market capitalisation and revenue based on verifiable sources. The economic agencies will support MOM in this endeavour.
Second level – we will engage ONE Pass holders during their time in Singapore so that we will be up to date with their professional activities and annual income. This will factor into our assessment on their eligibility for renewals.
Ms Hazel Poa asked why we do not impose a time limit requiring ONE Pass applicants to remain employed. Let me be very clear. The ONE Pass is not meant to be abused as a visit or travel document. MOM reserves the right to cancel the Pass if there are extended periods of economic inactivity with no good reasons.
Having said that, we are bringing in these talents and giving them flexibilities because we want to encourage them to take risks, to explore new frontiers and to make a big impact to benefit Singapore. It is important to allow them some ramp-up period for that to happen and not be too quick to jump to the conclusion that they are not contributing.
Members have asked how many individuals we are expecting to qualify for the ONE Pass. This Pass is meant for talent that is comparable to the top 5% of our EP holders, which means that the salary criterion is based on the 95th percentile of EP wages.
To give a sense of numbers, 5% of our EP holders today would be around 8,000. But the focus is really not on the numbers because our focus is on quality rather than quantity.
Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, Mr Pritam Singh and Ms He Ting Ru have also asked whether we will be setting a quota on the number of ONE Pass holders. We are not setting a quota and the reason is this – if we accept that there is never enough of top talent to go around the world, then it does not make sense for us to limit the amount of talent we are bringing in. If we impose a quota, we are, essentially, putting a hard limit on how strongly we can compete at the high-end of the global economy. This ultimately hurts Singaporeans, who will then have fewer opportunities.
This is the same reason why we do not impose a quota for EPs, but focus instead on setting a high quality bar. Given that the ONE Pass has an even higher quality bar than an EP, it would not be wise for us to apply a quota here.
However, Members would know that we are talking about the top of the pyramid of talent. Given the highly selective nature of the scheme, there is no risk of a deluge of people coming in through the ONE Pass.
There are naturally questions on how the ONE Pass would benefit Singaporeans and what the expected impact on local employment is going to be. Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Mr Ang Wei Neng have asked this. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim have also asked how meaningful contributions and the success of the ONE Pass will be measured.
As I have mentioned earlier, we will engage all ONE Pass holders. This will allow us to better gauge if they have been contributing in meaningful ways. Even so, the relationship between talent, innovation and economic growth is more than a simple, linear one. The contributions of talented individuals go beyond a set of key performance indicators (KPIs). Limiting and reducing it to that risks constraining us to a measurement and missing the forest for the trees.
Some ONE Pass holders may be employees, making it possible to bring a new business unit to Singapore or grow a new line of business. Others may set up companies of their own, generating employment as well as supporting their network of business partners who can also provide good jobs. Yet others may be here to teach, to advise or to consult for local enterprises, sharing their expertise with Singaporean business owners and professionals.
Like any portfolio, the contribution of each ONE Pass holder can vary. Indeed, not all may succeed in the first instance because such is the nature of risk-taking. What matters is the sum of the parts and how well the entire portfolio performs.
We are building a rich network of markets, people and ideas that, over time, will show up in the dynamism of our economy. And if, at the macro level, local job creation remains strong, unemployment low, real income growth sustained, and if, amongst our people, there is always a sense of hope and of opportunities, then I think we would have succeeded.
Our local SMEs will benefit from this too. Mr Don Wee asked how these enhancements to our work pass framework would help our SMEs. SMEs are the backbone of our economy. They too will be able to benefit from the recent enhancements.
Mr Lennon Tan, President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, agrees. In an interview with Channel 8 news, he mentioned that SMEs can now benefit from the expertise of these talent and professionals as they are not tied to just one employer.
Indeed, some SMEs could benefit from directly hiring the ONE Pass holders, while others could tap on the Pass holder’s expertise through consulting services, or inviting them to join their Boards.
Just as importantly, a vibrant, growing economy will create more business opportunities or build a new eco-system for our SMEs who may be partners, contractors, suppliers or service providers. This may be in up-and-coming sectors like green economy or fintech, where there will be new cheese for our SMEs.
Moving on to the new benchmark for existing schemes, including the exemption from the FCF job advertising requirement and COMPASS. Let me clarify that this is not a relaxation of our policies.
By setting the benchmark at the top 10% of EP holders, the threshold for exemption is in fact increased from $20,000 to $22,500.
What this aims to do is to set a clearer benchmark for existing schemes. This will give our businesses predictability on future updates, and to ensure that our mainstream framework continues to cover the vast majority of EP applications, even as wages move up.
Mr Pritam Singh has asked for the rationale of exempting the top 10% of EP holders from the FCF job advertising criteria and COMPASS. The top 10% of EP holders consists mostly of senior management and senior professionals.
For such roles, companies would already have a stringent selection process to hire the right candidate, given the impact these individuals would have on their business. It is also more likely that head-hunters or search firms will play a role to fill these jobs, and it is not typical for these roles to be filled by advertising on job portals like MyCareersFuture.sg alone. Individuals filling these roles would also have no problems passing the COMPASS criteria given their calibre.
Providing this exemption is therefore not a major concession on our part. However, what it does is it helps to send the right signal to global companies on our openness, by giving them greater certainty that they are able to hire their key personnel, which will make a difference to their confidence to operate here.
These global companies are a key driver in creating good jobs for locals, including opportunities for them to take on higher-level positions. Many locals have taken on these opportunities. And, as I will share more later, we will continue to invest heavily in developing our own local talent, so that they can compete strongly at all and every level.
Besides attracting top talent, we also want to make sure that the broad base of businesses can access complementary foreign workers, especially in areas of skills shortages.
On that note, let me touch on to the adjustment to the FCF job advertising duration, which applies to all EP and S Pass applications. Mr Patrick Tay has asked whether shortening it to 14 days will remove the need for employers to exhaust all avenues to hire local PMEs, before they turn to foreign PMEs. Mr Louis Chua and Mr Ang Wei Neng, have asked for more data to understand the efficacy of the FCF job advertising requirement. Let me address the intent of the questions by explaining the considerations behind our latest move.
It is important for us to look at the context of when and why we increased the FCF job advertising duration to 28 days.
When the FCF job advertising requirement was first introduced in 2014, the duration was set at 14 days.
Based on data from MyCareerFutures.sg, the vast majority of applications are submitted within the first two weeks of a job posting – so within a fortnight. Thereafter, responses fall off significantly.
So, 14 days was an optimal balance between giving jobseekers time to look for a job and making sure that companies could fill their vacancies in response to pressing business needs.
During COVID-19, we extended the FCF job advertising duration to 28 days because of the unprecedented slack in the labour market. The ratio of job vacancies to unemployed persons reached a low of 0.55 in June 2020 in the thick of COVID-19 – there were more jobseekers than job openings.
We wanted to give local jobseekers more time to respond to job openings and employers more time to evaluate the increased number of applications.
The situation has since reversed. The ratio of vacancies to unemployed persons has risen in excess of 2.4. So, from 0.55 in June 2020, it is now in excess of 2.4. There are now more jobs than there are local jobseekers.
Companies, including local enterprises, have been giving feedback that in the tight labour market, the 28-day requirement is causing them to lose good candidates because they are unable to offer them employment contracts quickly. It is timely to adjust the job advertisement period back to 14 days.
But, Members of the House, make no mistake, employers are still expected to fairly consider all applicants who apply within this window. This remains unchanged, and our employers understand this.
Last but not least, let me touch on the option of a five-year EP introduced for experienced tech professionals in areas of skills shortages. Miss Rachel Ong asked if this option of a five-year EP could also be extended to non-tech professionals in the sustainability sector.
For the time being, we have limited the option of a five-year EP to tech roles, for which there is an acute shortage of talent globally. But that it is not to say that other sectors cannot benefit. Almost all sectors require tech talent to drive transformation. This includes the financial services and manufacturing industries, as well as up-and-coming sustainability sectors.
Mr Speaker, Sir, we are watching the sustainability space closely as it develops and we will refine our policies when needed.
I would now like to spend some time to talk about our efforts to develop our local workforce, and in particular, our local leadership pipeline.
Our policies to attract global talent are also meant to accelerate the development of our own local talent pool.
We have designed our foreign workforce policies to incentivise companies to develop a strong local workforce – COMPASS, for instance, takes into account a firm’s local Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMET) share when evaluating its EP applications. And we will complement this with investments in our local workers, to help them succeed.
The Industry Transformation Maps mapped out growth plans for 23 sectors across the economy. For each of these 23 sectors, we have identified in-demand jobs and developed jobs and skills strategies to build up the local talent pipeline for these jobs.
We have also launched Jobs Transformation Maps, to provide job-level insights on the impact of technology on the industry and workforce. With these insights, companies can redesign and enhance job roles, and equip their workers with the skills needed for these roles.
Working closely with industry and unions, the Government has spared no effort to help employers and workers to upskill and reskill for jobs of the future. A wide range of programmes are offered by Workforce Singapore, SkillsFuture Singapore and the various sector agencies to support training.
I echo Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Lim Biow Chuan’s views on the importance of building up our local bench strength when it comes to top leadership positions. One key priority is increasing the global and regional exposure of our local talents, so that they can take up leadership positions in global firms.
Mr Tan Wern-Yuen is an example of a Singaporean who has ventured abroad to gain valuable experience. He started his first overseas stint as Managing Director of McDonald's Taiwan. He then became the CEO of Walmart China, where he led a team of 100,000 associates responsible for over US$10 billion in annual revenue. Now, he is back in Singapore, as CEO of PepsiCo APAC, helming the global firm’s operations across Asia Pacific, Australia, China and New Zealand.
We need more Singaporeans to do the same. Our agencies have good programmes to support this. For instance, MAS has the Asian Financial Leaders Scheme that co-funds and sends promising Singaporeans in the Financial Services sector on leadership programmes. Other similar schemes include the SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative and Enterprise Singapore’s Global Ready Talent Programme. At Budget this year, I also announced a new Singapore Global Executive Programme that will help local enterprises build a pipeline of young local talent with potential to take on regional or global leadership positions.
Leadership development must fundamentally be driven by our businesses. The business community is also doing its part to nurture promising Singaporeans.
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has taken the lead to form an Alliance for Action (AfA) on Business Leadership Development. This AfA brings together businesses and local leaders to look into ways to cultivate conducive conditions for Singapore talent to strengthen regional exposure and assume key leadership roles in enterprises. The AfA will also draw upon the diverse experiences from business and academia to help Singaporeans broaden networks and learn progressive leadership practices. I look forward to the ideas and initiatives that the AfA will propose.
Miss Rachel Ong asked about skills transfer as a way to build up local expertise. Today, companies have programmes to get more experienced employees, foreign or local, to transfer skills to less experienced employees. It is in their interest to do so, for business resilience and sustainability.
They can also tap on various Government programmes, including SkillsFuture, the Enterprise Development Grant and the Capability Transfer Programme. At Budget this year, the Minister for Finance also announced that $70 million has been set aside for the NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) Grant. Companies that set up CTCs can tap on this grant for their business and workforce transformation projects.
Assoc Prof Jamus Lim has asked whether we can codify training and skills transfer requirements into law. Some Members have previously raised the idea of time-limited EPs, as a way of ensuring skills transfer.
I would caution against too deterministic an approach. Skills transfer is but one way that foreign manpower can contribute to Singapore and create opportunities for Singaporeans. In some areas, foreign manpower helps to make up the gap between demand and supply – some of these gaps can continue to persist due to local and global trends, for instance, the global lack of digital talent.
Skills transfer is another way they can make a meaningful contribution, though this can take many forms – in some cases, it would be to train up a local to take on their role. But in others, it can be to bring in expertise in a new area, to provide leadership and to level up many more in Singapore.
At the end of the day, skills transfer is not a simple or linear process – it would be impossible to come up with a single rule on how long it should take for skills to be transferred from one person to another, or how much skills to transfer, for that matter.
So, our approach is not to set a mandatory requirement for skills transfer, but rather, to put in place the right ecosystem of policies that incentivises businesses to select complementary foreign workers, while building up a strong Singaporean Core. This includes keeping a tight labour market through regular updates to our work pass criteria, alongside significant investments to help our workforce upskill and reskill. Mr Speaker, Sir, may I say a few words in Mandarin?
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Last month, MOM announced several targeted enhancements to our work pass framework, including the introduction of a new pass - the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass – in January 2023.
The ONE Pass is meant to attract top talent from all sectors, to strengthen our position as a global hub for talent. It is for talent earning at least $30,000 in fixed monthly salary, comparable to the top 5% of EP holders. It is also for those with outstanding achievements in arts and culture, sports, and research and academia, even if they do not meet the salary requirement. The validity period is five years, longer than that of other work passes.
Our strategy to remain open to talent is not new – it is consistent with what other states have done in the past and in the present. In the historical novel \"Romance of the Three Kingdoms\" (based largely on historical events in China), Liu Bei was able to bring together a good team because of his interest in talent and his ability to convince them to join him. He brought together the military generals Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and the strategist Zhuge Liang In the battle of Red Cliff, they were able to forge an alliance with Sun Quan, to defeat the much larger Cao Cao army.
What I want to emphasise is that Singapore is a small country and talent is our precious resource. As a regional business hub, Singapore has always welcomed talents from diverse backgrounds to work here. Competition for talent has intensified in the post-COVID-19 era. We should, therefore, seize this opportunity to bring the best from around the world here to innovate and push frontiers, and increase our international competitiveness and grow our economy.
At the same time, we will continue to cultivate our own local talent. We have various schemes to encourage Singaporeans to go abroad to gain global and regional exposure, so that they can sharpen their global instinct, and eventually take up leadership positions. If Singapore wants to be a global player, we need to adopt a two-pronged approach: (i) continue to bring in top talent from around the world; and (ii) continue to groom our own local talent.
Through interacting and working together with global talent, we can tap on their networks, learn from their expertise, and ultimately speed up the development of our local talent pool, and create more opportunities for all Singaporeans. In this way, Singapore will continue to prosper, and our people can benefit from a society of ever-expanding opportunities.
(In English): Members of the House, I have gone on at great lengths to explain the targeted nature of our recent work pass enhancements, the safeguards we will put in place and our efforts to ensure that our locals can compete fairly and strongly. But let us never forget what our goal is, and that is, ultimately, to create opportunities for Singaporeans to grow within and benefit from.
We do not live in a zero-sum world. Attracting and anchoring global talent in Singapore does not mean less opportunities for locals and, indeed, we have grown opportunities tremendously. At the start of the 1970s, our GDP was $20 billion. The opportunities for Singaporeans then were much more limited, in terms of the sectors and occupations that they could work in.
I mentioned before that our economy has now grown to $454 billion. Singaporeans can pursue a wide range of careers and with vastly higher salaries. This is only possible because we have adopted a global mindset. We have welcomed global companies and global talent to our shores. Many Singaporeans are working in or with these global companies, alongside global talent. And the same companies often post Singaporeans abroad, giving them opportunity to develop new networks and deeper experiences.
Singapore cannot be playing a defensive game when it comes to talent. The better we are at attracting and retaining the best talent, local and global, the higher the chances of securing our economic future and to continually be able to generate good jobs for all Singaporeans. Conversely, if we do not do this well and we cede competitiveness to other jurisdictions, we may not even be able to hang on to our best Singaporean talent.
The enhancements to our work pass framework are our offensives on global talent. Ms He Ting Ru hit the nail on the head when she asked about the marketing and promotional efforts we will be putting in place. Indeed, the ONE Pass is just a vehicle. We will need targeted marketing and promotional efforts to get to our desired destination and to pick up the right talent, with the skillsets, networks and expertise to contribute to Singapore. Our sector agencies are identifying high quality individuals to proactively engage. We will be leveraging existing networks, such as EDB's overseas offices, to reach out to the right global talent.
In the last two weeks, I have been speaking to various parties. The feedback, thus far, has been positive. Businesses have been very supportive of these moves, as it will help them to attract and retain talent in Singapore. Locals understand these moves are targeted at the top and will create more economic opportunities. For those who are concerned with fraud and abuse, I hope my clarifications today can assure them that safeguards will be put in place.
The international community is buzzing. There is a sense that Singapore is finally emerging from the shadow of COVID-19 and that we can all work together in this next phase of growth. We have taken an important step – to make talent all over the world sit up, pay attention and think seriously about coming to Singapore. MOM and economic agencies will continue to put in place processes to ensure the schemes are implemented well, monitor the outcomes and review the parameters as we go along.
But it cannot just be about Government policies and compliance with rules and thresholds. Businesses must continue to play their part to uphold fair hiring practices and promote an inclusive culture, and develop, most importantly, the Singaporean Core in their organisations and complement it with a diverse foreign workforce.
The global talent we attract must share knowledge and provide opportunities with for others including their local colleagues and outside of the workplace, to seek, to understand and respect the norms in our society. And us locals ourselves should keep upgrading our skills and be willing to go on international stints. We should also help newcomers integrate into our society.
And all of us must constantly look for possibilities of what we can create together, when we bring our diverse skills and expertise, to work as one. Let us, together, build a vibrant Singapore that is always looking to new horizons, always daring to re-invent herself and brimming with opportunities for our fellow Singaporeans. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): I thank the Minister for his Ministerial Statement. I have three supplementary questions. The first question will be —
Mr Speaker: Mr Patrick Tay, if you can keep it to two questions
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: Okay, two questions. My first question, would there be control, such that the ONE Pass does not go particularly more to those from one or two nationalities, and so that it is diverse; and whether that there will be limits on the number of dependants in which the ONE Pass holders will be able to bring in, such as children, parents, parents-in-law.
The second question is, for family offices setting up shop in Singapore and paying their family members and relatives as employees way above the $30,000 per month salary, will they, therefore, qualify for the ONE Pass as well?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Patrick Tay for his questions. For the ONE Pass, we do not have a fixed number. The nationality diversity, the nationality concentration, we have envisaged that on a broader perspective, our COMPASS framework will manage that complementarity part. Because the ONE Pass is really targeted at the top 5% of EP holders, what we are concerned about is really the quality of that talent coming in.
Because, it is the economic agencies, together with some of the other sector agencies that we have, like MCCY, we go out through our overseas offices to look for this group of talent to bring here. I think the ability for us to diversify and ensure that it is complementary, to bring as wide a diaspora in as possible, would mitigate your concern.
On family offices, we are developing frameworks in specialised areas in which we are looking at, to up the ante in terms of bringing up the level of competency, the expertise and the skillsets and grooming our local talent. So, the family offices, depending on the space that they are in, if they are in the green economy and they are hiring members with that level of expertise and talent to help us to develop sustainable green practices, or in the sustainability space, it is something that we would be prepared to consider.
Mr Speaker: Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Sir, the Sunday Times yesterday carried a two-page story on the new ONE Pass. It quoted a sustainability recruiter, one Greg Brittain, as saying and I quote, \"The solution is not simply to import more talent. It needs to be a combination of upscaling and developing local talent, alongside bridging in talent to support the building of capacity within Singapore.\"
Another individual, a Mr Dimitri Volkov of a cyber security company, remarked that only local experts can effectively identify, monitor and respond to threats and his firm contributes to the ecosystem by exposing local talent to real cyber threats.
Sir, these individuals understand that skills transfer to Singaporean workers must be at the centre of our foreign manpower policies to ensure that Singaporeans can avail themselves to good job opportunities, from management to staffing positions.
I have two supplementary questions for the Minister. First, at last year's Parliamentary debate on the motion on securing Singaporeans' jobs and livelihoods, and the foreign talent policy, the Workers' Party raised several alternative proposals to alleviate the concerns of Singaporeans' at the workplace and to ensure that the local foreign employment divide does not become a permanent fault line.
With the introduction of the ONE Pass and several changes to the Employment Pass (EP) framework, as announced by Minister, how does the Ministry intend to promote and track the transfer of skills to Singaporeans by EP holders, such as the ONE Pass?
In view of the Ministerial Statement, has the Minister ruled out fixed term employment passes or other schemes that incentivise such skills transfer to Singaporeans to address skills related underemployment, amongst other things?
Second supplementary question, MOM's press release on the ONE Pass states that there are a few routes to apply for it, and it covered two in the main text of the press release and three at the Annex. The Annex also stated that more details on the eligibility for new applications and renewals would be published. Can the Minister confirm if there are any other eligibility criteria for the ONE Pass that have not been published thus far?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Pritam Singh for his comments and his question. I do not think we will cover the earlier comment on The Sunday Times. I think perhaps at a separate Sitting, I would be happy to engage him further. Just to take his supplementary questions.
In my speech earlier, I have already shared, in terms of our views about the benefits the top talent will bring in and the potential spin-offs that we have. I suggest that he could refer to that in the Hansard.
Today, as we speak, there are many, many Government programmes that support capability development. The Government has given significant SkillsFuture subsidies – Enterprise Singapore (ESG)'s Enterprise Development Programme as well as sector-specific programmes where various sector agencies are continually supporting the development of skillsets for our locals.
One of the programmes that he was particularly interested in is the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP), which is one of the programmes that he has actually raised and filed Parliamentary Questions on before. Under this CTP, funding support is provided to companies to acquire global capabilities that are not available in Singapore. This can be done in a variety of ways such as bringing foreign specialists into Singapore to train locals in new capabilities or sending locals for overseas training attachments.
The scheme was created and since its inception in 2017, it has benefited more than 140 companies and more than 1,000 locals. Our locals have experienced expanded job scopes as they acquired new skills. The last two and a half years, we had some setbacks because of COVID-19, but with the reopening of borders, we once again would like to welcome companies to tap on this if they need to bring in global experts in cutting edge areas.
His second point is in terms of multiple routes of the ONE Pass – ONE is an acronym for Overseas Networks & Expertise. We are working on all the other routes, through different sector agencies, in terms of coming up with a framework and we will also worked, as I have shared, with MOE, with MCCY, with NRF and a few other agencies, to identify some of these criteria in which we can target these global talents with this kind of expertise.
So, towards the end of the year – the scheme will start on 1 January 2023 – I suggest that he watches this space. More details will be released in due course.
Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, will MOM allow ONE Pass holders to earn $30,000 dollars a month from one company and smaller amounts from several others, since they will be exempted from job advertising requirements, minimum salary thresholds and local PMET shares in those other companies, will Singaporean PMETs and those companies lose out in any way if this happens?
Secondly, I note that ONE Pass holders do not need to reapply for a new pass if they change jobs. How will the Ministry prevent ONE Pass holders from switching jobs and joining another company at a lower salary after getting their ONE Pass?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Gerald Giam for his questions.
I think his first supplementary question, I have already answered that, primarily, it comes from one company – that $30,000. But we will not restrict the ONE Pass holder from working with other companies if he is able to transfer skillsets and his expertise. For instance, he could primarily be engaged by one company at a salary of $30,000, but because of his skillsets in corporate governance, he could be invited to become a director on the board of another company, potentially an SME, and provide that benefit. I do not think we should restrict that.
To his other point about renewals – it is one of those points that I raised earlier on in my speech as well. We will work closely with the ONE Pass holder. We will work with him regularly in terms of not just updating his progress; at the same time, we are also seeing how we can learn from the talent, the type of skillset that he has and find ways and means to continue to encourage him or her to transfer his or her skillsets to other companies or to other locals and Singaporeans.
Mr Speaker: Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Sir, we do have a significant pool of mature PMET talents – those that may be between the age of 50s and 60s. And we should do more to help improve their employment opportunities as there is still a very sticky bias against this group of PMETs.
Can I ask the Minister whether the reductions in the job advertisement period under FCF from 28 days to 14 days for EP applications reduces the impetus for employers to hire local PMETs, especially those in the more mature age groups? In other words, would employers take this reduction in the advertisement period as a signal to look to foreign hires as the first resort rather than the last resort?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Liang Eng Hwa for his concern. As I have shared earlier on, today, the tightness is really in businesses or employers being able to find Singaporeans to fill the jobs. We have very high job vacancies compared to jobseekers today. As of end-March 2022, it was about 2.4. I think if we look at it, moving forward, it will continue to rise.
The long-term unemployment has dropped to 0.8%. This is end-March 2022 again. Pre-COVID-19, it was 0.7%. So, we are almost back to where we were, as of March this year.
The shortening of the FCF allows some form of a breathing space for our companies to get the employees that they need to help them to fulfil their orders, to help them to also gear up for new orders coming in.
If you look at the refinement of all of our frameworks, the ONE Pass is really the peak – the top of the pyramid. But over the last five to six months, we have announced an entire slew of measures as part of a balanced framework, whether it is COMPASS, we have also improved the criteria, including the qualifying salary and so on for the EP and the S Pass. All of that is in keeping with the development of our economy.
To the group of PMEs in the 50s and 60s, we have also offered significant support measures to ensure that they continue to stay incentivised and enfranchised to continue to work. Our Jobs Growth Incentive is one very clear example of how we have helped them. On top of that, WSG has grants to help in terms of the jobs redesign and jobs reskilling. Parallel with that, there is also the Support for Job Redesign under Productivity Solutions Grant to help companies redesign their own job processes.
All of these measures should be viewed not in isolation but as part of a broader objective to ensure that our Singaporeans do not get compromised at any stage. As long as they are prepared and want to look for a job, we will be there to support them and to help them.
On top of that, the Deputy Prime Minister is launching Forward SG and you know inherently in each one of the pillars, the target focus again is on Singaporeans – to see how we can continue to help them not just keep up but keep ahead of the competition. I hope that that reassures the Member.
Mr Speaker: Mr Ang Wei Neng.
Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank Minister for pointing out that my earlier Parliamentary Question (PQ) is asking about the efficacy of the advertising framework under the Fair Consideration Framework on the MyCareersFuture website.
One of the indicators for how many Singaporeans are on track to get top jobs is how many of the good jobs advertised under the Fair Consideration Framework are given to Singaporeans. The Minister has not answered my PQ as to how many of the jobs that are above $10,000 in salary per month, are filled by Singaporeans as compared to non-Singaporeans in the past five years.
My second supplementary question: is there a maximum number of years that ONE Pass holders can have in Singapore because it will determine whether he has planned to pass on his expertise or get Singaporeans to fill the top jobs?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Ang Wei Neng for his questions.
I think it is timely that he raised this point. As a top leader and executive himself, Mr Ang Wei Neng would appreciate the fact that at that space, people do not just rely on one portal or one scheme to get employed.
So, while there are requirements for job advertisements on MyCareersFuture under the Fair Consideration Framework, many of the top talent in all the different spaces would get employment through a whole host of means. I have also mentioned earlier on about search firms and head-hunters. There are also private, commercially-run portals. Without promoting any particular one, LinkedIn is an example.
So, there are multiple ways in which people at that level can get jobs or get head-hunted.
If it is any comfort, when we set the benchmark at the top 5% of EP holders and the $30,000 salary requirement, and we looked at the statistics of the numbers of about 8,000 foreign EP holders who are earning at least $30,000, when we compare to our local Singapore Core, our local Singapore talent, in terms of the numbers, if you look at the entire universe of top corporate executives earning $30,000 or more a month, the Member would be happy to know that the vast majority of them are Singaporeans.
The fundamental objective in creating this ONE Pass is to, if I may use this cliché statement, find new cheese. It is for us to up the ante in terms of where we see ourselves five years, 10 years down the line, where at every part of the economy, cutting-edge, top-notch, frontier industry, we would like that talent to come to help us to launch a thousand ships in every single one of these sectors and, because of that, have spillover effects to our medium-sized, our middle segment, broaden it significantly, deepen it and allow the continued growth of our SMEs to become, eventually, local large enterprises (LLEs).
That is the intent of this measure.
Mr Speaker: Mr Don Wee.
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Many SMEs, which include the small and medium audit practices or consulting practices are facing a talent crunch or manpower shortage. The ONE Pass allows this holder to hold multiple jobs and even starts his or her own business. I wonder can MOM extent this principle or concept to EP holders who are working in these knowledge-based industries?
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I agree with the Minister that we need to attract top talent like \"Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮)\". But we also need to have good training schemes to groom our own \"Sima Yi (司马懿)\" and \"Pang Tong (庞统)\".
Mr Speaker: If I can request Members to keep their questions one language, unless you have a separate question.
Dr Tan See Leng: Thank you, Speaker. I will just answer in one language. [Laughter.] I am not a fan of \"Pang Tong\" or \"Sima Yi\".
I think it is important that the Member understands that the ONE Pass is one part of a broader framework that we have been rolling out for the last few months. For the different sectors that he was talking about, it is also important to understand that we have sector-specific measures as well to cater and there are multiple schemes available including in MTI, there is a Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities (M-SEP) to address the much needed workforce gaps in the different sectors including healthcare. So, there are multiple measures. We should not look at the ONE Pass in isolation, we should look at the entire improvement in terms of the S Pass, our normal EP as well as the Work Permit. And including – at my announcement earlier on at COS this year – the introduction of Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List (NTSOL) where companies can hire from non-traditional sources for our Indian restaurants, in terms of Indian chefs.
So, there are multiple policy refinements that we have done to ensure that we are able to differentiate and make it a lot more targeted to support the needs of the SMEs.
Mr Speaker: Ms Hazel Poa.
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): Can the Minister share with us how MOM came to the conclusion, that the Letter of Consent (LOC) for spouses is material and needle-moving, was it based on a survey of prospective candidates or advice from an international HR consultancy? And secondly, with this introduction of the ONE Pass, which separates the top talent from the other EP holders, it actually gives us flexibility to further adjust our EP criteria without affecting our ability to attract top talent. So, does MOM have plans to further tighten control of EP?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Ms Poa for her question. The feedback we get comes from multiple sources and we triangulate the data very regularly. We get feedback from economic agencies, our own sector agencies, trade associations and also from some of the foreign chambers that we work with. When we talk about needle-moving initiatives like the ONE Pass, because of the segment in which we are targeting – this is the pinnacle of the pyramid that I was talking about – by sending that signal across, it signals to the world that we are open for business and that we are welcoming for talent in that very rarefied space. And, we are prepared to bring them here, to help them set up so that we, as a country, as a people, can also benefit from their talent and their skill sets.
Earlier on, I forgot to answer a point. On the LOC given, it is only given to the spouse of the Pass holder. It is not given to the dependants of the Pass holder. And like I said, because of the highly selective nature of the scheme, we do not envisage that the numbers will be high, the delta will be high. Hence, my earlier statement that it will not be material, because it will not materially affect the LOCs that we are going to issue out of MOM. I hope that explains to the Member clearly.
Mr Speaker: Mr Edward Chia.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah): Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Minister for sharing some of the spin-off benefits that SMEs will actually benefit from this new ONE Pass. SMEs collectively employ a large majority of Singaporeans and are facing intense competition for talent to support every stage of their business growth. I appreciate that he also shared about support for vertical sectors but I think SMEs require support every different stage of business growth and are already facing a intense competition from larger enterprises.
So, I would like to ask the Minister, is there further direct support, direct benefits for SMEs to give them the support to find the talent that enables them to be the future large local enterprises (LLEs) and to reduce being further disadvantage in this intense competition for talent.
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Chia for his very pertinent point. Our intent in growing this segment, first and foremost, is targeted to improve, to increase, to broaden the spillover effects to our SMEs. As I have shared, we want to grow our ecosystem as a whole by creating new cheese, significantly new cheese, so that down the stream, up the stream, our local companies will benefit. This measure will strengthen our standing as an international hub for talent. It will bring significantly more businesses for our local companies, especially our SMEs and increase the opportunities for all of our Singaporean workers.
Having said that, we have multiple grants and support solutions to continue to help strengthen and support our SMEs. We encourage our big LLEs to act as \"Queen Bees\" when we go out to hunt together as a pack, to bring our SMEs along. We also hope that SMEs will work with the Government and in the multiple approaches that we have done, as we go out and expand our reach globally, we would urge the SMEs, especially our SME bosses, to be nimble. Because of their size, they are able to provide significant engaging challenges and a very responsive type of HR policies for young talent to join them. And collectively, we can build a much bigger and a much better future for all of our ecosystem here in Singapore.
Together with the Singapore Business Federation, we have also supported them on the development of an Alliance for Action (AfA) to see how we can continue to help our SMEs to transform and level up. There are multiple measures to Mr Chia's point and we are always open to more suggestion as to how we can continue to improve our reach and our support for them.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have got two supplementary questions. The first relates to my original PQ. In terms of the EPs as a whole, not just that of the top talent, in terms of meeting the FCF advertising requirements, do we have any statistical data to show that it is actually achieving its stated purpose and that companies are not just going through the motions of putting up their advertisements? For example, such as the number of interviews being granted or the number of applicants that actually end up being hired through these advertisements.
Second is also in terms of timing. I recognise that as Minister shared, right now the labour market is very tight but at the same time they are actually risk in the horizon in terms of rising risk of a recession and slowing growth. So, in terms of the lower duration, would it be a bit too early to do so?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Chua for his question. Earlier on, I have shared that about 70% of the responses to the FCF advertisement happens within the first two weeks. After that, it then straddles along. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, that was in October 2020, when we tightened the advertising period to 28 days. We were having – our job vacancies versus the job openings was about 0.5, meaning that that there were fewer job vacancies for a lot of jobseekers. Today, it has gone up almost fivefold, it is 2.4 as of end of March, now it is in excess of 2.4. And many companies have given feedback that they are really finding it very difficult to hire and if they wait for the period of time, for the 28-day advertising duration, they will lose the particular person that they want to hire and it compromises the operations of the business.
The policies remain unchanged. All of our policies, including the COMPASS framework, we are on track with regard to the Workplace Fairness legislation. We are going through the different consultations. On top of that, we have also kept the minimum qualifying salaries for the S Pass and the EP in tandem with economic development. I do not think that this is a wrong time. Today, we are coming in from a position of strength and if the businesses cannot ramp up when they have business, when they have orders coming in and they cannot ramp up, and if the downturn happens and they get hit, I think it would be even a worse-off situation for these businesses.
Having said that I have also shared that we will not hesitate to take action if companies discriminate against locals or if they discriminate against anyone in terms of characteristics. So, in that sense, we continue to monitor the space very closely. So, to your point, rest assured, we are on top of it.
Mr Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): I would like to thank Minister for sharing the story of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. As he mentioned, Liu Bei, had to visit his friend three times to convince him to join the team. Minister also mentioned that there will be stringent and rigorous checks to ensure the validity of the application. Similarly, as mentioned by Mr Chia, MNCs are also facing intense challenge to attract these talents to drive transformation from Singapore. How do we ensure the annual checks for these Pass holders can be implemented in a way that is not too onerous, so that we can continue to attract these talents, so that we can position Singapore to lead business transformation from our island?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank the Member for his spot-on assessment. We are very nuanced. In my speech, I have also said about giving them time to ramp up and a runway to develop and we want to encourage this group of talent to take risks, calculated risk, of course, to make sure that the payoff is significant, so that our entire economy and ecosystem benefit. Having said that, because it is a wide diaspora of talent that we are looking at and in different sectors, we will work very closely with the sector agencies to evaluate ONE Pass holders on a very regular basis. And I would also welcome Members' contributions in giving us ideas as to how we can continue to make this scheme a very sustainable and self-improving one.
Mr Speaker: Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just have a quick clarification. I did not ask about quotas in my PQ, but instead about estimates and projections and how many are anticipated to be under ONE Pass. I note that MOM said over the weekend that it expects about 7,000 or 8,000 to be on this new pass based on the top 5% of the EP holders. Although of course, this scheme is meant to attract more top talent who are not already here in Singapore.
I have one clarification for the Minister and it is about the promotional activities to be carried out to promote this ONE Pass to top talent outside of Singapore. What is the budget and how would the success of such promotional activities be determined, when deciding whether or not we are actually getting to the right people we are hoping to attract into Singapore?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Ms He for her point. I think I complimented her in my speech about the fact she got the gist of it. She asked us about promotional budget.
There is no promotional budget. I think, for us, our aspiration to build a world-class ecosystem, to build a world-class talent base where we become a giant magnet to attract the best talent from all over the world to come here and contribute, I think, that in itself sends a very strong signal. I hope that clarifies my point.
Mr Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): I thank the Minister for his Statement. I agree with the need to bring in top talents. However, some of my residents have given me feedback about concerns with regards to the ONE Pass and how our local talent can compete fairly for opportunities. As such, I would like to ask the Minister to elaborate on how we can give assurance to local workers, especially the broad middle segment, that they can benefit from this.
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Yip for surfacing this.
Today, as I have said and they are not motherhood statements, the core of what we do, whether it is COMPASS, whether it is the ONE Pass, whether it is the raising of the minimum qualifying salaries, the local qualifying salary, everything we do, everything that Prime Minister, our Deputy Prime Ministers, Senior Ministers, all the Ministers and everyone here in this room, are focused on is that singular objective of how we can continue to provide opportunities, good pay, good career progression for our Singaporean Core. That is really at the core of what we do.
So, to that end, we should not focus on just this ONE Pass. The ONE Pass is about creating new cheese, new opportunities, new economic opportunities, new diaspora of different sectors for it to then spill over to our SMEs, our other local enterprises so that we can continue to provide opportunities for our Singaporeans.
Simultaneously, in fact, contemporaneously, we have a whole slew of schemes today that we constantly groom and provide that opportunity for our Singaporeans to make sure that they keep abreast and, in some instance, we try to even nudge them to go ahead, think out-of-the box so that they can compete.
We have under MAS, we have the International Postings (iPost) Programme which is running very well. There is the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) Programme for which we train our tech talent. I have earlier on also shared that we have the Global Ready Talent Programme. In March this year, during the Budget and Committee of Supply (COS), we also announced the Singapore Global Executive Programme. We also have the SkillsFuture Leadership Development initiative.
These are five very big initiatives aimed at exposing Singaporeans to leadership positions, to thought processes, thought leaders, all over the world. Because the depth, the size of our market is Singapore alone cannot give our fellow Singaporeans that necessary runway, that necessary depth to acquire the deep expertise and experience that is required.
So, we constantly do that. And if there are more programmes that Members of this House do have, feel free to suggest those to us and we are prepared to consider them.
So, I want to reassure all Members of the House that this is the core of what we do. It is for our Singaporeans, our fellow Singaporeans for our future. Because 50 years later, I think many of you would still be around. You want to continue to see Singapore to still be brimming with opportunities, optimism and hope. I am certain I would not be around but I am sure many of you will still be around. I hope that that gives you that reassurance.
Mr Speaker: Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): I think no one in this House will be against attracting more foreign talents into our country. However, if you imagine, 20 years ago, I do not know who was the Manpower Minister then. He would have stood there and made the same message about attracting foreign talents.
But over the last 15 to 20 years, can I ask the Minister whether we have been attracting the right kind of talents since now, 95% of the EPs currently do not meet the ONE Pass requirement.
Second question: Sir, we are very concerned and that is why we are asking many questions. But the second point I want to make is that I support and I take the same position as the Leader of the Opposition and Workers' Party on why we cannot include mentoring skills transfer, and one more thing, I had mentioned in many of my speeches, succession planning, when we bring the talent, the foreign talent or the global talent into our market?
It does not make sense. I ask the Minister: does it makes sense that on one hand, we pay to get the talents in —
Mr Speaker: Mr Leong, can you keep your question succinct?
Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes, I am coming to the question. Does it makes sense that on one hand, we pay the talents to come in to help us in capabilities transfer but, on the other hand, we have a lot of talents that are working in Singapore and they opt to work in Singapore and we did not make it a requirement to renew their visa?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Leong for his exposé and also his two questions.
To his first point, 20 years ago, if I may just use one example and that is the example that the Prime Minister delivered in the National Day Rally when he talked about the entire biomedical industry; and he also mentioned Mr Philip Yeo, who went out there, brought the whales in to Singapore and developed our own biomedical enterprise.
I think that Mr Leong himself would have benefited from the PCR testing. At some stage, he may have used the Fortitude test kits. That came out of a homegrown enterprise, a company called MiRXES. It was a spin-off from the entire biomedical industry that Prime Minister talked about during the National Day Rally. So, I do not think I need to dwell on that.
I can go on with multiple examples to showcase to him that indeed, from where we have started to where we are today, we have certainly benefited from the global talent coming here with the transfers of skillsets, capabilities, knowledge and so on and so forth.
To his second point in terms of succession planning and so on, I think we are now at the stage where we are not only looking at skillsets, expertise alone, more so than the proxy of the $30,000-mark, we are looking at creating a significantly different ecosystem, one that will hopefully ensure our continued prosperity and progress for the next five or 10 decades and beyond. I am very optimistic that in subsequent Parliamentary Sittings, there will be opportunity for the Member to continue to raise this type of questions. But let us leave it as that.
Mr Speaker: Mr Desmond Choo.
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): I thank the Minister. Many countries have made changes to their talent policies. UAE has the Golden Visa, UK and Germany have introduced new passes to attract talent. I would like to ask, with this suite of changes, where does this place Singapore, in terms of our competitiveness compared to the other countries? Is this sufficient for us to get our fair share of talent and help companies to grow?
Dr Tan See Leng: I thank Mr Desmond Choo for the question.
We do not have a target country that we are competing with. The Golden Visa, I presume Mr Desmond Choo is referring to, pertains to UAE. Their aspirations and our aspirations are actually quite different because of the fact that they have different levels of constraints just like we have our own constraints.
We are starting from the position of strength. We look at potential new enterprises that we see ourselves getting our first mover and our competitive advantage in. Then, we are going after those sectors where we are going to be able to create new cheese for ourselves and with that new cheese, provide significant economic opportunities to benefit our entire ecosystem of the SMEs and raising up our Singapore Core.
So, to that end, that is what we are focused on today. To go beyond identifying different sectors and so on, would also compromise our ability to ramp up and to upscale. And as I have shared in my interview with Bloomberg, I do not want to start a bidding war.
I hope that addresses Mr Desmond Choo's points.
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Ministerial Statement. Personal Explanation, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Personal Explanation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make this clarification.
On 5 July, in my Adjournment Motion speech to this House on macroeconomic policy to combat inflation, I stated at the end of my speech at the third to final sentence that the Government should buy long bonds because this would dampen speculative investment and keep a lid on asset prices. [Please refer to \"Tackling the Macro Picture in Rising Cost of Living Challenges\", Official Report, 5 July 2022, Vol 95, Issue 64, Matter raised on Adjournment Motion section.]
I wish to clarify that this was a misstatement and that it should have been that the government should \"sell\" long bonds and not \"buy \"them, a point that was correctly stated earlier in my speech. I would like to make this clarification and correction for the record.
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Personal Explanation. Introduction of Government Bills. Minister of State Alvin Tan.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Business Trusts (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Business Trusts Act 2004\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and 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, 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":"Income Tax (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Income Tax Act 1947 and to make consequential and related amendments to certain other Acts\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) recommendation of President signified; presented by the Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah); 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":"Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to make miscellaneous amendments to certain 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":"Accountants (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Accountants Act 2004 and to make consequential amendments to the Banking Act 1970\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah) 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":"Registration of Criminals (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a second time.\"
Singapore is one of the safest cities in the world. In the 2020 Gallup Global Law and Order Report, 97% of Singapore residents feel safe walking alone on the streets at night. This is significantly higher than the global average of 69%. In 2021, Singapore's overall crime rate was 355 cases per 100,000 population excluding cyber crimes. This is very low compared to other major cities, such as Sydney, London and New York.
To ensure that Singaporeans continue to enjoy high levels of safety and security, we should ensure that our crime fighting capabilities are cutting edge, and that Police have access to useful tools to detect and solve crime. One such tool is DNA profiling.
In 2002, a 12-year-old schoolgirl was raped but the identity of the suspect could not be established at the time. Twelve years later in 2014, a man was arrested for alleged theft and a blood sample was collected from him. Through the DNA profiling of his blood sample, Police discovered that his DNA profile matched the one found at the rape crime scene in 2002. The rapist was charged and sentenced to 16.5 years' imprisonment and 18 strokes of the cane. This is the usefulness of DNA profiling.
This Bill, therefore, seeks to enhance the Police's capabilities to solve crime, using DNA evidence.
In the course of Police investigations, the Police may collect samples at the crime scene. These crime scene samples will be analysed to obtain DNA profiles which will be compared against profiles in the Police's DNA database. In 2021, the number of matches to DNA profiles derived from crime scene samples was about 800. However, a large proportion of Police's crime scene samples, approximately 60% of crime scene samples collected between 2017 and 2021, were unmatched when screened against our DNA database. We should expand the Police's DNA database to bolster their ability to solve crimes.
Fingerprints and DNA are unique to an individual, except for identical twins who share the same DNA. Fingerprint matching and DNA profiling can help the Police identify and place a particular individual at the crime scene or exonerate the individual. Fingerprint matching suffers at times from the inability to lift a complete fingerprint at the crime scene. DNA profiling, on the other hand, is not limited to one source as DNA information may be derived from minute amounts of body samples such as saliva, sweat or blood droplets.
DNA profiling is thus a useful and well-established forensic tool, and is widely used by law enforcement agencies worldwide to solve crimes. According to the INTERPOL Global DNA Profiling Survey, about 70% of the member countries which responded to the survey reported using DNA profiling in police investigations and at least 70 countries have a DNA database. The United Kingdom started to use DNA profiling in criminal investigations in the 1980s and established a national DNA database in 1995.
Apart from the rape case in 2002, several cases, including cold cases, have been solved, both locally and overseas, through DNA profiling. For instance, between 1986 and 1991, 10 women were killed in Hwaseong, Korea. A man was sentenced to life imprisonment. Almost 30 years later in 2019, through DNA analysis of crime scene samples, police eventually identified the real killer and the innocent man was exonerated.
DNA profiling is an effective tool to help the Police solve crimes, by identifying possible suspects accurately and quickly, and exonerating the innocent. But the effectiveness of this forensic tool in criminal investigations depends, in large part, on the size of the Police's DNA database. A larger database means a higher chance of obtaining a match. Conversely, a smaller pool of DNA data would be less effective in helping the Police solve crimes.
If we want our laws to be enforced effectively and to continue to enjoy a high level of safety and security in our daily lives, our law enforcement agencies must be provided with as many forensic tools as reasonably possible. We may have Police cameras in many public places today, but they do not cover the scenes of all crimes, for example, if they take place in homes or other private areas. Similarly, other forensic tools which the Police already have, may be able to help solve some but not all the crimes.
I will now describe the amendments we are looking to make, to enhance the effectiveness of DNA profiling as a tool to help the Police solve crimes. This Bill amends the Registration of Criminals Act 1949 in the following ways: (a) expand the scope for the collection of DNA information and other identifying information; (b) expand the prescribed uses of DNA information; (c) strengthen the protection of DNA information; and (d) introduce procedures to allow the removal of information in the databases.
First, on expanding the scope of collection of DNA information and other identifying information. \"DNA information\" is defined in the Act to refer to genetic information derived from the forensic DNA analysis of a body sample. \"Identifying information\" will be defined to refer to other information that can help identify an individual, including fingerprints, photographs and descriptions of the individual such as sex and age.
We will expand the scope of crimes eligible for the collection of DNA information and identifying information. Clause 6 repeals and re-enacts part 3 of the Act to provide for the collection of DNA information and identifying information from individuals involved in two categories of offences: registrable crimes and eligible crimes.
Registrable crimes are crimes that are currently included in the First or Second Schedule to the Registration of Criminals Act. These are usually more serious crimes, such as murder, rape and robbery. An individual who is convicted of a registrable crime will have a criminal record. Today, Police can only take fingerprints and body samples from an individual who is accused of, convicted of, or imprisoned for a registrable crime.
Our statistics show that about one in three individuals convicted of a registrable crime between 2017 and 2021, had been previously convicted of a non-registrable crime. If we had been able to collect DNA and identifying information from these individuals when they were convicted of a non-registrable crime, we might have been able to identify them a lot more swiftly, when they later re-offended and committed the registrable crime.
Other countries collect DNA information for a far broader scope of offences. For example, South Australia collects DNA information for all imprisonable offences. England collects DNA information for imprisonable offences and some non-imprisonable offences.
Therefore, we propose to expand the scope of crimes eligible for the collection of DNA information and identifying information, to include non-registrable crimes which fulfil two criteria.
One, they are punishable with imprisonment; and two, they are not compoundable under any written law, unless the offence is specified in the third column of the Fourth Schedule to the Criminal Procedure Code 2010. This will be defined as an \"eligible crime\" and will be inserted into the Act by clause 2(d) of the Bill. Eligible crimes are, therefore, the more serious crimes, and will not include minor offences such as littering and illegal parking. Individuals who commit eligible crimes may have their DNA information and fingerprints taken, but will continue to not have any criminal record as such crimes are not registrable. Examples of eligible crimes include voluntarily causing hurt and affray. We will not collect DNA information and fingerprints from individuals involved in minor offences, such as littering and illegal parking.
We will also expand the scope of collection for persons dealt with under the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA). Currently, we can only collect fingerprints from individuals who are arrested or detained under the ISA. We cannot collect their DNA information. We also cannot collect DNA information and fingerprints of those who are not arrested and are only served with a restriction order. Clause 6 will insert new sections 13 and 22 to allow the collection of DNA information and identifying information from individuals who are arrested, detained or served with a restriction order, under the ISA.
In England, South Australia and the Netherlands, any individual can voluntarily provide his body samples for forensic DNA analysis. Clause 6 will insert new sections 14 and 23 to allow any individual to voluntarily provide his DNA information and identifying information to the Police to assist in investigations. Clause 6 will also insert new sections 37 and 38 to specify that volunteers who have provided their information, may apply to the Police to remove their information from the databases at any time and the Police must do so.
We will also make it clear that it is an offence for an individual who refuses, without reasonable excuse, to provide a body sample and introduce a new offence for a parent or guardian of an individual below 16 years of age to withhold consent, without reasonable excuse, for an invasive sample to be taken from the individual.
To complement these expanded powers for the collection of DNA information, we will make it clear that any person who unreasonably refuses to provide a body sample, including a blood sample, commits an offence. Generally, a person provides his DNA information through providing a body sample, such as buccal sample or hair sample, or a blood sample. Blood samples are generally preferred to other samples, as they are more likely to yield a high quality DNA profile, that can be reliably used to obtain a valid DNA match downstream. More than 99% of the body samples that are taken today are blood samples.
How do we take a blood sample? Before taking a blood sample, a DNA officer must ensure that the taking of the blood sample does not endanger the individual and the DNA officer will obtain the consent of the individual. Thereafter, the officer will prick the individual's fingertip to obtain a small sample of blood. If the individual has a reasonable excuse to refuse the taking of his blood sample, for example, he suffers from a blood disorder such as haemophilia, the Police will not take his blood sample and will take other body samples from him instead.
Currently, if an individual refuses, without reasonable excuse, to allow his fingerprints or a body sample to be taken, he is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month, or both. If he refuses to provide a blood sample, he may be taken before a Magistrate, who may order him to provide the sample. A negative inference may also be drawn against him in court, in criminal proceedings.
The amended Bill will no longer require the individual to be brought before a Magistrate before he may be liable for an offence. The new section 27 will make it clear that a person who refuses without reasonable excuse to provide a body sample, including a blood sample, commits an offence. We will also make it an offence for a parent or guardian of an individual under 16 years of age to withhold consent, without reasonable excuse, for an invasive sample to be taken from that individual.
Currently, DNA information stored in the DNA database may be used for a few purposes: (a) forensic comparison with any other DNA information in the course of Police investigations into an offence; (b) comparison with DNA information in the DNA database established under other Acts; (c) proceedings for any offence; and (d) administering the DNA database.
Clause 6 inserts a new section 32 to expand the prescribed uses of DNA information to three new categories that are in the public interest. They are: (a) investigation or inquiry into a death; (b) identifying a dead individual; and (c) identifying an individual in order to provide Police assistance to the individual.
Next, Clause 10 amends section 13I, which will be renumbered to section 47 by clause 9, to give the Police the discretion to share DNA information of an individual convicted of a registrable crime, with foreign law enforcement agencies for investigations and proceedings, where it is appropriate to do so. Before the information is shared, the foreign law enforcement agency will be required to undertake to safekeep the information, limit the use of the information to the specified purpose and comply with other conditions imposed by the Police.
We will legislate safeguards to protect the DNA information and identifying information stored in the databases. Access to the DNA database will be restricted to authorised officers, every access to the database will be recorded and we will provide for an audit trail.
Clause 12 will amend section 14A, which will be renumbered to section 49 by clause 9, to empower the Minister to make rules to introduce safeguards that the Registrar must implement to protect the information recorded in the databases against any loss, modification, or unauthorised access.
Where investigations reveal that a suspect is not involved in the commission of the crime, or where the suspect was arrested and detained under the ISA and investigations subsequently reveal that he had not acted in a manner prejudicial to the security of Singapore, his DNA information and fingerprints will continue to be automatically removed.
Individuals who are acquitted or given a discharge amounting to an acquittal by the Court and individuals who have their offences compounded, can apply to the Registrar for their information to be removed. Upon the individual's application, the Registrar will remove all DNA information and identifying information of the individual from the databases, unless it is relevant for any ongoing prosecution or investigation, or it is in the interests of the security of Singapore to retain the information. Any person who disagrees with the decision of the Registrar may appeal to a Reviewing Tribunal.
The above is provided for in the new Part 6, which introduces procedures to allow individuals to apply to the Registrar to remove their registrable particulars, identifying information and DNA information from the databases. This new Part 7 provides for the establishment of Reviewing Tribunals and for appeals against the Registrar's determination to be made to the Tribunal.
The application and appeal process is straightforward and simple. The individual may apply to the Registrar of Criminals to request for his information to be removed from the databases. Within 30 days of the application, the Registrar determines whether any of the following two grounds exist. One, the applicant's information is relevant to another ongoing prosecution or investigation. Or two, retaining the applicant's information is in the interests of the security of Singapore.
If none of these grounds exist, the Registrar will remove the applicant's information from the databases and notify the applicant that his application is successful, and that the information has been removed.
If any of the grounds exists, the Registrar will notify the applicant that his application is unsuccessful. The Registrar will state the ground for the rejection and the applicant may decide if he wishes to appeal to the Reviewing Tribunal.
If the applicant wishes to appeal to the Tribunal, he must do so within 30 days from the date of the notice of the Registrar's determination. The Reviewing Tribunal comprises a District Judge or Magistrate, who is appointed by the President on the advice of the Cabinet.
The Reviewing Tribunal can either confirm or revoke the decision appealed against. However, the Tribunal must dismiss an appeal if the Registrar presents a certificate issued by the Minister, certifying that the applicant's information was taken in relation to an offence under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 or the Internal Security Act, and that it is in the interests of the security of Singapore to retain his information. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In the course of Police investigations, the Police may collect samples at the crime scene. These crime scene samples will be analysed to obtain DNA profiles which will be compared against profiles in the Police's DNA database. In 2021, the number of matches to DNA profiles derived from crime scene samples was about 800.
However, a large proportion of Police’s crime scene samples, approximately 60% of crime scene samples collected between 2017 and 2021, were unmatched when screened against our DNA database.
DNA profiling is an effective tool to help the Police solve crimes, by identifying possible suspects accurately and quickly, and exonerating the innocent. But the effectiveness of this forensic tool in criminal investigations depends, in large part, on the size of the Police’s DNA database. A larger database means a higher chance of obtaining a match. Conversely, a smaller pool of DNA data would be less effective in helping the Police solve crimes.
This Bill proposes four key amendments: first, expand the scope for the collection of DNA information and other identifying information; second, expand the prescribed uses of DNA information; third, strengthen the protection of DNA information; and fourth, introduce procedures to allow the removal of information in the databases.
The proposed amendments to the Registration of Criminals Act will enable law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties more effectively, to ensure the safety and security of Singapore, while balancing these expanded powers against individuals’ right to privacy.
(In English): In sum, the proposed amendments to the Registration of Criminals Act will enable law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties more effectively, to ensure the safety and security of Singapore, while balancing those expanded powers against individuals' right to privacy. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, this Bill seeks to enlarge the DNA database at the disposal of the Police by including less serious crimes under its ambit. Individuals under investigation for both registrable and less serious eligible crimes are expected to surrender their DNA to the Police. To the extent that this Bill is aimed at cracking cases and bringing criminals to justice, the Workers' Party supports the Bill. Apart from widening the scope of crimes that requires the surrender of one's DNA, the Bill also introduces procedures to allow for the removal of DNA information from the Police's DNA database and strengthens the protection of DNA and non-DNA identifying records. We also support these procedures.
However, I have concerns about the Bill and will seek clarifications later in my speech. In scrutinising the Bill, the Workers' Party reviewed the situation in other jurisdictions to better understand how DNA information is collected and utilised. In South Australia, for example, the offences covered under the Criminal Law Forensics Procedures Act 2007 includes all offences punishable by imprisonment, not dissimilar to our position but technically broader than the position taken in today's Bill, which excludes some offences punishable by imprisonment.
In the United Kingdom, under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, blood and other intimate samples, or what this Bill refers to as invasive samples, can only be taken with written consent without exception. This is a position that is less intrusive upon the rights of the individual than the one proposed by this Bill. However, non-intimate samples, which includes hair and swabs that would allow the collection of DNA, can be taken in the UK without consent if the person is under investigation for what is called a recordable offence. This appears to be a broader position than the one proposed under this Bill, as the meaning of a recordable offence is very wide and it may include offences not punishable by imprisonment.
In Japan, there is no specific statute governing from whom and under what circumstances DNA may be collected. But the Japanese authorities have adopted an approach to DNA collection that is one of the most aggressive in the world. By late 2019, the police in Japan had collected close to 1.3 million DNA samples, which covers about one in 100 of the Japanese population. Data released under Japanese information disclosure laws in late 2019 showed that those alleged to have committed serious crimes, such as murder, burglary and rape, accounted for only 4.8% of the DNA database. By contrast, DNA was collected for 210,000 persons suspected of violating the Road Traffic Law, the Swords and Firearm Law, the Immigration Control Law and the Minor Offence Law. This accounted for about 16% of the entire database. I should add that every DNA sample was collected only after the suspects gave consent to register their DNA information in the national police agency database.
Our review of other jurisdictions shows that there is no consensus as to the boundaries and ambit of DNA collection. But we can certainly pick out some useful points.
For Singapore, we need to ensure that our Bill suits our circumstances and protects our citizens. To that end, Sir, I seek four specific clarifications on the Bill. I will list them and then elaborate on each of them.
First, could the Minister elaborate how the secrecy of the DNA database will be ensured? Second, the proposed section 32(h) allows any information in the DNA database to be used for such purposes as may be prescribed. Could the Minister clarify whether the Government intends or foresees the use of DNA information for purposes other than for Police investigations into specific cases. And if not, will the Government undertake to return to this House to seek Parliamentary approval if the DNA database is to be used for non-investigation related purposes?
Third, could the Minister clarify what factors authorised officers would take into account in deciding whether to take DNA samples from those convicted of eligible crimes? Fourth, could the Minister tell us the cost of taking a DNA sample of an accused person or convicted individual.
Let me elaborate. First, the security of the DNA database. Sir, at its core, the surrender of personal DNA is significant. DNA data is not akin to non-DNA identifying information like fingerprints. For example, it is possible to use DNA information to create a profile of an individual by comparing their DNA data to a larger DNA sample size. This cannot be achieved with an existing register of fingerprints. Our DNA can tell a story or highlight predispositions that most people would not know about themselves.
For example, certain versions of a gene on the X chromosome that codes for monoamine oxidase enzyme (MAO) are associated with sensation-seeking and impulsive tendencies. Another example is the Per2 Gene which has been linked with advanced sleep phase syndrome that informs which individual is more predisposed to going to bed early and rising early, while Per3 is found in night owls.
Both these data points taken to the extreme can indicate the likelihood of possible criminal tendencies. In this era of big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning, the purposes for which the DNA information is collected becomes exceedingly important, something Parliament must scrupulously guard.
Seen in this context, the Bill envisages the surrender of private information for which the highest levels of security and access must be assured by the Government. Just a few years ago, in 2018, the personal information of some 1.5 million Singaporeans was hacked in the SingHealth cybersecurity breach, the worst publicly known cybersecurity incident in Singapore's history.
The Ministry's press release on the First Reading of this Bill dated 1 August states that all persons accessing the DNA database will have to be screened and authorised by the Police with all access logged and recorded, in addition to a tamper proof audit trail to detect data modification. Officers who misuse their powers will be dealt with severely.
With reference to the proposed section 49(1A), can the Minister confirm if the DNA database would be stored in a standalone computer or in systems that are linked to the Internet and therefore susceptible to cyber-attack? How wide is the access to the DNA database?
Finally, have there been any cases within the Police Force where existing DNA data on the database has been wrongfully accessed and misused? What was the range of punishments that have been meted out to such officers? And what recovery procedures and remedies can citizens whose DNA information has been compromised or used in a way not sanctioned by legislation avail themselves to?
My second clarification is on the further uses of the DNA database.
With such depth of personal information extractable from DNA data, Parliament should be apprised of the limits on the use of such data.
Paragraphs (b) to (g) of the proposed section 32 aim to narrow the remit of the use of DNA information solely for criminal analysis and investigations. However, the proposed section 32(h) is a catch-all clause that states that DNA information can be used for any purpose that may be prescribed. This greatly expands the use of DNA information.
Can I invite the Minister to clarify what other uses of DNA information are being contemplated under paragraph 32(h)?
For example, and this is certainly not exhaustive, it is not beyond imagination that this clause could be relied on to use the DNA database for purposes of profiling and to draw inferences about groups of people as being a relatively greater public order threat compared to others, as alluded to earlier.
If there is no such intention, can the Minister clarify the ambit of paragraph (h) for the record? It must be the Government's position that it would return to this House should the DNA database be used for any other purpose other than Police investigation into specific cases. Can the Minister confirm this to be so?
Let me move on to my third clarification.
Sir, under the proposed section 10, an authorised officer \"may\" take DNA information and therefore may not be required by law to do.
Can the Minister clarify what is the thinking behind not mandating the taking of DNA information but instead giving an option to the authorised officer? This is especially relevant since the public statements of the Ministry in justifying this Bill – I beg your pardon – in tabling this Bill have thus far alluded to expanding the DNA database.
What are the types of cases or scenarios this Bill conceives of where the authorised officer would need to decide for or against the taking of DNA information from an individual and what is the basis of those decisions? What consistency will be applied for the purposes of the proposed section 10 vis-a-vis eligible crimes?
Fourth and finally, Mr Speaker, as is routine in every Bill that comes before this House, the explanatory note contains a section titled \"Expenditure of Public Money\".
The note states that this Bill will involve the Government in extra financial expenditure, the exact amount of which cannot at present be ascertained. This is understandable because, for example, the exact number of DNA samples to be collected and processed for eligible crimes cannot be known at this time.
However, it should be possible to know the cost of taking individual samples, if not a broad estimate based on crime statistics over the last five to 10 years.
Specifically, I would like to ask how much the taking of each DNA sample from an accused or convicted person costs the taxpayer today.
Ms Sylvia Lim will speak on other matters for the Minister's clarification.
Mr Speaker: Mr Murali Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the aims of the amendment Bill for the reasons articulated by the hon Minister of State.
I would add that the hon Member for Holland-Bukit Timah Mr Christopher de Souza, who is away on State duty today and therefore unable to speak on this Bill, has expressed to me his strong support for the Bill too. He is of the view that this Bill enhances the ability of enforcement agencies to act swiftly to identify suspects of a broader array of crime accurately and apprehend them.
I agree with him. Once this Bill is passed, it is my hope that the percentage of unmatched DNA samples from scenes of crime, currently running at 60%, would be reduced.
I seek clarification on three areas from the hon Minister of State.
First, it is proposed that the current section 13G of the Act, which deals with removal of identifying information or DNA information from the register upon acquittal or discharge be repealed and be substituted with the proposed section 37(3) and 37(4) of the Bill.
Currently, the identifying and DNA information of an accused person will automatically be deleted within three months from the accused's acquittal or discharge.
It is proposed that instead of an automatic deletion, the accused has to apply for the removal. Under the proposed section 39(1) in the Bill, the Registrar must remove the same unless he is of the view that the information is relevant to an ongoing prosecution or investigation or it is in the interest of national security.
I note from the Hansard that the hon Minister for Home Affairs then, Mr Wong Kan Seng, in moving the amendment Bill in 2002 to set up the DNA database and elaborating on the kind of information that will be retained, stated as follows, \"What happens to body samples of persons acquitted or discharged? Currently, the Act requires the Registrar of Criminals to destroy the photograph and finger impression of a person acquitted or discharged within three months from the date of acquittal or discharge. Similarly, clause 5 requires the Registrar to remove the DNA information of a person from the DNA database within three months of his acquittal or discharge. As the DNA information is stored in electronic form in the DNA database, removal of the information from the database is equivalent to the destruction of a physical record like a photograph.\"
My question to the hon Minister of State is as follows: the current Bill changes the default from automatic deletion to automatic retention. Why is there a shift in policy? Is it necessitated by a change in the law and order situation?
Why is not preferable for the current mechanism of automatic removal be maintained? The current system is fair to all. The proposed system appears to benefit those with the resources, the time and the know-how to request such a deletion. I would be grateful for the hon Minister of State's clarification.
I now turn to clauses 24 and 28 of the Bill.
These clauses combined provide that where an accused refuses to provide his consent for the taking of a sample to determine whether or not he has committed an eligible or registrable crime, the Court may draw an inference from the refusal that the Court thinks proper. The accused will also be liable for an offence of failing to given a sample without reasonable excuse under clause 27.
The approach taken in this Bill brings to my memory the salutary approach adopted in section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Section 23 deals with the recording of a cautioned statement from a witness. The accused must be served with a written notice that he has to state his defence in his statement, failing which the Court may draw an adverse inference against him for not doing so.
May I ask if it is contemplated that a written notice will also be issued to the accused?
In this regard, I again wish to highlight that in 2002, the hon Minister for Home Affairs then, Mr Wong Kan Seng stated as follows, \"But if the suspect refuses to give that consent, he can be brought to Court and the Court may order him to provide the blood sample, and if he still refuses, of course, appropriate warning will be given and inference will be drawn by the Court for his refusal to provide that blood sample.\"
In this Bill, it is proposed that the referral to the Magistrate is to be taken away. In that sense, warning becomes a lot more important under the current paradigm as opposed to what was proposed in 2002.
Finally, Sir, I note from the Bill that there are additional safeguards being proposed, such as: (a)\tThe introduction of a tribunal to provide independent reassessment of the person's application to expunge his data after the Police has rejected his application; and (b) the safe and secure handling of DNA and fingerprint data. This is welcome.
I also note that the provisions in the Internal Security Act dealing with the taking of body samples is proposed to be ported over to the Registration of Criminals Act. This makes eminent sense too. In this way, the enhanced safeguards will apply to body samples collected from ISA detainees.
May I please ask why it is not proposed that similar provisions dealing with the collection of body samples of detainees under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) and drug addicts under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) be also ported over to the Act?
As it stands, the provisions dealing with the collection of samples continue to be dealt with by the same provisions. Under section 27C of the CLTPA, it is provided that the Commissioner of Police shall cause to be maintained both a register and DNA database for persons arrested or detained under CLTPA. Similarly, under section 40D of the MDA, the Commissioner of Police must again maintain both a register and DNA database for drug addicts who are subject to supervision or are in drug rehabilitation centres.
On the face of it, it does not appear that the added safeguards are being proposed to be enacted in the CLTPA and MDA. I am also unclear why there should be separate registers and DNA databases in other pieces of legislation. I would have thought it would be more synergistic to consolidate all the registers and databases under one piece of legislation. I would be grateful for the hon Minister of State's response.
Mr Speaker: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, according to the Ministry's media release of 1 August, the rationale for this Bill is to enable law enforcement agencies to more effectively carry out their duties while safeguarding personal data. The Bill enables more DNA to be collected from suspects, offenders, volunteers and others in order to have a larger DNA database for comparison with evidence obtained from crime scenes.
There may be discomfort in some quarters due to the expansion of the net for collection of DNA. From the existing pool of registrable crimes, this Bill widens the net by enabling DNA collection for a new class of eligible crimes, which will include all offences punishable by imprisonment which are not compoundable by a public officer under the law.
It can be argued that actually, the current legislation already enables DNA to be collected for many offences which the average person may not consider serious, such as infringement of copyright and possession of uncustomed cigarettes. Now, the Bill proposes to include less serious offences such as voluntarily causing hurt.
This raises the question of what the appropriate threshold should be to justify the collection of DNA from individuals simply for the database.
In other jurisdictions, this has sparked discussion about the balance between the public interest in securing evidence to prove or disprove guilt versus the public interest in ensuring that private individuals are protected from unwarranted interference. These questions should not be dismissed as unimportant.
At such times, it is appropriate to step back and ask what Singaporeans should expect out of the criminal justice system. While we should always be concerned about treating suspects and offenders fairly, we need also to remember that victims are critical stakeholders who tend to be overlooked.
For instance, while the victim may have suffered harm, criminal justice systems are such that the decision makers in the case will be the prosecuting authorities, with the victims' wishes sometimes being overruled. To that end, the evolution of technology, if correctly applied, can result in bringing to more victims the justice and closure they deserve.
To illustrate my point, I wish to share a vivid personal experience from my days in law enforcement.
It is public information that in the 1990s, the Singapore Police introduced an investigation tool known as AFIS – the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. The system automated the matching of fingerprints lifted from crime scenes with those stored in a database of convicted persons and suspects.
The implementation of AFIS at that time resulted in the resurrection of many old casefiles where fingerprint matches were suddenly found.
I remember being assigned one such case. A fingerprint from a housebreaking scene was found to match the print of a person then in prison for another offence.
My colleague and I then proceeded to visit the prisoner. He initially denied any involvement in the matter. However, when it was pointed out to him that his fingerprint was found at the scene, he immediately recanted and admitted that he had indeed broken into the flat.
As I listened to him narrate what happened, I was struck by how his description of the position of the windows and the furniture and where the elderly female victim lay asleep corresponded exactly with the scene found by Police many years earlier. He was thereafter charged with this old offence and sentenced by the Court accordingly. It was indeed gratifying to know that technology worked correctly in that case to bring justice to the elderly woman, albeit, years later.
If enhancing the DNA database will result in more cases being solved and bring justice and closure to more victims and their families, that is an outcome we should support.
At the same time, there is the important issue of safeguarding personal information.
As mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition earlier, we have looked at how DNA collection is managed in other jurisdictions, including Australia and the UK, two jurisdictions which the Minister of State referred to earlier.
Sir, the Bill before us no doubt widens significantly the State's powers to collect DNA from individuals. However, we see some attempts to limit the scope of the State's powers. I will just cite two examples.
First, as far as what types of DNA samples may be collected, clause 2 makes clear that though the Minister may prescribe additional types of samples that may be collected, he cannot include samples obtained from more private parts of a person's body, such as the genital areas.
A second example of scope limitation is found in the proposed section 25. This section states that while reasonable force may be used to take body samples where the person does not consent, use of such force does not extend to taking an invasive sample, such as a blood sample. I support these and other limitations on the state's powers.
That said, I have concerns about two particular aspects of the Bill which, I believe, need to be clarified.
First, on volunteers giving their DNA samples. Under the current section 13D of the Registration of Criminals Act, a person may volunteer to give a body sample if he was present at the scene of the crime or if he is being questioned in connection with the investigation. In this Bill, the proposed section 23 will expand the potential net of volunteers by enabling any volunteer to provide his sample even if there is no nexus between the volunteer and crime.
Sir, I note that such a provision does exist in other jurisdictions. So, in principle, I do not object to the change. However, the question is: how will this operate in practice and, in particular, whether the vulnerable groups may be pressured to provide blood samples thinking that they have no choice but to \"volunteer\"? Already, with the current section 13D, I had noted previously in this House the case in 2008 – 14 years ago – of blood samples being taken from 200 foreign workers in the aftermath of an attack on a student at Clementi Woods Park. When I filed the Parliamentary Question on this in 2008, the Ministry replied that the blood samples were drawn after the workers had voluntarily given their consent. I do not know how the consents were obtained from the 200 workers to draw the blood samples. However, one could well ask to what extent the workers were worried that non-cooperation would jeopardise their employment in Singapore.
With the expanded powers to collect body samples from just about anyone who volunteers, what safeguards would be put in place to ensure that vulnerable groups are not picked on and that the consent of volunteers is informed and freely given?
Sir, my second concern is about the proposed section 27. This section makes it an offence to refuse to consent to give a body sample when one is liable to give it. Although refusal to consent is already an offence, the proposed section 27 creates a new offence if a parent or guardian of a child refuses to give consent for a body sample to be drawn from the child. Although it is right to seek the consent of the parent or guardian in the case of a child, is it appropriate to inflict punishment on a parent or guardian who does not give consent to an invasive procedure on his or her child? Are there other jurisdictions where parents are punished in this way?
Sir, finally, I should end on a note of caution. While DNA profiling has certainly been a game changer for law enforcement, there are limitations. From what I understand, DNA profiles lifted from crime scenes are often incomplete and, hence, less helpful in identifying a particular suspect. Such partial profiles will also match with many people. There is also the risk of the DNA being contaminated at the crime scene or being brought there by secondary transfer, that is, a person who was not at the scene may have his DNA inadvertently or even deliberately brought there by someone else. It is a fact that there had been miscarriages of justice in other jurisdictions involving DNA evidence, such as wrongful convictions, due to mix-ups in the laboratories handling the DNA.
Sir, we must be alive to all these risks and demand the highest standards in our investigations, including in the handling, processing and analysis of DNA samples. The relevant agencies, including our Courts, should also be mindful not to regard DNA evidence as infallible, but to assess it in the light of other evidence so as to minimise the risk of wrongful convictions.
Mr Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Sir, I support the key intent behind the Registration of Criminals (Amendment) Bill. No one can quarrel with the Ministry’s aspiration to strengthen the crime investigation capabilities of the Police for the security of our nation. However, in the pursuit of enhancing Police capability in crime solving, there are three key needs that are important to address. These are to protect (a) individual privacy; (b) personal data collected; and (c) the vulnerable.
First, on protecting individual privacy. Sir, the Bill seeks to enlarge the database of criminals for better crime-solving. This is done by granting more power to the Police to collect DNA and non-DNA data of offenders, through a much wider scope of offences; in fact, a list of even less serious offences.
Sir, to have one’s personal data, especially DNA information, collected and uploaded to a Criminal Records Office’s database is a grave matter. Even if giving up one’s personal data is the consequence of committing a crime, the state should not over-infringe the bounds of a citizen’s privacy rights. Hence, I feel the Ministry should explain how this additional list of offences is decided upon.
What were the factors of consideration when the Ministry decides on which offences are included? How would the new offences be administered? For instance, would even a first-time offender of, say, dangerous driving, be compelled to have his DNA collected?
Second, on protecting personal data collected. Advancement in technology means higher risks of hacking and of information being compromised. It is not unimaginable that much more can be done with DNA data, such as creating fake profiles, digital identity stealing, cloning and the like. Personal data, when fallen into wrong hands, can lead to dire consequences. Given that so much more sensitive personal data is collected by the state, what are the additional safeguards to ensure that the database, especially of DNA information, is better protected? What is the accountability of the agency should such personal data be leaked or compromised, whether locally or internationally? How will potential volunteers who might come forward to offer their DNA information to the Police be better briefed so that they can better make informed decisions before volunteering?
Third, on protecting the vulnerable. It is unclear how the vulnerable are protected in this Bill. For the vulnerable, it is not so clear from the Bill that the Police have a positive duty to inform the individuals. How will the Ministry ensure that the vulnerable will not be at a disadvantage, compared to those who are more able and knowledgeable?
I refer especially to individuals who are above 16 years of age and who lack the mental capacity to fully understand the implication of what they say or agree to. Many of those with special needs and disabilities will need a familiar figure to explain and guide them during interrogation, the collection of blood sample and through the rest of the process.
At the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an outcry on how the needs of residents with special needs were not accommodated. It took much education and convincing of the authorities to change the Government’s vaccination, quarantine and safe management processes to make the needed accommodations. We should learn from those experiences.
And then there are individuals who may not be lacking in mental capacity but are less educated and less tech-savvy. Take, for instance, the Bill’s introduction of tighter procedures for the removal of personal data collected in the Criminal Records Office’s database. Today, the Police are required to immediately remove both DNA and non-DNA data from the database when an individual is acquitted, discharged or the offence is compounded. But with the amendments, such individuals will now have to apply to the Police to remove their data. If rejected, one will then have to appeal to a Reviewing Tribunal. But unless properly advised and assisted, the less-educated and less tech-savvy individuals may not know how to exercise this right to apply to remove their DNA information nor how to make an application even if they know.
In conclusion, Sir, I support the objective of this Bill. But I seek clarification on what I feel are important needs to protect individual privacy, personal data collected and to protect especially the vulnerable.
Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 5.00 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 4.40 pm until 5.00 pm.
Sitting resumed at 5.00 pm.
[Mdm Deputy Speaker in the Chair]
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Ng Ling Ling.
Ms Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio): Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me start my speech by citing two murder cases that happened about 40 years ago.
The first case happened in 1979 when four children of the Tan family were murdered in their flat in Geylang Bahru. There was no evidence of forced entry nor was their house ransacked. Although bloodstains were found in the kitchen sink, DNA technology was not advanced enough then to identify the culprit and the murders remain unsolved today.
Subsequently, in 1981, a temple medium, Adrian Lim, together with his two partners, murdered two young children, aged nine and 10 then, at their flat in Toa Payoh. The murderers were apprehended only after they had killed the second child. This was when CID inspectors traced the bloodstains at the crime scene to the staircase steps leading to the floor of the same block, near to Adrian Lim’s flat unit. This was the infamous Toa Payoh ritual murders.
What if these cases can be solved by identifying the criminals through the DNA databases owned by our Singapore Police Force? Will the second murder of the 10-year-old child by Adrian Lim and his partners be avoided, or will the perpetrator that killed the four children from the Tan family be apprehended? These questions are pertinent today, as I rise to speak in support of the Registration of Criminals (Amendment) Bill, which expands and enhances the collection of DNA and non-DNA identifying information.
I am heartened to know that the advancement of forensic medicine has greatly improved the possibility of apprehending criminals in recent years. DNA identifying information has become useful tools for crime-solving. Given the high success rate in solving murders through DNA information in recent years, enabling a larger database for our Police Force to compare the samples from crime scenes can help tremendously in our criminal investigations. The amendment Bill is thus a timely response to increase our Police Force’s capabilities to solve crimes.
Nonetheless, like the collection of any other information that is personal, there are ethical and privacy considerations that we need to contend with. Thus, I would like to raise clarifications in two main aspects: one, the collection of DNA identifying information for eligible crimes under the amendments; and, two, the storage of the information collected.
Firstly, clause 2(d) of the amendment Bill states that an eligible crime is “any offence that is, at the time of the commission of the offence, punishable by imprisonment, not a registrable crime and not compoundable under any written law”. As such, under section 9 and 18(1) of the amendment Bill, an authorised officer may collect the DNA and non-DNA information from the individual accused of an eligible crime. MHA has further listed that reckless or dangerous driving causing hurt is one of the eligible crimes under the amendment Bill. Under section 64 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 (RTA), the sentencing of reckless or dangerous driving causing hurt is considered based on the injury caused to the victims, depending on four levels: death, grievous hurt, hurt and minimal or no injury. Under RTA, the sentencing framework of (a) hurt and (b) minimal or no injury, does not carry a mandatory imprisonment sentence and the offence appears to be compoundable under section 135 of RTA . I would like to clarify if the accused or convicted individuals of reckless or dangerous driving causing hurt with injury of (a) hurt and (b) minimal or no injury, will be subject to having their DNA information registered in the Police database?
My concern is for individuals who are accused or convicted of driving without due care or reasonable consideration – which section 65 of RTA states as “any person who drives a motor vehicle on a road (a) without due care and attention; or (b) without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road”. From time to time, I have attended to residents who have been charged in Court under section 65 of RTA during my Meet-the-People Sessions. Most of them committed the offence unintentionally and were remorseful of their actions. Although I stand firm that they should be dealt with fairly under our laws, drivers who unintentionally cause hurt or minimal or no injury, in my view, should not be subject to having their DNA information collected as the degree of blameworthiness of their actions is lower. In other words, it is not a deliberate act of harm. I would like to clarify with MHA if drivers convicted under driving without due care or reasonable consideration will be subject to having their DNA information collected and stored.
Secondly, under section 24 of the amendment Bill, it states that an invasive sample must not be taken from an individual who has not attained 16 years of age unless the appropriate consent – in written forms and by the individual or the parent or guardian depending on the age range\t– is given. However, in the amendment Bill, it did not explicitly state the requirements for special needs individuals, whom I consider as vulnerable even if they are above 16 years of age. I share the same concerns as hon Member Ms Denise Phua. I would like to thus clarify how would the amendment Bill deal with the collection of DNA samples as well as non-DNA information from special needs individuals who are accused of the eligible crimes.
In addition, section 25 re-enacts with modifications section 13E(5)(b) which empowers a DNA officer to use reasonable force to take a body sample. In relation to my point on special needs individuals, despite being accused individuals, I believe that they are to be considered vulnerable adults and may warrant special attention to their needs and emotions while they undergo the potentially traumatic experience of being an accused person. I would like to clarify how MHA will safeguard the safety of these special needs individuals and ensure that no excessive force would be used on them if body samples are to be collected.
Thirdly, new sections 29 and 32 will be inserted into the amendment Bill to provide for the maintenance of an identifiable database that stores the records of DNA and non-DNA information of individuals accused and convicted of an eligible or registrable crime. It also laid out that the purpose on which the DNA database may be used for investigation into a death, identifying a dead individual or for identifying an individual to provide Police assistance. In November 2021, a laboratory that was processing DNA evidence from rape victims for the Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD) in the United States was involved in a data breach due to unauthorised third-party access to their network, resulting in the exposure of personal data of an unknown number of victims of sexual assault. The compromised data included certain personal and medical information. Such news shows the risk of network security breaches and the safeguards that need to be in place.
Although there was an assurance that legislative safeguards will be introduced with several examples cited in MHA’s press release, I did not manage to find them within the amendment Bill. Thus, I would like to ask if MHA can outline some of the legislative safeguards, such as whether the data will be stored in an on-premises secured database at a secured location or a secured cloud database. Also, how will the access of the database be controlled, that is, who are the people that MHA has identified to access the database based on their needs for investigation? Thirdly, will there be a data breach response plan in the unfortunate event that the DNA database experiences a data breach?
Mdm Deputy Speaker, please allow me to say a few words in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] As forensic analysis capabilities and technologies improve, personal information such as DNA, fingerprints and photographs have become the key for solving crimes. Although the Police have a high solving rate for murder cases through DNA information, according to Lianhe Zaobao, between 2017 and 2021, about 60% of the DNA samples collected by the Police at the crime scene did not match the existing database. Hence, I believe that by including those who have committed eligible non-registrable crimes in the scope of data collection through the Registration of Criminals (Amendment) Bill, the database will be expanded to provide a more effective tool for the Police to solve crimes. Therefore, I strongly support the Bill.
However, I hope that MHA will clarify that when collecting invasive samples of juvenile offenders under the age of 16, the written consent of the person, parent or guardian will be sought based on the needs of different age groups. I would like to know if MHA has the same provision to protect persons with special needs or intellectual disabilities who may have committed registrable crimes and eligible non-registrable crimes. I feel that people with special needs and the intellectually disabled, even if they are over the age of 16, are still vulnerable. Hence, there is a need to have provisions to give special attention to them, especially to their mental state, and to protect their rights and interests. Where necessary, provide appropriate assistance when collecting samples from them to help them, their parents, and guardians to understand the procedures and cooperate with the DNA officers.
(In English): Mdm Deputy Speaker, back to English, please. Forensic medicine advancement has contributed to more effective criminal investigations. To our investigators and forensic pathologists, the pieces of evidence that they collect, including DNA data in a secured database, can lend a voice to the victims who suffer the brutality of the crimes committed against them. For the family and friends of the victims in murder cases, it offers the opportunity to bring closure to the death of their loved ones. Being a nine-year-old schoolmate of the first murdered child in the Toa Payoh ritual murders, I can speak personally of the trauma I felt when I heard the tragedy about 40 years ago and the closure I had when the murderers were finally brought to justice.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding the clarifications I have raised, I strongly support the amendment Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill. There is no doubt that DNA evidence and identification have helped solve numerous crime cases in and around the world and have been a boon for law enforcement agencies in cracking many major, violent, serious and organised crimes and have led to the successful arrest, prosecution and conviction of highly dangerous and wanted criminals.
Notwithstanding, I wish to submit that there should be adequate safeguards in three important areas: DNA collection, DNA use and DNA disclosure. I have five questions and clarifications for each of these three areas for MHA to respond to and clarify so that we are all properly and unequivocally apprised of the necessary safeguards as we embark on this DNA journey.
First, collection. One, there are numerous ways to collect DNA and I hope MHA can enlighten us on the ways and methods in which the DNA will be collected, or maybe there might only be one method, so that we can better understand how invasive the process may potentially be.
Two, will young, youthful, intellectually-disabled, aged and other vulnerable persons also be subjected to this DNA collection process? And as we know, some young offenders can still be in Primary school and I am concerned that the process may be traumatising to a young offender.
Three, my understanding is that accused persons who receive a judgment of a discharge amounting to an acquittal (DATA) will not have their DNA collected but those who are discharged not amounting to an acquittal (DNAQ) will have their DNA collected. Can MHA explain the rationale for this?
Four, what safeguards will there be in place to prevent contamination of DNA in the entire collection and examination process?
Five, whether this collection and examination will be outsourced to private organisations outside of the Singapore Police Force.
Second, use and storage. One, I note that DNA collection will be for registrable offences. As some registrable offences may be petty in nature and some being more severe, what is MHA's rationale in deciding of this very broad sweeping approach?
Two, can MHA also share how the actual DNA sample as well as the information and data of the DNA sample will be stored?
Three, once stored, how is it protected and safeguarded, so that it shall not be illegally accessed and leaked whether by physical, cyber or virtual means?
Four, for how long will the sample and the data on the sample be stored?
Finally, will the storage be carried out by the SPF or some external or private organisation?
Third, disclosure and disposal. One, can MHA also share how and who this DNA data will be shared with and disclosed to during investigations, prosecution and also in a Court trial as part of the criminal discovery process?
Two, will there be any chance where this DNA information will be shared with law enforcement agencies outside of Singapore as part of worldwide police investigations, for example, as part of INTERPOL or for laws with extraterritorial effects?
Three, will the DNA information collected also be shared with agencies outside of SPF, such as CPIB, CNB, ICA, MOM, MAS, CRA or even other agencies with quasi-enforcement and quasi-investigation powers, including with private organisations, such as insurance companies, when they investigate insurance fraud or corporate fraud and so on?
Four, the other parts of the Act have provisions for offences to be \"spent\". Will it, therefore, follow that DNA samples will be spent when offences are being \"spent\"?
Five, how will the DNA sample and data be managed in the eventuality of a disposal of the case? Notwithstanding the above queries and the need for safeguards, I support this Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): This Bill will expand the collection and use of identifying information and DNA information. Such information helps law enforcement agencies to do their work more effectively. Because such information is sensitive, I support provisions in the Bill that protect such information when it is collected. I have four clarifications, all relating to the safeguards for the collection and removal of this information.
My first clarification has to do with the forcible taking of samples. Under the new section 25, if an individual refuses to give a body sample that is not an invasive sample, a DNA officer may use force to take that body sample. I think we can all agree that having a body sample forcibly taken from us can be intrusive, distressing and traumatic. Can the Minister share how will DNA officers be trained to decide whether they should use force to take a body sample? What factors will DNA officers be asked to consider? Will there be checks and penalties to ensure that such acts of force, once done, are warranted and justified?
My second clarification is on the taking of samples from those below 16 years of age. We should exercise extreme caution when taking samples from such young people. It is well-established that children and younger teenagers lack the ability to understand the full implications of their bodily consent. They do not know what they are really saying yes to, and there is good reason that the consent of parents and guardians is routinely required in such decisions.
However, this Bill allows DNA officers to, essentially, ignore the parents and guardians' preferences under certain conditions. Two are noteworthy. The first condition is that the consent of the parent or guardian is refused without good cause or cannot be obtained despite reasonable efforts. Can the Minister of State provide examples of what would constitute good cause and reasonable efforts? The second condition is that the underage person is \"willing\" to give the sample. Can the Minister of State clarify how DNA officers will ensure this \"willingness\" is an informed, meaningful one? Will they simply accept a vocal \"yes\"? The reality is that the child or young teenager in this situation may feel pressured by the Police or other powerful adults bearing down on them. What rules and checks will be in place to ensure DNA officers, Police officers and other officers do not create undue pressure on these young minds to consent?
My third clarification is on the removal of recorded information. With the amendments, the default position is that the data will be retained for individuals who have been acquitted, granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal or had their offence compounded. The onus is on them to apply to remove their data. Otherwise, it will stay in the system. Can the Minister of State share how these individuals will be informed of the option to apply for their data to be removed? What steps will be taken to ensure that the application process is transparent and reasonably easy to access?
Relatedly, it seems that an individual granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal may not apply for their information to be removed. Can the Minister of State clarify if this is, in fact, the position? Given that a discharge not amounting to an acquittal is significantly different in nature from a conviction, can the Minister of State share if discretion may be exercised to allow the removal of information if there is a discharge not amounting to an acquittal?
Can the Minister of State also clarify whether an individual who has been given a stern warning will have their data information immediately removed after the end of investigations or will be entitled to apply for such removal?
My last clarification has to do with the application process to remove information. Section 39 makes clear that certain individuals will be rejected if they apply to remove their information. This is because their information is considered sensitive, it is relevant to another ongoing prosecution or investigation, or there are other national security concerns. My question is this: will these individuals be told when their information is no longer considered sensitive? If not, how will they know whether they should apply again or not?
Just as important, how will prescribed timelines apply to such individuals? How can they be expected to follow the prescribed timelines for a removal application when their information may be sensitive for a long time and then become non-sensitive without their knowledge?
In my view, the default action should be to remove someone's information without a fresh application if the individual was earlier rejected due to a section 39 reason and the reason no longer holds. After all, the individual had already demonstrated their preference for the removal. We should not require someone to apply again. If these individuals will be required to reapply, will they be informed of the opportunity to make a fresh application? Notwithstanding these clarifications, Madam, I support the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Derrick Goh.
Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon): Mdm Deputy Speaker, Singapore is widely regarded as one of the safest cities in the world because of the relentless efforts of our law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Amongst other capabilities, investigation plays a key role in solving crimes and upholding public confidence.
We must continue to support our officers with the right investigation capabilities and legal framework, so that they remain effective in keeping Singapore safe. On this basis, I believe the amendments in this Bill on the collection, use and storage of information from case persons are well-intentioned and sound. Nonetheless, I would like to seek some clarifications.
A key amendment is to allow Police officers to instruct a suspect to provide blood samples to collect DNA, without the need for a Magistrate's order. While this will boost timeliness of collection, as a safeguard, can the Minister of State share if this process will be authorised and supervised by an officer who is appropriately trained and qualified? Greater assurance could, for example, be achieved by requiring officers of a minimum rank, similar to the requirement stated in the Criminal Procedure Code.
Regarding the retention of information, as the intent of this Bill is to collect more data to improve investigations, can the Minister of State clarify the rationale for the default expungement of suspects' information in cases of No Further Action under clause 35(3)? I ask this as the clause appears to be counter-intuitive since volunteers, who have a weaker connection to a case compared to suspects, are required to apply to the Police for removal of their data under clause 37(2). I note that clause 32 sets out the usage of DNA information for limited purposes. Notwithstanding, can the Minister of State explain what are \"other purposes\" under clause 32(h) that may be prescribed?
The Bill also proposes the sharing of DNA results of convicted criminals with foreign LEAs when assessed necessary. This expands the current regime where registrable information, such as fingerprints, are already shared. As a safeguard, the foreign LEA will need to provide an undertaking to safekeep the data, limit its uses and destroy it upon conclusion. Notwithstanding that these persons have been convicted, given that DNA information is more sensitive compared to fingerprints, can the Minister of State clarify if criteria to assess necessity for sharing will be made more stringent than currently?
Also, considering varying levels of cybersecurity infrastructure across jurisdictions, as well as difficulties of monitoring foreign LEAs, can the Minister of State share how compliance with the undertaking by foreign counterparts will be ensured?
The Bill also introduces a new category of \"eligible crimes\", expanding the current scope of crimes eligible for information to be collected. Per clause 2(d) of the Bill, these are defined as any offence punishable with imprisonment, except those compoundable. With the foreseeable increase in the size and sensitivity of data collected, retained and used, I am encouraged that the Bill will also legislate safeguards for the handling of information, such as having persons accessing the databases to be screened and authorised by the Police. It follows that with greater powers come greater responsibilities to further strengthen trust in our LEAs.
Some of our agencies have, unfortunately, been impacted by data leakage due to cybersecurity attacks. Going forward, the world is seeing more cybersecurity threats which are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. So, as we continue to build our capabilities, we must be wary that what has happened can occur again.
DNA samples, I understand, are collected on blotter cards, but the data analysed are stored on computer databases, which can be subject to the cybersecurity threats I have mentioned earlier. Given this, can the Minister of State clarify the existing data security safeguards, their effectiveness and proposed enhancements that are implemented and, therefore, to be put in place to provide greater public assurance?
Without being overly technical, will measures recommended by our Public Sector Data Security Review Committee, such as digital watermarking, encryption, tokenisation and multi-party authorisation, be deployed or further enhanced to strengthen cybersecurity?
Mdm Deputy Speaker, in conclusion, data is the new currency in this day and age. Through the use of data, our LEAs must send the message to potential criminals that they will be caught. But it is also critical that we must balance the expanded collection, retention and usage of personal information with safeguards in data privacy and security. In this way, public trust amongst our LEAs can be upheld.
I am confident that this Bill will enable our officers to continue keeping Singapore safe and secure and I stand in support of this Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I seem to have some technical problems. Can I go after this instead? My apologies.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Wan Rizal.
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill.
The Bill, amongst other amendments, aims to enhance the collection of information from suspects which will provide the authorities with a larger database to compare samples from crime scenes. A larger database would simply mean that cases may be solved more effectively and efficiently.
Police have been using DNA to help solve crimes from 1991 and the ability to extract DNA from a crime scene and run it through a database has greatly improved the odds of Police in solving cases. For example, DNA profiling was crucial in solving a case of a serial fatal stabbing in 2010. In that case, the absence of CCTV footage, fingerprints as well as DNA had hindered Police from getting leads.
However, at the fourth occurrence, the blade of a knife had broken off and it was found some metres away from the deceased. Police then found a plastic sheath that was used to cover the knife, where they were able to extract DNA samples, develop a profile and identify the perpetrator.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, although DNA analysis can be used to prove to be conclusive evidence against someone, it can also be used to exonerate someone and prove their innocence. As such, I welcome a key amendment in the Bill which includes allowing individuals to provide his DNA or non-DNA identifying information voluntarily to Police.
Critically, volunteers can request the Police to delete their information at any time and the Police must accede to their request. This will allow volunteers the confidence to step-up and provide them with the opportunity to protect exonerate themselves.
Additionally, due to the high success probability of solving crimes and the possibility to exonerate the innocent, I am in support of the fine and/or jail term that will be introduced for accused individuals who refuse to provide blood samples without a reasonable excuse.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, despite my support for this Bill, there are a few areas of concern.
Firstly, in a situation where the Police searches through the DNA database and comes across a partial match. A relative may come across as a partial match. There are also instances where there are doppelgangers, people who look strikingly similar, but are not related. A recent study published in the journal Cell Reports has shown that their DNA sequence may be similar.
Thus, what are the safeguards for the relatives of people or possible doppelgangers who are on the database?
Secondly, with regards to the DNA sample collection and extraction, how would the Police address issues of sample contamination and what really constitutes a good sample?
Thirdly, with evolving technology, there have been many advancements, amongst them, DNA fabrication. How does the Police safeguards against this and what are the plans by the Police to leverage on advancements in technology in DNA matching?
Finally, with regards to data security. Upon collection of data and data storage, what safeguards are in place to protect the data: prevent the loss, modification and unauthorised access to any information recorded in various databases and also, would there be alternative secure storage locations. And, if so, will it be outsourced to an external agency? Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Bill aims to enhance the collection of information from crime suspects through the comparison of DNA samples from a crime scene, with a larger database.
The Police have been using DNA to help solve crimes since 1991 and the ability to use DNA analysis has greatly improved the chances of the police to solve cases.
A larger database would mean that cases may be solved more effectively and efficiently.
More importantly, although DNA analysis can be used as evidence against someone, it can also be used to exonerate someone and prove their innocence.
As such, I hope that the Minister can provide clarification about the steps that will be taken to safeguard and protect the DNA data to prevent any modification and misuse.
(In English): Mdm Deputy Speaker, in conclusion, I am convinced that the expansion of the collection and the use of DNA data would enhance the Police's effectiveness and efficiency in solving crimes and exonerate the innocent, and hence make Singapore an even safer and more secure home. I support the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha, are you ready now? Okay.
Mr Sharael Taha: Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker, apologies for the technical difficulties faced earlier.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, on 3 August 2022, The Straits Times reported that DNA matching helps Police hit a 100% success rate in cracking murder cases over the past eight to nine years.
The ability to extract DNA from the crime scene and run it through the database has greatly improved the odds of the Police here in apprehending criminals. There is certainly merit in expanding the database to include \"eligible\" crimes. A larger database would exponentially increase the effectiveness of the Police Force in solving cases, especially when such cases have little leads, such as a lack of CCTV footage or eyewitnesses.
However, with the ability to collect DNA from more suspects and offenders, how do we ensure the privacy of our citizens is adequately protected?
While we acknowledge that an expanded database would prove useful for criminal investigations, we must strike the correct balance between the need to collect and record samples while also protecting the rights and privacy of our citizens. How invasive are we going to be when collecting samples and what are procedures set in place to ensure that the collection and storage of samples does not infringe on the rights of our citizens?
Hence, while I agree with the Bill in-principle as our law enforcement officers should be given every tool possible to help with investigations, I would also like to make certain clarifications.
The first point of clarification is whether this Bill will make the collection of DNA compulsory or admissible. In other words, will the Police take DNA samples in cases like \"registrable\" and \"eligible\" offences or the Police can, but need not always take a DNA sample?
In a case of unlawful stalking, for example, which will be an \"eligible\" crime, where the stalker is already known to the victim, would the stalker's DNA still need to be collected at any point of the investigations? How will the DNA sample be extracted then from such an individual?
In a situation where there are multiple suspects for a single crime, for example, would all the suspects of such \"eligible\" crime have their DNA sample taken? Does this apply to those currently serving term for \"eligible\" crimes?
If the intent is to \"grow\" the database, it is more helpful in this case for the Police to collect as many DNA samples as possible as it is quite plausible that the DNA information would be useful, if not for the immediate case, it could still be useful in future.
However, we also do not want a situation where we indiscriminately collect samples from suspects. There should be proper criteria or procedure to follow to ascertain whether a sample needs to be taken or not. This is to ensure that we can maintain the privacy and dignity of suspects too while investigations are taking place.
Consequently, for suspects acquitted of the crimes, discharged by the Court or found not to be involved in a crime, how long does the individual have to apply for his DNA information to be removed? Does it apply for suspects who are discharged not amounting to acquittal? It has to be reiterated that the collection of samples is to expand the database in order to help with investigations. On what basis do we decide that a person's DNA sample or information would not be stored?
Secondly, with plans to further expand the database with the inclusion of \"eligible\" offences, will this overwhelm our forensic labs in terms of number of DNA samples? As the list of \"eligible offences\" is quite extensive, do we have the necessary capacity to handle the expected influx of DNA samples as evidence? Would this inadvertently lead to delays in the administration of justice especially if there is a backlog created due to the inefficient collection and analysis of DNA data?
Perhaps, a breakdown of \"registered\" and \"eligible\" crime would be useful to make an informed projection of the number of samples expected. Do we have sufficient professionals and trained personnel in the criminal justice system to ensure the optimal use of DNA as evidence to assist victims and solve crimes? It would be counter-productive if the collection of DNA samples as evidence leads to a delay in investigations.
Lastly, how do we safeguard the data from being abused? How do we ensure that DNA data is safely secured from unauthorised access and protected from being modified or deleted? This should also extend to data that has been shared with foreign law enforcement agencies. Under what contexts would it be necessary for our Police Force to share DNA information with foreign agencies, and how safe would the data be once it has been ported over? Would there be safeguards against future use of this information beyond the original intent of this Bill? Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This Bill intends to expand the DNA database and thus, enable the police to solve cases more effectively. However, I would like to seek the following clarifications. First, how will the DNA sample be extracted? Do those currently serving time need to provide their DNA? Second, for suspects acquitted of their crimes, discharged by the court, or found not to be involved in a crime, how much time is given to them to apply for their DNA information to be removed? Third, do we have the capacity to process this new number of DNA samples arising from this Bill? Lastly, how do we safeguard this DNA data from being abused?
(In English): Mdm Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding the clarifications above, I am in support of the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Gan Thiam Poh.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio): Mdm Deputy Speaker, in recent years, DNA data has proven to be critical in providing breakthroughs and helping the Police to solve certain crimes or intervene in ongoing cases to save lives, for example, kidnapping. It enables investigators to expedite the identification of victims and suspects. In fact, its use will be efficient in assisting investigations if the data bank has the information of all residents. One would never know how such data may be needed to help solve crimes which could potentially impact anyone of us.
Hence, I support the proposals to expand the powers of the Police to collect DNA and non-DNA identifying information for both registrable crimes and \"eligible crimes\". The wider scope of eligible crimes will include drink driving, fighting in public and voluntarily causing hurt. With more information and a bigger database, our Police's ability to solve cases and prevent crimes will be greatly enhanced.
On the other hand, it is very important to ensure the data is safely protected against misuse, abuse and theft. As the protection of data is important, MHA should explore various options on how to ensure verification and certification instead of forwarding the data to a third party or foreign counterpart, if it is feasible.
We must have a robust system for the collection of data. It is important to prevent \"garbage in, garbage out\" and avoiding having the wrong samples collected or stored due to human error. The risk of mismatches needs to be minimised or eliminated.
The Ministry should also address the potential problem where there could be delays in verification due to situations such as power outages.
I also appeal to the Minister to consider permitting civil use by relevant individuals, with the approval of an independent Court. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This Registration of Criminal (Amendment) Bill includes the DNA of persons who have committed eligible non-registrable offences in the scope of data collection. This will expand the database, allow DNA information to play a greater role in helping the Police to solve crimes and to maintain public safety.
DNA can also be used to identify the deceased persons and those who are unable to identify themselves. There are concerns about whether this DNA data can be kept safe from misuse. But we should not give up eating just because of the risk of choking. Imagine someone who almost choked to death wants to forbid eating in the whole world. The analogy is that something which ought to be done is simply not done simply because of little fault or fear of a problem. I am confident that the authorities would do everything in their power to keep the information safe.
The medical book 千金药方 or \"the Golden Rules of Prescription\", says that the best type of medical treatment is to eradicate the root cause of the disease before it occurs. Second best is treatment applied at the beginning of the disease and when the symptoms are superficial. And third best is to give treatment only when the patient is in a critical condition and in extreme pain, and then help him to recover. I am sure everyone will agree that going to the first type of doctor is the best option.
Therefore, this Bill is to take precautionary measures to prevent minor problems from happening. I therefore support this Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to enhance DNA collection by our law enforcement agencies, as this will allow our Police officers to better carry out their duties and ensure the safety and security of Singapore and Singaporeans while also ensuring that sufficient safeguards for personal data are in place. However, I have a few questions and suggestions.
Madam, let me start by stating that we must not underestimate the importance of data collection during the course of Police work. As a former Police officer with 20 years of working closely with frontline policing and investigation officers, I know first-hand how vital the collection of key identifying information, such as DNA and fingerprints, is for the purpose of solving crimes.
In her Second Reading speech, the Minister of State had given us some examples of past cases that had been solved via DNA analysis. DNA analysis is but a single tool in the Police's toolbox of crime-solving methods, which include non-DNA identifying information, CCTV analytics and ground interviews. I, therefore, fully support the proposal to expand the scope of crimes where DNA and other identifying information can be collected so as to help the Police solve crimes more efficiently and more effectively.
Madam, policing work is stressful and our Police officers often have to race against the clock to solve cases. The Bill proposes to expand the prescribed uses of the DNA information collected. I welcome this move as this will help our Police officers solve cases faster. The amendments will not only allow DNA information to be used to identify a deceased person and for any investigations and inquiries into a death but will also allow for the identification of an individual who might be unable to identify himself and allow the Police to assist him.
I would like to ask the Minister of State how the revised DNA collection regime would compare with that of other countries. How do we rank in terms of comprehensiveness of DNA and non-DNA data collection? If there are other countries that allow the collection of DNA for a wider array of crimes, should we not follow suit? I believe the Minister of State mentioned that South Australia collects DNA information for all imprisonable offences while England collects DNA information for imprisonable offences and some non-\timprisonable offences. Why are we then limiting the tools that can help our Police officers obtain an investigation breakthrough and potentially solve a difficult crime?
In addition to the Bill's provisions to safeguard the data of DNA and non-DNA identifying information, we also need to ensure that the DNA samples themselves are subject to proper storage and disposal. I would like to ask how do our law enforcement agencies collect DNA samples, how long do they store them for and how are they disposed? In fact, why is there a need to keep the DNA sample once it has been processed, profiled and recorded?
Lastly, Mdm Deputy Speaker, while I note that the intent of today's Bill is to debate the circumstances in which our law enforcement agencies can collect DNA and non-DNA identifying information, I would like to call for a more fundamental review on whether we should do more than just limit DNA collection only to criminals.
We should seriously consider establishing a national DNA registry where every Singaporean and resident would be required to log our DNA sequence.
Beyond identifying criminals, a DNA registry can also be helpful in identifying missing victims or in an event with mass casualties.
From a victim's point-of-view, when he is in grave danger and in need of urgent help, every second counts. To the family of a victim in a homicide case, every possible tool to help bring the assailant to justice counts. To deter a potential criminal, increasing his risk of being caught counts.
Madam, in conclusion, the proposed amendments to the Registration of Criminals Act will allow the Police to enhance the collection and use of DNA and other identifying information. However, I believe there is space for us to do more – to be able to collect DNA from more people and for more uses beyond just identifying criminals. I also hope that, one day, we could have a national DNA registry as an added tool in our Police's crime-solving arsenal. Madam, I support the Bill.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister of State Sun Xueling.
Ms Sun Xueling: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members for their suggestions and questions and their support for the Bill.
There are five key stages in the collection and handling of DNA information. First, a body sample is collected from the individual. Second, DNA information is extracted from the body sample. Third, the DNA information is stored in a secured database. Next, the DNA information may be used for prescribed purposes. Finally, the DNA information will be removed from the database where necessary, in accordance with the requirements under the law.
First, on the collection of body samples. Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Sharael Taha asked how body samples are extracted from individuals. Typically, the DNA officer will obtain body samples in the form of blood. I have explained that this is because blood samples are more likely to yield a high-quality DNA profile. The DNA officer will sterilise the individual's fingertip, prick it with a disposable lancet and collect the blood droplets. In situations where it is not feasible to collect a blood sample, the officer will do a buccal swab by using a sterile swab to swab the inside of the individual's cheeks on both sides. However, the chances of obtaining a high-quality DNA profile from buccal swabs are lower.
Mr Derrick Goh asked whether the process of collecting blood samples will be authorised and supervised by officers of a minimum rank. All officers who take body samples will be trained. There are standard protocols on the collection process. Providing for further supervisors will take up additional resources, which we do not have.
Mr Murali Pillai asked whether an accused who refuses to provide his consent for the taking of a sample would be issued a written notice warning him of the consequences of not doing so. As part of the procedure to obtain consent, the accused will be asked to sign a form which will state the consequences of refusing to provide consent. This is no different from the practice today.
Ms Denise Phua and Ms Ng Ling Ling sought clarification on whether certain traffic offences are eligible for DNA collection. To reiterate, DNA and identifying information can be collected for two categories of offences – registrable crimes, which are crimes currently included in the First and Second Schedule of RCA, and eligible crimes, which are non-registrable crimes punishable by imprisonment and not compoundable under any written law unless the offence is specified in the Fourth Schedule to the Criminal Procedure Code 2010. These offences are, generally, more serious. The offence of reckless or dangerous driving under section 64 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 is an eligible crime if no death or grievous hurt is caused.
As for the offence of driving without due care, under section 65 of the same Act, the offence is a registrable crime if death or grievous hurt is caused. This applies for first and repeat offenders. If no death or grievous hurt is caused, the offence of driving without due care is compoundable and, hence, Police will not be able to collect the DNA information of offenders.
Mr Sharael Taha asked whether the DNA collection provisions apply to persons who are currently serving sentences for eligible crimes. The new provisions apply to offences committed after the new law comes into effect.
Mr Sharael Taha asked how officers may decide whether to take DNA samples. Police will assess the nature of the crime, the evidence and whether to collect DNA information.
On Mr Patrick Tay's question about the rationale for the expansion of the scope of collection of DNA information, the intent is to enhance the effectiveness of DNA profiling to help Police solve crimes.
Mr Melvin Yong asked how the revised DNA collection regime would compare with that of other countries. We have surveyed the approach in foreign jurisdictions. We did not just adopt wholesale the practices of other countries but, where appropriate, adapted them to suit our context. For instance, South Australia collects DNA information for all imprisonable offences while England collects DNA information for all imprisonable offences and some non-imprisonable offences. We have chosen to expand our collection only to offences that are punishable by imprisonment and not compoundable under any written law unless the offence is specified in the Fourth Schedule to the Criminal Procedure Code 2010. This strikes the appropriate balance in our local context.
Mr Melvin Yong also suggested establishing a national DNA registry where the DNA sequence of every Singaporean and resident would be recorded. We thank him for his suggestion. His suggestion will be studied.
Mr Sharael Taha raised a concern about whether there are sufficient resources to deal with the increased load in collecting body samples. Resources are an issue. Police will put in place the necessary infrastructure and resources to support the expected increase in load but it will mean that other areas will be even more stretched.
Members also asked about the safeguards for the collection process.
Mr Louis Ng, Ms Ng Ling Ling, Ms Denise Phua and Mr Patrick Tay spoke about young individuals and individuals with special needs. Invasive body samples, such as blood samples, will only be collected based on consent. This applies to all individuals. If the individual is below 16 years old, the written consent of his parent or guardian has to be obtained.
Mr Louis Ng asked how body samples may be taken from young persons and the checks that will be in place to ensure that such consent is given willingly. Please allow me to clarify two points.
First, officers can take any invasive body samples for accused persons below 16 years old with the consent of their parent or guardian. However, non-invasive body samples, such as buccal swabs, can be taken without consent.
Second, where an individual below 16 years of age is a volunteer in the context of the Bill, officers may only take body samples, whether invasive or non-invasive, without his parent or guardian's consent when three requirements are satisfied. First, the parent or guardian's consent is refused without good cause or cannot be obtained despite all reasonable efforts. An example of a good cause can be when the volunteer suffers from blood disorders, such as haemophilia, and the taking of his blood sample may endanger him. Second, the volunteer is willing to give the body sample, and third, a Magistrate's sanction is obtained.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the rationale for imposing punishment on the parental guardian who does not give consent for body samples to be taken. Parents and guardians are given the right to decide whether they will give consent on the behalf of their children. If they withhold consent without reasonable excuse, it is their decision. The question then should be why are they refusing if there is no reasonable excuse? There should be an onus to give consent since Police are acting in the public interest.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked how we can protect vulnerable persons from being pressured to volunteer. The law provides for voluntary giving of DNA. When people as adults make up their minds to step forward to volunteer, we should encourage it. I think most people will accept that Singaporeans will make up their own minds.
As for foreign workers, the fact that they may be concerned about their work permits does not negate their consent. They make their assessments and, if they have done nothing wrong, there is nothing to be worried about.
Ms Denise Phua asked how volunteers will be briefed. As part of the procedure to obtain consent, volunteers will be informed that the DNA information provided will be used for purposes under RCA and that they have the option to request for their DNA information to be removed at any point.
Mr Louis Ng asked about the use of force to take a non-invasive body sample. A guilty criminal may not consent to provide data for fear of being incriminated and time is often of the essence when solving a crime. We must thus empower our Police officers to use reasonable force to obtain non-invasive samples, such as buccal swabs, in order to solve crimes. In deciding whether to use reasonable force, Police officers will assess the facts and circumstances of each case, including the urgency of the situation. If individuals feel that the force used was disproportionate, they can provide feedback to MHA or lodge a Police report. The Ministry will investigate the complaint, and take action, where warranted.
After the body samples are obtained, the individual’s DNA information will be extracted from the collected sample, profiled using genetic equipment and software, and the resultant DNA profile stored in the DNA database.
Mr Patrick Tay asked if this process is outsourced to private organisations. MHA engages the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to administer the DNA Database Laboratory, generate DNA profiles from body samples taken under the RCA and upload them into the DNA database. We do not engage private organisations to undertake this.
Mr Patrick Tay and Dr Wan Rizal asked about the safeguards to prevent the contamination and mixing up of DNA profiles.
First, the DNA sample that is collected is marked with a unique barcode number. After a person has given his body sample, it will be immediately sealed, in his presence. The barcode number will be recorded and the sealed sample is placed into a DNA collection box which will be locked, before being sent to the DNA Database Laboratory for forensic analysis. Thereafter, the sample will be independently processed in duplicate at separate times to ensure the integrity of the DNA profile derived from the sample. The DNA profiles derived from both sets of duplicates are compared for any non-concordance and only the DNA profile of samples which produce identical profiles from the duplicates will be uploaded into the DNA database. This duplication process eliminates potential errors in the uploading process, such as the wrong DNA profile being uploaded into the database.
Next, I will talk about the storage of the extracted DNA information and body samples.
Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Patrick Tay asked how the body samples and DNA information will be stored. The body samples are stored in the DNA Database Laboratory at Police Cantonment Complex and the DNA information is stored in the DNA database which is hosted on a standalone secured network.
As for Mr Melvin Yong’s question on why we keep DNA samples after it has been profiled, Police keep the samples for two main reasons. First, to keep pace with technological developments – allowing us to re-profile the samples as technology advances to upkeep the quality of our records. And second, for quality assurance – so that if the information is challenged, it can be re-profiled from the sample.
Members have asked questions about the data security measures and given suggestions to protect the sensitive information. Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Derrick Goh, Ms Ng Ling Ling, Mr Sharael Taha, Ms Denise Phua, Mr Patrick Tay and Dr Wan Rizal spoke about this.
There are practices in place to protect the DNA information and identifying information stored in the database. Only authorised individuals are allowed to access the DNA database. All access is logged and recorded, through an audit trail, to detect any data modification. The data is stored on a secured network to prevent unauthorised access.
There is also a framework in place to manage any Government data incidents. In the event of a data breach, appropriate remedial actions will be taken in accordance with standard operating procedures and workflows. We thank Mr Derrick Goh for his suggestion to strengthen cybersecurity measures. We will continue to review and enhance the security of our systems.
Mr Murali Pillai asked why the provisions dealing with the collection of body samples under other Acts were not consolidated under the RCA and about the safeguards for the databases maintained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act 1955 (CLTPA) and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 (MDA). There is no need to consolidate the provisions dealing with the collection of body samples under those other Acts in the RCA, as those Acts already have provisions dealing with the collection of body samples.
Next, I will talk about how the DNA information will be used. Mr Patrick Tay asked how the DNA information will be disclosed during prosecution. One example is where the DNA profile extracted from a crime scene sample is matched to DNA information in the database, leading to the identification of a possible suspect. This can be tendered as evidence in Court.
Ms Sylvia Lim and Dr Wan Rizal asked about the treatment of partial matches. Generally, a partial match will unlikely be the sole piece of evidence that Police rely upon to identify the perpetrator. Police use a range of investigative tools and leads to solve crime.
Mr Patrick Tay asked if the DNA information collected can be shared with other agencies, private organisations or used for civil proceedings. DNA information collected under the RCA can only be used for the purposes specified under the RCA. DNA information collected under the RCA may not be disclosed to private organisations or used in civil proceedings.
As for sharing with foreign law enforcement agencies, which Mr Derrick Goh, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Patrick Tay spoke about, we will share particulars or DNA information of persons who have been convicted of a registrable crime for the purposes of foreign investigations or proceedings. Further, the foreign law enforcement agency must comply with the conditions prescribed for the transmission of such information and any other conditions that the Singapore authority may impose.
Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Derrick Goh and Mr Sharael Taha asked about future uses of the information that may be prescribed. This relates to clause 13F(2)(d) of the current RCA. The clause, for such other purposes as may be prescribed is not new. It is an existing provision under the current RCA. This provision allows the Ministry to prescribe additional uses for DNA information via subsidiary legislation and such subsidiary legislation has to be published in the Gazette and presented to Parliament.
Next, I will talk about the removal of information. Mr Murali Pillai, Mr Louis Ng, Ms Denise Phua and Mr Sharael Taha asked about the process to apply for the removal of information. One only has to apply to the Registrar online, with his particulars and case details. The Registrar will review the application and provide an official reply within 30 days. The details of the application process will be made available on SPF’s website in due course.
Mr Louis Ng also asked whether individuals would be told that their information is no longer sensitive so that they may re-apply to the Registrar to remove their information from the databases and how the prescribed timelines apply to these individuals. When the Registrar rejects an individual’s application to remove his information from the database, the Registrar will notify the applicant and state the reasons for the rejection. If his data has been retained because there is an ongoing prosecution or investigation, the individual should be aware when these are concluded, such that he may re-apply for expungement. Where his data is retained due to national security concerns, we will not be able to inform him when these concerns no longer exist. If he disagrees with the decision of the Registrar, he can appeal to the Reviewing Tribunal. Even if the Reviewing Tribunal dismisses the appeal, the individual may re-apply for removal at any time.
Moving on to the removal of information from the database. Mr Murali Pillai asked why we require acquitted accused to apply for their information to be removed. The purpose of the database is to assist in crime-solving.
When the acquitted accused applies to have his information removed, we will remove it except under two circumstances. First, where the information is relevant for another ongoing investigation or prosecution; and second, where it is in the interests of the security of Singapore to retain the individual’s data. Subject to that, it is in society’s interests that there is a larger database of DNA – the DNA has to be collected and retained in acceptable ways. That was our rationale. If acquitted persons want their DNA to be removed, they can apply to do so.
Mr Derrick Goh asked about the rationale for the default removal of the information of suspects who are found not to be involved in the commission of the crime, while volunteers need to apply for the removal of their information. Upon arrest, suspects would have been compelled to provide their DNA information, and failure to do so without reasonable excuse is an offence. So, when we find out later that he is not involved in the crime, it would only be right that we remove his DNA information which we had acquired coercively. On the other hand, volunteers provide their information on a voluntary basis, and hence it is reasonable for their data to remain in the database until they apply to remove it.
Mr Louis Ng, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Patrick Tay asked whether individuals who are granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal or given a stern warning can apply for their information to be removed. These individuals will not be allowed to apply for their information to be removed. An individual granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal has not been granted a full acquittal on the charge and the Public Prosecutor may still institute proceedings against the accused on the charge. This may occur, for example, where an accused has absconded. Thus, his information should not be removed from the database as it is still required for investigations or prosecution. Persons who are warned are also not equivalent to persons who have been acquitted. They were warned because investigations revealed that they were involved in the commission of the offence, but the Public Prosecutor has decided not to prosecute them in court.
Mr Patrick Tay also asked about the retention of information for individuals whose offences have been rendered spent. Individuals who have their offences rendered spent are not equivalent to individuals who are acquitted or discharged. The significance of a spent conviction is that the individual will no longer have a criminal record for the spent offence. This facilitates his rehabilitation and re-integration, by removing stigma associated with a criminal record. On the other hand, his identifying information and DNA information will continue to be retained by the Police, as this information may be vital for solving future crimes.
Mr Pritam Singh had asked four questions. His first question was on safeguarding the DNA database and access to it. I had set out, in my Second Reading speech, what the safeguards are. Only authorised individuals are allowed to access the DNA database. All access is logged and recorded and there will be an audit trail to detect any data access. The DNA information is stored on a standalone, secured network to prevent unauthorised access.
Mr Singh wanted to know what will happen if an officer accesses information without authorisation under this Bill. When there is unauthorised access, action will be taken. This could include criminal charges being brought. Members will be aware that in the past, officers have been charged in Court for unauthorised access or use of information. Most recently, Members may have seen media reports of two former prison officers who had been charged for unauthorised use of inmate information. Both were imprisoned. One of the cases was in the news two days ago. If any person feels that his information has been misused, he can lodge a complaint and the complaint will be investigated. Action will be taken if the complaint is found to be substantiated.
Mr Singh's second question relates to section 13F(2)(d) of the current RCA. The provision for such other purposes as may be prescribed is not new. It is an existing provision under the current RCA. This provision allows the Ministry to prescribe additional uses of DNA information via subsidiary legislation. Such subsidiary legislation has to be published in the Gazette and presented to Parliament.
Mr Singh's third question is on how officers may decide whether to take DNA. Officers on the ground will have to be given the discretion, exercise their judgement whether to take the DNA for the investigations. It is not possible to prescribe precisely when they should and should not take DNA in future, because there are thousands of different situations. What the law can do is to set out the parameters, the framework for the exercise of the powers and that is what we are doing. Police will assess the nature of the crime, the evidence and whether to collect DNA information even if the offence is registrable or eligible.
Mr Pritam Singh's fourth question was to ask for the cost of taking a DNA sample.
Police officers perform a variety of duties. It is not possible to ascertain the cost of every individual isolated act. If we wanted to identify the cost, technically, one will have to assess the number of officers involved, the time cost based on their salaries and so on and many other factors to do this exercise.
In conclusion, Mdm Deputy Speaker, I hope I have addressed Members' concerns. This Bill will enable our law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties more effectively and to continue to keep Singapore safe and secure.
I thank Members for their valuable suggestions and support for this Bill. With that, Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Murali Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I seek clarification from the hon Minister of State on two areas.
The first area is in respect of her reply to my query in my speech about whether or not a person would be warned of the consequences of not giving a blood sample to extract DNA information. The hon Minister of State mentioned that the current practice would be followed.
May I just point out to her that this Bill actually creates a new offence, the new offence being the offence of failing to give a blood specimen to extract DNA information. So, my question to her is whether the current practice is be updated to specifically mention about this new offence.
Secondly, in relation to my question as to why the databases for DNA information extracted under the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act are not merged or consolidated with the database under the Registration of Criminals Act. The hon Minister of State mentioned that there are already provisions in these acts, meaning the MDA and the CLTPA, and therefore there is no need for consolidation.
My question is a different one. My question is – what are the legislative safeguards for collection under the MDA and the CLTPA? In principle, I do not see a difference between a convicted criminal and a ISA detainee, which is covered by the current Bill, and a drug addict of a Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act detainee. For all of them, their DNA information should be safeguards. I seek the clarification from the learned Minister of State. At the very least, can she perhaps assure the House that this will be looked at at some point in the future.
Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his clarifications. I would like to reiterate that what I meant about the procedure to obtain consent is that the accused will be asked to sign a form, which will state the consequences of refusing to provide consent. I hope that answers his question.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.
Ms Sun Xueling: Sorry, he had a second question.
On Member's second question, I would like to share that under CLTPA as well as the Misuse of Drugs Act, there are clauses that specify with regards to the taking of photographs, finger impressions, body samples, so on and so forth as well as with regards to the retention of these photographs, finger impressions as well as body samples. As such, because they are already explicitly stated in the CLTPA as well as the MDA, we do not see a need for us to consolidate them under the RCA.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: Thank you. Just two questions on the vulnerable. I was not sure if I caught it. How will the Police actually help those who are above 16 years old with disabilities, special needs or who do not have full mental capacity in, for example, the process of collecting blood samples and so forth.
Secondly, on those who are less educated and less tech-savvy, I heard the response that they will be informed to go online but that is exactly how many of them would not be able to do so. So, I just wanted to have some clarification on that. If you are not ready, it is okay, but please look into it and please just look into these two groups, especially.
Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her questions.
On the first part, with regard to individuals who are above 16 years old, where the Police assessed that the individual may not have the mental capacity to give consent, the Police will err on the side of caution and not take an invasive blood sample.
On the second question, I understand where the Member is coming from. We have tried to make the process as straightforward and as simple as possible. They only need to fill up an online form, fill in the case number and as such. That is as simplified as we can make. But I understand where the Member is coming from, that anything that is online may make it difficult for certain groups of individuals.
I would like to share that the Police will be able to explain this process to the vulnerable person to enable them to get onto this process. But if there is difficulty that they face, they can raise it with us and we will see how to help them apply for their information to be removed.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim: Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. One question for the Minister of State. When the law enforcement agency is getting consent from the person they are drawing the DNA sample from – it could be a suspect, it could be a volunteer – and that person is not comfortable in English, are there steps to make an interpreter present?
Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her question. In most situations, our Police officers are able to speak in the vernacular. So, I think for the situation that she shared, I believe the Police will be able to explain the process in the vernacular language that the accused person is comfortable with so that the suspect is able to comprehend and understand what is necessary from him or her.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Ms Sun Xueling]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
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The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan) (for the Minister of Trade and Industry): Mdm Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the Minister for Trade and Industry, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
The Singapore Tourism Board (Amendment) Bill principally amends the Singapore Tourism Board Act to provide the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) with statutory powers for the economic regulation of the cruise industry as well as to clarify and enhance STB's administrative capabilities and enforcement powers over the broader tourism industry.
Allow me to elaborate on the two key legislative changes contained in the Bill.
First, the transfer of economic regulatory role for the cruise industry from MPA to STB. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is empowered under the MPA Act to regulate the provision of marine and port services and facilities in Singapore, including the two cruise terminals – the Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) and Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS).
For cruise services, MPA oversees maritime safety and security as well as the pricing of port services and facilities. MPA and STB also jointly regulate berth allocations and service standards of the terminal operators. This is sensible as these factors are vital to the implementation of our cruise tourism industry, which STB oversees.
Under clause 5 of the Bill, we are now formalising and clarifying STB's regulatory role over the cruise terminal operators in the Singapore Tourism Board Act. Let me explain why this is necessary.
Singapore's cruise tourism industry has grown tremendously since the opening of MBCCS. From 2012 to 2019, overall passenger throughout has grown at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% to reach 1.82 million.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for cruise holidays has rebounded strongly worldwide. The Cruise Lines International Association projected that global cruise passenger volume will recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year and increase by approximately 30%, compared to 2019, by 2026.
With a low market penetration rate of 0.2%, the cruise industry is especially optimistic about the growth potential in the Asia Pacific region. Cruise capacity in the region is projected to more than double from 3.4 million in 2022 to 7.3 million passengers by 2027.
As the volume of cruise tourism grows, Singapore's cruise terminals will become critical infrastructure for our tourism sector. To ensure that these terminals are operated in a manner that is aligned with our broader goals of developing Singapore's cruise and tourism activities, STB will need regulatory powers to ensure high service standards, optimise the use of the limited number of berths and prevent excessive pricing.
The newly added Part 3AA in the Bill provides clarity on the cruise terminal licensing regime.
New sections such as sections 32A and 32B further empower STB to conduct surveys and obtain information such as financial and operational data from the cruise terminal licensees. Such data will help STB monitor the industry's development and make comprehensive analyses and projections for effective economic regulation.
As cruise terminals are international gateways into Singapore with significant market power, sections 29R and 29S empower STB to have oversight and control over the ownership and acquisition of the cruise terminal licensees. The intent is not to control the day-to-day commercial decisions of the licensees but where there are material changes to the equity control of the licensee, STB's approval will be required to safeguard Singapore's national interests.
Section 29V also requires the cruise terminal licensees' central management and control to be ordinarily exercised within Singapore so that STB can take enforcement action swiftly if any contraventions ever arise.
Section 29ZB provides for a special administration order to be made, where the affairs, business and property of the cruise terminal licensee may be managed directly by STB. These powers are intended to ensure business continuity and avoid disruptions of cruise operations and passenger flows under extraordinary circumstances, such as the insolvency of a terminal operator.
In drafting these amendments, close references were made to similar provisions in the MPA Act, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) Act, which exercises similar powers over Singapore’s airports. STB will exercise these powers with a light touch, with the primary goals of: one, growing the cruise industry to benefit our economy and, two, strengthening Singapore’s position as the region’s leading cruise hub. We have also consulted stakeholders in the cruise industry and have incorporated their feedback accordingly.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
Consequential amendments will be made to the MPA Act to avoid any overlaps in the regulation of cruise terminal operators when STB takes over the roles I have just described. All other marine and port services and facilities will continue to be regulated by MPA. STB and MPA will work closely to ensure the seamless implementation of these amendments.
The second set of changes clarifies and enhances STB’s administrative capabilities and enforcement powers over the broader tourism industry.
First, clauses 3 and 4 of the Bill introduce administrative amendments to update and incorporate flexibility into the Board’s voting processes, tenure and the number of members. This is in line with the Board provisions for other Statutory Boards.
Second, clause 6 of the Bill clarifies STB’s purview over tourism enterprises and expressly provides for powers to provide grants and act as guarantor for selected strategic tourism enterprises.
Third, clause 11 of the Bill accords legal recognition to the electronic version of tourist guide badges. This will allow tourist guides to access their badges more conveniently online. Both physical and electronic badges will continue to be recognised, until a transition to a full e-licensing regime takes place at an appropriate time.
Fourth, clause 21 of the Bill expressly provides for the power of the Board to collect and access tourism information reasonably required for the functions and duties of STB, including industry development and promotion. Examples of such information would be visitorship numbers and tourism receipts. To protect the information that has been collected, clause 21 also includes a “preservation of secrecy” provision to limit the onward disclosure of such information.
Fifth, this Bill expands STB’s administrative and enforcement powers, including according appropriate penalties, to regulate tourist guides and the cruise terminal licensees. This is necessary for STB to exercise its regulatory functions effectively.
Singapore’s tourism sector is poised for strong growth as it emerges from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Bill will enable STB to drive the development and regulation of our tourism sector more effectively and continue its efforts to make Singapore an attractive tourism destination for all. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, this Bill allows STB to take over the economic regulation of cruise terminal operators from the MPA. This will enable STB to exercise regulatory oversight of financial matters in a manner that supports the growth and development of the cruise sector and in turn, Singapore’s tourism sector.
I have three clarifications.
My first point is on the new section 8HA. The section introduces a new power for STB to act as a third-party guarantor for the tourism enterprises. This is subject to the Minister’s approval and provided that the enterprise develops Singapore as a destination or enhances the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to the economy.
This new power comes with significant risks. STB may end up propping up mismanaged, decaying businesses. STB may also be accused of picking and choosing winners in the tourism industry, unfairly disadvantaging those not lucky enough to be chosen. This power should thus be used in extremely limited situations. The decision to use it must be guided by clear, objective frameworks of success.
How will the Minister decide whether to approve instances where STB seek to use this power? What factors will they consider? In what situations is STB envisioned to use this power?
My second point is about how public interest will be determined under the amended Act. A number of amendments proposed refer to the STB or Controller making decisions on the basis of “public interest”.
One example is the STB’s power in granting or renewing tourist guide licences to impose conditions that are in the public interest. The STB may also give licensees directions that are necessary or expedient in the public interest.
I ask this because “public interest” is not a term that is currently used in the Singapore Tourism Board Act. However, the term is repeatedly used in this Bill.
Given the scope of matters that can fall under “public interest” is very broad and that it is a new term in the context of the Act in relation to important decisions, can Minister share how “public interest” should be interpreted in the context of the Act?
My third point is on how STB will assist the cruise line industry in reaching its sustainability goals. Concerns have been raised about the carbon emissions, pollution and significant energy demands of cruises.
Earlier this year, the Friends of the Earth, an NGO, evaluated 18 cruise lines according to four environmental criteria. No cruise line got better than a C grade. Seven received a failing grade. The report card concluded that “clean cruising” was simply not possible.
Research suggests that a large cruise ship can have a carbon footprint of greater than 12,000 cars. That is twice the number of cars newly registered in Singapore every year.
The Singapore Green Plan 2030 aims for our nation to become a sustainable tourist destination. MPA has also said it aims to decarbonise the maritime industry. What steps will STB take to help decarbonise the cruise line industry? What targets will it set, and on what specific areas does it aim to drive reduced emissions? For instance, are there goals for cruises to transition first to using liquefied natural gas and subsequently to other low or zero-carbon marine fuels?
Notwithstanding these clarifications, I stand in support of the Bill.
Mr Speaker: Minister of State Alvin Tan.
Mr Alvin Tan: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his support of the Bill and the opportunity to make some clarifications.
Mr Louis Ng asked about the introduction of a new provision for STB to act as a guarantor for tourism enterprises and the situations in which STB might do so. On rare occasions, STB may opt to exercise the power to act as a guarantor if there are strong and clear benefits to the economy.
Multiple layers of safeguards will be in place before STB takes on this guarantor role. For example, a comprehensive risk assessment will be conducted to measure factors such as: (a) the risk to the Government; (b) the track record of the tourism enterprise, (c) potential cost and time savings; and (d) economic benefits. STB will also need to seek the approvals of its Board of Directors as well as the Minister for Trade and Industry. Additional safeguards may also be taken to reduce the overall risk to STB, such as requesting indemnity from the tourism enterprise.
Mr Louis Ng also asked how public interest will be determined in this Bill. The term “public interest” appears in legislation of other regulatory regimes, such as in the Travel Agents Act 1975.
As I mentioned in my speech, the cruise terminals are international gateways into Singapore. As a port of entry, there are safety and security considerations on whether the cruise terminal licensee is fit and proper to operate such a critical checkpoint. Where there are risks to Singapore’s public interest, for example, being complicit in allowing a breach of border security, the Controller will be able to take into consideration these factors to assess the suitability of the licensee.
Other factors which may be taken into account include, but are not limited to, public health considerations. For example, in a public health emergency, cruise terminal and tourist guide licensees may be directed to abide by new protocols in relation to persons at cruise terminals or in their tour groups, so as to protect the general well-being of the public.
Just like other regulatory regimes, STB and the Controller will ensure there is clear public interest involved before relying on this ground.
With regards to the sustainability efforts of the cruise sector, which Mr Louis Ng asked about, the global cruise industry’s commitment to environmental sustainability is evident. Despite comprising less than 1% of the global maritime industry, the global cruise industry is at the forefront of developing innovative technologies and has invested more than US$26 billion in new ships with energy efficient technologies and cleaner fuels.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is one of the cleanest-burning non-electric marine fuels available today. There is an increasing trend of cruise lines building LNG-powered ships. This is a significant step as the use of LNG results in almost no sulphur emissions, reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 85% and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. The industry is also actively exploring the use of alternative sustainable fuels and implementing them at scale in future.
In April this year, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced clear commitments to implement environmentally sustainable practices at sea and at berths. CLIA’s global fleet of cruise lines aim to achieve net-zero carbon cruising by 2050 and reduce the rate of carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.
In line with our Singapore Green Plan 2030, Singapore is well-positioned to facilitate the cruise industry’s shift towards a more sustainable future. As a leading bunkering hub with expertise in ancillary services, such as the retrofitting of LNG ships, we are an ideal homeport for LNG-powered ships.
STB’s grant schemes also encourage the deployment of cruise ships with sustainable practices to Singapore. In 2022, Singapore will welcome its first deployment of an LNG-powered cruise ship, Silversea’s Silver Nova. This will pave the way for the deployment of more sustainably powered cruise ships to Singapore.
I wish to thank Mr Louis Ng for his questions and keen support for this Bill, which will be critical for our tourism industry.
Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government is committed to continuing its efforts to make Singapore an attractive and sustainable tourism destination and also fostering an environment for tourism enterprises to thrive. We look forward to the continued support of this House in this endeavour.
Mr Speaker: Any clarifications? Alright.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Alvin Tan]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjournment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resolved, \"That at its rising today, Parliament do stand adjourned to 1.30 pm tomorrow.\" – [Ms Indranee Rajah.] (proc text)]
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 Abdul Samad (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, let me start my speech by wishing all our teachers \"Happy Teachers' Day\". In fact, a celebration in appreciation of the efforts put by our teachers should not just be tied to a single day, but we should explore a month-long celebration and more importantly, a lifelong recognition.
On this note, I would like to record my appreciation to my Primary school teachers from Mei Chin Primary School, from the cohort of 1979 to 1984, and from Yusof Ishak Secondary School, cohort 1985 to 1988. This group of teachers taught me not just academic subjects, but also moral education and values, that I hold on until today.
Of the many teachers, one that remains a strong memory is my Secondary school form teacher Mr Cherry Chacko, who taught me English and Literature. In fact, he was the one that gave me the opportunity at such a young age of 15 years old, to address the school during assembly, an opportunity and experience that I will never forget till today. Thank you, Mr Cherry Chacko.
Not forgetting all my other teachers from both Primary and Secondary school: Teachers, without your dedication and commitment to educate me with the right values, I would not be able to be where I am today, both as a principal technical officer and a union leader in the power industry.
Sir, I decided to raise this Motion arising from an incident that recently went viral of a student in St Andrew's Secondary School. I strongly believe and affirm that no student is allowed to disrespect their teacher and what more to threaten in such nature? I have a feeling that such an incident of that nature is not an isolated one or few, but there is so much more. In fact, I do hear similar stories of teachers experiencing similar disrespectful moments. At times, it is much worse when parents do the same towards their children's teachers just to defend their wrongdoings and hide beneath their \"guilt-tripping behaviours\".
Hence, I call on the Ministry to give guidelines or even empowerment to school principals or even the victimised teachers to report any rude or harsh incidents teachers faced to the relevant authorities, as a means of self-protection from any abusive behaviours from both parents and students.
Whilst preparing my content for this Motion, I recently reached out to my fellow union leaders from the Singapore Teachers' Union, Singapore Malay Teachers' Union, Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union and also Singapore Tamil Teachers' Union. In addition, there are many more that represent educators from early childhood to Institutes of Higher Learning. I also managed to speak to few friends and cousins who are currently teaching too.
It is to my surprise that annually, these unions received more than 1,000 cases of grievances alone, aside from feedbacks. The grievances and feedbacks range from managing students' behaviour, abusive attacks from students' parents, work appraisal, mental health and on a lighter note, career progression. The unions acknowledged that MOE had been supportive towards them in resolving conflicts and take feedbacks positively on salary scale and career progression. One recent example was the recent announcement of pay revision and increase for teachers ranging between 5% and 10%, the introduction of a new grade; and a 30-year retention scheme which hopefully can motivate our teachers to continue their careers in educating our children and students.
This announcement signifies MOE's continuous commitment to constantly monitor and review the teachers' salaries, welfare and work prospects.
Notwithstanding the above, the unions believe that MOE could do more in terms of policies to address teachers' concerns and hence, setting policies that would at least set a baseline for school practices.
Further, MOE ought to expect school leadership to support teachers more and better. I believe it is the school leadership which is the fulcrum. Collectively, school leadership plays a pivotal role in school culture, work-life harmony, workload, expectations of teachers as well as shielding teachers from abusive parents and students.
Hence, I would like to put forward three areas for MOE's consideration for more support for our teachers.
First, it is about managing students' discipline. More support must be given to teachers by school leaders, MOE and we ourselves as parents. Students must be made aware and reminded continuously that any misbehaviours, rudeness, aggressiveness, or worse, threats, will never be condoned and they must face equal-like consequences. The school leadership must support the teachers in disciplining students and stand firm when communicating with parents on disciplinary matters. While approaches to disciplining matters may differ, teachers must feel that these approaches are effective with the strong backing of school leadership. We must ensure that the dignity of teachers is maintained and that the restorative practices are also implemented to resolve conflict, repair harm and heal relationships. This is also to maintain and uphold the students' dignity and well-being.
Next is on work-life balance. Our teachers have their personal lives and family to attend to. We, as parents, need to understand that teachers need their work-life balance as much as us. Even with this, the teachers would always go beyond the call of duty. However, parents must always respect teachers' private space and time. Parents can play a role in becoming constructive and complementary partners of teachers to support the students' growth and development.
The final one is about reducing teachers' workload and calibrated expectations. As teaching becomes increasingly complex and there are competing demands on teachers' time, more could be done for this final area. Teachers need more time outside of classroom teaching to attend to marking, preparing for lessons and working on student guidance. To then load them with committee work, non-teaching-related duties and meetings as well as constant, non-stop WhatsApp messages from multiple chat groups is unwise and untenable. The expectations must be calibrated vis-a-vis ranking and appraisal as well as reducing non-teaching-related workload ought to be reviewed. As teachers go beyond the call of duty, it is even more vital that there is curtailing of teachers' official duties and calibration of expectations. Sir, I would now speak in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The recent incident between a student and a school teacher is quite disturbing and worrying. Throughout my experience as a student in a neighbourhood school, fights and similar incidents are common among students, be it within my school or in other schools. But we could never have imagined an era where students disrespect their teachers. This is totally unacceptable, and as parents, we should be ashamed if our children behave that way. Parents must be firm in educating our children so that they respect their teachers, instead of doing the opposite. Therefore, I would like to share this Malay quatrain, which emphasises the importance of students always showing respect to their teachers, because teachers are the providers of knowledge.
In preparing my speech, I have also engaged and obtained feedback from my union colleagues as well as my acquaintances who are teachers. It is sad and heart-breaking to hear their issues and grievances arising from the challenges of handling the discipline of school students, parental interference, encroachment of their personal hours outside school hours and many more. There are also those who have not seen any improvement in their career progression after several years. However, this was changed recently when MOE made policy revisions in relation to teachers' careers.
On this note, I appeal to all parents with school-going children to respect the teachers' personal hours and not to indiscriminately send messages, e-mails, or worse, expect a response as soon as possible.
I am sure that the challenges I mentioned have received MOE's attention and support, and at the same time, MOE should be more cognizant of teachers' contributions and not place excessive responsibility on teachers.
I appeal to MOE and school principals to think about this issue and find the best solution.
I would like to recommend that all teachers who are union members should approach your union. Similarly, to trade union representatives, you should always approach your union members who are teachers in order to listen and receive feedback about their challenges and expectations as a teacher. Above and beyond getting feedback, the ministry and school principals should accept it with an open mind and avoid punishing those teachers by marking them down in their annual appraisal.
Specially for all our esteemed teachers, I would like to share another Malay quatrain as a tribute to your service – which states that I received so much from my teachers, and those memories remain after all these years.
(In English): I am appealing to the Minister for Education to consider a special bonus to recognise our teachers for their effort in managing extraordinary workload and stresses during the pandemic while continuing to educate our students. This gesture is also similar given by MOH for all their healthcare personnel in managing the pandemic.
To the parents out there, continue educating our children to always respect their teachers and most importantly, please, parents, respect the teachers' privacy and time. Avoid sending any unnecessary messages beyond school hours, if we believe that we, as career-minded parents, need work-life balance, the teachers need that too.
In conclusion, I would like to share a quote from an American advocate in the 1800s by the name Dorothea Dix. I quote, \"The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and they give energy to the character.\" On that note, every teacher matters!
Mr Speaker: Mr Patrick Tay, you have eight minutes.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): Speaking on behalf of all our Teachers' Unions and Education Cluster of Unions, I join hon Member Abdul Samad in welcoming the recent move by MOE to adjust salaries by between 5% and 10% for their teachers and educators.
Our teachers and educators join the profession and make it a career out of a passion to nurture and build up our young and the next generation.
Notwithstanding, this round of salary review and adjustments by MOE will help in some way to ensure their remuneration remains competitive.
One important and welcomed enhancement announced is the new GEO 5A substantive grade. This is a positive development as many teachers and educators prefer and are more passionate to do teaching as their main job and competency instead of the administrative or leadership path.
However, I opine that remuneration alone is not something which will automatically attract or retain them. There are other areas, such as career progression, learning and development opportunities as well as the work environment, be it good supervisors, supportive colleagues and understanding parents of students all play a part to attract and retain our educators.
In this respect, I think more can also be done to ensure the mental well-being of our educators including SPED educators and pre-school educators. In this respect, I have three suggestions.
First, educators should be given opportunities to go on sabbaticals and also gap years to go on industry attachments outside of the education service, such as the people and private sector, to recharge and refresh their knowledge and perspectives.
Second, I am aware teachers spend loads of time setting and preparing exam scripts for continual and semestral exams, including the upcoming for prelims. Can I suggest that all exam papers be set at a group or cluster level for all our mainstream levels – Primary, Secondary including college – so that time can be saved and there is greater uniformity, consistency and alignment especially such as during the pandemic, where prelim results are used as a proxy when the student is unable to undertake national exams. This will reduce disparity and take a whole load of onerous time off teachers and schools with this co-sharing of exam script preparation.
Third, speaking on behalf of Union of ITE Training Staff (UITS), Ngee Ann Polytechnic Academic Staff Union (NPASU), Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE), The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMWU) and Education Services Union (ESU), I hope that the same can also be extended to our educators in the Polytechnics, ITEs and all other educators. I am happy to share that some unionised companies in the private education sector have also done a review and given salary adjustments. We hope that the rest of the players in the private education sphere, which includes early childhood, student care, Autonomous Universities and Private Education Institutes (PEIs), will also do likewise and review their salaries to ensure that their overall salary packages remain competitive, and also to help those who need to cope with the rising cost of living. I am also aware some of the PEI trainers and lecturers are independent contractors also known as gig workers. A review of their compensation and benefits is also timely.
All these will go a long way to give an assurance to our educators that, whether they are from the public and or the private sectors, their role in educating our future generations is recognised and valued.
In fact, for student care educators specifically, their salaries are disproportionately low when compared to the deliverables and expectations on them by parents. There are minimal progression opportunities for this group of educators. I hope that we can do more to uplift the profession of this group of educators and help raise the salary and progression of these student care educators. I know our Education Services Union will be happy and willing to work together with them. In fact, ESU is already working with some companies in the student care sector on the Company Training Committee initiative and we hope that bigger players will also come on board.
Mr Speaker: Minister of State, Gan Siow Huang.
The Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank hon Members Mr Samad and Mr Patrick Tay for their heartfelt appreciation for the hard work put in by our educators. In MOE, it is often said of our teachers: \"Through your hands passes the future of our nation\". A teacher's responsibility is a great one, as it involves moulding students and shaping lives. MOE appreciates the significance of the work of our educators and we are committed to ensuring their well-being.
We are particularly grateful to our educators who worked tirelessly as frontliners over the past two years of COVID-19 pandemic, keeping schools open and safe. This significantly reduced the impact of school closures and disruptions on the learning and well-being of our students.
I thank Mr Samad and Mr Patrick Tay for acknowledging MOE's efforts to recognise our educators through our recent announcement of pay revision. Our Polytechnics and ITE also review the salaries of the staff periodically, to ensure that salaries remain competitive against market benchmarks and are conducting a review currently. The outcomes will be shared with their staff when the review is completed.
I thank Mr Samad for his suggestion on the special bonus for educators. While paying our educators competitively is important, building a quality teaching service goes beyond salaries.
MOE is committed to supporting the well-being and development of our educators. We encourage teachers to gain diverse experiences beyond the classroom, so that they can broaden their perspectives and benefit from personal and professional growth. We have partnered with the public and private sectors through the Teacher Work Attachment Plus (TWA+) programme, so teachers can take up short-term attachments to enhance their skills and build connections.
On the issue of students' discipline, our educators' work goes beyond just teaching in the classroom to inculcating good values and character in our students. MOE has set out guidelines for schools to formulate their own discipline policies and approaches. School Leaders take a strong stand against disrespectful behaviour towards teachers and strive to promote a safe and supportive school environment for all.
When engaging parents, our teachers accord appropriate respect and courtesy, and the same is expected of parents in their interactions with our teachers. When parents use abusive words or threaten teachers, School Leaders will communicate a firm stand against such behaviour. In extreme situations where the teachers feel threatened or harassed, or their safety is being compromised, the school may take further action, including calling the Police for assistance and using legal protection for our teachers, to protect them against further harassment.
MOE HR works closely with the teachers' unions to support the well-being of our educators. We have quarterly dialogues to discuss matters such as capacity building, mental well-being support and grievance handling. The unions also provide an additional source of feedback on ground issues and highlight specific cases of educators who require stronger support.
Managing our educators' workload is an important area of focus in MOE. We have reduced administrative work by strengthening centralised services and leveraging technology, such as Parents Gateway and Student Learning Space, to streamline processes and teaching resources. We will consider other ways to create capacity for our educators, including Mr Patrick Tay's suggestion for common exam papers to be set across schools.
To create capacity for educators, our schools are also resourced with additional staff. Every school has a team of Allied Educators who perform various functions, such as counselling and working with students with special educational needs. All schools have a School Administration Team that performs administrative and operational functions. Schools are given additional posts and funding which they can use flexibly to meet their needs by hiring more staff to help with administrative roles. MOE also provides funding for schools to engage vendors to help with event planning and conducting after-school enrichment activities and camps, though teachers will still need to exercise oversight and provide the duty of care for their students.
To support work-life harmony for educators, our schools and education institutions have introduced more flexible work arrangements for educators where feasible, while maintaining the duty of care towards students. This includes holding virtual or hybrid parent-teacher meetings and staff meetings. Educators who require greater flexibility in working hours can also apply for part-time teaching arrangements.
During school holidays, all schools provide Protected Vacation Time for educators. This ensures that educators have time to rest and recharge.
An enabling school environment built on a culture of trust and support is key to our educators' well-being. School Leaders and supervisors proactively check in with their officers regularly. Educators are encouraged to share their concerns with their supervisors and leaders, or with the Superintendent overseeing their school. In addition, they can tap on other channels for support, such as their school's Wellness Ambassadors, MOE's in-house professional counselling services and the 24/7 whole-of-Government Counselling Hotline for public officers.
Schools' Staff Well-Being Committees have been provided with more resources to enhance staff well-being, such as additional funds and in-house curated resources. Educators can also take part in well-being workshops and talks.
Beyond these measures, parents play a significant role in supporting educators' well-being. I would like to seek the support of parents to work with us to establish positive partnerships and set appropriate expectations on the educators' responsibilities. For example, parents could respect educators' personal time by minimising non-critical communication with them outside work hours. Give schools and educators some time to respond to your queries and feedback. Work together with the educators to support your children's learning and complement the learning with what can be done at home. These guidelines on school-home partnership were published by MOE in 2019 and are available online.
We have started a good movement with the Parent Support Groups (PSGs) in our schools as we continue to strengthen our partnership with parents. I am grateful for how our PSGs are forging ahead in complementing our schools' efforts in doing more for our students and fellow parents.
For example, Fuhua Primary School's PSG, led by Mdm Tse Ka Po and her team, has been carrying out various initiatives for their parent community. There is Junior Gems One Ninety (JnrGEMS1:90), a parent buddy programme that connects senior parents to incoming Primary 1 parents to share experiences. There is also a chat group, ConnectGEMS, for parents to support one another on class-based issues. Both platforms are facilitated by PSG EXCO members who send reminders on school matters as well as share information on volunteering opportunities. This PSG initiative sets a constructive tone in every class's parent chat group and relieves educators from responding to questions that are frequently asked by parents.
We can all support our educators by showing appreciation for them. I am heartened by the outpouring of appreciation and gratitude to our educators on our Thank You 'Cher portal during Teachers' Day this month. There have been over 20,000 messages received from students, parents and alumni. Let me share a heartfelt message from a parent to Mdm Khairunnisa of St. Hilda's Primary School: \"Thank you for going above and beyond, everytime. For looking out and cheering our children every day, celebrating small achievements and assuring that every win is an accomplishment. We are grateful and very blessed to have you as our Form Teacher.\"
We would like to thank everyone for encouraging our educators with your words of appreciation. These heart-warming messages show how much our educators are valued.
Mr Speaker, our educators are the pillars of our education system. MOE is committed to ensuring that they continue to be well-supported and their workload remains manageable. We care for their well-being and will continue to work with all stakeholders, including School Leaders, parents and the community, to support them. Indeed, every teacher matters.
I thank Mr Samad and Mr Patrick Tay for your support and concern for the well-being of our dedicated educators. When our educators are well supported, they will be able to bring out the best in our children, the future of our nation.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 7.12 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":"Curbs on Bulk Purchases of Units within A Single Property Development","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"41 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry will consider creating a separate and higher tier of Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) for property buyers who purchase more than a certain number of units in a single development across a period of time; (b) whether the benefits from purchasing property in bulk, such as bulk-purchase discounts, will negate or cushion the impact of previous ABSD increases; and (c) under what circumstances will the Ministry consider introducing curbs on bulk property purchases.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) is structured to moderate investment demand in residential property and is therefore differentiated based on the residency status of the buyer and the overall number of residential properties owned.
ABSD discourages the purchase of multiple units, as higher rates generally apply to purchases by those who already own at least one residential property. Higher rates also apply to buyers who are not Singapore Citizens. In December 2021, we raised ABSD rates across all buyer profiles, except for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents purchasing their first residential property.
Instances of property buyers who have purchased more than one unit in a single development are uncommon. Among all private residential property units transacted so far this year, units involved in such multiple-unit purchases accounted for about 1%. Units involved in multiple-unit purchases of more than two units are even lower, at about 0.2%. Hence, bulk property purchases are unlikely to have a significant impact on the property market.
We will monitor developments in the property market closely and adjust our policies as necessary to promote a stable and sustainable property market.
42 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the inflow of foreign money into the local property market has increased in the last two years; (b) if so, whether such inflow has pushed up private and public property prices in the last two years; and (c) whether the Government intends to introduce new policies to manage the impact of the flow of foreign money into the local property market.
Mr Desmond Lee: Foreigners are not allowed to buy HDB flats. They also account for a very small proportion of private housing transactions. In the past two years, they accounted for around 3% of all private housing transactions. This is lower than the pre-pandemic level of around 5% between 2017 and 2019.
While the foreigner share of private housing transactions remains low, the Government will continue monitoring foreign money inflows on our property market closely and adjust our policies as necessary, to promote a stable and sustainable property market.
44 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current percentage of the annual SkillsFuture funding that is left unutilised; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider allowing recipients with unused credits to contribute their credits to a pool to allow others to tap on the unused credits.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The SkillsFuture Credit scheme is part of a range of programmes and initiatives introduced by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to support individuals in their skills development and lifelong learning. As of June 2022, about 29% of eligible Singaporeans aged 25 and above have utilised their Credit.
As the SkillsFuture Credit is intended to encourage all Singaporeans to learn for life and to take personal ownership of their lifelong learning journey, credits are not transferable between individuals.
To help ensure that Singaporeans can continue to meet their training needs, the Government has provided a one-off SkillsFuture Credit top-up of $500 for Singaporeans aged 25 and above in 2020, as well as an additional $500 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career Support) for Singaporeans aged 40 to 60. Those who have expended their credits continue to benefit from substantial course fee subsidies of up to 90% that the Government provides for many courses.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Protect Our Young In View of Rise of Metaverse and Number of Gaming Platforms","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"46 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Communications and Information in view of the rise of the Metaverse and growing number of youths on gaming platforms (a) whether there are sufficient measures implemented to protect our young; and (b) whether the Code of Practice for Online Safety will be extended to cover these platforms and be ready for the Web 3.0 era.
Mrs Josephine Teo: In Singapore today, 99% of households with children under the age of 15 have access to computers. It is not surprising therefore that many youths have easy access to the internet and online gaming. As a result, they are also exposed to online risks, including cyberbullying, sexual harassment, sexual grooming or other inappropriate content.
Parents are understandably concerned about the ease and speed with which harmful online content can be disseminated, and the risk this poses to their children. The Government has put in place various measures to reduce the risks of online harms affecting our youths. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) requires Internet Service Providers to offer optional residential and mobile Internet filtering services. This helps parents ensure that children have safer access to the Internet.
Public education is especially critical for encouraging healthy gaming habits amongst youths and helping parents guide their children in navigating the online space. The Government undertakes public education programmes and works with various community partners to enhance digital safety for our youths.
In schools, MOE’s refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum teaches students the dangers of excessive online activities, including gaming, and other addictive behaviours. Beyond schools, the National Library Board’s (NLB) Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate (S.U.R.E) programme provides useful guidelines on safe and responsible online gaming and the Health Promotion Board’s MindSG online portal provides content that helps Singaporeans manage their mental health with a dedicated section on cyber wellness for teens.
Through the national Digital for Life (DfL) movement, we have worked with community partners to introduce programmes that enhance the overall digital well-being of children and youths. The Media Literacy Council (MLC) has also developed resources encouraging online users to exercise judgement on their consumption of online content and supported community projects such as Project Get Flamed!, which ran workshops for youths addressing online gaming addictions.
These efforts can help reduce the risks of our youths being exposed to online harms, but they do not eliminate them completely.
Emergent digital technologies including the metaverse and Web 3.0, could also introduce new types of online risks by being more interactive, providing more immersive experiences or allowing for even greater anonymity. The risks may be compounded because activities are carried out in a decentralised way with no clear entity to be regulated.
Continued vigilance by the Government as well as parents, teachers, and youths themselves remain important.
As the Member noted, the Government will be introducing measures to enhance online safety, especially for young users. The proposed Code of Practice for Online Safety seeks to require social media services which have significant reach or impact to put in place systems and processes to mitigate exposure to harmful content for Singapore-based users. Gaming platforms are not the intended targets of regulations at present.
Nonetheless, we understand the concerns and have initiated a study to better understand the impact of gaming. We will also monitor emergent technologies such as the metaverse and Web 3.0, and update our measures where necessary. In addition, we also encourage parents to take an active role in engaging and guiding the activities of their children, helping them cultivate healthy habits and personal responsibility.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Mitigate Risk of Severe Transboundary Haze","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"47 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment given the Singapore Institute of International Affairs’ Haze Outlook report dated 15 June 2022, assessing that there is a medium risk of severe transboundary haze this year (a) what will the Ministry do to mitigate the risk of severe transboundary haze; and (b) how does it intend to continue working with its regional counterparts to realise the vision of a haze-free ASEAN.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the National Environment Agency (NEA) closely monitor the risk of transboundary haze and take active steps to avoid and mitigate the occurrence of haze.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), which is hosted by NEA’s Meteorological Service Singapore, regularly disseminates its weather and haze outlook, as well as satellite imagery and fire hotspots information, to ASEAN Member States. ASMC also provides early warning of transboundary haze, which serves to alert our neighbouring countries to take active steps to address the problem of transboundary haze at source.
We have also formally extended an offer of fire-fighting assistance to Indonesia in June 2022 to augment Indonesia’s efforts to address hotspots and fires during the traditional southern ASEAN dry season. We have continually made this offer since 2005.
This year, Singapore will host the 17th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. We will be using our chairmanship to strengthen regional commitment and take active steps towards the vision of a haze-free ASEAN.
48 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health whether smallpox vaccination can be made available to individuals at higher risk of catching monkeypox, in addition to those who are exposed to confirmed cases or their specimens, healthcare workers and laboratory personnel.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Ministry of Health, in consultation with infectious diseases experts, does not currently recommend smallpox vaccination to other individuals as a preventive strategy for monkeypox, as the risks of infection can be managed through other means (such as good personal hygiene, abstaining from sex when symptomatic), and the disease is generally self-limiting, with symptoms usually resolving spontaneously. Hence the potential benefit does not outweigh the small risk of adverse side effects from vaccination.
MOH will continue to monitor the local and global situation and review our public health measures, including whether to extend vaccinations to other groups in addition to the individuals at high-risk, for whom vaccination is already recommended.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Recognition of Caregivers' Contributions and Government's Care for Their Well-being","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"49 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Health in view of the findings of the 2018 Quality of Life of Caregivers Study and the earlier announcement on enhancements to the Home Caregiving Grant, whether he can provide more details or updates on recognising caregivers' contributions and the Government's care for their well-being.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Earlier this year, the Government released a range of initiatives as part of the White Paper for Singapore Women’s Development, that addresses the findings from the 2018 Qualify of Life of Caregivers study. To recognise caregivers’ contributions and reduce caregiving costs, the Government announced enhancement of the Home Caregiving Grant. The Government will also provide more options to help caregivers take time off for self-care. The Household Services Scheme will be expanded to provide elder-minding and other part-time household services. MOH is also reviewing respite care services for seniors to improve availability and accessibility.
To better care for the well-being of caregivers, the Government is also working with partners to launch community-based peer support networks. Under the Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Caregivers Network pilot, caregivers of persons with mental health conditions can tap on peer support networks and receive more sustained socio-emotional support. Launched by the People’s Association in partnership with the National Council of Social Services and Caregivers Alliance Limited, the peer support networks will start in six locations, such as Nee Soon East and Bukit Gombak, and will be expanded over time.
In August this year, MSF launched the Enabling Masterplan 2030 covering various recommendations for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. One key initiative is the Enabling Services Hubs (ESHs) which will link adult persons with disabilities and their caregivers to appropriate support and services such as respite care.
A whole-of-society effort is needed to recognise and support our caregivers. Employers can support our caregivers by adopting best practices under the Tripartite Standards on Flexible Workplace Arrangements and on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs. This will enable employees to better manage both their work and personal needs. Given the importance of caregivers, next year’s President’s Challenge will focus on \"Caring for Caregivers\".
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Care Options Within Community to Give Respite to Caregivers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"50 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what additional respite options and support for caregivers in the community are planned to help them care for loved ones with disabilities.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The respite care options currently available for caregivers of persons with disabilities include Special Student Care Centres that provide before-and-after school care services for children in Special Education schools aged seven to 18 years, Day Activity Centre part-time and full-time programmes for adults with disabilities aged 18 years and above, and short-term residential respite care at Children Disability Homes and Adult Disability Homes.
Caregivers of persons with disabilities may also be eligible for the Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) levy concession which reduces the levy for hiring an MDW from $300 per month to $60 per month. They may also benefit from the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG), to defray caregiving costs. The HCG quantum will be increased from the current $200 a month, to up to $400 a month in 2023.
As mentioned in the recently launched Enabling Masterplan 2030 (EMP2030), we will be piloting Enabling Services Hubs, or \"ESH\" for short. The ESH pilot will offer a drop-in respite care option for caregivers, as well as social and learning activities for persons with disabilities. This will not only enable persons with disabilities to maintain their community living skills, but also free up their caregivers for a few hours during the day. We are working on setting up the first ESH and will share more details when ready.
In line with the recommendations of the EMP2030, we will continue to work with social service agencies and other stakeholders to enhance respite options and support for caregivers of persons with disabilities. As we progress towards being an inclusive society, let us all look out for persons with disabilities and their families around us, and offer them our care and support as well.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Care Options for Adults with Developmental Disabilities Accompanied by Serious Psychotic or Behavioural Problems","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"51 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what options are available to caregivers of adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities who also have serious psychotic or behavioural problems rendering them ineligible for admission to Adult Disability Homes; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider respite care options for these caregivers especially those who are senior citizens.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Caregivers play a critical role in supporting persons with disabilities. We recognise that taking care of a loved one with disabilities, especially if the person also has psychotic and behavioural issues, is stressful, and caregivers regardless of age may need support or respite from time to time. Caregivers can contact SG Enable to be referred to the Home-Based Behavioural Intervention Services (HBIS). HBIS supports persons with disabilities who have behavioural needs by reinforcing positive, socially acceptable behaviour among clients at home. Caregivers can get some respite while their loved ones are receiving the service.
Caregivers can also tap on community support networks such as CaringSG and a range of caregiver-led initiatives supported by SG Enable that support caregivers of persons with special needs. Relevant information such as respite options and contact details of support groups can be found in SG Enable's Enabling Guide, a first-stop resource portal for information on disability in Singapore.
We will continue to review the range of services available and to build capabilities of our service providers to ensure that caregivers are supported. At the same time, the emotional support of family members, friends, and other caregivers who can understand what they are going through is also very helpful. Let us all play a part by extending a helping hand, or a listening ear, to support the caregivers we know.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Change of Singapore Sports Hub Ownership and Management on Access to Facilities and Government Funding","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"53 Mr Mark Chay asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether elite training hours at the Singapore Sports Hub will be affected by the change of ownership and management of the Sports Hub; and (b) whether the National Sports Associations will be able to provide inputs with respect to booking of Singapore Sports Hub’s facilities to avoid national teams being displaced at critical training periods before major games and/or competitions.
54 Mr Mark Chay asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether the cost of running the Singapore Sports Hub will affect the funding allocated to National Sports Associations and their high performance and high participation programmes; and (b) whether the costs of running, operating and maintaining the Singapore Sports Hub will fall under a separate budget under the Ministry.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: The National Sports Associations (or NSAs) are key stakeholders in our sports ecosystem.
(a) NSAs identify promising athletes and groom them. They support athletes by coordinating training and competition schedules, hiring suitable coaches, and monitoring athletes’ progress.
(b) Furthermore, NSAs play an integral role in promoting a broad-based sporting culture in Singapore. They run outreach programmes to increase Singaporeans’ exposure to their sport, as well as pathway programmes to cater to those who wish to pursue their interests further.
Therefore, the Government works closely with and supports NSAs to achieve the best outcomes for our athletes, and for sports in Singapore.
Today, more than 50 NSAs receive grants from Sport Singapore (SportSG).
(a) These grants defray the operating costs of high-performance and outreach programmes run by the NSAs.
(b) Government funding is augmented by the One Team Singapore Fund (OTSF). Under this scheme, NSAs that are Charities and Institutions of Public Character (IPCs) receive matching grants from Government for donations they raise.
This funding to NSAs will not be affected by the government’s taking over and running of the Sports Hub. The Government already sets aside funds for operating and maintaining the Sports Hub today, and this will continue to be the arrangement.
Today, the NSAs are accorded priority in the booking of Sports Hub facilities for the training of our national teams and athletes. NSAs also have priority access to ActiveSG facilities for this purpose.
NSAs are allowed to and do book Sports Hub and ActiveSG facilities up to one year in advance. When NSAs are displaced from Sports Hub facilities due to events and competitions, SportSG works closely with the NSAs to book alternative ActiveSG facilities for training.
After the Government takes over the ownership and management of the Sports Hub, NSAs will continue to have access to Sports Hub and ActiveSG facilities. SportSG will continue to work closely with the NSAs to understand and meet their needs.
We will have more flexibility to optimise the use of Sports Hub and ActiveSG facilities across the NSAs, athletes, members of the public, and event organisers. This allows us to strike a better balance in meeting our stakeholders’ needs. We will assess usage and allocation across stakeholders more fully and holistically, after we have taken over the Sports Hub.
This is important because our sport facilities cater not only to High-Performance Sport, but also to the recreational and sporting needs of all Singaporeans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Temporary Extension of Stay for HDB Flat Owners to Rectify Non-compliant Structures within Flat in Resale Transactions","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"55 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is HDB’s process and checklist for buyers to conduct a final inspection of a resale flat before transaction completion when a Temporary Extension of Stay is in place; and (b) what recourse is available when the buyer encounters non-compliant structures in the resale flat, such as missing structural wall, despite HDB’s check on the flat’s condition prior to the sale completion.
56 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider taking into account the period of Temporary Extension of Stay in resale HDB flat transactions when requiring buyers of these resale flats to make structural and safety works as required by HDB.
Mr Desmond Lee: A temporary extension of stay is a private arrangement between flat sellers and buyers, and is subject to HDB’s approval. The sellers may request for a temporary extension of stay of up to three months. Both parties must agree on the terms of the stay, which can include the period of the extension, the rental rate and the flat condition, and may sign a private agreement between themselves on the terms of the stay. If there is a temporary extension of stay, the sellers shall deliver vacant possession of the flat to the buyers only upon the expiry or termination of the stay.
Under the terms of the Option to Purchase signed between the parties, the sellers must deliver the flat to the buyers in a physical condition that both parties have agreed on. In addition, the sellers must allow the buyers to conduct a final inspection of the flat on or before the legal completion date of the transaction. This is regardless of any temporary extension of stay granted. HDB does not provide a checklist for the inspection, as the items and fixtures to check in the flat would depend on what has been negotiated between the two parties. The buyer may engage a Qualified Person (e.g. Building Surveyor) at his own expense to help him in the inspections.
Prior to the resale completion, HDB also conducts an inspection to check for unauthorised renovation works in the flat which could damage or affect the structural stability of the flat/building. If any unauthorised works or structural alterations to the flat that may cause safety concerns are discovered during the inspections, they must be regularised before the resale can be completed.
Buyers of resale flats purchase the flat on a caveat emptor basis, which means that the onus is on them to inspect the condition of the flat that they are purchasing. The buyer is ultimately responsible for any irregularity which may subsequently be discovered after the purchase.
Nonetheless, if unauthorised works are discovered after resale completion, buyers can approach HDB for advice. HDB will assess the situation and follow up with the parties involved on the remedial actions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Increasing Capacity of Primary Schools in MacPherson to Cater to New Residences Built","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"57 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider increasing the capacity of Geylang Methodist School (Primary) and Canossa Catholic Primary School to cater to the new residences built in MacPherson.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: MOE regularly reviews the demand and supply trends for school places at the national and regional levels. Our school planning takes into account the current and projected population, and planned housing development programmes. This ensures that there are sufficient school places to meet the needs of families with school-going children in each residential area.
We have been monitoring the P1 demand and supply situation in MacPherson closely and make year-by-year intake adjustments for schools in these areas where appropriate to meet the projected demand, arising from the new housing developments.
There are sufficient places in MacPherson to meet the demand from residents at this year’s P1 Registration Exercise. At the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary), there were still 90 P1 remaining places in nearby schools in MacPherson.
MOE will continue to closely monitor the demand and supply trends for the coming years, and if necessary, adjust the P1 intake to meet the projected demand.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Appeals for Children's Admission to Primary Schools Near Residences","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"59 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education (a) in the last three years, how many parents have submitted an appeal to the Ministry for their child’s admission to primary schools located near their home; and (b) whether the Ministry evaluates the sufficiency of places in primary schools based on the number of appeals that are received.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: On average over the last three years, MOE received about 300 appeals per year from parents seeking to admit their children to primary schools located near their homes. This represents about 1% of the total number of Primary 1 (P1) students enrolled in each year’s registration exercise.
MOE regularly reviews the planning of places in our primary schools, taking into consideration demand and supply trends at the national and regional levels and planned housing development programmes. Public feedback and appeals are also factored in our reviews.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Detection and Prevention of Abuse of Controlled Substances in Military Installations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"61 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Defence what are the steps taken to detect and prevent the abuse of controlled substances or drugs in military installations or during training locally and overseas, particularly among full-time and operationally ready National Servicemen.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) maintains a policy that is aligned to our national policy of zero tolerance against drug abuse. The key planks of implementation are prevention and strict enforcement against drug abusers through testing, appropriate punishment and rehabilitation. Both planks are necessary to ensure a drug free culture within the SAF.
Prevention of drug abuse is achieved through education and encouraging those who have consumed illegal drugs to seek help to stop or treat their addiction. All recruits attend talks conducted by the SAF Counselling Centre (SCC) during their Basic Military Training (BMT) on the harmful effects of drugs. After BMT, anti-drug talks are conducted periodically by the SCC and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) at SAF camps and units. Before overseas exercises or postings, SAF personnel are briefed on and sternly reminded of the consequences for taking drugs overseas.
To avoid the harsh penalties of drug abuse, those who have consumed illegal drugs can choose to confess without being punished under the SAF Amnesty Scheme. Instead, these personnel will receive counselling and rehabilitation support to help them kick their habit and undergo regular testing. This scheme is only available to SAF soldiers once, after which normal penalties will apply for drug offences.
To monitor for drug abuse, urine tests are conducted across the SAF extensively. All enlistees undergo these urine tests during their BMT. Urine tests are also conducted without notice in units, overseas bases and training locations, as well as on returning service personnel. The SAF Military Police also conducts routine spot checks to ensure that illegal products, including controlled drugs, are not brought into SAF premises. The CNB also informs the SAF Military Police Command when SAF Personnel are arrested for drug offences.
Enforcement against SAF soldiers who are drug abusers is strict for deterrence. Any servicemen or women who test positive during urine screening will be charged. They are typically sentenced by the military courts to a minimum of eight to nine months detention in the SAF Detention Barracks. Known or suspected drug abusers who have self-confessed or had recent drug convictions, will be put on the Urine Test Regime (UTR) and drug counselling sessions, during which they will be screened up to three times a week for a period of up to six months. If they test positive during the period, they will be investigated for drug offences and potentially charged in court martial. This serves as both a deterrence and a form of rehabilitation to help them stay away from drugs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Cases of Singaporean Travellers Buying Products with Cannabis in Thailand","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"62 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand, what is the Ministry’s assessment on Singapore residents who travel there and accidentally purchase items with cannabis as one of the ingredients as they are not able to read the ingredients list which are written in the Thai language.
63 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs what steps are taken to raise awareness about the dangers and prevalence of common food products, such as chocolates or candies, containing cannabis which are readily available in retail markets overseas.
Mr K Shanmugam: Persons found to have knowingly committed drug offences will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
When a person is found to have consumed drugs, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) will investigate. If the consumption was unwitting, or involuntary, usually no offence would have been committed.
To educate the public, CNB works with the media to report cases where food products containing cannabis were seized by CNB from persons who brought the items in from overseas.
CNB also partners with various stakeholders such as educational institutions and National Service institutions to create awareness of the harms of cannabis among students and full-time national servicemen through preventive drug education programmes such as talks, skits and exhibitions, videos and informational toolkits.
Further, CNB is working towards engaging travelers, at physical touchpoints such as the checkpoints, to caution them against the purchase of such items overseas.
We urge persons travelling to countries where food, beverage and other products containing controlled drugs may be sold, to be careful and check if a product contains controlled drugs. If in doubt, do not purchase or consume the product.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inclusion of Service Quality of Public Transport Operators in Fare Review Formula","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"64 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Public Transport Council will be considering the inclusion of service quality of public transport operators in its fare review formula; (b) if so, what are the likely metrics it will consider; and (c) if not, why not.
Mr S Iswaran: The Public Transport Council (PTC) has commenced its review of the public transport fare adjustment formula and mechanism. It will review the way fares are currently adjusted, considering the changes in the public transport industry and commuting patterns. In doing so, it will need to strike a balance between maintaining high-quality services, keeping fares affordable, and ensuring the financial sustainability of the public transport system.
As part of the review, the PTC can take into account various parameters including cost, service quality, productivity and other factors. PTC is consulting and engaging key stakeholders, such as commuters, public transport operators, the labour movement and transport experts. PTC will be comprehensive and holistic in its review which is expected to conclude in the first half of 2023.
65 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry is able to expedite the release of the Approved Code of Practice for Company Directors’ Workplace Safety and Health Duties in view of the continuing rise in the number of workplace fatalities.
Dr Tan See Leng: Following the spate of workplace fatalities, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had announced in June 2022 that the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) on Chief Executives’ and Board of Directors’ Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) duties would be expedited from Q1 2023 to Q4 2022. MOM and WSH Council have just concluded the public consultation and industry engagements on 8 September 2022. We are reviewing the feedback received and will gazette and bring into effect the finalised document by October 2022.
In the interim, top management can refer to the public consultation document on the WSH Council’s website, on the key principles and recommended measures to maintain oversight and uphold good WSH standards.
In addition to the ACOP, as part of the new \"heightened safety\" measures from 1 September 2022 to 28 February 2023 to address the spate of workplace fatalities, if MOM finds serious WSH lapses such as unsafe workplace conditions or poor risk controls following serious or fatal workplace accidents, MOM will require Chief Executives to personally account to MOM and take responsibility for rectifications.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Excessive Risk-taking by Gig and Platform Workers to Fulfil Orders","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"66 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Government will (i) consider regulating platform companies to ensure they do not encourage excessive risk-taking by gig and platform workers to fulfil orders, such as by taking on too many jobs an hour or riding during dangerous weather and (ii) study the artificial intelligence and algorithms of such platform companies to ensure that this is not the case.
Dr Tan See Leng: While platform companies may want to incentivise platform workers to complete more jobs within a limited time span, this must not be at the expense of safety and health, especially given the inherent risks of being on the road.
The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council is currently working with delivery platforms and companies to review work processes to enhance the safety of delivery platform workers and employees on the road to prevent accidents. More details will be shared when ready. This builds on existing efforts by the WSH Council to guide industry road safety practices for companies, such as through circulars to emphasise their safety duties.
At the same time, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers is looking to strengthen protections for platform workers, including financial compensation in case of work injury. Work is ongoing and is expected to be completed before the end of 2022.
Arising from the Committee’s work, a Tripartite Workgroup has also been formed to propose a framework that allows platform workers to be formally represented, and that balances the interests of platform workers and platform companies. Stronger representation will also provide another avenue for issues such as safety to be tackled by tripartite partners more effectively. The Workgroup is led by the tripartite partners as well as representatives from platform companies and platform worker associations. The Workgroup targets to complete its work in 2023.
MOM will assess and review the collective impact of these efforts on the safety and health of platform workers when they are implemented, and consider further measures if necessary. On the Member's suggestion to regulate the incentives and algorithms of platform companies, these are complex and we need to be cautious about regulating them. As I have described, we have set in motion various tripartite processes and should allow the tripartite partners to work through these safety issues rather than jump to regulation and risk over-regulation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Guidelines on Rest Hours for Public and Private Bus Drivers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"67 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry sets guidelines covering the rest hours of bus captains working for public and private bus operators; and (b) if not, whether the Ministry will consider doing so in view of the safety implications of fatigue and insufficient rest for vehicle drivers.
Mr S Iswaran: The working hours of bus captains and drivers, including rest time and overtime, are regulated by the Employment Act. This is to protect the well-being of our workers.
LTA works closely with the National Transport Workers’ Union and all public bus operators on the working conditions for public bus captains. Through this tripartite partnership, the operators have put in place measures that go beyond what is required in the Employment Act, to ensure that our bus captains get enough rest between duties and shifts, as well as between bus trips.
68 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider enhancing the income eligibility criteria for monthly school bus subsidies for primary school students to help more low-income families, particularly those children who have been balloted out under the Primary 1 registration exercise of schools located within walking distance from their respective homes.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) provides financial support for Singapore Citizen (SC) students from lower income families in our government and government-aided schools. This includes school bus subsidies for those in primary school. These are available to all primary school FAS students.
As announced on 24 August 2022, MOE will increase school bus subsidies for primary school FAS students, from 60% to 65% of school bus fees. This enhancement, together with other MOE FAS enhancements, will take effect from January 2023. Households who need additional support for school bus transport or other education-related expenses, including those who have exceeded the MOE FAS income eligibility criteria, can approach schools for school-based assistance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Collection, Filtration, Testing and Delivery Procedures for Drinking Water in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"70 Prof Koh Lian Pin asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry can provide an update on PUB’s and NEA’s (i) collection (ii) filtration (iii) testing and (iv) delivery procedures that ensure drinking water remain safe for consumption, in view of the recent study by scientists from Stockholm University and ETH Zurich which showed that a well-known class of pollutants, the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in rainwater from several locations globally have exceeded the safe guideline levels of the US Environmental Protection Agency and European standards.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: In Singapore, common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are controlled as hazardous substances under the Environmental Protection and Management Act and Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations. Their import, manufacture and use are largely prohibited, except for specific purposes such as R&D. This minimises the chances of PFAS entering and contaminating our environment and waterways.
As part of PUB’s comprehensive and stringent water sampling and monitoring programme, daily tests are conducted on water samples from reservoirs, waterworks, and distribution systems to its customers’ taps. The quality of our drinking water complies with the standards stipulated in the Environmental Public Health (Water Suitable for Drinking) Regulations and remains well within the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines for drinking water quality.
As PFAS is an emerging contaminant, the WHO has not set any guideline values for PFAS in drinking water. Thus, PFAS standards are currently not specified in Singapore’s regulations. Nevertheless, PUB has included PFAS in its routine testing and monitoring regime since 2016 as part of its proactive monitoring for contaminants of emerging concern. Based on existing laboratory testing capabilities available globally, these compounds have not been detected in our drinking water.
PUB will continue to monitor developments relating to PFAS and its health effects to ensure the continued supply of good and safe drinking water for all in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Laboratory-grown Food Options as Significant Component of Food Security in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"71 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether laboratory-grown food options will eventually constitute a significant component of food security in Singapore; (b) what are the plans to make such food options more affordable for the masses; (c) how is the safety of these food options assessed; and (d) what is the Government’s stand on concerns that such food products are made of artificial ingredients and safety for long-term consumption has not been established.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) adopt a multi-pronged strategy towards ensuring Singapore’s food security, including import source diversification and growing more locally.
Novel foods such as cultured meat, and plant-based alternative proteins, have the potential to contribute to our \"grow local\" strategy. However, given the nascent nature of the industry, it is too early to determine how significant a component it will be. The mainstreaming of innovative foods would depend on various factors including the pace of technology advancement, development of safety standards, production costs and level of consumer acceptance. The cost of alternative proteins is likely to become more competitive in time as the technology, manufacturing processes mature, and its market share grows. In Singapore, companies can tap into our well-developed agri-food innovation ecosystem to resolve scientific and technical hurdles, and scale up manufacturing capacity for Singapore and the region.
Even as we facilitate the growth of the novel food industry, the safety of food consumed in Singapore remains a top priority. SFA subjects all novel food to a rigorous safety assessment framework before they are approved for sale. Companies seeking to introduce novel food must first submit information such as the ingredients used, manufacturing processes and risk management plans. SFA then conducts a comprehensive review to identify if there are any potential food safety risks, with advice from a multi-disciplinary group of experts and reference to published scientific literature. Only novel foods that have addressed the food safety concerns and comply with food safety standards in the Food Regulations will be allowed for sale.
In April 2021, Singapore launched the Future Ready Food Safety Hub (FRESH), to drive food safety research and development, which included research into understanding the long-term safety of novel food. SFA will continue to work closely with local and international partners to keep its novel food regulatory framework up to date and ensure that novel food is safe for consumption.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Aligning Maximum Payable Amounts in Contract of Employment for Winding-up across Legislation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"72 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Ministry will consider raising the maximum amount payable under any contract of employment in a winding-up as stated in section 76(2) of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005 from $7,500 to $13,000 so as to align with the maximum amount stated in section 2(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution (Maximum Amount Payable in Priority) Order 2020.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the interests of employees in a winding-up. We will review the maximum amount payable to employees of limited liability partnerships in the event of a winding-up.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Operating Revenue, Expenditures and Overall Surplus or Deficit of Current Government","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"73 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the current Government’s FY2022 to-date operating revenue, operating expenditure, development expenditure and the primary surplus/deficit respectively; (b) how do these figures compare with the budgeted figures; and (c) how much is the overall FY2022 fiscal position expected to differ from the estimated deficit of $3 billion as announced in Budget 2022.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The monthly figures for government operating revenue, and quarterly figures for operating and development expenditure are published by the Department of Statistics on its website. However, the pace of revenue collections and government spending is uneven across the months of the financial year. Hence, it is generally not meaningful to compare the latest revenue and expenditure figures against the budgeted figures so early in the financial year, or to compute the primary surplus at this point.
It is also premature to project the eventual fiscal outturn for FY2022 after only one quarter. This is especially so as there is significant uncertainty in our macroeconomic environment and COVID-19 trajectory. We typically provide an update on revenue and expenditure, as well as the revised position for the current financial year at Budget.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Advance Announcements for HDB Precincts Selected for Home Improvement Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"75 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development in relation to the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) to upgrade HDB flats built between 1987 and 1997, whether HDB will make public its forecast of selection of precincts for HIP in advance so that eligible residents living in precincts which have yet to be selected are able to make better plans for the renovation of their homes.
Mr Desmond Lee: There are about 230,000 HDB flats built between 1987 and 1997 that are eligible for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). As a large number of flats are involved, the programme will be carried out in phases over an estimated ten-year period, starting from 2020, subject to the Government’s fiscal position and budget availability.
As such, the selection of precincts for the HIP is carried out on a yearly basis. HDB will inform Town Councils of the remaining precincts that are eligible for HIP, and Town Councils are then invited to nominate and prioritise eligible precincts for HIP for HDB and MND’s evaluation. In general, we will accord priority to older flats. Most flats should be able to undergo HIP when they are around 30 years old.
The scope of HIP comprises essential improvement works such as repairs of spalling concrete, the replacement of waste pipes and laundry pipe sockets, as well as optional improvement works such as toilet upgrading, replacement of entrance doors, grille gates and refuse chutes. Residents who plan to renovate their flats before they are selected for HIP, or have already renovated their flats, can choose to opt out from these optional improvement works, if such works are part of their renovation plans.
76 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development regarding URA’s proposal under Amendment No 33/22 to Master Plan to rezone the land along Fernvale Close and Fernvale Link (a) what are the reasons for changing the zone to residential development; (b) whether the Ministry can consider changing the zone for the land to Educational Institutions; and (c) if not, whether there are plans to (i) mitigate the potential traffic congestion and (ii) meet the demand for primary and secondary schools, greenery and family recreational facilities in this area.
Mr Desmond Lee: The vacant land along Fernvale Close and Fernvale Link is currently zoned as a Reserve site. To meet the housing needs of Singaporeans, URA has proposed to rezone this site as a Residential site. The rezoning plans were publicly exhibited in August, in line with the procedure to amend the Master Plan under the Planning Act.
We have received feedback from some residents in the area regarding the need to address potential traffic congestion and provide more amenities to serve the local community. There are upcoming plans that will address these concerns, such as the construction of new roads to improve traffic circulation in the area, the expansion of the Sengkang-Punggol Light Rail Transit’s capacity, as well as park and recreational provisions. In addition to these plans, URA is also working with the relevant agencies to review and implement other measures to address the residents’ feedback.
In land scarce Singapore, it is important for us to balance competing land use requirements, and cater to the needs and aspirations of different groups of Singaporeans. We will continue to work closely with agencies and key stakeholders in planning for the site.
77 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development whether the age criterion for the Lease Buyback Scheme of 65 years old may be lowered for owners who are or have become disabled and have difficulty securing jobs and will benefit from the earlier monetisation of their flats.
Mr Desmond Lee: The qualifying age for the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) is set at the CPF Payout Eligibility Age of 65 to allow seniors to receive their monthly CPF payouts immediately after they take up the LBS.
Nevertheless, HDB is prepared to and has exercised flexibility on the age requirement for those with long-term medical expenses and financial difficulties. This includes those who are or have become disabled, and experience challenges securing employment.
78 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with regard to the new Energy Efficiency Grant for SMEs (a) what is the Ministry’s assessment on the current adequacy for energy efficient accreditation of commercial equipment such as refrigerators; and (b) whether there are plans to expand the scale of accreditation to provide more purchase options for SMEs.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Under the Energy Efficiency Grant, there are pre-approved models in each equipment category, namely, air-conditioners, refrigerators, clothes dryers and LED lighting, that have high energy efficiency ratings under NEA’s Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme. In the case of commercial equipment, where international standards for measuring energy efficiency are not readily available, there are pre-approved models that use technologies considered more energy efficient, for example, inverter technology for commercial refrigerators. By identifying pre-approved models in each equipment category, this will facilitate the application process for companies applying for the Energy Efficiency Grant.
We will regularly review the list of pre-approved models of equipment in all the categories and welcome SMEs to suggest other models or technologies, that are of similar or higher levels of energy efficiency to be assessed for inclusion under the Energy Efficiency Grant.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Cope with Drought in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"79 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the Ministry’s definition of a drought in Singapore; (b) whether the Ministry expects Singapore to experience a drought in the near future; and (c) what are the Ministry’s plans to cope with a drought.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) defines a drought as a period of at least three consecutive months where monthly rainfall is more than 50% below the long-term 30-year average. Over the last forty years, Singapore has experienced one episode of drought, which had occurred in 1983. Another measurement of dry condition is dry spell which is defined as a period of at least 15 consecutive days with daily total rainfall of less than one millimetre. And we have experienced three dry spells in the past decade, two in 2014 and one in 2019.
With climate change, Singapore will continue to experience more extreme weather patterns, which can include more frequent and prolonged droughts. It is thus important for Singapore to ensure a resilient and sustainable water supply.
PUB, our national water agency, adopts a long-term water supply strategy. Over the last few decades, we have built a robust and diversified water supply with Four National Taps, namely catchment water, imported water and the two weather-resilient sources of NEWater and desalinated water. We recently opened our fifth desalination plant on Jurong Island in April 2022 and will be expanding our NEWater production capacities by constructing Changi NEWater Factory 3, which will be ready by 2025. Together, our Four National Taps have ensured that Singapore’s water supply remained resilient to various disruptions.
Even as the Government continues to invest in our water infrastructure, everyone must continue to do our part to conserve water. This will go a long way in ensuring resilience in our water supply under all circumstances.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Effectiveness of Singapore’s Single-stream Recycling Approach","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"80 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there have been studies of the effectiveness of Singapore’s current single-stream recycling approach, relative to a multi-stream consumer-sorted one; (b) if so, whether the results of such studies may be shared; and (c) if not, why no such studies have been considered.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The recycling approach and green bin / blue bin system have been standardised in Singapore since 2011, following a review of the National Recycling Programme (NRP). All Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) were required to provide single-stream recycling bins at residential estates. This made it more convenient for residents to recycle as there was no need for households to sort their recyclables by material type. It also allowed the PWCs to optimise their operations by reducing the number of trips needed to collect recyclables which adds to the carbon footprint. PWCs which switched from source-segregated bins to the single-stream commingled bins saw an increased amount of recyclables collected.
We are also developing complementary consumer-sorting recycling channels. We introduced in July 2021 the nationwide e-waste management system based on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach. Under the EPR scheme for e-waste, consumers are able to segregate and recycle their e-waste at more than 560 e-waste recycling points nationwide, including community centres, supermarkets, electronics stores, and government buildings. ALBA E-waste Smart Recycling (ALBA), the scheme operator, also works with Town Councils to organise quarterly collection drives at housing estates and collection of bulky e-waste. For bulky appliances, residents can use the free 1-for-1 takeback service provided by electronics retailers during delivery of new appliances, to recycle their old appliance of the same type regardless of brand.
NEA will be introducing a beverage container return scheme next, as the first phase of an EPR framework for packaging waste management. The scheme will encourage the recycling of beverage containers such as plastic drink bottles and metal cans, and is expected to lead to an increase in the collection and recycling of clean, separate single-streams of plastic and metal recyclables. We will progressively refine and expand the EPR schemes to increase recycling in Singapore.
MSE and NEA are continuously looking into ways to improve our recycling efforts. Following suggestions from the #RecycleRight Citizens’ Workgroup convened in 2019, we have carried out pilots at Hong Kah North SMC and East Coast GRC to test out different designs of recycling bins. One of the pilots measured the effectiveness of source-segregated recyclables collection with separate compartments for glass, paper, metal, and plastic recyclables, as compared with single-stream recycling bins. Findings from the pilots will be released when ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Timeline on Rollout of SG Mental Well-Being Network Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"81 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether there is a timeline on the rollout of the SG Mental Well-Being Network programme, which includes the recruitment of community partners and volunteers.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: The SG Mental Well-Being Network is an expansion of the Youth Mental Well-Being Network. Launched in July, the expanded Network aims to strengthen whole-of-society partnerships and citizen action, on mental health issues faced by Singaporeans.
The Network will serve as the partnership arm of the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being. It will first focus on strengthening community and peer support, and raising awareness through engagement initiatives to encourage help-seeking, tackle stigma, and improve mental health literacy. MCCY’s reply to Written Question No. 56 raised by Mr Christopher De Souza on the Order Paper on 12 September 2022 elaborates on the initiatives under these areas. We will subsequently expand our focus to include workplace and family support.
In terms of timeline, we have started our engagement with community partners and volunteers, as we need their support to succeed. The Network held a partnership event in July, with over 100 participants from the mental well-being space coming together to share ideas and opportunities for collaboration. Partners and volunteers will be able to tap on available grants such as the National Youth Fund and the Our Healthy Singapore Fund to fund ground-up initiatives.
For specific initiatives under the Network, MCCY will work with the Network partners to roll these out when ready. For example, we are working with partners, such as Happiness Initiative and the National Council of Social Service, to pilot Well-being Circles in a few grassroot divisions. We will review these efforts after they have run for a while, before scaling up.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Removal of Quota for Each Grade under Performance Management System for Teachers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"82 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will remove the quota for each grade under the performance management system of stacked ranking for teachers.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: We note Mr Louis Ng had raised similar issues pertaining to the ranking and appraisal of teachers on several occasions. As we have responded previously, MOE takes guidance from the Public Service Division on the guidelines for staff performance appraisal and ranking.
The appraisal and ranking system seeks to recognise and reward officers according to their work performance. Performance quotas are adopted to enable meaningful differentiation, while maintaining discipline and consistency across the system. On balance, the current system continues to serve its purpose. And we will continually review our system to ensure that it remains relevant.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Protect School Staff from Abuse by Parents and Students","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"83 Dr Shahira Abdullah asked the Minister for Education what measures do schools have in place to protect school staff from abuse by parents and students.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Our schools have established a good learning environment for students, where there is strong teacher-student relationship and respect for school staff. On rare occasions when teachers experience defiance from students beyond what they can handle, they are supported by their school leaders and student management team, who will investigate the incident, engage parents of the student, mete out appropriate consequences and enable students to improve their behaviour.
When engaging parents, school leaders and staff accord appropriate respect and courtesy, and the same is expected of parents in their interactions with our staff. Incidents of abuse by parents are not common. When parents use abusive words or threaten our school staff, MOE and school leaders will communicate a firm stand to these parents against such behaviour. In extreme situations where staff feel harassed or their safety is threatened by parents, the school may take further action, including calling the Police for assistance and using legal means, to protect staff from further harassment.
Parents play a critical role in instilling and role modelling the right values and appropriate behaviour in their children. Schools partner parents to develop our students holistically. We must create the right environment in our schools to nurture our next generation, where our educators and school staff feel supported in carrying out this important mission.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Encouraging More to Join Social Service and Disability Care Sector","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"84 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what is being done to encourage more people to join the social service and disability care sector.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) works closely with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to develop strategies and initiatives to attract manpower for the social service sector, which includes disability care.
The Professional Capability Grant (PCG) provides funding to SSAs to attract, develop and retain professionals in the sector. Under the PCG, Scholarships and Awards support new entrants pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies. For mid-career professionals, Career Conversion Programmes enable individuals from other sectors to enter the social service sector as social workers and allied health professionals. Over the past five years, 349 individuals have been supported by these schemes under the PCG.
NCSS is also promoting the branding and improving the visibility and value proposition of the social service sector. NCSS has rebranded careers in the social service sector. This has increased public awareness and interest in social service careers, communicated the purpose and values of careers in the sector, and shared career opportunities and pathways. In addition, NCSS has ongoing partnerships with Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to support job seekers through career advisory and job matching.
To support the professional development and career progression of social service professionals, we work with WSG and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), industry associations, training providers and organisations, to jointly develop the Skills Framework for Social Service. This provides information on the social service sector, the career and progression pathways, the competencies required for different job roles, and training programmes to support skills upgrading and mastery. NCSS also publishes the sector salary guidelines for the social service sector and SSAs are strongly encouraged to keep their salaries competitive.
Since 2019, MSF and NCSS have been working with representatives from the sector, professional associations, and education institutions through the Social Service SkillsFuture Tripartite Taskforce (STT). The STT aims to drive collaborations to develop manpower in the sector, and provide expertise in curriculum, training pathways and professional practice. In particular, for disability care staff, the STT is developing a competency framework and training roadmap by March 2024 to better equip them with the skills required for their roles.
Additionally, MSF and NCSS curate schemes and initiatives under the Community Capability Trust which SSAs can tap to strengthen their people practices and capabilities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Strengthening Sing Dollar on Plans to Rejuvenate Tourism and MICE Sectors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"85 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of the strengthening Singapore dollar, what will be the impact on plans to revive and rejuvenate the tourism and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions sectors.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: A stronger Singapore dollar helps dampen inflation and preserve the purchasing power of businesses and households by making imports cheaper. However, a stronger Singapore dollar may also make it more expensive for foreigners to visit Singapore.
Thus far, Singapore remains an attractive destination for travellers. In the first half of 2022, Singapore received 1.5 million visitor arrivals, nearly 12 times more compared to the same period in 2021, which recorded 119,000 visitor arrivals. Tourism receipts reached an estimated S$1.3 billion in the first quarter of this year, a 213% year-on-year increase over the same period last year, albeit from a lower base due to COVID-19 restrictions last year.
Singapore cannot compete for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) events on cost alone. Our value proposition must rest on the quality of our products, services, experiences, efficiency, and connectivity to the region and the world.
We have secured a robust pipeline of MICE events in the second half of this year, including Medical Fair Asia, Food and Hotel Asia Food & Beverage, Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and Milken Institute Asia Summit 2022. We also continue to see strong interest from event organisers, which indicates that Singapore remains a choice location for world-class MICE events.
That said, we will still need to watch our cost competitiveness carefully. STB will continue to support event organisers through the Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) scheme, the unique leisure experiences in our In Singapore Incentives & Rewards (INSPIRE) Global scheme, and the support provided by our tourism partners through the Singapore MICE Advantage Programme (SMAP).
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Inflation on Singapore Companies' Product and Service Competitiveness and Productivity","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"86 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how will current inflation trends affect our companies’ product and service competitiveness against those from other countries; and (b) what new or additional productivity approaches will be adopted by our companies to keep pace with potential wage increases.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Higher global inflation will impact Singapore more than other countries, because we import most of our commodities and upstream products, such as energy and industrial agricultural inputs.
Despite rising imported input costs and higher labour costs in a tight labour market, Singapore has generally remained competitive. For instance, Singapore’s relative unit labour cost for manufacturing – a measure of Singapore’s competitiveness against 16 other economies – improved in 2021. Similarly, our exports have continued to grow. In the second quarter of 2022, our non-oil domestic exports expanded by 8.9% on a year-on-year basis, extending the 11.4% increase in the preceding quarter. Over the same period, our services exports rose by 13.2% year-on-year, faster than the 10.8% growth in the first quarter.
In the longer term, we need to continue to improve productivity to overcome the issue of rising costs. The Government has introduced many schemes to support businesses on this. For instance, firms can tap on the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to spur their transformation efforts and boost productivity. We are heartened by the progress so far. For example, The Hainan Story, an F&B operator, tapped on the PSG during the COVID-19 pandemic to get new kitchen equipment. Their purchase of combination and speed ovens helped its kitchen speed up cooking processes and alleviate its manpower crunch. With improved processes, the company is now in a better position to expand its operations in Singapore and internationally. As announced during Budget 2022, we are making a strong push to scale up PSG to support more than 100,000 projects over the next four years.
Beyond the PSG, companies can also tap on the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit of up to $10,000 per company to embark on both workforce and enterprise transformation to upskill their workers and improve productivity. Companies requiring more customised help can leverage the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG).
At the same time, the Future Economy Council (FEC) is refreshing the 23 Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) to better position Singapore businesses to create and seize opportunities, and improve the productivity and wages of workers through digitalisation, innovation and internationalisation. Not forgetting too, the continual task of upskilling workers and job redesign. We hope that companies will take full advantage of the available schemes to future-proof themselves and stay competitive and relevant.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Allowing Parents to Use Cash to Pay for Children’s MediShield Life Plan Premiums","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"87 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider allowing parents to use cash to pay for their children’s MediShield Life plan premiums; and (b) if not, why.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Today, MediShield Life premiums can only be paid using MediSave as this is the preferred option for most Singaporeans, and is not cost-efficient to set up a cash payment system for a very small minority.
If there are insufficient funds in MediSave accounts, members may top up their or their dependants’ MediSave accounts via the CPF Board’s e-Cashier using PayNow or eNets Debit. Nevertheless, if there is demand for new payment modalities, such as through GIRO, we will study it.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review of LumiHealth Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"88 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the LumiHealth programme will be extended beyond the two-year term; (b) what is the Ministry’s assessment of the success of the programme; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plans to roll out similar programmes that are more accessible to larger segments of the population.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The LumiHealth programme is an ongoing programme, and will extend its benefits beyond its initial two-year run as part of the Healthier SG programme.
The programme has been successful in encouraging healthy behaviours across different age segments through gamification. There has been a total of over 300,000 downloads since the app was launched in October 2020. For physical activity, LumiHealth active participants have completed 32.9 million workouts since the programme started in October 2020. This works out to an average of over 20 workouts per participant per month, which is double the number of average workouts compared to before joining LumiHealth.
The groups with 'Low Activity' or have a higher body mass index (BMI) of 23 and above before joining LumiHealth, have increased their weekly exercise minutes by about 88% and 42%, respectively. 74% of participants completed mental wellbeing challenges, which increased their awareness and adoption of mental wellbeing management strategies.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will continue to various partner device and technology companies to offer technology-enabled population-wide initiatives like the National Steps ChallengeTM.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Offering Deferment of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination to Female Students Beyond Secondary 2","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"89 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Health with regard to the National School-based Human Papillomavirus (HPV) programme (a) what are the considerations for offering fully subsidised HPV vaccinations to only eligible Secondary 1 and 2 female students; (b) whether these students are permitted to defer their vaccination to a period after Secondary 2; and (c) if not, whether the Ministry will consider permitting such deferment in view of the benefits.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The HPV vaccination is nationally recommended for females aged nine to 26 years for prevention of cervical cancer. MOH offers fully-subsidised (free) HPV vaccination to all female Secondary 1 students as part of HPB’s school-based health programme. Most countries with school-based HPV vaccination programmes do so around this age, as early vaccination can produce a higher immune response and prior to onset of sexual activity.
Secondary school-aged female students who did not receive or complete their HPV vaccination in school can still receive free HPV vaccination at HPB’s Student Health Centre.
Under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule, free HPV vaccination is also available for Singaporean females aged 17 and below at Community Health Assist Scheme General Practitioner (CHAS GP) clinics and polyclinics. For Singaporean females 18 to 26 years of age, they can receive means-tested subsidies for the HPV vaccination at CHAS GP clinics and polyclinics as per the National Adult Immunisation Schedule. Information on this can be found on MOH website under Vaccination and Childhood Developmental Screening Subsidies (VCDSS).
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Bullying Cases Reported in Primary and Secondary Schools in Past Three Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"90 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Education (a) in 2021 and 2022 to date, what is the number of bullying cases reported in primary and secondary schools respectively; and (b) whether the number of bullying cases reported at these schools has risen compared to before 2021.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: MOE takes a serious view of bullying and works with schools to send a clear message to all students that hurtful behaviour has no place in our schools.
The number of bullying incidents reported to schools remains low and stable, at about two incidents per 1000 primary students and five incidents per 1000 secondary students in the past five years.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review of Curricula in Institutes of Higher Learning","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"91 Mr Abdul Samad asked the Minister for Education (a) when were the curricula of the Institutes of Higher Learning last reviewed; and (b) how often are such curricula reviewed.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) regularly review their course offerings and curricula, including aligning curricula to relevant skills frameworks and industry transformation maps where appropriate.
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics conduct annual reviews of curricula at individual course and module levels, with more in-depth institutional reviews of curricula and delivery of courses conducted around every three years. Programmes that adopt work-study modalities require partnership with industry, to co-develop the curriculum.
The Autonomous Universities (AUs) also conduct regular reviews of their course curricula through their academic advisory boards every two to five years. For courses in sectors such as Information and Communications Technology, reviews are conducted more frequently given the fast-changing nature of industry. All our institutions also benefit from the presence of industry leaders on their advisory panels, and feedback from economic agencies and industry associations.
MOE will continue to work with our institutions to meet future industry needs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Matching Salary Increments for Early Childhood Educators to Those for MOE Kindergarten Teachers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"94 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry intends to engage early childhood education operators to increase the salary of early childhood educators to minimally match the salary increases provided to MOE kindergarten teachers.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Over the past three years, educators’ salaries in government-supported preschools have increased by around 20% on average.
There is an ongoing salary review for Early Childhood (EC) educators which we expect to complete in the 4th quarter of 2022. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) intends to work with government-supported operators to implement the changes from 2023 onwards. The review will ensure our educators’ salaries are commensurate with their contributions and professional skills, while being competitive enough to attract and retain talent in the sector.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Fines on Bunkering Companies Found to be Non-compliant with Fuel Assurance Standards","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"96 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Transport whether there are any plans to (i) impose fines on bunkering companies that are found to be non-compliant with fuel assurance checks and measures, including the ISO 8217 standards and (ii) conduct spot checks on the bunker fuel supplied to ships from the Port of Singapore.
Mr S Iswaran: All bunker suppliers, bunker craft operators and their bunker craft, bunker surveyors, and bunker surveying companies operating in the Port of Singapore are required to be licenced by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
Under MPA’s licencing regime, the licence may be suspended or cancelled by MPA if the licensee contravenes any of its terms and conditions. Failure to comply with any condition of a licence is also an offence that can result in a fine not exceeding $5,000.
MPA will suspend or revoke the licences of licensees that contravene the terms and conditions of their licence, to send a strong signal to the industry that such contraventions will not be tolerated. Recently, MPA suspended the licence of bunker supplier Glencore Singapore Pte Ltd for two months (from 18 August 2022), for failing to ensure that no bunkers supplied by it were contaminated in the period of 22 March 2022 to 1 April 2022.
To maintain the quality of bunker supplied in the Port of Singapore, every licenced bunker supplier must comply with the \"Specification for Quality Management for Bunker Supply Chain\" Singapore Standard (SS 524), which covers the management system for the bunker supply chain from product procurement to delivery.
The Singapore Standard (SS 524) also requires that the quality of bunker supplied to vessels must conform to the international standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). In particular, the ISO 8217 on \"Petroleum Products - Fuels (class F) - Specifications of Marine Fuels\" is the international standard that was developed together with industry stakeholders and national standards bodies.
To monitor compliance with these quality requirements, MPA carries out regular sampling and testing of bunker fuel at the point that the fuel is supplied to vessels, as well as bunker fuel carried by bunker tankers. On average, more than 1,300 bunker samples are tested annually to verify their compliance with ISO 8217.
MPA’s robust regulatory regime for bunkering ensures the safety of ship and port operations. Industry bodies such as the International Chamber of Shipping, World Shipping Council, and the International Bunkering Industry Association have recognised the effectiveness of MPA’s monitoring and enforcement of its regulatory regime, and have encouraged other IMO Member States to implement similar licencing schemes.
Trust is critical to our competitiveness as a bunkering hub. MPA will continue to work hard to assure our partners of the quantity and quality of bunker fuel that they receive in the Port of Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Measures to Encourage Prudent Bidding of COEs for Motorcycles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"97 Mr Abdul Samad asked the Minister for Transport whether the measures to encourage prudent bidding of Certificates of Entitlement (COE) for motorcycles implemented in March 2022 has mitigated the rising COE price for motorcycles and, if so, how.
Mr S Iswaran: Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices are determined primarily by market forces of supply and demand. There has been strong and sustained demand for Category D COEs.
We introduced two changes in March 2022 to encourage prudent bidding. First, the bid deposit for Category D COEs has been raised from $200 to $800. Second, the validity period of Category D TCOEs has been shortened from six to three months.
Since these changes were made, the Category D COE quota premiums have been relatively stable compared to other categories. The most recent Category D quota premium, as of the first bidding exercise in September, was about 1% lower than before the implementation of the measures for Category D, namely, the first bidding exercise in March.
98 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether the SAF’s longstanding training exercises in overseas territories, including those in Northeast Asia, face disruption due to the recent tensions in that region; and (b) what is the Ministry doing to ensure that the SAF continues to have access to training grounds which are suitable for large-scale exercises and manoeuvres in order to meet the needs of the SAF.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: Singapore appreciates the training opportunities that foreign partners have provided to the SAF, that allow the conduct of exercises of a larger scale and complexity not possible locally due to limited land, sea or air space. These opportunities reflect the strong and steady defence relations with our foreign partners that have been built up over many years.
Short-term disruptions to overseas training spaces did occur in the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, but have now resumed to pre-COVID levels. The SAF does include some level of redundancy in its overall planning whether due to pandemics or other reasons, but thus far all our international partners have given their assurances that they will continue to provide the SAF with access to overseas training grounds for the foreseeable future.
100 Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Education with the shift to focusing on skillsets and other updated types of certifications, what are the reasons for listing GCE \"O\" Level grades in the SingPass app.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Some 12,000 individuals request a statement of their results from the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board every year, mostly for their GCE O-level results. This is for job applications or admissions to education institutions. With the launch of this digital service, individuals with Singpass would be able to retrieve and share these digital certificates from their Skills Passports in MySkillsFuture accounts. This provides customer convenience and raises administrative efficiency at the agencies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Observations with Resumption of National School Games This Year","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"101 Mr Mark Chay asked the Minister for Education whether there are any critical learnings or observations on the resumption of the National School Games this year with respect to the quality of competition and experience of students, teachers and schools.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: For this year’s National School Games (NSG), all 29 sports resumed but adjustments were made to ease our students back into competition, such as having a shorter playing duration, longer rest intervals, more substitutions and additional water breaks. These adjustments enabled students to participate safely and did not compromise the quality of the competition experience for the students. The number of participants this year is comparable to that of 2019 when the last full NSG was organised.
Despite the COVID disruptions, our students, teachers and coaches were highly motivated and prepared well for the competitions. Students were yearning to return to competitive sports, especially for those affected by partial suspension of NSG in the last two years. High spirits, great sportsmanship and the determination to give one’s best were observed during the games. \t\t\t
The standards observed at NSG this year are mixed when compared to previous years. Generally, older students who had continued training since October 2021 were able to demonstrate comparable competition standards. As CCA training for primary level resumed only in January 2022, it is understandable that we had observed a slight drop in competition standards among younger athletes for some sports. Nevertheless, given the enthusiasm and resilience observed among our student athletes, we are confident that they will be able to return to pre-COVID level of play next year.
Parents were equally excited to support and encourage their children’s participation. While teachers had the additional task of ensuring that Safe Management Measures were adhered to, they were happy to see their students’ growth in their area of passion and in social-emotional competencies.
The students demonstrated high levels of personal and social responsibility throughout the NSG. The lessons learnt during the pandemic and the NSG experience have contributed to the character development of our students.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Students on Overseas Attachments in Post-COVID-19 Landscape and When Smoking of Cannabis is Legalised in Some Countries","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"102 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Education (a) how many students have been sent abroad for overseas attachments this year; (b) whether such a number is comparable to a pre-COVID-19 year; (c) what is the average attachment duration; and (d) how are students briefed to prepare them for their attachments given the significant changes to the post-COVID-19 global landscape, and especially if they are going to countries where smoking cannabis is legal.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: With the easing of community and border restriction measures, the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have gradually resumed overseas exposure programmes for students. These programmes range from a few days to half a year, and include immersion programmes, academic trips, exchange programmes and internships.
For the Academic Year 2022, around 6,200 IHL students will participate in overseas exposure programmes. This translates to about 16% of the annual participants pre-COVID. We plan to ramp up the number of overseas exposure programmes significantly over the next couple of years.
As part of the pre-trip preparations to ensure that students are ready for their overseas exposure programmes, the IHLs brief students beforehand on key issues such as personal safety, travel insurance coverage and how to navigate the overseas environment. Students are also reminded to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and to abide by local laws and Singapore’s extra-territorial laws, which include prohibitions against the consumption of drugs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Traffic Offences, Licence Suspensions and Safety Retrainings amongst Private Hire Platform Drivers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"103 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Home Affairs in respect of drivers and private-hire platform drivers who have committed at least one traffic offence in the past five years (a) what is the number and percentage expressed as part of the total licensed population of drivers; and (b) what is the number of (i) licence suspensions after accumulating the full demerit points (ii) licence reinstatements after the drivers have served their suspension period and (iii) drivers who have attended the safety retraining at least once.
Mr K Shanmugam: Between 2017 and 2021, approximately 596,000 Class 3 and Class 3A license holders committed at least one traffic offence. These include offences such as speeding, running of red light, failing to wear a seatbelt, and crossing a double white line. This figure was approximately 29% of all Class 3 and Class 3A licence holders in the same time period. Traffic Police (TP) does not track the occupation of licence holders.
Among these 596,000 Class 3 and Class 3A licence holders, TP suspended 16,404 who had accumulated the threshold number of demerit points for license suspension. Of these, TP has reinstated 5,497 licences, after the suspension periods lapsed.
The Safe Driving Course is a voluntary programme to help motorists who have accumulated demerit points, but are not yet liable for suspension, improve their driving behaviour. The course was last revised in November 2017 to widen the eligibility criteria and raise the number of demerit points to be expunged from participants’ records. From November 2017 to June 2022, 48,053 motorists attended the course.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Applications for Permanent Residency and Citizenship for Spouses and Relatives of Singapore Citizens","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"104 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) for the past three years, what are the respective numbers of permanent residence and citizenship applications received per month; (b) of these numbers, how many applications were made by (i) spouses and (ii) relatives, of Singapore citizens; and (c) what are the respective success rates for these applications.
Mr K Shanmugam: Under the Family Ties Scheme (FTS), Singapore citizens can sponsor their spouses, unmarried minor children, and parents for Permanent Residence (PR) and Singapore Citizenship (SC).
We will set out the numbers, based on the PR and SC applications which were processed. From 2019 to 2021, under the FTS, an average of 9,500 PR applications per year were processed. Seven thousand and six hundred were from spouses of citizens, with 62% approved. Six hundred were from unmarried minor children of citizens, with 24% approved. One thousand and three hundred were from parents of citizens, with 2% approved.
From 2019 to 2021, under the FTS, an average of 7,000 SC applications per year were processed. Three thousand and five hundred were from spouses of citizens, with 90% approved. Three thousand and two hundred were from unmarried minor children of citizens, with 93% approved. Three hundred were from parents of citizens, with 28% approved.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Repatriation Costs for Foreign Domestic Workers and Work Permit Holders Who Leave after First Month of Employment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"105 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for Manpower (a) over the past five years, how many foreign domestic workers and work permit workers left their employment within the first month of employment in Singapore; (b) what percentage of these workers left on their own accord; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider the cost of repatriating these workers to be borne by the workers themselves instead of the employers or businesses.
Dr Tan See Leng: Over the past five years, an average of about 9,600 work permit holders, including migrant workers and migrant domestic workers (MDWs), had their employment terminated within the first month of employment and returned to their home country each year. This constitutes about 2.5% of all new work permit holders who entered Singapore each year.
While the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not collect comprehensive data on whether work permit holders left employment on their own accord, we understand that some work permit holders may end their employment shortly after starting work in Singapore. This could be due to unforeseen circumstances, such as changes in their family situation back home, or unanticipated challenges in adjusting to the new work environment in Singapore. Such a decision would not have been taken lightly as the work permit holders would have incurred financial costs and made sacrifices to leave their home country to work in Singapore. In situations where the work permit holders request to end their employment early, employers can approach their employment agencies for assistance to facilitate open communication with their workers to understand the concerns, and discuss options to resolve the issues amicably.
Regardless of how or when the employment relationship ends, employers are responsible for the cost of repatriating their work permit holders. This is to avoid a situation where the work permit holders, upon termination of their employment, are left stranded in Singapore without the means to return home. MOM has no plans to shift the cost of repatriation to the work permit holders.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Unintended Consequences from Legislating Right to Work from Home","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"106 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower what are the unintended consequences which the Ministry is concerned about as a result of legislating the right to work from home.
Dr Tan See Leng: Flexible Work Arrangements are increasingly important in the workplace today. More employees see Flexible Work Arrangements as an important criterion in job selection. Employers are also recognising the importance of Flexible Work Arrangements in the competition for talent amidst a tight labour market. This is a positive development.
The Member has asked about legislating the right to work-from-home, which is one of several types of Flexible Work Arrangements. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution in providing Flexible Work Arrangements as business needs differ across industries and roles. For instance, work-from-home is not practicable for certain roles, such as frontline work. Introducing legislation as suggested by the Member will introduce rigidities and this means that employers will not be able to decide which working arrangements best meet the needs of the business and other co-workers. Insisting that all companies here must allow work-from-home is not pragmatic given the differences across industries and firms and could end up stifling the growth and dynamism of our economy and economic opportunities for Singaporeans in the longer term.
Without allowing employers to reject on valid and objective grounds, we also risk reducing the employability of those employees perceived to be more likely to exercise this right to work-from-home, such as those with caregiving needs.
Countries such as UK, Australia and Netherlands, have legislated the right-to-request for Flexible Work Arrangements, including work-from-home, but not the definite right to Flexible Work Arrangements or work-from-home. This means that while employers must abide by certain processes when assessing requests for Flexible Work Arrangements, they have the prerogative to decide whether they can accede to the request.
MOM has studied this carefully. There is indeed merit in strengthening the processes for employers to assess employees’ request for Flexible Work Arrangements, but we should do so without creating a litigious workplace culture where everything is governed by law. Mutual trust is important for Flexible Work Arrangements to work, and we should provide the space for employers and workers to discuss and find an approach that works for both parties.
Hence, instead of legislation, Tripartite Partners are taking a more calibrated and supportive approach to promote Flexible Work Arrangements, including flexi-place, flexi-hours and flexi-load. As earlier announced this year, Tripartite Partners will introduce a new set of Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements by 2024. The Guidelines will require employers to fairly and properly consider Flexible Work Arrangement requests. This will assure employees that their requests for Flexible Work Arrangements will be seriously considered, while still allowing employers to assess Flexible Work Arrangement requests based on their business and operational needs.
In the meantime, to prepare employers for the Guidelines, Tripartite Partners will also continue to provide resources and training to equip companies with the know-how to implement Flexible Work Arrangements in an effective and sustainable manner, including in the areas of HR management practices and job redesign.
107 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for National Development (a) what has been the green cover for Singapore over the last five years; (b) what are the plans to further strengthen this greenery density; and (c) whether there is a specific green cover target for Singapore.
Mr Desmond Lee: Greening our city has always been a priority in the planning and development of Singapore. Today, we have safeguarded more than 7,800 hectares of green spaces in the form of nature reserves, nature parks, gardens and parks, and integrated greenery throughout the city. As a result of our greening efforts, Singapore’s green cover currently stands at over 40%.
Singapore is considered one of the world’s greenest cities today. For instance, the 'Green View' Index developed by MIT’s Senseable City Lab on its Treepedia platform shows that we are ahead of most cities, including those with lower population densities, in our provision of urban tree coverage.
We will continue to build on these efforts. For example, we will safeguard another 1,000 hectares of green spaces over the next 10 to 15 years. We are also planting one million more trees across Singapore by 2030, under the OneMillionTrees movement. Since the launch of the movement in April 2020, about 400,000 trees have been planted with the community, along our streets, in our parks, nature reserves and nature parks, and even industrial estates.
We take a holistic view in greening our urban environment. Our strategies go beyond green cover, to strengthen our ecological resilience and create a liveable and endearing home for Singaporeans.
In development planning, NParks requires tree planting within the green buffers and peripheral planting areas of developments, while URA’s Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises (LUSH) Programme ensures greenery is incorporated as part of new developments. NParks also works with HDB to ensure that new public housing estates are planned with green spaces, and provides incentive funding via the Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme to encourage building owners to retrofit vertical greenery and green roofs on existing buildings.
We are also increasing the intensity and quality of our existing green spaces. For example, NParks is incorporating lush vegetation and natural landscapes in our parks and gardens, and naturalising our waterways and waterbodies, such as at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Jurong Lake Gardens. This provides better habitats for our biodiversity and a more immersive experience of nature for Singaporeans, while bringing practical benefits such as improving flood resilience. NParks is also incorporating more therapeutic landscapes in our parks, and working with Town Councils and grassroots organisations to set up therapeutic gardens in the heartlands. These are specially designed and programmed to meet the physical, psychological and social needs of Singaporeans.
NParks is also planting native trees and plants in multi-tiered structures along our roads, which mimic the structure of our natural forests. This creates green corridors called Nature Ways that facilitate the movement of biodiversity like birds and butterflies across our island and strengthens ecological connectivity between our green spaces.
We will continue to engage our community to co-create green spaces and press on with our greening efforts to transform Singapore into a City in Nature in the years to come.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"More Comprehensive Insurance Coverage for HDB Homes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"108 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the total number of HDB flats damaged by fire over the past three years; (b) what percentage of these affected flats are covered only under the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme; (c) whether HDB can consider including insurance coverage for renovation, furniture and personal belongings under the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme; and (d) whether this comprehensive insurance coverage can be considered as an opt-out scheme for all HDB home owners.
Mr Desmond Lee: In the last three years, 369 fire incidents were reported to HDB. Of these, 218 (or 59%) had a valid HDB fire insurance policy. HDB does not track whether flat owners bought other forms of fire or home insurance.
Under the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme, all flat owners who take a mortgage loan from HDB are required to take up a fire insurance policy from the HDB’s appointed insurer and maintain it for the full duration of their loan. The HDB fire insurance policy provides basic coverage for the reinstatement cost of the building structures and fixtures provided by HDB in the event of a fire. This relieves HDB flat owners of the financial burden of repair work to their flat should a fire occur.
To keep the premium low and affordable, the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme does not cover home contents such as furniture, renovation, or loss of personal belongings. Flat owners who wish to take up additional insurance cover for home contents have the flexibility to do so with an insurer of their choice.
109 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry tracks the average prices of cooked food sold in (i) mature estates (ii) non-mature estates (iii) older coffeeshops and (iv) newer coffeeshops; and (b) if so, whether there are any systemic differences between (i) mature estates and non-mature estates and (ii) older coffeeshops and newer coffeeshops.
Mr Desmond Lee: The prices of cooked food vary from establishment to establishment, depending on various factors such as competition, local residential catchment, as well as menu items and cost of production. Some stalls also offer a wide variety on their menu that cater to different budgets.
To keep food prices at coffeeshops affordable, all HDB coffeeshops have been let out via Price-Quality tenders since September 2018. Under this approach, the Quality assessment includes aspects such as the availability of budget meals, good track record and community initiatives. Tenderers typically provide budget food options at every stall, and successful tenderers will need to propose lower prices for these options. Currently, prices for the budget meals under successful tenderers are around $3. HDB also monitors feedback on the performance of eating house operators. If there is persistent adverse feedback such as high food prices, high stall vacancies or disamenities to residents, HDB may decide not to renew their tenancy upon its expiry and where necessary, terminate the tenancy early.
HDB does not track the average price of food in our coffeeshops by (i) mature/non-mature estates and (ii) older/newer coffeeshops, but monitors the prices of cooked food at the national level through the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) compiled by the Department of Statistics. Data on average prices of common food items as well as indices for cooked food sold at hawker centres and food courts/coffeeshops are available at the Department’s website. These cover all such eating houses, and not just those under HDB. We seek to ensure that the market can provide a good range of affordable food options in our heartlands and will continue to review our measures to achieve this, including considering latest trends.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on \"Buy Now Pay Later\" Loans","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Derrick Goh asked the Prime Minister (a) what is the current total value of \"Buy Now Pay Later\" (BNPL) loans in Singapore; (b) what is growth rate of BNPL loans in the past 12 months; (c) whether an industry code for effective industry self-regulation will be developed; (d) whether the Government will consider requiring BNPL providers to report such loans to the Credit Bureau for financial players to properly assess consumers’ credit worthiness; and (e) what other measures are being considered to prevent over-indebtedness by consumers and over-lending by BNPL providers.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): \"Buy Now Pay Later\", or BNPL, transactions amounted to $440 million last year. This is up from $114 million in 2020. However, BNPL transactions remain very small compared to other means of consumer payment. They were much less than 1% of total credit card and debit card payments last year.
Under the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) guidance, the Singapore FinTech Association established a BNPL Working Group in March 2022 to develop a code of conduct (BNPL Code) for BNPL providers here. The Code is on track to be launched this year.
The BNPL Code will limit the extent of debt accumulation by consumers. Measures under consideration include suspending users from making further BNPL purchases once a payment is overdue, not charging compounding interest on outstanding amounts, and requiring a user creditworthiness assessment before the user can exceed a stipulated credit cap with a BNPL provider. BNPL providers are also exploring sharing with one another information on customers’ outstanding amounts and delinquency status to facilitate better assessments of their customers’ creditworthiness.
MAS will continue to monitor developments in the BNPL sector and work with the industry to address any risks to consumers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Effects of Increasing Childcare Leave on a Person's Employability","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Prime Minister (a) whether studies are undertaken on the effects of increasing childcare leave on a person’s employability; (b) if so, when will the results of the studies be available; and (c) if not, why not.
Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister): As mentioned in my reply to a similar Parliamentary Question from the Member last year, many factors affect the employability of working parents. We currently have no plans to conduct such studies as it would be challenging to isolate the impact of childcare leave alone on employability.
When considering proposals for increasing childcare leave, we work with tripartite partners to seek feedback from employers, who often cite concerns over the impact of leave provisions on business costs and operations. Empirically, the utilisation rates of existing leave provisions indicate that there remains social or workplace norms that prevent more working parents from benefiting from these leave provisions. We expect that these same employer concerns and workplace norms may impact worker employability, and it is more important to address these barriers directly.
We have taken a more balanced approach where childcare leave provisions are complemented by encouraging employers to adopt progressive workplace practices, such as Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs), which can support the diverse caregiving needs of employees including parents with young children. Such workplace practices can also strengthen businesses’ employee value proposition and operational resilience. We will continue to work with stakeholders to promote family-friendly workplace practices, and over time build a more sustainable work environment, where employees can better manage their work and family commitments.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Limits on Borrowing Costs for Secured and Unsecured Lending to Consumers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Prime Minister (a) what are the restrictions and quantitative limits around maximum interest rates, fees, and total borrowing costs for various classes of secured and unsecured lending to consumers; and (b) whether there are any plans to review such limits.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): MAS does not dictate interest rates and fees charged by financial institutions (FIs). These are commercial decisions that should be made by the FIs, as they bear the risks of lending. MAS has instead put in place safeguards and disclosure requirements, to enable consumers to make informed decisions and to encourage financial prudence.
For unsecured credit facilities to be extended to individuals, MAS sets a minimum annual income requirement of $20,000, and also limits the amount that each FI can lend, depending on the borrower's annual income. An individual's total unsecured borrowings across FIs are capped at his annual income. To prevent excessive debt accumulation, a borrower's access to unsecured credit facilities with his FI will be suspended if the debt is past due for 60 days or more.
For mortgages, MAS has put in place measures over the years that have enhanced households' resilience in servicing their loans, including through the current period of higher interest rates. These include the total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) framework and loan-to-value limits and loan tenure caps for mortgage borrowers.
MAS also expects all FIs to clearly disclose fees and interest charges for their credit products. For example, in the case of credit cards, FIs are required to provide the total amount, including principal, interest, fees and charges, and the projected time that the customer will take to fully pay off the entire outstanding balance if a borrower has not paid the prior month's bill in full. MAS also require FIs offering mortgages to provide a fact sheet to borrowers stating key loan features and explaining how a borrower's monthly mortgage instalments would vary under different interest rate scenarios.
This transparency helps consumers make informed decisions on whether and how much to borrow, and which product best suits their needs. We urge households to continue to exercise caution before taking up any new loans. Households should expect further interest rate increases over the next year at least, and be sure of their ability to service their loans before making long-term financial commitments. Borrowers facing difficulties repaying loans should also approach their lenders early to explore possible loan refinancing and repayment solutions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Public's Retail Exposure to Licensed Digital Payment Token Service Providers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Mr Derrick Goh asked the Prime Minister what is the current percentage of the public’s retail exposure to digital payment token service providers licensed by MAS.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): Data on the total cryptocurrency holdings of the Singapore public are not available, as these involve transactions with both Singapore-based and overseas service providers. It is therefore not possible to determine the proportion of cryptocurrency holdings that the public has obtained through MAS-licensed digital payment token (DPT) service providers.
MAS has continued to reiterate its warnings that retail investors should not trade in cryptocurrencies. The prices of cryptocurrencies fluctuate wildly and investors stand to lose all the monies they have put into cryptocurrencies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Raising Tax Relief Claimable under Working Mother's Child Relief Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the amount of tax relief claimable under the Working Mother's Child Relief scheme can be increased by raising the Personal Income Tax Relief cap from $80,000 to $100,000 for working mothers with children, to encourage growth in our national total fertility rate and support families who incur exponential expenses when raising and caring for many children.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The personal income tax relief cap was introduced to enhance the progressivity of Singapore's tax system. Today, we have 15 personal income tax reliefs, and each serves a worthy objective. But taken together, the total amount of reliefs claimed may unduly reduce the taxable income for a small group of taxpayers with high income.
The current relief cap of $80,000 affects only 1% of our tax residents. For the remaining 99% of tax residents, their cumulative tax reliefs do not exceed the cap. Nine in 10 mothers who claim the Working Mother's Child Relief (WMCR) are not affected by the cap. Eight in 10 mothers who claim WMCR on two or three children are similarly not affected by the cap. Given that the total reliefs of the vast majority of working mothers do not even reach the current cap of $80,000, raising the cap to $100,000 would not be of assistance to them.
Therefore, looking beyond tax reliefs, the Government provides a comprehensive suite of measures to support Singaporeans in parenthood. Many of these benefits have been enhanced over the years. These include:
(a) Baby Bonus Cash Gift of up to $10,000;
(b) Government contributions of up to $18,000 to the Child Development Account, comprising the $3,000 First Step Grant and up to $15,000 in Government matched co-savings;
(c) $4,000 MediSave Grant for newborns;
(d) Significant subsidies for education and healthcare for all children. For instance, all Singaporean children can receive over $180,000 of education subsidies by the time they turn 16 years old, including preschool;
(e) 16 weeks of Maternity Leave, two weeks of Paternity Leave, and up to six days of paid Child Care Leave per parent per year; and
(f) Concessionary Migrant Domestic Worker Levy.
The Government remains committed to supporting Singaporeans who want to get married and have children, and will continue to review our policies and schemes to build a Singapore that is Made for Families.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Annual Amount of Subsidies and Other Support Provided to Businesses in Past Three Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in the past three years (a) what is the annual amount of public funds provided by the Government to businesses in the forms of subsidies and support; and (b) what is the amount of Government-backed financing extended to businesses.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Government provided significantly more support to businesses in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, than in 2019 before COVID-19. Table 1 below provides the breakdown for the past three years.
7 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Defence with regard to the NS55 Recognition Package (NS55 RP) (a) what is the number of National Servicemen who are not eligible to receive the NS55 RP; (b) what is the number of complaints received about difficulties in claiming the credits; and (c) what measures have been taken to address the respective issues.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: This reply also addresses a similar question filed by Dr Tan Wu Meng for a future Sitting on the NS55 Recognition Package (NS55 RP).
The NS55 RP recognises National Servicemen for their contributions to Singapore's defence and security. The package comes with $100 worth of credits disbursed via the LifeSG mobile application and a complimentary one-year SAFRA or HomeTeamNS membership.
More than one million National Servicemen, past and present, were awarded the NS55 credits. Only about one percent of all National Servicemen were not eligible for the NS55 RP, primarily due to serious offences and disciplinary issues.
All eligible recipients have received their credits by end-July and as of end August, more than 50% of recipients have used some or all of their credits. About 47% of all credits issued have already been spent, which is much higher than the figure over the same period for the NS50 package in 2017, when hardcopy vouchers were distributed. The NS55 credit redemption service on LifeSG had an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
From 1 July to 31 August 2022, MINDEF's and MHA's call centres and email hotlines responded to about 8,000 calls and emails from National Servicemen who required assistance to redeem the credits or requested for hardcopy vouchers. This constitutes about 0.8% of all NS55 credit recipients. Digital ambassadors, who are deployed at accessible locations such as selected community centres and public libraries, as well as SAFRA and HomeTeamNS clubhouses, have also served about 16,000 walk-ins from members of the public, whose queries span a broad spectrum – from how to download the LifeSG app and navigate the credit redemption service, to what the NS55 recognition package entails and what the LifeSG app does.
National Servicemen who still prefer to convert their digital credits to hardcopy vouchers despite the various modes of assistance available will generally receive such vouchers within one month of their request. To date, there have been about 4,000 of such servicemen, or less than 0.4% of those eligible for the NS55 credits. These are primarily servicemen who do not have access to smartphones or are not comfortable with making digital payments, notwithstanding our offer of assistance.
The statistics above suggest that most recipients have generally found the digital credit disbursement and redemption process efficient and convenient. MINDEF and MHA will continue to review the feedback received and make improvements for our interactions with past and present National Servicemen.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Foreign Students' Applications to Study at Local Private School in Past Five Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in the past five years, how many foreign students' applications to study at a local private school have been rejected; and (b) what are the reasons for declining such applications when these foreign students have received offers by the local private schools to study there.
Mr K Shanmugam: From 2017 to 2021, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) received annually, an average of 52,700 applications for Student's Pass (STP) to study in private schools. A large majority – about 80% – were successful, while about 20% were rejected.
Securing a place in a school does not and cannot guarantee STP approval. ICA assesses each STP application holistically, and on its individual merits. For example, an applicant could be rejected because he has adverse records, or is unable to show that he has the ability to financially support himself for the duration of the course.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Fires in HDB Units Caused by Cluttered Homes in Last 10 Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) for the last 10 years, how many fires in HDB units are caused by cluttered homes; and (b) of these, what is the respective percentage of the units that are (i) public rental flats and (ii) two-room flexi flats.
Mr K Shanmugam: \tFrom January 2018 to August 2022, there were 4,535 fires in HDB units. The main causes of these fires were unattended cooking, indiscriminate disposal of lighted materials such as cigarette butts, and faulty electrical appliances. 15 of them also involved HDB units that had signs of hoarding-like behaviour.
Of these 15 fires, two involved public rental flats while none involved two-room flexi flats.
SCDF does not have information on the number of fires involving HDB units with signs of hoarding-like behaviour, prior to 2018.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reinstating Parents' Dialect Group in Child's Birth Certificate","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry can consider reinstating a parent's dialect group in a child's birth certificate to assist future generations of Singaporeans to check or verify such information.
Mr K Shanmugam: ICA has included parents' dialect in the digital birth certificate of a child from 1 September 2022. For digital birth certificates issued between 29 May and 31 August 2022, parents may re-download their child's digital birth certificate with the inclusion of the parents' dialect at no additional cost.
Besides the child's digital birth certificate, information relating to a person's dialect is available in SingPass. Singaporeans who have a SingPass account can access their dialect information under the Personal tab. For those below the age of 21, their dialect information can be found in their parents' SingPass profile, under the Family tab.
Those who wish to check the dialect of an individual can do so via the individual's SingPass, which is the authoritative source of the latest registered dialect information.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Parts 4 to 7 of Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) when does the Government intend to bring into force Parts 4 to 7 of the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act that apply to politically significant persons and political donations; and (b) whether the relevant Government department will issue compliance advice to guide political parties and individuals who are subject to the provisions.
Mr K Shanmugam: MHA is targeting to bring the provisions of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) relating to Politically Significant Persons (PSPs) into force in 2023.
MHA will notify PSPs prior to the commencement of the provisions, so that they have adequate time to make the necessary preparations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inclusion of Name of Stillborn Child in New Digital Birth Certificates","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the new digital birth certificates, which will be extended to stillborn children, will allow for the designation of a name for the stillborn child.
Mr K Shanmugam: Stillbirth registration does not provide for the official naming of the stillborn child. The registration process was designed this way for two reasons. First, names of stillborn children, like in abortions, are not required for the Government to administer public policies and programmes. Second, it allows the registration process to be fully automated without parents having to take any action. This is to alleviate any administrative burden while they may still be grieving. These improvements to the registration process for the public, and associated changes in ICA's systems, were implemented in May this year, following the recent amendments to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act.
To change the current stillbirth registration process to include the name of a stillborn child will require further process and system changes. That said, MHA recognises that some parents may wish to name their stillborn children. We will study the feasibility and pros and cons, during our next review of the policy and process, including alternative options such as a commemorative birth certificate.
Thus far, the ICA has received only one request to do so.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enhancing Transaction Safety on Social Media and E-commerce Platforms","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"13 Dr Shahira Abdullah asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether there is an update from the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams (IMCS) on the measures that will be introduced to (i) regulate or improve user identification and authentication and (ii) enhance transaction safety of social media and e-commerce platforms; and (b) whether there is data on the uptake of ScamShield launched in November 2020 and its effectiveness in preventing scams.
Mr K Shanmugam: To secure e-commerce transactions from scams, in May 2022, the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams launched the E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings (TSR), and worked with industry stakeholders including e-commerce marketplaces, payment service and logistics providers to launch the revised national standards for e-commerce transactions in Technical Reference 76 (TR 76).
The TSR informs consumers on the transaction safety of major e-commerce marketplaces in Singapore – Amazon, Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, Carousell and Facebook Marketplace. E-commerce marketplaces are assigned an overall safety rating, ranging from one to four ticks, based on the anti-scam measures they have in place to ensure (a) user authenticity, (b) transaction safety, (c) availability of loss remediation channels for their consumers, and (d) effectiveness of their anti-scam measures. Amazon, Lazada and Qoo10 were awarded the highest rating of four ticks, as they had all critical anti-scam measures in place. The TSR also provides advisories on safety features that consumers can look out for when transacting online, as well as specific features provided by each e-commerce marketplace. Further details on the TSR can be found at the following link: https://www.mha.gov.sg/ecommerce-marketplace-transaction-safety-ratings.
The revised TR 76 includes additional guidelines targeted at e-retailers and e-commerce marketplaces to ensure merchant authenticity and improve transaction security. Examples include verifying merchant information against Government records, and implementing post-purchase protection mechanisms such as secured escrow payment options. The TR 76 is available for viewing at the following link: https://www.singaporestandardseshop.sg/Covid19/Desktop.
The additional guidelines in TR 76 are part of the safety features rated in the TSR. Together, TSR and TR 76 aim to raise consumer and industry awareness, and encourage the use of safety features and good practices when transacting online. While the additional anti-scam guidelines in TR 76 are not mandatory, they were developed through consensus by a multi-stakeholder Working Group that included e-commerce marketplace representatives. MHA will monitor the situation and assess whether further measures, including regulations, are required.
As of 31 July 2022, more than 300,500 users have downloaded the ScamShield app, which is currently only available on the iOS platform. More than 5.1 million SMSes have been reported, and over 24,500 phone numbers believed to be used for scam calls have been blocked.
The National Crime Prevention Council and GovTech are working to launch the Android version of ScamShield by this month. We encourage the public to make full use of the ScamShield app to protect themselves from scams.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enhancing Penalties for Drink Driving Offences","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"14 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) when were penalties for driving under the influence of drink last reviewed and enhanced; and (b) whether there had been significant reduction in drink driving offences since the enhancement.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Government last reviewed and enhanced the penalties for drink driving offences in July 2019. The enhancements were brought into force in November 2019.
In 2019, there were 2,051 drink driving offences and 162 accidents attributed to drink driving. The number of offences fell to 1,576 in 2020, and further to 1,470 in 2021. In 2020, there were 146 accidents attributed to drink driving, and this increased slightly to 155 in 2021.
The decreases may be because of lower road traffic volumes during the pandemic. A longer period of monitoring will be required in order to make any meaningful assessment.
15 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Trade and Industry how has the pandemic affected Singapore's nominal wage growth and nominal national productivity.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Nominal productivity1 declined by 0.4%, while nominal income2 declined by 0.6% in 2020. This was a reversal from the previous 10 years (i.e. 2009 to 2019), when nominal productivity and income rose by 4.1% and 4.5% per annum, respectively.
As economic activity and the labour market recovered from the pandemic, nominal productivity and nominal income rebounded by 9.5% and 3.2% respectively in 2021. In level terms, nominal productivity and nominal income had recovered to 9.0% and 2.6% above their respective pre-pandemic (i.e. 2019) levels by 2021.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : This refers to nominal value-added per actual hour worked.","2 : This refers to median gross monthly income from work (including employer CPF) of full-time employed residents."],"footNoteQuestions":["15"],"questionNo":"15"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Retail Properties Owned by Government and Government- and Temasek-linked Entities and Companies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Ministry has data on the percentage of retail properties that are owned by (i) the Government and (ii) Government- and Temasek-linked entities and companies; and (b) if so, what are they.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) does not have data on the percentage of retail properties owned by the Government, Government- and Temasek-linked entities and companies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Position on Deep Seabed Mining and Cost and Benefit of Moratorium on Such Activities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"17 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Government has any plans to reassess its position on deep seabed mining and evaluate the cost and benefit of a moratorium on deep seabed mining activities.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Implementation Agreement (IA) for Part XI of UNCLOS set out the legal framework and obligations for deep seabed mining and related activities in the areas of the seabed, ocean floor and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), established under UNCLOS and IA, regulates all such activities.
Singapore is a member of the ISA Council, which is developing the rules, regulations and procedures (RRPs) for exploitation activities, to ensure that any such activity, if and when permitted, is done without harming the marine environment. We fully support the adoption of robust, clear and comprehensive RRPs by the Council before any exploitation activity is authorised to commence. Singapore is firmly committed to safeguarding the health of the ocean and will ensure that any activities carried out by our companies are consistent with international laws, including the RRPs adopted by the ISA.
Through a notification which took effect on July 2021, the Republic of Nauru requested that the ISA finalise the RRPs within two years (i.e. by July 2023) as provided for under UNCLOS and the IA. As a responsible member of the ISA Council, Singapore will participate actively, and contribute to the development and adoption of the RRPs.
18 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry for each year from the date the schemes were established until 31 August 2022, how many foreign PMEs held the (i) EntrePass and (ii) Tech.Pass respectively.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: EntrePass was introduced in end-2003 as a visa for foreign entrepreneurs to start and operate a new business in Singapore. In its first decade, to boost entrepreneurial spirit in Singapore, pass holders from diverse sectors were supported. There were typically 1,000 to 2,000 EntrePass holders at any point during those years. In 2013, the scheme was repositioned to focus only on entrepreneurs from innovative businesses to reflect our shift towards a knowledge-based economy. Over the next four years, the number of EntrePass holders fell to around 200 to 400.
In August 2017, to strengthen Singapore’s positioning as the Global-Asia Node of Technology, Innovation and Enterprise and a leading startup location, the EntrePass scheme was enhanced to facilitate the entry and stay of experienced serial entrepreneurs, experienced investors and high-calibre innovators of disruptive or venture-backed startups. EntrePass is granted for one to two years, with passholders subjected to increasing local job creation and business spending renewal requirements every two years.
As at 31 July 2022, there are currently around 700 EntrePass holders in Singapore, of which more than half are renewed passholders, and the remainder first-time passholders.
Tech.Pass was introduced in January 2021 as a visa that targets highly accomplished global tech entrepreneurs, business leaders and technical experts. As at 31 July 2022, EDB has approved around 250 unique Tech.Pass applications.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Singaporean PMEs Placed on Global Ready Talent Programme Since Establishment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry for each year from the date the Global Ready Talent Programme was established until 31 August 2022, how many Singaporean PMEs have been placed in the programme.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Global Ready Talent Programme (GRT) was launched in 2019 to support businesses in providing more local and overseas internship placements for students, as well as overseas work placements for management associates (MAs) comprising fresh graduates or young talent with less than three years of work experience.
Despite COVID-19 travel restrictions in the last two years, approximately 18,500 local interns and MAs have benefitted from the GRT since its launch, of which over 80% were in Professional, Manager, Executive and Technician (PMET)-type roles (see Table 1 for breakdown). We encourage more companies to come onboard GRT to grow their pipeline of global ready talent.
20 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Trade and Industry since the Tech.Pass was opened for application in January 2021 (a) how many applications have been received; (b) of these, how many have been approved; (c) what is the median and mean monthly salary of the successful applicants; and (d) what metrics are being tracked to measure the contribution of Tech.Pass holders to Singapore.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Introduced in January 2021, the Tech.Pass is a visa that targets highly accomplished tech entrepreneurs, business leaders, and technical experts. The eligibility criteria is stringent. Tech.Pass candidates must meet at least two out of three criteria, which include having a fixed monthly salary of at least S$20,000 a month, having at least five cumulative years of experience in a leading role in a sizeable tech firm, or having at least five cumulative years of experience in a leading role in the development of a tech product that has at least 100,000 monthly active users. As at 31 July 2022, EDB has received more than 450 applications, of which around 250 have been approved. The median monthly income of Tech.Pass holders is around S$30,000.
The Tech.Pass is only valid for two years in the first instance. To be eligible for renewal, existing pass holders must make contributions to our economy and the creation of job opportunities for the tech ecosystem. They must meet either the assessable income requirement or specific requirements on total annual business spending and job creation for Singaporeans. Pass holders must also have contributed to Singapore’s tech ecosystem by having taken on at least two roles. These roles could include having founded a tech company in Singapore; served as a lecturer in an Institute of Higher Learning; invested in one or more Singapore based tech companies; or served on Boards of Directors of a Singapore company.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Pro-Enterprise Panel's Help to Businesses in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"21 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how has the Pro-Enterprise Panel helped businesses in Singapore; and (b) what are the future plans for the panel.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) is a private-public panel chaired by the Head of Civil Service. The PEP seeks to enable a business-friendly environment by regularly reviewing Government rules and regulations to encourage innovation, streamline processes and minimise compliance costs for businesses. Since its inception in 2000, the PEP has initiated more than 1,100 changes in rules or regulations across various industries and domains.
For example, PEP fostered collaborations between the private and public sectors led to the development of the Gobusiness portal, a one stop portal that allows users to gain access to over 300 Government-to-Business services, such as registering a business and applying for licences and grants.
The PEP also facilitated the introduction of novel business ideas like Drive lah’s peer-to-peer car sharing model, The Gym Pod, a 24/7 pay-per-use unmanned container gyms in parks and HDB Estates, and the Shipping Container Hotel, who have just launched their third venue at Gardens by the Bay.
We are in an era where new technologies and business models emerge constantly to disrupt traditional ones. Going forward, the PEP will focus greater attention on making our regulations more agile and smart to enable businesses to seize new opportunities while safeguarding public safety and interest.
Together with our PEP members, agencies, and industry partners, we will create an environment in Singapore for businesses to grow and innovate.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Effect of US' CHIPS and Science Act on Singapore's Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"22 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the implications of the CHIPS and Science Act that was passed in the United States in August 2022 on Singapore’s semiconductor manufacturing industry, considering the recent reports by the Economic Development Board about the shrinking manufacturing output in Singapore; and (b) what are the long-term plans for the sector if global demand for semiconductors remain low.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The semiconductor sector is currently our largest manufacturing segment, contributing 7% of our GDP in 2021. Notwithstanding the 4.1% year-on-year decline in semiconductor manufacturing output in July 2022, the sector has grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.6% over the past 10 years. We expect medium-to-long term growth in the semiconductor industry to be robust given the megatrends of automation, industrial Internet of Things, 5G and Artificial Intelligence.
However, we expect global competition for semiconductor investments to intensify, for economic and strategic reasons. The CHIPS and Science Act is an example of how other countries are introducing measures to attract semiconductor investments. Under the Act, a total of US$52.7 billion in subsidies is earmarked to support semiconductor manufacturing and research, of which US$39 billion is dedicated to subsidising the building of new fabs in the US. Spurred by the recent passing of the Act, companies such as Intel have announced plans to increase semiconductor production in the US.
We must maintain our competitive position in the face of such challenges. But we cannot compete on the basis of financial incentives alone. Our strong fundamentals, including our stability, robust intellectual property protection regime, and skilled workforce, have allowed us to develop and grow the semiconductor sector over the decades. To support the growth in the sector, the Government has continued to partner key companies across the value chain, many of whom are global leaders in the sector, to invest in leading edge manufacturing capacities and workforce training in Singapore. Recent investments by Globalfoundries, UMC, Siltronics, and Pall Corporation are testament to the strong partnership that we have built with the industry leaders. We also work with partner manufacturers to conduct complementary activities in Singapore, including in R&D and supply chain management, to diversify their base of activities and deepen their operations here. In addition, we are also working with them to address their longer-term challenges, including to achieve their sustainability ambitions. Collectively, we believe that these strategies will allow Singapore to continue to grow and develop the sector, to ensure we remain a critical node in the global semiconductor value chain amidst the intensified competition.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Reduce COE Price Volatility and Encourage Switch to Electric Vehicles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"23 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will consider creating a new category of Certificate of Entitlement (COE) for vehicles used solely for point-to-point transportation to alleviate the vehicle cost or vehicle rental cost to point-to-point transportation workers; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry will outline the requirements for this COE category.
24 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Transport whether the Government will consider a new model of a Certificate of Entitlement targeted specifically at encouraging the switch to electric vehicles.
25 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Transport (a) since the adjustments to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system in August 2022, whether quarter-on-quarter volatility of COE supply has been reduced as intended; (b) if so, whether COE prices has stabilised; and (c) if not, what other measures are being explored to stabilise COE prices.
26 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Transport in light of the persistently high COE prices despite LTA's adjustment to the method for computing COE quota available for bidding from August 2022, whether the Government will consider reviewing the possibility of removing the need for Category E (Open Category) COEs as it is almost exclusively used for large cars.
Mr S Iswaran: In land-scarce Singapore, along with the need to control traffic congestion, we limit our vehicle population and allocate the quota through the Vehicle Quota System (VQS), where bidders bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) which is required to register a vehicle.
COE prices reflect the supply and demand for vehicles. Recently, with less vehicles reaching 10 years of age, there have been fewer de-registrations and a consequent fall in the supply of COEs. On the other hand, demand from individuals and companies, including point-to-point (P2P) service providers, has remained resilient. With lower supply and strong underlying demand, COE prices have increased.
Creating additional COE categories, be it for Private Hire Cars (PHCs) or Electric Vehicles (EVs), will further fragment the market, reduce the available supply in each category, and increase price volatility. PHCs are essentially no different from privately owned cars except that they have the flexibility and autonomy to take passengers thereby augmenting our supply of P2P vehicles. Establishing a separate category for PHCs with rules such as requiring a minimum number of trips to prevent abuse would be difficult to enforce and adds to the compliance cost for PHC operators, drivers, and ultimately consumers.
For EVs, instead of using the VQS system which would be the wrong policy tool for this purpose, we have schemes that directly incentivise the adoption of EVs. The EV Early Adoption Incentive and the enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme, when taken together, provides a rebate of up to $45,000 off the upfront cost of purchasing an electric car.
The Open Category E mechanism provides the necessary flexibility in the VQS to accommodate changes in demand for different categories of vehicles. Removing Category E would merely reduce this flexibility to respond to changes in demand patterns without any impact on the underlying demand.
\tThe Land Transport Authority (LTA) continues to study ways to improve the COE system. In March this year, to encourage more prudent bidding, we increased the bid deposit for Category D COEs from $200 to $800 and shortened the validity period of temporary COEs from six to three months. In August, to reduce the quarter-on-quarter volatility in quota supply, LTA adjusted the method for computing the COE quota available for bidding. As a result, the quota for the August to October 2022 quarter was lower than that for the May to July 2022 quarter by 11.5% as opposed to 21.4% had the revision not been made.
LTA will continue to monitor the VQS and market situation closely.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Erection of Noise Barrier from Bukit Batok MRT Station to Tunnel in Direction of Bukit Gombak","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"27 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Transport whether LTA will consider erecting a railway noise barrier from Bukit Batok MRT station to the tunnel in the direction of Bukit Gombak MRT station to deal with the increased noise level from the MRT track owing to an \"echo effect\" arising after the erection of noise barriers from the other end of Bukit Batok MRT station to Bukit Batok Street 22 in the direction of Jurong East MRT station.
Mr S Iswaran: Noise barriers along rail viaducts consist of panels which absorb noise generated from the train movement and should not cause an echo effect in any direction.
Regarding the rail viaduct segment between Bukit Batok Station and the tunnel highlighted by Mr Murali, LTA and SMRT conducted on-site investigation and discovered a track defect that was causing abnormal noise when trains pass through. Track rectification works were carried out on 23 August 2022. Since then, the measured noise level has reduced and is below NEA's current noise criterion of 67 decibels averaged over an hour. LTA and SMRT will monitor the noise level around the area regularly and rectify any track defects promptly.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Need for Taxi Commuters to Wear Masks to Protect Older Taxi Drivers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"28 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider requiring taxi commuters to wear masks to protect taxi drivers above the age of 60.
Mr S Iswaran: The Multi-Ministry Task Force announced that, from 29 August 2022, mask-wearing is not mandatory, except in indoor settings where essential services are carried out in enclosed and crowded areas, which are frequently used by vulnerable persons. These settings include public transport (i.e., public bus and MRT/LRT services, indoor public transport facilities). Mask-wearing is not required on point-to-point (P2P) transport as the nature of P2P trips is different from public bus and MRT/LRT train journeys. For example, P2P trips are usually done with an individual passenger or in small groups.
However, while no longer mandatory, P2P drivers and passengers can continue to wear masks if they choose to, particularly those who are elderly or immunocompromised. Drivers can also continue with measures to safeguard their health and safety, such as winding down the windows when ferrying passengers with flu-like symptoms and regularly disinfecting their vehicles. We urge drivers and passengers to continue to be personally and socially responsible.
29 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with regard to the Inflation Reduction Act that was enacted by the United States (US) in August 2022 (a) how will this Act and its projected impact on carbon emissions affect our Singapore Green Plan 2030 and its targets; and (b) how will this Act contribute towards the US-Singapore Climate Partnership to grow our efforts on sustainability and low-carbon solutions.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Biden administration has committed US$369 billion (S$516 billion) in energy and climate spending over 10 years. This is a large investment by the US to tackle climate change. Our agencies will identify opportunities for collaboration with the US. Given the US’s technological leadership, these could include investment in shared priorities such as clean energy and low-carbon solutions, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), and green technologies.
Singapore has also stepped up climate change cooperation with the US under the US-Singapore Climate Partnership announced by PM Lee Hsien Loong and US Vice President Kamala Harris in August last year. The Climate Partnership is a useful platform for bilateral cooperation on areas including quality carbon credit markets, sustainable finance, energy transitions, clean energy infrastructure development, and sustainable transport.
It also has synergies with other initiatives that Singapore and the US are working closely together on. These include the bilateral US-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation (PGI) launched in October 2021, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) launched in May 2022. Singapore will continue to work with the US to identify opportunities to strengthen our collaboration through the Climate Partnership and other bilateral and regional initiatives. As a living plan, the Singapore Green Plan will be regularly reviewed as new technologies and solutions present us with new options.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enforcement Actions Against Table Littering at Public Dining Spaces Since Implementation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"30 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment since the implementation of enforcement action against table littering at public dining spaces (a) what is the number of warnings, fines and court fines that have been issued to diners who do not return their trays; and (b) what is the breakdown of these errant diners by age group.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency (NEA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) started enforcing against table littering in hawker centres from 1 September 2021, and in coffeeshops and food courts from 1 January 2022 respectively. After a year, the returning of trays and used crockery has now become the prevalent practice. The average Tray and Crockery Return Rate (TCRR) has improved from 65% in August 2021 to close to 90% in our hawker centres. Similarly, for coffeeshops and food courts, the TCRR is also at around 90% today. Diners have been cooperative, with many taking the initiative to return their trays and used crockery after their meals. We would like to thank our stakeholders, including diners, stallholders, cleaners and premises operators, for their strong support in maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of public dining spaces.
For the small number of diners who do not clear their trays, used crockery, and litter, enforcement officers will advise them to do so in the first instance. Only diners who refuse to heed the enforcement officers' advice will be issued written warnings if it was their first offence, or issued fines or charged in Court for subsequent offences. As of 28 August 2022, two written warnings have been issued to diners for refusing to heed enforcement officers' advice to return their used crockery. The two diners were between 60 to 75 years old, and were observed to be physically fit. So far, no diners have been issued with fines or charged in Court for table littering.
We hope that diners will continue to exercise social responsibility and return their trays and used crockery, so that we can together nurture this into a social norm and make Singapore a cleaner and more gracious society.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Improper Disposal of Fishing Gear on Oceans and Marine Life","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"31 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the National Action Strategy on Marine Litter considers discarded fishing gear including abandoned gill nets, lead fishing weights and hooks as marine litter; (b) whether the impact of such items on the oceans and marine life are monitored; and (c) whether stronger regulation towards the use and disposal of these items will be considered.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Action Strategy on Marine Litter (NASML) was published in June 2022 and represents a major milestone in Singapore’s efforts to tackle marine litter. Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) has been the subject of growing attention due to the impact it has on the environment and marine life. Studies have shown that the impact of ALDFG has increased in the past decades, in part due to the expansion of commercial fishing activities and fishing grounds. In Singapore, ALDFG is a relatively minor concern, given Singapore’s small commercial fishing industry. This is why the issue of ALDFG was not included in the NASML.
This does not mean Singapore has not taken steps to address ALDFG. There are ground-up initiatives that seek to monitor our shorelines and reef environments to document and remove marine debris, including ALDFG, on a regular basis.
There are also efforts to protect our native marine biodiversity from ALDFG. NParks encourages members of the public to carry out responsible recreational fishing at designated fishing spots, using more sustainable fishing methods. Net fishing and the use of wire mesh traps are not allowed in areas managed by NParks, and signages have been put up at popular recreational fishing areas to educate fishers and encourage best practices. NParks is also working closely with fishing communities to promote responsible fishing.
32 Dr Shahira Abdullah asked the Minister for Education whether the changes to the Primary One registration framework have achieved their objective of reducing the number of schools that require balloting.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: This year’s changes to the Primary One Registration Framework were not intended to reduce balloting in our primary schools. Instead, by doubling the number of reserved places in Phase 2C from 20 to 40 places, more children with no prior connection were able to obtain a place in a school near where they live.
33 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Education with regard to the persistently high levels of oversubscription for Primary 1 places at Princess Elizabeth Primary School after new housing developments in the area were completed leading to children of families within walking distance being balloted out, whether the Ministry will build an additional primary school in the vicinity soon.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Education (MOE) studies the local demand and supply trends for primary school places carefully, taking into account current and projected changes in local demography, for example when significant new housing developments are added to existing estates. We are mindful not to create new schools too quickly, as they may end up cannibalising existing schools. Neither do we plan new schools on the basis of one or two existing schools with high levels of oversubscription, as school places have to be planned on a regional basis.
For Bukit Batok specifically, there were about 200 Primary 1 (P1) places remaining in Lianhua Primary and Bukit View Primary (around 14% of total planned P1 places in Bukit Batok) at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary) in this year's P1 Registration Exercise, which is slightly higher than the 130 P1 places (or 10%) remaining in last year's P1 Registration Exercise. Both schools are about 1.5 kilometres away from Princess Elizabeth Primary. There are hence sufficient primary school places in the region for now.
Nonetheless, we would like to assure Mr Murali that we have been closely monitoring the trends, including the significant projected demand for P1 places from the planned housing developments in the coming years. We have factored this into our on-going planning process, and are close to finalising our plans and will provide details once ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Full-fee Paying vs Tuition Grant-receiving Non-Singaporean Students in Government-funded Autonomous Universities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"34 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current number of non-Singapore citizen students in each Government-funded autonomous university; (b) what are the absolute number and percentage of non-Singapore citizen students who are paying full fees versus those receiving tuition grants; and (c) whether the Ministry has similar data on autonomous universities in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and, if so, how do the data compare with each other.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The proportion of International Students (ISes) enrolled in the Autonomous Universities (AUs) at undergraduate level has remained at around 10% in recent years, while the proportion of Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) has been less than 5%.
The proportion of ISes in the AUs who are paying full fees has been around 20%. The remainder are recipients of tuition grants, which require them to work in Singapore for at least three years upon graduation, as part of their service obligation.
The proportion of international students and fees that they pay varies across other countries, and some may also administer financial aid. We do not track the data.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Steps Taken to Ensure Affordability of Food Sold in School Canteens","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"35 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the steps taken to ensure the affordability of food prices at school canteens, especially for students from lower income families; and (b) whether the food portions in school canteens are monitored or maintained even as prices remain the same.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Schools monitor canteen food quality, food portions, and prices based on guidelines provided by MOE, to ensure that canteen food meets the nutritional needs of our students, and that prices are affordable for students and sustainable for canteen vendors. We are aware that some canteen vendors may try to hold off price increases by shrinking portion sizes, and schools do step in and work with vendors as necessary.
We regularly review the school meal subsidies for our primary and secondary students from low-income families so that they can afford school canteen meals, even as prices rise because of inflation. We have recently announced that the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) will be enhanced by 20% to 30%, from January 2023. Beyond the MOE FAS, schools are given additional funds so that they can provide further assistance to students from lower income households who need more help. Households who need additional support for school meals, including those who have exceeded the MOE FAS income eligibility criteria, can approach schools for school-based assistance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Outcome of Investigations by Office of Public Guardian under Mental Capacity Act","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"36 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Social and Family Development with regard to investigations conducted by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) under the Mental Capacity Act, in each of the past three years (a) how many have been in relation to the conduct of donees and deputies and the way they exercised their powers; (b) what are the types of violations found and how many are there; and (c) what actions have been taken by the OPG against the errant donees and deputies.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: From 2019 to 2021, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) received 46 reports alleging misconduct by donees and deputies in the exercise of their powers.
Of these 46 reports, about half (21) involved misunderstandings or disputes between the loved ones of the person under the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) or deputyship, and the Public Guardian guided the parties to resolve their differences amicably or seek legal recourse if they were unable to do so.
For 11 cases, there was either insufficient evidence of abuse or the Public Guardian had no jurisdiction over the case as the donors had mental capacity. No further action was taken in these cases.
In seven cases, the Public Guardian found that the donees or deputies did not adhere to good practices in managing the property and affairs of the person under LPA or deputyship. The cases were placed under closer supervision by the Public Guardian, to ensure compliance with their responsibilities as donees or deputies.
In a small number of cases (4), the Public Guardian detected evidence of fraud or financial mismanagement. Of these four cases, one was referred to the police for criminal action to be taken, two cases involved the donee and/or deputy making restitution upon instruction from the Public Guardian, and in the remaining case, the Public Guardian successfully applied to the Court to revoke the appointment of the deputy.
Three cases are still under investigation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Review of ComCare Eligibility Criteria","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"37 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether he can provide an update on the review of ComCare eligibility criteria; (b) as Social Service Offices may exercise flexibility when providing financial assistance, whether the Ministry has data on the annual number of families and individuals who did not satisfy the eligibility criteria but were provided ComCare assistance nonetheless, in the past three years; and (c) if so, what is the amount disbursed.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: MSF is reviewing the income eligibility criteria for ComCare this year as part of our regular review every two to three years. The income eligibility criteria is not a hard threshold to qualify for assistance – our Social Service Offices (SSOs) assess applicants' needs and exercise flexibility when providing financial assistance.
From 2019 to 2021, SSOs exercised flexibility to provide ComCare assistance to more than 700 households, or 2,400 individuals who did not meet the income eligibility criteria. Close to $1 million in ComCare cash assistance for daily living needs, assistance for rental and utilities expenses and service and conservancy charges (S&CC), was disbursed to these households over the period. The quantum of cash assistance is determined based on the assessed shortfall in the household's income to meet basic living expenses. These households are also automatically eligible for assistance for medical bills, and could have received other targeted assistance such as the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme, subsidies for preschool and public rental housing, and broad-based transfers such as the Workfare Income Supplement and Silver Support.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Training of Staff Manning Suicide Counselling Hotlines in Handling Cases Involving Children","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"38 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry regulates and trains volunteers and staff manning suicide counselling or responder hotlines on the appropriate handling of cases especially when it involves children.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) operates a 24-hour hotline which provides suicide counselling and response. The hotline is funded by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS).
SOS has a selection process for staff and volunteers. Upon selection, staff and volunteers undergo a rigorous hotline training programme which includes e-learning modules, lessons by experienced trainers and one-to-one supervised learning. They are required to undergo a final assessment before deployment.
When deployed, volunteers manning the hotlines are overseen by a staff member who can assist with more complex cases. Volunteers and staff also undergo refresher training to ensure that standards are maintained.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Ensure Supply Chain Resilience for Over-the-counter Medication in Retail Pharmacies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"39 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health (a) what measures are in place to ensure supply chain resilience for over-the-counter medication to treat fever, cough and cold in retail pharmacies; and (b) whether the reported supply shortages at some retailers have affected the implementation of current policy on encouraging persons with COVID-19 with mild symptoms to self-isolate and recover at home.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Ministry of Health (MOH) maintains a stockpile of medication to treat fever, cough and cold from multiple countries and suppliers. These supplies can be released to retailers in the event of a widespread shortage.
When COVID-19 cases were high, there had been shortages reported for specific brands of these medications at certain retail outlets. These shortages are temporary, as retailers are bringing in additional supplies. Alternative brands remain available for these medications.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Payment of Claims by Integrated Shield Plan Policyholders for Care at Healthcare Institutions","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"40 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health for each year from 2019 to 2021 (a) how many Integrated Shield Plan (IP) policyholders have submitted claims for care at (i) public healthcare institutions and (ii) private healthcare facilities respectively; and (b) what proportion of such bills are respectively paid (i) initially by the policyholder with the IP insurer later providing reimbursement or (ii) by a Letter of Guarantee or pre-authorisation and so did not require upfront payment.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: From 2019 to 2020, there were on average around 330,000 Integrated Shield Plan (IP) inpatient and day surgery claim episodes at public healthcare institutions (PHIs) each year, and around 130,000 at private healthcare institutions. Data on the number of claim episodes involving upfront payment is not available.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Fitness Activities and Participants Registered at Residents Network Clusters","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"41 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health for each of the years from 2019 to 2022 to date (a) what is the average monthly number of fitness activities that each Residents Network Cluster (RNC) is registered for; (b) what is the average monthly number of participants in these fitness activities; and (c) what is the maximum number of fitness activities each RNC can register for.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Residents Network under the People’s Association (PA) works closely with partners in the community to offer a variety of physical activity programmes. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) is one such partner, amongst many others.
Physical activity sessions organised by HPB across all Residents Network each month averaged 3,100 in 2019, 2,400 in 2020, 800 in 2021 and 3,200 in 2022 up to the month of June.
The average monthly number of participants in these physical activities was 82,100 in 2019, 55,600 in 2020, 11,300 in 2021 and 39,000 in 2022 up to the month of June.
HPB works with Resident Networks and community partners to organise programmes on the ground based on demand and geographical spread. There is no maximum number or cap to the number of physical activities that Residents Networks can partner HPB on.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Patients Treated at Specialist Clinics in Restructured Hospitals for Diabetes Mellitus","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"42 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health (a) in each of the last five years, how many patients are treated at the specialist clinics in restructured hospitals for diabetes mellitus; (b) of these patients, how many are repeat patients; and (c) how many are referred to community clinics for the management of their condition.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The number of adult diabetic patients seen at the Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) at public acute hospitals for the past four years are shown in Table 1. Full data set for 2017 is not available. The absolute numbers are on an upward trend, because of an ageing society, and likely because of higher awareness of diabetes. Through programmes such as Chronic Disease Management Programme, we try as far as possible to manage such chronic diseases in primary care settings, but detailed numbers are not available. With Healthier SG, we aim to have more patients anchored in primary care with a familiar family doctor for the management of chronic diseases including diabetes.
43 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the starting salaries of qualified registered nurses in Singapore are lower than those offered in other developed countries and territories, including Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong; and (b) what is the Ministry doing to ensure that nurses' remunerations are competitive, both locally and internationally.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The attractiveness of work as a nurse in Singapore vis-à-vis a foreign country is not determined by the basic remuneration alone, but also taxes, cost of living, working conditions, training opportunities and living environment.
MOH regularly review our competitiveness holistically. In general, we remain competitive, but COVID-19 has exacerbated international competition for nurses, and almost every country is encountering challenges in retaining their nurses.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Immediate Crisis Mental Health Care Support Sought Between 2019 and 2021 and Qualified Professionals Available","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"44 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Health (a) how many individuals have sought immediate crisis care from public healthcare institutions for mental health care support between 2019 to 2021; (b) what is the current number of qualified primary care doctors who are able to provide mental health treatment in the community; and (c) whether there are plans to reduce the average waiting time to see a psychologist or psychiatrist in public healthcare institutions.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) provides immediate crisis care for patients with mental health conditions. Between 2019 to 2021, IMH saw an average of 13,000 individuals annually at their Emergency Services. Close to 22% of these attendances were referrals from the other public hospitals.
Patients who require mental health support and present at public hospitals are assessed by the medical team and those with more severe conditions will be given earlier appointments or be admitted for closer monitoring.
Mental health services are also available in the community and primary care, provided by the polyclinics, GPs, the community outreach teams (CREST) and the allied health-led community intervention teams (COMIT). As of 31 December 2021, there were over 310 trained Mental Health General Practitioners (MHGPP) and 14 polyclinics that provide mental health services in the primary care setting. We have been expanding services in the community through increasing the number of teams and service providers. By strengthening mental health services in the community, persons with mild to moderate mental health needs can be cared for in the community.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Tenants of HDB Rental Flats in Arrears in First Six Months of 2022","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"45 Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many tenants renting flats from HDB have defaulted on their rental payments in the first six months of 2022; (b) how many of such tenants have had the late charges on their rental payments waived on compassionate grounds; and (c) for tenants who have passed on, what are the alternative repayment arrangements.
Mr Desmond Lee: From January to June 2022:
(a)\tThere were about 6,800 public rental households, on average, who were in rental arrears of three months or more.
(b)\tAbout 1,200 public rental households in total were granted a waiver of their late payment charges.
HDB reaches out to understand the difficulties that households in rental arrears face, and takes a holistic approach to assist them. Besides actively advising and guiding the affected households, HDB will consider reducing their rent and referring them to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF) Social Service Offices for appropriate assistance. Late payment charges can be waived for tenants who take steps to address their rental arrears, such as working out a repayment plan or seeking financial assistance from the relevant agencies.
For tenants who have passed on, if the flat has no other occupiers, HDB will terminate the tenancy and write off any remaining debts. If the flat has other occupiers, HDB will work with them to address the arrears.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"More Loading/Unloading Parking Lots in HDB and Private Estates to Facilitate Deliveries to Residents","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"46 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for National Development in view of the increasing number of deliveries to residences, whether the Ministry will consider providing HDB and private estates more loading and unloading parking lots to facilitate the work of delivery workers.
Mr Desmond Lee: For HDB estates, delivery workers can utilise the loading and unloading bays (LUBs) provided at every HDB block for quick loading and unloading activities. In HDB estates where multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) are provided, there are two LUBs per residential block. More bays would be provided if there are shops or eating houses located within the estate. In older estates with surface car parks, loading and unloading activities can be carried out from the parking lots directly. In general, we observe that the current provision of loading and unloading bays in HDB estates is still broadly sufficient. Nevertheless, HDB will continue to monitor the situation on the ground and adjust the provision of LUBs at localised spots where required.
For private residential developments, LTA's Code of Practice on Vehicle Parking Provision encourages the provision of sufficient areas to facilitate deliveries by heavy vehicles. Management corporations (MCSTs) of strata-titled condominiums may choose to cater additional spaces to facilitate deliveries, based on the needs of their residents. Where MCSTs face constraints in designating dedicated delivery areas, they can consider alternative solutions such as allowing delivery vehicles to park within the estate when conducting deliveries. URA and BCA are also working with industry stakeholders and the relevant agencies to develop a set of best practices to guide MCSTs in facilitating deliveries to condominiums in a safe and practical manner.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reasons Commercial and Institutional Building Owners Not Tapping On Accessibility Fund for Barrier-free Access","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"47 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry has data on the main reasons that owners of commercial or institutional buildings are not tapping into the Accessibility Fund to have barrier-free access for their buildings; (b) if so, what are they; and (c) how can the Ministry encourage such owners to install basic accessibility features without having to wait for addition and alteration works required by BCA to be carried out.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) Accessibility Fund (AF) provides funding support for private building owners who undertake voluntary upgrading of their buildings to improve accessibility. The AF co-funds up to 80% of the construction cost of basic accessibility features, such as ramps, lifts and accessible toilets, and up to 60% of the construction cost of Universal Design features, including grab bars, child-friendly sanitary facilities and braille/tactile features.
Based on feedback that BCA has received, the reasons why building owners do not tap on the AF to carry out basic accessibility upgrading include cashflow concerns when undertaking costlier works such as lift installation, and site or space constraints in older buildings.
To help building owners with the cashflow for costlier works, BCA has enhanced the AF to provide an interim payment option for projects that involve lift installation and have a minimum value of $200,000 funding supported by the AF. Building owners can make a claim for reimbursement of up to 70% of the total supported funding during the implementation of the project, with the remaining amount to be reimbursed after all accessibility upgrading works have been completed.
To accelerate accessibility upgrading in older buildings, BCA will also require owners of non-barrier free commercial and institutional buildings with a Gross Floor Area of more than 500 square metres to provide basic accessibility features whenever addition and alteration works are carried out in any part of the building. BCA will implement this requirement in early 2023.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Actions Against Non-compliance with Progressive Wage Model for Lift and Escalator Technicians","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"48 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) how will BCA ensure compliance to the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for lift and escalator technicians; (b) what enforcement actions will be taken against companies that fail to comply with the PWM for these technicians; (c) what recourse is available for these technicians should their company fail to pay their required wages; and (d) whether a circular is issued to inform companies that the PWM for local escalator maintenance technicians has started with effect from 1 July 2022.
Mr Desmond Lee: Since May 2019, lift and escalator (L&E) firms that tender to undertake Government contracts for lift maintenance have been required to adopt the progressive wage model (PWM) for local lift maintenance technicians. These firms have also been required to extend the PWM to local escalator maintenance technicians from 1 July 2022. BCA had issued notices to inform the relevant L&E firms of this.
To ensure that these firms comply with the L&E PWM, BCA requires them to submit information on the wages of local L&E maintenance technicians that they employ to BCA annually. Local technicians in these firms who are offered employment contracts with wages lower than the PWM benchmark can report the non-compliances to BCA. BCA will also conduct audit checks. BCA will require errant firms to rectify non-compliances, and may suspend or revoke their eligibility to be awarded new Government tenders for lift maintenance. Government agencies may also terminate their lift maintenance contracts with errant firms that fail to rectify non-compliances.
L&E technicians who are not remunerated in accordance with their employment contracts can also approach the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for assistance.
More than 40 L&E contractors, maintaining more than 90% of the L&E in Singapore, have adopted the L&E PWM. We intend to mandate the L&E PWM for all L&E contractors, and will provide more details when ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"HDB Flats Damaged by Fire and Households Covered under HDB Fire Insurance Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"49 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each of the past five years, what is the number of HDB flats that are damaged in a fire; and (b) whether HDB will consider expanding the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme to include home contents such as furniture, renovation and loss of personal belongings.
50 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current percentage of HDB households that are insured under the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme; and (b) whether the Ministry can consider making the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme mandatory for all HDB flats, with support to be provided to those who are unable to afford this scheme.
Mr Desmond Lee: The number of residential fire incidents reported to HDB over the past five years are shown in Table 1.
As of 31 July 2022, 51% of HDB flats are insured under the HDB Fire Insurance Scheme. It is mandatory for flat owners who take a mortgage loan from HDB on or after 1 September 1994 to purchase the HDB fire insurance from HDB’s appointed insurer.
The HDB Fire Insurance Scheme relieves HDB flat owners of the financial burden of repair work to their flat in the event of a fire. The basic fire insurance premiums offered by HDB's appointed insurer are inexpensive. For a five-year coverage, the current premiums range from $1.62 for a 1-room flat, to $8.10 for an Executive/Multi-Generation flat.
Flat owners who do not take a mortgage loan from HDB are not required to purchase the HDB fire insurance policy. We understand that some financial institutions do impose a requirement on HDB flat owners who took a mortgage loan from them, to buy home insurance from their appointed insurer. For all other flat owners, they have the option to purchase insurance cover with an insurer of their choice and are encouraged to ensure that their properties are adequately insured against damages caused by unfortunate accidents such as fire.
As with many other forms of insurance, it is the responsibility of owners to ensure that they have proper insurance coverage or the financial means to repair and restore their properties in case of damage.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulations on Hoarding as Fire Hazard in Residential Estates","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"51 Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for National Development in view of recent fire incidents occurring in residential estates (a) whether there will be a review of the regulations on hoarding in residential estates; (b) what further measures will be considered by the multi-agency workgroup to prevent such fire incidents from recurring; and (c) whether the Government will move the solution for hoarding issues upstream and, if so, how.
Mr Desmond Lee: Compulsive hoarding is characterised by the excessive acquisition of items that are of little or no value, and an inability or unwillingness to discard them. While hoarders' homes may be filled from floor to ceiling with what most may deem as \"rubbish\", they view these items as important and cannot bear to part with them. In the most severe cases, the hoarder may even rough sleep outside their homes as there is hardly any space left inside. Internationally, the Clutter Image Rating Scale (CIRS) is used to measure the extent and severity of hoarding.
The root cause of a hoarder's behaviour is complex. For example, one's hoarding could be a symptom of underlying mental health conditions like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or developed after trauma or deep grief. Hoarding behaviours could also be exacerbated by social factors, such as disputes with one's family or the stockpiling of collected items at home for one's \"karang guni\" business. Hoarding strikes people of all ages. While hoarding is more often observed in the elderly, it is a behavioural trait that could have slowly deteriorated throughout adulthood and worsened as one ages.
Hoarding can happen within the confines of one's flat, but can also spill out into common areas such as shared corridors. A hoarded home may be infested with pests from rotting food or pose a fire risk as occupants may be unable to escape in an emergency due to blockages to exit routes from the extreme accumulation of clutter. Hoarding that clutters corridors also obstructs evacuation routes for neighbours in times of fire. The emanating stench may also inconvenience neighbours and be a nuisance by preventing them from enjoying living in their own homes. These public health and safety risks and dis-amenities warrant state intervention for the wellbeing of both the hoarder and the community.
The Government has taken an inter-agency approach to address hoarding because of its complexity and potentially fatal public hazards. The Hoarding Management Core Group (HMCG), led by the Municipal Services Office (MSO), was set up in 2014 to coordinate efforts across agencies and resolve protracted and severe hoarding cases. The HMCG comprises HDB, NEA, NParks (AVS), SCDF, MSF, PA, and AIC.
In the Hoarding Management Framework (HMF), hoarding cases are assessed and prioritised based on whether there is threat to public health and safety. Where risks are identified to the extent that established rules and laws are violated, regulatory agencies will issue orders or take enforcement action on the hoarder or homeowner. For example, NEA may order the owner to remove items contributing to pest infestations in their home, while SCDF may order the owner to cease hoarding flammable items such as fuel. AVS will also act against hoarding of animals within a HDB flat where animal welfare is harmed, or Town Councils may require owners to remove hoarding in the common areas.
The HMCG considers community and social interventions in tandem with enforcement efforts. If the hoarder is suspected to have mental health issues, the hoarder will be referred to the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for professional assessment and treatment. Agencies work closely with healthcare workers, community partners such as social workers from Family Service Centres, grassroots leaders, volunteers and the hoarders' family members in a concerted effort to resolve hoarding cases. However, even with the involvement of mental health agencies and professionals, deep seated issues may still result in recurrence as behavioural change is unlikely to happen overnight.
Nevertheless, the HMCG has achieved some success, and as of 1H 2022, we have managed to reduce the severity of 210 cases of hoarding and are actively monitoring these cases to prevent recurrence. If your family member is a hoarder, we seek your strong support on agencies' efforts to declutter as family intervention has proven to be a major success factor in hoarding intervention.
Agencies are currently working on another 260 active hoarding cases. These complex cases remain protracted and unresolved because it is difficult to gain hoarders' cooperation to declutter. Frontline officers face real tensions on the ground in balancing between the hoarder's individual right to choose how they want to upkeep their own home and their neighbours' enjoyment of their own residences, especially in cases where the clutter falls short of outright legal violations, or do not meet the threshold for public health and safety risks as determined by SCDF and NEA.
In such cases, officers need to obtain the cooperation of the hoarder to help them declutter. This involves repeated engagements, persuasion, and at times, referrals to social workers and/or mental health professionals. We have encountered cases where hoarders refuse to open their door for inspections or cooperate in decluttering – some may even threaten self-harm at the thought of losing their belongings. Even if their homes were successfully decluttered once, the clutter may recur as habits do not change so quickly.
However, as recent cases have shown, decluttering is needed not just for the community, but to protect the individual's safety, and the HMCG will continue to work hard at this problem. We empathise with neighbours' frustration with the recurrence of inconveniences and dis-amenities, but also seek your understanding that the challenges and complexities in hoarding intervention require persistent efforts sustained over a long period, both on agencies' and the hoarder's part. To this end, agencies are committed to reviewing enforcement levers and acting more decisively on decluttering efforts.
We plan to intensify actions to keep corridors clear for passage. In the coming months, agencies intend to work with TCs to step up enforcement on cluttered corridors. In tandem, MSO will work with the media as well as social and grassroots workers to further spread and reinforce key messages through more Public Education on the dangers of hoarding and cluttered corridors.
We will also continue to tackle known cases of egregious hoarding within flats. We will work with agencies to assess risks posed by the worst hoarding cases. Where orders are issued for public health and safety reasons and hoarders are cooperative, we will proceed to declutter via the community-based approach with the assistance of volunteer groups. However, even in cases where hoarders are unwilling to part with their items, we will act firmly in the interest of public health and safety to intervene. We seek the understanding of the public that we cannot allow decluttering efforts to be blocked by the remonstrations of individuals who may be endangering public health and safety with their actions.
Lastly, the HMCG alone cannot identify all hoarding cases. Residents who come across hoarding behaviour with public health and safety concerns may report such cases through the OneService App, which will then be referred to agencies for further assessment.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Ensure New Buildings and Estates are Designed for Easier Maintenance to Minimise Mosquito Breeding","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"52 Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked the Minister for National Development in view of the increasing number of dengue cases and the expected challenges of this problem worsening due to global warming, what are the measures to ensure that new buildings and estates are designed for easier maintenance to minimise mosquito breeding.
Mr Desmond Lee: NEA's Code of Practice on Environmental Health (COPEH) provides guidelines to address environmental health concerns in the design of buildings. This includes anti-mosquito breeding measures such as installing anti-mosquito devices at floor traps and using HDB-patented air-conditioner trays that do not trap stagnant water, if necessary. Roof gutters which can be clogged and become mosquito breeding sites are also disallowed in new developments. Developers are required to adopt the stipulated guidelines.
HDB references the Code of Practice for anti-mosquito breeding measures, and considers ease of maintenance in the design of its buildings and estates. Measures adopted by HDB projects include providing an adequate gradient for roofs, paved-areas, and drains, to prevent water stagnation and mosquito breeding. Rainwater from roofs is also drained off directly through rainwater downpipes instead of through roof gutters. Additionally, anti-mosquito and insect filter devices are provided for floor traps within internal HDB units and common areas in HDB estates.
For landscaping of HDB estates, some of HDB's design guidelines help prevent mosquito breeding. For example, HDB avoids growing plants that may potentially trap water (e.g. those that act as receptacles or with thick axils).
HDB regularly reviews the design and provision of features when new technology to aid maintenance becomes available, and takes in feedback from Town Councils or residents through post-occupation surveys.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Waiting Times for HDB Rental Flat Allocations under Public Rental Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"53 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the current waiting times for HDB rental flat allocations under the Public Rental Scheme for approved applications segmented by application zone; and (b) what is the Ministry’s updated assessment of the sufficiency of the supply of HDB rental flats to meet demand.
Mr Desmond Lee: The current average waiting time for rental flat allocation under the Public Rental Scheme is eight months. For applicants who are in urgent need of a rental flat, such as those with medical grounds or other exceptional circumstances, HDB will prioritise their applications and expedite flat allocation.
Since August 2022, HDB has removed the zonal approach for applications under the Public Rental Scheme. This allows approved applicants to select from all available flats across Singapore and helps to alleviate the longer waiting time in certain zones.
The overall supply of rental flats is currently sufficient to meet aggregate demand. Nonetheless, we are monitoring the situation closely, as the demand for rental flats has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We are also studying options to augment the supply, where necessary.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Undisclosed HDB Flat Subletting Cases Found Between 2010 and 2021","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"54 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for National Development (a) between 2010 and 2021, what is the number of undisclosed HDB flat subletting cases found; (b) what are the penalties meted to the homeowners in these cases; and (c) how can HDB improve its enforcement of the rules on undisclosed HDB flat subletting.
Mr Desmond Lee: HDB flats are primarily meant for owner-occupation. Nonetheless, HDB flat owners are allowed to rent out their whole flat after meeting the required minimum occupation period. Flat owners must obtain HDB's prior approval, and comply with the terms and conditions during the rent out period.
HDB takes a serious view of unauthorised renting out of flat and will take action against errant flat owners. Depending on the severity and circumstances of the infringement, HDB may issue a written warning, impose a financial penalty of up to $50,000, or acquire the flats compulsorily from the owners. Between 2010 and 2021, HDB acted against a total of 730 cases of unauthorised renting out of flat, including ~70 which were compulsorily acquired.
To uncover any unauthorised renting out, HDB conducts routine planned inspections and investigates all feedback from members of the public on suspected cases. Besides operating a dedicated hotline for the public to report suspected infringements, HDB also organises community programmes such as Heartland Talks, and publicises cases of action taken against flat owners to deter flat owners from breaching the rental rules.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Eligibility of Single Parents with Interim Judgment of Divorce for Subsidised Flat under Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers and Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"55 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for National Development following the amendment in March 2019 to the housing transition policy which allows parties to a divorce to apply to buy a subsidised HDB flat upon obtaining an interim judgment of divorce, whether the Ministry will consider also introducing this amendment to the Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers and Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme for single parents with an interim judgment of divorce.
Mr Desmond Lee: Both the Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (ASSIST) and the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) are already open to single parents with an Interim Judgment of Divorce (IJ).
Since 2019, divorcing parties can apply for a flat from HDB once they have obtained an IJ, and have settled the ancillary matters relating to their matrimonial property and the custody, care and control of their child(ren). Those who are second-timers will be accorded priority under ASSIST if they apply for a 2-room Flexi or 3-room new flat in a non-mature estate, and meet the other eligibility conditions to purchase a flat. Those who have booked flats will also be eligible for PPHS if they meet the other eligibility conditions, such as citizenship and the income ceiling of $7,000.
56 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what safeguards are in place for the SG Mental Well-Being Network to ensure that neighbours, members of the community and grassroots volunteers are equipped to assist those coping with mental health.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: The SG Mental Well-Being Network is a network comprising citizens and partners aimed at strengthening Singaporeans' mental well-being. Launched in July 2022, it is an expansion of the Youth Mental Well-Being Network, which was set up at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic primarily for youths.
The Network will focus initially on destigmatising and raising awareness of mental well-being issues, build mental well-being literacy and strengthening community and peer support.
One key deliverable under the Network is to pilot Well-Being Circles in the community. The Circles will train and equip citizens with the skills to look after themselves and support one another. The Circles will be led by grassroot leaders and community volunteers, and the Network will support them with resources, partnerships, and training.
The training provided to the Circles will equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to: provide basic socio-emotional support, encourage help-seeking in persons with mental health challenges, and support wayfinding to resources for self-care as well as further interventions. The Circles cater to individuals with less intensive mental health needs, complementing the role of other mental health services in the community.
Partner organisations of the Network will be encouraged to implement safeguards for their own volunteers' well-being. These include organising routine check-ins with volunteers or providing counselling support if volunteers experience significant emotional distress when supporting others.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Inflation on Workers and Provision of Appropriate Wage Increments","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"57 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Manpower how is the Government ensuring that employers consider the impact of inflation on workers and provide wage increments that meet inflation.
Dr Tan See Leng: When inflation goes up and prices rise for employees, costs similarly rise for employers. Employers themselves fundamentally need to make their companies more productive to be able to pay more to employees and cope with inflation. Employers, employees and the Government therefore work together as tripartite partners to press on with economic transformation, raise productivity and turn our current challenges into longer-term opportunities. This is what we have been doing through the 23 Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs). The ITMs seek to sharpen the competitiveness of companies and industries to enable our workers to deepen their skills and increase their productivity. These improvements translate into better wages for our workers.
The Government is supporting employers to restructure their businesses and upskill their employees. For example, Workforce Singapore has rolled out Job Redesign and Reskilling Programmes to support employers to upskill their employees to take on enhanced job roles. Other schemes such as the Enterprise Development Grant and the Productivity Solutions Grant, are also available to help businesses strengthen their capabilities. The Economic Development Board also works to attract investments in a wide range of sectors. The profile of investments has increasingly moved towards higher value-added and innovation-focussed activities that generate higher-paying jobs with good wage growth prospects which need to be filled by Singaporeans.
Our foreign workforce policies encourage employers to embark on productivity-led, manpower-lean growth. For example, we have tightened the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) and S Pass sub-DRC to nudge employers to reduce over-reliance on lower-skilled foreign workers so that they would press on with productivity improvements and strengthen their Singaporean core. The new Progressive Wage moves implemented on 1 September 2022 also include the new Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) requirement, which ensures that locals are employed meaningfully, rather than be given token salaries for firms to access foreign workers.
Given the labour market we have today, where employment is back at pre-COVID levels and vacancies significantly outnumber jobseekers, employers who do not provide fair and sustainable wage increments will risk losing their workers. To provide guidance to employers, the National Wages Council (NWC) will issue its annual wage guidelines to employers and employees later this year. The NWC, represented by employer, employee and government groups, recently convened on 1 September 2022 to formulate the new set of annual wage guidelines that will take effect from 1 December 2022. The NWC will set out wage recommendations taking into account both the economic recovery over the past year, and the uncertain global economic outlook going forward, including the impact of inflation on employees.
Lower-wage workers have experienced good wage growth over the last five years. From 2016 to 2021, real1 income at the 20th percentile has risen 2.7% per annum, faster than at the median2. This has put lower-wage workers in a better position to cope with inflation. The Government and tripartite partners will continue to uplift our lower-wage workers through the Progressive Wage Model. Nevertheless, we recognise that the impact of inflation hits lower-wage workers harder. To help lower-income households and vulnerable groups with inflation and cost of living concerns, the Government has announced several support measures, including the $1.5 billion Support Package announced in June 2022. We stand prepared to provide more targeted help for lower-income and vulnerable groups if the situation worsens.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Deflated by Consumer Price Index for all items at 2019 prices (2019 = 100).","2 : Pertains to gross monthly income from work (including employer CPF) of full-time employed residents."],"footNoteQuestions":["57"],"questionNo":"57"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Raise Local Qualifying Salary to Benefit Lower-wage Earners","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"58 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Manpower whether there are plans to raise the Local Qualifying Salary that is used to determine a company's work permit and S pass quota entitlement, to the 10th percentile income of Singaporeans for the benefit of a significant proportion of lower-wage earners.
Dr Tan See Leng: To ensure that employers do not hire locals on token salaries just to increase their foreign worker quota, locals have to be paid at least the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) to count toward calculations for the firm’s foreign worker quota. To uplift lower-wage workers, the Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers recommended in 2021 that firms be required to pay all their full-time local workers at least the LQS, and not only those counting towards the quota, in order to be eligible to hire foreign workers. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) adopted this recommendation and implemented the new requirement on 1 September 2022.
This move will secure fairer wage outcomes for a larger group of lower-wage workers, who can be assured that their salaries will not fall below the LQS of $1,400. Our focus now is to ensure a smooth implementation of the new LQS requirement and to give firms time to adjust to this change.
The Ministry regularly reviews the LQS by taking into consideration the prevailing wage and economic conditions. In fact, we have raised the LQS four times since 2017, with the latest increase to $1,400 taking place in 2020. Hence, the member can be assured that the Government will continue to monitor the wage outcomes of locals and the economic climate, and adjust the LQS accordingly to ensure that our lower-wage workers continue to be uplifted alongside the rest of Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Sectors Facing Severe Lack of Workers and Measures to Support Manpower Needs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"59 Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked the Minister for Manpower with regard to the manpower shortages faced by many businesses (a) which are the sectors and the sub-sectors within them that face the most severe lack of workers; (b) what are the measures to support manpower needs in sub-sectors providing essential services; (c) whether the dependency ratio ceiling can be adjusted to assist these sub-sectors; and (d) whether the Ministry will permit more migrant workers from non-traditional sources for these sub-sectors.
Dr Tan See Leng: We are cognisant that some firms continue to feel a degree of manpower tightness, as they catch up on the backlogs accumulated over the last two years whilst receiving new orders as the economy reopens. Factors such as having their experienced workers go on home leave, whilst their newer workers train to familiarise themselves with the firms' operations, add to this sense of manpower tightness.
This is despite how at the macro-level, total employment has rebounded to 99.5% of the pre-COVID level in 2019 by June 2022. In fact, the resident workforce has surpassed the pre-COVID level, while non-resident workforce has reached more than 90% of the pre-COVID level following significant relaxation of border restrictions from April 2022. We expect non-resident employment to continue to recover in the quarters ahead, which will provide more relief to the labour market tightness.
Some sub-sectors such as Aviation and Tourism are also constrained by labour shortages. The relevant government agencies have hence supported these sub-sectors with time-limited support to cope with the short-term manpower crunch so they can quickly rebound and capture the opportunities as the economy re-opens. Key firms have been provided with access to additional foreign worker quotas and Work Permit Holders from Non-Traditional Sources (NTS). We have also supported essential services like healthcare and the cleaning of public housing estates to access more labour. Instead of adjusting the Dependency Ratio Ceiling across the entire Services sector, this focused approach is a more targeted and effective way to address the unique business needs of different sub-sectors.
On migrant workers from NTS, MOM announced the NTS Occupation List at MOM's Committee of Supply 2022. The scheme will allow businesses in the Services and Manufacturing sectors to hire Work Permit Holders from NTS for select occupations from September 2023.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Employers Prosecuted for Inflating Foreign Worker Quota by Employing Singaporean Phantom Workers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"60 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower (a) from 2010 to 2021, whether there were any prosecutions of employers inflating their foreign worker quota by employing Singaporean phantom workers; and (b) if so, how many of such employers were prosecuted in each year.
Dr Tan See Leng: From 2010 to 2012, there were about six employers a year prosecuted for inflating a firm's foreign worker quota by making CPF contributions to locals not working for the firm. Penalties included imprisonment terms of up to one year 10 months and fines of up to $35,000.
In November 2012, the EFMA was amended to make inflating a firm's foreign worker quota an administrative infringement and not a criminal offence. This allowed MOM to take swifter action against such employers and impose high financial penalties that are commensurate with the infringement. Enforcement since November 2012 is therefore by administrative financial penalties and not prosecution in the court.
From 2013 to 2021, financial penalties were issued against about nine employers per year, with the penalty up to $200,000.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singaporeans Employed by Multiple Companies at Less than $1,500 at Each Company for Headcount","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"61 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower what is the current number of Singaporean workers who are employed by two or more companies and paid less than $1,500 per month at each company, where such companies are using their Singaporean worker headcount to compute its foreign worker quota for work permit and S Pass holders.
Dr Tan See Leng: There are currently 53,200 locals who are working in two or more jobs. About half of them are paid less than $1,500 per month at each job on average. This includes locals who may be working on a part-time basis in two or more jobs.
We recognise that some locals may work in more than one job across different companies. To avoid disincentivising firms from hiring these locals, we allow locals to count towards the foreign worker quota of up to two companies.
Locals will count as one employee towards each employer’s foreign worker quota if they are paid at least the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) of $1,400 a month. Locals will count as half an employee if they are paid at least half the LQS (i.e. $700 a month), such as in the case of a part-time worker. The use of the LQS ensures that employers do not hire locals on token salaries just to increase their foreign worker quota.
To uplift lower-wage workers, MOM will continue to work with tripartite partners through the Progressive Wage Model. The new Progressive Wage moves implemented on 1 September 2022 also include the new LQS requirement, which requires firms to pay all their full-time local workers at least the LQS, and not only those counting towards the quota, in order to be eligible to hire foreign workers. This move will secure fairer wage outcomes for a larger group of lower-wage workers. We will continue our efforts to ensure that our lower-wage workers are uplifted alongside the rest of Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Action Against Migrant Domestic Workers Borrowing Money from Illegal Loan Sharks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"62 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the current action taken against migrant domestic workers (MDWs) who have borrowed money from illegal loan sharks; and (b) whether these MDWs will be banned from returning to Singapore.
Dr Tan See Leng: MOM takes a serious view of MDWs and other work pass holders borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders. If an MDW is found to have borrowed from unlicensed moneylenders, she is liable to have her work permit revoked. She will also be barred from future employment in Singapore.
To avoid such a situation, it is important to address the issue upstream by educating MDWs on good money management practices and highlighting the risks of borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders. This is done through channels such as the mandatory Settling-In-Programme (SIP) and the regular newsletters put out by the Singapore Police Force and MOM.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Average Monthly Salary Drawn by Employment Pass Holders","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"63 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower for each year over the last 10 years (a) what is the average monthly salary drawn by Employment Pass (EP) holders by deciles; and (b) what is the number of EP holders within each income decile.
Dr Tan See Leng: MOM regularly reviews the EP qualifying salary to keep pace with local PMET1 wages. This ensures that EP holders are of good calibre and are not hired simply because they are cheaper than locals. Consequently, the monthly salaries of EP holders at every decile have increased over the last ten years. From December 2011 to December 2021, the median monthly salary of EP holders increased from $4,700 to $9,000.
The number of Employment Pass (EP) holders per decile increased from 17,500 in December 2011 to 19,200 in December 2016, but decreased to 16,200 in December 2021 in part due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Table 1 summarises the key data for December 2011, 2016 and 2021, which broadly represent the trends in EP median salaries and numbers over the ten-year period.